Air Force Reserve....anyone in?

Kaneman · 03-20-2010, 12:27 PM

I've got a buddy trying to talk me into it, he's about to sign his paperwork and is pumped. He just had a lil' girl and wants to have like 5 more kids....so he's going for those benefits,

I live about a mile from the local Air Force Base so we wouldn't even have to move. We're constantly up there watching the jets take off and land. Wanted to see if anyone her had experience with it.

goof2 · 03-20-2010, 12:55 PM

From an outsider's perspective make sure you would be able to go active duty. It seems they do that on occasion now. How is your buddy's wife going to react if he gets deployed and she is alone with 6 kids?

derf · 03-20-2010, 02:06 PM

Air force reserve, part time = part time benfits. Part time benefits = to medical and dental cheap, but you do have to pay for them, for a family of 5 kids it will cost you more than your average reserve makes, not by much though. Basically he will work for free to get the med benefits. Yep there is the college and retirement benefits, plus countless others.

Also the AFR deployments are typically between 4 and 6 months, and more often than not (unless he has a specialty like being a doctor) he will be deployed to backfill an active duty guy who goes overseas.

My guess is that the bennies look good to him now, 6 years from now they wont look as good and he will get out, not that there is anything wrong with that, he will only get out of it as much as he puts in.

Captain Morgan · 03-20-2010, 02:25 PM

I was active duty for 7 years. Was thinking about going guard or reserve, but wanted to go to school full time with no worries of getting shipped out since the guard and reserves were taking more and more of the TDY duties overseas. My plan was to wait until after school, then my daughter came along. I wouldn't want to be away from her for 3 months, let alone 9, so I chose not to go back in.

Cutty72 · 03-20-2010, 02:30 PM

Biggest disadvantage of Reserves is that you can get called to fill ANY unit that needs another warm body.
Guard you only go with your unit, unless you volunteer or have a unique special MOS that is needed.
not sure about air force, but in Army Guard as just a "weekend warrior" you can pay for tricare coverage, and it's very affordable, even for a family, and the same benifits as the active duty guys.

racedoll · 03-20-2010, 06:56 PM

I considered AFR when Erik and I got together, but never did it. Considered it again a few months ago. Still is in the back of my mine. I have 1.5 years until I'm too old.

I don't think Erik would like me being gone for however long for basic and whatever else. So that holds me back a bit.

psychochild28 · 03-20-2010, 10:15 PM

I have a few really good friends in the AF and they love it. One's a pilot and the other's currently stationed in Germany with his wife. I thought about it a lot but it's not for me.

SteveP · 03-20-2010, 10:59 PM

Why be a pussy and do PT military? Go active or don't go at all.

racedoll · 03-20-2010, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveP

Why be a pussy and do PT military? Go active or don't go at all.

Not sure about Kaneman, but for me it would be because I'm too old for active duty.

ericr · 03-21-2010, 12:48 AM

I did my 8 years in the AF Reserves. The biggest benefit in reality is a retirement if you do your 20 yrs.

As far as being a mile from an AF base...which one is it? It has to have a Reserve unit on it if it's an active duty base and they have to have a slot available for you to join that unit. When you sign up that way for Reserves you really ARE guarenteed that slot though.

Yes you almost certainly will be activated to the big sandbox if you join. The tour can be 3months to a year or more, just depends on what they need, it's not your choice

If your civilian job has health care, it will probably be better than you can get through the Reserves and you can pick your docs, another choice you don't get with the military.

Now if you want to serve your country, learn a new trade, or can get a unit with a job thats similar to yours it can be beneficial. You can get the GI bill if you want to further your education and it pays quite a bit if not all of it now even for Reservists. The pay isn't much until you make E-6 or higher but if you stick it out you can get a pretty decent retirement with med benefits after retirement. Do some reserch, talk to a recruiter if you want but remember his job is to sell it to you. Some of them are "used car salesmen" so dont take everything as gospel.

I was almost 33 when I joined. I enjoyed it until my unit had some leadership issues that I got tired of dealing with and decided it wasn't worth staying in. I probably could have moved to another command on our base and should have checked into it but I was ready to be done at the time. I got to spend some time in Germany and Italy that was more vacation than work and that part was awesome, Kuwait wasn't as much fun, but it was an experiance

03-20-2010, 12:27 PM	#1
Kaneman AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Odessa, TX Moto: 2000 Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird Posts: 4,931	Air Force Reserve....anyone in? I've got a buddy trying to talk me into it, he's about to sign his paperwork and is pumped. He just had a lil' girl and wants to have like 5 more kids....so he's going for those benefits, I live about a mile from the local Air Force Base so we wouldn't even have to move. We're constantly up there watching the jets take off and land. Wanted to see if anyone her had experience with it. __________________ 1982 Honda XR80 - blown motor, 1993 Kawasaki ZX6D - sold, 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200S - sold, 1984 Honda Magna - sold, 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200R - blown motor, 2007 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom - totalled, 2003 Yamaha FZ1 - sold, 1994 Honda Magna - sold, 2001 Honda CBR600F4i - sold, 1998 Suzuki DR350 - stolen, 1989 Honda Super Magna - sold, 2007 Yamaha Stratoliner, 2000 Honda CBR 1100XX Blackbird

03-20-2010, 02:06 PM	#3
derf token jewboy Join Date: Nov 2008 Moto: CBR 900, KLR ugly ass duckling, Gas Man Posts: 10,799	Air force reserve, part time = part time benfits. Part time benefits = to medical and dental cheap, but you do have to pay for them, for a family of 5 kids it will cost you more than your average reserve makes, not by much though. Basically he will work for free to get the med benefits. Yep there is the college and retirement benefits, plus countless others. Also the AFR deployments are typically between 4 and 6 months, and more often than not (unless he has a specialty like being a doctor) he will be deployed to backfill an active duty guy who goes overseas. My guess is that the bennies look good to him now, 6 years from now they wont look as good and he will get out, not that there is anything wrong with that, he will only get out of it as much as he puts in. __________________

03-20-2010, 12:55 PM	#2
goof2 AMA Supersport Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 4,756	From an outsider's perspective make sure you would be able to go active duty. It seems they do that on occasion now. How is your buddy's wife going to react if he gets deployed and she is alone with 6 kids?

03-20-2010, 02:25 PM	#4
Captain Morgan Let's do another U-turn Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Indiana Moto: 2009 V-Strom Posts: 3,816	I was active duty for 7 years. Was thinking about going guard or reserve, but wanted to go to school full time with no worries of getting shipped out since the guard and reserves were taking more and more of the TDY duties overseas. My plan was to wait until after school, then my daughter came along. I wouldn't want to be away from her for 3 months, let alone 9, so I chose not to go back in.

03-20-2010, 06:56 PM	#6
racedoll AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Moto: '04 Kawasaki ZX6RR Posts: 3,392	I considered AFR when Erik and I got together, but never did it. Considered it again a few months ago. Still is in the back of my mine. I have 1.5 years until I'm too old. I don't think Erik would like me being gone for however long for basic and whatever else. So that holds me back a bit.

03-20-2010, 10:15 PM	#7
psychochild28 Banned Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: On a bus Moto: SV 650S Posts: 857	I have a few really good friends in the AF and they love it. One's a pilot and the other's currently stationed in Germany with his wife. I thought about it a lot but it's not for me.

03-20-2010, 10:59 PM	#8
SteveP Canyon Carver Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Pensacola, FL Moto: The v-twin trifecta Posts: 437	Why be a pussy and do PT military? Go active or don't go at all.