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How hard are the reserves being used?

Old 10-23-2016, 03:39 AM
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Default How hard are the reserves being used?

This came up in another thread, but I didn't want to hijack it.

I was involuntarily recalled to active duty for about a year, starting in February.. Of course this happens just as airlines start calling.

A couple people express shock/disbelief that we are getting involuntary Mobilizations at this point.

What's it like where you are?

I'm a O-4 in the Navy Reserve, 16 years in. Pilot, TS/SCI, non flying unit.

We have 7 officers.

O-5 CO- Mobilized.
O-5 XO- Just got back from a Mob
O-4(Me)- Just got hit for a Mob four days after minimum dwell
O-4- Is going to get into sanctuary with anything over six months.. Hasn't been mob'd as a result.
O-4 On min dwell from last Mob
O-4 Not on dwell, no Mob
O-3 Took "involuntary" orders voluntarily by waiving dwell because it was in DC, where he lives vs getting a year in Afghanistan.

Asking around our reserve center, a lot of guys with TS/SCIs are getting hammered on the min dwell front.

For what it's worth, the Active Duty side of our command is spending maybe 6-9 months away from home on a 3 year sea tour. On a man day per year basis, the reservists are gone more than AD.

Out of curiosity, how is it where you guys are?

We are an air traffic control unit, that the fleet hasn't had much use for both active and reserve. That said, the mobilizations are supposedly doled out at the Reserve Forces (2 star) level without really looking at the unit the person is coming from.

If active duty was deploying their rears off, I'd be less jaded about doing a year in Afghanistan.. But at least in my unit, they are decidedly not deploying much.

I was also mobilized to be essentially in charge of the airplanes I already fly. They claim there's not a conflict of interest, but JAG has said to watch my behind on it.
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Old 10-23-2016, 06:02 AM
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Bottom line is if you are a reserve 0-3 to 0-5 Aviator with a TS/SCI you are very much at risk of getting an Individual Augmentation.

And their aren't many 0-3s out there. Last i heard the Reserve is taking the Lion's share of the IAs.

Something to think about.
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Old 10-23-2016, 07:22 AM
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Reserves are filling IAs at a higher rate than active. The IA billets didn't go away but leadership has chosen to protect the health of the active force by lessening the strain on IA's pulled from shore duty. In your unit (TACRON I assume), AD forces are gone far less than their AD peers attached to an air wing or ship. Most CVN deployments are now 9 months. Add workups and squadrons are away from home stations 18-20 months of every 36 and the months they are "home" are spent on 10-16 hours days as an O4/O5 officer.

Keep your chin up Shipmate and I'm sorry about the SWA TBNT. I'll be with you in the Spring of 18 getting currency at a regional or any other way I possibly can.
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Old 10-23-2016, 08:54 AM
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USNR MOBs are likely to hold steady at 2200-ish for at least several more years. You can do your own math based on force structure, five-year dwells and who has what clearances.

As was mentioned a TS/SCI is going to be required for most (increasing with rank) officer MOB slots, so that narrows the odds if you have one. But if you don't have a TS/SCI it narrows your options for O5 pay billets, and makes it significantly harder to get an O6 pay billet...pick your poison.

Your reserve unit is not a consideration at all for individual MOBs unless it's a priority hardware unit, or scheduled for a unit-wide MOB. It's possible for an NR augment unit to get decimated by random MOBs.

O6 MOBs appear to be largely filled with volunteers right now (many of them seem to lose their civilian jobs around age 50 after playing hard in the NR for years...).

Regarding active duty IA's...those are doled out from on high, and then the unit can typically fill them as it sees fit. There was an issue about ten years ago with AC units hiring reserves on a VOL basis (ADSW or MOB) ostensibly for a local job and then immediately assigning them to fill an AC IA in the 'stans. Reserve force & PERS put the kabosh on that practice...if they advertise a certain billet and location, that should be the deal. If a billet falls out last minute, they should give you the choice of another billet if available, or just go home.
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Old 10-23-2016, 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by E2CMaster View Post
I'm a O-4 in the Navy Reserve, 16 years in. Pilot, TS/SCI, non flying unit.



We have 7 officers.

I'm at 13 years, but my stats and the statistics at my unit are similar. CO returned from MOB, 2 on MOB, 3 in dwell, 2 unable due to valid reasons at the moment.

And I am currently in the 2nd week of my 9 month invol MOB to Bahrain. Only 11 months or so til I'm flying again.



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Old 10-23-2016, 11:53 AM
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It's easy, quit. You quit once you can do it again. Meanwhile Bates, you've lost years of seniority...
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Old 10-23-2016, 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by grumble View Post
it's easy, quit. You quit once you can do it again. Meanwhile bates, you've lost years of seniority...
Attachment 2971
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Old 10-23-2016, 06:50 PM
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Someone would have to hire me to have lost seniority.
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Old 10-24-2016, 06:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Grumble View Post
It's easy, quit. You quit once you can do it again. Meanwhile Bates, you've lost years of seniority...
Weeeelll...

For many folks the reserves saved their bacon after 9/11 (and SARs, and mortgage bubble, and oil spike). When I was an O5 I had people who were senior to me by year-group coming back in as O3's and O4's, some of them just to get the retirement medical bennies their legacy had ditched at the BK drive-through.

A couple things are different now though. If there was ever a time when I would say "you're probably not getting furloughed" this would be it.

Also it's conceivable there could be a big economic crisis which would not involve war. In that case AD recall opportunities would not be available for all comers. But at least you'd some drill pay and medical, if it was bad enough they might eventually downsize SELRES/TR. But unless the fed was just flat broke (or couldn't borrow more money) I don't see the global situation supporting any less of a military.

I didn't participate after I left AD, but I kept running into old guys around town and they all said "are you in the reserves? Gee I wish I had done that and got the retirement". So eventually I signed up and darn glad I did. Different era, YMMV.

Just stuff to think about.
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Old 10-24-2016, 06:20 AM
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Originally Posted by E2CMaster View Post
Someone would have to hire me to have lost seniority.

Have you tried a regional? We have a steady parade of younger mil folks swing through for 12-18 months, then off to the majors.
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