Expert: Aaron Shifferly - 4/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: I'm a 35 years old female and have a BA in both physics and mathematics and a minor in astronomy.  I graduated with a 3.6 GPA and scored 95 on the ASVAB. I am married and have a nine month old baby and am interested in the reserves due to having less probability of being deployed, although I am aware of the boot camp and school training of at least 6 months. I want a career change and work a well paying intelligence job on base that requires a security clearance that my participation in the military would provide.
My prior work experience only consists of being a high school math teacher.
I talked to an officer reserve recruiter and he told me the only demand fields for officer reserves are medical or engineering and told me I have a far greater chance of being deployed as an officer reserve than an enlisted reserve. Is that true? Somebody told me there is an overabundance of officers in the Navy and that's why they're trying to put me into the demand fields of enlisted reserves.  I am hard working, intelligent, in excellent shape for a 25 year old let alone a 35 year old and I don't want to be sold short.  
Is starting as an E-3 reserve not bad compared to being an officer reserve?  Should I be more persistent(If I was going into active duty, I definitely would)?

ANSWER: First I don't know which service you are applying to and that does actually bear on your situation, so take this answer with a grain of salt.
I'll answer your question with respect to the Army in the meantime. I think your recruiter is not being entirely truthful with you.  You stand a high chance of being deployed in either career path, officer or enlisted, but it is honestly job dependent.  If you want an intel job, you may stand a slightly higher chance of being deployed as an officer, but you will need to gather some experience before they send you out as anything but part of a unit (and if you go as part of a unit it doesnt matter if you're officer or enlisted.. you just go). The demand and deployment issues are very dependent on the service you choose too. If you really think deploying isn't for you, I counsel you to very carefully consider joining the military anyways.  I would also suggest you talk with the Air Force as it seems they deploy less frequently and for shorter time periods.  I would check with the 3 major services and see what they all offer you... compare and then evaluate from there, but I would not take someone trying to push you into the enlisted corps without a very very good reason.  The difference in pay alone is substantial if you are activated for any length of time. Lastly, you honestly answered your own question.. in that if you were going active you would be more persistent.. treat your joining the reserves in the same manner and you'll be OK in the long run.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, thank you for your excellent advice. It was a very helpful overall explanation of the 3 major forces. I was actually looking into the navy reserves.  
Why would they try to push me into the enlisted instead of officer reserves?  Is it because of the difference in pay scales?  I heard jobs like CT, IT, and IS have a low probability of deployment.  Is that true?  Thank you.

Answer
Well I dont know much about how the Navy chooses to deploy its personnel.  Every service is given a list of personnel to include number, job qualifications, and ranks that have to be deployed to a combat zone or other contingency.  Certain services have picked missions that they feel they can handle or were designed to handle (ie. Air Force usually handles the air mission planner one in major commands for obvious reasons). I dont know why the Navy would try to push you enlisted instead of officer, but if you want to go officer then you should either tell them that's your thing and/or consult other branches to see what they will do.  I will again reiterate, however, that all service recruiters will tell you things so that you will want to join the service.  Risk of deployment is one of those things that is out there in the current time, so don't join unless you are fully prepared to deploy.  The only way you won't deploy is if you have it written into your contract that you won't get deployed for a certain period of time (I know the Army Guard/Reserves do that sometimes for people transitioning from active duty to the reserves who have had recent/multiple deployments). So, fully consider your options, but if pay is a factor should you be deployed you may want to consider being an officer.