Hey all, I have a quick question for you all. I am currently 17 and I would like to either become a Soldier or a Marine, but I am still debating. I have been trying to find information on the Marine Reserves ( i want to go to college) but I cannot find much so I was wondering if you all could assist me. So here are my questions.... 1) How to active duty Marines look at Reservists? 2) Would I be eligible for deployment while in college? (Army has a program that does not allow this) 3) Do Reservists get as good of training as Active duty? 4) Could I join the reserves as a junior in high school? Thanks for your answers....and your service Marines!
Active duty trains every day of the week, and sometimes weekends. Do you think the reservists are going to be as prepared as their active counterparts?
I'm positive there are some hard core reservists out there- but if you're taking in generalities, or averages- I think active duty wins hands down. Pete
I have been trying to find information on the Marine Reserves ( i want to go to college) but I cannot find much so I was wondering if you all could assist me. Dig deeper on these threads for the answers. 1) How to active duty Marines look at Reservists? That depends on the unit. There are both good/bad active and reserve units. 2) Would I be eligible for deployment while in college? Yes (Army has a program that does not allow this) Are you looking for a free college ride, or do you want to skip out on a deployment while the rest of your unit goes? 3) Do Reservists get as good of training as Active duty? Yes, and that is when they are activated and get enough training before they deploy. 4) Could I join the reserves as a junior in high school? No. But as a HS senior, I would recommend inquiring on the CAT/P program.
Originally posted by 11bWannaB: So here are my questions.... 1) How to active duty Marines look at Reservists? 2) Would I be eligible for deployment while in college? (Army has a program that does not allow this) 3) Do Reservists get as good of training as Active duty? 4) Could I join the reserves as a junior in high school? Thanks for your answers....and your service Marines!
1. I trained with 3/2 during our last deployment. Attitudes from AD to reserve vary like anything else. Some people have already convinced themselves of the "nasty reservist" stereotype. Others are curious how it works with integrating into civilian life. Most could really care less as long as you can do your job.
2. Yes. LtGen Bergman who commands MFR has recently claimed that the 1:5 deployment/dwell ratio for reserve combat arms will be achieved soon, thus if you were to join the USMCR in the near future, your odds of deploying are notably less than say 2-3 years ago. However there is always a demand for augments at anywhere from the individual to the battalion level. If you wish to deploy, you will certainly have the chance.
3. No, most drills are a waste of time. Summer AT is usually taken up getting all the requirements out of the way (Rifle range, etc, and looks like this year will be MCMAP). It all depends on the motivation/initiative of the I&I and the NCO's. I&I is often a clusterf*k on even the most simple matters (ex: schedule land nav for a drill, then find out after everyone arrives that the Army unit at the base already reserved the course). However the purpose of the reserve is not to match the simultaneous training/readiness level of the active component. With our available time and training venues this is obviously unrealistic and impractical. The purpose of reserve training is to maintain you in a state where upon activation you can be "brought up to speed" to the full training, readiness, and capabilities of an active duty unit of equivalent size and type, within a reasonable amount of time. Thus why reserve infantry battalions deploy for 1 year rather than the active-duty's 7 months. Additional time must be incorporated for that requisite training period.
4. I don't remember DEP procedures very well but the regulations on enlisting into the reserve side, as far as minimum age and having HS diploma is no different than active duty.
Originally posted by HollywoodMarine: 4) Could I join the reserves as a junior in high school? No. But as a HS senior, I would recommend inquiring on the CAT/P program.
Yeppers.
(For 11bWannaB) In other words, the Marine Corps don't have a split ops program for HS students like the Army (I know that's what you were thinking of.)
The main difference I've seen between AD and reserve is that on AD, you're made to do everything to insure you're well-trained and deployment-ready. You have no choice, because the unit does X and Y and you're part of the unit. In the reserve, the unit doesn't have the time or the resources to get you up to speed on that level, so a lot of it is left to you, the individual Marine.
So you end up either 1) getting your shi* wired on your own or with the help of a few NCO's who actually care, or 2) being poorly-trained and unmotivated.
When I was in the Marine Reserve, it took up a lot more of my time than the proverbial 2 days a month, 2 weekends a year. That's because I took extra training courses on my own time to try and make up for what I wasn't getting during drill weekends, prepped classes to give to my guys and did extra things to make sure they had what they needed. If you just leave it to the two days a month that you actually get paid for to make you a Marine, you probably won't be a very good one.
Unfortunately, most drill time IS a waste, mainly because the unit moves at a much slower pace than the average individual. That only underscores my point - as a reservist, you need to work harder to make yourself a better Marine. Now, some units will actually understand this and try to overcome it. I was in one reserve unit where it was nonstop activity from Friday night to Sunday night. But in others you may just sit around and do very little all weekend long. Again, you should assume that you'll need to take it upon yourself to know how to do your job.
As far as how AD Marines look at reservists, do you really care? Why would it matter what AD Marines thought of you? If you can do your job and do it well, it shouldn't matter. If someone judges you on what type of contract you signed or what kind of unit you're in instead of how well you do your work, they're ignorant, plain and simple.
