Yes the training is "cool" and the opstempo is indeed high right now and it's going to stay that way for the foreseeable future. The problem with this is that med school can be a little intense at times and having a second job doing anything, not to mention one were you have to jump out of airplanes in Iraq, will only add to the stress.
I personally know two individuals who more or less went the route you outlined above. One from the Tucson team and the other from the Portland, OR team. My friend from Portland was really sweating the call up for OIF in late 2002, (his second year of school) luckily we were able to work it so he could stay in school while we deployed. My point is that if you go this route you will make sacrifices to both endeavors (med school and Pararescue), and you may not be happy with your results from either. I know I could not have stayed in Pararescue and been a good med school student.
If you want to join, do it and then go to med school after you've had some fun. I really don't recommend trying to do both at once.
Thank you for the info! I think if i do 4yrs active duty, i will have to retake mcat and this means that either i will have to do the whole application process while still active duty, or i will have to take an additional 2 years before matriculating at med school. It seems like the latter option would occur, and i have doubts that i'd want to be ms1 at that age. But I agree that it seems impossible to be a PJ and a med school student at the same time, although you've provided 2 successful examples! I'll have to decide to do something with my life eventually, but submitting to either job is a huge commitment.
Btw i tried to copy some posts on a similar topic from another forum:
"I usually like to keep my comments short, but your question of differences between AD and Reserve PJs requires me to use a little more space for me to try and answer it. Ill start with training. All PJs receive the same Indoc course and pipeline schools (note 1). They are also trained in the same core skills throughout the entire AF (Active Duty, Guard and Reserves). This makes each operator fairly interchangeable from unit to unit and brings a known baseline of skills to the fight.
PJs may be assigned to either Special Tactics or Rescue Squadrons. Where and what type unit the PJ is assigned to will drive the additional training required to meet each units specific mission taskings. This means there is some unique training from unit to unit and probably varies more between ST and Rescue than between an active duty or reserve unit of the same type. Location also may play a part into training, equipment and procedure differences. For example, the Alaska team has a great location in their backyard to practice missions in a mountainous/artic area while the Moody team will have to travel to conduct this type of training. The Alaska team may need to purchase and train with snowmobiles to meet a tasking while the Moody team may not need this equipment to meet theirs. With all that said, we are trained more alike than differently.
Guard/Reserve (referred to G/R from now on) members have the same currency & incentive pay requirements as active duty. The G/R has AGRs and traditional members. AGRs are full timers with the same pay and benefits as active duty while traditional members usually have other fulltime employment. Traditional G/R members owe one weekend a month and 2 weeks a year. As you can see this is not a lot of time to maintain the skills to be a highly trained operator. This means as a traditional PJ you must find additional time to come out to the unit to maintain these skills. Each unit probably approaches this challenge somewhat differently. Usually the AGRs do the paperwork and the traditional only does action guy stuff when he has time to train. Training can usually be spent on proficiency instead of upgrade training due to the age and experience of the G/R.
There are other differences for the G/R besides training. Funding, promotions, recruiting/hiring, availability of school slots, regulations, politics, and retirement are some of them. The Guard is a State owned and funded asset that belongs to the governor unless activated by the president. The Reserves are a federally owned & funded asset. This allows for some differences on when and how each is used.
The last topic I will expand on is the recruiting and hiring. We want to insure all candidates sent from our unit have a good chance at success. That means we have an interview process along with the PAST. Active duty and non-prior service PJs are funded out of the Big AF budget. Each G/R unit funds prior service PJ candidates out of their budget. This means every G/R prior service cone sent to Lackland who fails, negatively impacts the budget to train already qualified PJs and other perspective cones.
Active Duty, Guard or Reserve, we all live by the motto.
Note 1. For a time prior service members with HALO and scuba qualifications were not required to attend Indoc. This was changed. "
"Many people have asked me about STS job opportunities in the Air National Guard. This is an effort to address the most common questions.
Why should you consider joining the 123rd STS, KY ANG?
The reasons people join the Kenucky Air NAtional Guard's 123STS are as varied as the people who join, but over the years some common themes have emerged. The most common theme is the People. People who have joined the 123STS say that it is the drive, energy and sense of purpose of STS people that made them want to be a part of the 123rd. Others say it is the fun and challenge of the job. Civillian life rarely provides the opportunities to excel and solve complex problems that face Pararescuemen and Combat Controllers on a daily basis. Still others say that they want the excitement of STS while still being able to further their education. The 123rd STS make this possible by providing great training that fits into thier schedule, while paying 100% of their tuition at State Schools. This, along with Drill Pay,the GI Bill, and the Guard's Student Loan Repayment Plan (they repay up to $20,000 in Student Loans for you) allows them to obtain their goals and remain debt free.
What kind of positions are available?
We have both Traditional Guardsmen and Active Guard/Reserve positions available. Traditional Guardsmen are required to perform one Unit Training Assembly (UTA) per month and two weeks of Annual Training (AT) each summer. Of course Controllers and PJs need to train more often than this to maintain currency, so we make every effort to schedule training that fits into their schedule. Most Traditional Guardsmen find that a few days of training over Christmas Hollidays, Spring Break and Summer Vacation allow them to stay current and enjoy school. They also enjoy the fact that while they are never forced to go on Temporary Duty (TDY), they are given first choice on TDYs for which they posess the required skills.
Active Guard/Reservist are full time servicemen who serve 365 days a year like their Active Duty counterparts. The only difference is that they only move (PCS) if they choose to transfer to another unit. AGR positions are only available to those who are already PJs and Controllers, whether they transfer from Active Duty, other Guard/Reserve Units or apply from with in the unit.
What kind of equipment does the 123STS have?
We have the newest and best equipment in the STS inventory. What does this mean? New bikes, new quads, new snow mobiles, new radios, new weapons, new climbing gear, you get the idea.
Where does the 123 STS deploy?
The 123rd STS deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom just like every other STS. We had people on every major Rescue, TAC, Airfield, or Head Quarters task force in both operations. If it was hot, we were there. We also have a State mission, providing long haul communications, establishment of remote airfields, search and rescue, and evacuatuion in the event of natural disaster or state emergencies.
What kind of town is Louisville, Ky?
Don't be fooled by the image of Kentucky as a land of backwards, shoe less country bumpkins. Louisville is the 16th largest city in the US with seven colleges and universities, several outstanding parks, many great clubs and restaurants, and an active social scene. Anyone who has ever visited has loved the town.
What kind of team is the 123STS?
Find out for yourself. We are certainly an older, more experienced and more closely knit team than most. Our average age is over 30 and our average time in service is about 12 years. "
