I have been thinking of joining the AF reserve but it wouldnt be this year , maybe next


. My question after reading quite a few articles is that as a reserve you can pick up Active duty orders and earn active duty pay during. Is this something that is offered regularly? Or does it depend on any circumstances? The articles didnt ellaborate on this much.


The main reason i would pick reserve is my grandmother , being able to live close to her to help her out is important to me. But i also dont want to miss the chance to.serve in some capacity. And Eglin AF base is like 60miles from her house.


I would appriciate any advice and info

I wish I could tell you, but my time in was active service. Never did reserves. Only thing I know is that every year you have to go on exercises for two weeks.

Yeah i read about that and its.fine. i mean i could be gone a.few months even and would be ok. But i would.like my home near my grandma

It depends on your unit and your job. The thing about the Reserves is that, unlike regular service members, only a small faction train to be combatants in the reserves (even less in the AFR).


My suggestion is to find the local bases, and see what jobs are typically there. For example, my uncle was in the AFR for 30+ years. He didn't see much action in the 90s, but towards the end of his military career as a reservist, he did 4 deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a firefighter for his career, a high ranking member of the Philadelphia FD. He joined the AFR when he was 18 and joined the fire fighting group (im guessing part of SAR units?). He did his basic, did his supplemental, and then joined the PFD. Made a really nice career of it all.


Pick a trade you really can get into. Electrical, communications, mechanical technician, firefighter, EMT...


Also talk to those who do these jobs, some get deployed more than others. Recruiters should have some contact info for you. Just ask them.


Good luck.