Reserves Questions?

[User Name]

Hi, I'm getting ready to sign soon and I've decided on the reserves so that I can go to school while I'm in. The only problem I have is that I don't know nearly as much about the reserves as I do about active duty, so I'm worried I might not being seeing everything my recruiters telling me.

For example, he pulled out a list of jobs that I qualify for, with some highlighted in pink. He called these "kickers" and said that if I choose one of those I would recieve more money for college. I asked him what made these jobs so special that they would get extra money for tuition, and he hesitated and told me he didn't know. So I'm wondering whats the catch to the kicker jobs? Do they deploy more or is it just a position that the USMC is lacking?

Also he talks like I'm going in for six years reserve, I had only intended on signing for four but I don't know if thats possible in the reserves. Is there a four year reserve contract?

Thank ya'll so much.

[stein07]

You have to sign a 6x2 reserve contract (six years as a drilling reservist and two IRR) to be eligible for the GI Bill. If you don't do six, you don't get money for college, so that's probably why he's talking like that.

[richerich]

If you have issues with deploying, don't enlist. Simple.


Hi, I'm getting ready to sign soon and I've decided on the reserves so that I can go to school while I'm in. The only problem I have is that I don't know nearly as much about the reserves as I do about active duty, so I'm worried I might not being seeing everything my recruiters telling me.

For example, he pulled out a list of jobs that I qualify for, with some highlighted in pink. He called these "kickers" and said that if I choose one of those I would recieve more money for college. I asked him what made these jobs so special that they would get extra money for tuition, and he hesitated and told me he didn't know. So I'm wondering whats the catch to the kicker jobs? Do they deploy more or is it just a position that the USMC is lacking?

Also he talks like I'm going in for six years reserve, I had only intended on signing for four but I don't know if thats possible in the reserves. Is there a four year reserve contract?

Thank ya'll so much.

[TTX]

You have to sign a 6x2 reserve contract (six years as a drilling reservist and two IRR) to be eligible for the GI Bill. If you don't do six, you don't get money for college, so that's probably why he's talking like that.

Yes, 6 years and that is the catch if you want that money.

[User Name]

Thank you so much. Would any of you know anything about what a kicker is or how much extra tuition assistance you get for taking that MOS?

I have no problem deploying.

[richerich]

I thought the GI Bill Kicker was an incentive for REenlistment, not initially.

[Marine726]

Do they deploy more or is it just a position that the USMC is lacking?

There is no such thing as a MOS job that deploys more.. Every job in our beloved corps deploys sometime or another. As for example half of my battalion is deploying in June for Iraq... Im not going but I had the oppurtunity to go. But im waiting for the next one to come around thats going to Afgan..

But the point is that Marine Corps needs numbers regardless. As so much for kicker jobs. How about you just ask your recruiter whats really up?

[MotorT3533]

Most initial enlistment kickers are MOS or unit specific. Basically there is a shortage of that MOS or that unit needs to be brought up to strength so they have the bonus. These bonuses are dependant on you either receiving the MOS for the bonus or staying with that Reserve unit for a specific amount of time.