IMA vs Trad reservist
 

Anyone out there smart enough to comment on the differences between IMA and trad reservist. Seem like IMA has a lower #of days req'd. Any pay/retirement/QOL differences?

Thanks

130drvr,
Any pay/retirement/QOL differences?
No pay difference per drill except likely no flt pay etc. No retirement difference, QOL depends on job like any Trad job. Really, with GWOT, lots of IMA billets and just really a way for DOD to respond to unique/time defined jobs. I'm in an IMA billet (after I left the flying end) and typically work the same as a Trad non flying outfit. The IMA is nice since I rarely see the boss <g> since the duties are far from the home turf. I would not turn down an IMA billet if it appeals to you. More just an organizational classification than anything else.

More on IMAs
 

130:

I'm going to start by assuming you are USAF, not USN. Why in a few paragraphs.

I'm a TR, and I see a lot of want-ads for IMA positions flow through my squadron, ie, "Does anybody want to do this for 180 days?"

From what I have seen, being a TR means I have a steady position with pay I can count on. I'm in a flying billet, and I get pro-rated flight pay.

As a TR, I can volunteer for IMA duty when it appeals. Most of the IMA stuff I have seen has been staff duty in various locations, from MacDill, to Qatar or any country that ends in "stan."

If you are separating and want to go straight into the IMA, it would still be available as a volunteer position. But you couldn't bank on it. If your flying gates are met, you might still get pro-rated flight pay--I'm not sure on that.

As an IMA, you will only earn one retirement point a day. As a TR, I sometimes earn two a day, but mostly just one. Could also earn none a day (it's complicated).

The reason I mentioned the Navy: I know guys who have done IMA duty for the Navy....for points only!!! That's right, they did the job for free, but earned a retirement point a day. I don't think the USAF has a similar system. To be fair, these jobs are more in the traditional "one weekend a month; 14 days a summer" category.

As an O-5, each point I earn is worth about $0.45 a month in my retirement (which you don't get until you are 60). For an O-4 it's about $0.39. That's pretty low wages, in my book, to justify working for points-only. (But more secure than an airline retirement).

Hope that helps. You might find more info on baseops.net.

If you are IMA in Navy, it is paid. Most IMA billets if taken for 180 days then you remain in your unit and simply are TAD somewhere and come back to the home unit. It is the Volunteer Training Unit (VTU) that is done for free and showing up at a unit. The Individual Ready Reserve is IRR the DOD over and not paid unless on paid orders for two weeks ,etc. I am an IMA on three year orders in the Navy working with IMA Army, USAF, USMC all on 3 or 4 year orders and we all get paid 2 drills a day if we do the drills with all the same stuff as my squadron, we Navy guys even had ATP drills available this FY in my particular IMA billet.
I won't argue retirement pay benefits because I suspect we will disagree. I think it is worth it for Navy guys who can do correspondence courses in the IRR on their own time for free (on layovers is popular), get points. If USAF, not quite the good deal. But depending when one left active service, depending on circumstances, may well be worth the retirement check at 60 for the fact remains, most of your time is already earned.

VTU vs IMA
 

Salty:

Sorry for the confusion--I worked with a guy, and that's what he called it..."IMA." I never heard the term VTU until you posted this. He was driving 700 miles (!!!) to get to his unit, I think 4 times a year, and he was doing it for points-only.

For me, I work about 150 days a year--so that adds a fair amount to my retirement paycheck, and since the USAFR pays for my travel to and from my unit, and my billeting, and I get a full-day's pay, it is a good deal.

I often asked him how he could justify driving all that way, I think paying his own lodging and food, and all that time away from home (or real job), just to make one point a day.

I never got a convincing answer...

Mistress? <g>

Good info, I separated from the AF last month(7 day opted a bad deal with the potential for another bad deal to follow) and got a 121 cargo job, just trying to line up some kind of reserve job to keep the retirement tracking( I have 12 years AD) and pad the monthly income. I have an interview in a few weeks with a reserve squadron in a flying billet, but also lined up a backup IMA job in the same area, since we love that part of the country. The IMA is non flying, but the job seems reasonably interesting. I think the idea of being in such a minimalist type of position, as little as 1 day a month and 2 weeks a year, appeals to my lazy side. Of course I hear I can ramp up my days if the pot of money exists.

The AF has Cat E IMA which is points only, the one I am considering is an A, paid IMA.

Many AFRES IMA jobs are also CAT E points only (for example USAFA ALO, Civil Air Patrol etc) I'm in a CAT B (paid) IMA job at Stuttgart and it all works out fine. Very flexible, yes it's staff work but it's a reserve job close to my home in Prague. With the recent PBD 720 cuts in AFRES, the CAT B IMA jobs are drying up quickly as those displaced by PBD 720 fill them. This should be completed by Sept 30th, I'm told then hiring for IMA jobs will be back to normal. If you have a shot at an IMA job and you want it, jump quickly as I know for a fact there are quite a few others looking at it too on RMVS.

That must make for a fun security clearance interview...:eek:

So far it's been no problem maintaing my TS/SCI. The interview goes ok, once I get the interviewer to pull his head out of his @$$ and try to understand that the Cold War has been over for 15yrs or more. Then I have to explain how it was possible to get the job (once he figures out that I had an Embassy tie in, it becomes much more clear).
This will be something for all folks to get use to as the bases eventually open in CZ and Poland, and the basing of C-17s in Hungary comes to fruition.