USN Constant Mobilizations, ADSW

[azguy]

I heard my reserve CO say that he knows people who got separated from active duty, but then get back in as FTS and get active duty pensions. However, I also see this as just a hope.

This is definitely possible- my point is that I can't imagine you'd ever promote above O-4 or maybe O-5 by hanging around staffs for 20 years. That puts a serious wet blanket on the pension if and when you do qualify for it.

 

[vxc961]

My designator is 1105. So I do look out for those 1XXX or 11XX opportunities. I heard my reserve CO say that he knows people who got separated from active duty, but then get back in as FTS and get active duty pensions. However, I also see this as just a hope. In my eyes, hope is not a strategy.

Check out the NAVY RESERVE PERSONNEL MANUAL (google it). It's actually easy to read, and will tell you lots of good info. Included in there very early in the text is an RFAS "glossary"; it's a 4-digit code (letter and digit...not sure of the word) and the first digit tells you the authorized rank substitution, the second two are like designator/skill substitutions, and I think the fourth is male/female, which I guess doesn't matter now. That will tell you what advertised jobs you're able to apply for.

Forums are tough to gauge sometimes, but it seems to me you're focusing on trying to line up five years worth of back-to-back active duty orders, when you can really just work on the upcoming set. Do a good job in those orders, and on a not-to-interfere-with-your-job-performance basis, try to set yourself up for career progression in both civ and mil worlds once you get out. As an 1100 in the IRR (VTU, right), you probably have to live your life as if you won't make O-4* (and thus won't get to 20), but explore designator changes or find an 1100 mentor who's done it.

Good luck!

*I don't think I realized this as a younger JO, but all the line officers compete against each other on the promotion board. It's not like they say "we need 15 1105s to promote", rather they say "we need 300 URLs to promote." If you get great fitreps as a LT, the outlook probably isn't as bleak as I'm making it sound.

 

[vxc961]

Where can you sign up for these announcements?

https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/usnrfc/subscribers/new

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I've known people who try to do this full time reservist thing. Never met an IRR guy that does it, but I don't see how it would be that much different when talking executing ADSW orders.

I'll echo others that have said that this doesn't provide you with great job security. I've seen ADSW billets cut/orders cancelled just weeks before the job was to start (this was for a guy already filling a billet and was expecting it to be renewed). So he had just weeks to figure out his next job or set of orders. That said, in the aggregate, if you're in a fleet concentration area for your designator/specialty, you can likely make it work, bouncing from command to command. Think Tampa, Oahu, or DC, all of which have multiple 4-star staffs (each location with a certain amount of specialization). SD, Norfolk also have a pretty large staff footprint.

I would think that if you want to go to work in uniform everyday, there is a lot more upside to doing it on active duty. Your promotion ceiling/pension is higher, more command opportunities, etc. That said, for certain people, this "reserve bum" lifestyle is appealing in that it probably tends to be a lower stress existence.

not sure how often this happens but I just ran into a SELRES LT who was on ADSW orders, she made LCDR and then they sent her back to the reserve unit. Is it possible this happened or do you think there is more to the story

 

[subreservist]

not sure how often this happens but I just ran into a SELRES LT who was on ADSW orders, she made LCDR and then they sent her back to the reserve unit. Is it possible this happened or do you think there is more to the story

I'm pretty sure it happened, because I know quite a few in that boat. The ADSW/MPN/RPN type orders are fewer for the O4 and above ranks, especially as URL (as a JAG or MED you still have options). MOB, of course, is a different thing. Anyway, if you promote above what that billet calls for, you can start packing bags for civilian work...they may give a few months pay/benefits at the new rank or if you're really valuable, they may even let you finish the current orders but you will not get renewed to that billet, unless they change the required billet rank.

CANREC orders are like that, too. You promote past O3 and it's done, even if you didn't get the 5 years (2 yrs initial, with 1 yr follow on orders) out of the billet. Probably the only occasion where a person is conflicted on the benefits of a promotion. You literally can promote yourself out a job!

 

[m5h9]

It seems to me that when the music stops on your reserve career, and it will stop, there will be a hard transition to make during your gray area reservist time before 60 yoa. I found the transition from active duty to the civilian world was extremely challenging, although being SELRES buffered this a little. Also, I wanted to comment on the discussion regarding the civilian resume issue. I have found that "most" civilian employers know very little about military life and were confused when it came to deciphering resumes with military experience. Granted this doesn't entirely apply to military friendly companies, although there can still be a cultural barrier. Also, you must/can refashion your resume to fit the culture and requirements of each position you are applying to, which is no small task.

Anyway, why not make the transition when younger and can ride through the rough first years to get applicable civilian experience under your belt. This way, when you are approaching middle age you aren't trying to explain what a squadron or a unit is to the 22 year old HR twit who has resumes with direct relateable experience?

Although, I have seen some 1105s make O-4 by leading the reserve bum life and checking all the boxes (such as JPME).

 

[Randy Daytona]

You might have a chance to make O-4 in the IRR with multiple ADSW orders and current fitreps. However if you want to make O-5 or especially O-6 you need to go SelRes. If you get 130 inactive points per year and 50 active points per year for 30 years, you will end up with 75% of the traditional 20 year retirement - and the difference in the retirement check between O-4 and O-6 is nearly double.

I would suggest pick a theatre of operations: the Pacific, Europe or Southwest Asia and specialize.

You will probably want to alternate between operational SelRes billets (OpsO, XO, CO) and ADSW staff tours. You are correct, courses at the NWC, JSC and NDU will give you NOBC's and AQD's - the most valuable of these is probably the Maritime Staff Operators Course (MSOC) at NWC . After taking that planning course, I got emails asking me to go on orders. The other thing is once you do a good job on ADSW, the command will put you at the head of the list for ADSW call backs - they prefer a known quantity who does a good job rather than an unknown who will also have to spool up on how things work. BTW, most of the staff billets at combatant commands and fleets are for O-4's and O-5's.

As for getting promoted, this was published a few years ago on the promotion board zone message to give everyone a clue what the boards were looking for (remember command trumps anything):

What did the board consider “important” for promotion from O-4 to O-5?
>Financial Management
>Operational Analysis
>Joint Experience
>Acquisition Corps
>Navy Operational Planner
>Political-Military Strategists

What did the board consider “important” for promotion from O-5 to O-6?
>Joint Experience
>Financial Management
>Operational Analysis
>Acquisition Corps
>Navy Operational Planner
>Shore Installation Management

 

[pascol1]

As far as the qualifications, has anyone seen unqualified candidates get selected, such as not having a TS clearance, NOBC, correct paygrade, etc?

 

[nittany03]

It seems to me that when the music stops on your reserve career, and it will stop, there will be a hard transition to make during your gray area reservist time before 60 yoa. I found the transition from active duty to the civilian world was extremely challenging, although being SELRES buffered this a little. Also, I wanted to comment on the discussion regarding the civilian resume issue. I have found that "most" civilian employers know very little about military life and were confused when it came to deciphering resumes with military experience. Granted this doesn't entirely apply to military friendly companies, although there can still be a cultural barrier. Also, you must/can refashion your resume to fit the culture and requirements of each position you are applying to, which is no small task.

Anyway, why not make the transition when younger and can ride through the rough first years to get applicable civilian experience under your belt. This way, when you are approaching middle age you aren't trying to explain what a squadron or a unit is to the 22 year old HR twit who has resumes with direct relatable experience?

THIS IS GOOD GOUGE! READ AND HEED!

You have two careers to protect as a reservist, your civilian one and your military one. And the remarks about civ recruiters not knowing jack about the military is spot on. As a military person, when you finally think you've civilianized your resume, think again. Go to a military job fair and run it by one of the volunteers who have never served. Run it by a friend who has never served and who you trust to give you a straight answer. It will boggle your mind how little of what you wrote makes sense. Unless you personally network your way to a hiring manager, these "22-year-old HR twits" get a chop on whether your resume even makes it to the hiring manager's desk.

Officers are in a weird spot in COMCIVPAC. At least an enlisted person has a specialization, for better or worse. An airframer can get an A&P license, then go to a company and say "I fix airplanes." An MM can say "I work on boilers" or "I work on gas turbine machinery." An officer is a generalist and a leader. The first will blow the HR bunny's mind. As for the second, stand by for "well, you could just yell at people and tell them what to do. That's not 'real leadership.'" Also, the civ side, unlike the military, gives jack and shit about "potential." The mil side hires based on "I can turn this Mid into a SWO, aviator, or bubblehead." The civ side expects you to show up tomorrow already trained and hit the ground running. Can't do that? Great. Thanks for your time. Next candidate.

Bottom line, you need to do enough with the Reserves, but you also need to build and keep civilian cred. Mil to civ transition is flat-out tough. Doable, but tough.