Is it really worth it to stay in the reserves for 20 years?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Is it really worth it to stay in the reserves for 20 years?

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:31:07 AM EDT

I never realized how shitty the retirement was no benifits until you turn 65 ouch?????

And then what are you going to get 1500 dollars a month, but dont worry obama will take 1/2 of it to give to illegals and crack heads.

And after deploying every 3rd year you probably die of a heart attack or divorce by 50?????

Am I missing something?

I hear all these people bitching about how much money is wasted on the military retirement, i hope they aren't bitching about the reserve guys?

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:39:41 AM EDT

[#1]

Because the Guard and Reserve are tremendous deals for the taxpayer.

Posted: 9/13/2010 9:43:59 AM EDT

[#2]

I will probably end up doing 20 in the guard, either as a AGR like I am now or a fed tech. The thing is it just keeps getting stupider every year. It used to be fun but now I am not so sure. The deployments are not the problem, what the problem is is the leadership is either not there or not very strong.

All this is cyclical though and will change, I think the war on terror has done a lot to help the guard and rerserves in the training and equipment that we receive now. I have 13 regular years in now so I have seven to go before I can retire with a reserve paycheck. I have seven years active so I have 13 years to go before I get a AD retirement. Kinda daunting at times. If I go fed tech I get a retirement at 15 years but it us small but I get a reserve retirement ontop of that. Decisions, decisions.

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Posted: 9/13/2010 11:17:09 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:

The thing is it just keeps getting stupider every year. It used to be fun but now I am not so sure. The deployments are not the problem, what the problem is is the leadership is either not there or not very strong.

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I agree.

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:23:21 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I never realized how shitty the retirement was no benifits until you turn 65 ouch????? Actually age 60 minus 1 fiscal quarter for every fiscal quarter you have been deployed since 2008 I think.
And then what are you going to get 1500 dollars a month, but dont worry obama will take 1/2 of it to give to illegals and crack heads. Mine works out to be substantially more than 1500
And after deploying every 3rd year you probably die of a heart attack or divorce by 50????? No arguement from me on this one

Am I missing something?

I hear all these people bitching about how much money is wasted on the military retirement, i hope they aren't bitching about the reserve guys?

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:27:25 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I never realized how shitty the retirement was no benifits until you turn 65 ouch????? Actually age 60 minus 1 fiscal quarter for every fiscal quarter you have been deployed since 2008 I think.

The failure to backdate that law to the start of GWOT was quite a slap to those of us who did a lot of early tours.

I agree with the frustration. We've gone from a strategic reserve to a tactical one, with less training and equipment than we had back in the days when we generally did not deploy. We have fewer tools to train or develop Soldiers with, and the training schools now are degraded.

The frustrations are certainly there, but I'm close to enough that I'd be a fool to quit now.

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:31:23 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I never realized how shitty the retirement was no benifits until you turn 65 ouch????? Actually age 60 minus 1 fiscal quarter for every fiscal quarter you have been deployed since 2008 I think.
And then what are you going to get 1500 dollars a month, but dont worry obama will take 1/2 of it to give to illegals and crack heads. Mine works out to be substantially more than 1500
And after deploying every 3rd year you probably die of a heart attack or divorce by 50????? No arguement from me on this one

Am I missing something?

I hear all these people bitching about how much money is wasted on the military retirement, i hope they aren't bitching about the reserve guys?

Just curious what pay grade are you retiring at?

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:34:26 AM EDT

[#7]

Just curious what pay grade are you retiring at?

I've noticed that the points make a huge difference for most of us, more than the grade. A few deployments really make a difference there!

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:42:18 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

Just curious what pay grade are you retiring at?

I've noticed that the points make a huge difference for most of us, more than the grade. A few deployments really make a difference there!

well thats good to hear at least.

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:42:35 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Just curious what pay grade are you retiring at?

I've noticed that the points make a huge difference for most of us, more than the grade. A few deployments really make a difference there!

well thats good to hear at least.

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:43:40 AM EDT

[#10]

Either way you get government health care benefits Take your pick.

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:44:34 AM EDT

[#11]

Yes, points matter more than rank, although continuing to get promoted will help you stay in during the coming drawdowns.

Working a government civilian job is very helpful too, since you can tell them when you're deploying and your job will still be there when you return, unlike with the private sector where employers can choose to not hire or promote you because you take too many "vacations" to hot and sandy places. My private sector employer is decent but I didn't have to worry as much when I worked for the state.

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Posted: 9/13/2010 11:54:00 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Either way you get government health care benefits Take your pick.

Yeah when you turn 60...

Posted: 9/13/2010 12:05:21 PM EDT

[#13]

Just depends what you do in the real world. If your real job doesn't have much to offer when you retire the reserves is a viable place to earn a retirement and a pay check.

Posted: 9/13/2010 12:12:51 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I never realized how shitty the retirement was no benifits until you turn 65 ouch????? Actually age 60 minus 1 fiscal quarter for every fiscal quarter you have been deployed since 2008 I think.
And then what are you going to get 1500 dollars a month, but dont worry obama will take 1/2 of it to give to illegals and crack heads. Mine works out to be substantially more than 1500
And after deploying every 3rd year you probably die of a heart attack or divorce by 50????? No arguement from me on this one

Am I missing something?

I hear all these people bitching about how much money is wasted on the military retirement, i hope they aren't bitching about the reserve guys?

Just curious what pay grade are you retiring at?

W4 or maybe W5 if I get lucky

Posted: 9/13/2010 12:25:42 PM EDT

[#15]

I'll have 30 next year. If you do 20, you might as well stick around and get another 10, since you'll have to wait till 60 to draw a check anyway.

Used to do many, many correspondence courses. Timed correctly so that they don't go to waste in any particular retirement year, those points can add up.

When you get out, don't get discharged. Go into the Retired Reserve. That way, the value of your points increase with each cost of living adjustment the active guys get. You can't be involuntarily mobilized out of the retired reserve, but you can volunteer for tours.

It's another pension.

Also, when you stay in long enough, you learn how to find a "niche," you like.

The deployments will end, but if they don't, there is much you can do to avoid them.

Someone once told me, "Don't let the Army interfere with you military career."

Posted: 9/13/2010 12:38:09 PM EDT

[#16]

I ets in 4 years and 9 months. not that I'm counting or anything. I will have 13 years at that point. I have come to the conclusion that the relatively small paycheck isn't worth the missed weekends with the family or the continuous time and energy expended between drills in order to make sure things are completed correctly. The only thing I will miss are the good people.

Posted: 9/13/2010 12:46:04 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
I ets in 4 years and 9 months. not that I'm counting or anything. I will have 13 years at that point. I have come to the conclusion that the relatively small paycheck isn't worth the missed weekends with the family or the continuous time and energy expended between drills in order to make sure things are completed correctly. The only thing I will miss are the good people.

I got out after 9 years. I always told myself if I stayed in for 10 or more I would suck it up and go for 20, but the wife at the time was starting to complain a lot, it looked like we were going to get activated for an 18 month tour of kosivo and that one weekend a month went to two or sometimes three weekends a month. I got out in 99 and my unit did end up being deployed for homeland security after 9/11. Had I known I was going to be getting a divorce I would have stayed in, I would have had my 20 last april

Posted: 9/13/2010 12:53:41 PM EDT

[#18]

The key to a Reserve retirement is accumulating points and achieving the highest rank you can before retirement. The value of a point varies by rank, from as little as $.129 (PFC) to as high as $1.14(LTG).
You need to accumulate as many points as you can before age 60 or 62 for us Warrant Officers.
Check how many points you have online at https://www.hrc.army.mil/portal/ login with your AKO username and password or CAC.

If you aren’t earning at least 100 points per year, you are slacking. I expect to retire with about 4500 points, I have over 3K points now.

How do I accumulate more points Chief? Glad you asked. Listed below are the various ways to accumulate retirement points other than Drill (2 points per day) or active duty (1 point per day).

1. Drill for points only: 1 point per day come in and help your unit and ask them to send a DA form 1380 to HRC, this is for points only you get no pay for this but it is ideal for those who have some free time.
2.Call your unit and ask if they have any RMA’s (Reserve Manning Allocations) or ADA’s (Additional Drill Authorizations) and volunteer for them.
3.Correspondence Courses: 1 retirement point for every 3 credit hours earned.
4.Funeral duty: Perform the ceremonial detail at a Veterans funeral and you are entitled to 4 hrs pay and 1 retirement point. You are entitled to 4 of these per fiscal year.
5.If you decide to retire with your 20 year letter in hand you can still continue to drill with your unit (or one that wants the help) until age 60 4 points per month max until age 60.
There are a couple more ways but that is what I have for now. Just ask and I'll see how I can help.

Posted: 9/13/2010 1:24:02 PM EDT

[#19]

The deployments will end, but if they don't, there is much you can do to avoid them.

Someone once told me, "Don't let the Army interfere with you military career."

Egads. I really don't know what to say to that.

Posted: 9/13/2010 1:26:00 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
I never realized how shitty the retirement was no benifits until you turn 65 ouch?????

And then what are you going to get 1500 dollars a month, but dont worry obama will take 1/2 of it to give to illegals and crack heads.

And after deploying every 3rd year you probably die of a heart attack or divorce by 50?????

Am I missing something?

I hear all these people bitching about how much money is wasted on the military retirement, i hope they aren't bitching about the reserve guys?

Sounds like you are missing a lot... My uncle just ETS'd on 7-31-10 as a Lt. Colonel in a Civil Affairs Bn. He deployed a HELL of a lot more than once every third year! It might be that he has a bad attitude about the military, but you don't get to be a Lt. Colonel unless you like your job enough to be good at it-but I have never heard him say anything positive about his time in the service. He talks about the job, but nothing as a positive point.

Posted: 9/13/2010 1:39:39 PM EDT

[#21]

Am I missing something?
I hear all these people bitching about how much money is wasted on the military retirement, i hope they aren't bitching about the reserve guys?

Sounds like you are missing a lot... My uncle just ETS'd on 7-31-10 as a Lt. Colonel in a Civil Affairs Bn. He deployed a HELL of a lot more than once every third year! It might be that he has a bad attitude about the military, but you don't get to be a Lt. Colonel unless you like your job enough to be good at it-but I have never heard him say anything positive about his time in the service. He talks about the job, but nothing as a positive point.

Yes, CA generally does more than once every 3 years but let's be completely honest- CA also generally does 9month tours (significantly shorter than most).

Posted: 9/13/2010 1:45:12 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Yes, points matter more than rank, although continuing to get promoted will help you stay in during the coming drawdowns.

Working a government civilian job is very helpful too, since you can tell them when you're deploying and your job will still be there when you return, unlike with the private sector where employers can choose to not hire or promote you because you take too many "vacations" to hot and sandy places. My private sector employer is decent but I didn't have to worry as much when I worked for the state.

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One of the guys at work has been deployed more then he has been around in the 10 yrs I've been there. Company pays him while his gone and from what's been floating around was very instramental in putting him in a restored 70"s vette when he came back from Astan

Posted: 9/13/2010 4:11:21 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I never realized how shitty the retirement was no benifits until you turn 65 ouch????? Actually age 60 minus 1 fiscal quarter for every fiscal quarter you have been deployed since 2008 I think.

The failure to backdate that law to the start of GWOT was quite a slap to those of us who did a lot of early tours. I agree!! I have been petitioning all of my Federal reps to fix this.

I agree with the frustration. We've gone from a strategic reserve to a tactical one, with less training and equipment than we had back in the days when we generally did not deploy. We have fewer tools to train or develop Soldiers with, and the training schools now are degraded.

The frustrations are certainly there, but I'm close to enough that I'd be a fool to quit now.

And if we can get more to petition their Senators and Representatives, it might go further.

Posted: 9/13/2010 4:24:03 PM EDT

[#24]

well... ... not a perfect answer but:

My dad got riffed from the Army as a Major with 17.5 years of service. Was given the choice to convert to Master Sgt or be riffed and be a reservist and work off the remaining 2.5 years of his 20. He went reserves, spent many years working as a weekend warrior and retired from the reserves as a LTC. Somewhere along the line he got into the GSA, working as an IG in force protectionuntil he died at 67. For him it was worth it. All he ever wanted to do was soldier. He never got to enjoy retirement, but he left a decent legacy to my mom.

I guess the answer is: if you love the life, do it.

Posted: 9/13/2010 4:49:34 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Am I missing something?
I hear all these people bitching about how much money is wasted on the military retirement, i hope they aren't bitching about the reserve guys?

Sounds like you are missing a lot... My uncle just ETS'd on 7-31-10 as a Lt. Colonel in a Civil Affairs Bn. He deployed a HELL of a lot more than once every third year! It might be that he has a bad attitude about the military, but you don't get to be a Lt. Colonel unless you like your job enough to be good at it-but I have never heard him say anything positive about his time in the service. He talks about the job, but nothing as a positive point.

Yes, CA generally does more than once every 3 years but let's be completely honest- CA also generally does 9month tours (significantly shorter than most).

Why is that? You would think it would be more beneficial for the furtherance of our goals and objectives for the locals to be interfacing with the same people for more than 9 months...

Posted: 9/13/2010 8:42:33 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Am I missing something?
I hear all these people bitching about how much money is wasted on the military retirement, i hope they aren't bitching about the reserve guys?

Sounds like you are missing a lot... My uncle just ETS'd on 7-31-10 as a Lt. Colonel in a Civil Affairs Bn. He deployed a HELL of a lot more than once every third year! It might be that he has a bad attitude about the military, but you don't get to be a Lt. Colonel unless you like your job enough to be good at it-but I have never heard him say anything positive about his time in the service. He talks about the job, but nothing as a positive point.

Yes, CA generally does more than once every 3 years but let's be completely honest- CA also generally does 9month tours (significantly shorter than most).

Why is that? You would think it would be more beneficial for the furtherance of our goals and objectives for the locals to be interfacing with the same people for more than 9 months...

Funny I thought CA was like every other USAR unit, with 12 months "door to door". Those 12 months also include our MOB site training and De-Mob.

Am I wrong?

Posted: 9/14/2010 5:19:01 AM EDT

[#27]

You may be right about the door-to-door, but I'm talking in-country time. 9 months in-country is what really matters, and I certainly agree that the rotational plan we've done in both theaters hurts our overall effectiveness. In a single tour in Afghanistan I overlapped with 3 different CA units that were all in-country only 9 months, and that was a huge source of frustration to the folks we were trying to work with.

Posted: 9/14/2010 5:31:39 AM EDT

[#28]

I just got out last last month after doing 8 years. It just wasn't worth it to me. I am starting a new career now and the time away from my family just wasn't worth the benefits. I guess it really just depends on your situation.

Posted: 9/14/2010 5:42:11 AM EDT

[#29]

A reserve retirement is only worth the effort if you have at least a few years of active duty (AD) time (365 points per year vice 75 in the reserve component). Do as much as you can and get the points if you are in or plan to stay in the reserve component.

If a body retired as an E-6 or E-7 with ONLY reserve time, the retirement check wouldn't be worth it, unless you have a great civilian employer who bends over backward to support you (and the drill weekend paycheck can be put savings). Most employers don't. Most employers pay lip service to supporting reserve members, but hate dealing with the headaches of scheduling and other problems associated with hiring reservists-and I can't blame them.

IOW, if staying in reserves hurts your civilian job, then you're better off getting out and focusing on your civilian career, instead of plodding along, staying the "low man on the totem pole" because you can't get promoted due to your reserve commitments.

I know a retired Coast Guardsman who retired as an E-5 (!) after 20 years of reserve time, and he told me his retirement check was less than $300.00. He was happy because that's more than he made on a drill weekend. Screw that, unless he was wealthy enough that the reserves was a hobby to him.

As a reservist, If I'm not going to make at least $1200.00 a month from my retirement, I'd find some other employer to work for.

Posted: 9/14/2010 6:04:52 AM EDT

[#30]

I had 4 yrs active, 7 yrs Guard then got out at O3 - at 11 yrs it frankly stopped being fun, and I knew if I stayed any longer I'd feel compelled to stay the 20, and it would mostly suck. I was changing careers, had little kids, decided it was time. It didn't help that I had just moved to a different state and the Guard in my new state dragged their feet for so long getting me in a unit that I started enjoying not planning my life around drill, AT, schools, etc. I miss it often, but don't regret my choice.

Posted: 9/14/2010 6:06:49 AM EDT

[#31]

I know a retired Coast Guardsman who retired as an E-5 (!) after 20 years of reserve time, and he told me his retirement check was less than $300.00.

Working the retirement calculators, I don't see how that is numerically possible. The only calculation that works out to $300 a month is 1500 points- which means he did no schools, no nothing other than the bare minimum 75pts a year. And I don't know how you can do a 20year stint without doing anything other than drills- no schools, no nothing other than weekends.

Maybe that explains the 20year E5 curiousity...

Posted: 9/14/2010 6:12:15 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
I'll have 30 next year. If you do 20, you might as well stick around and get another 10, since you'll have to wait till 60 to draw a check anyway.

Used to do many, many correspondence courses. Timed correctly so that they don't go to waste in any particular retirement year, those points can add up.

When you get out, don't get discharged. Go into the Retired Reserve. That way, the value of your points increase with each cost of living adjustment the active guys get. You can't be involuntarily mobilized out of the retired reserve, but you can volunteer for tours.

It's another pension.

Also, when you stay in long enough, you learn how to find a "niche," you like.

The deployments will end, but if they don't, there is much you can do to avoid them.

Someone once told me, "Don't let the Army interfere with you military career."

Senior NCO or officer talking about dodging deployments and not even ashamed? Retire now. Joe deserves better.

Posted: 9/14/2010 6:19:15 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
I'll have 30 next year. If you do 20, you might as well stick around and get another 10, since you'll have to wait till 60 to draw a check anyway.

Used to do many, many correspondence courses. Timed correctly so that they don't go to waste in any particular retirement year, those points can add up.

When you get out, don't get discharged. Go into the Retired Reserve. That way, the value of your points increase with each cost of living adjustment the active guys get. You can't be involuntarily mobilized out of the retired reserve, but you can volunteer for tours.

It's another pension.

Also, when you stay in long enough, you learn how to find a "niche," you like.

The deployments will end, but if they don't, there is much you can do to avoid them.

Someone once told me, "Don't let the Army interfere with you military career."

So you're the guy whose gotten me deployed twice... thanks BF.

Posted: 9/14/2010 6:20:25 AM EDT

[#34]

No one knows the future. My dad got the retirement, a private pension and social security. Then again, he lived to age 89.

Posted: 9/14/2010 6:52:01 AM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:
You may be right about the door-to-door, but I'm talking in-country time. 9 months in-country is what really matters, and I certainly agree that the rotational plan we've done in both theaters hurts our overall effectiveness. In a single tour in Afghanistan I overlapped with 3 different CA units that were all in-country only 9 months, and that was a huge source of frustration to the folks we were trying to work with.

I agree with you, and understand the frustration it has on the relationships. I'd rather be on the ground longer too, it just makes sense.

My last deployment we spent 9 months on ground in Iraq, and the rest was transit and MOB/De-MOB. After all, ya'll want us "weekend warriors" to be somewhat trained and competent when we hit ground right?

Believe me, every USAR Soldier would rather skip MOB site, and get into country faster. Unfortunately we don't have the money, facilities, or time to be ready to deploy with as high a state of readiness in a short period of time as the AD guys.

We were among the first in this new shorter deployment cycle, and the AD unit in our BN was one of the last AD units on the 18 month deployment cycle. I felt pretty shitty looking at them knowing I got there well after them, and was leaving months before them. But I don't write policy.

Posted: 9/14/2010 7:23:10 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:

I know a retired Coast Guardsman who retired as an E-5 (!) after 20 years of reserve time, and he told me his retirement check was less than $300.00.

Working the retirement calculators, I don't see how that is numerically possible. The only calculation that works out to $300 a month is 1500 points- which means he did no schools, no nothing other than the bare minimum 75pts a year. And I don't know how you can do a 20year stint without doing anything other than drills- no schools, no nothing other than weekends.

Maybe that explains the 20year E5 curiousity...

Bear in mind this guy is in his mid '60s or so back about 5 years ago when he told me this. It's entirely possible he OJT'd it back then, but I don't know. He didn't have any AD time to "plus-up" his point total.

Posted: 9/14/2010 7:27:22 AM EDT

[#37]

1911greg: I have never been the military, but I am sure that the military is similar to the private sector.

Assuming that you have a stable .GOV job, I would think you should stay in as long as you can stand it. But like everything else, it depends on how much BS you can stand. Personally I think you should try to stick it, because the retirement in most private sector jobs are not too good, unless you are really high up in management.

There are no guarantees in life. My high school friend spend 30+ years in the USAF; and he retired. 2 years later, he died from a massive cardiac. The guy was only 58 y/o.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Is it really worth it to stay in the reserves for 20 years?

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