Air Force Reserves or Navy Reserves

Basically im thinking about joining the reserves when i finish my Navy active duty contract. My main is concern is that i join the reserves and do work that does not relate to my job whats so ever (this happens a lot in the Navy especially) .

Now if i were to join the reserves i'd also try to switch to a more technical rate like CTN(for the navy) or in the air force (idk the name of the MOS equivalent to a CTN in the navy). anyone

For my reserve guys on the forums , whats the biggest difference you noticed from active to reserves? is your job any less technical compared to active duty?how much has the reserves helped your IT skills? and lastly but not least lol did it help you network any jobs?

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dmoore44

I don't know what a CTN is... But I do know that the Air Force equivalent to a rate is called an AFSC (Air Force Specialty Code). Not really knowing whether you want to work infrastructure, cyber, or something dealing with intel, you might be interested in the following:

AFSCs starting with 1N are Intel related:
1N0X1 - Operations Intelligence
1N1X1 - Geospatial Intelligence
1N2X1 - Signals Intelligence Analysis
1N3X1 - Cryptologic Language Analyst
1N4X1 - Network Intelligence Analysis
1N7X1 - Human Intelligence

AFSCs starting with 3D are where the bulk of your comms and cyber jobs are:
3D0X2 - Cyber Systems Operations
3D0X3 - Cyber Surety (IA which includes COMSEC, EMSEC, and COMPUSEC)
3D0X4 - Computer Systems Programming
3D1X1 - Client Systems
3D1X2 - Cyber Transport Systems
3D1X3 - RF Transmission Systems
3D1X4 - Spectrum Operations
3D1X7 - Cable and Antenna Systems

If you want to go for an Air Force commission, these are the officer AFSCs you'd probably be interested in:
17DX - Network Operations Officer
17SX - Cyberspace Warfare Operations Officer

All that being said, there was a really awesome direct commission program in to the Information Warfare Officer community - when I was looking at it, it was extremely competitive, but OCS was 3 weeks, then you went off to NWO school. Still wish I could have made the cut, but medical issues are hard to waive, apparently.

the_Grinch

My buddy is in the Naval Reserve and told me they aren't taking new people for CTN (at least for now).

shodown

The reserve's were a big waste of time for me. My technical career was taking off and I was stuck spending my weekends away doing busy work. Your millage my vary, some reserve units do a lot, others just surf the web until liberty call.

bpenn

@=shodown]

I think it depends how are along you are in your career. For me, I came straight into the AF Reserves (no active duty). I was a fledgling in the world at that point and getting a few certs and a clearance through the Air Force has been pretty much my ticket.

Word of advice for those interested in IT careers in the Reserves. 3D1X1 (Client Systems) is desktop support and has the lowest long term pay off of all the AFSCs. I recommend Cyber Transport, Cyber Systems Operations, or Cyber Surety if you are serious about it. I couldnt even get a TS clearance as a 3D1X1.

Phileeeeeeep651

shodown wrote: »

The reserve's were a big waste of time for me. My technical career was taking off and I was stuck spending my weekends away doing busy work. Your millage my vary, some reserve units do a lot, others just surf the web until liberty call.

This, this, this, a thousand times THIS! Prior IT1 here, 5 years active 1.75 years reserves before I put in my IRR paperwork and got out.

**Disclaimer** I actually hate being this guy because it was never who I was on active duty. I absolutely loved my active time, but the reserves really rubbed me the wrong way, so take this with a grain of salt.

If you join the Navy reserves, 95% chance this is what you will be doing. When I joined the reserves off active duty I figured, "Heck, I'm an IT, they'll have computers, I'll be able to work on them", this was a completely wrong assumption. The laughable point here is the recruiter actually told me I'd be working with the LAN, I feel like I should have been aware of this ploy lol.

A lot like shodown, I spent my weekends wasting away in a classroom literally watching the clock, while my civilian career was taking off. FTS components handle most admin duties at the NOSC, including IT support. You might be able to grab an Intel billet if you're lucky but you'll also have a greater chance of getting MOB'd, that's what I saw at least. I guess if you really enjoyed the whole NKO, SAPR, GMT part of the Navy the reserves is great, however, if you're looking to gain IT experience in the Navy reserves, I'd look elsewhere.

Maybe some of the Air Force guys and gals can chime in on how their day to days were, hopefully that will help you get a better understanding.

bpenn

@=Phileeeeeeep651

As a 3D1X1 in the Air Force Reserve (Desktops, basically), I am ALWAYS fixing, provisoning, preparing computers. Active Directory, network database repositories, imaging - we do it all here. My job is 95% IT all the time. The other 5% is training and medical but it doesnt nearly take up much time.

To OP,like I said before, if your IT career is non existent and you need certs and experience, I recommend the AF Reserve. If you have a strong background in IT from the Navy already (which you seem like you do not), then I would bypass and shoot straight civilian.

renacido

I'm retired USAF, 20 yrs Active...

The AF equivalent of a Navy CTN is a 1B4X1 Cyberspace Defense Operator. This is a retrain-only field, meaning you'd need to start as something else. 3D0X2 is more or less systems engineering, 3D0X3 is COMSEC/infosec/info assurance, 3D1X2 are the network engineers. Any of those 3 would be good entry points to 1B4X1.

If you go to the AF, make sure your recruiter sets you up with the EDPT or modern equivalent, it's an aptitude test required to get into any IT-related AFSC.

I don't know why the Intel AFSCs were mentioned earlier, but I wouldn't recommend any of those if you're interested in Cyber except maybe 1N4X1. You're not going to retrain to be a hacker if you start off copying Morse code or translating Arabic to English.

dmoore44

renacido wrote: »

I don't know why the Intel AFSCs were mentioned earlier, but I wouldn't recommend any of those if you're interested in Cyber except maybe 1N4X1. You're not going to retrain to be a hacker if you start off copying Morse code or translating Arabic to English.

Because a lot of the skills that go in to some of the intel disciplines are directly relatable to cyber jobs in the private sector. Also, I know people that have been 1N2 and 1N3 that have moved on to technical careers in the civilian world.

renacido

dmoore44 wrote: »

Because a lot of the skills that go in to some of the intel disciplines are directly relatable to cyber jobs in the private sector. Also, I know people that have been 1N2 and 1N3 that have moved on to technical careers in the civilian world.

I spent 6 years in the IC, in green door assignments, and can tell you that aside from 1N4's the main thing that helps Intel guys move into cyber jobs was that they have the security clearance or know the right people at Ft Meade. But we're not talking about a move into the cyber field as a civilian. We are talking about doing cyber as an Airman in uniform.

If you're telling me that the Intel career field is EQUAL TO the Comm career field as a gateway to 1B4X1, sorry but I disagree.

dmoore44

renacido wrote: »

If you're telling me that the Intel career field is EQUAL TO the Comm career field as a gateway to 1B4X1, sorry but I disagree.

The key words in my earlier statement were "relatable" and "private sector". There was no equivocating. Also, despite the fact that OP is seeking to become an Airman, he's asking about the Reserves... which means that he's also going to be looking at civilian jobs too (unless he's going ART, which would enable dual civ and Reserve employment).

bpenn

dmoore44 wrote: »

The key words in my earlier statement were "relatable" and "private sector". There was no equivocating. Also, despite the fact that OP is seeking to become an Airman, he's asking about the Reserves... which means that he's also going to be looking at civilian jobs too (unless he's going ART, which would enable dual civ and Reserve employment).

OP, consider dmoore44's quote here about ARTs. If you decide to go with the AF Reserve, you have the eligiblity to apply for full-time gigs as an Air Reserve Technician. Basically, you are a full time civilian with a military obligation. As long as you stay in the Reserves, you can continue the civilian gig.

Just make sure the GS posting is coded a 2210. Otherwise, you lose out on like 10k a year. I know a few guys who got into the system by becoming an ART, did it for a few years, and made the jump to another GS slot paying even more. Just something to consider...

renacido

dmoore44,

The OP only asked about doing cyber in the AF Reserve. I gave actionable advice.

Working in infosec, or cyber, whatever you call it, requires a solid foundation of how IT works, you need to know how server and network infrastructure works and the business apps that run on top. If I'm evaluating resumes for a position as a security analyst/engineer/architect/auditor or pentester and I see that a candidate has worked as a signals analyst for the past 4 years, they're not likely to get an interview. Just saying.

You may have made the move from Intel to cyber. Kudos to you. I will speculate (not assuming just guessing) if you did, your current SSBI and recent periodic reinvestigation adjudication date as well as your contacts on Security Hill or at NSA helped quite a bit. I know of the talent shortage and good on you for stepping up to fill the gap if that was the case. Nothing against it if that was your path. But understand that this is not the path I would prescribe to anyone. Someone coming from a non-IT background into cyber is at a defecit with peers who cut their teeth in IT back when the ex-Intel guy was spinning and grinning with their spec-A's. If you're going to deny this, you will put yourself in a very very tiny minority of opinion on this subject and I will leave you there.

MrAgent

OP: If it were me, I'd go Navy CTN. With that in mind, you'd have to go through CTN A school. You can not just strike over.
I'm a former IT2 in the Navy, and I'd switch to CTN in a heartbeat in the reserves (if it weren't for the long A school), as it aligns more to what I do with in my civilian job. I am also in the process of rejoining the reserves.