GOUGE Transitioning to SELRES after 2xFOS

[Ektar]

I am going to transition to the SELRES world following a 2xFOS for O4. I separate 1APR17, so I'm trying to get ahead of a few things and figure out the SELRES world now. I'm fairly familiar with the retirement system, good years, points, etc.

I have a few questions that I hope the community may help me with:

• How helpful is the CTO office? I have a contact, but no one ever answers the numbers to talk to someone to answer my questions!
• Is your Reserve Oath of Office sent to you by CTO to sign and return? I'm trying to figure the process out.
• Does my 2017 Active Duty time count to a good year of service? My anniversary year is in May.
• Do I have hoops to jump through for out of country travel (Europe) for a vacation immediately following my separation from AD?
• For a newly affiliated SELRES officer, when is your first drill period? I.e. I separate on 1APR17, when would I be expected to begin drilling? Can that date be delayed a month or two for travel and figuring out my new life?
• Last, what are everyone's thoughts about flying in the reserves? I'm a pilot and trying to figure out how much of an obligation actually flying is versus taking a position with an aviation affiliated reserve unit that handles ground support roles, like a Tactical Support Unit. I will working in the civilian world as a non-pilot (I don't have a job yet...).

Thank you all! I'm sure I'll have more questions and I appreciate the time.

 

[Flash]

I'll try to answer a few of your questions but since my transition was a while ago now (no CTO's, just recruiters when I did it) I can't answer all of them.

Does my 2017 Active Duty time count to a good year of service? My anniversary year is in May.

Yes, it'll be a good year. Your year will show up as two separate lines in your Annual Retirement Point Record/Annual Statement of Service History (ARPR/ASOSH) with the active line showing '0' for a good year but the reserve line shows a '1' for the good year. My summary has a line with 280 points for my active duty time and no good year but 7 points for the next, reserve line and it has a good year.

Do I have hoops to jump through for out of country travel (Europe) for a vacation immediately following my separation from AD?

I would do all the ATFP stuff with your active duty command before you go and document it (get the SSO to write a memo saying they briefed you, etc) and then let your NOSC know if you get assigned one before going or if they ask. More of a CYA thing than anything else.

For a newly affiliated SELRES officer, when is your first drill period? I.e. I separate on 1APR17, when would I be expected to begin drilling? Can that date be delayed a month or two for travel and figuring out my new life?

Once you are on the Ready Reserve rolls you should start drilling, so if you transition straight from active duty it should be the DWE in April. I had 6 weeks of holding time in the IRR but I don't know if that is case any longer. There shouldn't be a problem with taking some time off, I have known several guys and gals who have taken 5-8 months off, but I would try to coordinate with your NOSC first (which NOSC do you plan to affiliate with?) so you don't end up in the penalty box. If you miss a DWE without rescheduling your drills you effectively 'lose' them forever and it difficult to get them back. Not too big a deal but something that you at least want to try and coordinate with your NOSC. I deal with mustering and rescheduling in my unit so PM if you want more details.

Last, what are everyone's thoughts about flying in the reserves? I'm a pilot and trying to figure out how much of an obligation actually flying is versus taking a position with an aviation affiliated reserve unit that handles ground support roles, like a Tactical Support Unit. I will working in the civilian world as a non-pilot (I don't have a job yet...).

I haven't flown with the reserves but briefly looked at it and have worked with numerous folks who did fly and the bottom line is that actually flying with the reserves takes A LOT more time than just drilling with a 'regular' reserve unit. The regular reserve guys in the reserve Prowler squadron often did two weekends and a couple a weekdays a month or the equivalent of that. The VP squadrons didn't have as big a commitment but it was still a lot more than one weekend a month, two weeks a year.

The vast majority of guys who I know were able to swing a reserve flying gig were airline guys except for the Prowler squadron, where most were ECMO's in industry-related jobs that liked having folks with a foot in the game. My current unit is an aviation-related unit and we do the standard one weekend a month and 2-6 weeks a year in 'active' time.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Last, what are everyone's thoughts about flying in the reserves? I'm a pilot and trying to figure out how much of an obligation actually flying is versus taking a position with an aviation affiliated reserve unit that handles ground support roles, like a Tactical Support Unit. I will working in the civilian world as a non-pilot (I don't have a job yet...).
Thank you all! I'm sure I'll have more questions and I appreciate the time.

The CTO will start pinging you about affiliating with the Reserves soon, or at least mine did.

What community are you coming from? Every reserve unit functions differently, and hardware aviation commands (ResRons and SAUs) function differently from the rest of the Reserves. You are expected to "rush" squadrons you're interested in, and applying and getting selected is much like getting hired for a civilian job - networking, reputation, send in a resume, etc.

As Flash alluded to, the biggest thing flying units look for is how much time you can give them. They'll ask about your civilian employment and living arrangements as part of the rush process. They like airline guys because it's usually no biggie for them to play navy for stretches on demand. But if you're local and can take last-minute pop-up flights, make Stan meetings and SSDs, etc, all the better. Most flying units now have some sort of Fleet or FRS support mission, so weekend a month/two weeks in the summer usually doesn't cut it.

 

[squorch2]

I have a few questions that I hope the community may help me with:

• How helpful is the CTO office? I have a contact, but no one ever answers the numbers to talk to someone to answer my questions!

They're crap. Keep pushing hard on them, as maybe you'll get a response, but they're the worst.

• Is your Reserve Oath of Office sent to you by CTO to sign and return? I'm trying to figure the process out.

Your CTO sends you your Reserve Oath of Office, you take it, sign it with the witnessing officer, make a copy for your records, and then send it back. Your CTO may or may not tell you they got it. Flash's advice on your first drill weekend (DWE) is good, and I'll reemphasize that as soon as you sign it, you need to contact your NOSC or unit and let them know what your plans are.

I forget, but I believe your oath of office will let you get your reserve CAC at the nearest DEERS office.

• Does my 2017 Active Duty time count to a good year of service? My anniversary year is in May.

Yes. You also will not have to do AT (2 weeks of training) this year, although you can if you want.

• (I don't have a job yet...)

If you don't have a job, there will probably be money left to send you on orders (i.e., pay you for work) in April when you transition. (Money for orders in the reserves is released quarterly.)

Other stuff good to get smart on before you really need it:
NROWS (how you get orders to travel)
DTS
JO APPLY (how you get a job in the reserves)
Navy Reserve Homeport (https://private.navyreserve.navy.mil)
OWA (https://webmail.east.nmci.navy.mil, especially on how to configure it to read encrypted email)

I've got a "things I wish I knew before affiliating with the reserves" document at home, I'll upload it this weekend.

 

[Flash]

Other stuff good to get smart on before you really need it:
NROWS (how you get orders to travel)
DTS
JO APPLY (how you get a job in the reserves)
Navy Reserve Homeport (https://private.navyreserve.navy.mil)
OWA (https://webmail.east.nmci.navy.mil, especially on how to configure it to read encrypted email).

Why bother with separate links when all you need is just one? The one, the only....Kelly Beamsley! Not a joke, just some reservist who put together a one stop shop for all the reserve websites you ever needed with the certificates needed right there. Overall an unintended but very appropriate commentary on the Navy Reserve and it's IT.

 

[Gatordev]

Some thoughts from the other side of the table...

-If you want to fly in the Reserves and you haven't started working with a Reserve flying unit, you're behind. You can totally recover, but they have selection boards that only meet every so often. I'm sorry, but I can't remember your background, but I want to say you're a helo guy. If you're looking at rushing a helo unit (hardware or SAU), they don't care about airlines, just how available you are and if you're local-ish (since airlines aren't usually an option).

-You can't drill until you're officially affiliated. While CTOs can be lame, they still drive the bus, so stay on them. If you're working with hardware unit/SAU, they can also push the CTO from their end. Your first drill period won't actually be with your unit, but with the NOSC to go through INDOC. In my experience, that's been a full weekend (4 drills). This is important because your actual unit can't do anything administratively until you do that INDOC (due to the computer systems).

-Since you mentioned the TSU....be careful. I'm not sure anyone really knows what that means in the long term. That said, you'll still be expected to maintain your FY mins. Historically, HCS squadrons also expect you to maintain your level quals (although evidence shows that they didn't enforce this...zing!). The TSUs are a weird animal, as they're actually made up of two different units, so right now I'm not sure there's an actual solid movement to how they'll operate, but BL, expect to participate enough to give you at least 9-ish hours a month. And not every month's drills/orders are going to be dedicated to flying. All the extra BS (GMT, medical, etc) is a YUGE deal on the Reserve side.

 

[vxc961]

I am going to transition to the SELRES world following a 2xFOS for O4. I separate 1APR17, so I'm trying to get ahead of a few things and figure out the SELRES world now. I'm fairly familiar with the retirement system, good years, points, etc.

I have a few questions that I hope the community may help me with:

• How helpful is the CTO office? I have a contact, but no one ever answers the numbers to talk to someone to answer my questions!
• Is your Reserve Oath of Office sent to you by CTO to sign and return? I'm trying to figure the process out.
• Does my 2017 Active Duty time count to a good year of service? My anniversary year is in May.
• Do I have hoops to jump through for out of country travel (Europe) for a vacation immediately following my separation from AD?
• For a newly affiliated SELRES officer, when is your first drill period? I.e. I separate on 1APR17, when would I be expected to begin drilling? Can that date be delayed a month or two for travel and figuring out my new life?
• Last, what are everyone's thoughts about flying in the reserves? I'm a pilot and trying to figure out how much of an obligation actually flying is versus taking a position with an aviation affiliated reserve unit that handles ground support roles, like a Tactical Support Unit. I will working in the civilian world as a non-pilot (I don't have a job yet...).

Thank you all! I'm sure I'll have more questions and I appreciate the time.

Some repeat info, but here's my input:
1) The CTO will eventually (soon?) get you JOAPPLY access. At that point, you can search for your own jobs. Depending on what's important to you, you can focus on geography, mission, cool gear issued...whatever. In JOAPPLY, the CO of the unit will put a blurb and his contact info. It's really worthwhile to reach out to the CO and see what the unit's off-drill weekend (DWE) requirements are, what the weekends are like, what the schedule is, and all that.
2) I'm not sure (others have answered, and seem to know). I don't think anyone really cares. The reserves are such a shitshow that you'll submit 50% of the docs three times.
3) Yes, to get a "good" year for retirement you'll need 50pts. Since your anniversary year is in May, you definitely had a "good" year by August of 2016. Come May of 2017, you'll need another 50 (35pts+membership) pts.
4) Unofficially: No. Do your stuff on AD, then just go. Be honest on your SF-86, but again, the reserves is a shitshow. Do your best, and you'll be fine.
5) Yes, you should try to coord your affiliation date as after your European vacation, but you can also coordinate that with your reserve your CO before you get the billet. I think there's also a third option: I'm a reserve OIC, and if one of my "selectees" recently said "oh, I'll be in South America for two months, so I'll be showing up late" I wouldn't care; I would resked his drills or whatever, and I'm definitely not aching for him to start help writing my FY17 training plan as the new guy.
6) I'm a shoe...sorry.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Yeah, one thing I should point out with regards to your affiliation and vacation questions - going to a Reserve command isn't like PCSing, with a NLT report date and all. If you keep the relevant POCs appraised of your plans ("Skipper, I'm going on a European vacation after I leave AD and plan to start drilling in month X"), that's more than enough. The Reserves understand that the USNR isn't your main job and that you schedule Navy when it fits into your life, not the other way around like on active duty.

Being a reservist is much like a civvie job as far as obligations. You can leave the unit if it doesn't suit you, transfer to a new one when the opportunity arises, quit altogether if you don't need the money. The unit just wants you to meet minimum points to stay good with the Navy, show up to run your PFA and keep your shots and NKO current so the NOSC doesnt keep pinging them, and support the unit mission as much as possible.

Flying Reserves are, as I said, a bit different. They all have a mission to meet. If you're just meeting minimums and otherwise acting like a Couch Reservist, they may start hinting it's time for you to move on. Especially if they have guys looking to affiliate who are willing to give them more.

 

[Ektar]

Everyone, thank you very much for all of the answers you've provided. It will be helpful!

For those who asked, I'm a P-3 bubba orignally out of Jacksonville, FL. I live in Gainesville right now and plan to stay in Gainesville due to my wife's job. I'm talking with VP-62 and have a few friends in that squadron. I just need to decide what I want out of the reserve world and how best to handle balancing it and civilian life.

I'm sure I will have more questions, but I really do appreciate the time each of you took to provide your input, it is very helpful.

Cheers,

MAMAL

 

[Uncle Fester]

@Ektar - well you'll be in a good locale. Centrally located so you could go for units in Jax, P'cola, Tampa (Centcom), Miami (Southcom), maybe KW. Pretty sure there are resacs supporting NAWC in Orlando.

One hurdle I can see for you if you want to fly in the Res: since you're on AD and in Gainesville, I deduce you're teaching ROTC at UF? And therefore not current in the plane? If that's the case, and your life can support it, make the case that you're willing to go on AT for a few months at the FRS for a cat-many.

Another way to go is cross-assignment. That's where you're assigned to one unit but drill at another, usually geographically closer, unit or active command. If your parent unit can support it and especially if it's at least kinda-sorta related to their mission, most skippers will go for it. So get a billet at, say, CNATRA and then see if the Nav Sci dept at Florida could use you as a part-timer.

 

[Gatordev]

One hurdle I can see for you if you want to fly in the Res: since you're on AD and in Gainesville, I deduce you're teaching ROTC at UF? And therefore not current in the plane? If that's the case, and your life can support it, make the case that you're willing to go on AT for a few months at the FRS for a cat-many.

Just for clarity's sake, it would be Schools ADT he'd go on. If VP-62 doesn't have a bunch of guys banging on the door, this is a definite possibility, but if current guys are trying to get in, it definitely makes you less competitive.

Another way to go is cross-assignment. That's where you're assigned to one unit but drill at another, usually geographically closer, unit or active command. If your parent unit can support it and especially if it's at least kinda-sorta related to their mission, most skippers will go for it. So get a billet at, say, CNATRA and then see if the Nav Sci dept at Florida could use you as a part-timer.

That's not quite how it works. First up, with no RAG experience, I wouldn't expect CNATRA to give you the time of day. Jim can add more there. Also, you can't just cross-assign in to any unit. There still has to be a SELRES billet there to get into. And you can't sit IAP indefinitely. Lastly, at least while I was there, there was no Reserve UIC at UF, just the several AC flavors of UICs (staff, SeeBees, and something else I'm forgetting). I'm not really seeing that as an option.

Also, Ektar, if you're not flying, nearby NOSCs are Tampa, Jax, TLH, and Orlando. I know Fester mentioned those cities, but the NOSC is where you'll initially start and probably drill every month.[/user]

 

[Ektar]

@Uncle Fester - I'm at the ROTC unit at UF. It's not a bad place to be fired from, I must say.

@Gatordev - When were you at UF? And you are right, we don't have any reserve UICs here, just the active flavors. Ideally, I'd like to drill in Jax, but I'll have to see where the billets are and what I decide to try to do.

I know I have an uphill battle if I want to fly with VP-62. Good news, I was told when they brought a plane in to show off to our mids, that they are looking for pilots who are 'local' right now. I'm going to talk with them and try to get a feeling for what their commitments and expectations are. I need to figure out the time division between the reserves and civilian job. I'm leaning towards a non-flying billet to ensure I can get my civilian career off to the right start and get established.

Again, thank you all for the help!

 

[Pags]

One word of caution from the cheap seats: all my buds who went SELRES just got MOBd (resulting in a job for @Fester). In general all of them were either reaching a good point in their new careers or were just starting new gigs after school or the first gig. In fact, one guy got MOBd while moving to a new job, so on his first day he got to tell them that he was headed overseas. Yeah, there are protections but, for instance, there's no guarantee that the guy who left an opening in the org I work with (that fester filled) will get that specific job back. Caveat Emptor.

 

[Uncle Fester]

That's not quite how it works. First up, with no RAG experience, I wouldn't expect CNATRA to give you the time of day. Jim can add more there. Also, you can't just cross-assign in to any unit. There still has to be a SELRES billet there to get into. And you can't sit IAP indefinitely. Lastly, at least while I was there, there was no Reserve UIC at UF, just the several AC flavors of UICs (staff, SeeBees, and something else I'm forgetting). I'm not really seeing that as an option.

I mis-typed, I meant CNET. I know they have some Reserve billets - or at least, they have some Reservists working full-time - though that's all I know.

My own personal experience with cross-assignment has been that there is a lot of flex with sending folks to places where Reservists might not normally go, if both Skippers/OICs agree, though I'd agree it's not something one should count on for long-term.

Also @Ektar: usually when JOs ask me about the Reserves I tell them to look into FTS as well. I don't know the current state of play for the FTS boards, but you'd be eligible for VP, VT (P) and VR, plus the NOSC CO track.

 

[Gatordev]

When were you at UF?

I was stashed there on a med hold for two years after I commissioned. I ended up teaching while I was there. I'm sure whatever guys like RLSO don't know about navigation is due to my poor teaching.

One word of caution from the cheap seats: all my buds who went SELRES just got MOBd (resulting in a job for @Fester). In general all of them were either reaching a good point in their new careers or were just starting new gigs after school or the first gig.

Certainly worth mentioning. But also important to keep in mind that if he affiliates right after getting out, he'll be protected for 2 years. And as of now, if he goes to a CNAFR-funded billet, he'll be protected beyond that.

My own personal experience with cross-assignment has been that there is a lot of flex with sending folks to places where Reservists might not normally go, if both Skippers/OICs agree, though I'd agree it's not something one should count on for long-term.

I gotcha. That's less "cross-assigned" and more a gentleman's agreement. We did that for one of my pilots while he was transitioning from SELTAR to strategic Reservist.

I don't know the current state of play for the FTS boards, but you'd be eligible for VP, VT (P) and VR, plus the NOSC CO track.

VERY competitive. The answer will always be no if you don't apply, but right now RAG IPs with competitive EPs are getting non-selected.