Looking for guard and reserves experiences/input (13f, 42a)
 

There are two options close enough to me to do the guard/reserves that have the AIT length I requested, 13f with a field artillery unit in the guard and 42a in the reserves...I've done my research and have seen the boiler plate rhetoric/job description(s) but want to know anyone's personal experience and input here...

Any help or input is greatly appreciated!

You want to be a clerk or a soldier? You can be a clerk anywhere. You're not going to go directly into the FDC as a 13F without some (probably much) time as a 13B (AKA gun bunny). Regardless of what arty training you get you'll start at the bottom when you're assigned to a battery. Start lifting weights as those 155mm projectiles are heavy. :)

Or watch out for paper cuts but don't expect to drink beer with the combat arms guys. Sorry, there it is.

-- Chuck

The 13f position will be with a detachment of the HHB for the field artillery unit, so not sure I will be on a battery or line as the 13f or what I'll be doing specifically but thank you for your input! I want to hear from anyone who has been there and done that, including what the drill schedule was like, was it mostly two weeks a year and one weekend a month or did it stretch far beyond that?

High priority reserve component units are being authorized additional training days above the "one weekend a month and two weeks annual training." Annual training is traditionally in the summer but can be any period. The FAD (force activity designator) of the unit will determine training days and the equipment the unit gets. You can get a clue by looking at the equipment. Still running canvas top Humvees? First generation SP howitzers? Probably a low priority and standard schedule. These change all the time, though.

The main caution is there are no guarantees regardless of what you're trained to do. ARNG units are routinely redesignated and reorganized. Can be a FA unit for years and next year magically become an infantry or armor unit. I've seen it happen several times. Even if the unit remains FA once assigned to a unit, even a headquarters battery, you're liable for assignment anywhere in the battalion at the whim of the commander. That human resources clerk in S1 just types some orders and ***Poof*** you're reassigned. Your first day back from AIT may be in the FDC, the second could easily be in a line battery humping ammo.

-- Chuck

So in other words, the 42a reserves gig could be also longer AIT and weekends than expected, it all depends on the unit and not so much on the MOS?