|
not caring here posted:I remember a few companies, Leidos being one of them, that have been sponsoring Secret clearances for non clearance havers. I don't know if it's still true. It's true IF there's nobody else available and they can pass the costs onto the government. I got my Secret from SAIC, which used to be one with Leidos. Several other companies were willing to front for a TS/SCI, but one (which I wish I could remember the name of) was so cheap I think they'd have argued with me if I wanted office supplies.
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 05:28
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 16, 2024 08:47 |
|
|
BaseballPCHiker posted:How dumb would it be to join the National Guard as a 34 year old, non-college grad, making $90K a year? Extremely dumb since most (Air) National Guard jobs that would give you the leg up you want require you to either become an officer or be prior Enlisted. Cyber Intelligence (AFSC: 1N4X1A) is the only career field I can think off that takes non priors but AFAIK they dont have a huge presence in the Natty Guard. I cant speak for the Army Guard though. I dont know if Signals Branch has any worthwile keyboard jobs because most of their poo poo seems like youre laying cable and comms in the field. last edit:Also I cant speak for the Army Guards Cyber Branch requirements either. No idea if they take non prior Enlisted or not. Knives Amilli fucked around with this message at 05:37 on Oct 27, 2020 |
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 05:29
|
|
|
BaseballPCHiker posted:I'd be really interested in hearing about your experiences. Maybe I'm WAY off but I was really thinking, 6 weeks for basic, 3 months for advanced training and then I'm more or less free. I didnt think I'd have much besides the weekend a month 2 weeks in the summer deal. lol @ anybody who thinks it's just one weekend a month two weeks a year Buddy don't do it. I get that white collar malaise and wanting something new, I get it, but this isn't it. You're just going to end up with two lovely careers you can neither commit to or excel in because they compete while you slowly get more angry and depressed. Your time on this rock is finite. Don't waste it in uniform. Head over to YOSPOS or BFC and see what they can tell you about working your career instead, it will be better for your life in the long run.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 16:10
|
|
|
Pretty much my entire command on the reserve side consisted of cops, EMTs, firefighters, and people working in defense jobs or other careers that were very friendly towards the reserves. I left when I had the choice of spending a year in training in order to advance my reserve career or just focus on my civilian stuff. If your job isn't going to enthusiastically pay you to be gone for 3-4 days a month at minimum then it definitely isn't worth it. And while discrimination against military members is technically illegal, employers often dislike working with reservists because of the scheduling issues. At least half of our issues with our junior enlisted people was fully around their jobs and employers conflicting with drill schedules.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 16:30
|
|
|
Ok just because I feel like there should be one positive person here I'll be that guy. I joined the Navy reserves in 2014 because I really needed to change careers. I was 37 and a complete anomaly. I went in the recruiters in June and in November I started boot camp. 2 months later I was in Pensacola as an Information system Technician trainee for 6 months. Joined my reserve unit and started drilling every month from June 2015 2016 Drilled monthly. 2 weeks in Hawaii around april. Volunteered for a class in Virginia Beach that went from July to December. 2017 I just did my monthly drill and 2 weeks a year (in Hawaii oh it was awful). 2018 I found out about some orders in D.C. and volunteered from April to October. I had also volunteered for a week long class in Texas. I think I drilled like 4 times that year. Did my two weeks in Hawaii again. 2019 I just did my monthly drills and 2 weeks a year (in Tacoma this time. it was actually awful) 2020...... I volunteered to mobilize for the year. I'm sitting on a ship dodging the plague not exactly having the time of my life but it could be worse I could be in the desert or something I don't know. 2021 I wont have to drill more than like once until October. I may have to do my AT during OCT to DEC. Who knows. 2022 My contract is up June 2022. I'll have to do my AT if I didn't do it in 2021. Monthly drills until June. So something to take away from all this is I did a lot of poo poo I didn't have to do because I got itchy feet and like traveling. Also some of my experiences were way beyond the norm because of luck/proactive. In 2019 I was about halfway up the list for being mobilized against my will. Up like 1/20th from the year before. A lot of people volunteer to be able to pick their poison. So all this did land me a much better paying job due to my clearance but I work in physical infrastructure not no fancy coding. Drilling is super lame and a terrible way to spend a weekend but some units do "flex drilling" and only meet once or twice a quarter. Would I do it again? Yes. I'm better now than I was before. Being old kind of sucks for the first couple years in but after 5 years I'm E6 and blend in pretty well with E6 reservists.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 17:14
|
|
|
If you want to get a clearance to get more lucrative jobs, go work for a government contractor that will either 1) give you a clearance or 2) work on an unclass system and upgrade to a classified position. Yes, those upgrades do exist. Joining for a clearance is an extremely dumb idea. If you join, you deserve whatever happens to you.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 17:23
|
|
|
Crab dad is the one in ten thousand that has had nothing but a good time. You should play those odds, poster thinking about enlisting. What's the worst that could happen?
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 17:30
|
|
|
I spent 9 years in the reserves and I overall enjoyed it, but I joined at 20 with a GED and some college credits after working retail. A year of initial training, two deployments, and some volunteer active duty stuff and I still only made 90% GI Bill. It can definitely be beneficial and does work okay for a lot of folks, but if your goal is to get a clearance and the GI Bill then joining the reserves/guard is just not the best way to achieve those goals IMO.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 17:56
|
|
|
Being in Guard or Reserves will not earn the Post 911 GI Bill as fast, which other posters pointed out. However, Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve is still earned and can be used even if it is quite not as good as Post 911. AIn addition Guard will often leave you eligible for state level grants that will give scholarships and money towards college and housing which you can combine with the MGIBSR. Varies by state. The SCNG College Assistance Program will pay 100% of college tuition and fees at state supported institutions up to $4,500 per year, with a lifetime cap of $18,000 per service-member. You can combine this with your GI Bill, and other benefits. If you want to enlist first in the Guard or Reserve, then after that pursue your commission while you do college to be an officer, you can also get Dedicated Army National Guard (DEDNG) scholarship and the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) contract, which are fairly generous and will take care of a lot of the costs of the college, while also giving you a path to part time Officer. In addition by enlisting first and doing it while in the service, you can avoid bunch of hard caps on age. I've only been active duty, and not in Guard or Reserves, but I volunteer assisting part timers to fill out paperwork to do this poo poo in SC. You can easily poop up couple hundred to a thousand or so of various military oriented scholarships while in college if you look all local ones up and just write some letters. And during all this poo poo you get your TRICARE with a pretty modest monthly cost, if that's something you desire. I loved my active duty time as enlisted, and now I am in Air Force ROTC to become a noble. Vahakyla fucked around with this message at 22:46 on Oct 27, 2020 |
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 22:32
|
|
|
Thanks for all of the helpful responses everyone. I'm meeting with a recruiter this Friday. Will hopefully get some useful knowledge out of it and not just a sales pitch.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2020 23:50
|
|
|
BaseballPCHiker posted:Thanks for all of the helpful responses everyone. Write the terms down, and make sure you actually read that poo poo on your own. Never believe them.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 00:38
|
|
|
https://i.imgur.com/HiuzgmJ.mp4
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 02:08
|
|
|
BaseballPCHiker posted:Thanks for all of the helpful responses everyone. welcome aboard shipmate
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 09:47
|
|
|
Well, the replies on this page have given me some second thoughts, but I have also recently been searching for a change and started considering the national guard. I am 31, college dropout, poo poo for resume, working basically a dead end job and need more money to support my family. Its basically either this or a second job stocking shelves. Ideally I would like to get into IT work if I could score high enough on the asvab. I took it back in high school while in jrotc, scored well, I'm sure that means nothing though. Would this be a viable way into a better career, while still earning money? Could I keep my full time job while doing so? I don't really trust a thing a recruiter tells me, so any real info would be appreciated.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 11:07
|
|
|
Have you considered the Special Forces? Enlist 18X-ray in the army and do some high speed cool poo poo with your life. Don't be one of those pussy infantrymen, either. Be SF
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 14:46
|
|
|
UP THE BUM NO BABY posted:Have you considered the Special Forces? Enlist 18X-ray in the army and do some high speed cool poo poo with your life. Don't be one of those pussy infantrymen, either. Be SF Nah man, go Undesignated in the Navy then you can pick *any* job you want
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 14:49
|
|
|
Jeremor posted:Well, the replies on this page have given me some second thoughts, but I have also recently been searching for a change and started considering the national guard. Hi. I just responded to the above with my life story in the Navy Reserves. I opted for IT but there’s some CT”?” choices that turn you into a military computer toucher too(except “I” that’s language). Also IS gets you a clearance but you’d better love power point. So... Yes. Yes. Absolutely don’t trust your recruiter but if you take your asvab and can get CT or IT you’ll be alright.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 14:53
|
|
|
BaseballPCHiker posted:My current position will do some tuition reimbursement, but its only $6k a year. One of my best friends has three deployments (Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa) and he is still only 90% rated with about 3 weeks short of 36 months. GI Bill also has a required minimum Active Duty time and Basic/AIT does not count, so expect minimum 2 years (realistically closer to 3) after signing up before you even get to start school unless you want to use chapter 1606 (full time $398/mo). Although I really don't know why you'd want to get a bachelors if you already have a career in IT making 90k, unless you live in an extremely expensive area and 90k is bottom of the barrel. Where do you live now and what exactly do you do that's more specific than "IT"? Cyks fucked around with this message at 15:27 on Oct 28, 2020 |
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 15:24
|
|
|
EDITED.
BaseballPCHiker fucked around with this message at 21:10 on Feb 2, 2022 |
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 15:34
|
|
|
BaseballPCHiker posted:I live in the Twin Cities. Specifically I am a network engineer, basically enterprise routing and switching. Lol yeah this isn’t for you. Good luck though! You’ll be alright.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 15:39
|
|
|
BaseballPCHiker posted:I live in the Twin Cities. Specifically I am a network engineer, basically enterprise routing and switching. As a 32 year old network engineer with a degree and a security clearance currently working a DoD contract, I'd love to make $90k a year, let alone $120k. (to be fair I could if I moved out of the south, but a google search for cost of living between charleston and minneapolis shows the twin cities actually being cheaper.)
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 16:42
|
|
|
You're a network engineer with an established career? join the infantry to have the best chance of injury and being medically-separated for your GI bill and clearance.Seriously you have so many options in that world you have nothing to gain and a lot to lose in the guard/reserve unless you are absolutely set on working as a DOD contractor or something and nothing else will do.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 18:04
|
|
|
Jeremor posted:Well, the replies on this page have given me some second thoughts, but I have also recently been searching for a change and started considering the national guard. It's possibly a viable option but something to keep in mind is the many civilian employers like their computer touchers to have the right certificates which you most likely will not earn as part of basic training. I was in a reserve (not guard) comm unit and one of the big problems the operators had was that nobody had certs and there was no mechanism for them to earn them aside from paying out of pocket. As far as your job and stuff, check out https://www.esgr.mil/ for info on your rights regarding your job. Basically they will have to give you back an equivalent position (not necessarily your exact old position) when you get back from your training or any mobilizations. They can't directly discriminate against you if they say the quiet part loud, but many employers are not super psyched to lose their employees temporarily and deal with temps, etc. The larger the employer, the less they will care about this. If you get an employer that pays differential then mobilizing suddenly becomes financially great. The other pro is access to tricare reserve select which is the sole reason some of my guys with families would stay in the reserves. One of the downsides is that you may lose a lot of flexibility of your general life schedule for the next six years. It depends on the unit but rescheduling drills at some places is a huge pain in the rear end. Where I was we wouldn't let anyone reschedule unless it was for something like a wedding, we had at least one month's notice, and had some sort of written proof of the event. Baby shower, birthdays, reunions, anniversary, funeral for someone who isn't an immediate relative? Lol see you Friday 0600.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 18:28
|
|
|
BaseballPCHiker posted:I live in the Twin Cities. Specifically I am a network engineer, basically enterprise routing and switching. 1. Only you can live your life so whatever we tell you is just advice. 2. You have an established career so unless you want to get treated like a child for the next 4-8 years, don't join 3. If you really want to push your ticket and serve, join the Navy Reserve as an IT or IS. In the Twin Cities, you have one of the only good Navy Reserve centers attached to the Air Force Reserve station that's a growth off of MSP airport.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 18:43
|
|
|
Thanks for the replies yall. One question I still can't find the answer to, though I'm sure its very simple, is what are the key differences between reserves and guard? Is it really as simple as reserves don't do any state level jobs? I understand the posse comitatus act, but are the benefits different? Is there a reason to go one way versus another?
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 18:56
|
|
|
Jeremor posted:Thanks for the replies yall. One question I still can't find the answer to, though I'm sure its very simple, is what are the key differences between reserves and guard? Is it really as simple as reserves don't do any state level jobs? Guard is almost all combat MOS, Reserve is almost all support MOS.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 19:11
|
|
|
Jeremor posted:Thanks for the replies yall. One question I still can't find the answer to, though I'm sure its very simple, is what are the key differences between reserves and guard? Is it really as simple as reserves don't do any state level jobs? The benefits are the same. What Stultus said is true of the Army, I don't know how the Air Guard works. The guard will also have state missions that the reserves don't.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2020 21:39
|
|
|
Jeremor posted:Thanks for the replies yall. One question I still can't find the answer to, though I'm sure its very simple, is what are the key differences between reserves and guard? Is it really as simple as reserves don't do any state level jobs? Guard gives you a commitment to the State that you are in, on top of your federal commitment. It mean that it is a bit harder to move around because the state does not like to give up its manpower to other states. In the NG, if you study, you can also draw on more of the state oriented scholarships and such and some states have really awesome ones. Some don’t, especially in the South. The Reserve is only a federal commitment, and is significantly easier to move around from state to state. In studying the scholarships beyond the MGIB SR are more federal oriented, too. And as others mentioned, reserves offer support jobs, Guard tends to augment combat formations so it’s artillery, tanke, infantry, etc. Since you are older, if you go towards IT in either Air Force or its reserve components, or Navy, you will likely get significantly higher baseline level of treatment even as junior enlisted. In the Army it can be a really mixed bag. Maybe you get lucky and end up in some commo or intel unit or special operations unit and you get treated like a grownup despite your lower rank, but odds are you are pounding dirt with some commo unit at 0530 in the morning and getting yelled and your barracks room tossed in some Brigade Combat Team, because intel or infantry, you are poo poo. In the Air Force, there isn’t a similar culture, and it appears not as much in the Navy, either. No first hand experience outside of the Army, personally. However, I know that never join and all that. But I’m being serious when I say that this thread would probably work a bit better if not half the posts are ”lmao get hosed join infantry” when someone asks questions. The military works for some. It changed my loving life. It doesn’t work for many people. Learning about the options is good, and goons should have the option to get serious answers. In addition, once someone has made the decision to join, nothing’s gonna loving deter them, so the best is to give them the proper guidance to get the most out of the service. Similarly, if someone is legitimately faffing about joining, solid answers to the pros and cons, expectations, and what they need to seek in regards to their life situation is probably some good advice. Endless ”get hosed don’t join” can also ring loving hollow from people who did, you know, join. The cynicism posting only goes so far and then it just becomes meh. If someone is 31, jobless, no education, no health insurance, with life baggage, and you tell them that joining will never work, you are just a gently caress head. What the gently caress are they supposed to do in America? Going from that to possible Veteran’s Preference federal hiring, money in the TSP, scholarships and GI Bill, to poo poo ton of money on the savings, and luck willing, a clearance, could be the difference between poverty and upper middle class. Everyway they get hosed in the service is a way they already get hosed, but right now they don’t have tricare or BAH. Joining is a legit option in a lot of cases. Vahakyla fucked around with this message at 01:01 on Oct 29, 2020 |
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 00:52
|
|
|
Vaha I cynicism post because my friends died or are killing themselves these days.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 01:42
|
|
|
Vaha I cynicism post because that lack of life balance no poo poo made me want to kill myself and you loving suck for minimizing that.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 02:31
|
|
|
MonkeyWash posted:The benefits are the same. What Stultus said is true of the Army, I don't know how the Air Guard works. The guard will also have state missions that the reserves don't. It's definitely not true for the AF. Reserves and Guard are full of deploying people...the system is currently designed so they share a significant portion of the deployments. Cargo and tankers, for example, are on the go CONSTANTLY. Not great for your civilian career most of the time.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 03:14
|
|
|
Vahakyla posted:Endless ”get hosed don’t join” can also ring loving hollow from people who did, you know, join. The cynicism posting only goes so far and then it just becomes meh. Are you loving kidding me UP THE BUM NO BABY posted:Vaha I cynicism post because my friends died or are killing themselves these days. EBB posted:Vaha I cynicism post because that lack of life balance no poo poo made me want to kill myself and you loving suck for minimizing that.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 04:27
|
|
|
Jeremor posted:Thanks for the replies yall. One question I still can't find the answer to, though I'm sure its very simple, is what are the key differences between reserves and guard? Is it really as simple as reserves don't do any state level jobs? SPeaking from the Air Guard perspective: Reserves- Pros: Lil bro to Big Air Force, mission handed down solely from a Federal Perspective so greater crossflow opportunities into Big Air Force, they give less a poo poo about monthly manning/drill and often time let their members knock out all of their drills in a month or two span (these jobs are called IMA reservists), easier to jump units or even jump to the Active Duty side Cons: Since they are a federal program they dont have access to state benefits that the Guard has (Kentucky Nat. Guard for example has full tuition to state schools, their reserve components DO NOT get that benefit). Their recruiting standards are tougher (the Guard will waiver drat near anything), funding can get really wonky as the pot of money isnt as separate as the Guard. Guard- Pros: Will waiver drat near anything, Guard typically has a bigger presence in states and every state has a Guard unit (some states have no AF Reserve units as they heavily rely on proximity to AD bases), can double dip state tuition assistance programs with GI Bill benes (whether its 1606 or post 9-11). Generally more laid back culture Cons: Hard AF to jump to Active Duty if youd like to, more difficult to transfer units, very rarely let members deviate from the 1 weekend a month drill schedule (unless in the Flying or Special Operations communities), National Guard Bureau (the higher headquarters for the Guard) does a lot of stupid poo poo
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 08:12
|
|
|
And also, heed my words Jeremor: if your career prospects in life aren't great ATM, joining the Reserves/Guard is not a panacea. From my POV and experience, the military works to your favor when you have cant-fail plan of what youre getting out of it. This goes triple for the Guard/Reserves since, as many have mentioned, you will be juggling your family, your civilian career, and your military job. You mentioned IT jobs,? Well let me tell you, unless you're desperate to have a clearance and be a Civil Servant/Contractor/Active Guard Reserve member of a Guard/Reserve unit, everything the military will teach you as a non prior Enlisted troop in a IT career field?...you can learn at a community college. this isnt to say that it isnt worth it to join. Not to humblebrag in my case I did the same thing. I switched Guard career fields (from aircraft maintenance to cyber) to leverage what the military would teach me about IT into civilian sector. I knew literally nothing about computers, but was prior service (which allowed me entry into Air Force Cyber career fields), had a degree so I could commission...and now im benefiting to a huge degree. But it took me moving 2000 miles, pausing my life for almost 2 and a half years, being in the right place at the right time, always being 2 steps ahead as far as doing planning/research, and blowing through all of my savings to get this far. And im single with no kids. My point? I dont regret anything, but 90% of this bullshit couldve been avoided had I just took Information Technology classes in college. And honestly in your case, Id just go active duty if I *had* to join the military. YMMV
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 08:29
|
|
|
Thanks for the honest info. To be clear, I have no romanticism for the military or serving my country or whatever. This is purely a business decision for trying to improve my life. It was mostly just desperation that made me consider this as an option. Appreciate all the replies.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 12:37
|
|
|
Jeremor posted:Thanks for the honest info. To be clear, I have no romanticism for the military or serving my country or whatever. This is purely a business decision for trying to improve my life. It was mostly just desperation that made me consider this as an option. Appreciate all the replies. This thread has pretty much convinced me not to join, though I'll still be meeting with the recruiter Friday. Jeremor, as someone who grew up dirt poor and made a successful career for themselves in IT, I just wanted to say feel free to PM me. I started out on help/helldesk and worked my way up and would be happy to help and assist in any way I can for someone just getting there foot in the door in the field.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2020 14:47
|
|
|
DaNerd posted:I spent 9 years in the reserves and I overall enjoyed it, but I joined at 20 with a GED and some college credits after working retail. A year of initial training, two deployments, and some volunteer active duty stuff and I still only made 90% GI Bill. It can definitely be beneficial and does work okay for a lot of folks, but if your goal is to get a clearance and the GI Bill then joining the reserves/guard is just not the best way to achieve those goals IMO. VocRehab my dude, I'm assuming you have a VA rating after that time. Partial Post 9/11 (even if it's like 1 month left) + VocRehab = 100% BAH + school paid for.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 20:21
|
|
|
Flying_Crab posted:VocRehab my dude, I'm assuming you have a VA rating after that time. Partial Post 9/11 (even if it's like 1 month left) + VocRehab = 100% BAH + school paid for. I've got 40% I think? Either way my VocRehab application was denied.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 20:32
|
|
|
That seems odd, on what grounds? As long as you have enough VA rating you should be eligible for it. "two deployments, and some volunteer active duty stuff" also 40% seems way low. 12 months is 60% and it sounds like you've got more AD time than that.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 20:34
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 16, 2024 08:47 |
|
|
"After carefully reviewing the evidence available during our intake meeting, I have determined that your circumstances do not meet the criteria for an employment handicap due to having overcome the impairments to employability based on academic achievements and history of gainful employments that makes you employable."
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2020 20:37
|
|