To reenlist or to not reenlist that is the question. - Page 2

Tingkai · July 30, 2003, 01:58

Oerdin, this article might be of interest to you.
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/...International/

Oerdin · July 30, 2003, 01:59

Quote:

Originally posted by David Floyd
Oerdin,

Actually, I know someone from work who is on extended deployment in either Germany or Iraq (he wasn't too sure which it would be when we last spoke) and works with psyops - he's actually an interrogator, IIRC.

Yeah, alot of interrogators are in Psyops units. I imagine Psyops soldiers are working over time interogating prisioners in Gitmo and in Iraq. Luckily that's not my gig. I'm more into the public relations, touchy feeling sort of stuff.

Kirnwaffen · July 30, 2003, 01:59

You could have problems reenlisting tho, because of your prior service. IIRC, they aren't particularly big on taking you back once you've been out. They'll do it, but there could be a lot of strings attached. But maybe since your MOS is in critical shortage, it will work out better.

Nubclear · July 30, 2003, 02:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
And fight off the evil Russian invaders who are trying to take Finland's jobs? Oh what the Finns don't have any jobs. My mistake.

No, to act as a spy for the Russian army!

Oerdin · July 30, 2003, 02:09

Tingkai: That was a good article and it seems nothing has changed since they sent me to Kosovo for 9 month a few years ago. I know several people who ended up getting divorced because their wives were pissed at them leaving and the debt which resulted from a decrease in income following deployment. It's a tough issue to be sure.

Kirnwaffen: I'm still officially in the IRR so I'm not 100% out of the military. I will be on Aug 2nd though so you're right I could have problems if I wait past that point.

MichaeltheGreat · July 30, 2003, 02:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
The upside is I do reenlist I might not have to go for a year or two and by then things will likely have cooled off a bit.

All that means is they'd find a new shithole to send you to. **** 'em, you did your time, even if you were a candy-assed REMF.

Hoo-ah!

Timexwatch · July 30, 2003, 03:10

The question is simple:

Would you rather be shot at by brown or black people?

Atahualpa · July 30, 2003, 04:58

What does your girlfriend think about that?

CerberusIV · July 30, 2003, 06:05

Remind yourself about why you came out after 6 years and went to the reserves. Ask yourself if anything has changed and then make a decision about how involved with the army you want to be.

TCO · July 30, 2003, 20:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
As many of you know I spent six years in the Army and I've spent the last two years in the IRR ( a kind of nondrilling reserve) but what you may not know is that come Aug. 2nd I will be out of even the IRR. I've been reflecting over all of the good times, the bad times, and the in between times I had in the Army and now I'm mulling over the idea of reenlisting in the reserves.

I honestly thought I had decided not to reenlist several years ago but after a recent thread here at Apolyton (about good part time ways to make extra cash) I have once again reopened the Army can of worms. What do you folks think? What are the up sides and down sides that you can see to reenlisting?

I really like the free travel, the friendships, and the extra money would be nice but not really enough to get excited about since it would only be a few thousand a year. The idea of getting a military pension in addition to all my other retirement savngs is also a plus but you can't draw a reserve pension until you're 65 so I've got nearly 40 years to worry about that.

The obvious downside would be the possibility (read almost certainty at least for a six year enlistment) getting pulled away from my civilian job, my family, and my friends to go to some hell hole overseas. Iraq and Liberia seem like obvious candidates but Bosnia or even another tour in Kosovo are possibilities. Am I missing anything here?

I told you before, I understand your thinking. I would give it a shot. I've been somewhat on-again, off-again, with my reserve career. Don't worry about the pension. It's more about the fun and the feeling of pride. I do agree that weekends can be stupid sometimes. But the 2 week annual Trainings are really fun.

I am looking to get back off IRR, but right now need to get some medical stuff cleared up. Plus soon, may not have the option as I will not (likely) make O-5 after a couple years of minimal participation. Still I'm thinking about doing one more year for the pride.

Chemical Ollie · July 30, 2003, 20:37

If your current life is crap - go!

If you like your current life - don't go!

It's as simple as that...

If your current life really suck - join the French Foreign Legion!

TCO · July 30, 2003, 20:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Kirnwaffen
The biggest question is can you afford to get deployed? If yes, then go for it. If not, don't.

This is a pretty terse, insightful response.

Kramerman · July 30, 2003, 21:05

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
Occupation Duties... Yep, I'd give it 50-50 that if I reenlisted I'd end up with occupation duty at some point. Especially given my MOS which the Army Chief of Staff, during his interview on NPR today, listed as a "criticially in short supply" area. In other words they need 37F bad to help out with the occupation duty.

The upside is I do reenlist I might not have to go for a year or two and by then things will likely have cooled off a bit.

whats 37f?

DanS · July 30, 2003, 21:07

37F means they need bullshit artists to tell the Iraqi people they are better off now than they were six months ago.

Actually, I think this is God's work and could be very interesting. Even in shitholes like Iraq and Bosnia. But I've never been in the military, so it's all a little exotic.

Oerdin: One thing to note is that while they might give you some extra bread in your pocket, the variability of your wages will increase due to the risk of a call up.

This is just to agree with the "terse" comment above about whether you could afford a call up or not. Basically you're self-insuring on the variability of your wages. You may need to keep some extra dough in the bank just in case, for instance. You could make up a spreadsheet to figure out if the $5k signing bonus covers the variability--it all depends on the difference between your civilian and military wages, and the chance of a call-up, etc.

MichaeltheGreat · July 30, 2003, 21:19

The other problem with getting deployed is whether or not you have a job when you get back. Two weeks a year fits in with vacation time, but if you get called up and go off to funville for six months, things could be a bit dicey depending on your position, the size of the company, their policies, etc. So you have to look at whether you can afford that, and what the job market in your civilian field is likely to be at that time.

Oerdin · July 30, 2003, 22:39

MtG: They legally have to provide you with an equal or better paying position upon your return. If they don't then you get to sue for enough money to retire on.

Dan: The variability issue is something I hadn't considered. My income is only around 40k so it's not like I'd lose a HUGE amountif I got activated but it might still hurt. When I went to Kosovo I saw some guys who worked as layers making six digits go down to 40k per year. Even with deployment issurence it was devistating to their finances.

Luckly I'm not a high roller so I don't have to worry about that.

I have an appointment to go talk to a reserve recruiter tomorrow at lunch time. I want to get te written low down on what they're offering.

Sava · July 30, 2003, 23:47

The military isn't for me. If there were a war that entailed defense of our country, domestically, then I'd join. But now, the military is little more than a political tool for whoever is in power.

Oerdin · July 31, 2003, 00:54

I found out today that the Psyops unit in Sacramento is currently in Iraq or at leat 90% of it is. That means there's no big deployments for 2+ year.

Of course I could always be nabbed as an augmantee but the odds of whole sale call up anytime soon are less likely.

Kramerman · July 31, 2003, 02:29

after reading all this, to me, it seems itll come down to how you feel about the army. My father loved it, a lot of people hate it. And you're just gonna be reenlisting in the reserve, so its not like you dont know what your getting into. But if you were called up, adn you dont mind the army life, then go for it i guess, cause you probably wouldnt for a long while, and if you do, you wouldnt mind (other than the possibly being killed thing, which you could find as a thrill).

MichaeltheGreat · July 31, 2003, 03:14

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
MtG: They legally have to provide you with an equal or better paying position upon your return. If they don't then you get to sue for enough money to retire on.

If the company is large enough, or has multiple offices, and you have a standard enough job position, yes, you can enforce it. In this economic climate in Cali, there are enough loopholes (elimination of the position, closure or moving of offices, sale of the company, etc.) that you can't necessarily take the legal obligation to the bank. Sometimes, the best you can do is end up with a "as soon as we need someone in that position, you'll be the first one we hire"

USERRA has a definition of "undue hardship" for the employer that you could drive a truck through, unless you work for a good sized, solid, firm with no problems.

Quote:

(15) The term 'undue hardship', in the case of actions taken by an employer, means actions requiring significant difficulty or expense, when considered in light of--

(A) the nature and cost of the action needed under this chapter;

(B) the overall financial resources of the facility or facilities involved in the provision of the action; the number of persons employed at such facility; the effect on expenses and
resources, or the impact otherwise of such action upon the operation of the facility;

(C) the overall financial resources of the employer; the overall size of the business of an employer with respect to the number of its employees; the number, type, and location of its facilities; and

(D) the type of operation or operations of the employer, including the composition, structure, and functions of the work force of such employer; the geographic separateness,
administrative, or fiscal relationship of the facility or facilities in question to the employer.

Another area to check into (with VETS first, and with your employer second) is how USERRA applies when you are employed first, then go back into the reserves. Since you weren't an active reservist at the time of hiring, that may affect their policy, and/or enforceability of USERRA.

Basically just make sure your ass is covered in all eventualities.

Oerdin · July 31, 2003, 17:49

The company I work for is HUGE (20k+ employees) so I'm sure I could work something is it hit the fan.

FYI just an update today was supposed to be my last day in the IRR but I'm filing a 6 month extention just to make sure I don't "expire" other wise I'd have to go to MEPS again. Yuck. Also I found a Psyops unit just a few miles away in the same city which is on Jump status so I'd get to go to Airborne School in Fort Benning.

Current bonuses are $5k cash and $20k student loans. I'm hoping it will go to $10k cash before my 6 month extension is up.

Kirnwaffen · July 31, 2003, 18:35

Any idea when you'd go to Benning?

Panag · July 31, 2003, 19:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
As many of you know I spent six years in the Army and I've spent the last two years in the IRR ( a kind of nondrilling reserve) but what you may not know is that come Aug. 2nd I will be out of even the IRR. I've been reflecting over all of the good times, the bad times, and the in between times I had in the Army and now I'm mulling over the idea of reenlisting in the reserves.

I honestly thought I had decided not to reenlist several years ago but after a recent thread here at Apolyton (about good part time ways to make extra cash) I have once again reopened the Army can of worms. What do you folks think? What are the up sides and down sides that you can see to reenlisting?

I really like the free travel, the friendships, and the extra money would be nice but not really enough to get excited about since it would only be a few thousand a year. The idea of getting a military pension in addition to all my other retirement savngs is also a plus but you can't draw a reserve pension until you're 65 so I've got nearly 40 years to worry about that.

The obvious downside would be the possibility (read almost certainty at least for a six year enlistment) getting pulled away from my civilian job, my family, and my friends to go to some hell hole overseas. Iraq and Liberia seem like obvious candidates but Bosnia or even another tour in Kosovo are possibilities. Am I missing anything here?

hi ,

, re-enlist

it does not matter what branch or army ( country ) , just re-enlist , ......

have a nice day

panag gives oerdin his re-enlist fee

Kramerman · July 31, 2003, 20:01

Quote:

Also I found a Psyops unit just a few miles away in the same city which is on Jump status so I'd get to go to Airborne School in Fort Benning.

HOOAH!

Lonestar · July 31, 2003, 20:05

As Olaf said, if you aren't happy, go for it. If you are...eh, F**k 'em.

Chemical Ollie · July 31, 2003, 21:00

For some peculiar reason, I'm still enlisted and will be one of the first they call for if Russia decides to take back Estonia or something. I wonder why they would need a cheesy old fart like me, when there is an excess of fit 20-something that they don't know how to use?