Reserves - Occupational experience and full-time opportunities

[sarahsmom]

I asked a recruiter. He said that pilots in the Air Reserves are ex-Reg Force pilots. Other trades can be recruited without prior service.

Pilot would definitely fall under hard Air Force trade. Reg F pilots take forever to train so it makes sense that ARAF doesn’t accept off the street applicants for that job.

 

[da1root]

Currently have a friend who works class B full time during the day in a very demanding job and is then expected to parade with his reserve unit 1-2 training nights per week and 2 weekends a month. When they put forward that they were getting burnt out they were threatened with having their class B job canceled so they can attend unit training and not be burnt out.

Your friend may want to investigate transferring to the DRSM PRL. For those unaware the DRSM PRL is a "holding unit" for individuals that are on Full Time Class B (multi year contracts) who do not wish to parade with their home units. There are some administrative draw backs to the DRSM PRL (contrary to belief you still get courses, I got ILP while on the DRSM PRL & you can get promoted - but there are other draw backs).

Onto the Original Post:

Before I get into it I wanted to clarify some terminology being used.

• Class A = employment less than 12 days in a row (i.e. the one night a week, one weekend a month that is mentioned)
• Class B = any employment 13 or more consecutive days in a row
  • "Short Term Class B" is used for anything less than 180 days (i.e. Summer Class B contracts)
  • "Long Term Class B" is used for anything over 180 days
  • Some individuals (like myself) will use the term "Multi Year Class B" to denote a 3 year Class B contract

I am a Full Time (Multi Year) Class B member. Joined the Naval Reserves in May 1999; I was Class A during the school year and had short term Class B contracts during the summer until Spring 2003, in the Spring 2003 I took my first multi-year contract and I've full-time Class B since.

I enrolled as a Diesel Mechanic (now called Marine Technicians); did an occupational transfer to RMS Clerk (now called HRA/FSA) in 2001 and then did the special commissioning plan (similar to commissioning from the ranks) in 2021 as an HCA (now called HSM)

To do full time employment as a Reservist you must be OFP (occupational function point), this means that you've done all the courses that makes it so you're "qualified" to do your job. So BMQ for NCM's or BMOQ for Officers, plus your first trades course and sometimes, depending on occupation, an environmental course.

In some cases you can work within the occupation that you're trained in, such as almost all NAVRES occupations (as mentioned by ModIrMike), and almost all Logistics occupations (FSA,HRA,Cook,MMTech,LogO). In some cases you'll see individuals working outside their occupation, as a former RMS Clerk I cannot count how many times I had Med Tech's, Cooks, Signallers, or other occupations working for me in the Orderly Room. The unit that I'm closest too right now has a Cook in a full time MM Tech position and they're currently transferring to MSE Op. So it's possible to work out of occupation too if you're just wanting a Class B contract.

Honestly if you're looking for summer employment while you finish your 2nd degree and you're wanting to roll into one or two 3 year Class B contracts upon graduating I'd personally guide you towards NWO, Cook or Marine Tech (out of the list you put in your original post).

The reason why Recruiters won't comment on the ability to get Class B employment is that there is no guarantee - spent time in recruiting myself and wouldn't comment on Class B employment when at events.

To be honest I'm likely one of the few pure reservists who has 20+ years of Class B service across several occupations; so is it possible? Yes - is it what the reserves were designed to be? No.

Edit note: The big thing to know about with Long Term Class B contracts is that in many cases you have to apply for them. I don't think I've had a single contract since 2012 that I've applied for that hasn't had at least 3 or more other individuals applying for the same position. So every 3 years I have to compete to keep my job (or get the new job I'm moving into)...so something to keep in mind if that's your decision.

 

[Blue Jay]

Your friend may want to investigate transferring to the DRSM PRL. For those unaware the DRSM PRL is a "holding unit" for individuals that are on Full Time Class B (multi year contracts) who do not wish to parade with their home units. There are some administrative draw backs to the DRSM PRL (contrary to belief you still get courses, I got ILP while on the DRSM PRL & you can get promoted - but there are other draw backs).

Onto the Original Post:

Before I get into it I wanted to clarify some terminology being used.

• Class A = employment less than 12 days in a row (i.e. the one night a week, one weekend a month that is mentioned)
• Class B = any employment 13 or more consecutive days in a row
  • "Short Term Class B" is used for anything less than 180 days (i.e. Summer Class B contracts)
  • "Long Term Class B" is used for anything over 180 days
  • Some individuals (like myself) will use the term "Multi Year Class B" to denote a 3 year Class B contract

I am a Full Time (Multi Year) Class B member. Joined the Naval Reserves in May 1999; I was Class A during the school year and had short term Class B contracts during the summer until Spring 2003, in the Spring 2003 I took my first multi-year contract and I've full-time Class B since.

I enrolled as a Diesel Mechanic (now called Marine Technicians); did an occupational transfer to RMS Clerk (now called HRA/FSA) in 2001 and then did the special commissioning plan (similar to commissioning from the ranks) in 2021 as an HCA (now called HSM)

To do full time employment as a Reservist you must be OFP (occupational function point), this means that you've done all the courses that makes it so you're "qualified" to do your job. So BMQ for NCM's or BMOQ for Officers, plus your first trades course and sometimes, depending on occupation, an environmental course.

In some cases you can work within the occupation that you're trained in, such as almost all NAVRES occupations (as mentioned by ModIrMike), and almost all Logistics occupations (FSA,HRA,Cook,MMTech,LogO). In some cases you'll see individuals working outside their occupation, as a former RMS Clerk I cannot count how many times I had Med Tech's, Cooks, Signallers, or other occupations working for me in the Orderly Room. The unit that I'm closest too right now has a Cook in a full time MM Tech position and they're currently transferring to MSE Op. So it's possible to work out of occupation too if you're just wanting a Class B contract.

Honestly if you're looking for summer employment while you finish your 2nd degree and you're wanting to roll into one or two 3 year Class B contracts upon graduating I'd personally guide you towards NWO, Cook or Marine Tech (out of the list you put in your original post).

The reason why Recruiters won't comment on the ability to get Class B employment is that there is no guarantee - spent time in recruiting myself and wouldn't comment on Class B employment when at events.

To be honest I'm likely one of the few pure reservists who has 20+ years of Class B service across several occupations; so is it possible? Yes - is it what the reserves were designed to be? No.

Edit note: The big thing to know about with Long Term Class B contracts is that in many cases you have to apply for them. I don't think I've had a single contract since 2012 that I've applied for that hasn't had at least 3 or more other individuals applying for the same position. So every 3 years I have to compete to keep my job (or get the new job I'm moving into)...so something to keep in mind if that's your decision.

Lots of useful info there. Thanks.