Hows it going gents?
Having a little bit over a year left on my first term, i'm starting to look at my options. If I do end up re-enlisting I want to do something different then what i'm currently doing. 1812 at the moment. My buddy has talked to me about going back home and doing I&I duty which seems like an awesome gig. But I dont think theirs any tanks in Florida.
If you gentlemen can give me some ideas it'd be greatly appreciated.
Tennessee Top
09-14-16, 05:31 PM
No idea if there are any tank companies in FL (you can find out with a GOOGLE search).
I did do a tour of I-I duty here in Knoxville, TN with a Combat Engineer Company so can add a little bit to that side for you (I-I Admin Chief). Overall, I enjoyed my time on the I-I Staff (there were only 8 of us active duty Marines on the staff during that time along with an active duty corpsman). Our primary mission was to train the reserve company, and make sure they were deployable at any time (they have deployed multiple times during the Global War on Terrorism over the last 15 years - by rotating platoons attached to infantry units). Each of us had specific topics we taught (I taught USMC history, uniforms/traditions/customs, and the UCMJ). We also inspected their uniforms to make sure they were serviceable and fit properly, and administered the PFT to them. My unit diary clerk ran their payroll, and updated their drill credits when they made drills - I handled all the admin for the active duty staff. The main campus for the University of Tennessee is located here, meaning the majority of our reserve company were full time students at UT (in the reserves to get financial help with tuition costs). It was pretty much a 9-5 Monday through Friday job, except when the reservists came to drill one weekend out of the month. We would always take the following Monday and Tuesday off to make up for the lost weekend (somebody would still be at the Reserve Training Center for phone watch). The company went away for two weeks annual active duty training every summer (while school was out) but we never went with them. Besides our responsibilities with the reservists, we also did funeral details for active duty Marines (our area covered East Tennessee and parts of North Carolina) - that also included the casualty call to the next of kin involving the Inspector Instructor himself, a reserve Navy chaplain, and myself (I handled all the insurance paperwork, etc). Besides funerals, we provided a color guard detail for local parades, athletic events, etc. Sometimes, we could get the reservists paid to help us perform these duties. We put together a volleyball team, and competed in a local intramural league (best we ever did was second place but were at least able to represent the Marine Corps in the community).
I-I duty is considered a "B" billet, because it is independent duty (at least it was when I did it). You are out in a local community somewhere with not many resources (just like the recruiters at a recruiting sub station). Basically, you're on your own. Don't know what the application process is today. Somehow, you must let your monitor know, this is what you want to do. Obviously, you'll have to extend your contract or reenlist. They will decide if you have the technical expertise, and maturity, to handle an independent tour of duty (there may be a checklist involved like your financial situation, number of dependents, etc). Sometimes, they will send you to a formal school first, and then onto the I-I staff somewhere. In my case, I had to complete the Advanced Admin Chief course at Camp Johnson, NC enroute to my I-I staff. Check with your Career Planner about how the process works now. The chances of the I-I Staff in your home town needing your particular MOS at this particular time are extremely low. Nobody on our staff was actually ever from this area. Your monitor may come back and say they'll release you to I-I duty, but you're going to Podunk, Idaho or, Gangland, Los Angeles.
Good luck Devil.