Civil Affairs Specialist
Civil Affairs Specialist
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I am reclassing. What is civil affairs 38B like in the army reserve?
Civil Affairs
Reclass
38B: Civil Affairs Specialist
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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What are your specific questions? I can answer just about anything you can ask, but that is a really broad question.
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SGT (Join to see)
I hear you can promote quick, is this true? Does the mos deploy a lot. And where? Anything else is great.
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1SG (Join to see)
SGT (Join to see) - Promotion to all grades is accelerated, as we have a rank-heavy structure. In a battalion, there are 22 38B SPC slots, 12 SGT, 24 SSG, 23 SFC, and 10 MSG/1SG slots. Those are some pretty good odds.
The MOS deploys A LOT, compared to most. I have been doing it for 17 years now, and I have a total of over five years downrange - and that is all in the first 12 years. I just missed two other tours besides those. At any given time, we have had at least part of my unit deployed somewhere since OCT 2002. Most of us have seen multiple tours. I have a company in Europe right now from my battalion. It is something that you need to prepare for, as the OPTEMPO has been pretty steady ever since 9/11. Before that we had elements in Kosovo and Bosnia as well.
Where you go has a little something to do with where you are assigned, as our units are geographically aligned in order to focus language proficiency, at least for rotational missions. OCO missions will cross alignment lines; anyone can go to Afghanistan or Horn of Africa.
The MOS deploys A LOT, compared to most. I have been doing it for 17 years now, and I have a total of over five years downrange - and that is all in the first 12 years. I just missed two other tours besides those. At any given time, we have had at least part of my unit deployed somewhere since OCT 2002. Most of us have seen multiple tours. I have a company in Europe right now from my battalion. It is something that you need to prepare for, as the OPTEMPO has been pretty steady ever since 9/11. Before that we had elements in Kosovo and Bosnia as well.
Where you go has a little something to do with where you are assigned, as our units are geographically aligned in order to focus language proficiency, at least for rotational missions. OCO missions will cross alignment lines; anyone can go to Afghanistan or Horn of Africa.
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One of the best things I ever did!!!
I also went to OCS, another one of the best things I ever did. I consider enlisting in the Army National Guard to pay for college way back in 1984 the best, stupid thing I ever did. Little did I know that I would retire in 2016 a LTC. Next was OCS, after that was 38A.
So, down to brass tacks. You will learn to function on a 4 Soldier Civil Affairs Team, in theory to support a combat maneuver battalion. You will also be taught to support SOF in the same capacity, however, in war, supporting conventional forces is more likely. Honestly, who knows how it really shakes out though, it is a roll of the dice and the unit you join us geographically aligned.
What you will do: A lot of Humanitarian Assistance/Aid, but in the form of instruction on health care, clean water, waste water, modest medical treatment, modest veterinarian missions. Higher levels of CA assist higher levels of host nation government on education, medical, government, law enforcement, policy etc. SF works with host nation military.
Often on Annual Training it will be at NTC or JRTC as a CA Company supporting a maneuver brigade. Sometimes AT could be OCONUS supporting the GCC the CACOM is aligned with and it would probably be along with SOF and an annual training mission, usually with one or many other countries.
Training? Last I knew, part was distance learning and about 30 days at SWC at Bragg.
When I went, during the 2007 surge it was around 65 days straight through at Bragg and combined Active Duty/Reserve. This was just the CA portion of the course. The AC students pipeline was much longer and included several months of language, several months of a geographical study. The RC students didn't get any of that, didn't matter were all going to Iraq anyway.
It will open your military world and open opportunity for State Department if that is something you are interested in. Language schools are available if you test for aptitude.
Do it! I am very glad I did it, wish I knew about it sooner.
I also went to OCS, another one of the best things I ever did. I consider enlisting in the Army National Guard to pay for college way back in 1984 the best, stupid thing I ever did. Little did I know that I would retire in 2016 a LTC. Next was OCS, after that was 38A.
So, down to brass tacks. You will learn to function on a 4 Soldier Civil Affairs Team, in theory to support a combat maneuver battalion. You will also be taught to support SOF in the same capacity, however, in war, supporting conventional forces is more likely. Honestly, who knows how it really shakes out though, it is a roll of the dice and the unit you join us geographically aligned.
What you will do: A lot of Humanitarian Assistance/Aid, but in the form of instruction on health care, clean water, waste water, modest medical treatment, modest veterinarian missions. Higher levels of CA assist higher levels of host nation government on education, medical, government, law enforcement, policy etc. SF works with host nation military.
Often on Annual Training it will be at NTC or JRTC as a CA Company supporting a maneuver brigade. Sometimes AT could be OCONUS supporting the GCC the CACOM is aligned with and it would probably be along with SOF and an annual training mission, usually with one or many other countries.
Training? Last I knew, part was distance learning and about 30 days at SWC at Bragg.
When I went, during the 2007 surge it was around 65 days straight through at Bragg and combined Active Duty/Reserve. This was just the CA portion of the course. The AC students pipeline was much longer and included several months of language, several months of a geographical study. The RC students didn't get any of that, didn't matter were all going to Iraq anyway.
It will open your military world and open opportunity for State Department if that is something you are interested in. Language schools are available if you test for aptitude.
Do it! I am very glad I did it, wish I knew about it sooner.
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Nothing like AD that's for sure. But you should be eligible to go to Airborne School at some point, if you aren't already.
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