Posted on May 22, 2024
What MOS should I consider reclassifying to in the Reserves that is related to my civilian police officer job?
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I am coming toward my re-enlistment window and one goal I want is to be able to reclass to a different MOS that is related to my civilian police officer job. Any suggestions? Soon to be promoted E-5 and I might want to go officer but will still enlisted for now.
Posted 7 mo ago
Responses: 7
As PO1 H Gene Lawrence stated, the MP route is the obvious choice if you're looking for overlap/redundancy with you civilian career (31B/police officer, 91B/auto mechanic, etc.).
Other options to explore that are "additive to your civilian career" (assuming you're not a 'specialized' law enforcement officer) like the "other 31-series MOSes" such as Military Working Dog Handler (31K), Corrections/Detention Specialist (31E), etc.
Finally, there are ones that are "in the same ballpark, but different sections of the bleachers" (aka "same church, different pew"), such as a 27D|Paralegal Specialist (much more involved in the 'other side' of the legal system) or a 35L|Counterintelligence Agent (does much of what would be considered "detective work" or "specialist" work in civilian law enforcement).
Other options to explore that are "additive to your civilian career" (assuming you're not a 'specialized' law enforcement officer) like the "other 31-series MOSes" such as Military Working Dog Handler (31K), Corrections/Detention Specialist (31E), etc.
Finally, there are ones that are "in the same ballpark, but different sections of the bleachers" (aka "same church, different pew"), such as a 27D|Paralegal Specialist (much more involved in the 'other side' of the legal system) or a 35L|Counterintelligence Agent (does much of what would be considered "detective work" or "specialist" work in civilian law enforcement).
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MAJ Byron Oyler
Medic would be a great one. All the adventure activities I do or have done, one worry I do not have in life is watching friends or family hurt and have no clue what to do. I would hate to be LE and not be able to help a buddy until EMS arrives.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
MAJ Byron Oyler - ...
BOTH Fun & Success Are Based Upon Taking Chances.
If One Does Neither They'll Have NO CHANCE Of Becoming Successful.
This Was My Awakening At 15; As Instructed To Me By My Older Brother,
When I Was Living With Him & His Family In Central America:
" Never Say 'NO' To ANYTHING Unless It Will Kill You IMMEDIATELY.
IF You Do, You May VERY WELL Be Missing The Adventures Of Your Lifetime".
And Jim Was Absolutely CORRECT ~~ I'm 80, And It's Been A "GREAT RIDE"
BOTH Fun & Success Are Based Upon Taking Chances.
If One Does Neither They'll Have NO CHANCE Of Becoming Successful.
This Was My Awakening At 15; As Instructed To Me By My Older Brother,
When I Was Living With Him & His Family In Central America:
" Never Say 'NO' To ANYTHING Unless It Will Kill You IMMEDIATELY.
IF You Do, You May VERY WELL Be Missing The Adventures Of Your Lifetime".
And Jim Was Absolutely CORRECT ~~ I'm 80, And It's Been A "GREAT RIDE"
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My opinion is this; choose an MOS that you are interested in and that you think you will enjoy. Outside of some very specific categories such as aviation, IT and chaplaincy/law/medical (in my opinion), there is never a true correlation between a military job and civilian job, especially in a Reserve Component capacity.
I am a 13F in the Reserve (formerly in the Guard) and a civilian Police Officer. I love both. I like that they are different and are separate. To me, I get a break when I go to drill and get to do something different than my day-to-day civilian job. I definitely learned some intangible and soft skills from my MOS and through deployment experiences which have helped me in my Police career. But it is the fact that I enjoy both and am passionate about both that helps me be successful.
Two of my best friends from college were Active Duty MP Officers out of ROTC. One served on a PSD team and as a Provost Marshal overseas during his deployment. The other served his entire AD time as a patrol shift supervisor for Fort Drum's Provost Marshals Office and part of their SRT. Both are now civilian Police Officers. From what they have said, it is more that they simply served in the military and were enlisted infantrymen, than the fact they were MP Officers, that helped them get hired and excel in their current civilian jobs.
I am a 13F in the Reserve (formerly in the Guard) and a civilian Police Officer. I love both. I like that they are different and are separate. To me, I get a break when I go to drill and get to do something different than my day-to-day civilian job. I definitely learned some intangible and soft skills from my MOS and through deployment experiences which have helped me in my Police career. But it is the fact that I enjoy both and am passionate about both that helps me be successful.
Two of my best friends from college were Active Duty MP Officers out of ROTC. One served on a PSD team and as a Provost Marshal overseas during his deployment. The other served his entire AD time as a patrol shift supervisor for Fort Drum's Provost Marshals Office and part of their SRT. Both are now civilian Police Officers. From what they have said, it is more that they simply served in the military and were enlisted infantrymen, than the fact they were MP Officers, that helped them get hired and excel in their current civilian jobs.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
~~ "B I N G O " ~~
"Do Something You Enjoy."
IF You Too Are As Fortunate As I've Been,
You'll NEVER Go To "WORK" Again
"Do Something You Enjoy."
IF You Too Are As Fortunate As I've Been,
You'll NEVER Go To "WORK" Again
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I would only add to this, that some larger depts we deal with here, like LAPD, LASD and SAPD prefer any MOS other than MP (they feel MP teaches the wrong habits). Your mileage may vary where you work/live.
But yeah, an ancillary 31 series MOS, or 35M HUMINT (working sources, same as a cop with different words and different incentives), or 68W medic (with EMT basic), or 68X behavioral health specialist (for those tougher calls), can be handy as a cop.
Of course, with all things Guard/Reserve, temper your choice with distance to that new position.
For OCS and a basic branch, same, consider the distance to the unit, and consider sticking with anything that has BOLC available same year, you would be waiting longer for AG, CM and OD for dates, Signal, CYBER and MI for your TS and then dates after you have that.
But yeah, an ancillary 31 series MOS, or 35M HUMINT (working sources, same as a cop with different words and different incentives), or 68W medic (with EMT basic), or 68X behavioral health specialist (for those tougher calls), can be handy as a cop.
Of course, with all things Guard/Reserve, temper your choice with distance to that new position.
For OCS and a basic branch, same, consider the distance to the unit, and consider sticking with anything that has BOLC available same year, you would be waiting longer for AG, CM and OD for dates, Signal, CYBER and MI for your TS and then dates after you have that.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
On OCS and BOLC, I agree with everything except the distance to the unit. At some point, you will need to go to a different unit to get rank. In my 10 years of Commissioned service in the National Guard, I only served in two that were closer than 30 miles. The furthest was about 120 miles. If you commission, just accept that at some point, there will be a commute that is a serious pain in the butt.
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