Joining an SMCR Unit

[Geocombat]

Greetings Brothers,
I was active duty for four years, got out, graduate college, and made the move to reenlist in SMCR from the IRR. I'm pretty excited about it but its dually nerve wrecking because Ive been out for so long and I have no idea about what to expect from being a reservist. I have some questions that I believe a range of alternative experience would be helpful in answering. I know these are basics I should have probably asked but the package is in and now Im just anxious and curious.

1. Do reserve units typically drill during the same set weekends per month ? For example the 3rd weekend each month. Also, is there drill in November plus the Marine Corps ball?

2. When/how much do reservists receive for a uniform allowance?

3. This may be better suited for Combat MOS, but do you find the training opportunities to be adequate? or do you always expect the shaft? (I understand the operational tempo and therefore training temp at present is nothing like my active duty days)

Thats what I have for now, though Im sure some responses will stoke more questions. Until then, thank you for your wisdom.

[josephd]

1. Not typically no, this will very dependent upon what unit you go and MOS

2. Reserve Marines do not rate/receive a uniform allowance, we get a 1 for 1 exchange kinda thing...other than that it's on you

3. No...so much time in the reserves is spent doing annual training requirements(eg. PFT, CFT, classes, briefs, medical and admin stand downs) that most MOS and combat related training takes a back seat.

That is just the nature of the Corps now, no combat deployments anymore so no real training for it...especially in the reserves.

I am a reservist, always have been..but I had the opportunity to mobilize and deploy with an active duty unit to Afghanistan. I will tell you that the reserves is a far different animal than what you were used to in the fleet, especially considering you were in(I'm assuming) when op-tempo for OIF and OEF was pretty high.

Kinda ranting here but....the biggest issue I have with the reserves and most the prior active guys feel the same is that everyone in the reserves is buddy buddy or friends....SNCOs and LCpls are friends out in town, in their civilian lives, they go to college together, etc....that is unheard of and unacceptable in the fleet(not saying it doesn't happen)....its common practice in the reserves and the issue comes when you go to drill those lines between rank aren't drawn and it really messes with how things get done

just curious what unit are you close?...or will you be going to?

[Tennessee Top]

I was on the Inspector-Instructor Staff here in Knoxville, TN with a reserve Combat Engineer Company back in 1985-87.

A couple things I remember:

a. Majority of the reservists were also students at the University of Tennessee here and the Company Commander was an alumnus. The CO made the monthly drill schedule AFTER the UT football schedule came out. Because, he didn't want the two schedules to conflict with each other. Meaning, drill weekends here varied.

b. The heavy equipment operators couldn't just take their backhoes, road graders, etc out in town whenever they wanted to. Sometimes, they could arrange to grade an athletic field at a public park or something like that - but not often. The construction engineers could sometimes build a short obstacle course or play fort for the kids. Most of the time, they just cleaned/PM'd equipment plus the annual training requirements like josephd listed. One summer the company went to 29 Palms for a CAX.

c. I was not still there during Desert Shield/Storm, OIF or OEF, but I know some of the reservists deployed and were attached to infantry units.