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So I'm curious to hear what other service branches do on their drill weekends. So far I've heard everything from literally sitting around doing nothing to some pretty highspeed stuff. So lets hear it, what's your average drill look like? What would you like to see instead? Does your time feel well spent and your contributions meaningful?
Keep OPSEC in mind when replying please.
Keep OPSEC in mind when replying please.
Posted in these groups: 
Navy Reserve
Army Reserve
Air Force Reserve
Coast Guard Reserve
Marine Corps Reserve
Navy Reserve Army Reserve Air Force Reserve Coast Guard Reserve Marine Corps Reserve
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 50
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Classes. More classes. Even more classes. Oh, and if there's time left over...classes.
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MSG Lance Kelly
Too much of a "check the block" type weekend. I've been in those types of units where you spend the whole weekend listening to someone preach to you with little to no interaction from the audience. It's all about getting your name on the sign in roster to get credit but you don't really learn much.
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SGT Dave Tracy
True. Granted I was somewhat exaggerating with my original response, but I have spent an awful lot of time doing more classes than training.
Here is what concerns me: We are a transportation company, and while we do try to get at least one mission per weekend per month--if possible--just so that we can get on the road, if we have too many classes and administrative crap to deal with, we can't GET on the road. We are (predominantly) bulk fuel haulers. Being in the Reserves, means that the MAJORITY of us are NOT experienced, fulltime truck drivers, and yet we are tasked to drive our Freightliners (915s), occasionally hauling fuel, out on the roads.
With that in mind, isn't it better or I should say safer, to give us as much training on our JOBS as is reasonably possible? It's important for everyone to train for their jobs, but if a cook spends more time on classes than cooking, people may get hungry, but no one's put at risk. (Sorry cooks, didn't mean to throw you under the buss.)
Here is what concerns me: We are a transportation company, and while we do try to get at least one mission per weekend per month--if possible--just so that we can get on the road, if we have too many classes and administrative crap to deal with, we can't GET on the road. We are (predominantly) bulk fuel haulers. Being in the Reserves, means that the MAJORITY of us are NOT experienced, fulltime truck drivers, and yet we are tasked to drive our Freightliners (915s), occasionally hauling fuel, out on the roads.
With that in mind, isn't it better or I should say safer, to give us as much training on our JOBS as is reasonably possible? It's important for everyone to train for their jobs, but if a cook spends more time on classes than cooking, people may get hungry, but no one's put at risk. (Sorry cooks, didn't mean to throw you under the buss.)
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Average drill weekend: show up 30 min prior to muster to get my own platoon accountability, then assign tasks put forth by my direct superiors, then I submit the numbers, and learn that word has changed. So I adjust accordingly; active duty usually shows up 2-3 hours later and informs us that the changes word is wrong and we need to do something else that wasn't part of the plan- and we can't counteract it because they represent battalion.
After a high speed, low drag morning, chow starts, and abruptly ends- no PX runs, you have a choice of an MRE or a UGR (field rations) and you have about 15-20 min to eat and get back to work... Of course the active duty Marines get 2 hours for chow and usually change into civilian attire so they can eat off base...
After chow the Company Gunny usually stops by and asks why the f&@k my Marines didn't attend the Company training that morning, so I have to bring all work to a halt and send the platoon to do some BS training I didn't even know about because motor t is out of the main building in the island of misfit children. After that I attend a staff meeting where 90% of the information I receive doesn't really apply to motor t, and then I pass along the new plan.
After the awards ceremony, the LT expresses his wishes to learn close order drill and I have to show him how to do it properly. Then I fill out counseling statements on the box next to the trash can in the shop, because even though I'm a platoon sergeant I don't rate a desk (but all the active duty Marines have desks) and then the whole shop waits for about an hour to be released.
In case it isn't pretty obvious what my issues with the reserves are, I'm sick of the double standards between the active and reserve component. Either all or nothing; treat us like damn Marines or get them out of our way. I would also like to see some slow down in ops tempo so counselings can actually be meaningful.
After a high speed, low drag morning, chow starts, and abruptly ends- no PX runs, you have a choice of an MRE or a UGR (field rations) and you have about 15-20 min to eat and get back to work... Of course the active duty Marines get 2 hours for chow and usually change into civilian attire so they can eat off base...
After chow the Company Gunny usually stops by and asks why the f&@k my Marines didn't attend the Company training that morning, so I have to bring all work to a halt and send the platoon to do some BS training I didn't even know about because motor t is out of the main building in the island of misfit children. After that I attend a staff meeting where 90% of the information I receive doesn't really apply to motor t, and then I pass along the new plan.
After the awards ceremony, the LT expresses his wishes to learn close order drill and I have to show him how to do it properly. Then I fill out counseling statements on the box next to the trash can in the shop, because even though I'm a platoon sergeant I don't rate a desk (but all the active duty Marines have desks) and then the whole shop waits for about an hour to be released.
In case it isn't pretty obvious what my issues with the reserves are, I'm sick of the double standards between the active and reserve component. Either all or nothing; treat us like damn Marines or get them out of our way. I would also like to see some slow down in ops tempo so counselings can actually be meaningful.
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LCDR (Join to see)
This post actually represents my reserve time pretty well. Most importantly is captures my same feelings. I started on active duty and respect the work but most AD have not served in the reserves and have no idea the work we put in (paid and unpaid) as well as the tremendous experience and outside connections we bring to the table. I am never facilitated by AD, only blocked from action and team accomplishments. Both AD and civilians have no understanding of what it's like to put in 12 work days in a row every month at a minimum throughout a career (not counting deployments or ADTs).
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Cpl Gregory Hajder
Back when I was in, we had the same problems. Whenever the guys complained it was "you guys are only reservists, you don't rate" but then when a shitty detail cam up it was always "we are all Marines".
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I'm a LT with PSU313 currently filling the role of WEPO. Drilling with the PSU is extremely busy and rewarding. At any given time over a drill weekend, you will find a division shooting a .50 cal at a range in Yakima, security standing up a mock ECP while performing squad movement exercises, comms sitting with a technical rep discussing how to configure green gear encryption, while waterside is running a tactical coxswain check ride with auxiliary acting as OPFOR. I have 3 years remaining here and I don't ever want to leave this unit. I love my drill weekends with PSU313
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It depends on the training calender and schedule. Theres been some down time, but I have made my units Cdrs and soldiers involved in doing the right thing. If they have down times, I would have do a family event, or volunteer at a local police, hospital or JROTC program. You need to make every drill exciting, fun and on focus towards your future combat mission requirements.
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Sharron Burns
Is it reasonable for a Lt. Col. to miss his Grandmother's Graveside Service due to "drill weekend"?
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Half the time is spent trying to get things done and hitting roadblocks. I tried to get my CAC card renewed... office is closed on the weekends (when the reservists are there). Trying to get on-line work done but can't get on a computer for access. Sitting and waiting 8 hours to see an RPAC person to do a birth month audit... Same stuff!
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SMSgt Thor Merich
I have been there CPT Wilmoth. I sometimes spend more time getting my computer to work, so I can do more "admin" functions that have nothing to do with my job, than I do actually doing what the AF pays me to do.
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Being in the "Company" year of the ARFORGEN model, we do a lot of Platoon level training. Its nearly impossible to conduct Company ops without outside support. Last drill weekend we conducted battle drill rehearsals in the park. Weapons classes are also very common.
My intent moving forward is to spend more time at local training areas. We need to actually get out in the woods and run STX lanes. Otherwise we only get a couple of weekends before being expected to execute at Annual Training.
After 9 years in the RC this is my take on home station training: it will be as good as your leadership makes it. Units who sit around all weekend are suffering from lazy leadership and/or a poor organizational culture.
My intent moving forward is to spend more time at local training areas. We need to actually get out in the woods and run STX lanes. Otherwise we only get a couple of weekends before being expected to execute at Annual Training.
After 9 years in the RC this is my take on home station training: it will be as good as your leadership makes it. Units who sit around all weekend are suffering from lazy leadership and/or a poor organizational culture.
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I see all these comments but, what I have observed is more of the same A meeting of key staff over another meeting and no Computers for the Reserve Soldiers to work on as they need to maintain CAC access to do their training, and then PMCS of vehicles and only a elite few knows what is Mission Command. Most Soldiers dosen't even know what the METL for their section is or what their section should be working on. Reservist wants to do their MOS not training that is not related to their MOS, and so they are leaving the units because they are wasting their time coming to a drills that doesn't include them in the overall full spectrum operation. Annual Training is another headache for Reservist its too long and once again much of the same 21 days-29 days and what have we learned, how the senior folks fight with each other over something simple as a briefing slide, or aspect of their respective job, and not much work gets accomplish. "Everyone wants to look good when the CG is coming, but ask the Junior Soldiers whats really happening, you'll get the truth".
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LTJG? A sailor among soldiers; outstanding!
As such, you will understand when an old salt like myself communicates to you in your language, sir.
Army Reserve is a beast that has many heads. It has a fraction of the travel and geedunk but with the right unit and level of motivation, it can be very engaging.
Remember, when joining the Army, everyone is a 'Soldier First'. Where I was floundering in the Navy, filling a Boatswain's Mate slot as an LS and tanking every exam, I am engaged on multiple fronts with PLENTY of focus on my MOS as well. As painfully inefficient as the infrastructure can be compared to the Navy, I merely chalk it up to being a much larger force.
There is a vast amount of focus on Resilience training and sexually harassment awareness (a crippling amount at times), I'm ultimately happy I switched. It's far more active, far more engaging and geared toward advancement. Does it have its drawbacks? You bet. It can be very chaotic at times. But then, situational awareness is an important skill for a soldier.
Hope that helps, sir.
As such, you will understand when an old salt like myself communicates to you in your language, sir.
Army Reserve is a beast that has many heads. It has a fraction of the travel and geedunk but with the right unit and level of motivation, it can be very engaging.
Remember, when joining the Army, everyone is a 'Soldier First'. Where I was floundering in the Navy, filling a Boatswain's Mate slot as an LS and tanking every exam, I am engaged on multiple fronts with PLENTY of focus on my MOS as well. As painfully inefficient as the infrastructure can be compared to the Navy, I merely chalk it up to being a much larger force.
There is a vast amount of focus on Resilience training and sexually harassment awareness (a crippling amount at times), I'm ultimately happy I switched. It's far more active, far more engaging and geared toward advancement. Does it have its drawbacks? You bet. It can be very chaotic at times. But then, situational awareness is an important skill for a soldier.
Hope that helps, sir.
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Formation, PT Test and Height and weight for those that need it, Death by powerpoint, SHARP/Sexual Assault/Sexual Harassment training. Lunch, more death by powerpoint and if we are lucky a class or two on MOS Sustainment. The unit I train with tries its best to do occasional training outside the box, but often HQ mandates training and very little is accomplished.
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