What are your personal pros and cons for Army Active vs Army Reserve?

Casey McCammon — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 13:25:40 -0500

I am currently in the application process for WOFT in KC MO. And I am wondering which path makes more sense for Army Aviation and having a fiancé.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jan 25 at 2018 1:46 PM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 13:46:38 -0500

While I cant answer Army specific questions (even though I was active duty Army years ago), I can help you with active duty vs Reserves duty.

The basic difference is that in the Reserves you will have to maintain civilian job to pay your bills. Active duty is your one and only job.

The first thing to remember is that whichever way you choose, you will still have to attend the same training. That could be many months or even years of training depending on your MOS. Being gone for that length of time will have a huge impact on your civilian job.

Once you complete training, you will still be on the hook for 2 days a month (usually the 2nd weekend of each month) and 2 weeks a year (minimum) for Reserve training. Depending on your unit and career field, you are also exposed to being deployed every few years. That deployment can last anywhere from 6 months to a year. All that time away will effect your civilian job. Many employers are not very happy about having you gone so long either.

On the active duty side, you still face the same stuff as above. Except, you will have no control of where you get stationed after training. It could be someplace nice or crappy. You may even get stationed in a place where you have to leave your fiancé at home. It would be advisable to marry your fiancé before or shortly after you enter the Army. Being married you will have access to housing and other benefits.

The short answer is that active duty will have a larger impact on your life than the Reserves as the Army will control every thing you do. Being in the Reserves you can stay at home and be close to family. However, there still is a large commitment involved.

Good luck with your decision.

Response by LTJG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2018 2:14 PM

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 14:14:02 -0500

Don't have too much to add here other than word of mouth from an aviation officer I know in the national guard.
According to him, like everything else there are pros and cons. You need just as many weekly flight hours to maintain proficiency no matter what component you're in, so even being in the gusts l guard, he's still held to the same weekly flight requirements as his active duty counterparts.
The con, is that his unit is pretty far from home which is somewhat common in your reserves. You're just stationed at the closest reserve center which can be right next door or even in another state. So several times a week He has to take a long trip to get his hours in.

Sorry I couldn't help you more. If you need help with the sift let me know I took it before I applied to fly for the navy.

Response by A1C Ian Williams made Jan 25 at 2018 2:14 PM

A1C Ian Williams — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 14:14:24 -0500

Always go active duty if you want the military career to be your life. If you are only tepidly interested in military life and want to start a family, you can still do this on active duty. Go active duty!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2018 2:19 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 14:19:39 -0500

The below comments summed it up well, Active is your job, reserves is a side job in your civilian life and depending on your rank and position in that reserve unit will seem more like a full time job with out the pay. I completed 23 years reserve duty, called up 3 times, was lucky in the fact that my employers were always supportive of my reserve status, that is big and you need a supportive family.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2018 2:28 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 14:28:56 -0500

Whether you go Active, Guard, or Reserve it's a really good gig. I don't know where the Army Reserve Aviation units are, but I know that every state has at least one aviation unit. It's going to open a lot of doors for you once you start racking up flying hours. It will take you longer to progress from RL3 to RL 1 in a reserve component as opposed to Active. Sometimes RC units will put you on orders for brief periods of time to work on that. A problem that a lot of flyers have on the RC side is trying to get their civilian employers to understand that their commitment requires a lot more than the typical 1 weekend a month/2 weeks a year. You have minimum flight hour requirements that you have to meet annually and semi annually for day, night, and night-unaided flight.

Your fiancé also has to understand the commitment that you're undertaking and that she has to be a part of. It's going to require you to be away from home more often whether your AC or RC. On the RC side I know guys that are away from their families more than they're with them and most of them are fortunate enough to have understanding spouses that support what they do.

I don't know if I answered your question or created more but there's plenty of us here that can offer more information.

Response by SGT Eric Davis made Jan 25 at 2018 2:58 PM

SGT Eric Davis — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 14:58:03 -0500

I was reserve for 6 years and did 2 tours. I would recommend going active first so you get use to the military lifestyle and you only have to worry about one career at a time. If you go reserve or Guard you have two worry about 2 jobs and how you going to pay you bills if you only in the reserve or Guard. Going active guarantee you a career, food and place to live!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2018 4:04 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 16:04:42 -0500

If you want to be an aviator your best bet is the National Guard for a couple of reasons. First of all, the "needs of the Army" play a much larger role in the active component. You could be ready, willing and able to go to Warrant Officer flight training but big Army may have other plans. if you find a Guard unit that is short and you live a reasonable driving distance from their facility, or aren't afraid to move, they may enlist you into an aviation MOS with a follow on to flight school after they get to know you. Another pro to going National Guard is that if you aspire to be a 2LT and an aviator you can obtain a slot in the unit prior to going to OCS and guarantee you'll be headed to flight school after commissioning. In the big Army you could pass your flight aptitude test, get accepted to OCS, put Aviation down as your number one choice of branch and still end up in the signal corps or whatever

Response by CPT Nicholas D. made Jan 25 at 2018 6:16 PM

CPT Nicholas D. — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 18:16:45 -0500

Both Components (and I am going to include the Guard in the Reserve Component... Make sure you take a look at those opportunities too) are going to have their advantages. Active Component (AC) Aviators and Reserve Component (RC) Aviators go to the same Flight School, have most of the same opportunities to fly the same aircraft, and have the same Aviator Requirements. A FAC 1 Aviator whether AC or RC, has the same minimum flying hour requirement. These are accomplished through additional Flight Training Periods beyond "one weekend a month, 2 weeks in the summer." Anticipate flying during the work week 3-4 times a month.

With the AC, you have full time pay and benefits awaiting you, have the opportunity to travel and be stationed in different and exciting locations, and if you wish to pursue more "Special" opportunities, you have that avenue to pursue.

The RC does not guarantee positions with full time pay and benefits (although there are Dual-Status Federal Technicians and AGR soldiers that do fly full time). You will certainly get paid for any service that you perform, but if you a traditional drilling reservist, you will only collect a fraction of what your flight school friends in the AC are making. If you are full-time in the RC, you'll make the same as they do.

The Guard and Reserve are generally small communities. The USAR has reduced it's Aviation footprint substantially over the last few decades, and although the ARNG has more aircraft and more opportunities, operate as small independent kingdoms for the most part. The USAR could require you to transfer out of state for your Inactive Duty for Training (the unit where you drill). The State that you are a National Guard member of will not transfer you out of your State unless you ask for it.

The AC is going to have a more aggressive deployment cycle. You WILL deploy as an RC Aviator, but the cycle is more like every 3-5 years versus every other year. Be prepared to deploy, but you'll probably spend more time in your own bed as an RC Aviator versus AC. With that said, there are full time opportunities and schools in both components which will keep your Government Travel Card warm.

There are other pro's and con's such as Aircraft Selection. Your career aircraft in the AC is largely driven by your Order of Merit status (in the Flight Training Pipeline) and needs of the Army. If you are going to go Active Duty WOFT... prepare yourself spiritually to have a future as any one of the Army's inventory pilots. Don't go into that process expecting you WILL be a specific airframe pilot. (e.g Apache Pilot, Medevac UH-60 pilot, Fixed-Wing pilot, etc). A lot of kids who wanted to fly AH-64's their entire childhood are pre-flighting their Chinook or Black Hawk tonight.

The Aircraft Selection in the ARNG is more driven on slots available in the state, aircraft in the state, and distance from your supporting flight facility. But you generally know what aircraft you are going to fly as you pack your U-Haul for Fort Rucker.

As an AC Aviator, you are on a 6 year hitch. As an ARNG Aviator, they will still expect 6 years, but you have a little more freedom of movement to pursue civilian career, education, or even civilian flying. Heard anything about Rotary-Wing Transitions run by the airlines? Additionally, you may find yourself in an operational flying or "line company" a lot longer in the RC. There aren't too many 3,000+ hour CW3's and CW4's hanging out on the line in the AC. Most of them serve in higher level Battalion and Brigade staff positions. The RC, you might have a company SP with 4 pips and 4,000 military hours (who happens to also be a 18 year Captain at United flying 787's.)

I can elaborate on more, but it's worth giving both a look. I handle Aviator Accessions in my State as a Guardsman, and I get the question a lot. I was happy with my route in the Guard. I've been a Warrant, an O'grade, a traditional drilling reservist, and AGR as an Aviator. I'm happy to answer your questions. Adventure is out there. Good Luck!

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2018 6:54 AM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 06:54:12 -0500

Your opportunities might be limited if you go USAR or NG. Depending on how many slots are available in your MOS and rank will determine where you can go. For instance, I had only one unit I could go to on island after I got promoted to WO1. You might find yourself in a similar situation. Your ascension NCO and CCWO would be able to answer that question.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2018 11:17 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 11:17:53 -0500

I personally chose reserves because I valued the role of citizen soldier and my state did not have the availability for the MOS I wanted. This allowed me to pursue a career, get a few college degrees, and direct commission after 8 years of reserve service. Additionally, I don’t like the concept of standing militaries on a personal “citizen” basis. Regardless, if your heart is to serve, you will find fulfillment in any capacity. I wish you the best!