For the guys that did their first enlistment as active duty then went reserves, did it scratch the itch so to say?

I did 5 years in the Marine Corps. Got out in Dec 2015. I got into a decent job right away. Not great and not fun, but it pays the bills and the insurance is ok. But I feel like I'm missing something. I never got to deploy in my 5 years due to the unit I was in. So that kinda annoys me and I miss my brothers.

I've been kicking around the idea of doing the reserves. There isn't much around me in the way of USMC units, but a lot of Army possibilities. But I don't know if changing branches and jobs will give me what I want.

For the guys that have done it, did it scratch the itch so to speak? Anything you would have done different? Thanks!

I was active army for 4 years, out for 2 then went to the gaurd for 3. If I didn't do it I would have always regretted not going back in. But because I went back in I was reminded why I got out in the first place and 8 years after being out I have never even toyed with the idea of signing up a third time. Even typing the phrase "signing up for a third time" seems silly.

I spent 6 years Active Navy, then got out. I had a decent job but lost it after 1 year.  I realized how fragile retirement was and joined reserves.  I hadn't realized how much I missed the brotherhood, and now am almost at 20 years time with reserve.

Life is much different in the reserves.  You have much more control of your career.  On active duty, leadership sucked. I would say there is a crisis of leadership in all branches that senior enlisted are trying to fix (and good officers too).  That is different in the reserves because people don't have to deal with your crap.  They can transfer out to another unit or go IRR.  There is usually better leadership in the reserves because of the combination of the environment, civilian experience, and prior AD experience.

I've met too many people that are just a few years short of a pension and benefits that left or avoided reserves. Don't have regrets...

Go reserve if you move a lot, interstate.  Natl Guard if you're not planning on moving or reserves.  I moved too much after leaving active duty due to my day job and left the Natl Guard because of it.

I did the Guard about six months after My ETS. It sucked, no one took it seriously. No training, of course we PMCSd the vehicles, cleaned the shit out of our weapons and the armory. But no training. Summer camp was just that. Two weeks of grab ass and guard duty. I hope it's different now, in my time it was pathetic.

I did 6 years active then went reserves. Since then I have been recalled to active duty 3 total years at different times. I like it because I can do anything a year or two then I just want a change. Reserves are good like that, I can do anything one weekend a month or two weeks a year or for a year here and there but then I like to have my civilian freedom. 

I would look at the Coast Guard reserves, tons of prior DOD service do that and all the same benefits and retirement. They have a ME rating and you could join a PSU (port security unit) if you want to deploy with DOD occasionally, shoot guns, etc. 

I'm also a federal civilian employee for the same service I did active duty initially with so the reserves go hand-in-hand with that, I can buy any past and potential active duty years into my civilian retirement and get the matching TSP funds credited even if I get recalled. It's a double dip I buy in to, right now I have 18 years of total military service and 14 years of federal civilian service towards two separate pensions and two separate TSP accounts that are all intertwined. 

My buddy did 4 as an aav mechanic. Got out, missed it (his personal life was pretty shitty). Joined reserves as an electronics tech. He doesn't really hate his job at all, but he hates the reserves having been active. Reservists (not prior active) are typically garbage. Whenever they showed up for their 2 weeks on pendleton, it was a shit show of idiots breaking way more stuff than normal, if they could even operate the stuff to break it.

Ymmv.

Did 4 years and change active, then did 11 years reserves.  Go talk to a prior-service recruiter and see what options are out there before you make a decision.  There's no commitment in talking to them.  Now adays, unless things have changed drastically, you can acquire many of your reserve retirement points by doing classes and MCIs, then knock out your two week AT somewhere cool.  

I liked it, it did scratch the itch.  I had a few good units I was attached to which made it better.  Didn't add too much money to the bank account but it helped.  Especially the AT.  YMMV.  Good luck and Semper Fi.

The reserves is a totally different beast... and you may end up not liking it.
if you are interested, make sure there is a unit not far from you, because you don't get paid to travel unless your an E-6 I think it is.

Get an interview form the unit 1stSgt via a prior service recruiter and he can answer your questions...

I am currently on I&I... What was your MOS and what kind of questions do you have?

Nice second hand opinion. What did you do in the military?

I did 4 years AD, out 1 and back for one year USAR.   All 11 boo.

It was fun going back but I started making $$$ in my day job, the reserve job was 70 miles away, so I never re upped.

We had some cool young guys and some older prior service like me.

The youngsters were the ones who came up with the command detonated burrito bombs they deployed in FTXs.    Smart kids, canvas bag filled with flash powder and triggered with an old, unused Kodak flash bulb.  Similar performance as a grenade simulator.

Shit, this was from January .

I haven't done active time besides deployments.

IME alot of the former active guys can't stand the BS and quit the reserves.

Something to keep in mind, all the stupid annual classes still have to be completed - even though your just there one weekend a month. This often times doesn't leave time for MOS proficiency. We also get our share of fat bodies we have to drop.

On the plus side, insurance for your whole family is $211/month. You can volunteer for a lot of interesting gigs. If we have a major war, you'll probably be there. In the end you'll get a little pension for it, though it's not a lot.

Right now I loose money every drill, but I like being a part of it and I'm in the process of signing for four more years.

Even though this is an old thread the op never showed back up in, we can bs a little.  I wish I had stuck it out another 15-20 in the reserves.  The bennies alone would be good, and the retirement money would be more icing on my cake.

I liked my unit, I just had too much going on with my other life to keep it up.

I did three years in the regulars and then 37 in the Guard and Reserves. I bounced around between units whenever  I found something interesting to do, or a place I wanted to go to.  I got deployed two different times in the 80's and 90's, prior to the GWOT (deployed twice). Went to the RVN in 71.

I was also a fed employee so I ended up with a CSRS retirement and a Army Retirement, as well as social security.  Had a lot of fun and a fair amount of bullshit along the way, but as I sit here in my Rocking Chair, I have memories and stories that  both thrill and bore the hell out of my children and grandchildren. I see it as a life well lived.

My experiences have been similar. I did about 8 years USMCR and decided it was time to go when I got screwed out of my reenlistment bonus. I had about 3 years of AD time with deployments and such. I tried to go active but nobody was taking prior service for AD. I ended up in the Army NG and fought to get the job I wanted. Now I'm a UH-60 crew chief. I thought there were a lot of requirements to maintain as a Reserve Marine. It's even worse as a reserve component aircrew member. It is almost a second full time job. I have found there to be more opportunities in the guard, even if the promotions in my unit/MOS are almost nonexistent. I'm content being stuck at E5 for a while because I have a job I love, even if it is a lot of work. I'm also on my second ADOS tour with Counter Drug Task Force which is an awesome opportunity and experience. I just passed my 12 year anniversary, so I'm over the hump if I want to pull pitch at 20. Now I'm just waiting for my first aircrew deployment.

How many Marines here have been AD then went SMCR?  

I have been kicking the can around on becoming reserve for some time, so it is ironic that I am now I&I.

I see the good and bad on a daily basis. Any SMCR here have any regrets?

It's all about the unit.  Some are a joke and waste of tax payer money.....others are able to go and do more than their active duty counterparts.  I would visit the units during drill weekend before joining one.  It will take less than an hour to figure out if they are the real thing or just a bunch or morons who want to wear a uniform.

IDT pay is for 150 miles + and is capped at $300 give or take. I would have to look up the JTR for specifics.

What I have seen though is that if you are under E5, you will lose money drilling if you travel over 150. At E5 you will break even or make a few bucks. E6 is positive. 300+ miles you better be a warrant/senior NCO/Officer.

See my post above.  I was AD, then went SMCR/IMA.  I did many ADSW, and have no regrets other than I should have stuck it out longer.