Navy Reserve Moms

Hello Fellow Navy Reserve Moms...i have a question that i keep asking my daughter and she is not sure...will she continue to have health insurance when she is finished with her A school and actually back at home doing her reserve duty?  She is in Texas now doing her training as a Navy Seabee.  I just need to know if I should drop her from ours...thanks for the help!  Tori

I also have a son who just left for BC on 8/1 but he has signed up for full active duty and will be going to a submarine when he is finished there!  

is it cheaper for them than ours? do you know if the coverage is good then also? 

Than You Bonnie, Tristan was starting to think he had some really bad "Karma" chasing him the last couple of years.lol

Thanks BonnieP, i will do just that!

For those who had questions about FTS:

FTS - Full Time Support (formerly TAR = Training and Administration of the Reserve).
Here is a post I did on that once: Full-Time Support –These are designated Reservists who perform full-time Active Duty service that relates to the training and administration of the Navy Reserve program. They may be assigned to shore activities and commands or operational units. They typically are not reassigned to different locations as often as those on regular Active Duty. And they receive the same pay, allowances and benefits as Active Duty members.
Here is link to the about.com page about that and the ratings that are FTS:
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/guardandreserve/a/fts.htm
Also, this is from Wikipedia: FTS, previously known as TAR (Training and Administration of the Reserve) serve in uniform all year round and provide administrative support to SELRES and operational support for the Navy. They are full-time career active duty personnel, but reside in the Reserve Component (RC), and perform a role similar to Active Guard and Reserve (AGR), Air Reserve Technician (ART) and Army Reserve Technician in the AirForce Reserve Command, the Air National Guard, the U.S. Army Reserve and the Army National Guard. Here is a link to the Official Navy Reserve site on the different kinds of reservists (SELRES, IRR and FTS. Also Retired Reserves):
http://www.navyreserve.com/about/structure.html

I'll post this in the above discussion as well.

My son is currently in Bootcamp PIR 9/14/12. Then off to A School in San Antonio for Hospital Corpsman. He is a Reservist. I have been told that A school will last 12 to 14 weeks. What happens after that? How is it determined which base he will do his weekend a month? What do they do on that weekend?

My son was told in his contract where his base would be as a reservist.  He was also sent orders shortly about a month after he arrived at A school.  Told when and where to show up!

Hey All, I just wanted to give my son a  "Corpsman Reserve" a big pat on the back for an "Early Promotion", on his latest Evaluation!!!  I sure hope there's an opening slot for his promotion, and I want to Thank Jesus for his many blessings on this kid...this has restored his faith in God:)

Great news!  Share our congratulations with him.

Vbriggs, That's wonderful news that he is adjusting well, passed his PT and enjoying boot camp!!! Happy belated B-day so glad you got your letter on your special day:)

Proud Navy/Bonnie, Thank You!!!  I'm telling you the good news just keeps coming, Tristan got an email from his Chief at Pt.Magu informing his that if he was interested in a 1 yr. deployment to Georgia somewhere in Europe of all places!!!  He is sooo conflicted at the moment because this is a "Dream" deployment for a Reservists but on the other hand just beginning his Academy for the next 3 weeks and waiting on his background checks for employment with PG&E...what to do?!

Got a question.  My son was told that the reservists do not get "all" the training that "active" members do.  Is this true?  What happens when they are deployed and they don't have "all" the training that is necessary?

Hello everyone, glad to be here! My son has been in the Navy Reserves for a little over a year now, and he loves it!  He is based out here in Missouri.

St Louis,Mo area. are you near here?

I know where St.Clair is, this is great nice to find someone so close, we actually live in Ballwin. I wonder if our Reservist drill together.

Okay there is a good  chance they will be drilling together. My son is a MA and he loves his job. He kinda wishes that he would have waited and became active. But I guess he has to wait 2 years before he can apply for that, only has a year left.

Bonnie, I agree these Reservist's are very well trained before shipping out for deployment because deployment takes time to process, thank goodness for that...we all need time for it to sink in that our sons & daughter's will be outside of our wing span...right?!

Glad to hear that Betty B.  He was told that since Reserves have a different operating fund and there just aren't funds to fully train them....I believe it was a higher ranking person that was speaking to him.  I was dumbfounded.  I mean it says in his contract what his training will be .... can they change your contract without letting the sailor know?  I wouldn't think so.  He's really concerned

Thanks Betty B I will tell him!   He's so funny!  When he heard this - he told me to check it out on N4M's because they seem to know everything!  lol!

Smart boy you have there flgirltwo!  The other group that often has lots of info (at least before some of our kiddo's) is Molly's Adopt A Sailor.  My son who has been deployed twice now says he checks the Molly's group for himself!!  I think he should stay out of my groups!  LOL  But I guess if he is just looking & not actually joining (!!!!), I can let it pass.

Both times my son deployed, he spent several weeks traveling to different places for training and then he was with his Reserve group at the base they do their regular monthly training for between 2+ - 3 months before they actually left for their deployment location.  The training involved very long days and he felt he was fully trained - both times - before he left.  So try not to worry.  Well, at least not too, too much  :-/

Sure is hard tho, isn't it?

I get the added bonus of him working with NYPD when he isn't deployed.  I'm so proud of him and what he does with both the Navy and NYPD, but can anyone tell me why boys are drawn to "the action" and guns?

Hello to all,

My son is in the Reserves but is currrently still at A school in San Antonio.  He is supposed to graduate Aug 31.  Does anyone know of any requirements to attend this ceremony?  It seems like there was so much info graduating from boot camp but I haven't heard anything about graduation from A-school.  I would appreciate any info I can get.  Thanks!

Proud Navy/NYPD Mom - thanks for the information.  It does make me feel better!  and I'll pass it on to him - so he can not worry about that aspect and just make it up to the top of his class!  He's #2 now!  1 to go!  HooYah!

Hello, question: Do regular reservists (not full time support) get C-school after A- school? Will they have to stay on longer right away? When will this be determined? I was under the impression that after A-school my son would join his reserve unit right away and they would place him.

My son leaves for boot camp tomorrow. What are the chances of being deployed? This is all new to me, however, an active duty sailor told me that they're not deploying like they did a couple of years ago.

kathyjune00, try not to even think about deployment yet!  My son is a reservist and has been deployed twice now.  I suppose it depends upon the job that they have.  Mine is MA.  I'm sure other Moms will have additional info for you.

OK - I don't know WHO my son is talking to!  Now he says that he's heard that Reservists are rarely deployed and NEVER go overseas.  Can anyone tell me if this is true?  I'm sure it's not.  I would think that they are deployed to wherever they are needed.

My son is in his first week of boot camp. He has 3 yrs of college and has to 1 yr left to finish. He supposedly was told to join as a reservist now, then go to A school and C school in Dam Neck, VA. Then he was told he would come back home finish his year of school and start his monthly drill duty. Not sure what to believe after reading some of the posts. He signed for 8 years. Still struggling with all of this. He makes fantastic grades and scored very high on his ASVAB. Not sure where he'll end up.

I'm very confused as well. My son is a Reserve with the Seabee's (CM) construction mechanic. He has been out of bootcamp for a little over a year, and drills at JBLM in Tacoma, WA. He LOVES the Navy, and loves being a Seabee. He was told last weekend that the Navy will be reducing the Seabee battallions once again, this time by 1/2. He was told to be ready to receive an admin. discharge, but who knows when?

This news is adding insult to  injury, as when he enlisted in Nov. 2010 his Recruiter told him to sign on as a Reserve so that he could get into and out of bc faster and then "switch" to active duty after bc. This was an out and out LIE...now my son is crushed and brokenhearted.

He signed up on his own and WANTS to serve his country. Why do they make it so hard, and why do "the powers that be" allow the Recruiter's to flat out lie lke this?

I sure hope and pray he wasn't mislead. He was also told that the chances of him getting deployed were very, very slim as a reserve. He was told the last time a unit was deployed out of this particular city was over 7 years ago. He wants to serve his country but he also has to finish college to get his degree.

I was told my daughter reserve status would change to AD once school was over and went to MEPS to swear in again and ship out. This did NOT happen. She went FTS/AV.  We were betrayed! LIED to!

I've done alot of research and cant find the con side of fts and I KNOW there is, otherwise we wouldn't have been lied to. Can anyone help me out with this? Please?

Well my son's rate as a Reserve is Seabee and he is an E-3. He is NOT FTS/AV...he is strictly a Reserve.

He was also told he is NOT promotable as the same "powers that be" have said he didn't do or finish something that is required back in 2009. He did not even enlist until Nov. 2010!!! He was 17 and graduated from high school in 2009. Talk about frustrating!!!  :-(

happyfeet: the con about the Reserves at least for my son is that he will NEVER have a chance to go Active Duty. He has a 6 year contract right now. That is unless he is Administrativily Discharged from the Reserves prior to his 6 years being up. He has been told to be ready for the discharge as they are cutting the Seabee Unit's by 1/2.

So then what is the advantage of going into the Naval Reserves?

Sorry everyone, I decided to delete my last post because I was getting very angry by what you said ebigirl. I think that just sucks!

I have been informed that they can go AD but have to have COC sign off on it, and that's difficult.

My SRs recruiter also said that they no longer did PQS in start guide for chance to become an E2 when they get out of BC. Well, that was a lie. They do still do it. So he screwed my SR out of this chance (and more $).

They say if SR lies then they will be discharged. Well, with all Uncle Sam spouts off about integrity, why don't they take a closer look at SOME of their recruiters??

kathyjune~ My SR is FTS, so I don't know anything about regular Reserves, and not much more about FTS...

happyfeet: I can tell you 100% positive that they still advance SR's in rank IF they pass their PQS's the first time through in bootcamp.My son did just that when he was at RTC Mar-May of 2011. He went in an E-1 and came out an E-2.

I'm sorry that I upset you by what I said. I'm just so frustrated at my son's situation. I guess I should keep my fingers to myself.

Wow, lots going on!  My son re-signed recently so I thought I knew at least something about how things go, but I'm learning that I still have a lot to learn...

Deployment does seem to rest on what their job is.  As I said my son is MA and he has been deployed twice already.  In fact, they returned home and 3 weeks later his command was already talking about their next deployment!!  (My DIL and I were very unhappy, to say the least!!)  Good grief, just 3 weeks home & talk of going again??!!!!!

My son has advanced very quickly, but he also has his degree from college.  He could have gone to OCS, but he has a career already (NYPD) so he turned that down.  Said he didn't want to spend his time sitting at a desk somewhere.

Seems like the Navy (or any branch for that matter), look at what they need, look at their recruit & push from there. I agree, I don't think MOST of the recruiters deliberately lie, but there is definitely a stretching of the truth in way too many cases.  It is especially difficult for the younger sailors, because they want to serve their country and find their career / "nitch" in the world.

I've been given some really good advice from Navy Moms over the years -- love & support your sailor and try to be a neutral sounding board for the kinds of times many of you are going thru now.  I know my son used his dad (a veteran) to sound off on about how things are done and me, for just "Mom support".

It is wonderful that we have N4M and this group, in particular, to sound off in -- makes it easier when we deal with our kids!  Also, it is a good way to get more info and input from others.  I know I was wondering why 2 deployments with talk of a 3rd already, now I know from you all that his job plays a big role.

You would think the military would make it much easier for the volunteers they are getting!  Our kids aren't being drafted, they want to serve.  I just don't understand their rationale and I probably never will...

Hang in there happyfeet and ebigirl!  In the meantime, vent as much as you need to.

My son is leaving today and reports tomorrow to BC! He will be going to A school for MA after PIR. My understanding is that a MA is the Navy's version of military police? So if an MA gets deployed, what do they do? Are they on a ship? Or are they the "sand sailors" I have heard about, basically just used as infantry? Anyone have any idea?

Wow, thanks for the info Judy & Bonnie! I have a much better understanding of his future rate now! He just called me - his recruiter is on his way to pick him up and drive him and another guy to the city they will fly out of. He sounds excited and nervous! He wanted me to go over his list with him and make sure he didn't forget anything, since I can't be there with him. I told him to keep his mouth shut and do whatever they tell him to do and that if he makes it all the way to PIR without them remembering his name that he did great, lol! He wanted to know if they treat reservists the same as active duty in BC and I told him I was sure that they do, that they don't differienciate between them. Anyone know if I gave correct info?? :)

Thank you! :)

My MA son is land-based.  He has never served as infantry.  However, he does serve as a pilot of one of the smaller boats.  He guards the big ships and subs.  While deployed he also lead patrols of the harbor area, making sure no one  could sneak in and blow something up.  He hasn't had to serve as a jailor & I'm certain he is very happy about that!!  But, you just never know what you might be called on to do.

Wow, that sounds like something my son would like doing!

I am copy/pasting something I posted last night on Bootcamp moms, in case you need a laugh...! :)

So I just got off the phone with my son. His words "Good news - I finally passed the medical evaluation, with a waiver for being 2 lbs underweight. Bad news - it took so long for them to decide I don't leave until Thursday now. But I do get a free room with tv and free food until I leave. Kinda makes me wish I had a change of clothes and some toiletries now." Apparently he threw his stuff away when he left the hotel this morning! But the hotel has complimentary toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and soap. I just got done explaining to him how to wash his socks and underwear in the sink and lay them to dry on the heater, lol! He was sworn in today though!

So funny, I laughed at him so hard on the phone! Apparently his recruiter made him buy some clean socks and underwear for today and he bought blue boxers with fish on them (he was thinking Navy theme!) and the socks he bought turned out to be black dress socks with a diamond pattern on them! So he was standing around in the medical portion of Meps portion all day in colorful boxers and black dress socks! Said he got some strange looks, lol! :)

LOL!!!  Isn't it amazing what our kids pull off when they are learning to vend for themselves.  The boxers with fish had to have the staff laughing all day!  It takes a real man to pull that off ...  <still laughing!!>