So I am joining the reserves and going to boot camp August 21st, and have done a ton of reading on these forums, not a whole lot of posting. I am very excited and am going to be a BM at a small boats station STA Woods Hole in Falmouth, MA. My question for current reservists, do you feel that you are playing an active role in the coast guard? I can't wait to be a part of the coast guard, but is the one weekend a month enough to satisfy the drive to do what you love?(assuming you enjoy your time in the coast guard). I joined the reserves because I have family here that I wasn't 100% ready to be away from for more than a year, and also because the wait for active seems to be very very long. Don't get me wrong I do not feel that I made the wrong choice, I just hope to actually feel like I am doing something. I plan to volunteer for deployments as they come up, and hopefully there are a few opportunities throughout the year to do a bit more than just a weekend. Thanks for any answers.

I have been told that the reserves are what you make of it or you get out what you put in.

I am shipping 22072012 and I already know that I want to do more than my weekend. I think we are busy enough where I am stationed that I might get more weekends out of it as well as some deployments.

I suppose that if you just pass time that you may not get much out of it. I would also say that position is a chance wasted.

-BDM

That's what I've been told too. I'm gonna put my all into and try to ask my chain of command if I can spend more time on base. I know ill like working there much more than at home.

Hi! In answer to your questions--

I feel the 2 days a month is about right. We can drill more if we want but dont get paid. When there is a busy time with work or school you just do the one weekend a month. When you get some free time then go in more. I just did my 2 weeks at teh station and had a blast. Im in school right now but Im hoping in the fall I can get more time in down there. Id like to get into ice rescue.