Back to Basic

[Big Green]

So, joining the Army Reserves after a five year break in service from USMC. I’ll be 41 years old at boot and will also have to do AIT and choose new MOS. Do I go for something fun, something useful, or…? I don’t want to have to travel much to get to drill so it has to be something available in Texas, Louisiana or similar drive.

So, knowing what you know now, what you do?

I’d really like EOD, but not sure where the closest unit is. MP? Combat medic? I’d like intel too but that’s a long school.

 

[Sasquatch]

So, joining the Army Reserves after a five year break in service from USMC. I’ll be 41 years old at boot and will also have to do AIT and choose new MOS. Do I go for something fun, something useful, or…? I don’t want to have to travel much to get to drill so it has to be something available in Texas, Louisiana or similar drive.

So, knowing what you know now, what you do?

I’d really like EOD, but not sure where the closest unit is. MP? Combat medic? I’d like intel too but that’s a long school.

MP school is at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. 16 weeks, last I knew, and its done as OSUT, so you'd be gone 25 or 26 weeks (IIRC, Army basic was 9 weeks?)

I was supposed to be an MP. I was at Leonard Wood for 30 days, and spent the bulk of that time in the hospital, infirmary, then the RHU. Docs back home got me figured out and I could've re-enlisted after 2 years, but my life situation changed and I never tried again. Sounds like you're a year older than me. I applaud your decision to go back in.

IIRC, Leonard Wood is also home to the NBC school, Combat Engineers school, and truck driving. Its a beautiful area. I wish I could've seen more of it than the damn view from my hospital room.

MP mission when I enlisted in 2002 was transitioning away from base law enforcement to more of a combat MP role, securing checkpoints and conducting small unit operations to take and hold objectives. Garrison law enforcement was transitioning to DoD cops and contract security companies.

Combat Engineers could be fun - you blow shit up, put stuff together, could wind up in the fight.

EOD sounds damn stressful, but also fun from the "blowing shit up" aspect.

Combat medic sounds good too - get some beyond-basic first aid medical skills which could be very useful in the civilian world too.

What about armorers? Not sure if that's a reserve job or not, but working on guns wouldn't be bad.

Intelligence, if you don't mind the school length, and pass the tests, can be lucrative. I have an uncle that was career intelligence, and after getting his 20 active, he retired and is a civilian contractor now, still working in intelligence. He makes a damn good living, but the downside is that he has to live in the DC suburbs. They picked Virginia, because it wasn't Maryland. They'll be retiring to Texas when he retires from the civilian job.

 

[baboon]

Aviation, cybersecurity or medical

 

[MTA]

What about armorers? Not sure if that's a reserve job or not, but working on guns wouldn't be bad.

Not sure what they do now, but their MOS is trained at the same place as the USMC. Aberdeen MD

Edit: And it was an awesome MOS. I enjoyed the hell out of it

 

[EZ-E]

That's gunna be fun going through boot camp again. I hope you show them young whipper snappers a thing or two...lol.

I would go for something that is going to help further your career in the civilian roll. But I guess that all depends on if your happy working where your at now & could apply what ever AIT training you get. If not a career change could be a consideration.

 

[Dawico]

Congrats and thanks for your return to service.

Not much help beyond that.

 

[jrbfishn]

Do something you enjoy or it will get old fast.

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[TreyG-20]

I believe you'd be at FT Sam if you did become a Medic. Another MOS to consider if you want to stay in Texas for AiT would be 68A. Biomedical Equipment Specialist. The school is in Witchita Falls and nearly a year long. Medical Equipment could transfer to a civilian career also.

Do you get to keep so.e rank at least from your prior service?

 

[Big Green]

I believe you'd be at FT Sam if you did become a Medic. Another MOS to consider if you want to stay in Texas for AiT would be 68A. Biomedical Equipment Specialist. The school is in Witchita Falls and nearly a year long. Medical Equipment could transfer to a civilian career also.

Do you get to keep so.e rank at least from your prior service?

Since I’ve been out over four years I’ll lose one rank, so I’ll go down to E5.

 

[Big Green]

Aviation, cybersecurity or medical

With my background he tried to talk my into UH-60 crew chief, but that’s not for me. Way too many UH-60 Class A Mishaps (overall Army) for me. He did mention some other aviation jobs that would be similar to what I did in the USMC.

 

[Darkpriest667]

If you've been keeping in shape imagine how badass you're going to be in basic compared to the greenies. It will be like workout camp for you.

 

[VNK971]

In 1979 I went back on active duty after a 6 year break in service, and had to go through Basic and AIT again. I had been in the National Guard for 5 of that, but the Guard time only counted for pay. I did go to Jump School in 1978 while in the Guard so I was in pretty good shape at 30. Basic wasn't fun, but it was easy. No surprises. I had more jumps than all the Drill Sergeants, except the Senior Drill Sergeant. He and I were also the only Vietnam Veterans.

 

[VNK971]

Aviation, cybersecurity or medical

Cybersecurity would be very good. There's a Reserve unit in San Antonio near old Kelly AFB. Good civilian crossover too.

 

[Tnhawk]

So, joining the Army Reserves after a five year break in service from USMC. I’ll be 41 years old at boot and will also have to do AIT and choose new MOS. Do I go for something fun, something useful, or…? I don’t want to have to travel much to get to drill so it has to be something available in Texas, Louisiana or similar drive.

So, knowing what you know now, what you do?

I’d really like EOD, but not sure where the closest unit is. MP? Combat medic? I’d like intel too but that’s a long school.

Travel time to drills becomes a major factor. When I was in the Reserve in Houston, we had a CW4 that drove his motorhome to drills each month. I was in a great unit but when I moved too far away to get to drill in a reasonable time, it was time to transfer. I currently drive two hours each way to my Guard unit and it makes it a long day.
Thanks for your service!

 

[TreyG-20]

I'm curious if you will be treated the same as all the newly enlisted privates. I mean you are an NCO already. I think it's just strange that they are making you go through boot camp. It seems like if you meet your rifle qualification and pass a PT test that you should be able to go straight to AIT.

 

[Big Green]

Travel time to drills becomes a major factor. When I was in the Reserve in Houston, we had a CW4 that drove his motorhome to drills each month. I was in a great unit but when I moved too far away to get to drill in a reasonable time, it was time to transfer. I currently drive two hours each way to my Guard unit and it makes it a long day.
Thanks for your service!

My last three years in the Corps were reserves. I drove three hours each way, I feel your pain.

 

[Big Green]

I'm curious if you will be treated the same as all the newly enlisted privates. I mean you are an NCO already. I think it's just strange that they are making you go through boot camp. It seems like if you meet your rifle qualification and pass a PT test that you should be able to go straight to AIT.

I have buddy I served with who decided to commission in the Army. He had also been out several years and he too had to go through basic, before OCS. He commissions tomorrow morning.

He was telling me that he was actually given some leadership roles in his platoon at basic. He said other prior service guys were told that they would not be in leadership roles, so as to give the young guys an opportunity. To me that’s the way it should be done.

The recruiter said something about a different sleeping area for prior service but that’s the first I’d heard about that.

Some of its going to suck, but it’s supposed to, right?

 

[toddnjoyce]

….
So, knowing what you know now, what you do?

I’d really like EOD, but not sure where the closest unit is. MP? Combat medic? I’d like intel too but that’s a long school.

Knowing what I know now, I would think the following things if I was going back.

1. How much time am I really going to commit to do the job. I guess that translates to opstempo vs personal pillow time.

2. Likelihood of a Title X job that will allow me to retire w/full benefits.

3. What are my full-time (ART) options and where are they?

4. Am I doing this as a re-invention or a hobby. In essence, do I want to leverage the opportunity to learn a new/more marketable skill or is this just for fun.

5. For what’s available in TX, https://www.usar.army.mil/Featured/Ambassador-Program/Find-an-Ambassador/Texas/

 

[Younggun]

From what I hear of more recent basic training experiences, it won’t be very bad. I’m more disappointed with every new story I hear and I went in ‘03 when many of the old guys said it had already gotten soft. Now nobody gets roughed up, no foul language, weekly phone calls home, etc. closer to a strict summer camp from the way it’s been described to me.


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[Younggun]

When I got to Jackson for AIT I was glad to have done my basic at Benning. Jackson was already soft and we made of game of creating more PT for ourselves (Benning and Knox guys) just to watch the Jackson guys struggle.


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