Guaranteed Reserves After Graduation

bdaMom

5-Year Member
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Dec 17, 2009
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As my son gets closer to graduation in the next couple years, I realize I don't know how the whole Reserves Officer thing works. He is SMP with the Reserves, and took the GRFD scholarship. His current unit is near his college. So what happens after graduation? Does he become an officer in that unit? Most likely he won't stay in that city, but will go wherever he gets a job. Does he get transferred to a unit near his job?
 
We are on Plan B, actually, Plan C, and are looking into the GRFD scholarship or the National Guard one. How hard was this to get and is it a big process? Thanks
 
He gets to go out and find a unit with a vacancy. It's up to him to figure out if he wants to stay with his previous unit or get a new one where he plans to work and live. He also still has the obligation to attend his Officer Basic Course, which usually throws a little bit of a curve ball at his job search.
 
We are on Plan B, actually, Plan C, and are looking into the GRFD scholarship or the National Guard one. How hard was this to get and is it a big process? Thanks

Our son didn't get a 4-yr scholarship, so we went to Plan B and he joined the Reserves to do SMP. Later he was offered a 3-yr scholarship, which he accepted, and it was converted into the GRFD. So he didn't have to do anything extra or different than going through the 4-yr scholarship process.
 
He gets to go out and find a unit with a vacancy. It's up to him to figure out if he wants to stay with his previous unit or get a new one where he plans to work and live. He also still has the obligation to attend his Officer Basic Course, which usually throws a little bit of a curve ball at his job search.

Ok, thank you, that's good to know. I haven't heard of the Officer Basic Course. So this is in addition to everything else he's done (BCT & AIT, ROTC and LDAC?)
 
Ok, thank you, that's good to know. I haven't heard of the Officer Basic Course. So this is in addition to everything else he's done (BCT & AIT, ROTC and LDAC?)

BOLC (Officer Basic Course) is ideally within a year after commissioning and can last 2-5ish months depending on the branch chosen. This doesn't include follow on schools like airborne, Ranger etc
 
BOLC (Officer Basic Course) is ideally within a year after commissioning and can last 2-5ish months depending on the branch chosen. This doesn't include follow on schools like airborne, Ranger etc

Ok, now it makes sense when my son said he has to pick a branch. I found a list that shows there are different training places for BOLC for the different branches. Thank you, I didn't know this was the next step after commissioning.
 
Ok, now it makes sense when my son said he has to pick a branch. I found a list that shows there are different training places for BOLC for the different branches. Thank you, I didn't know this was the next step after commissioning.

You can also pick up AD jobs before BOLC such as GBR (What I am doing) or working LTC/LDAC.
 
Ok, now it makes sense when my son said he has to pick a branch. I found a list that shows there are different training places for BOLC for the different branches. Thank you, I didn't know this was the next step after commissioning.

One thing to remember as well, when he does go to BOLC for his branch he will get paid his full 2LT salary while he is at BOLC and any follow up training. If your son happens to branch Aviation, he would then PCS to Ft. Rucker and would get BAH and BAS as well as his Pay.

As mentioned above, BOLC can be an issue when job hunting, it could be up to a year after graduation before he is sent to BOLC, and BOLC length depends on his branch selection.

Looking into the AD options like Aglahad mentioned is a great idea to fill the time between graduation and BOLC, he would get paid his full salary during any of those jobs.
 
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