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Chief
Is AVP a good title for 9 YOE or VP ?
I see in my team many having AVP with 7 years, 1 VP with 7 years , also an AVP with 10 + years but having the role of a team lead although not all AVP ‘a are handling a team , mostly all are IC’s. I am just confused a bit. Please help. Citi Citicorp Citi India
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Any news of hikes in OSSI?
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Chief
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McKinsey & Company Anyone at McKinsey & Company willing to refer a Marine veteran (OIF, I swear I will not eat all the crayons. "Crayons" are for art is what my wife tells me to tell myself)
5yrs Marines (Sgt, Comm maint tech w infantry Bn)
8yrs in Oil & Gas (engr coordinator, qty surveying and proj ctrl)
CM undergrad
MBA (professional program, graduated May 2022)
I'm looking for a role in McK serving O&G, industrial, capital projects clients. Open to generalist roles as well. Can review for vetting.
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I did. Bounced ~14; 11 years active and 3 reserve.
I hated every single second of the reserves so when I got to a point where I didn’t need the money anymore I told them to shove it. No regrets whatsoever.
Yea I could see that being frustrating. I don’t know how reserve pilots do it even in squadrons. Seems like you’d basically be full time anyways with all the currency requirements
Yes!!!
I was 14 total. 4 yrs Reserve undergrad. 7 and change AD. 2 yrs Reserve grad school where I wanted to test it. When I finished grad school, I decided that’s it and my new career is what’s next. My S1 (20 yr reservist) grabbed a physical calendar and tried to walk me thru all the money I’d lose over a life without being a careerist ~425K. I said “brother, I plan to make that annually in 5-10 years.” I’m on year 7 and make +300K annual; salary and bonus.
Overall, it’s a question of supplemental income at 55-60 and on vs how you see your career trajectory in the next 20. It’s up to you. Happy to discuss it
- dad of 3
It’s a no brainer from a a financial perspective if you do decently enough in your regular job. I think a deciding factor comes down to some of the intrinsic factors and potentially healthcare, though with military retirees getting moved to Medicare that may not factor in at all now?
Same here as SD1. There’s easier ways to make and extra thousand or so a month.
I would stay for 20. I love the Reserve and it gives me the perfect outlet to do things my civilian career doesn’t offer me. Plus I can go on orders when I want or deployments. I don’t have a family though.
Brother, I retired with 26 years. Most of those as an AGR with the Reserves and I saw many of my brothers and Sisters do what you're contemplating. 10% of those were happy with that decision. Don't do it! Retirement is worth your secondary focus, trust me!
Rising Star
Maybe getting $2k/month in 25 years is basically zero on a risk adjusted basis.
I’m contemplating walking away from a pension that’s 300x that size… fund your retirement by saving for it.
GTFO and focus on your civilian career. You’re not going to start getting a reserve pension for nearly 20 years after you “retire” at 20 YOS. That’s a lot of time to maximize your civilian total comp. Life is better as a civilian as well
Not being in the reserves doesn’t mean you will get all the success in your civilian career either. Unless there’s been a very direct impact, it’s not always a causation, I’m still in for the Tricare and honestly I’m still in the phase where putting on the uniform makes me feel…different, civilians think it’s cool as heck and prior military colleagues would ask about things or if I mention drill. it brings up a moment among everyone sharing stores. my teams/office also does veteran day stuff. still get to have some non monetary benefits and have another "cool" life thats not just work and not work. that being said i dont or volunteer much outside regular drill time, doesnt help with promotion or having cool experience but my civilian job pay the bill…only 6 years in and dual military with no kids, so i got lucky with someone who understands its not all about the $$$ and honestly i aint doing much outside work if i didnt have the reserves..its more work but same time makes me appreciate contractor life, i also support dod as contractor so putting on that uniform remind me 1) life could be a lot worse 2) why what i do matters. i also have slight mission overlap between the two roles so it helps
I've not done it but a good friend did 14 years and bounced for the same reasons. Happy as can be
I’m in this exact predicament. I’ll be at 12 yrs of service most reserves and I’ve decided this will be my last year. It’s not what it used to be, I lose money going to drill and not being able to retire at 20yrs because of the point system is ridiculous to me. I feel like the reserves and guard is a WASTE of time. Luckily my hubby is active duty so he’s got me for tricare 😂 but otherwise service members and retirees get treated like crap. They don’t care or take care of them or the families. So we decided after having our baby it was my time to leave and focus on my civilian career making wayyyy more. You can get benefits anywhere just remember that. By the time you actually get out they could change things like the age, when you can draw on your benefits, etc
Reserve/ guard time is different is different. If you’ve been that your whole career you don’t retiree with fully eligible benefits at 20 years. Your time is calculated differently, only exceptions are active duty time or orders such as ADOS and title 10. If you log into IPPSA your DEROS will be different comparatively so from someone with active duty time and someone with out. Yes, you have to have good years your whole career, being just reserves or guard your 20 year letter for retirement with benefits doesn’t come at 20yrs you’ll typically ended up serving more time. I’m saying with BENEFITS. I see it happen all the time.
Yes. No regrets.
There are opportunities to do all your service at once for the year via the IMA program. After my command, I am looking to coast in the IMA program for the last 10 years until I hit my 20 years. I should retire as a LTC by that point.
K1, that’s exactly it. You have complete autonomy over your career and your time.
I did exactly this and it was easily one of the best career and life decisions i made. I may be in a very different place in life as you though.
Yes, by a two or three multiples I imagine!
I have this debate every month when I go to drill.
I am currently:
- 9 years active, 4 in reserves = 13 years total
- O4 rank
- 100% rating
Why stay in:
- I work in startups so not having to worry about benefits is nice
- reserves holds my clearance so I switch between govt and civilian sectors
- looking forward to the pension- my dad has one a d every little penny counts when you are old
- my unit is local which means no travel time
The things that suck:
- I make no money on drill weekends - you have to pay the VA back
- 12 day work weeks suck
- the stupidity of admin always shocks and frustrates me
Overall: I’m looking at it beyond the money. It’s nice being a part of something larger. Also, the money will be nice when the time comes. I am also an IMA so the flexibility also helps. I have also made a decision that reserves is second to everything, so I am not focused on promoting and checking all the boxes
When I did it a couple of years ago it was painfully slow, right now it’s interesting. Attrition is trash and they can’t get any new people to apply, son everyone is hurting. However on the flip side many billets are getting cut. Reach out to people at the unit and see if someone on the inside can help you understand which billets would be the best to pursue
Following as I recently joined af reserves. What’s the best way to balance this? I’m assuming defence contractors are way more friendly
What is your mos or branch? And is it correlated to your civilian profession?
If you don't need the cash, do what makes you happy
It's not so much the month to month as much as it makes for easier retirement planning.
That’s what one of my best friends I deployed with did. Think he was on like year 8-9 or something though. He’s making solid money now and seems pretty happy