Do you still have to be within 250 miles of a reserve unit to be assigned to it? If so, are there any exceptions? Thank you for your help

Yes there are exceptions, but you have to prove that you can be at your unit on time and get there and back safly. It is all up to you 1stSgt to determine this. If you don't own a reliable car don't bother asking. One thing about the reserves is that the Marine can say no to a unit(this only applies to what unit you go to. once you are a part of that unit you have to do what they tell you) and the unit can say no to the Marine.

....thanks for the quick reply. So if you can prove that you can be at your unit on time they may let you be assigned to that unit(if the unti will accept you)? I haven't talked to a recruiter yet, I'm just trying to get as much information before I do, and there's a unit thats about 370 miles away from where I plan to be. Again thank you for your help.

First step is talk to a recruiter, second Enlist in to the DEP, Third is your Resever intview. Look up a thread on this board named ANGLICO there I talk about the reseve interview. when you get there you want to explain way you want to be in that unit? and why should they let you join them. 340 miles for a reserve unit is a great distance especially if it is your first unit. how far away are you right now from that unit? Tell me what your plan is and I can give you a realistic info on it. It sounds like you have this all planed out in you head before you have taken the first step.

Yeah, I just want to get an idea of the path I should take. I'm hoping to go to college about 370 miles away from the unit in California, enlist in the reserves and go to Boot Camp the summer between senior and freshman years. Then attend college while in the reserves. Thanks

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Okay help me help you, What MOS do you want, what Unit, and what college and what town will you be living in?

I was interested in 1812, M1 crewman at Company A, 4th Tank Battalion, 4thMarDiv in San Diego. I'm planning on going to school at Embry-Riddle in Prescott, AZ. I just don't want to go to the recruiter and not know anything. Again, thanks for the time you're puttin in to help me

Okay some stuff I am going to say is probably going to pop your bubble in one way(either school or Military) but there are some issues you should be aware of that might complicate things for you okay. First off is the training time. okay you are looking at 6-8 months of training time okay. 3 months boot camp, 2 Months MCT(I heard they increased it by a month since I went through), 2 months for Tanker School, and one month throughn in there to cover RA and MAT Platoon(Marines Awaiting Trainning.) MAT is a holding Platoon because the classes have not started yet, you can be in this platoon for up to one month depending on the Army's schedule. Doing the 90 day reserve thing(boot camp and MCT during one summer and MOS school on another) is not recomended becasue you run the risk of being no value to your unit for a whole year. Also because you have know value you are picked for all the crappy jobs that need to be done(clean the Head and stuff) on drill weekends and you will feel misarable. So I would suggest putting off the school for a year okay to be on the safe side. but it is up to you. Where do you live right now? Hope you are able to keep college flexible.

I just want to ask one more question which is more Important the Job or the school?

I am going to be honest with you if you live more than a hundred mile away from that unit right now It is going to be a B-i-t-c-h to coordinate the whole plan. Hope you got a good recuiter. You may even have to directly call the unit to talk to them to see if they will allow you to do it okay. Plus they may not have any tankcrewman slot for you.

I think I have a few options for you okay so listen carefully. I want you to pick two other MOS that might interest you okay, just incase they don't have any tanker slots okay. also you would want to pick an MOS that can transfer units easily. Example 0100 admin, 0621 field radio operator, Motor T, also consider two alturitives are Tank Mecahnic(it will get you into the Unit and then you may ask for a MOS change) or go infrantry reserves and become a LAV crew.

1. It there is a local tank battalion within 100 miles of your current home join that unit first okay. get you training done and than go to Embry-Riddle. because you can transfer to that unit.

2. This is actually my personal plan, when I was thinking of doing what you were doing. (yes I was thinking of tankcrewman and going to embry-riddle.) My plan was this, Instead of going to the AZ campus I would go to Florida Campus and goin the COMPANY B, 4TH ASSAULT AMPHIBIAN BATTALION, 4TH MARINE DIVISION in Jacksonville FL. IS there some specific reason why you want AZ? I know there was a full tank battalion in Florida round 2005 when I was planning stuff out, guess they moved or change platfroms. But if you are looing for the most Marine MOS possiblities go to FLORIDA Campus. Here look on the map in the reserve website and look at the units in Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and S.C. also take a look at the unit IN albany, GA that is were a lot of tanks are refurbished(spelling).

3. Option go to a Different school, like one in California, or Kentucky.

read over some of these options and think about it.

Thank you so much Rigger, I guess I have a lot to think about. And to me the job is more important than the school, I'm going to college to learn skills and further my education while providing a basis for a career after the military. Whereas I have wanted to be a Marine for a long time and would absolutely cahnge schools in order to do so, I won't give up my dream of becoming a Marine because of school. Again, thank you

YOU can be a Marine in any state in Union, its just you probably can't be a M-1 Tankcrewman. there are many other jobs in the Corps and you should think about them thourghly

Yes sir I will, I've been interested in tanks, but i was looking at other job descriptions on about.com and there's a lot more that sound appealing...I'm going to read up on other MOS's and see where that takes me....thanks