Reserve then active? or ...?

Question

I am 17 and a junior in High school. my recruiter told me that i could go to basic in the summer between my junior and senior year, but that was for the reserves. i want to be active duty. my recruiter told me that i could switch to active after i graduate. I want to be a MP. and i would consider going to basic early as a reserve to have a extra year under my belt ( does that year even do anything for me in active duty?) and i am itching to go do something like basic. but should i just wait until i graduate and go active duty?

Answer 1

if you want to be active then ask to be put in the dep ( delayed enlistment program ) and go to basic next year that is what i did  

Answer 2

The year will add to your Time-In-Service calculation for promotion.  It will also add to your pay.  Military pay is on a 2-year increase scale.  So if you get in a (almost) free year, your pay increase at 2- 4- 6- etc years will seem just a little faster than otherwise.

It also gives you a chance to learn more about the Army.  You might want to be an MP now, but you might fall in love with helicopters in basic.  Or tanks.  Or machine guns.

If you join in your junior year, you get some time to play before you have to commit to an active MOS.  Play with it, enjoy it.

And thanks for serving.

Answer 3

Well if you do go active duty the contract may say 2 or 3 or 4 or 6 years, you actually are going to be doing 8 years all together. Say you do 4 years active duty, well you then serve the other 4 years in IRR. Which means that in those 4 years in the IRR you could be stopped loss. This is just a FYI.

Also if you do have a high school diploma and go active duty, make SURE that you get a 20k sign on bonus.

Answer 4

i think your recruiter is stupid... you cannot go to basic training until you finish high school and get your diploma or GED.  it's a requirement before sending you to basic training.  let me guess, is this the Army or Marines?  I know it's not the Air Force.

with the war going on, reserves in the Marines or Army is just like active duty.  you'll be activated once you finish your technical training school and send you off to war. you'll be overseas for 14 months, come back for 6 months and then send you out again for another 14 months.  might as well join as an active duty because you have all the benefits.

Answer 5

Wait until you finish school first then go active. I was a military MP (22 Years)and I loved it good luck!