NG transfer to reserves

[armyemdoc]

Hi all

Wondering if anyone has navigated a transfer from NG into reserves. I’m being told that the reserves has the flexibility to do drills during weekdays. Despite the flex policy, my commander doesn’t believe in it and already being scheduled for a minimum 2 weekends in the hospital makes it challenging to continually ask partners to switch weekends. I’m several years out from residency, have no profiles no issues with apft etc and have started CGSC - although this will probably be put on hold as my unit won’t recognize PME in lieu of AT.

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[deleted480308]

I’m interested in how easy/hard this ends up being if you wouldn’t mind updating as it progresses.

 

[armyemdoc]

Will update - the reserve recruiter said the process is “pretty easy”...we shall see

 

[DeadCactus]

Option to switch to another unit? Reserve is definitely more flexible, transfer shouldn't be any more painful than most military bureaucracy. Might be worth looking around at other units first depending on what you want out of the military.

 

[koruca]

Me and other Guard residents are very interested in this as well. What was the best way you found to get in contact with a an AMEDD Reserve recruiter?

 

[TheEarDoc]

It is possible. I believe the process (as it was explained to me before by a recruiter several years ago) is you have to have your current NG commander release you from that unit. Then they have to have someone sign the paperwork to assign you to a reserves unit and that commander sign the form then it gets processed. If you current NG commander isn't wanting to budge on drill, it wouldn't be a surprise if they refuse to release you from the unit.

Good luck. If you figure it out let everyone know how it works.

 

[armyemdoc]

Option to switch to another unit? Reserve is definitely more flexible, transfer shouldn't be any more painful than most military bureaucracy. Might be worth looking around at other units first depending on what you want out of the military.

State doesn't seem keen on moving providers around at the moment. I'm just looking for more flexibility with drill - flex policy is there but the commander doesn't believe in it. They aren't receptive to me even coming in during weekedays for pha's/profiles/etc. The policy is written to be used at their discretion.

It is possible. I believe the process (as it was explained to me before by a recruiter several years ago) is you have to have your current NG commander release you from that unit. Then they have to have someone sign the paperwork to assign you to a reserves unit and that commander sign the form then it gets processed. If you current NG commander isn't wanting to budge on drill, it wouldn't be a surprise if they refuse to release you from the unit.

Good luck. If you figure it out let everyone know how it works.

That's what I have seen researching this but the recruiter didn't say much regarding this, "it's easy". I'm anticipating my commander will try and squash it but will see how this plays out. There was a doc from a former unit who did this several years ago and am awaiting to hear back from them regarding how to navigate the process.

Me and other Guard residents are very interested in this as well. What was the best way you found to get in contact with a an AMEDD Reserve recruiter?

I looked up my state reserve recruiter online
.

 

[notdeadyet]

I’d be curious to hear about your progress as well.

I’ve also heard of Reserve folks looking to jump to ARNG, so I realize that there is definitely an element of grass-is-greener going on (such is the Army).

For me the issue is flexibility as well. I have heard stories of docs in the Reserve who drill twice a year for 2-3 weeks each time. Not sure if it’s true or not, but it sure sounds sweet.

Regarding the difficulty of transferring: I take it folks have not yet satisfied their service obligation? For those of us who have, I don’t see how they can stop it, as we could otherwise just transfer into IRR and then transfer to Reserve, no?

 

[DeadCactus]

Sorry to hear that. The Guard is so command dependent, the malignancy or benign neglect of a commander can really ruin the experience. Are you still under a service obligation? How much are you willing to rock the boat? How critical is the military to your life happiness? Are you willing to switch from asking to telling them "I won't be at drill this month, I can come in on these dates to make up for it"? You're not active duty and you're not exactly in an overmanned MOS. You have more leverage than they want you to think. Go up the chain of command and reach out to your medical chain of command. Generally someone a level or two up will recognize the idiocy of losing a physician or taking dramatic action to coerce drill attendance over a flexible drill policy. Frankly, they struggle to deal with people with much less training for much more egregious offences. It doesn't sound like your current unit is a situation worth preserving, so focus your efforts on switching to another unit or to the Reserve. At the state level, the choice between retaining an engaged physician in a new unit the Guard, losing a physician to the Reserve, or retaining an ever more disengaged, bitter, and uncooperative physician in the current unit should be an easy choice.

Edit: I will add, don't expect the transfer process to be quick. I'd expect at least 6 months and plan for 1 year. All the more reason to be aggressive about advocating your own needs.

 

[TheEarDoc]

I’d be curious to hear about your progress as well.

I’ve also heard of Reserve folks looking to jump to ARNG, so I realize that there is definitely an element of grass-is-greener going on (such is the Army).

For me the issue is flexibility as well. I have heard stories of docs in the Reserve who drill twice a year for 2-3 weeks each time. Not sure if it’s true or not, but it sure sounds sweet.

Regarding the difficulty of transferring: I take it folks have not yet satisfied their service obligation? For those of us who have, I don’t see how they can stop it, as we could otherwise just transfer into IRR and then transfer to Reserve, no?

I know when I was looking to join up NG vs. Reserves, I chose reserves just because I had always heard from many folks it was much easier to switch units in the reserves than it was in the NG due to the state having a hand in things. Luckily my AOC doesn't exist in the NG so hey I got reserves by default!

 

[armyemdoc]

Sorry to hear that. The Guard is so command dependent, the malignancy or benign neglect of a commander can really ruin the experience. Are you still under a service obligation? How much are you willing to rock the boat? How critical is the military to your life happiness? Are you willing to switch from asking to telling them "I won't be at drill this month, I can come in on these dates to make up for it"? You're not active duty and you're not exactly in an overmanned MOS. You have more leverage than they want you to think. Go up the chain of command and reach out to your medical chain of command. Generally someone a level or two up will recognize the idiocy of losing a physician or taking dramatic action to coerce drill attendance over a flexible drill policy. Frankly, they struggle to deal with people with much less training for much more egregious offences. It doesn't sound like your current unit is a situation worth preserving, so focus your efforts on switching to another unit or to the Reserve. At the state level, the choice between retaining an engaged physician in a new unit the Guard, losing a physician to the Reserve, or retaining an ever more disengaged, bitter, and uncooperative physician in the current unit should be an easy choice.

Edit: I will add, don't expect the transfer process to be quick. I'd expect at least 6 months and plan for 1 year. All the more reason to be aggressive about advocating your own needs.

Still owe some time for hplrp/strap payback. I do enjoy taking care of the soldiers in my unit and training our medics. Getting frustrated with the scheduling issues more than anything given that there is a policy available to help with this. Not sure if I an say "I won't be at drill..." - wondering if that is truly a feasible option.

 

[DeadCactus]

Still owe some time for hplrp/strap payback. I do enjoy taking care of the soldiers in my unit and training our medics. Getting frustrated with the scheduling issues more than anything given that there is a policy available to help with this. Not sure if I an say "I won't be at drill..." - wondering if that is truly a feasible option.

You can. And the Guard will have a range of legal repercussions they can take which will vary by state. Guard members fall under state law at drill not UCMJ. Repercussions can range from annoying your command, to formal reprimand, to having the police grab you and bring you to drill, to discharge. Of note, Guard members do not fall under UCMJ during drill. Ultimately, it becomes a game of chicken. The bigger of a hammer the commander tries to swing, the more support they will need from their own leadership and the JAG folks. How many people really want to go to some O6+ and JAG and explain why they think driving a physician eager to work out of the Guard and opening the Guard up for some negative publicity all over some weird power flex regarding scheduling?

My goal isn't to empower people to sham out of their obligations. You come across as someone who wants to fulfill their obligation and is not receiving the reasonable support needed to do so. Leadership failures like this push good people out of the Guard and it deserves push back. There are a lot of cool benefits and rewards to being the Guard or Reserve but it is still a sacrifice made by service members and their families and they deserve the support of both the military and their civilian employers. I find it particularly annoying when the military is unwilling to invest and support in its own people.

 

[armyemdoc]

Well, spoke with a reserve recruiter and the process is "easy" if I can obtain a conditional release from my chain of command. then get released into IRR and picked up by the reserves. other option (which sounds more challenging) is a 368 (unsure what the details are) which requires a general officer to sign off on and then being released direct to the reserves.

 

[TheEarDoc]

Well, spoke with a reserve recruiter and the process is "easy" if I can obtain a conditional release from my chain of command. then get released into IRR and picked up by the reserves. other option (which sounds more challenging) is a 368 (unsure what the details are) which requires a general officer to sign off on and then being released direct to the reserves.

Ah I figured. You’re at the mercy of your current commander who doesn’t sound too flexible with your drill so most likely won’t be too flexible with cutting you loose.

The 368 route would require it to go up the chain of command and from what I’ve heard from others is it can sit on each desk for up to 30 days before your recruiter can really raise a stink about it. So it sounds like if your current unit commander doesn’t cut you loose you are looking at like a possible year long process.

I am guessing a justification of “I have to switch on call weekends with coworkers” will not fly as proper justification given you know the drill schedule for the year. Also compressed drill while it occurs isn’t guaranteed.

Good luck though and let everyone know how it goes!