Reserves after Active Duty question

[Accord]

I found out today that the reserve 4th ANGLICO Company is located literally 10 miles from where I live, i'm shocked! Definitely something that I would love to do.

My question is this, if someone does 4 years active duty and then goes into the reserves, when they go into the reserves do they have to choose an MOS that is the same or similar to the one they had while on active duty or doesn't it matter?

i.e. someone who is an 1812 M1A1 Crewman for 4 years on active duty can then go into the reserves in an MOS that is completely different?

Thanks

[LivinSoFree]

Technically, yes. As far as I understand it, it's a separate contract, so you can lat move like any other Marine after their first 4. We have a Sergeant in our Data platoon who was active duty with ANGLICO and is now a data geek. It's all dependent on MOS monitors, where the needs are, and what the schools are.

[Accord]

Originally posted by LivinSoFree
Technically, yes. As far as I understand it, it's a separate contract, so you can lat move like any other Marine after their first 4. We have a Sergeant in our Data platoon who was active duty with ANGLICO and is now a data geek. It's all dependent on MOS monitors, where the needs are, and what the schools are.
For the reserves though, you would of course go to a unit stationed near where you live, so if it's a tank BN, pretty much your only options would be a tanker, right?

[LivinSoFree]

well.... kind of. That's the design of the program, but say you want to keep your MOS or once you're in the reserves with one unit, you move and transfer units... at that point, you'll start drilling with your new unit regardless. We have an MP in my unit who came from a unit up near DC but now is one of ours. He basically hangs out with HQ Pltn and does... well, we're not really sure. That's one thing about the reserves, it's a lot of "whatever works, we don't care what you are on paper." I'm technically supposed to be an armorer, but they're d*cking around with my schools, so right now I'm a non-MOSed Marine on paper, but I can do the jobs of a basic FROP or MUXter, thanks to cross training.

[DanCross]

It depends. Reserve units have a lot of different MOS's there. It may be a tank unit, but a tank unit is also going to need Motor T, cooks, mechanics, some comm guys, armorers, data guys, etc, etc. Remember that for something like every trigger puller in the grunts, there's something like 20 Marines in support MOS's (and yes, tanks and arty *are* support MOS's) backing that one Marine up. If you enlist as a reservist, you find a reserve unit close to you and pick an MOS that they need. If you go from active duty to reservist, you may have to lat move after you ship over, and again, it's going to depend on the needs of the Marine Corps. If you want to stay in the reserves, and your a tanker, and the only MOS open at the local reserve unit in your pay grade is for a tanker, then either you're a tanker there or you agree to travel further to another reserve station that has something you're more interested in doing. Even then, if you've trained as a tanker and there's a tank unit close to you that has an opening, you might find it difficult to switch MOS's to something else. As was said, it depends a lot on what the Corps needs at the time, and what the monitors say when you try to ship over.