Reserve Marines I need help

[BenW523]

Hi, this is Ben again. Well I'm gonna change to be a Reserve Marines soon. I have a few questions to ask about the Reserve. What do you Reserve Marines do most of the time? How's the weekend training once a month?
What time of the year do you go for the 2 week training? What did you guys do for it? How many times have you guys deployed already? What time of the year were you in the Marines when you got deployed? How is the the Reserve Infantry compare to other MOS? Did you regret joining the Reserve and are trying to switch to Active? When did they tell you when you got deployed?

[Draco771]

Hi, this is Ben again. Well I'm gonna be change to the Reserve Marines soon. I have a few questions to ask about the Reserve. What do you Reserve Marines do most of the time? How's the weekend training once a month?
What time of the year do you go for the 2 week training? What did you guys do for it? How many times have you guys deployed already? What time of the year were you in the Marines when you got deployed? How is the the Reserve Infantry? Did you regret joining the Reserve and are trying to switch to Active?

I myself am actually very curious about these questions as well... I have a few theories, but only speculation, so I"ll keep them to myself...

But I'm very interested to hear about this as well...

[Travbabble]

It depends on your job... I am a reserve 0341 right now. First off, it's never just a "weekend" I've never had a drill less than 4 days. Usually I head down Thursday, and get "off" late on Sunday. Our typical drills however are 5 days. Having said that, we also have months where we don't drill at all. Drill isn't easy. Basically what you are trying to do is fit a years worth of regular training into a very short period of time. Our summer training is great. It's an awesome way to get to know your unit. In the two years I've been with my unit, I've done two AT's (annual training). One in Hawaii, and just recently mountain warfare training in Bridgeport. Depending on your CO, it'll either be really easy, or really hard. My CO is awesome and our training really keeps us in shape. However you do see some Marines becoming complacent and getting fat. We do a PFT once a year, we try and do swim qual and rifle range every 2 years. My unit does at least 2 hours of MCMAP every drill. Our deployment is coming up early next year. I've known basically since the first time I got with my unit that we were deploying. You know well in advance. When you deploy is of course up to the Corps. Wether or not you like the reserves is up to you... I love it, but I am still going active (after I deploy). It's just up to you really. I hope I helped, any questions feel free to ask.

[Draco771]

I don't mean to hijack the thread at all, but just get some more information on it...

Do you get very many schools open to you while in the USMC Reserve?

You're a Mortar Man, do you do any OJT in any of the other 03XX MOSs?

[Travbabble]

I don't mean to hijack the thread at all, but just get some more information on it...

Do you get very many schools open to you while in the USMC Reserve?

You're a Mortar Man, do you do any OJT in any of the other 03XX MOSs?

Oh yeah, you can volunteer for any school, but there isn't always a slot open, so it's kind of a crap shoot. They are always asking for people to go to schools though. I've got a slot reserved for me to become a range coach, and they recently had a bunch of guys go to sniper school. We all try and cross train with the other weapons platoons, but that's up to the marine who wants to learn, there's nothing official.

[BenW523]

Hey Sir, just wondering how where are you getting deploy to? Is the annual training only done in the summer? How much do you get pay for that 2 weeks? How fast do you pick up ranks in the reserve? How many months before did they tell you that you're getting deploy? Do you get pay more for doing 4 days weekend since its more drills? I'm thinking of getting lasek surgery after MOS School, can you ask to take a Weekend training off? Good Luck Lance Corporal Travis on your tour, be safe and enjoy your tour.

[Travbabble]

Hey Sir, just wondering how where are you getting deploy to? Is the annual training only done in the summer? How much do you get pay for that 2 weeks? How fast do you pick up ranks in the reserve? How many months before did they tell you that you're getting deploy? I'm thinking of getting lasek surgery after MOS School, can you ask to take a Weekend training off? Good Luck Lance Corporal Travis on your tour, be safe and enjoy your tour.

AT is the 2 week training in the summer. I made right at 1500 before taxes for the 2 weeks. You pick up rank in the same amount of time as in active duty. But from what I've been told by our former active guys, we are a little jacked up. We have a ton of corporals and sergeants, which in a normal company you would only have them in billets. We also are lacking officers, so our senior Sgts and SSgts fill the roles of platoon commanders and such. We are going to be activated for a year, possibly more depending on the needs of the Corps. Unless you're looking for a specific job that needs perfect vision, I wouldn't get lasek. You can ask for drills off, but you have to ask well in advance (our CO likes to have them at least 5 months in advance), but you HAVE to make them up, or you get an unsat year and they add time to your contract. But if you're getting ready to deploy, chances are that you arent going to be able to skip any drills. Because the training leading up to deployment is extremely important.

*Edit, forgot to mention, they've been telling us we're going to Iraq. But our First Sgt has been hinting we may be going to Afghanistan. And judging by the mountain training, he may be right. Basically we aren't for sure about our destination yet.

[BenW523]

Thank you sir just a few more questions and it'll be it. Do u get pay more for the 4 days weekend since its more drills? Before you deploy I heard as a reserve you have to prepare and train you for 3 months before you go to war zone. What happen if you are in school and gets deploy? What month of the Summer is the AT? I thought Marines have a tour time around 6-8 months? Thanks!

[Travbabble]

Thank you sir just a few more questions and it'll be it. Do u get pay more for the 4 days weekend since its more drills? Before you deploy I heard as a reserve you have to prepare and train you for 3 months before you go to war zone. What happen if you are in school and gets deploy? What month of the Summer is the AT? I thought Marines have a tour time around 6-8 months? Thanks!

12 months includes the time at Mojave Viper (google it). You get paid for every drill you do. If you're in school while youre supposed to deploy, well..... you won't be in school anymore lol. AT is whenever they say it is. This year mine was in July, last year it was in June.

[ZSKI]

AT can be longer then 2 weeks mine was 4 weeks in Peru. As a part of Operation New Horizons. When you join a reserve unit You fill a specific billet in that unit so if they need a mortar man and you join the unit you will have a slot at MOS and you will pick up almost immediately. And yes if your at school at the time of deployment you can do a military withdraw and recieve all your money back.

And many people don't know but you can as a reservist get on a list for lasek its just the list is like 3 years long.

[BenW523]

Hey guys, have you guys ever heard about the 3x5 reserve contract? I heard you don't get any benefits for it. I mean what kind of MOS are open to you if your in the Reserve?
Also how do I know if my platoon is getting deploy, so I can be prepare and quit school?

[Travbabble]

Just what I was talking about

Military leaders, however, have made it clear they need to free units from Iraq deployments in order to send more troops to Afghanistan. As security in Iraq continues to improve, officials have suggested that units initially headed for Iraq late this year or early next year could be sent to Afghanistan instead.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,397561,00.html . Like I said, we're going to Iraq as of now, but it can change!

[rvillac2]

Hey guys, have you guys ever heard about the 3x5 reserve contract? I heard you don't get any benefits for it. I mean what kind of MOS are open to you if your in the Reserve?
Also how do I know if my platoon is getting deploy, so I can be prepare and quit school?

Never heard of a 3x5. There is a 2x6.
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marin...ncsprogram.htm

[BenW523]

Thanks rvillac2 for the 2x6 information. Do you know how hard is it to get the 2x6 contract? Have any of people in your platoon done any of the 2x6 3x5 contract? Thank you for the information really appreciate it.

[ctbylsma]

How long in advance do you know when your AT is going to be? My recruiter told me you get a schedule for the entire year, does this mean Fiscal Year (Oct-Sep)? I'm asking because there is usually only a 2-3 week gap between my Spring and Summer semesters and AT would mean some rescheduling. Thanks for the help.