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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Questions for recruiter?
My husband has made an appointment with a recruiter on Friday so we can go discuss him possibly joining the Army Reserves. I'm trying to do as much research about the Reserves and what it means for spouses and families but haven't been able to find much information.
Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks
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Re: Questions for recruiter?
As far as benefits for family members, there aren't as many as Active Duty. You can buy into medical insurance through Tricare Reserve Select. It's great insurance and pretty good rates. You can use the Commissary, PX and such on post.
As far as life goes, it's pretty normal. However, the one weekend a month and two weeks a year thing is kind of misleading. Typically, drill is the first weekend of every month unless it is a holiday. Drill could be just Saturday and Sunday from around 6am to around 5pm. The unit provides lunch. Drill could also be from Thursday night to Sunday evening if they go out in the field.
Annual Training, AT, is what the two weeks refers to. For the 6 years I was in, our AT usually averaged 3 weeks. We ranged 2 weeks working 8 hour days at our home station to 3 weeks in Italy to 4 weeks at Ft Irwin, California. He can also be sent to schools he will need to rank up. Depending on the job he picks, they could be up to six weeks long.
One good thing about the Reserves is you can generally pick your unit. I joined as an MP. There were two units in my area. I was able to pick which one I wanted. However, had I chosen to be a dental assistant, there is only one dental unit near me and I would have only been able to serve in that one.
Ok, information overload. Do you have any questions about this info or new questions?
First off, I would like to tell you you're amazing for this information. I was talking to some people on GoArmy and they weren't as helpful as you.
The MOS he wants to go into is 68W since he's a paramedic now and can't seem to get enough of it! I'm just trying to gather as much information as possible before our meeting Friday as well as prepare myself as best as I can for what lies ahead.
Has he thought about going active? There is a pretty large sign on bonus for medics right now. Plus, he's really not going to do much exciting in the Reserves as a medic. Our medics had a few classes during drill and gave us our shots once a year. That's pretty much it. Of course, deployments are different. He'll go on missions and such. Either way, his schooling will help him go in with a bit more rank which means a better pay check.
No, he doesn't want to have to move away from this area for longer than a deployment would take him away because of his family and friends. I'm still finishing up my masters, too, which I think might also play a part in his choice of Reserves vs Actives. The recruiter already told him that with the Reserves they are so full with medics in this area right now that there wouldn't be a sign on bonus (if there was it wouldn't be much) and the reserve base near by is pretty full so he might end up getting put with a unit 1 - 3 hours away from where we live.
It's definitely a lot to take in and process.
He may want to talk to another recruiter. There are some "special" units giving $30K sign on bonuses for medics. Those are for active duty slots, though. Those units deploy frequently for small periods of time, but you can stay in those units for 8-10 years or longer before you PCS.
When I was in, my unit was 3 hours away from my home. I was given a hotel room for Friday and Saturday nights for a basic two day drill. They feed you lunch, but I was responsible for breakfast and dinner as well as my gas to and from. I was able to write the gas and meals off on my taxes, though.
Oh, wow! We definitely will have to ask about that when we go on Friday. I really don't mind moving away from this area. I see it as I can finish my degree anywhere and have a better chance of using it somewhere else.
Shorter deployments, while more frequent, might not be horrible for us either. Right now he works 4 days on for 12 hour shifts plus volunteers with two other EMS agencies then he would have his commitment to the military on top of everything. So him not being around wouldn't be something new and that might be more of what he's looking for. From everything I've heard about the Reserves, he wouldn't be getting what he's looking for.
We have been talking about this a lot since he told me last week, so this just gives me more to think about - but not in the bad way. Thank you!
Any time. I'm around if you have any other questions. If he's in good shape. Ask about a Ranger contract. That's where the big bonus is right now for medics.
Update: We pulled in the parking lot and got a call from him saying he would be at the MEPC all day and would have to call and reschedule for sometime next week. I feel like this is atypical and makes me feel as though my husband is neither a priority or important when it comes to this recruiter.
It really isn't something that is atypical. As a matter of fact, it is very typical for a recruiter to be stuck at MEPS all day with a recruit trying to get paperwork or other issues resolved. Don't sweat it.