Army Reserve info

[Dr63A]

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hello,

if anyone has any questions about being in the Active Duty/ Army Reserve as a general dentist please feel free to post your questions.

i have 4 years of AD time and have recently joined the AR.

 

[thompsonae12]

hello,

if anyone has any questions about being in the Active Duty/ Army Reserve as a general dentist please feel free to post your questions.

i have 4 years of AD time and have recently joined the AR.

1. What do you think are the chances of being deployed? Have you been anywhere and what was it like?

2. Would you recommend a woman going into it if she wants to have children during that time?

3. As a dentist do you feel that you are ready to succeed in civilian life/ own your own practice? Did you have the opportunity to do a variety of dental procedures on a daily basis?

4. What is life on a base like?


You can answer any or all of these if you would like. Thanks!

 

[385835]

Thompson asked all of the questions that I was thinking except I'd like to add one.

What is the different between Army Reserve and Army National Guard especially in dentist's lifestyle sense and not just an organizational/administrative sense?

 

[cab1217]

Hello,
I am currently in my first year of school. I am considering the Reserves, but question the ablility to be hired privately when I will have the commitment for the Reserves. How does an Army Reserves dentist juggle a civilian job and the commitment/deployments? Also, would it be worth it to sign up now, as a student? I am not sure everything that the recruiter tells me is accurate (stipend, loan reimburments, etc.) Any information wil be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Dr63A]

1. What do you think are the chances of being deployed? Have you been anywhere and what was it like?

2. Would you recommend a woman going into it if she wants to have children during that time?

3. As a dentist do you feel that you are ready to succeed in civilian life/ own your own practice? Did you have the opportunity to do a variety of dental procedures on a daily basis?

4. What is life on a base like?


You can answer any or all of these if you would like. Thanks!

A few questions for you:

1) Are you a student or a dentist?
2) Are you asking about active duty or reserves?

I'll answer your questions with the assumptions that you are a dental and inquiring about active duty.

1. In today's environment, there seems to be very little chance to deploy. The army usually deploys by seniority so even if a "little" war was to break out somewhere you probably would be safe.

I was stationed overseas for 3 years (by choice) and 1 year in the US. the chance to travel and live overseas was awesome!

2. I don't see a problem. the army seems like a good place to have kids. they'll give you maternity leave. plus you have 30 days of regular leave a year to work with. i think these days once you are stationed in one place the chances for you to stay there for 3-4 years is pretty good, unless you want to move.

3. i personally didn't feel ready because my first two years i only did amalgams, extractions, and pulpectomies. the last two i did some crown and bridge. no implant experience, no perio, no pedo. this depends on the location you are posted at. some like my last duty station, i could do almost anything in regards to c&b. some i hear never get off the amalgam line.

4. overseas, having a base to go to was great (always had a piece of america to go to) in the US, i tried to get off it ASAP and go home to my regular life.

 

[Dr63A]

Thompson asked all of the questions that I was thinking except I'd like to add one.

What is the different between Army Reserve and Army National Guard especially in dentist's lifestyle sense and not just an organizational/administrative sense?

This has been my experience so far.

USAR: you really have no job other than be ready to mobilize for 4 months as a dentist to support an active duty mission. we don't do anything meaningful during drill weekends.

ARNG: you support your combat arms units by doing dental exams/treatment and other readiness activities. some states really need you to do dentistry while others may use contractors and you pickup any extra slack.

i personally like not doing any dentistry on the weekends especially readiness exams. it sucks!

i think your chances of mobilizing or deploying are slim to none in national guard because you are needed to support your unit, while in the reserves you usually go somewhere every 2-3 years.

 

[Dr63A]

Hello,
I am currently in my first year of school. I am considering the Reserves, but question the ablility to be hired privately when I will have the commitment for the Reserves. How does an Army Reserves dentist juggle a civilian job and the commitment/deployments? Also, would it be worth it to sign up now, as a student? I am not sure everything that the recruiter tells me is accurate (stipend, loan reimburments, etc.) Any information wil be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

why not pay for school now with loans and if after you graduate evaluate your goals and situation. if you still want to do it take loan repayment contract. it's up to 250k now. that's what i would do.

don't commit yourself to 8 years off the bat. civilian dentists are doing very well.

 

[cab1217]

why not pay for school now with loans and if after you graduate evaluate your goals and situation. if you still want to do it take loan repayment contract. it's up to 250k now. that's what i would do.

don't commit yourself to 8 years off the bat. civilian dentists are doing very well.

Thank you, I appreciate your answer. Yes, this is probably what I will do. Thanks again!

 

[thompsonae12]

A few questions for you:

1) Are you a student or a dentist?
2) Are you asking about active duty or reserves?

I'll answer your questions with the assumptions that you are a dental and inquiring about active duty.

1. In today's environment, there seems to be very little chance to deploy. The army usually deploys by seniority so even if a "little" war was to break out somewhere you probably would be safe.

I was stationed overseas for 3 years (by choice) and 1 year in the US. the chance to travel and live overseas was awesome!

2. I don't see a problem. the army seems like a good place to have kids. they'll give you maternity leave. plus you have 30 days of regular leave a year to work with. i think these days once you are stationed in one place the chances for you to stay there for 3-4 years is pretty good, unless you want to move.

3. i personally didn't feel ready because my first two years i only did amalgams, extractions, and pulpectomies. the last two i did some crown and bridge. no implant experience, no perio, no pedo. this depends on the location you are posted at. some like my last duty station, i could do almost anything in regards to c&b. some i hear never get off the amalgam line.

4. overseas, having a base to go to was great (always had a piece of america to go to) in the US, i tried to get off it ASAP and go home to my regular life.

I'm a student looking at the HPSP scholarship. I guess I'd be asking mostly about active duty but the reserves as well (I heard you never really get called back from the reserves?). Would you suggest that someone take the loan repayment contract instead? It's up to 250k but after interest my dental school loans will probably be around 350k.

About having experience... Is it easy to get a base location where you know you'll have more opportunities in dentistry? That seems more important to me than where I'll be living in the US.

 

[Dr63A]

I'm a student looking at the HPSP scholarship. I guess I'd be asking mostly about active duty but the reserves as well (I heard you never really get called back from the reserves?). Would you suggest that someone take the loan repayment contract instead? It's up to 250k but after interest my dental school loans will probably be around 350k.

About having experience... Is it easy to get a base location where you know you'll have more opportunities in dentistry? That seems more important to me than where I'll be living in the US.

one can make generalizations about postings.

large posts with basic training students: most likely doing only exams and large amalgams 8 hours/day 5 days/week

large posts with regular troops: most likely doing only exams and large amalgams 8 hours/day 5 days/week.

any posts with dental residency programs: most likely doing only exams and large amalgams 8 hours/day 5 days/week. good cases taken by residents

small posts with few soldiers or high ranking officers: probably get to do good stuff like crown and bridge, few exams, probably few amalgams, but these posts are usually filled by higher ranking dentists who have paid their dues

what you allowed is highly dependent on your immediate boss (officer in charge). if s/he likes amalgam only then that's what you'll do. dentists right out of school are on a short leash. good luck getting to do crowns your first year.

this has been my experience.

my first two years i did lots of exams, amalgams, extractions, pulpectomies. no crowns and no posterior resins because my boss didn't like them.

third year: lots of exam, but did crowns, bridges, and posterior composites (this boss gave us free reign)

fourth year: small vip post. few exams, did whatever i wanted (general dentists can't do implant restorations) c&b, RCT. very good year, very little scut work.

 

[krmower]

I'm a student looking at the HPSP scholarship. I guess I'd be asking mostly about active duty but the reserves as well (I heard you never really get called back from the reserves?). Would you suggest that someone take the loan repayment contract instead? It's up to 250k but after interest my dental school loans will probably be around 350k.

About having experience... Is it easy to get a base location where you know you'll have more opportunities in dentistry? That seems more important to me than where I'll be living in the US.

When you said "I heard you never really get called back from the reserves" you may be referring to the inactive ready reserves (IRR). If you are referring to IRR you are correct - no one has gotten called back. People go into the IRR by default after they have completed their active duty obligation. If you go into Regular Reserve or National Guard - those dentists can and do deploy.

 

[thompsonae12]

Okay, so as long as I don't ask to be in the regular reserves I'll automatically be IRR and not have to go back?

Dr63A- so it depends on where you are then? You just have to wait until you've been in it a few years to get the good cases/base? What would happen if you didn't get a lot of experience- what would you then do after the military to pick it up again?

 

[krmower]

I have been at 3 bases in my 10 yrs in - 1 large infantry base, 1 AIT training base, and 1 moderate sized "other" base. My experience has been that the general dentists have had quite a bit of flexibility in the procedures they do. That being said - it will vary by who your boss is - but I don't think you can generalize every base. "Flexibility" means that in addition to the operative procedures that they do - other procedures also become a part of their practice.

 

[Dr63A]

Okay, so as long as I don't ask to be in the regular reserves I'll automatically be IRR and not have to go back?

Dr63A- so it depends on where you are then? You just have to wait until you've been in it a few years to get the good cases/base? What would happen if you didn't get a lot of experience- what would you then do after the military to pick it up again?

everything depends on your boss like the following examples:

1) nice vs mean
2) micromanager vs hands-off
3) gung ho military vs civilian like in a uniform
4) man vs woman
5) lazy vs helpful
6) mentoring vs selfish
7) amalgam only doc vs practical real-world doc
8) happy vs jaded
9) specialist oic vs comprehensive dentist oic (the bravos are much more up your arse vs the specialist boss who seems only concerned about his/her speciality and probably will leave you alone.

i would say that the above comes into play at a medium to small size clinic. if you are lucky and have a nice, hands-off,civilian like,man, helpful, mentoring, practical, happy, specialist oic boss then you may get to do some comprehensive dentistry, be satified, and actually learn without a boss breathing down your neck.

i say most of the above gets thrown out if you are at a large post, then it probably doesn't matter because you will be blasted by exams and amalgam fillings all day and i won't matter about the rest.

the above is a single person experience. my last two years was a super awesome time and i've been pretty lucky but at the same i was very, very pro-active and savvy about the places i wanted to be posted to. i was not prior service, but did my homework on how to get things done.

good luck!

 

[Dr63A]

Okay, so as long as I don't ask to be in the regular reserves I'll automatically be IRR and not have to go back?

Dr63A- so it depends on where you are then? You just have to wait until you've been in it a few years to get the good cases/base? What would happen if you didn't get a lot of experience- what would you then do after the military to pick it up again?

forgot to answer your question about what i'm doing to pick it back up.

well, i am in a civilian speciality program. personally, i didn't feel comfortable with my dentistry to go out and practice well and safe.

most of the people i know who have gotten out in the last 3-4 years, have gone into speciality training right away.

the civilian programs love applicants with military experience. i can't think of anyone who hasn't gotten in right out of acitve duty.

 

[thompsonae12]

Would it be better to specialize in something right off the back then? Say you go into pediatric dentistry or perio- will you be working your specialty while in the military? This way you won't be losing any skills?

 

[Dr63A]

Would it be better to specialize in something right off the back then? Say you go into pediatric dentistry or perio- will you be working your specialty while in the military? This way you won't be losing any skills?

do you mind if you tell me if you a 1) high school 2) college student 3) dental student?

i think i can tailor an appropriate answer if i know at what stage you are in the whole process.

pedo or perio in the army?

pedo, you can't apply right away. perio you can and you probably will get it b/c there are usually 5-6 applicants for 4 postions. remember, you will start one year after you get accepted. plus you will commit yourself to the army longer than your hpsp commitment.

 

[thompsonae12]

do you mind if you tell me if you a 1) high school 2) college student 3) dental student?

i think i can tailor an appropriate answer if i know at what stage you are in the whole process.

pedo or perio in the army?

pedo, you can't apply right away. perio you can and you probably will get it b/c there are usually 5-6 applicants for 4 postions. remember, you will start one year after you get accepted. plus you will commit yourself to the army longer than your hpsp commitment.

I graduated college and am accepted to dental school for the fall... trying to decide if I should do the HPSP scholarship or not. I meant just deferring your payback until after you specialize in something (civilian). Also, I thought that if you specialize in the military, it just counted as neutral years? At least this was what I've been hearing from my recruiter and I think some people online.

 

[krmower]

I graduated college and am accepted to dental school for the fall... trying to decide if I should do the HPSP scholarship or not. I meant just deferring your payback until after you specialize in something (civilian). Also, I thought that if you specialize in the military, it just counted as neutral years? At least this was what I've been hearing from my recruiter and I think some people online.

Army does not let you defer payback or go to civilian specialty schools.

 

[thompsonae12]

When do people specialize in the army then?

 

[Dr63A]

When do people specialize in the army then?

my advice is if you are not going to make the army a career, then don't try to specialize in the army. finish you commitment and if you still want to specialize, then do it on the civilian side.

as a dental student you can apply for perio, prostho, oral surgery, 2 year aegd but for pedo, endo you have to finish at least one year before you can apply. this means you won't start a program until after you finish your 2nd year. ortho i don't know, someone else can answer that.

my suggestion is do some googling for all your answers. this is what i did. if you do the basic reseach and ask more sophisticated questions, i can help you tremendously with insider insight.

good luck!

 

[krmower]

When do people specialize in the army then?

The trend the last 10 yrs or so has been to specialize within the first few years out of school.

 

[teeth63a]

Thank you, I appreciate your answer. Yes, this is probably what I will do. Thanks again!

why not pay for school now with loans and if after you graduate evaluate your goals and situation. if you still want to do it take loan repayment contract. it's up to 250k now. that's what i would do.

don't commit yourself to 8 years off the bat. civilian dentists are doing very well.

Reserve contracts are typically one for one (one year pay back for one year service), with the shortest contract for the HPLRP being three years. I thought I heard the HPLRP was being suspended for the next fiscal year...

NG contracts I believe can be still done in 1-3 year increments.

 

[ocean606]

hello,

if anyone has any questions about being in the Active Duty/ Army Reserve as a general dentist please feel free to post your questions.

i have 4 years of AD time and have recently joined the AR.

Is it possible to apply for 2-year AEGD and do 8 years of reserve time only? Or can I apply 1-year AEGD as a civilian? I am trying to avoid active duty obligation, but I am fine with reserves.

 

[krmower]

Is it possible to apply for 2-year AEGD and do 8 years of reserve time only? Or can I apply 1-year AEGD as a civilian? I am trying to avoid active duty obligation, but I am fine with reserves.

No. Any postgraduate training in the military is only available for active duty Soldiers with an incured active duty commitment. If you do the Reserves - any training is on your own through civilian programs.

Civilians are not allowed to apply for any training unless they plan on coming on active duty as a Soldier (they can apply as a civilian, but then have to join active duty).

 

[health]

hello,

if anyone has any questions about being in the Active Duty/ Army Reserve as a general dentist please feel free to post your questions.

i have 4 years of AD time and have recently joined the AR.

Hi,
I am applying for the Army Reserve through MAVNI HCP program as a dentist. I have finished MEPS, ASVAB, etc., It almost took 1 year to cross all the hurdles and come to this stage of my application process. At the last minute my recruiter retired and the new recruiter is not able to find a unit that can take me in. I am not sure if he is pursuing it thoroughly. The last date for the board meeting is Nov 17, 2013. Is there any way that you could help with this situation? Your help is greatly appreciated.