Active Duty vs. Reserve

[concon02]

When joining the military in hopes of making yourself a better applicant for a position as a PO and just for the experience and benefits of it, does a department really care if you're a reserve or active duty?

[SRT1086]

I don't work for our human resources, but I can tell you a lot of the dep's on my dept have a military backgroud...reserve, national guard, and active. Every little bit helps!!!

[concon02]

Gotcha. Is one preferred over the other, or do they not really look at that so much?

[SRT1086]

I'm not sure...
I know you don't get preference points or anything like that for military service...but, I know it looks good because of the training you have to go through.

[gotthblues]

I'm not sure...
I know you don't get preference points or anything like that for military service...but, I know it looks good because of the training you have to go through.

an applicant doesnt get 10 or 5 pts for being military,,,thats a new one to me,,,,

[CGPD4566]

Not all agencies award points to military service. I don't know about mine specifically, but I know a couple around my area don't care if you're military or not.

[gotthblues]

hmmm,,i just assumed that was standard. i applied like crazy right before i got outta college, not one didnt give pts.

[CGPD4566]

I talked with an area recruiter for a nearby department and he said his department doesn't like the fact that military men, trained to kill, come into the department with that mindset to kill. I asked him what he meant, because I know the military is trained to kill in self defense and he told me that there is no police academy that has a section where you stab a bag and yell "KILL!" over and over like the military. I don't know if this department is just sore with military guys or what, but thats what I heard from him.

[Pavelow]

not many pd's put that military earns you extra points, but i'm sure it shows up more positive than the next recruit who worked at applebees.

[gotthblues]

i hadnt thought of it that way,,but then again i wouldnt know the first thing about military training. i looked into it when i graduated HS, but was told by marine recruiter that cause i have asthma, if i got through boot camp, i would ride a desk, i chose college,,is that true,,also it was ohh, 11 yrs ago, so that werent exactly short on recruits then..which brings me to my next point,,i heard a police recruiter say that the only prob. he had with giving military points,,is that even though all go to boot camp, not all stay in the combat or training phase,,ie- ride a desk for 4 yrs and call themselves a soldier..as far as having a kill attitude,,i m sure some are out there, but ive only seen one that really had an angry thing, but i ve seen some that are too rigid for the public (pursae), which i think is a double edged sword. you cant be too warm and fuzzy. sorry, i rambled,,anyway i ve never seen anyone turned away just cause they are military..

[gotthblues]

not many pd's put that military earns you extra points, but i'm sure it shows up more positive than the next recruit who worked at applebees.

atleast the applebees guy can a- tell if there is a bogger on his meal and b-knows how to spot a drunk c- can mingle w/ the people during bar checks

[pkagel]

Maybe some want you to have combat experience but I doubt many departments care so much if you have it. OK, combat paper shuffler might not sound too good but if you get into a technical field you would have all the military bearing and some marketable skills to present to a department. A department stocked with just USMC Infantry might be great at kicking in doors but are they really going to be able to handle talking to an engineer? If I was Chief I would want a department with people who have all different skill sets so I could best pick who to send in.

As far as AD vs. Reserve, if you enjoy it you can allways go AD so go Reserve and see what you think. My best advise is to find something you think you'd like that you could possibly use as an officer and go with it. I was a Nuclear Reactor Operator and Electronics Technician. That is training that I doubt many officers have and when I hit the streets again I'll guarantee I'll use my skills. Maybe not directly but the way we were taught to think in the Navy will allow me a different take on a situation than an Infantry man or CJ major. On top of it, my engineering skills allow me to know how engineers think and therefore I will better be able to relate to my suspects and attempt to predict their thought processes.