Gaining a Master's Degree (and more)
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Staff Sergeant Kenneth Kinlaw
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Army Reserve
ROLE OF THE ARMY RESERVE
PART-TIME SERVICE. FULL-TIME STRONG.
You may be asking yourself, “What is the Army Reserve?” The Army is the most powerful and sophisticated military force in the world. This force consists of two groups: active duty Soldiers and Soldiers in the Army Reserve.
The difference between the two? Active duty is similar to working at a full-time job — with the Army — while Army Reserve is more like a part-time job with the Army, which still lets you keep your civilian career. You can live where you want, receive medical benefits, tuition assistance, and build for retirement. In other words, in the Army Reserve, you can continue your career or education while training close to home and standing ready to serve with your valuable job skills.
Army Reserve Soldiers serve the nation in the following ways:
HOMELAND SECURITY
When active duty Soldiers deploy overseas, Army Reserve Soldiers often fill their positions at home, serving as drill sergeants, instructors and security personnel. In the event of national disasters such as hurricanes or flooding, Army Reserve Soldiers are on the scene to support humanitarian and relief operations.
Careers include:
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Soldiers in the Army Reserve use their civilian and military training to safeguard the nation’s data and develop secure communications technologies. They also maintain, process and troubleshoot military information systems.
Careers include:
BIOHAZARD PROTECTION
The Army Reserve responds to chemical and biological threats, and provides biohazard training to federal agencies. Army Reserve Soldiers play a crucial role in the maintenance and supervision of nuclear, biological and chemical detection, and decontamination equipment.
Careers include:
LOGISTICS
Soldiers in the Army Reserve operate the transportation and supply systems that keep the Army in motion, supplying troops around the world with everything from Stryker vehicles to mail from home.
Careers include:
CIVIL AFFAIRS
During times of both war and peace, Soldiers in the Army Reserve help countries establish or restore governmental institutions and functions. To support this effort, the Army Reserve trains cultural experts to coordinate with local populations.
Careers include:
- Public Affairs Specialist (46Q)
- Engineer Officer (12)
MILITARY INFORMATION SUPPORT OPERATIONS
In times of peace as well as times of crisis and conflict, Army Reserve Soldiers support Military Support Operations. Psychological Operations Specialists assist foreign governments, militaries and civilian populations. They analyze, develop and distribute information designed to positively influence the attitudes and behavior of foreign populations in a manner favorable to friendly forces.
Careers include:
MEDICAL SERVICES
The Army Reserve staffs most of the Army’s hospitals, triage centers, clinics and field medical-care units. As you might expect, the medical capabilities of Army Reserve Soldiers often exceed active duty’s because they bring their civilian experience to the table.
- Staff Sergeant Kenneth Kinlaw - Civil Affairs Specialist
- Second Lieutenant Ingrid Alvarez - Civil Affairs Officer
- Specialist Luis Estrada - Civil Affairs Specialist
SPECIALIST LUIS ESTRADA
Civil Affairs Specialist
I'm Specialist Luis Estrada; I am a Civil Affairs Specialist, United States Army Reserve.
I joined the Army Reserve about approximately a years and a half ago. I served eight years in the Marine Corps and I wanted a change. I wanted to see what the Army Reserve would be like for me, what it would offer me. And so far I've loved every part of it.
As a civilian job, I do plumbing. It's a field that I'm pretty new to. I've been lucky to have that opportunity and I love my job. If we go to a providence and there's a providence that needs a water-well or there's a providence that needs a sewage line, I believe I would have some Intel as far as what need to be done. And that's where my civilian job really comes I handy.
Balancing my life as an Army reservist and my civilian life, it's pretty easy. We have our battles assembly's that are planned out, I have my civilian life that's planned out, it's a day-by-day. When it comes time for me to come to the battle drill, I'm ready for it.
The skills that I've learned in the Armed Forces and being in the United Stated Army Reserve has helped me a lot in my civilian life, it's helped me a lot with my marriage, its helped me a lot being a good father. And now I succeed in whatever challenge gets put in front of my face.
Comradery goes along way. It's one thing that the military always has. It's the brotherhood that's always going to be there. When you feel comfortable with the Soldiers that you train with, with the fellow Soldiers you're going to risk your life for when you're out there, you understand that we're all there for each other and its that comradery that makes everything stronger, it makes you feel like you got that family. Wherever you are, wherever you deploy you know that you have your brothers with you and all it does is make your whole team a lot stronger.
What I like most about being a United States Army Reserve is that you still get to do all the training. I still get to go out in the field. Still having the weekends here, still having that time with family back at home with your friends. It's like living the dream pretty much for me.
I do plan on doing my 25 years in the United States Army Reserve and I do plan on leading my own Soldiers into combat one day. And once you join brotherhood, once you join this family, once you join the United States Army you're always going to want to be a part of it.
