Reserve

[00100111]

Good afternoon all,

I want some honest advice. Please, please, please... no sweet answers. I would call a recruiter but I have heard from many people that
recruiters tell you what you want to hear and try to sign you up any way they can. I don't know if that’s true or not. Moreover, I definitely do
not want to offend anyone.

Here is my question -

i work full time, have dependants, am 23 and have college education. I do want to become a reservist and not a full time soldier. So keeping that in mind, can you guys answer the following questions?

1 - If I become a reservist, I will only train on weekends. - True?
2 - If I become a reservist, it means that I will be second in line - in case of an emergency. - True?
3 - I will be able to work my full time job while training and being a part of the reservist army?
4 - What is the time commitment with the reservist? Weekly hours? How many years minimum etc?
5 - Are there any jobs that I cannot be a part of if I become a reservist, meaning if I was actively serving as a reservist? (Police)
6 - Are all reservists trained in just infantry or do they also specialize in other fields?

Thank you in advance to all of those who answered.

 

[PMedMoe]

1.  False
2.  Second in line for what?  Taskings?  Tours?
3.  Should be able to.  It would seem the FT job cuts more into the reserve time, not the other way around (for example, not being able to get time off work for training)
4.  Hours per week depends, usually one evening a week and some weekends.  Years?  None.
5.  There may be some, I don't know.
6.  No.  You train for whatever trade you choose.

Seriously, you might want to call a recruiter.

 

[acooper]

I'm sure those who are actually IN the Reserves will pop in and answer, but here's what I can tell you as the WIFE of a reservist:

1 - If I become a reservist, I will only train on weekends. - True?
IME, there will be a parade night sometime during the week, as well as some weekend courses/things to do. For instance, my husband usually has parade night every Thursday, and then there are usually 1-2 weekends a month where he could go with the unit to do something.

2 - If I become a reservist, it means that I will be second in line - in case of an emergency. - True?
No idea what you mean by this, sorry...

3 - I will be able to work my full time job while training and being a part of the reservist army?
In my husband's experience, YES. And his unit has also helped out with some additional hours of work when he's been between jobs. Not a lot of hours, but SOMETHING in such a case is better than nothing

4 - What is the time commitment with the reservist? Weekly hours? How many years minimum etc?
I *believe* the minimum expected is 2 nights a month, and 1 weekend a month. I don't know what is the absolute minimum to not be declared Non Effective Service. I don't *think* there's a minimum number of years you have to committ to. From what my husband has told me, you should expect to put in quite a bit of time on your initial courses (BMQ, and SQ, I think...)

5 - Are there any jobs that I cannot be a part of if I become a reservist, meaning if I was actively serving as a reservist? (Police)
I don't know for sure, but I don't think Police are off limits. I've run into Border Guards that my husband knew through his unit, and at least one local Police officer

6 - Are all reservists trained in just infantry or do they also specialize in other fields?
My husband's reserve unit does Armoured, I believe. And there's the 21 - I think they are a service battalion. So I'd guess that there are other things besides infantry, but I wouldn't know what your local unit does

 

[Neill McKay]

1 - If I become a reservist, I will only train on weekends. - True?

You will train about one night a week and some weekends, and maybe for some additional periods of several weeks from time to time.  The minimum that can be required of you is defined, but it will probably aid in your career progression if you are able to spend more time.  In other words, some courses might be full-time for several weeks.  Even though it may not be strictly required to take such courses, it may hinder your progress if you don't.

2 - If I become a reservist, it means that I will be second in line - in case of an emergency. - True?

Under normal circumstances a reservist can't be compelled to serve beyond the minimum I mentioned above.  But if there is some sort of emergency and your unit is tasked with responding to it one hopes you'd do everything you could to be available and do your part.

3 - I will be able to work my full time job while training and being a part of the reservist army?

Yes, most reservists have a civilian job or are students.  (To give you a hand with the terminology, what you call the "reservist army" is more correctly called the army reserve, or often the Militia.)

4 - What is the time commitment with the reservist? Weekly hours? How many years minimum etc?

I don't know the minimum, but it would probably be expressed in terms of X evenings and Y weekends a month.  There is no minimum number of years.

5 - Are there any jobs that I cannot be a part of if I become a reservist, meaning if I was actively serving as a reservist? (Police)

There may be some, but I don't know about them.  You can definitely be a police officer and a reservist at the same time -- many are.

6 - Are all reservists trained in just infantry or do they also specialize in other fields?

The Reserve Force includes people in all three elements (navy, army, and air force) in a wide variety of roles.  In the case of the army reserve, a unit will normally have a particular focus and most members will belong to the corresponding trades.  For example, an infantry battalion will have mostly infantry soldiers.  A communications squadron will have members of communications trades.

Reserve units are different in many ways and the answers to most of your questions will vary from unit to unit.  I would suggest that you contact whichever units you're interested in joining to get more specific answers than we can give you here.

 

[Steel Badger]

Good afternoon all,

I want some honest advice. Please, please, please... no sweet answers. I would call a recruiter but I have heard from many people that
recruiters tell you what you want to hear and try to sign you up any way they can. I don't know if that’s true or not. Moreover, I definitely do
not want to offend anyone

Offense taken.

Then again, maybe not, as you seem to have listened to "many people" instead of those whose job it is to inform you of yoru options. Good drills there.


SB