re: Pentagon is Ending Tuition Benefits to Reservists

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I have fifteen years, 10 Active(6 army, 4 guard). The level of change that has swept through the Reserve fighting force over the last 15 years is remarkable.

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I spent 14 years in the Marine Reserves with a few deployments and have been in the guard for a little over a year. Honestly, the guard is a disappointment. I'm tempted to say they are combat ineffective. Don't get me wrong, they have some wonderful people and most of the soldiers want to be good at their jobs, they want to be motivated, but the leadership just isn't there.

Don't fret though, big plans are in the works to change all that.

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Some perks should be kept for the active members... Want those? Go active

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I don't disagree with this and I was a reservists. The only problem with that is flies against what the modern military wants. The modern military wants more reservists that can be activated rather than actual everyday full time soldiers. Reducing benefits for reservists will only discourage more young men from joining.

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The only problem with that is flies against what the modern military wants. The modern military wants more reservists that can be activated rather than actual everyday full time soldiers.

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That's what they say in public but follow the money. When funds start drying up the Active Army takes care of active army first. The Guard is quickly reverting back to what it was in the 90s. It will take innovative leadership in the Guard to keep it an effective fighting force.

I would disagree whole heartedly. Look I am not saying the Guard or reserves does not have issues that need to be fixed, but my years in the Active side taught me the mat they were not without problems. It is what you make of it.

I put my shop through training every weekend. Even if I am not there my Jr officer and Sr NCO has my guidance to run with. My soldiers do not sit around collecting a paycheck and they will be proficient at their tasks.

The problem with reserve/ guard is while I can train my soldiers to be proficient in their tasks, unless you are combat arms you are lacking time and training on a lot of skills that have to be retaught basically in the year leading up to a mobilization. But even with that outstanding obstacle in their way I have seen tons of success stories in my time with the Guard.

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REAP represented a little more than 1 percent of VA education payouts in fiscal 2014.

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This is a non-story, but let us keep up any faux outrage

The Guard is not meant to be ready at a moments notice. Their deployments are planned in cycles so that proper training can be conducted.

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When funds start drying up the Active Army takes care of active army first

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The reserve unit I was in was slated to be ready for deployments EVERY OTHER YEAR. That's pretty much unheard of. Despite that, we were given almost no money for the necessary schools that our guys had to go to in order to get the unit ready for deployments. Ridiculous.

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I put my shop through training every weekend. Even if I am not there my Jr officer and Sr NCO has my guidance to run with. My soldiers do not sit around collecting a paycheck and they will be proficient at their tasks.

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Good for you. We need more men like you in the guard.

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The problem with reserve/ guard is while I can train my soldiers to be proficient in their tasks, unless you are combat arms you are lacking time and training on a lot of skills that have to be retaught basically in the year leading up to a mobilization.

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I'm combat arms and there is certainly not enough training time to be proficient in that skill set.

Actually, there is time but it isn't utilized properly.

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But even with that outstanding obstacle in their way I have seen tons of success stories in my time with the Guard.

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Of course there are. But we should always strive to be better.