Yes, you can be cross-assigned as an O-4 or below. But you need to be realistic about what this may entail. If you’re cross-assigned, you can get IDTT orders quarterly to go to your UMUIC (the MOB unit you’re cross-assigned into). All other drills, you would normally do with your TRUIC (the training UIC you’re cross-assigned out of), which is probably still going to be the unit you’re in right now as IAP.
You need to be clear about two things every JOAPPLY cycle of your career: what you’re looking to do, and how far (if at all) you’re willing to pay out of pocket to travel. You can ask to be locally assigned anywhere. In fact, if you make O-5, you’ll HAVE to be locally assigned from there on out! But “locally assigned” is a term of art. I live in greater Seattle, but am locally assigned to North Island. I pocket a few hundred bucks each DWE; the rest of my drill pay is airfare and a car. SELRES airline pilots can get ridiculous; my CO is locally assigned to North Island, and lives in Texas!
There is NO IDTT if you’re locally assigned. In fact, if you’re locally assigned out of area, you have to sign a Page 13 basically acknowledging you have to get your own butt to your drill site on your own dime. BUT . . . you get a greater pick of units that might better line up with what you want to do, if you’re willing to pay to get there. But you need to set limits. Personally, for example, my current unit is as far as I’m willing to go on a monthly basis. PacNW? Vegas? Fallon? Maybe Phoenix? Sure. But no further than San Diego for me on a monthly basis.
Also note that there are “flex drill” units where you drill for like a week straight every quarter. If that works with your job, you can travel farther, because you have to buy fewer plane tickets to earn more drill pay. Still, even though you said you’re willing to pay, set your limits before committing to three years of having to go somewhere.
Also, if you’re local, that CO owns your FITREP. If you’re cross-assigned, your TRUIC CO owns your FITREP. So that unit you’re trying to get out of and go somewhere interesting? Yeah, that is still the unit you’ll have the most face time with . . . unless you pay up yourself, OR there is extra IDTT available (not likely). Your ability to get IDTT is directly proportional to your UMUIC’s funding, and inversely proportional to how much of a dirtbag your UMUIC’s OPSO is. If you do a lot of cross-assigned work, your UMUIC CO can give you a concurrent or agree to pull you into his/her summary group. Just understand that in the latter case, you’re probably cannon fodder for the locally assigned folks, unless you really show up and rock it. In which case, why not be a local fill anyway?
Cross-assigned folks tend to get a raw deal, IMHO. They count on the books of their UMUIC for whether they’re assigned somewhere that needs their skills. But from the UMUIC’s perspective, they’re these ghosts who maybe show up once a quarter (if they answer emails at all) and are basically a net drain on manpower, because they’re filling a billet that would otherwise go to a local Sailor. Meanwhile, they’re stuffed into a TRUIC that may have nothing to do with their skills (hello aviators cross-assigned out of CORIVRONS; I’ve seen it). But this is where they spend 8 of 12 DWEs, then expect to somehow get useful paper. What a mess. It’s CNRFC’s completely dodgy way of manning the force after they run out of local billets.
Lots of words and I’m in the middle of AT, but feel free to hit me up via PM if you’re not getting good answers out of your front office. I’m neither a front office member or an 18X5, but I was a confused new reservist once, too.