<p>So what are the pros and cons?</p>
<p>If money is limited, would it be a good alternative (I dont understand how working twice a week would even “compensate” for all that money).</p>
<p>Pros: Money for college. Serving your country
Cons: Iraq. Roadside bombs. RPGs. Body bags.</p>
<p>No matter what they promise…it’s not quite two weekends a month.</p>
<p>My cousin has served in the reserves for more than 30 years. He was called up to serve in Iraq in 2003. He was 57 and a grandfather. zhe flew helicopters through very rough terrain.</p>
<p>His wife is making him quit the reserves this Decmeber because she does not believe the army can keep it’s promises to keep ANY reservists out of Iraq. Even though he served in Vietnam, Panama, Falklands, Iraq I and now 15 months in Iraq II, she feels her husband may well be called to serve in Iraq again–age 60!!</p>
<p>So he is quitting even though he doesn’t want to give up flying Blackhawk helicopters…</p>
<p>Unbelievably, he is the pilot for a major corporation and they have held his job for him when he is called up.</p>
<p>“(I dont understand how working twice a week would even “compensate” for all that money).”</p>
<p>TheOneKid ~ It doesn’t. Being on call, according to Cheers, for 30 years of your life does. While I consider myself a very patriotic American, the thought of my soon-to-be 18 year old son (and only child) even considering the ROTC route makes me sick. I find it mind boggling that officials wish to limit the ability to drive (and charge higher insurance rates) to youth because they lack executive function judgment skills, yet they’d gladly jam an AK-47 into their hands. I guess in their opinion there are no better soldiers than those who are pure physical beings, eager to do anything, and lacking the judgment to be afraid of something they don’t believe will ever happen to them (like “death”). My son’s been through enough (read my other posts). I can’t imagine getting him this far through all that, only to see him come back in a body bag. Men in my family have served their country for years…all went in when they were mature adults, capable of making an informed decision…not as “babies”. And 18 year olds are “babies”.</p>
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<p>Not that it changes your point, but they’d probably put an M-16 in their hands. The AK-47 is a Russian-made weapon. Bad guys carry the AK-47.</p>
<p>Get real, critics.</p>
<p>If you believe GWB can continue his world domination by military might theme beyond the next election cycle, then yes, aviod the reserves. If, on the other hand, you believe in a return to the normalcy that governed our country for many years, from WWII up until Bush II, then the risk of being in the reserves is pretty low. </p>
<p>Let’s look at the record:</p>
<p>Korean War (1950-1954) large call up - 250,000 (including my own father)</p>
<p>Berlin Crisis of 1961: 60,000</p>
<p>Vietman: minimal call up (parts of 35 units), which is why GWB felt so safe.</p>
<p>Grenada 1983 - a few thousand called up</p>
<p>Panama 1989 - a few thousand</p>
<p>Persian Gulf 1990-1991, Desert Shield/Storm, 84,000, including a brother.</p>
<p>Somalia 1992-4, small numbers</p>
<p>Bosnia/Kosovo since 1995, 17,000 total.</p>
<p>Except for Korea, none of these operations were very risky.</p>
<p>Recently, of course, the risk for reserves has increased dramatically, as our country has adopted a more bellicose foreign policy.</p>
<p>So, as a prospective ROTC cadet, you should ask whether the country will continue with such a foreign policy after the next election cycle. </p>
<p>A few more points: No one is forced to commit 30 years. After an 8 year active/ready reserve obligation, one is free to resign, with rare exceptions.</p>
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<p>Exactly. The risk has increased dramatically, just as you say. And the OP is asking about the pros and cons of being in the reserves NOW, not back in Korea or Kosovo.</p>
<p>Coureur ~ Thanks for the "edit. It’s appreciated.</p>
<p>Newmassdad ~ Let’s hope we return to normalcy and reason soon.</p>
<p>Good point about signing up for 30 years. The reserves add a good source of income–and there’s a decent pension package too. My cousin had good reasons for staying in–not the least of which was keeping up with helicopter developments (he’s a fuly qualified mechanic as well). If his wife thought the army could keep it’s promise to leave him at home now that he is 60, he’d stay in a heart beat. The pension would be better if he stayed. He’d get to fly and repair the latest helicopters. </p>
<p>But…they don’t think those promises can be kept. That’s their perspective. After 30+ years of service.</p>
<p>As for ‘normalcy’…it could well be that the last wildly prosperous American decades were the ‘abnormality’. </p>
<p>bte…‘Risk’ depends on position. Obviously helicopter pilots are at higher risk.</p>
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<p>I wish I shared your optimism. We are about two and half years into this particular quagmire. Who would have dreamed two and half years into Viet Nam that it was going to drag on for NINE more years, past election after election, and despite huge public opposition? We are relearning that it’s a lot easier to get into a war than to get out.</p>
<p>Actually, there may be a “stop-loss,” which prevents people from “quitting.” A friend’s daughter has finished her tour of duty & wants to get out of the military, but they won’t let her or her husband (who has also served his tour). She’s coaching at Colorado Springs miltary academy & hoping to get out when they will allow it.</p>
<p>If you enroll these days, expect that you may be called to active duty, whether from the reserves or national guard. You may be called to serve where there are terrorist attacks and/or where there are national emergencies (like hurricanes, etc.)</p>
<p>For my kids, I believe they would be hazardous to their companions because their health is not robust enough to withstand the rigors of deployment & their docs agree. Consider all of this & discuss it with your folks before going further along these lines. There is a reason enlistment numbers keep dropping & the recruiters are getting increasingly aggressive & targetting younger & younger recruits (now they’re reaching down to 10th graders).</p>
<p>Even in relatively “not very risky” situations, there can be serious downsides. One friend was called up from the reserves in Desert Storm–wasn’t injured during the course of battle but came back with Gulf War Syndrome. They’ve never been able to figure out what the problem is, but her health is trashed.</p>
<p>Also I wonder about the quality of training at the Reserves. I think that they are put into some serious situations considering the level of their weekend/summer training they receive. I don’t think it is a coincidence that the Abu Gharib prison problems feature, front and center, reservists.</p>
<p>My back door neighbor has been an Army Reservist for many years and absolutely loves it. He has been eligible to retire for several years now and doesn’t plan to retire until they make him. He has been deployed twice for 120 days each time in the past 18 months. He loves his job, enjoys the unit cohesiveness and very pleased with the benefits. He’d rather do reserves than his regular civilian job.
I also work with many many reserve pilots. They also are very happy with their jobs. Several have volunteered for extended Active Duty orders. I think it all comes down to the individual. I do believe however that the greater reliance on Guard and Reserve troops is here to stay. Given all the cut backs in the Active Duty and the War on Terror looking like a prolonged conflict, my personal opinion is that future conflicts will continue to rely more on the Guard and Reserve than in the past.</p>
<p>I have been in the Ohio Air National Guard for 10 and a half years now and you can’t beat it. I have never been called up to active duty yet. They pay 100% of your college tuition and you get $800 a month (GI Bill, GI Bill kicker, monthly pay) for one weekend worth of work. When you go into the recruiter, just ask for a job that is not wartime tasked, and then you won’t have to go to Iraq.</p>
<p>ROTC is a great program and helps develop leaders for many different professions. Take a look at the discussions on the Service Academy Parents Board. You’ll find at least 2 threads dedicated to ROTC questions. Many of the threads also discuss ROTC options for all branches. And good luck!</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/forumdisplay.php?f=541[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/forumdisplay.php?f=541</a></p>
<p>This nation has seriously flawed objectives when it comes to Iraq, but I cannot agree with parents who degrade ROTC service of regular military enlistment so as to voice their opposition to the war. Parents whose religion or morals cause them to objection to military enrollment for their children have legitimacy for their position. But I don’t equate summary opposition with that.</p>
<p>Moreover, for some communities, military service has long been the means to advance and prosper in America. That’s why so many African-American families encourage their sons and daughters to join.</p>
<p>A new article pertinent to the topic:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-10-10-reservestoll_x.htm[/url]”>http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-10-10-reservestoll_x.htm</a></p>
<p>military service is one of the best things you can have on your resume.</p>
<p>The cons of being in the reserves are obviously the risks that come with military deployment. The pros are a long list.</p>