Any one join air force reserve while working as a retail pharmacist full-time?

[PharmDalt]

I've been considering joining the reserves but it's really hard to find information relevant to my specific situation. Working FT as PIC with a retail chain pharmacy in NC. From what I can tell, I'd have to complete 5.5 weeks of Commissioned Officer Training plus 2 weeks per year and 1 weekend per month. Went to the local recruitment office but they didn't really have a lot of information about this and I've been going in circles ever since (now waiting for a recruiter from FL to contact me). I'd probably have to give up my role as PIC, at least temporarily, to be able to go to training (to stay in compliance with both state BOP regulations and company policy). Have accrued enough paid time off over time to cover the initial training so no issue there. It would be great to hear from someone who's done this.
Some terrific answers already! I do want to mention though, I am not in a position to able jeopardize my current civilian job at the moment, hence the willingness to use all PTO and causing minimal trouble for my direct supervisor and the company.

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[BC_89]

Yes, you'll do your COT at the Maxwell AFB. For details, I refer you to @dereku who is a current airforce pharmacist that can walk you through the steps and give you some insight from the branch-point-of-view.

My affiliation and knowledge base is within the army but I have had the privilege of working with airforce members/pharmacists while stationed at the Airforce base located in Fort Sam Houston, TX. The fluidity response I will give you is to not just expect a weekend per month as it can easily be expanded. I am not tracking how often airforce personnel deploy, but the few reservists that had to be called out from their civilian jobs had the mission of backfilling for those members who left garrison for their tasks. Which is to say, kept the reservists away from their civilian jobs for some time.

Though illegal, there are many ways a retail job can let you go beyond the reasonings of your reserve duties without telling you so. I am a believer that this is not as common now-a-days. Nonetheless, the full benefit of service and job security was with those pharmacists who worked at the VA while in the reserves. I'm a bit biased and favor the AD side of the house, but contact dereku with a pm and you'll get a detailed response with direction.

 

[beautifulrobot]

Keep in mind that BOP regulations may have exemptions for military service (I mean, you may temporarily have to have someone else assigned as a PIC, but most likely they have some exemptions that should make it less burdensome for you to fulfill military service obligations), and USERRA should protect you from needing to use your PTO for training or losing your job entirely (but as @BC_89 pointed out, some employers don't always honor the spirit of the law).

Air Force has a bit of a reputation of playing hard to get, and in my limited experience this was true. After an initial back-and-forth in email they totally ghosted me, but I ended up pursuing a different path anyway. In addition to following BC_89's suggestions, I would recommend to just continue reaching out to them frequently and be a squeaky wheel. Air Force is the smallest of the three Medical Service Corps (Army and Navy being the other two), and they tend to be the pickiest as well.

 

[PharmDalt]

Why?

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Something I've always wanted to do, plus if it opens up future FT career opportunities, added bonus!

 

[PharmDalt]

Keep in mind that BOP regulations may have exemptions for military service (I mean, you may temporarily have to have someone else assigned as a PIC, but most likely they have some exemptions that should make it less burdensome for you to fulfill military service obligations), and USERRA should protect you from needing to use your PTO for training or losing your job entirely (but as @BC_89 pointed out, some employers don't always honor the spirit of the law).

Air Force has a bit of a reputation of playing hard to get, and in my limited experience this was true. After an initial back-and-forth in email they totally ghosted me, but I ended up pursuing a different path anyway. In addition to following BC_89's suggestions, I would recommend to just continue reaching out to them frequently and be a squeaky wheel. Air Force is the smallest of the three Medical Service Corps (Army and Navy being the other two), and they tend to be the pickiest as well.

Right on! Fairly certain about the BOP allowing exemptions but doubt the company would budge on their internal policy.

 

[PharmDalt]

Yes, you'll do your COT at the Maxwell AFB. For details, I refer you to @dereku who is a current airforce pharmacist that can walk you through the steps and give you some insight from the branch-point-of-view.

My affiliation and knowledge base is within the army but I have had the privilege of working with airforce members/pharmacists while stationed at the Airforce base located in Fort Sam Houston, TX. The fluidity response I will give you is to not just expect a weekend per month as it can easily be expanded. I am not tracking how often airforce personnel deploy, but the few reservists that had to be called out from their civilian jobs had the mission of backfilling for those members who left garrison for their tasks. Which is to say, kept the reservists away from their civilian jobs for some time.

Though illegal, there are many ways a retail job can let you go beyond the reasonings of your reserve duties without telling you so. I am a believer that this is not as common now-a-days. Nonetheless, the full benefit of service and job security was with those pharmacists who worked at the VA while in the reserves. I'm a bit biased and favor the AD side of the house, but contact dereku with a pm and you'll get a detailed response with direction.

I am concerned about your last point as well, which is why I am prepared to do everything possible to minimize any problems for my employer (using PTO for basic etc)

 

[2020graducandoit]

If you want to join the Air Force you will essentially have to recruit yourself. Their quotas are very low and for the entire military the need for pharmacists just like the need for them in the civilian world is very low as well. Also almost any recruitment office that you can walk into in the entire country is geared towards enlisted recruiting and as you have seen you will have to try and track down an ‘officer recruiter’. Navy normally takes 1-3 active duty new pharmacists a year and I would assume that Air Force would be very similar, primarily because no one is leaving the cushy officer life. From a reserve perspective if you really want to serve you would have a better chance going in and filling a general position than going strictly for pharmacist. If you did get in, there are laws in place that prevent a company from firing you and your position would be held any time you are serving. —Navy x12 years and ran a recruiting station for 3 of those 12 years.

 

[VictorOfHungerGames]

When I spoke with a navy recruiter, military pharmacy is so saturated that they've taken down ALL pharmacists position and was told not to even send any application. lol. Been applying for local VA positions for past 3 years. Emailed the director to see why I haven't even received an interview. I was again told there is no room. All hiring is done internally. lol. I love our profession boyos.