What is the job selection process for prior service joining the Army Reserves?

SGT Eduardo Velazquez — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 23:06:23 -0400

Will I sit down with a career counselor at MEPS and will they pull up the list for available E-5 slots in all of the Reserve units in my State? I was looking at the prior service business rules but I believe that only applies to prior service who are going back into the Active Army.

Response by SFC Jeremy Boyd made Apr 22 at 2020 11:14 PM

SFC Jeremy Boyd — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 23:14:38 -0400

Prior service business rules are for active duty, you are correct. Your Reserve recruiter will also have access to see what Reserve E-5 slots are available. As opposed to the National Guard, however, the Reserve units have to be within a certain distance radius of your residence/home of record. It's been a minute, but I believe anything greater than 50 miles requires an ETP to be approved by the unit you're enlisting into prior to being able to sign the contract.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2020 1:24 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 01:24:18 -0400

I would also look into the National Guard if your looking at the Army. They might have a career track that would interest you. Also when going from one branch to another may require a reduction in rank from your current rank to E-4 temporarily. Also sometimes your current or past MOS may correlate to an Army MOS. Good luck in your endeavors.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2020 3:40 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 03:40:50 -0400

You basically find a unit that has a slot you want and join it.

I've been Active, Guard and Reserve and they are all different so look around and find what you want.

For Northern VA I recommend looking at the VA, DC, and MD (maybe WV) Guard as well.
Depending on what kind of job you want to do the Guard may be a better fit.

Response by SFC Jeremy Boyd made Apr 23 at 2020 8:14 AM

SFC Jeremy Boyd — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 08:14:52 -0400

I just thought of something else, how long were/have you been USMC and do you have IRR time remaining? If you have IRR time remaining you may have to go through an Army Reserve Career Counselor (79V) as opposed to going through a recruiting station, which actually can save you a lot of time in most cases; it's a more direct method of accession into the USAR. Once upon a time Reserve recruiters in Army recruiting stations could process prior service into the Reserve if they had IRR time remaining by submitting a DD Form 368 for conditional release from the IRR, but for a number of years that has now been under the purview of Army Reserve Career Counselors. I'm not sure if you're still in the USMC now or already out, but if you are out, check your DD 214, Block 6 (Reserve Obligation Termination Date). If it shows 00000000 then that means you have no IRR time remaining and can process with an Army recruiting station. If there is a date in there, provided it hasn't already passed, then you'll process with an Army Reserve Career Counselor.

*disclaimer, an Army Reserve Career Counselor isn't to be confused with a MEPS Guidance Counselor, they are two separate entities.