wordfromthewise

hey everyone,

I am looking into the AF Reserve and the Guard. what is the difference between the two? i am sending in a packet to a reserve unit in my state. if selected...would i come back to the same unit after training? or would the AF send me wherever they need me? is there a chance i could get UAV's even though the unit flies fighters currently? For the guard it sounds like you come back to the unit that hired you...

any help or suggestions would be nice.

thanks

UPTme

Use the search function.

You don't seem to know much about this process. Get on http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/mi...ww.baseops.net and read through the guard/reserve forum. (ALL the way back to 04 or however far it goes back). Don't ask questions there. Just read.

EVERYTHING you need to know is on there.

Good luck, amigo.

blastoff

AF Reserve: Reserve component of the Air Force, able to be activated by the President.

Guard: Reserve component of the Air force that works just like the AF Reserve (also able to be activated by the President) but also partially funded by that State, therefore giving that State's Governor the power to activate the unit for state emergencies.

Yes, when selected by a Guard or Reserve Unit, you "belong" to them until they close, kick you out, or approve your request to change units.

Nope...but they can send your Unit wherever it is needed.

Only if your Unit's mission changes to UAV's...and you will have the option to stay, transfer, or get out ahead of your commitment.

Reserves too. You should know the answers to all these questions before ever setting foot on base to talk to a Chief Pilot.

Jetjok

I thought the major difference, from a deployment position, was that you, as an individual, cannot be activated or deployed, when you're a member of a Guard unit. If you're a member of a Reserve unit, you can be specifically called up to active duty and deployed. That's a very big distinction in today's military. Plus, the Guard is just much cooler.

JJ

blastoff

What Universe are you in? That's the whole point. Plenty of Guard guys have been and are currently deployed (Especially Army Guard)...do you think all those Guard fighter units train to never go to the desert and put bombs on target? You know that any Guard/Reserve USAF asset can Chop to a higher command right? You being facetious (With "Air Guard" on your license plate holder)? Don't confuse the kids reading this for accurate information.

Political Radar: Biden Bids Farewell to Son's Guard Unit as They Deploy for Iraq

Slice

I think he meant being deployed as an individual versus as a unit/squadron/wing. I know individuals that have been activated in the air guard but they did so voluntarily.

blastoff

Ya, but that's really gonna confuse some kids who are thinking "Wow, in the Guard, I will never deploy."

Jetjok

blastoff,

I wasn't trying to confuse anyone with my comment. But the way I see it, after serving this country for 2 weeks shy of 34 years, my take is that one of the major differences between the Guard and the Reserves is that, indeed, while serving in the Guard, a single individual (or a small group of individuals) cannot be activated and then deployed, unless of course they volunteer for such service, while on the other hand, while serving in the Reserves, a single individual (or small group of individuals) can in fact be activated and thereafter deployed. In other words, in the Guard, the government must activate an entire unit, whereas in the Reserves they can activate down to an individual Soldier/Airman/etc. Hope that's more clear. As for my license plate, no I was not being facetious, as I've had that plate on that car probably since you were born.

blastoff

I know what you mean...however, I don't know of anybody, at least in the tanker community, that has been individually deployed against their will. There are so many guys volunteering to backfill active duty (especially now with all the furloughs) that it's not an issue. Talking to most guys at your age, there has never been a shortage of willing volunteers in their career...including times when units were "partially" activated, there have been more volunteers than taskings. The reality is the same, don't confuse the kids. Sometimes our senior officers (34+ Years) don't realize when they're talking right over the head of a recruit who knows nothing about the military...the guy who actually went through the current system in the last decade can give him useful information. As far as he's concerned, his whole Unit can get deployed in the Guard, as can a Reserve Unit, while the vast majority of Reservists aren't getting volun-told to deploy as you imply. Besides, any SQ/CC worth a damn isn't going to send a guy who has a need not to go.

Side Note: Is it really a good idea to recruit a guy as a Military Officer by dangling the carrot that he won't have to go to war in the Guard? Are these the kinds of things we should be saying to recruit the right guys? Are we setting him up for failure when he asks the same question about going to war and it rubs guys the wrong way? I have sat on hiring boards and there is no way I'm voting to hire the guy who wants to know what the min run commitment is.

Sorry to take such a sharp opinion on this, but we had a UPT hire quit during UPT on us a few years back after realizing that she could actually go to war. That slot could have gone to a kid who was more committed, and I know too many kids who have been denied who really deserved to be here.