Marine Corps Reserves

[mpj_3050]

I will be a reservist for the next few year for school, hopefully earn my way to Quantico. I have looked around and my question is if a reservist desires can they serve more than the standard 1 drill weekend per month? Maybe serve 2 or 3 per month?

[wrbones]

I've got a question for you. Ya been around here how long and now yer askin' questions two weeks before ya head to MCRD? Helluva time to start askin' questions. First, ya need to ask yer recruiter and see if he knows the answer to yer question. Someone around here may be along to add their comments as well.

Once in awhile, no one on the site will have an answer to a question. Doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

As far as OCS, there's a lot of info on the site, along with commentary from instructors, graduates, and people who are in the process of training there or getting ready to go and train there. I hope you've taken advantage of it over the last few months you've been a member here.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

In my limited time in the Reserve (seven months) this was not allowed. Simply put, you went to Drill when Drill was being held. If, for one reason or another you missed, then a special drill would be arranged at some point for you to make it up. The same was true for AT in the summer, with few exceptions. If needed, some people were asked to do more than one, because their MOS was in short supply and was needed by more than one group for AT. Also, if you needed to go to Cpl school or the like this could be done in a second AT.

[mpj_3050]

Thank you for the information. Have not been asking questions because my guidebook answers alot of them, but thanks for the help on the tough ones.

[MAJMike]

And who is going to supervise you during your "extra" drills? (Even if they were permitted, which they aren't).

A drill weekend is governed by a unit's mission and training schedule. The I&I staff is there on drill weekends to oversee and instruct the unit members. Say you are in a comm unit. Are you going to go out into the woods and talk to yourself on these "extra" weekends? There's no one there to interact or train with.

A unit "drill" is not for individual action, but for accomplishing a unit's task. You will find that as a Marine, you are part of a "team" - not a Corps of "one." Those are the other guys. When you are on active duty, you can't just take your weapon and go to the range and rip off a few rounds because you decided that you needed some extra marksmanship work. You can't check out a tank and drive it around because you need extra practice, or you just "wanted to."

Do you think that the I&I staff, corpsman, etc. are going to hang around the NMCRTC all weekend because you want to? Or, do you think that they would just give you the keys to the place and let you have at it? There may be a duty NCO around on the off-drill weekends, but that's about it.

So, volunteer "extra" drills accomplish nothing and are not feasible.

You'll also find that balancing school, personal life, job etc. with your reserve duty does not allow for many "free" weekends.

MR Ventura
MAJ USMCR (ret)

[mpj_3050]

That answers my question perfectly sir.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Sir,
Thank you for your answer to the question. I knew someone would be able to do it better than I could. I would like to add one thing. When a drill is missed (at least with unit I was with.) the I&I staff did indeed supervise the make up drill. While not a comm unit, I am a communicator, and I know that Marines making up drill were often sent to the "comm shop" to PM gear. The motivated SSgt on I&I duty also had a few methods of showing Marines that it is much better to make the regular drill, and not be forced into making one up with the I&I staff.

[Red Dragon]

If as a Marine Reservist you miss to many drills, you will be sent on active duty to finish out your obligation to the Corps. So don't play games.

Red Dragon aka HL