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I'm considering joining the Army Reserve. Tell me I'm nuts!

I was in the Army for four years got out and went to college, work, life, marriage, kids, etc. But for a long while I have contemplated going back in.

I'm 30 now, out of shape...seriously, I'd have to lose at least 30 pounds...I got a wife and a kid.

Am I crazy?

Well, I've never been Army -- but I've been Air Force active, guard, and now reserve. It's a trip but it's kind of fun suiting up and playing airman once and a while.

chaddukes wrote:I'm considering joining the Army Reserve. Tell me I'm nuts!

I was in the Army for four years got out and went to college, work, life, marriage, kids, etc. But for a long while I have contemplated going back in.

I'm 30 now, out of shape...seriously, I'd have to lose at least 30 pounds...I got a wife and a kid.

Am I crazy?

What does your wife think?

chaddukes wrote:I'm considering joining the Army Reserve. Tell me I'm nuts!

I was in the Army for four years got out and went to college, work, life, marriage, kids, etc. But for a long while I have contemplated going back in.

I'm 30 now, out of shape...seriously, I'd have to lose at least 30 pounds...I got a wife and a kid.

Am I crazy?

your NUTS especially with a wife and child... no telling what your potential commander in cheif is capable of.

In this day in age, with wife and kids, I'd say your crazy. But, to each his or her own.

BossHog wrote:

chaddukes wrote:I'm considering joining the Army Reserve. Tell me I'm nuts!

I was in the Army for four years got out and went to college, work, life, marriage, kids, etc. But for a long while I have contemplated going back in.

I'm 30 now, out of shape...seriously, I'd have to lose at least 30 pounds...I got a wife and a kid.

Am I crazy?

What does your wife think?

She knows that I am interested but I haven't told her just how interested. I stopped by a recruiters office today. I'm not going to make a rash decision...and I'm certainly going to tell her...but I'd like the opportunity to be back in uniform. If I do join it will only be in a reserve or National Guard role, and I'll make sure that I hand pick the unit. That way I'll know that I'm going to a unit that isn't full of psychos or slackers, and I'll choose a unit that is unlikely to deploy.

Chad

Your not crazy but be warned...If your not interested in fighting in Iraq don't join the Army reseveres...I can tell you first hand they are dying at the same rate as the active duty folkes...What about the Air Force??

chaddukes wrote:

BossHog wrote:

chaddukes wrote:I'm considering joining the Army Reserve. Tell me I'm nuts!

I was in the Army for four years got out and went to college, work, life, marriage, kids, etc. But for a long while I have contemplated going back in.

I'm 30 now, out of shape...seriously, I'd have to lose at least 30 pounds...I got a wife and a kid.

Am I crazy?

What does your wife think?

She knows that I am interested but I haven't told her just how interested. I stopped by a recruiters office today. I'm not going to make a rash decision...and I'm certainly going to tell her...but I'd like the opportunity to be back in uniform. If I do join it will only be in a reserve or National Guard role, and I'll make sure that I hand pick the unit. That way I'll know that I'm going to a unit that isn't full of psychos or slackers, and I'll choose a unit that is unlikely to deploy.

Chad

You seem like a sharp guy. How can you really make this decision until you tell your wife how you really feel about it?

It would seem to me that you wouldn't/shouldn't/couldn't know how YOU felt about it until you really knew how she was going to feel about it.

Well, as you asked - you're crazy!

I hope that makes you feel better.

Boss is right you need to talk to about it with your wife. She plays the biggest role in this. Also think about your kid, as DEHog said about Iraq... The worst could happen & you may not want to risk your life right now. Dont get me wrong, I'm proud and would fight for my Country in a heartbeat, but I'm guessing before your child wasnt in the picture when you went in the first time, also our country wasnt in the position it's in now. My friends tell me from Iraq now that it's worth fighting a war you believe in, and they ALL want to come home. Have you considered other branches of the Armed Forces?

chaddukes -

I am in the Army National Guard. I don't think are crazy for wanting to do it, I feel no grater pride then when I put on my uniform and I can understand wanting to go back in. The question I would ask is this. What are you looking to get out of going back in? Is it for some sort of college money benefit or for the retirement money? Is your MOS available to you? With the amount of time you have been out would you have to go back through basic training? I'm sure basic is a lot easier now then when you went through it, but the guys I saw in basic who were over 30 had a heck of a time with the PT and marching and such.

You should also keep a few things in mind with the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places that reserve and National Guard Soldiers get delayed just as much as active duty Soldiers. Don�t believe what they say about one weekend a month and two weeks active duty a year. More then likely your are going to have to give up at least a year and a half of your life to do this. The crappy thing about being in a reserve component is that the SRP for a deployment takes nearly half as long as the time your will be on the ground from mobilization to demob. And then, if you are deployed, will the active duty pay (and that is with BAH, BAS and the like) be able to take care of your family while you are deployed?

Also, if you were in combat arms MOS when you were in, I would advise not to do that now. Reason being that, reserve and Guard combat units from what I have seen, are not as well equipped or trained for combat as their counterparts in the regular army. But with deployment rotations being what they are in the regular Army and Marines, reserve units have been asked to take a lead role in Iraq. From what I have also seen, many units have substandard equipment which makes going into a hostile environment obviously that more dangerous.


Good Luck

I appreciate everyones input. I occasionally have to check what going on in my head with the general population to see if what I'm thinking is normal or if I've been spending too much time up in my head.

I'll be talking with my wife about it, and yes, that conversation will be the single biggest determining factor.

No, I have no desire to go to combat. I would if I had to, but I don't intend to volunteer for it. I like the idea of being able to pick a unit, which you are often able to do in the reserves as a prior enlisted soldier. I would do my best to find a unit that is not in a rotation. There are a number of units which simply do not deploy.

My previous MOS was not combat arms but was tactical in nature. I'm not sure what MOS I would take this time round. I did like my previous job.

Like I said. I appreciate input. It helps me to realize whether or not I'm thinking things through clearly. And, strange as it is, I've come to respect a number of your opinions.

P.S. I don't know if I could do Basic Training again. I mean I know it isn't as difficult as it used to be, but I don't know if my body could tolerate all that marching and no sleeping.

P.S.S. I hadn't really thought about joining Air Force or Navy...Marines are out of the question...I simply know that I couldn't do that now. My body is already too banged up. I'll look into opportunities in the other branches as well.

Chad

I have no desire to go to combat

THAN DON"T GO IN!!!
As someone who served 20 years in the military, I never understood this statement. If you understand one thing understand this...By joining the military you are in the "profession of arms" I don't care what your MOS is!! I have had to explain this to E1's right up to a full bird Colonel. About a year ago one of the Colonel’s (a dentist) I worked with got the call to co to Iraq..he complained his way out of it..He complained it was to hot, it was the dessert etc. I joked..."what do you want to do fight a war in the Superdome?? After everyone left he came back to my office and ask me if I thought he was a coward? Even though I did, I was respectful and said Sir you’ve been in the Air Force (he'd been in 22 years) long enough to know we are in a profession of arms if you don't have the desire to go to war you are eligible to retire. I learned that early on in my career T
The Air Force can call me back up to eight years after I retire...if they called me back at 7 years and 364 days I'd go! If you can't say the same I think you have your answer. Don't believe for one second that ANY MOS can't be deployed. Sorry to be so direct, but we are a country at war, I see the results of it every day in my job. I respect that you do want to go to war...so why join???

I've never served, though not for lack of interest. I'm physically disqualified, and it broke my heart that they wouldn't have me way back in 1984.
I'll say this much. I certainly appreciate what you're willing to sacrifice for my right to live in freedom. However, is the sacrifice yours to make now ? I'd think it belongs to your child.

DEHog and TC,

Thanks for your responses.

If I was unmarried and didn't have a child I wouldn't even hesitate. I also wouldn't worry about the unit I was assigned to or the possibility of deployment. The first time I was in I volunteered twice for assignment that would have put me in potentially hostile situations...The hubris of youth...I felt that I had joined the service and had spent four years in the motorpool. Now, for obvious reasons, things are different. I'm glad I wasn't chosen for those deployments, and I don't have any particular desire to go to combat. I don't think that not wanting to go to combat means someone is a poor soldier. There is a difference between recognizing that war is grueling, boring, horrific, etc. and still being willing to go. If wanting to go to war, I mean actually be happy about the prospect, was a requirement for joining the military then we would have one very small, very insane army.

If I didn't love and miss the service this would be an easy choice. If I didn't desire to put the uniform back on....well then I just wouldn't even think about it. But I've thought about it for years since getting out to go to college. I almost went back in right after I graduated. Now I feel like my window of opportunity is shrinking, but I can't stomach the idea of leaving my child and wife for months and years at a time....or even forever. The sacrifices that our soldiers make is truly devastating

DEHog, I understand your feelings about the statement that you quoted. I am conflicted for the reasons above. While I don't particularly want to go into combat I know that I would serve proudly if called....

My thought was that I could find a unit that wasn't likely to deploy....I mean DFAS isn't likely to be deployed anytime soon. But I'm not sure that that is even a possibility. Not to mention that being assigned to a unit like that doesn't mean that you personally won't be deployed.

I spoke to my wife about it and she wasn't very happy about the idea. She stated that she wouldn't stop me but that she would be upset about it.

I'm not yet ruling it out, but talking to other people about it is helping me to realize that its probably not the most responsible thing to do when I have an infant at home....especially if its just to satisfy some sentimental desire.

Chad

I feel like I've screwed our country out of a good man...but I also feel like I've spoken for your child and grandchildren-yet-to-be.
If I never do anything else in my life, I'll still proudly remember this conversation, Chaddie.
Thanks for thinking of us, but tend to your own. You've done your part for us, and you owe us nothing further. It's we that owe you and DE. I hope we ever get the chance to repay it.

I never engage in political discussions in this board. I have enough real and serious problems to deal with in my professional life. This is an escape for me. The Skins are my passion.

But I will tell you what. It will take less than two years (Everybody mark these words) before a military situation of some sort arises with the fundamentalist fanatic religious leaders in IRAN:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/01/ ... index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/01/ ... index.html

Two years is the predicted deadline before they acquire a nuclear capability. The US will not let that happen.

As opposed to Iraq, in this case there are WMD (or the capability to produce them) at stake.

Chad your points are well taken and as TC I to applaud your service. I think every american should due at least 2 years of service. I may have come across a little strong but my point really is if ou don't want to go into combat why would you join and yes I know some finance folks that have deployed. I work for the Armed Forces Medical Examiner and I have seen all kinds cross my table. I respect you wanting to come back in...Also if I implies that I like war, sorry I don't. I want no parts of it, but if called I'd go. This war played a small part in my decision to retire instead of taking the next rank and a asignment to Germany. If what I think I'm hearing you say..that you do want to go to war but you'd go if called...is correct I have no problem's with that. I 'll ask you again have you looked at the Air Force??

Chad -- I have no advice for you (esp. as a Canadian woman!). But I think you are getting some great and compassionate responses from these guys. Good luck with your decision.

What is MOS?

MOS is an acronym that stands for Military Occupational Specialty. Its simply your job description. You might be an 88M(Truck Driver), or an 11B(Infantry) or a 97E (Interregator), but when it comes down to it everyone is a combat troop.

DEHog, I breifly considered the Air Force when I got out of college, but I decided against going back in the service at that time. I haven't fully explored any Air Force options, but I will consider them as well. I'll look into it, but I haven't yet.

Chad

Redskin in Canada wrote:I never engage in political discussions in this board. I have enough real and serious problems to deal with in my professional life.

Like what ? "Oh my God. This john looks very intense. Should I wear heels ?"
No, seriously. Check your PM's again.