Post: #1

Is anyone familiar with military or paramilitary employment/formation when you are past age 30?
Im fairly curious as the only body I know of would be the french foreign legion or possibly a merc company but those usually work with veteran people.

I'm aware that military corps prefer younger recruits as they are easier to mold and most likely to rush and take the risks associated with belic situations but I was still wondering if any rvf members maybe could provide some more insight into the matter?

Post: #2

First off; where do you live now?

Post: #3

(07-23-2016 03:44 PM)TonySandos Wrote:  First off; where do you live now?

ATM I find myself in Germany but I'm permanently nomadic

Post: #4

Are you trying to join/look into joining the military?
Or companies that are military friendly when hiring?

Post: #5

"join/look into joining " would be a good way to put it

Post: #6

I don't know about other countries but in the US the age limit depends on the service.

In the Army it's 35, Navy is 34, Marines 29, Air Force 39. Coast Guard, if you consider that a branch of the military, is 27 for active duty and 39 for reserves.

It changes depending on how many bodies they need. As I recall at the height of OIF/OEF the Army was allowing people in their 40s to enlist. Not sure exactly what the limit was back then. Right now the federal age limit on military enlistment is 42.

Post: #7

Gostro, are you from Argentina? That affects a lot of things as well.

You could join the FFL, but not a US branch.

Post: #8

I went to basic with quite a few guys who were over 30. One guy was highly motivated and went from Private (E-2) to Seargeant (E-5) in 3 yrs. If you have a wife and kids and want to be a better provider then by all means join the military - it's like food stamps on steroids. However it may put a strain on your marriage as you could be away alot for training and possibly deployments. I enlisted in the Army at the age of 26 (DO NOT ever fucking enlist if you have a college degree - Fucking Commission!). I am now 30 and hate the military, but it helped me build more resilience and made me more focused as well as less sefl-centered. I'm a single soldier which means I get treated like a fucking kid but I'm almost out this bitch so fuck.

Do this only if you have absolutely no other choice or you are dead set on making the military a career. Don't be lured by all the cool weapons and training shit. You will be treated like shit according to your rank and you will spend more time doing bullshit cleaning and vehicle maintenance than you will doing cool shit which only Special Forces get to do anyways. Make sure you research your military occupation thoroughly and talk with people who have been in that job - don't listen to your snake ass recruiter, otherwise you will end up hating your job and life in general.

Post: #9

Do you have any special skills that would be beneficial to the military?

Mechanic, speak many languages, hell play a musical instrument?

If so go talk to a recruiter. If not, don't.c

Aloha!

Post: #10

(07-23-2016 09:30 PM)choichoi Wrote:  I went to basic with quite a few guys who were over 30. One guy was highly motivated and went from Private (E-2) to Seargeant (E-5) in 3 yrs. If you have a wife and kids and want to be a better provider then by all means join the military - it's like food stamps on steroids. However it may put a strain on your marriage as you could be away alot for training and possibly deployments. I enlisted in the Army at the age of 26 (DO NOT ever fucking enlist if you have a college degree - Fucking Commission!). I am now 30 and hate the military, but it helped me build more resilience and made me more focused as well as less sefl-centered. I'm a single soldier which means I get treated like a fucking kid but I'm almost out this bitch so fuck.

Do this only if you have absolutely no other choice or you are dead set on making the military a career. Don't be lured by all the cool weapons and training shit. You will be treated like shit according to your rank and you will spend more time doing bullshit cleaning and vehicle maintenance than you will doing cool shit which only Special Forces get to do anyways. Make sure you research your military occupation thoroughly and talk with people who have been in that job - don't listen to your snake ass recruiter, otherwise you will end up hating your job and life in general.

PM me your MOS. I gotta know now lol

Post: #11

(07-23-2016 09:30 PM)choichoi Wrote:  I went to basic with quite a few guys who were over 30. One guy was highly motivated and went from Private (E-2) to Seargeant (E-5) in 3 yrs. If you have a wife and kids and want to be a better provider then by all means join the military - it's like food stamps on steroids. However it may put a strain on your marriage as you could be away alot for training and possibly deployments. I enlisted in the Army at the age of 26 (DO NOT ever fucking enlist if you have a college degree - Fucking Commission!). I am now 30 and hate the military, but it helped me build more resilience and made me more focused as well as less sefl-centered. I'm a single soldier which means I get treated like a fucking kid but I'm almost out this bitch so fuck.

Do this only if you have absolutely no other choice or you are dead set on making the military a career. Don't be lured by all the cool weapons and training shit. You will be treated like shit according to your rank and you will spend more time doing bullshit cleaning and vehicle maintenance than you will doing cool shit which only Special Forces get to do anyways. Make sure you research your military occupation thoroughly and talk with people who have been in that job - don't listen to your snake ass recruiter, otherwise you will end up hating your job and life in general.

How do you feel things have changed since you made this post?

/thread-16903...#pid294479

I remember when you posted that, I was a lurker back then. It's surprising how time flies by and you're almost going to leave the military.

Post: #12

I heard, that French foreign legion take only younger men - not over 30. But don´t remember where I heard it, so I cannot confirm it.
I don´t think it would be problem joining any military after 30, but it depends. Few year ago it was almost impossible to join the army in my country and now some politicians realized there are not enough soldiers and now they employ everybody, even though those people don´t have enough quality.
It depends on your skills, fighting is small part of military, you can do different stuff which do not demand very good physical condition. If you are skilled in some way, it can help you very much.

Post: #13

(07-23-2016 05:06 PM)Cattle Rustler Wrote:  Gostro, are you from Argentina? That affects a lot of things as well.

You could join the FFL, but not a US branch.

I actually was born in the US and yes,I have an american citizenship (also can reside legally in both countries)

(07-23-2016 09:30 PM)choichoi Wrote:  I went to basic with quite a few guys who were over 30. One guy was highly motivated and went from Private (E-2) to Seargeant (E-5) in 3 yrs. If you have a wife and kids and want to be a better provider then by all means join the military - it's like food stamps on steroids. However it may put a strain on your marriage as you could be away alot for training and possibly deployments. I enlisted in the Army at the age of 26 (DO NOT ever fucking enlist if you have a college degree - Fucking Commission!). I am now 30 and hate the military, but it helped me build more resilience and made me more focused as well as less sefl-centered. I'm a single soldier which means I get treated like a fucking kid but I'm almost out this bitch so fuck.

Do this only if you have absolutely no other choice or you are dead set on making the military a career. Don't be lured by all the cool weapons and training shit. You will be treated like shit according to your rank and you will spend more time doing bullshit cleaning and vehicle maintenance than you will doing cool shit which only Special Forces get to do anyways. Make sure you research your military occupation thoroughly and talk with people who have been in that job - don't listen to your snake ass recruiter, otherwise you will end up hating your job and life in general.

I thank you very heartedly for the reply and input!
I am not married at the time but I have been in the strangely most stable peculiar relationship I have had-even before my roving days and I've also turned 30 exactly a month ago.

As for choice it is part of the conflict.

I have no worries in sharing this info with my fellow rvf browsers and whatever lurkers there be.
A few days ago I had a bit of a breakdown,I have been dedicating myself to achieve a certain goal since a year and a half about getting a mobile home and use it as the first step for starting my own family.
It sort of now lies at my hands but there is -though not infinite- a rather staggering amount of obstacles between me and my objective,mostly of a legal/burocratic nature.
I felt all hope bleed away from me at the moment my partner expressed severe doubt about the project we had been engaged in for so long.

As stupid as it sounds I'm not sure if its worth still fighting for this whole idea or if I might as well call it a done deal and engage in something that would at least allow me to go down in a blaze of glory/honorable death/The chance to make other random suckers feel several worlds of pain if only to not feel my own.
I wouldnt leave my doggie behind with no home if I were to succesfully engage in service but it does sound rather tempting as I'm not very sure what a man at the peak of his experience,character and physicality with no children is good for if not sharing both mentally and physically his hard-earned knowledge of life to his descendace.

(07-23-2016 09:35 PM)Kona Wrote:  Do you have any special skills that would be beneficial to the military?

Mechanic, speak many languages, hell play a musical instrument?

If so go talk to a recruiter. If not, don't.c

Aloha!

Aside from my artsy BS?
I guess my strenght are languages and PR: Am quite fluent in french besides spanish and english (my mother tongues) and am becoming better at german (I still sound silly and clunky as hell but I'm able to read,have small conversations understand and give directions).
I've got an eye for systematically cataloguing and understanding behavioural/psychological patterns as well.

(07-24-2016 04:37 AM)tomzestatlu Wrote:  I heard, that French foreign legion take only younger men - not over 30. But don´t remember where I heard it, so I cannot confirm it.
I don´t think it would be problem joining any military after 30, but it depends. Few year ago it was almost impossible to join the army in my country and now some politicians realized there are not enough soldiers and now they employ everybody, even though those people don´t have enough quality.
It depends on your skills, fighting is small part of military, you can do different stuff which do not demand very good physical condition. If you are skilled in some way, it can help you very much.

Well,again. I speak languages and am pretty good at figuring conduct patterns,other than that...
Erhm,well I ve got a neatly trained dog.
Physically speaking I've always cultivated my endurance (I rock Cardio when its about last man standing)

Post: #14

If you have a bachelor's join the air force as an officer. Do look at the other branches and those career fields that they offer.
As an officer you may be in a better position to utilize your skills. .... and the pay is more compared to enlisted ranks.

With respect to joining the military do you have specific questions you need answered to help you make a better informed decision?

Also look into law enforcement if that's your thing. A lot of guys I know went active military then after their enlistment ended they became police officers.

To answer your question about age, the military will take you assuming you meet the eligibility requirements. Age is just a number. They don't care how old you are as long as you're within the age limits. I know a few people who joined the military at 39, 38, 37. Same for police officer. I know a guy who went to the police academy at 45. And he kicked ass all the way through. He was in great physical shape.

Don't let the age hinder you. Nobody cares. Just be in shape (physical, mental, free of trouble)

Post: #15

(07-24-2016 09:25 AM)El_Gostro Wrote:  A few days ago I had a bit of a breakdown,I have been dedicating myself to achieve a certain goal since a year and a half about getting a mobile home and use it as the first step for starting my own family. It sort of now lies at my hands but there is -though not infinite- a rather staggering amount of obstacles between me and my objective,mostly of a legal/burocratic nature. I felt all hope bleed away from me at the moment my partner expressed severe doubt about the project we had been engaged in for so long.

As stupid as it sounds I'm not sure if its worth still fighting for this whole idea or if I might as well call it a done deal and engage in something that would at least allow me to go down in a blaze of glory/honorable death/The chance to make other random suckers feel several worlds of pain if only to not feel my own.

You are not fit for command position (officer) at the very least.

No one wants to die or suffer for a leader who is seeking a "glorious" death just because they are having a mid-life crisis. Take your death wish and do something on your own that doesn't involve the potential responsibility of making life and death decisions for others. At the moment, you would be a massive liability to anyone under your leadership and you could get someone killed unnecessarily.

A few other things:

1. Your English writing skills are pretty bad. If you are going to join any military branch where English is the primary language, I'd focus on improving your writing skills.

2. From what I can tell, you have US and Argentinian citizenship. If you join the US military, you will likely have to give up your Argentinian citizenship. The same will likely apply to other countries as well.

3. The US military has become a VERY politically correct environment these days. Gays/trannies in the military, women in combat jobs, and it's insanely bureaucratic. It's NOT a pleasant place to be as a red pill aware man or a place where "boys can be boys" like most other countries military branches. The US military right now is largely filled with wanna-be woman fighters, blue pill white knights, boy scouts, and government bureaucrats. If Hillary Clinton gets elected later this year, it will get even worse.

4. The French Foreign Legion is an option. Max age is 39 years and 6 months. They don't take just anybody though; they do have entrance standards. Why you would want to fight for a country like France, which has been sold out by libtards and is being taken over by radical Islamic terrorists (whom are enabled by said libtards), is beyond me.

5. If you have no allegiance to any particularly country, the FFL is probably your best bet if you see yourself wanting to stay in France/Europe. There whole premise is take in randos from other countries looking for purpose and adventure. The US only makes sense if you are very loyal to the US and are willing to give up your other passports.

The Argentinian military is a question mark. I would only consider it if you were content with residing in Argentina.

As your long you are healthy and fit, being 30+ isn't a problem. HOWEVER, understand that:

1) You will likely be taking orders from guys much younger than you.

2) Your body will breakdown quicker and recover slower as an older person. I know because I use to train and work with 30+ year old military people all the time doing very physically demanding stuff in shitty outdoor conditions. Blown knees, busted backs, can't run as fast before, lungs not working as great... just the tip of the iceberg. I've literally dragged older people (and young people as well) by their tac-vest through miles of nasty rivers, hellish heat, mountains, frigid cold where an exposed hand could go completely numb in less than a minute, etc, because while their mind was still strong, their body wasn't having it anymore. You take care of your people but you also have to accept that once people become too broken, they become more of a liability than an asset. It's obvious but liabilities increase the chance of someone getting killed. As an older person, you have a much higher chance of being a liability.

Fighting wars is a young mans game.

Personally, I don't think you should join any military. You alluded to wanting a family so you should focus on that. Military life and having a family don't mix very well and the military won't be there for when it's all said and done; whether you do 4 years or 25 years. The harsh truth is that the military is a very demanding job with major significant lifestyle trade offs; it is not something that is going replace some void in your life and give you purpose.

In fact, the military can prevent you from seeking out the things that truly make you happy and/or give you a sense of purpose. Since you generally can't quit the military when you feel like it, you just have to bide your time (sometimes for years), waiting for your service contract to be completed or retirement to come about. And I can tell you with absolute authority that being restricted from seeking out the things you want to do by governmental authority can be soul crushing; knowing that you are losing years of your life for something that has no end value and no purpose.

Post: #16

(07-27-2016 03:19 AM)The Black Knight Wrote:  

(07-24-2016 09:25 AM)El_Gostro Wrote:  A few days ago I had a bit of a breakdown,I have been dedicating myself to achieve a certain goal since a year and a half about getting a mobile home and use it as the first step for starting my own family. It sort of now lies at my hands but there is -though not infinite- a rather staggering amount of obstacles between me and my objective,mostly of a legal/burocratic nature. I felt all hope bleed away from me at the moment my partner expressed severe doubt about the project we had been engaged in for so long.

As stupid as it sounds I'm not sure if its worth still fighting for this whole idea or if I might as well call it a done deal and engage in something that would at least allow me to go down in a blaze of glory/honorable death/The chance to make other random suckers feel several worlds of pain if only to not feel my own.

You are not fit for command position (officer) at the very least.

No one wants to die or suffer for a leader who is seeking a "glorious" death just because they are having a mid-life crisis. Take your death wish and do something on your own that doesn't involve the potential responsibility of making life and death decisions for others. At the moment, you would be a massive liability to anyone under your leadership and you could get someone killed unnecessarily.

A few other things:

1. Your English writing skills are pretty bad. If you are going to join any military branch where English is the primary language, I'd focus on improving your writing skills.

2. From what I can tell, you have US and Argentinian citizenship. If you join the US military, you will likely have to give up your Argentinian citizenship. The same will likely apply to other countries as well.

3. US military has become a VERY politically correct environment. Gays/trannies in the military, women in combat jobs, and it's insanely bureaucratic. It's not a pleasant place to be a red pill aware man. If Hillary Clinton gets elected later this year, it will get even worse.

4. The French Foreign Legion is an option. Max age is 39 years and 6 months. They don't just take anybody though; they do have entrance standards.

5. If you have no allegiance to any particularly country, the FFL is probably your best bet if you see yourself wanting to stay in France/Europe. There whole premise is take in randos from other countries looking for purpose and adventure. The US only makes sense if you are very loyal to the US and willing to give up your other passports.

The Argentinian military is a question mark. I would only consider it if you were content with residing in Argentina.

As your long you are healthy and fit, being 30+ isn't a problem. HOWEVER, understand that one:

1) You will likely be taking orders from guys much younger than you.

2) Your body will breakdown quicker and recover slower as an older person. Fighting wars is a young mans game.

Personally, I don't think you should join any military. You alluded to wanting a family so you should focus on that. Military life and having a family don't mix very well and the military won't be there for when it's all said and done; whether you do 4 years or 25 years. The harsh truth is that the military is a very demanding job with major significant trade offs; it is not something that is going replace some void in your life and give you purpose.

In fact, the military can prevent you from seeking out the things that truly make you happy and/or give you a sense of purpose. Since you generally can't quit the military when you feel like it, you just have to bide your time (sometimes for years), waiting for your service contract to be completed or retirement to come about. And I can tell you with absolute authority that being restricted from seeking out the things you want to do by governmental authority can be soul crushing; know that you are losing years of your life for something that has no end value and no purpose.

I will take the criticism.

I agree that I am certainly not fit for a leadership position,I've always beenmore of a lone maverick (wannabe) in my endeavours.
I would also agree that I should channel better my stupid impulses.

I'll keep this thread as a reminder of how silly I am capable of being when taken far beyond my treshold.
Of course I'm not a masochist and I'm not exactly happy about being told what I'm doing wrong but the fact that you took your time to list the points and also reflect on them makes me not only accept it but increase my respect towards a person like you,Black Knight.

Tipping my hat off to you

Post: #17

I suspect the only good reason to join the military at this stage of world affairs would be to learn certain skills, and reasonably speaking you'd be better off learning those skills from veterans while maintaining your freedom and independence.

Post: #18

Try ISIS.

They surely do not care about any age requirements right now!


On a serious note:


The FFL is probably your best option, provided that you are in shape and mentally strong. DO not worry about your French - they will teach you that language.


Also, I have heard that Russia has something like their foreign legion (for a few years already), so that would be probably a good option too. But, keep in mind that Slavic languages are extremely hard to learn

Post: #19

I also heard, that Australian army hires foreign citizens and also German army is preparing to open for foreigners

Post: #20

(07-24-2016 02:06 AM)Cattle Rustler Wrote:  

(07-23-2016 09:30 PM)choichoi Wrote:  I went to basic with quite a few guys who were over 30. One guy was highly motivated and went from Private (E-2) to Seargeant (E-5) in 3 yrs. If you have a wife and kids and want to be a better provider then by all means join the military - it's like food stamps on steroids. However it may put a strain on your marriage as you could be away alot for training and possibly deployments. I enlisted in the Army at the age of 26 (DO NOT ever fucking enlist if you have a college degree - Fucking Commission!). I am now 30 and hate the military, but it helped me build more resilience and made me more focused as well as less sefl-centered. I'm a single soldier which means I get treated like a fucking kid but I'm almost out this bitch so fuck.

Do this only if you have absolutely no other choice or you are dead set on making the military a career. Don't be lured by all the cool weapons and training shit. You will be treated like shit according to your rank and you will spend more time doing bullshit cleaning and vehicle maintenance than you will doing cool shit which only Special Forces get to do anyways. Make sure you research your military occupation thoroughly and talk with people who have been in that job - don't listen to your snake ass recruiter, otherwise you will end up hating your job and life in general.

How do you feel things have changed since you made this post?

/thread-16903...#pid294479

I remember when you posted that, I was a lurker back then. It's surprising how time flies by and you're almost going to leave the military.

Wow I'm surprised you cited that post of mine from so long ago! I have less patience for bullshit. I am a bit more crass. More cynical. More anti-military and anti-American. More driven. More antipathy for authority. Not a pussy like I used to be. That's some stuff. I'll have a better idea when I get out in a few months.

Post: #21

I wouldn't recommend on joining the US military, unless you have a specific skill they need and they have a job you want. Even as an officer, though the pay is decent if you're single. I plan to get out in 7 years because I want to have a family.

The political correctness and rot get worse every day. There are vets who saw the writing on the wall and jumped ship decades before I joined.

Find a militia. Find a group. Train on your own. You might need a government budget for some serious hardware, but not for the training or the skills. The Black Knight's absolutely correct. Joining the military will not give you a purpose in life or fill any void in your soul.

G

Post: #22

I have seen a number of them in the Army. It is easily doable although I do not recommend it as most of the benefits that a military career realizes are much less applicable if you are a bit older.

It is best for guys who need a good "first job" that doesn't really close any options. I will also tell you from both personal experience and from the example of numerous people in my network that if you aggressively utilize veterans resources and veterans networks you can very realistically open up access to opportunities that are normally only available to Ivy League types, or if you have a specific technical skill with value in the civilian world(mostly IT ones....be careful here because recruiters WILL bullshit you about what is and isn't transferable) the transition can be easy and profitable.

Catch is if you are thirty you probably are already set in a career path and more mature. These are primarily young man's advantages.

Post: #23

For US Military is the reserve component a better alternative? I tend to think that it is marginally better for us over 30 with a day job, but I wouldn't know. I can see the issue of deployment in a warzone or being on a definite side of during civil strife as being a major drawback. However, for those who want to get military training for when things do get bad is something that I would find valuable given that you have to do a weekend a month, two weeks a year, your time training, and "national emergencies." Honestly anyone has some insight it would be something that I would be interested in.

Post: #24

Quote:For US Military is the reserve component a better alternative?

I spent several years in the Army National Guard. "One weekend a month, two weeks in the summer" is mainly BS. There are lots of three- and four-day training weekends, and Annual Training is sometimes longer than two weeks. The Guard is also making some noises about doubling the number of training days, which would effectively kill any possibility of successful civilian jobs for Guardsmen.

And of course there are mobilizations, some voluntary, some involuntary. You can decline the voluntary mobilizations (things like firefighting or flood control), but it is strongly discouraged. You'll slide down the promotion list if you don't volunteer for these mobilizations.

I did six months on the Arizona-Mexico border, supporting the Border Patrol, basically just so I could stay in the promotion pool. Fortunately, my civilian employer was supportive, but not everyone is so fortunate. My entire infantry company was screamed at and berated because not enough of us volunteered to fight wildfires. For weeks. In Arizona. In August.

And then there are the involuntary call-ups to fight in the endless, pointless wars and social experiments in the Middle East and Africa. I went to Afghanistan in a 15-month deployment. Didn't kill any Taliban, but hey, the Civil Affairs people built some nice schoolhouses for rural Afghan girls. Schoolhouses which now sit empty.

You can learn some military fighting skills by joining an Army Guard combat arms unit (the Reserve does not have combat arms units), or a USMC Reserve unit. You'll go to normal active-duty basic training and MOS school, right alongside soldiers going onto active duty, so your initial training will be equal to active-duty soldiers. But of course you won't get nearly the opportunity to train and practice once you get back to your regular unit, and military skills are perishable. This is why Guard/Reserve units have a three-month train-up before deploying overseas.

Post: #25

(08-11-2016 02:07 PM)MikeInRealLife Wrote:  

Quote:For US Military is the reserve component a better alternative?

I spent several years in the Army National Guard. "One weekend a month, two weeks in the summer" is mainly BS. There are lots of three- and four-day training weekends, and Annual Training is sometimes longer than two weeks. The Guard is also making some noises about doubling the number of training days, which would effectively kill any possibility of successful civilian jobs for Guardsmen.

And of course there are mobilizations, some voluntary, some involuntary. You can decline the voluntary mobilizations (things like firefighting or flood control), but it is strongly discouraged. You'll slide down the promotion list if you don't volunteer for these mobilizations.

I did six months on the Arizona-Mexico border, supporting the Border Patrol, basically just so I could stay in the promotion pool. Fortunately, my civilian employer was supportive, but not everyone is so fortunate. My entire infantry company was screamed at and berated because not enough of us volunteered to fight wildfires. For weeks. In Arizona. In August.

And then there are the involuntary call-ups to fight in the endless, pointless wars and social experiments in the Middle East and Africa. I went to Afghanistan in a 15-month deployment. Didn't kill any Taliban, but hey, the Civil Affairs people built some nice schoolhouses for rural Afghan girls. Schoolhouses which now sit empty.

You can learn some military fighting skills by joining an Army Guard combat arms unit (the Reserve does not have combat arms units), or a USMC Reserve unit. You'll go to normal active-duty basic training and MOS school, right alongside soldiers going onto active duty, so your initial training will be equal to active-duty soldiers. But of course you won't get nearly the opportunity to train and practice once you get back to your regular unit, and military skills are perishable. This is why Guard/Reserve units have a three-month train-up before deploying overseas.

I agree with most of this.

I had a MASSIVE post written about the reserves but it just got wiped in a browser crash.

Short Version:

(reserve = guard or reserve by the way)

1. If young and need a way to pay for school, make a few bucks, and stay in one location, it MIGHT be worth it. Student life is flexible and can work around reserve bullshit. Educational benefits depend on the school, the state, and what branch (guard or reserve). You MUST look into specifics. Assume nothing.

2. Older with full-time job? Too much hassle and bullshit. The reserves don't understand anymore the citizen-soldier concept and they expect you to jump like active duty. The prevalent culture of the reserves is that they don't understand/accept that for many other people, it's a PART-TIME side job (that's how its sold at least). I had a whole thing written about why this is (Bush abusing guard/reserve in the past, a lot of people unemployed/underemployed today, etc) but that's another post for another time.

3. Older but prior active duty? Maybe worth it if you are going to stay in one location. Max pension benefit won't be high and you won't collect until 60. Probably not worth it given lifestyle trade-offs.

Biggest issue with the modern reserves?

They have an active duty mindset, along with the expectations, but don't give you the active duty benefits. Therefore, the reserves can be VERY disruptive to civilian cash flow and lifestyle and what you get in return is not worth the hassle. Pay is low and the retirement package is weak for being part-time government property where you can be sent to random shit holes against your will for 20+ years; putting your health (look up "burn pits") and life at risk.

Other points:

1. Reserve units have a very religious small town culture; you're either in or out and there is little turnover in people. Piss someone off and life will be shit.

2. If you sign a contract with a reserve unit and move, they will still expect you to show up for drill each month at you expense. They don't care where you moved to; including overseas locations. You would expect people to be reasonable. They are not.

3. Best real benefit is VERY cheap healthcare for you or family. Low caps and you see private doctors. Will save thousands compared to Obamacare plans. The issue might be null and void in near future due to election.

4. Reserve people only get DOMESTIC Space-A travel benefits. This is a big fucking deal because there are regular and frequent FREE CIVILIAN flights from the east coast to Germany/Italy and west coast to Japan/Korea. I'm talking like 3-4 times a week frequent. Not on a military plane; a civilian jet.

HOWEVER, only active duty and full retirees (for reservist, this would be age 60; not when you finish your 20 years in your 40s as a "gray-area retiree") get INTERNATIONAL Space-A benefits. You can deploy to a warzone just like active duty but go fuck yourself if you want travel benefits. Absolute bullshit.

If you want travel benefits, go work for an airline.

5. If you want to do the reserves, TALK TO PEOPLE in your individual unit (the people you will directly work with). Like the job but don't gel with the people? Walk away. Reserve units don't turnover in people like active duty; you might be stuck with these people for a LONG time... like an entire reserve career.

6. Training and experience you will get will not be enough to get a civilian job. If you have an established career and your reserve job complements your main job (ex: you work in IT and your military training/experience is some other IT shit), it could help. Getting a security clearance could help big time in certain sectors. But don't expect to career switch via the reserves unless you get a full-time job in the unit you work in (very difficult).