r/Airforcereserves

Is there a way to find a list of jobs that get travel expenses covered by the reserves? Currently ANG looking into going the reserves route. I would like to look into an aircrew position (loadmaster), but there are no reserves bases with those positions near my hometown. Thanks

Hello everyone, this is kind of a stupid question but can not find anything online. I was active duty and I’m about to finish a year of active reserves. I’m now transitioning into a traditional reservist and I have no idea how to get medical care outside of the military. I have two meds that I have to take every day and I do not know how to get those off base. Also if I have an appointment for medical how do I go about doing that. I’m assuming I just call a place and ask if they have Tricare and I call Tricare to get it set up??? I really don’t know and it’s making a bit stressed out. Please help a soon to be a full time civilian

Hey everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well this Independence Day weekend! I just wanted to hop on here and grab a few second opinions, criticism both positive and negative are more than welcome!

I am a 24M and when I graduated HS I had nothing more of a desire to try for SERE. Unfortunately, a few obstacles in life required me to stay home and care for loved ones. Something I would never change, not for a second. Fast forward to today, I have a semi-stable life, my girlfriend and I are moving into our first apartment, and I have a decent paying job in Upper Management inside of the Logistics/Transportation field.

Every couple of years, though, I feel a heavy weight about not having “done my part,” and that feeling is back again. SERE is off the table at this point; it’s a ship that has sailed, but I’m wondering if I should try for the reserves instead.

Here’s where I’m torn; joining the reserves could mean risking my salaried job or putting us in a financial hole that’s hard to climb out of, especially with the current job market. My girlfriend is fully supportive of whatever I decide, but I’m worried I’d be making a choice that hurts our stability. I’d really appreciate any perspectives from people who have balanced reserve service with a civilian career, or anyone who has wrestled with similar feelings of wanting to serve while still protecting their family’s finances. Please also note that I am the “breadwinner”.

If we are activated for deployment are we entitled to moving expenses in the reserves? I’m going to need to move my stuff out and into storage.

I’ve been told Army or Navy is the best route to take. Is there any way to guarantee a specific position if I test well enough for it? I like the idea of Air Force because it’s laid back but, no guarantee. How stressful is the Army? (At 29 I’d be demoralized being screamed at incessantly and bunking with teenagers)Is there any differences if I enlist full time vs reserves? If so, can you please elaborate?

Salutations,

I’m currently weighing my options of joining the Air Force Reserves

• I’m 26.
• Decent job (I abhor) with a decent salary working in IT SDLC
• Degree in Business Administration
•Security+ certification
• Returned to school pursuing a BS in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering

The Reserve Recruiter said I should consider going enlisted due to my degree and experience not being applicable to any jobs currently.

Any advice and or suggestions on what I should do next?

So I am 32 (M), married with three children all under 8 years old. I was introduced to the possibility of joining the Air Force’s few months ago and have been thinking a lot and doing my research. I am still unsure of what to do and very much on the fence (however I will say I lean towards going for it).

I currently work for a pharmaceutical company, and enjoy it enough to stay but there is always some uneasiness there with ups and downs/layoffs. I have seen that I can join as an officer in Air Force with my age and bachelors degree. I have looked a lot into joining and going under government contracting.

The biggest issue is my wife and kids, we are huge family people and have a lot of family around the southeast (mainly SC & NC). She is worried about being sent far away from everyone. I tried to explain that I believe I could do a short contract and this would give me a chance to experience it as well as give me good experience in the contracting for the military and I believe that I should be able to get out (if it was not for us) and find a civilian job easily in contracting.

Any thoughts or advice is very much appreciated thank you!!!

Can anyone speak on the application process and competitiveness between the two for being a pilot?

Last Friday, after 7 months of waivers and waiting, I said my oath for the Reserves. I signed for and will gain at the 567th RED HORSE squadron at SJAFB as a 3E9X1. I am more than excited and so glad I get to be a part of RED HORSE. They did not give me a ship date. I am expected to go to UTA’s starting the weekend of Aug 1-2.

What is the Air Force waiting on? My recruiter has said the Reserves are likely not going to meet their recruitment goal this year so I figured they’d ship me out ASAP, but it makes sense that it is delayed since the Active Duty side met their goal in May.

Any tips for my first UTA with the DTF will be appreciated, as well as any insight into what RED HORSE will entail that is different than a typical CE unit. Thanks!

Good afternoon everyone, I recently moved to tx from Australia back in 2025 on a 10 year green card through marriage, I'm 30 and my long term goal is to become a law enforcement officer here in texas, the only thing stopping me right now is the citizenship part, I am considering joining the air force national guard or reserves to get my citizenship through military service, I am leaning towards security forces as I want to gain skills and experience and also gain leadership skills as time goes on. My wife and I have just purchased our first home so I do also have family priorities to keep in mind which is why I am only seeking part time service at this stage.

Would appreciate any advice to help me with my goals here in this great country.

I hear rumors that fire protection is extremely difficult to get into in the air force and that there is extremely long waitlists. Is this true? I want to become a career firefighter on the civilian side for a local county and feel this would help me get my foot in the door.

I came off active duty back in January and transferred to IMA with a mid-January R&R date. Would I still need an AT this year because of my service in fiscal year 25, or is my R&R date controlling?

Hey yall,

I’ve been researching and thinking about joining the Air Force’s reserves. I’m a single mother, and still would like to pursue my education, along with other benefits.

I wanted to know if there were any other single parents or others than joined the reserves and how it’s benefited you. Whether you’re still in it or retired now.

Thanx!

Has anyone here gotten back from intel tech school and secured a related full-time civilian clearance job?

Hey everyone, I need some advice choosing a job. My recruiter mentioned that if I join as a Crew Chief I could get a $20k bonus. I’m debating whether I should take that offer or look into other jobs that I might actually enjoy and not end up hating.

Fire Protection was my first choice because I like being active and physical, but I’m open to hearing about other jobs that people actually enjoy. For anyone who is/was a Crew Chief, do you recommend it? Is the bonus worth it? 🤔

About me: 25 years old, make 30$ an hour, currently working towards my Kinesiology degree. Live in Castroville so I will most likely be at Travis Air Force Base.

I’m looking into going to the Air Force reserves and I’ve always wanted to be a PJ. I’ve been consistently physically training not only for my job as a firefighter/EMT but also to get in shape for the possibility of going to the reserves.

What’s the possibility of getting that job. I know it’s very physically demanding and mentally tough but I’d love to have a shot at it.

I’m also in Texas so not sure where the closest unit is to me.

Would I be better off going active duty for it? I would have to leave my 70k a year career. Would USERRA hold my job that whole time for that contract?

TLDR
Firefighter EMT in Texas wanting to go PJ in AFR
Best route/possibility of getting the chance?

Some background: I am currently working with a local Air National Guard base on a JAG application, though I am not fully set on either the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard.

I have been taking in all the information I can from the various subreddits, reaching out to Air Force JAGs, and listening to the AFJAG podcast. I am trying to understand what involuntary deployments actually look like—not whether they happen, and not because I never want to deploy, but literally what they look like in terms of length, location, and duties. For example, could I be involuntarily activated to simply work at an Air Force base in the United States for six months? There seems to be very little information available.

Every Reserve JAG I have spoken with has said they have never been involuntarily deployed. One told me it is “hard to be deployed as a JAG,” which seems a bit odd. Others have said the Guard deploys more frequently than the Reserve, while some Guardsman have told me they expect to split deployments with other JAGs. Again, though, I still have not found an ARC JAG who has been involuntarily deployed to speak with.

A lot of JAGs seem to volunteer for substantially more than the bare minimum, whether they are Cat A Reservists or IMAs, and that sounds very appealing to me as well. I am simply trying to understand the involuntary side the paper I expect to sign.

Any information or firsthand experience would be welcome.

Thanks,

Hey yall like the title says I’m considering joining the Air Force as an officer since I do have my bachelors degree. I was thinking reserves because I like my current corporate job and I think with taking time off for basic I should be able to maintain it and get back to it. I just don’t know if I’m too old too join the forces. I’m 26, and it feels almost too late? Or I’m not sure if I should just pull the trigger and meet with a recruiter. Anyone have any advice or similar experience? The recruiter has been trying to contact me since I did start the contact process but I’m just going back and forth. I figured time will go by anyways so I might as well join and get some benefits. I workout regularly so I don’t think I’m in terrible physical shape and I think I can study pretty well. But I know benefits are slightly different with reserves and I do love to travel out the country & I’m not sure how that works when you’re apart of the military. Idk any advice, experience, etc is appreciated

I’m active duty enlisted and met with the in service recruiter today. There’s an IMA position I am considering signing up for.

The recruiter told me the shortest contract is 1 year? Per Google and Claude, that is a lie. Minimum of 3 year contracts. Also, if you go from active duty to Reserves, do you get the position you “apply” to automatically?