Hello everyone, again. It's been a while, but I'm still around.

So, I'll be joining the army national guard, either as a 92y or 21w for 6 years, and I want to participate in ROTC.

I'm going to be a computer science major so I'd like to be a 25 officer. But ofcourse, that's later down the road.

No jobs in Maine for a 25, so maybe I'll try MIT in MA. Does anyone know where I can find the critical MOS list for MA?

Ok, here's the point of this post.

I'm a sophomore. I don't ... know much about ROTC, and as I've said before I'm not a US citizen so I may not be part of ROTC 'officially', although I can still take the classes and minor in military science, and if/when I become a citizen I can try out to be a officer.

A US citizen would have to contract by their junior year, right?

I wanted to put off the 2006/2007 school year (this one coming up), and go to BCT and AIT before my junior year.

Is this a good idea? Also, is it a good idea to try to get up in rank before BCT and AIT?
I'm coming in as a E2, and hope to use Stipes for Skills and Stripes for Buddies to go up... Yes, sad I know, but money is money, specially if you are a broke college student, and it's not like I want to 'slack off' anyway, when I'm actually in.

Let me try to explain my situation better...

I want to make as much money as possible to use in my education / pay pack loans / get a car, and maintain a good military status.

Since I want to use that Stripes for skills/buddies program, do you think it's a good idea to go to BCT this fall already? Will I have enough time for everything? What do you see are the cons/pros?

I'm so sorry if this post is so vague.. that is my problem, I can't sort out my options.. but ANYTHING you may have to say / ask will make me think more about this, and it will be helpful, so I'll definately apreciate it.

By the way, does any one have any idea which one of the two MOS I'm considering is a better option (in terms of promotions... and.. stuff.. )?

... It's late, and I'm really tired... Doing my best to make sense, ... Please ask me questions so things can become more clear.... :P

I think your posts may be a little loooooooooooooong. Try breaking these down, if you can.

Ok, trying again!

Reminder: this is about the Army National Guard.

Anyone have any experience with the 92Y or 21W? Would you like to share what it's like? Any pros/cons? Anything!

When(if at all) are you allowed to change your MOS? ( the MOS I want, 25B is not available in Maine, but if I go somewhere else later in my life, I'd like to get that MOS... )

ROTC: I'm not a USA citizen (yet?) but I am going to take ROTC classes. Will I be able to get awards? :P I want my awards (Given that I deserve them, ofcourse)

Have you ever had any problems with getting your bonus/TA/MGIB/Loan repayment/Kicker/blah blah blah?

Have you ever tried the Stripes for Skills/Buddies program? How long did the training take, and how long did it take to get you promoted?

What loans get paid back with the loan repayment program? When?

I'm sorry if this is too much... I have a neverending amount of questions...

Im a 21K which is a plumber but im surrounded by Whiskeys there the carpenters and if you like to build stuff this is the job for you but ill tell you right now I Love the army but I hate being an engineer. Nothing against the ole essayons but as soon as I can get outta this Job im splittin. Supply is ok but those guys work long long hours but anyways goodluck with whatever it is you choose.

Are you dead set on the Guard? Everything I've heard points to the Army Reserve being better about paying soldiers for education.

I can't find any Reserve units in Maine, but I do see some 25U positions in New Hampshire. Where in Maine are you? How far would you be willing to travel?

Get a bonus if you can. GI bill and SLRP (Student Loan Repayment Program) are easy to get later if you can't on your initial enlistment.

SLRP is a difficult program to use; you really have to keep on top of it. It pays 15% per year for 6 years.
From AR 135-7 5-1.2

quote:

b. The following loans qualify for repayment. However, these loans must have been incurred after 1 October 1975
or qualifying periods of Selected Reserve service after 1 Oct 80.
(1) Stafford Loan Program (formerly Guaranteed Student Loans (GSL)).
(2) Federally Insured Student Loans (FISL).
(3) Perkins Loan (formerly National Defense Student Loan and National Direct Student Loans (NDSL)).
(4) Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students (ALAS) .
(5) (Rescinded).
(6) Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS).
(7) Consolidated Loan Program (CLP).
(8) SMART Loans. (See para 5.1–9.

With TA, it is my understanding that many states will require you to extend your contract every time you use it. Also, many states have trouble running out of funding for TA. I can't and won't speak for Maine, but I know that in the Reserves we don't have those problems nearly as often.

If you want to be an officer, you will need to be a citizen first. ROTC is a great option, you must have 2 years remaining on your current degree program to enroll in a commission producing ROTC program. I recommend you take those courses if you want to be an officer even if you do not get commisioned through it. You can later apply for a dirrect appointment and leadership experience is valuable in that application.

92Y and 21W are currenly eligible for all Non-prior Service Enlistment incentives.

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:
Are you dead set on the Guard? Everything I've heard points to the Army Reserve being better about paying soldiers for education.

I'll check that out...

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:
I can't find any Reserve units in Maine, but I do see some 25U positions in New Hampshire. Where in Maine are you? How far would you be willing to travel?

Well, right now I don't even have a drivers licence, or a car, so I'm dependent on friends for rides, or the bus, if if you know Maine... getting a bus early in the morning must not be that easy.

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:
Get a bonus if you can. GI bill and SLRP (Student Loan Repayment Program) are easy to get later if you can't on your initial enlistment.

21w has a 15k enlistment bonus, and the 92y has a 20k bonus. I have the MGIB&kicker and the SLRP on my (six year enlistment) contract as well. My recruiter said that the TA isn't on my contract because that is something you apply for seperately... is that correct?

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:
SLRP is a difficult program to use; you really have to keep on top of it. It pays 15% per year for 6 years.
From AR 135-7 5-1.2

quote:

b. The following loans qualify for repayment. However, these loans must have been incurred after 1 October 1975
or qualifying periods of Selected Reserve service after 1 Oct 80.
(1) Stafford Loan Program (formerly Guaranteed Student Loans (GSL)).
(2) Federally Insured Student Loans (FISL).
(3) Perkins Loan (formerly National Defense Student Loan and National Direct Student Loans (NDSL)).
(4) Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students (ALAS) .
(5) (Rescinded).
(6) Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS).
(7) Consolidated Loan Program (CLP).
(8) SMART Loans. (See para 5.1–9.

... I thought the SLRP didn't include private loans? But according to that list it seems that it is possible..?

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:
If you want to be an officer, you will need to be a citizen first. ROTC is a great option, you must have 2 years remaining on your current degree program to enroll in a commission producing ROTC program.

If I am going to be a double major, and I'm going to be in college longer than 4 years (I am a sophomore now...), do they count my year in college, or, do they actually count how long it is going to take me to finish everything?
This was my issue with timing... I didn't know if I should go to BCT/AIT before I become a junior, try to get my citizenship, or if it makes any difference at all.

But I didn't think of this, daddywarcrimes, that simply having gone trough the program would help you become an officer later on. Thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:

92Y and 21W are currenly eligible for all Non-prior Service Enlistment incentives.

For the Reserve as well?

quote:

Originally posted by GuntruckingPlumber:
Im a 21K which is a plumber but im surrounded by Whiskeys there the carpenters and if you like to build stuff this is the job for you but ill tell you right now I Love the army but I hate being an engineer. Nothing against the ole essayons but as soon as I can get outta this Job im splittin.

Why do you hate it so much? I'm a girl, but I grew up around carpenters, and I love the job, plus I look foward to working outside. And yes, I know that carpentry is not all that I am going to be doing.


Mmmmm may I keep playing this game, asking questions?

- Reserve: Medical benefits are only when you are in active duty, correct?
- I'm going to MEPS tomorrow morning. If I change my mind about Guard/Reserves, is there a way I could change that on the spot? (I'm guessing 'No')
Well then, what would happen? I'd come back without swearing in (maybe). But then what? Would I be given a chance to swear in again, soon?
- ... When you swear in, are you supposed to know the oath, or can you read it off a paper... *BLUSH*

I guess I kind of know it, but I'm terrible memorizing words.

What's it like in the Reserves? I mean, do you go to drills once a month, or... what? I can find information about benefits, but not what they actually... DO!
So I'll keep researching, I'll edit this post to say when I found something.

Thanks for all the replies!

quote:

Originally posted by ルイーサ:
- ... When you swear in, are you supposed to know the oath, or can you read it off a paper... *BLUSH*

I guess I kind of know it, but I'm terrible memorizing words.

You repete after them. So don't sweat it.

One of the questions you asked concerned the Stripes for Skills Program. This program is okay to use but has many requirements and I can not recall the Reg that covers it. If you are intrested in it, be sure to ask the Counselor to show you the Regulation before signing. The Maine MEPS is an okay place, but don't forget to ask all the questions you want to BEFORE you sign.

quote:

Originally posted by enforce:
One of the questions you asked concerned the Stripes for Skills Program. This program is okay to use but has many requirements and I can not recall the Reg that covers it. If you are intrested in it, be sure to ask the Counselor to show you the Regulation before signing. The Maine MEPS is an okay place, but don't forget to ask all the questions you want to BEFORE you sign.

Regulation? My recruiter/counselour (yes, he's both...) BUT he didn't seem to know much about it. Yes, he told me that I'd learn about Land Navigation, First Aid, take AFPTs, and be tested on all that, if I pass then I may be promoted to a higher rank, if not, then I guess I won't be promoted! Either way, I'm happy with it because I get to be somewhat prepared for BCT. I never miss a learning experience.

Here
is the list of what you are tested on (it seems..):

Now, I don't know how long the program takes. Neither does my recruiter/couselor. I'd like to go off to BCT this fall (made up my mind on that).

Does the program have to go on my contract as well?

(edit) Found Something:

quote:

7-24. Advancement based on Stripes for Skills
d. This provision can only be used to advance soldiers from PV1 to PV2.

How disapointing.. I'm coming in as a E2... Which is ok, but money for higher knowledge/rank wouldn't be a bad thing.

TA is not normally part of the enlistment contract. This may vary from state to state (yet another reason why I advocate the Reserves over the Guard). They may require an extention to your contract in order to use TA (again, I don't know about Maine) in which case the Reserves has a better deal.

Most student loans are covered in SLRP. There are problems with this program and it is not our favorite. Get it with your initial enlistment if you can because there is more money in it that way (max of $20k rather than $10k for reenlistment).

ROTC requires you to have 2 years remaining on your degree program. This can be for a 4 year or post-grad degree. If you're on a 5 year plan it shouldn't change; 2 years out seems to be the universal standard.

The sooner you complete basic, the sooner you can use TA.

There are several sources of commissioning. Direct Appointment is what I deal with mostly and it requires you to have leadership experience already.

Both the Guard and Reserve incentives are covered under the same regulation and the SRIP (Selected Reserve Incentive Program) list. The non-proir service enlistment bonus lists both MOSs as Qualified, but it does not specify the ammount.

Maybe some soldiers repeat the oath but Daddy's got it memorized.

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:
TA is not normally part of the enlistment contract. This may vary from state to state (yet another reason why I advocate the Reserves over the Guard). They may require an extention to your contract in order to use TA (again, I don't know about Maine) in which case the Reserves has a better deal.

I still don't understand what you do in the Reserves... Go to drills once a month as in the Guard?

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:
Maybe some soldiers repeat the oath but Daddy's got it memorized.

Ofcourse you did, you know everything! You're too cool. Thanks for all the support, answering my questions... It's a relief to have someone to talk to about all this...

Generaly speaking, the Army Reserve duty requirement is 1 weekend a month, 2 weeks AT per year (same as the Guard)

There are significant differences between us though.

The Guard is a state program where the Reserve is federal. We (the Reserves) don't get called up to fill sand bags, perform riot control, or hold parades for the governor. We are also federal funded, so we don't run out of money as quickly (generaly speaking)

The Guard is primerily composed of combat arms elements (infantry, armor, artillery) where the Reserve really has none. This means we will have more jobs that are open to you We have a lot of transportaion units, military police, medical units, civil affairs, along with jobs you won't find anywhere else in the Army like fire fighters, shower and laundry specialists, and water purification.

This is just my opinion so you can take it as you want:
The only 40 year old privates I've seen in the Reserves transfered from the Guard.
I've met several soldiers who just got fed up with their leadership in the Guard and stopped showing up.
Every time I've heard of someone wanting to go from Guard to Active Army, their commander denies the request. I've seen it once in the Reserves, and that was denied because the guy was about to deploy.
All of the Army Reserve centers in Kansas have paved parking lots, the Guard armories have gravel parking lots (that about sums it all up for me)

After you've presided over 100 or so reenlistments, the oath becomes second nature. The last time I reenlisted I shocked the officer by reciting it before he could say "repeat after me". He was going to read it off of the contract.

quote:

along with jobs you won't find anywhere else in the Army like fire fighters, shower and laundry specialists, and water purification.

That's funny cause I have 2 companies of firefighters, two company of laundry specialists and one company of water purification specialists in my Battalion.

Ok, I just got off the phone with my recruiter, and this is what he told me:

quote:

Originally posted by Daddy Warcrimes:
We are also federal funded, so we don't run out of money as quickly (generaly speaking)

He said that TA funding for the Guard is a mix of Federal and State.

Oh, he said that there are Reserve units here in Maine, really close to where I live too. He admited that the Reserve has more job openings, and would probably be Okay with giving me a Signals job, but when I came back to my Reserve unit, I wouldn't really be able to use the skills learned because Maine doesn't offer that job, and all I'd do was practice using a riffle.

How come (in the Guard) a request to go active duty is requested?

Also, someone commissioned officer through ROTC can choose to go active duty, correct?

(I'd like to go active duty sometime)

quote:

Originally posted by Wolve:
That's funny cause I have 2 companies of firefighters, two company of laundry specialists and one company of water purification specialists in my Battalion.

......No shit? In the Regular Army???

I've been lying to people this whole time then.

Your recruiter could be right about the TA. But then I've heard guard recruiters telling folks that the Reserves don't pay you for drill duty when the guard does (not remotely true)

In the Reserves and the guard, units will often have MOSs that they have little need for. These soldiers often find themselves performing duties common to all soldiers rather than specific to their field. If you were for example a legal specialist in a medical logistics unit, there wouldn't be much legal work for you to do.

Rifle practice is not nearly as likely as vehicle maintenance or administrative tasks. There is a 25B here and while much of the time she is performing missions not specific to her field, she is the first one they call when a computer goes down.

The best thing for you to do would be to talk to soldiers in the guard and Reserves nearby you.

In the guard and Reserve, a soldier must request and the commander must approve a conditional release for a soldier to go Regular Army. You must first be separated from one to go into another. If the commander does not approve, you don't get to go. My experience with the guard is they are stingy with there human resources.
This also becomes a problem if you ever move out of state. The Army Reserve is the same everywhere. The Texas guard is completely different from the Florida guard. Each state has different benefits, different regulations, it's a different Army all together. If you move to Alaska, Maine may still expect you to still fly out once a month for drill. I've never seen a Reserve commander having a problem approving a transfer.

ROTC normally requires a period of reserve status duty and a period active duty. If you are commissioned in the guard, you may see some difficulty transfering that commission to the Active Army.