thoughts on army reserve

[danny_galaga]

just had one of those spur of the moment thoughts and wouldnt mind some input from some of you ex harmy types.  thinking about checking out the army reserves. im actually highly unlikely to pass a physical exam, but if i did a few positions take my fancy: sapper, gunner and light cavalry scout.

im just wondering though, if i was a sapper will i just spend all my time digging latrines? that  would not be cool...

[ChadTower]

Not everyone in the Reserves goes to Iraq. 

Australia has been there as much as anyone other than Britain and the US, yes?

[saint]

Yeah, but Australia has  what...  100 people? (Not counting kangaroos and tourists)

[danny_galaga]

Australia has been there as much as anyone other than Britain and the US, yes?

~2,000 people

Poland sent more over. 

yeah, but we sent soldiers (rightly or wrongly) not telephone sanitisers or whatever it was poland sent 

[grantspain]

i was in the british territorial army for a short while and enjoyed it alot,i had to leave due to a serious injury i sustained on my knee.
my regiment was "The princess of wales royal regiment",the training was hard physically but i found all the other stuff(rules of engagement,medical training,field craft)all very easy,also you get to know new people from differents walks of life and from that friendships for life.
when i was a kid i lived on a farm and was one hell of a shot with a rifle so after my basic training i was concentrating on becoming a sniper within the regiment also with my electronics experience i could have transferred to R.E.M.E or worked with new weapons or surveillance etc.
I hope you have a go,it really is worth it.Its an experience you can't get anywhere else and a sense of pride

[mr.Curmudgeon]

And just like Poland, Australia's pulling it's troops from Iraq anyhow.   

[FrizzleFried]

And just like Poland, Australia's pulling it's troops from Iraq anyhow.   

Much to the delight of some...

[danny_galaga]

well, we have troops where the terrorists really were to start with- afghanistan.

i predict two more posts will see this thread in PNR...

[danny_galaga]

i was concentrating on becoming a sniper within the regiment

i wonder if they'll count my 'goldeneye' time towards that goal 

[mr.Curmudgeon]

well, we have troops where the terrorists really were to start with- afghanistan.

i predict two more posts will see this thread in PNR...

    

[97thruhiker]

Well outside of being sent to Iraq or Afganistan plan on being sent to any and every national disaster in your area or region (USA anyways, not sure about downunder).

[DrewKaree]

What the heck is a "sapper"?  Is he the guy that throws the shrimp on the barbie for youse guys on walkabout and plays the dijeridoo to wake everyone up in the morning?

[boykster]

Aren't you already a gub'ment worker in the PO?  What's with the push to add to your civic duty?

[danny_galaga]

  Is he the guy that throws the shrimp on the barbie for youse guys on walkabout and plays the dijeridoo to wake everyone up in the morning?

yes (",)

[danny_galaga]

Aren't you already a gub'ment worker in the PO?  What's with the push to add to your civic duty?

not really such a duty, its my job! but it would be nice to put something back into the community, wouldnt it? also, it sort of came up in that gun discussion where i mentioned switzerland and it got me to thinking that maybe i should know a bit more about warrin' and stuff. besides, it would be cool to be shooting things with automatic rifles and pistols and stuff

oh, and i thought sapper was one of those universal terms. but maybe its aussie. means an army engineer. the more i think about it, the more likely it would mean digging latrines rather than any mcguyver-esque constructs...

[SithMaster]

Aren't you already a gub'ment worker in the PO?  What's with the push to add to your civic duty?

not really such a duty, its my job! but it would be nice to put something back into the community, wouldnt it? also, it sort of came up in that gun discussion where i mentioned switzerland and it got me to thinking that maybe i should know a bit more about warrin' and stuff. besides, it would be cool to be shooting things with automatic rifles and pistols and stuff

oh, and i thought sapper was one of those universal terms. but maybe its aussie. means an army engineer. the more i think about it, the more likely it would mean digging latrines rather than any mcguyver-esque constructs...

Wait what?  Mcguyver?  So you want to make a bridge out of toothpicks so a medical supply truck can deliver medicine to save something?

it would be cool to be shooting things with automatic rifles and pistols and stuff

This is the number one reason people join anything.

[ChadTower]

I know that's why I joined little league when I was 9.

[bfauska]

a few positions take my fancy: sapper, gunner and light cavalry scout.

Um, I don't know about the Aussie army but in the US they tend to get a little uneasy about people joining who admit something "took their fancy"  , actually I don't think they let you in if you even use the work fancy, especially as a noun. There's the whole "don't ask don't tell" thing, but I think that's along the lines of telling.

Whatever you decide, don't go getting yourself killed, you seem a whole lot less lame than plenty of other people.  (that's a complement from me, 'cause I'm a dick.)

[DrewKaree]

Whatever you decide, don't go getting yourself killed, you seem a whole lot less lame than plenty of other people.  (that's a complement from me, 'cause I'm a dick.)

You should really get to know danny.  He really IS just as lame as other people   (that's a compliment from me, 'cause danny knows just HOW much of a dick I am )

[danny_galaga]

Whatever you decide, don't go getting yourself killed, you seem a whole lot less lame than plenty of other people.  (that's a complement from me, 'cause I'm a dick.)

You should really get to know danny.  He really IS just as lame as other people   (that's a compliment from me, 'cause danny knows just HOW much of a dick I am )

 

[crashwg]

Ok then, I guess I'll try to get this thread back on track now...

If I understand correctly, the Army Reserve is very similar to the Army National Guard (here in the USA) with the exception of the National Guard belonging not only to the US Government but also state government and that the NG both helps inside the US (during natural disasters and such) and also can police US citizens while no other branch can...

With that in mind, I swore into the New Hampshire National Guard yesterday and feel really good about my decision to do so.  Here's why:

• 100% college tuition payed at all New Hampshire state schools (this is a NG only thing)
• In addition to that, the GI bill and GI bill kicker (for college) will still be giving me a total around $700 per month while enrolled in college
• "College First" which means that as long as I'm enrolled and in good standings in college I can not be deployed for two years (provided something like WWIII doesn't happen)
• They're going to get me in shape, out of bed in the morning and hopefully more motivated in "the real world"
• One weekend a month, two weeks a year doesn't sound all that bad... That's only 38 days/year over the next 6 years not including Basic and AIT
• Signing bonuses.  Currently the NH NG is offering up to $20k sign on bonus for critical jobs (the ones they need the most) and I've heard rumors of something like $50k for reenlistment but I'm not even going to think about that right now.
• My job in the NG will be "interior electrician" which wont make me qualified to do so in civilian life, I will certainly be more knowledgeable in the field and it's something that translates well into everyday life
• Firing M16s, throwing grenades, repelling and obstacle courses all sound like a butload of fun

There are a few things that concern me though...  Such as I'm going to be gone for 17 weeks starting January 9th and that's going to be hard considering I have two kids (2 & 4) and a GF at home.  Pushups suck, no really, they do...  The potential is there that I might be deployed to a hostile environment at some point in time and I don't really feel like dieing yet.  I have no particular interest in killing anyone either, especially US citizens, but if were to come down to that I would have to live with that for the rest of my life or choose not to do so and have a short "rest of my life".  I've never really gotten along with authority, although I'm sure that will have to change quickly...

So basically, I guess what I'm saying is to make sure the things they give you outweigh the potentially bad things they will be getting from you.
I'll try and remember to respond to this thread again when I get back from training.  Who knows, my opinion might have changed some by then.  Or maybe I will have signed something by then that would restrict me from saying bad things about the military and it will be all rainbows and sunshine! 

[danny_galaga]

sorta. US seems to use national guards from time to time to police its own folk. this is looked down on here as kinda 'chinese'  army reserve really is army here. you do the same training as them. after that you are part time instead of full time. the rest sounds similar. actually this is going to be a big hurdle as its a 28 boot camp and im not owed that much leave for a long time. although that gives me some time to put a bit of muscle on my frame...

[ChadTower]

sorta. US seems to use national guards from time to time to police its own folk. this is looked down on here as kinda 'chinese'  army reserve really is army here. you do the same training as them. after that you are part time instead of full time. the rest sounds similar. actually this is going to be a big hurdle as its a 28 boot camp and im not owed that much leave for a long time. although that gives me some time to put a bit of muscle on my frame...

National Guard is different from Army Reserve.  Two separate things.  National Guard is an inward resource primarily.  Sending National Guard units outside of the US is a relatively new thing and there is a lot of opposition to it both in the gov't and in the National Guard structure itself.

[97thruhiker]

Ok then, I guess I'll try to get this thread back on track now...

If I understand correctly, the Army Reserve is very similar to the Army National Guard (here in the USA) with the exception of the National Guard belonging not only to the US Government but also state government and that the NG both helps inside the US (during natural disasters and such) and also can police US citizens while no other branch can...

With that in mind, I swore into the New Hampshire National Guard yesterday and feel really good about my decision to do so.  Here's why:

• 100% college tuition payed at all New Hampshire state schools (this is a NG only thing)
• In addition to that, the GI bill and GI bill kicker (for college) will still be giving me a total around $700 per month while enrolled in college
• "College First" which means that as long as I'm enrolled and in good standings in college I can not be deployed for two years (provided something like WWIII doesn't happen)
• They're going to get me in shape, out of bed in the morning and hopefully more motivated in "the real world"
• One weekend a month, two weeks a year doesn't sound all that bad... That's only 38 days/year over the next 6 years not including Basic and AIT
• Signing bonuses.  Currently the NH NG is offering up to $20k sign on bonus for critical jobs (the ones they need the most) and I've heard rumors of something like $50k for reenlistment but I'm not even going to think about that right now.
• My job in the NG will be "interior electrician" which wont make me qualified to do so in civilian life, I will certainly be more knowledgeable in the field and it's something that translates well into everyday life
• Firing M16s, throwing grenades, repelling and obstacle courses all sound like a butload of fun

There are a few things that concern me though...  Such as I'm going to be gone for 17 weeks starting January 9th and that's going to be hard considering I have two kids (2 & 4) and a GF at home.  Pushups suck, no really, they do...  The potential is there that I might be deployed to a hostile environment at some point in time and I don't really feel like dieing yet.  I have no particular interest in killing anyone either, especially US citizens, but if were to come down to that I would have to live with that for the rest of my life or choose not to do so and have a short "rest of my life".  I've never really gotten along with authority, although I'm sure that will have to change quickly...

So basically, I guess what I'm saying is to make sure the things they give you outweigh the potentially bad things they will be getting from you.
I'll try and remember to respond to this thread again when I get back from training.  Who knows, my opinion might have changed some by then.  Or maybe I will have signed something by then that would restrict me from saying bad things about the military and it will be all rainbows and sunshine! 

Good luck to you and I'm proud of your decision.  The kid issue has to be hard as I have a 5 year old and a 5 month old and could not imagine leaving them for any extended time.