Reserves
Reserves
Posted on Sep 10, 2021
I am 19 years old I am not sure which reserve/guard branch is best? Navy, Air Force, Army?
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I am planning on becoming an officer in the next 3 years btw.
Posted in these groups: USARCENT (formerly Third Army)
Reserves
Career Counselor
Career Advice
Military Career
Reserves Career Counselor Career Advice Military Career
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
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Be advised becoming an officer in the Air Force will be far more competitive since it’s a smaller component. Talk with an officer strength manager before choosing a branch to find out details such as what MOS, upward mobility, etc.
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It is what you make of it, and how you learn to navigate within the system.
Being "reserves" the long game needs to be considered. So, where will your civilian obligations take you in 10+ years? If you can't say you know, then chances are the Army Reserves will give you the best chance at finding a position anywhere in the country. Say you land a lucrative job in Wyoming, how is that going to work out for the Navy Reserve?
Is 10 years to look forward too long? How about 7, because the reserve obligation is 8 years. That's effectively 1/3 of an entire civilian career. 1/3 of your civilian plans will be impacted with a single reserve contract.
The least competitive officer path will be the Army Reserves. I don't suggest national guard because of moving from state to state is not cut and dry. In the reserves, moving from state to state is just a matter of changing units.
Fun, cool, exciting goes away around Staff Sgt, and Captain. So about the end of your first contract obligation you will start to be looked toward to keep the wheels from falling off. You'll be the one paving the way for those below you to have fun, cool, and exciting experiences.
Example: My life is now consumed with making sure the Lodging In Kind hotel rooms are secured each month for those that fly in from out of town. That sort of thing can end up in anyone's lap that is half way responsible with the right amount of rank (and it doesn't take much). This wasn't on my radar in terms of what I had expected to do in the USAR. The upside I suppose is going forward in my career I'm now more in tune with jumping through the hoops to get the right ducks lined up for Travel, Hotels, Flights, and getting it actually funded.
Being "reserves" the long game needs to be considered. So, where will your civilian obligations take you in 10+ years? If you can't say you know, then chances are the Army Reserves will give you the best chance at finding a position anywhere in the country. Say you land a lucrative job in Wyoming, how is that going to work out for the Navy Reserve?
Is 10 years to look forward too long? How about 7, because the reserve obligation is 8 years. That's effectively 1/3 of an entire civilian career. 1/3 of your civilian plans will be impacted with a single reserve contract.
The least competitive officer path will be the Army Reserves. I don't suggest national guard because of moving from state to state is not cut and dry. In the reserves, moving from state to state is just a matter of changing units.
Fun, cool, exciting goes away around Staff Sgt, and Captain. So about the end of your first contract obligation you will start to be looked toward to keep the wheels from falling off. You'll be the one paving the way for those below you to have fun, cool, and exciting experiences.
Example: My life is now consumed with making sure the Lodging In Kind hotel rooms are secured each month for those that fly in from out of town. That sort of thing can end up in anyone's lap that is half way responsible with the right amount of rank (and it doesn't take much). This wasn't on my radar in terms of what I had expected to do in the USAR. The upside I suppose is going forward in my career I'm now more in tune with jumping through the hoops to get the right ducks lined up for Travel, Hotels, Flights, and getting it actually funded.
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The one that is closest to you. You'll have to drive there every month, if you pick something hours away, it will get old real fast when you have to wake up at 3 am on a Saturday to get there in time
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