A question about going from Reserves to Active duty

Baby1Pineda

Good morning ladies my dh has been talking to me about going active instead of just doing the reserves. He finished his AIT training in June and since then most of his battle buddies have deployed or will be deploying and he feels like he is just wasting time waiting to be deployed and wants to go active to get deployed sooner. My question is will it be hard for him to switch from reserves to active duty? He is already frustrated and I want to be able to be there for him and understand the process he has to go threw in order to go active.

kass08

Why doesn't he volunteer if he wants to go so badly? They're always looking for bodies somewhere.

I'm not sure about the reserves but in the Guard(or my state in particular) they won't let someone go AD unless they have previously deployed with a unit in our state(for YH it would be his region). 

That said, it's not an easy process right now to go AD because AD is so full they're being extremely picky and if they don't want his particular MOS, they won't take him. Plus if he got a bonus, that may have to get paid back. There's a lot involved.

mrsbliven

have him go talk to his recruiter. they can help him file the paperwork. it all depends on rank and MOS. but he can volunteer for a deployment if thats what yall want.

Baby1Pineda

Thank you ladies he did do the paperwork to volunteer for deployment but they told him nothing is for sure. Hopefully things go the way he wants them to.

ksrawr

The only thing i know about that is that they loose a rank if they go from Reserves to Active

iluvmytxrgr

Right now, it's easier to volunteer to deploy than it is to go AD right now.  If he keeps on it and pays attention to what units need people, he should be picked up pretty quickly, depending on his MOS. 

Personally, I think he needs to slow down.  He needs to be getting all the training he can get from his unit.  He's still in gung-ho, fresh out of training mode.  Reserve units are given 3 years between deployment.  How long has it been since his unit got back from their last deployment?  If it has been two years, tell him to take this year to go to some additional schools and prepare.  If he goes now, he could be missing his opportunity for vital training.  I'm not saying he should be less motivated.  I'm saying he needs to stop and look at the big picture. 

kass08

ksrawr:

The only thing i know about that is that they loose a rank if they go from Reserves to Active

Not necessarily true. Depends on the persons rank, TIG(Time in grade), TIS(Time in service) and a few other things. As a Pv2 or PFC who finished AIT but hasn't gone up a whole lot, they probably wouldn't take his rank. NCO's are more likely to lose rank if they haven't completed required schools.

And *lose* not loose.

armybride6510

Another option is looking into any ADOS jobs on base my DH is NG and that ia what he does.  It is just a full time position on base, it's not deployment but he seems to enjoy it.

heiringk

Hello,

 My husband and I are both in the army reserves. If a reservist wants to go active, it depends foremost if his reserve unit will release him to go active duty. They base that judgement on several different things...ie is his job critical, #'s they have of that MOS in their unit, etc....but a reserve unit will typically allow for the release to go active duty if he wants to deploy/advance his career. If he wants to do it right away, tell him to go through his chain of command and get the process started for releasal. Also talking to the recruiter would be a good idea just to get some more information about active....and yes, he will most likely lose rank. Believe me, it is not as easy to volunteer to deploy from reserves....my husband volunteered 2.5 years ago and has not heard anything....but he is now deployed with his own company so it worked out for him.

 Good luck! 

iluvmytxrgr

heiringk:

Hello,

 My husband and I are both in the army reserves. If a reservist wants to go active, it depends foremost if his reserve unit will release him to go active duty. They base that judgement on several different things...ie is his job critical, #'s they have of that MOS in their unit, etc....but a reserve unit will typically allow for the release to go active duty if he wants to deploy/advance his career. If he wants to do it right away, tell him to go through his chain of command and get the process started for releasal. Also talking to the recruiter would be a good idea just to get some more information about active....and yes, he will most likely lose rank. Believe me, it is not as easy to volunteer to deploy from reserves....my husband volunteered 2.5 years ago and has not heard anything....but he is now deployed with his own company so it worked out for him.

 Good luck! 

If he is E-3 or below, he probably won't lose rank.  Even at E-4, there is a chance he may be able to keep his rank.  It depends on a few things. 

The ammount of time it takes to be picked up for a deployment depends on his MOS.  Three guys in my unit volunteered for a deployment 3 months ago.  They MOB before the end of the year.  I'm 31-B. 

I still suggest he waits it out.  Get some schooling and training.  Volunteer in a year or wait until his unit goes. 

heiringk

yes thank you for the input of some of the missing info I forgot to add. It is dependent on his MOS whether he will be picked up right away or not. I think it varies though..I'm a 68W and volunteered for deployment over 3 years ago, and never got picked up.

croberts22

My husband is currently going AD from NG.  He went and talked to a recruiter who then got him set up with the paperwork he needed.  He took it to the higher ups in his unit and it has to work through the chain of command to get all the signitures.  He will then go to MEPS and have a new swear in or something similar.  He has to reclass, so will be going to AIT again.  He is an E5 and isn't losing his rank.  He didn't get a bonus, so I don't know about paying that back.  He's been NG for almost 6 years, so other than a few questions about why he wanted to change, he didn't get any grief.  Sometimes they don't want to let the men go because of the money they've invested in them.  His CC said he has never seem someone be denied the chance to go AD.  I would just go talk to his recruiter and see what he says. They know more and can get the paperwork started. 

kass08

croberts22:

My husband is currently going AD from NG.  He went and talked to a recruiter who then got him set up with the paperwork he needed.  He took it to the higher ups in his unit and it has to work through the chain of command to get all the signitures.  He will then go to MEPS and have a new swear in or something similar.  He has to reclass, so will be going to AIT again.  He is an E5 and isn't losing his rank.  He didn't get a bonus, so I don't know about paying that back.  He's been NG for almost 6 years, so other than a few questions about why he wanted to change, he didn't get any grief.  Sometimes they don't want to let the men go because of the money they've invested in them.  His CC said he has never seem someone be denied the chance to go AD.  I would just go talk to his recruiter and see what he says. They know more and can get the paperwork started. 

Because he has been in 6 years, he has fulfilled most of his MSO(Mandatory Service Obligation) so he won't have to pay back any previous bonus if he had gotten one. I'm guessing he's completed WLC/PLDC if they didn't take his rank  which is a good thing. Is he happy about re-classing? And I've seen people get denied, unfortunately but it isn't entirely up to his Chain. They can approve it but if state says no then they get trumped. That's what happened to one of my Soldiers. GL to him(and you guys!) though!