Switching from Active to Reserves

[xjman1990]

So, it's that time. I am thinking about switching from active duty Army ( 91B- Mechanic) to Reserve's (31B-MP). I am planning on doing this in WA i would like to know what to expect if i can get this MP slot.

Will i go to AIT right away and will i be considered prior service?

I have served almost 6 years active duty. any help would be great.

[SRT936]

You should be sent to a re-class school instead of having to go back to AIT, especially if you're above E4. If I remember right, the re-class is 4 weeks long (2, 2 week phases). If you're going into a reserve unit, they'll probably send you to either FLW or Knox for the re-class. If you're going into the guard, you'll probably end up going to an RTI led school in your state or nearby.

[xjman1990]

I am an E-4 and i am going to Reserves, How fast do they normally send re-classes. I have heard some stories that when u go to reserves you sometimes have to wait a long time for a class date....

[Rookie5]

When I went through 31B school at FLW it was a ONESIT program where I spent 5 1/2 months with the same drill instructors. When we graduated basic training, people that re-classed or failed out joined up with us for AIT. The people who joined us were under E-4, makes me wonder if E-5 and above went to a different base due to rank. You will be considered prior service for enlistment bonus purposes not sure what other reasons that would matter for.

[xjman1990]

When you re-class as a prior enlisted you get out of doing a lot of things and you have more privileges than an AIT student.

Do MP reserves patrol anything at all or what?

[xjman1990]

Any reserves on this site from Washington State?

[xjman1990]

So, there is no slots for MP reserves but they are able to re-class me and send me to a MP Unit (NG most likely) and then that unit will send me to school.

My question is, how likely is this to happen fairly quickly or will i be doing OJT a lot till the unit sends me?

[SRT936]

So, there is no slots for MP reserves but they are able to re-class me and send me to a MP Unit (NG most likely) and then that unit will send me to school.

My question is, how likely is this to happen fairly quickly or will i be doing OJT a lot till the unit sends me?

I can speak more directly to NG issues. I'm guessing they found you an MP slot in a Guard unit. You'll hold the slot and train with other 31B's but you won't actually have that MOS until they send you to school. Your admins will look in the system and find you the soonest re-class school they can find. It will probably happen pretty quickly. It all depends on how long it takes for them to find an open class.

[xjman1990]

I can speak more directly to NG issues. I'm guessing they found you an MP slot in a Guard unit. You'll hold the slot and train with other 31B's but you won't actually have that MOS until they send you to school. Your admins will look in the system and find you the soonest re-class school they can find. It will probably happen pretty quickly. It all depends on how long it takes for them to find an open class.

So i will actually train, not just be thrown on random details or have to start turning a wrench again ( current MOS ) my other fear is that the state is hurting for money so i wont get a re-class date............ UHHH i dunno i really wanna re-class so i am willing to wait.. They didn't find me a slot where i could get it wrote into contract to go straight to re-class school,i would be considered over strength at that unit and it would be on them to send me to school. How it was explained to me.

Can you tell me about life as NG MP? Do i actually get to patrol or what? ( after re-class school)

[SRT936]

So i will actually train, not just be thrown on random details or have to start turning a wrench again ( current MOS ) my other fear is that the state is hurting for money so i wont get a re-class date............ UHHH i dunno i really wanna re-class so i am willing to wait..

If you're enlisting in the Guard as an MP, you'll be assigned to an MP unit and hold an MP slot. Odds are you will train with the current MP's but will not be allowed to function as an MP until MOS Q'd. Depending on the unit, you may end up on the detail squad for a while. There's no way to know for sure. Every unit is a little different.

They didn't find me a slot where i could get it wrote into contract to go straight to re-class school,i would be considered over strength at that unit and it would be on them to send me to school. How it was explained to me.

Two questions. Are you guaranteed an MP slot in your contract? If not, you could end up being re-class into whatever they need. Do NOT sign an open contract.

As far as the school is concerned, the unit has 12 months to get you re-class or they start getting dinged by State. Your admins will make every effort to get you to a school ASAP. If you go in and tell them that you are available to ship as soon as they find a school, they'll get you out right away.

Can you tell me about life as NG MP? Do i actually get to patrol or what? ( after re-class school)

I was not an MP but had seriously considered re-classing into it when I resigned my commission. I did quite a bit research on it so I know some stuff but don't consider me an expert on MP's. First up, MP's don't really do police work any more. Especially in the Guard. NG MP's are primarily tasked with convoy security and FOB security. You'll get some police training but will not have the opportunity to use it much.

Another thing to watch out for is many Guard units are actually 31E groups tasked with POW operations.

[xjman1990]

Oh course i would double check my contract prior to signing it to ensure that it slots me as a 31B. Hell i will tell my ADMIN i am ready to go my first drill haha. Yea i keep hearing that they are doing a lot of POW missions now. I want L&O out on patrol. well see what happens, i have 3 more weeks before everything is finalized. I am trying to learn as much as i can prior so i can make correct choices.

Happen to know the difference between NG and Reserves when it comes to MP's?
like you said NG are FOB sect. and convoy sect. so, what would reserves do?

[SRT936]

Oh course i would double check my contract prior to signing it to ensure that it slots me as a 31B. Hell i will tell my ADMIN i am ready to go my first drill haha. Yea i keep hearing that they are doing a lot of POW missions now. I want L&O out on patrol. well see what happens, i have 3 more weeks before everything is finalized. I am trying to learn as much as i can prior so i can make correct choices.

Happen to know the difference between NG and Reserves when it comes to MP's?
like you said NG are FOB sect. and convoy sect. so, what would reserves do?

My understanding is that there is almost no difference between the NG mission and the reserve mission. MP's are just not doing much law enforcement anymore, even on active duty. Its one of the major reason's I chose not to become an MP.

[Bearcat357]

I want L&O out on patrol.

If I were you....I'd get with the Unit Recruiters and see if you can go to a weekend drill to see what all they do......talk to the guys/gals in the unit to see how they like it....and to get with the NCOs and ask them what their non-qualified folks do.....especially during Annual Training (AT).

When I was in, our non-quailified folks got stuck on details and KP duty during AT and would do the same training we did on weekends. But, I am sure every unit is different......

If they don't let you....then I would suspect they are fibbing to you on what the Unit really does during the weekends, at AT, and while deployed. There should be no reason why you can't visit and talk during a drill weekend.....

I would also ask about deployments and all that....because MPs are being used heavily in both theaters......and they aren't patroling. They are doing their combat support missions........ Ask when they last went....and when they are projected to go again. No matter what the POTUS might say about drawing down......MPs are still going to be in demand......

As for what you might do during AT....all depends on the unit. Some are being sent to Army Installations/Training areas and working on combat support missions. While others are being sent places to back-fill Active Duty units that are deployed. My buddies wife whas been to Germany twice now to work the road for 90 days for units that are deployed to the ME.....

My old Unit got deployed half the unit for a year to Iraq and just got back. They were attached to an Active Duty unit and were doing Convoys, training Iraqi Cops, and looking for bad guys...... No police cars for them..... The other half went to Fort Riley and worked the road........

Oh...there is really no difference btwn Guard/Reserve/Active duty....except that Guard can get deployed for State Emergencies......and Reserves can get deployed individulally to fill in for Active Duty folks.....

Job is still the same depending on what the Units mission is....


Good Luck....

[xjman1990]

Thanks, i think i might wanna go reserve's i would mind deploying and filling in for an active unit. The career counselor has the choice of guard or reserves. I will see what and how i can go about hitting up a drill weekend or at least a day. I have talked to a couple people and they said it should take that long to go to re-class school and get MOS Qed. Thanks for the information. i feel like i am signing up for the Army all over again and doesn't know any thing but i have been in for 6 years.

[Bearcat357]

Thanks, i think i might wanna go reserve's i would mind deploying and filling in for an active unit.

National Guard units fill in for active duty folks all the time. My friends wife is in the MN National Guard.... Her unit has been to Germany twice.....and is looking at doing it again if they will let her.

There have been/are Reserve MP Units going as a whole....or the Army can split you up for your unit and stick you places..... They usually keep you as a unit but....stuff does happen.....

As stated, only difference btwn the two is that the Guard can get called up for State Emergencies.....Reserves don't....

I have talked to a couple people and they said it should take that long to go to re-class school and get MOS Qed..

If you are really set for being an MP....go for it.....but I think you will be disappointed.... Hell, even most active duty MPs aren't patroling any more. We've got an entire BDE of MPs and probably only 30 of them are on the road during a 24 hour period. Rest of shift and the gates are being covered by Dept of Army Police Officers and Dept of the Army Security Guards.....