Posted on Jan 27, 2018
What should be my realistic expectations of being a USMC Reservist and running a small business?
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(sorry this post will be all over the place) This is my second post on here. And i really need an experienced outsiders thoughts on this. I before explained my situation and what my delema is. But im at a major prodicament with myself on what todo. I think its because of my lack of knowledge and not knowing what to expect. Before i start hears my situation(to see more check out my last post). I am 18. I am rounding off my final months at my vocational high school. I have started my own excavation company. But im in a tough bind. Because i need to run my business but also want to be in the Marines as a reservist. But I think i found away to pull it off without having to ignore my company and be able to accomplish my dream of being in the USMC. So where im from obviously theres winter. But we get snow. which means the ground gets hard which means no more digging. So this is if you will the slow season. But come spring we are on like donkey kong banging out jobs we already have lined up. So I figure run my company for this year 2018. And come next winter i can either keep working and get a plow job or presue the usmc. So heres my thought. Late October to early November I goto boot camp. Thats 13 weeks. So for the sake of numbers lets say i leave October 10th. That means January 10th is when ill be done with basic. Than from what I hear you graduate and then go home for about 10 days or so. So thats January 20th ish. Than head to some sort of infinitry training for 3 weeks. That leaves me at Febuary 14th. Typically in MA where im from the snows pretty much gone by the end of March. So that leaves me with just about a month or so to goto MOS school. But i cant find anything online about MOS school. Do you have a 10 day or so break to go back home like you do when you graduate boot camp? If no than is it shorter or do you typically get shipped off right to your MOS school from infintry training. Also what MOS school takes the least amount of time? How long does a typical MOS school take? is there a minimum amount of time that you have to goto school for. Being in the excavation business as a regular job. It would be pretty cool to be doing the same thing for the USMC. Is there any MOS for stuff like this. If so what are they and how long does it take? Could being in the trade and having all my licenses already shorten up MOS school at all? Do I have todo all my MOS schooling all at once or can I do a little and come back and maybe pick at it throughout the year or do i have todo it all at once? Keep in mind time is a big factor for me so anything I can do to shorten time and get everything done I will need todo. Is their anyway i can go right from boot camp to inifintry and right from infintry goto MOS without going home. Or do i have to go home for 10 days and all that. I have also heard that the minimum time you can do is a 8 year contract. Is this true. I thought it was 4 and than once your four was up you could re enlist or retire. Or is the 4 year only avaible for active marines. Sorry for rambling. I just want to find away to make this work so that come spring time. Late march early april if possible I can be done with everything I need go back to running my company and do my drills every month and PT annually.
Reserves
Small Business Owner
MOS
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
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Call your local Marine Corps Reserve unit and make an appointment to see a RESERVE recruiter/career planner. Regular recruiters concentrate on active duty recruiting and are not always conversant in reserve matters. The reserve wing and division both have recruiters that would be able to give you a realistic estimate of your time for Initial Active Duty for Training and specialty training. I join others in reminding you that there is always the potential for deployment overseas for extended periods of time. I used to be the recruiting and retention officer for the reserve wing, so I know of what I speak, but I can't pass on the current possibilities.
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Conner Fleury
Thankyou for your response. When you were a recruiter what were the amount of reservist being deployed? I see people talking about active and inactive reservist what does this mean?
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LtCol Robert Quinter
I was actually one of the people who worked at HQMC to more fully integrate the reserves into active deployments. My opinion didn't win since I felt long term deployments would represent a deleterious impact on the reservist, their families, their community, and employers. When many reservists deployed to Iraq in the first Gulf War, the problems I predicted presented themselves, but I guess they have mostly worked themselves out. The active reserves are those associated with a drilling, thus deployable unit; inactive are those who have served a full enlistment, and are not associated with any drilling unit, but still have time left on the eight year obligation they incur when they enlist. These people are considered part of the individual ready reserve (IRR) and generally don't hear anything from the Corps until they have completed the eight years of eligibility to serve. They may be called up individually if required. An IRR individual may also transfer into the drilling reserve if they find a unit that accepts them.
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Conner it'll certainly depend on what business and how good a business partners you have being a Marine Reservist. I've had friends that had to sell or close their businesses due to mobilizations. I gave up any desire to run much less own my own business because I understand the sacrifices it would require! Good luck!
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LTC John Mohor
Not at all. Restaurant/ Bar, Heating and Air Service and Installation and some various construction related(framers, hangers, finishers and electricians. Even one that was a long haul truck driver.
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LTC John Mohor
Not the Corps but the reserve components. One was National Guardand the rest were Army Reserve. All the Reserve Compments, National Guard(Air and Army), Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force and Coast Guard are all one weekend a month two weeks a year officially in the official standards. With today's ongoing GWOT all are mobilized numerous times in the course a standard reserve career now.
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I appreciate your enthusiasm Conner. However I will give you the no BS answer. Which is probably not what you want to hear.
Running your own business and being in the Reserves is tough. First of all, in the military, you run on their schedule not yours. So in your case, for example, you would want to attend training in Winter when your civilian job is slow. However, what happens when the Marines say the only training slot available is in the summer? Your business needs to be flexible enough to work around the Marines schedule, not the other way around. The Marines (and the rest of military) are not a flexible organization. The 2 days a month and 2 weeks a year are not optional dates. You WILL have to show up when and where they say. Now, if you can work your business around their schedule, then you are good to go.
The other issue you have is deployments. What happens to your business when the Marines say you are being deployed for a year? Will someone run it for you? I have seen it happen to many folks. They either lost jobs or had to close their business. My entire Wing got activated back in 2001, we had a hospital in our Wing. One of the doctors had a civilian medical practice. He had to close his office and lay off all his employees while he was activated.
As far as your USMC job, it seems like the Combat Engineer (MOS 1371) is what you want. The school is at Camp Lajuene, NC. They also have alternate schooling for Combat Engineer Reserves, so you need to ask your recruiter about that. Also, how close is the nearest USMC reserve company to you? What jobs do they do? Is there even a Combat Engineer unit around you or is it several states away?
However, before you do anything you need to take the ASVAB test to see what jobs you qualify for. Every job in the military has a minimum ASVAB score that you must meet before you will be even considered. Each branch has minimum ASVAB scores too. I know several guys who were turned down by the Air Force because they didn’t score high enough. It was tough on them because their fathers were AF members.
The short answer to your question is that your plan has many issues and I don’t think it will work the way you want. A better plan is to go active duty for a few years, get educated and experience in the military, and then get out and start your company.
Good luck.
Running your own business and being in the Reserves is tough. First of all, in the military, you run on their schedule not yours. So in your case, for example, you would want to attend training in Winter when your civilian job is slow. However, what happens when the Marines say the only training slot available is in the summer? Your business needs to be flexible enough to work around the Marines schedule, not the other way around. The Marines (and the rest of military) are not a flexible organization. The 2 days a month and 2 weeks a year are not optional dates. You WILL have to show up when and where they say. Now, if you can work your business around their schedule, then you are good to go.
The other issue you have is deployments. What happens to your business when the Marines say you are being deployed for a year? Will someone run it for you? I have seen it happen to many folks. They either lost jobs or had to close their business. My entire Wing got activated back in 2001, we had a hospital in our Wing. One of the doctors had a civilian medical practice. He had to close his office and lay off all his employees while he was activated.
As far as your USMC job, it seems like the Combat Engineer (MOS 1371) is what you want. The school is at Camp Lajuene, NC. They also have alternate schooling for Combat Engineer Reserves, so you need to ask your recruiter about that. Also, how close is the nearest USMC reserve company to you? What jobs do they do? Is there even a Combat Engineer unit around you or is it several states away?
However, before you do anything you need to take the ASVAB test to see what jobs you qualify for. Every job in the military has a minimum ASVAB score that you must meet before you will be even considered. Each branch has minimum ASVAB scores too. I know several guys who were turned down by the Air Force because they didn’t score high enough. It was tough on them because their fathers were AF members.
The short answer to your question is that your plan has many issues and I don’t think it will work the way you want. A better plan is to go active duty for a few years, get educated and experience in the military, and then get out and start your company.
Good luck.
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Conner Fleury
Thankyou for your response. It was a good realality check for me. Its exactly what i was looking for. Im just having a hard time trying to make this work for me. On one hand i worked hard for my business and dont wana lose what i have worked so hard for. And on the other hand i really want to go into the corps. I just dont know how to make it work. Active isnt really and option for me thats why i want to presue the reserve route. What is the minimum time for reserve and active? i have heard people talking about going active than doing the rest of their contract reserve. Could i sighn a contract for active go in for a year and do the rest of my time reserve? I took the ASVAB last year in school and did horrible. Do they look at previous tests or do they only care about the one you just took. What would the ASVAB score have to be in order to get this MOS?
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You will have to find a way to cover your business when you have duty/drill etc. You need a good number 2 you can trust to manage things while you are away. Keep in mind, in the reserves there is a chance your unit could be deployed to a hot spot around the world for many months. That is a possibility you must have a plan to cover.
The more technical the school, typically the longer it is. That is a general rule of thumb. Your recruiter knows exactly how long each school will take. You may need to add some extra time for processing, getting picked up for class etc.
There are jobs in the Marines that operate heavy equipment in the engineer units. Tying in what you like to do with your Marine Corps MOS is a good idea but you need to remember, the needs of the Corps come first. You don't always get what you want.
The more technical the school, typically the longer it is. That is a general rule of thumb. Your recruiter knows exactly how long each school will take. You may need to add some extra time for processing, getting picked up for class etc.
There are jobs in the Marines that operate heavy equipment in the engineer units. Tying in what you like to do with your Marine Corps MOS is a good idea but you need to remember, the needs of the Corps come first. You don't always get what you want.
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Conner Fleury
Thankyou for your response. I would imagine this MOS would be quit technical. If i were to choose maybe a more simple MOS like supply would it take less time? Or is that complicated as well. Would it also increase my odds of not getting deployed since it seems to be everyone and their grandmothers MOS
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LCDR (Join to see)
Second what Cpl Jeff said... It is do-able if you have a good, reliable business partner (or leading foreman) that could carry on in your absence.
You are only 18yo now-- you have time to take a couple of years to get your business shored up without punting on your dream to be a Marine. Find and/or train the person who you trust to run the business in your absence and pull the trigger once the home-front is stable.
You are only 18yo now-- you have time to take a couple of years to get your business shored up without punting on your dream to be a Marine. Find and/or train the person who you trust to run the business in your absence and pull the trigger once the home-front is stable.
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Conner Fleury I love your desire, but you must have realistic expectations. Review all the literature that you can, and then talk to a recruiter. I would make plans to have someone capable that can run your business when you are not there. Being a Marine can not be only when it fits your schedule. When you start training, you can not complete training in increments so that you can run your business. The Marine Corps has a schedule that you will adhere to. You can be deployed no matter what your MOS is, and then what are you going to do? If you can not find someone to run your business in your absence, do not join the Marine Corps. Again, you do not set the schedule, the Marine Corps does. Join as a fully committed recruit, or wait and join after your business is better established, and you have capable people to run it when you are absent.
https://rmi.marines.com/request-information/g_mc_district_12_2511?gclid=CjwKCAiA47DTBRAUEiwA4luU2b3Zk_Er3K46TsKlU6po8fAZ2FSfuUcl_4Vq95BT0BE5ZO14gXUl5BoCFNAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKOc4PmG-tgCFRNtfgod65QAOg
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Conner Fleury
Thank you for your response. What i dont get it how can you be a reservist and goto college. Because what happens if your in college and you get activated? Is their protection for them or do they have to drop out of college when duty calls. Cause if Someone could goto college and be a reservist i should be able to run my business and do the same thing. Both are full time and require the same amount of work load and attention.
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Sgt (Join to see)
Conner Fleury - After you finish your training, you could go to college and run your business. As a Marine Reservist, your schedule is subject to change. If you are activated, you are going regardless of any other commitments. If there is a conflict the Marine Corps schedule will come first. If you miss a semester or more of college, that can be made up. If you are mobilized, you could be away for an extended period of time. Do not join until you find a capable person to run your business when you are away. No recruiter can promise you a cast in concrete schedule, without possible deployments. Once a Marine, you are on their schedule.
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Conner Fleury
I dont plan on going to college but ik they made a special program just for them so i wasnt sure if the same rules applied. Are they usually less likely to be activated or do the odds stay the same regardless. What happens if u are activated and u dont go. Do they take u to court since ur under contract or do they just honorably discharge you. Also someone said that at the begging of the year they give u a schedule for when u have drill and such. Is this true or bs?
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Sgt (Join to see)
Conner Fleury - As a Marine, you follow orders. If you deploy, you have to go. It does not matter whether you are taking college classes, or have a business. You do not have an option, and you should not join unless you are fully committed, and joining the Marine Corps is a serious commitment. They probably do give you a schedule of upcoming drills, but schedules are subject to change, and you know that. With all the trouble spots around the globe, are you betting that you will not be mobilized? I would not make that bet. Things happen that are out of your control. As I mentioned you can not complete your training in increments to suit your schedule. If you fail to mobilize when called, you will be in trouble that you do not want. You should not join the Marine Corps until you find someone you can leave in charge for extended periods, and you are committed to the Marine Corps. During my four years active duty, I did not have the time to take any college classes. During my civilian career, I had to drop out of four or five Master's courses because my work schedule was heavy and sometimes very heavy. Let us know when you find someone to run your business, so that you can start on the road to becoming a Marine. My question is why do you want to be a Marine, and are you willing to sacrifice to be a Marine?
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What if you are deployed? Will your business survive without you for an extended time. I had a store and couldn't balance the two
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Conner Fleury
I could have someone cover for me for a little while but. I would hate to burden someone elses life with my problems or responsibilitys. What did u do did u get activated or just hard balancing reserve and the store. Did u make it threw or u have to shut down and work a regular 9 to 5
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Conner Fleury
In the Marine Corps the Corps always comes first. We are still in a somewhat moderate tempo so deployment is a possibility. There is no guarantee that you will get 10 days between boot camp and your school. That all depends on when a school has openings. A job in the Corps that would be similar to your civilian job would be a Combat Engineer.
Marine Corps Enlisted Job Descriptions
MOS - - 1371 Combat Engineer
Type of MOS : PMOS
Rank Range: MGySgt to Pvt
Job Description:
Combat engineers construct, alter, repair, and maintain buildings and structures; lift and move heavy objects and equipment by setting up, bracing, and utilizing rigging devices and equipment; and perform various duties incidental to the use of demolitions in construction projects and destruction of objects. Personnel assigned this MOS are taught carpentry and other construction skills as well as demolitions, specialized demolitions for urban breaching and land mine warfare.
Job Requirements:
(1) Must possess an MM score of 95 or higher.
(2) Complete the Basic Combat Engineer Course, Marine Corps Engineer School, Camp Lejeune, NC.
(3) Non-MOS qualified Reserve Marines unable to attend the regular formal school course may be certified for MOS 1371, as an AMOS-only, by the unit commander upon successful completion of the Alternate Training Instructional Program (ATIP) of the Marine Force Reserves. The ATIP for MOS 1371 Marines is found in Force Order 1535.1 and consists of two phases of Reserve Basic Combat Engineer Course, including a minimum of 6 months MOJT while assigned to a 1371 billet. Completion of Engineer Operations Chief Course is recommended upon promotion to GySgt.
In both Afghanistan and Iraq, as a result of the War on Terror, Marine Corps Combat Engineer specialists have been used heavily to help rebuild vital infrastructure, and facilities such as schools, clinics and other industries. Operational Combat Marine Corps Engineers work to perform a wide variety of different jobs. They work to perform different engineer and construction tasks, all the while being a fully qualified and ready Marine.
https://www.marines.com/being-a-marine/roles-in-the-corps.html
In the Marine Corps the Corps always comes first. We are still in a somewhat moderate tempo so deployment is a possibility. There is no guarantee that you will get 10 days between boot camp and your school. That all depends on when a school has openings. A job in the Corps that would be similar to your civilian job would be a Combat Engineer.
Marine Corps Enlisted Job Descriptions
MOS - - 1371 Combat Engineer
Type of MOS : PMOS
Rank Range: MGySgt to Pvt
Job Description:
Combat engineers construct, alter, repair, and maintain buildings and structures; lift and move heavy objects and equipment by setting up, bracing, and utilizing rigging devices and equipment; and perform various duties incidental to the use of demolitions in construction projects and destruction of objects. Personnel assigned this MOS are taught carpentry and other construction skills as well as demolitions, specialized demolitions for urban breaching and land mine warfare.
Job Requirements:
(1) Must possess an MM score of 95 or higher.
(2) Complete the Basic Combat Engineer Course, Marine Corps Engineer School, Camp Lejeune, NC.
(3) Non-MOS qualified Reserve Marines unable to attend the regular formal school course may be certified for MOS 1371, as an AMOS-only, by the unit commander upon successful completion of the Alternate Training Instructional Program (ATIP) of the Marine Force Reserves. The ATIP for MOS 1371 Marines is found in Force Order 1535.1 and consists of two phases of Reserve Basic Combat Engineer Course, including a minimum of 6 months MOJT while assigned to a 1371 billet. Completion of Engineer Operations Chief Course is recommended upon promotion to GySgt.
In both Afghanistan and Iraq, as a result of the War on Terror, Marine Corps Combat Engineer specialists have been used heavily to help rebuild vital infrastructure, and facilities such as schools, clinics and other industries. Operational Combat Marine Corps Engineers work to perform a wide variety of different jobs. They work to perform different engineer and construction tasks, all the while being a fully qualified and ready Marine.
https://www.marines.com/being-a-marine/roles-in-the-corps.html
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Conner Fleury
Thank you for your response. How long is MOS school for this? If i were to be this in a reserve unit would it increase my odds of being deployed than other MOS since we need construction for basically everything over seas.
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MSgt (Join to see)
Conner Fleury -
The school is about two months long. Very much depends on the reserve unit and when their turn comes up for deployment. There is also the off chance you would be deployed doing something other then your primary MOS like convoy security. But they would send you through a training course before deployment.
The school is about two months long. Very much depends on the reserve unit and when their turn comes up for deployment. There is also the off chance you would be deployed doing something other then your primary MOS like convoy security. But they would send you through a training course before deployment.
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MSgt (Join to see)
Conner Fleury -
They don't change your MOS they just have you do a job not related to your MOS for a short duration like for convoy security. In the Corps every Marine is a rifleman first and foremost. So you may be assigned other tasks as the Corps may need.
They don't change your MOS they just have you do a job not related to your MOS for a short duration like for convoy security. In the Corps every Marine is a rifleman first and foremost. So you may be assigned other tasks as the Corps may need.
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I suppose that depends on what you intend to do. In my case, it would not have worked in the beginning, as it was just me. The advantage, or disadvantage as it may be, is that you do set your own schedule.
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