From Reserve To Active HELP!!!!

[batman]

Ok, I did 5 years in the 82nd Airborne Div. Got my associates while on active duty. Got out and now I am doing ROTC in Myrtle Beach SC. I am a junior and do not go to LDAC until summer of 2011. My question is if for some reason I dont do as well as I like at LDAC and they stick me in a reserve or ng unit, what is the process for a 2nd LT to go Active. I want to be active duty. I am going to bust my behind on my GPA and I am doing all the extra stuff I can to boost my OML rating but worse case scenario if I get a reserve or NG slot what do I have to do to become active as soon as possible. PLEASE HELP IF YOU KNOW!!! I want to be prepared in case this happens Ill know the procedure to go active.

[cyall]

Settle down. How many places did you ask this question? People here will answer you. Give a little time.

[matthew.ritchie]

"Worst case scenario" is in the eye of the beholder.

If you really want to serve on active duty, then resign your reserve commission and enlist. Otherwise, you may apply through HRC, although they keep changing the criteria, opening and closing windows, and otherwise moving the target.

[batman]

Are you saying resign my commission threw the reserves go active as enlisted then ocs? Cause the whole goal is to become active duty Officer. I want that, not active enlisted, I was already active enlisted and dont want to go back to that lifestyle. Theres nothing wrong with enlisted Its just not for me.

[matthew.ritchie]

Once you have a commission, then you are no longer eligible for OCS.

[batman]

Ok well that want work. I would have to get on the ball and start looking for a deployment I guess. Thats the guidance Ive been getting so far, they say after the deployment Id be active.

[dnall]

Ok well that want work. I would have to get on the ball and start looking for a deployment I guess. Thats the guidance Ive been getting so far, they say after the deployment Id be active.

That's not really true.

I get that you're trying to research other scenarios to be prepared in case you don't get what you're looking for. There's plenty of threads around that answer those questions. Short answer being it's very hard, sometimes impossible, to do.

The better answer is quit setting yourself up for failure. Focus on doing well to ensure your OML ranking & get active in the first place.

Finally, just on a personal note, I really don't think it's all that good an idea to come on a national guard forum and talk about a "worst case" scenario in which you end up guard/reserve cause you couldn't make the grade to go active. Most of the people here chose to go guard/reserve, they didn't get relegated to it because they weren't good enough. If you came to our unit looking for help and gave an indication we were your second choice, we'd thank you for your time & show you the door.

I have nothing against active duty. If that's what you want then by all means go get it. I support that, and wish you the best of luck.

[batman]

Its not that i wouldnt want to go NG or Reserves, and Im not bashing them, there both really good branches, and not that Im setting myself up for failure, but when you have a wife and two kids you have to sometimes plan for what if it dont go the way I wanted it to. You put all your eggs in one basket and it may not go as planned, Thanks for your comment,

[dnall]

I understand and appreciate that. My point is you should not spend a lot of time focusing on that aspect. It WILL distract from your primary objective. It will also give you a mental out to take if things aren't going the way you want on the primary plan. It's good to be prepared. It's not good to focus on backup plans when you need to focus on the target in front of you.

ROTC is really very easy. You know what you need to do to succeed. All you have to do now is focus on those targets. If and when that doesn't work out for you, you may end up in the guard/reserve & with the insecurity of needing a civilian job. That makes you no different than every other college student in the country.

Moving to active duty from guard/reserve is not a very realistic plan. It's very hard and time consuming to pull off. It is not something that's going to address your employment concerns to support your family.

The only alternative I can think to tell you is look at applying for active duty OCS instead of continuing with ROTC. I don't know where you're at with ROTC in terms of that being a viable option (if you're still eligible), but that will guarantee you active duty. Branching is not great for them though.

[batman]

Yeah, your right, ive just started the program, Im doing really well, I should not dwell on what will happen if I dont do a certain thing or if it dont go a certain way. Bottom line is get it done. If I do well then theres no reason I wouldnt make it. Of the cadets in our program, I am scoring a 275 on my pt test and that will get better, my gpa is good and Im trackin on everything else. It will work out, i have to remain confident, thats all, like you said, dont set myself up for failure by already lookin for plan b. Just get it done, the first go round
Cooper