Is it possible to enlist in the army for only 2 years as a 09 Lima Translator and choose to live in San Diego?

Question

My boyfriend will start training as a translator in the army next month. He is in a special unit of translators called 09 Lima. At the recruitment office and through the interview process, they told him that he would go to training for 17 weeks, then go with a unit (with possible deployment to Iraq), but in his 2nd year, he would be able to choose to be stationed in San Diego where we'd like to live together. He would like to only be in the army for 2 years (as they promised verbally), however, his contract said his term is 6 years! To be specific it reads: "My enlistment in the U.S. Army Reserve obligates me to a total of 8 years service in the U.S. Armed Forces, including service in the Reserve Components. I agree to serve 6 years as an assigned member of a troop program unit in the Selected Reserve and 2 years as an assigned member of the Individual Ready Reserve.

I'm nervous that he is going to get screwed and be stuck in the army past the 2 years. Any information will be helpful! Thanks!

Answer 1

i was in this situation today with one of my future soldiers.

here's how it went down; the girl said the exact same thing. "i was thinking of getting my feet wet for 2 yrs" but at the same time she was saying "i want the language training"

so i said well, language school is about 2 yrs give or take and the army invests a few $ into making you be able to fluently read, write and speak intelligently into a foreign language. what will benefit you more, 40k in bonuses or 2 yrs of no language training?

want the duty station? yes you can get it, but the guidance counselors have to make a call and they usually give the prior service guys this option because they retain the same mos that they had in either a previous enlistment or service.

your bf will serve a total enlistment of 8 years to the government. how he chooses to "suck that egg" is up to him. 6 of those is reserve i guess and the other 2 is spent well, just hanging out being someone hopefully better then when you initially enlisted. if you were so concerned about the military and the amount of time he serves, you guys should just get married, have him pay for your college with his montgomery g.i. bill and live up the free rent, utilities, gas, water, food, and medical expenses... all covered 100 percent

Answer 2

Listen, he is trying to have it all. I work with alot of 09L's here in my unit. The paperwork doesn't lie and there is a war going and if speaks what is needed, then away he goes...that's the facts. If he is in the Reserves, then he just needs to get a unit in California before and/or he returns if he even goes. It's that's simple. Then do the rest of his time there. What's wrong with that?

Answer 3

Sadly, there are no 2 year new enlistments, there are recruiters who claim there are, but it is untrue. Your bf is another casualty of the war on truth. The shortest regular enlistment is 4 and 2... tho is seldom used now (especially by Army or Marines), they need ground troops too badly. The only ones given 2 and 4 are former elite force re-enlisting.

Always read fully any papers before signing. They will try to keep you occupied so you don't.

No service guarantees a duty station, btw. He will be sent where they need/wish him to be.

Answer 4

yes all contracts state an 8 year term of service but it is 4 active and 4 inactive reserves. if his contract states 2 years and 6 years inactive reserve then he will be active for 2 years released after 2 year contract then be on inactive reserve for 6 more years this does not mean he will have to stay in the military. it is an inactive status so unless we go to WWIII and all other translators die during his inactive time he will not be called to duty. the only thing that could happen is that a stop loss could occur  during his active time which would mean all members are not allowed to separate across the whole military. the only thing i see as bullshit is that you will be given a chance after 2 years to be staioned in san diego the only way i can truly see thast happening is if he joins the california national guard unit near san diego after his 2 year enlistment is up