Question: 

Hello and thank you in advance for reading my message. I am currently a 33 year old physician living in central Ohio who is interested in the master at arms rate/program through the Navy Reserve. I guess my main question is that although I am active and in good health, I do not have any formal military/law enforcement training. Would this leave me at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to training and keeping up with my peers? Also, as a reservist, how is the initial training schedule divided up? I am sorry if these are simplistic questions, but I would really appreciate any advise/information/words of wisdom you think I might find helpful. Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you.

-Pete Bauer


Answer:

Dear Dr. Bauer:


   Thanks for writing Ask the Chief!  I have a question for you, first.  Why, if you are a physician, do you want to go enlisted?  My father was a Navy doctor and he did very well as an officer in the Medical Corps.  As reservists, physicians are in big demand.  Nearly all the bases world-wide have hospitals, or clinics, and there are usually great AT (annual training) opportunities for doctors, plus the money is great!


   That being asked, I can understand why someone wants to be an MA.  It is the greatest rate in the Navy! I hold a graduate education and, to the chagrin of my LCDR father, I enlisted (first in the Marines and then in the Navy). However, I did have civilian law enforcement and supervisory experience.


   If you can get into the rate without any experience still (something I was never that crazy about personally), you will have an exciting career ahead of you.  There is a real possibility, even a likelihood, of at least one mobilization in your career.  We are a vital part of the war on terror and homeland security ops, and we have, as a rating, great schools and good training opportunities.


   Most, if not all, RESCEN's have units that handle non-prior service personnel.  You are usually assigned to that unit for about 12-14 months, training each month towards getting to your unit.  There will be at least two AT's of "boot camp" and "A-school" or you will be on active duty through those two schools (we have both at our local RESCEN).


    The Navy still has a school for Master-at-Arms, in which Phase One and Phase Two training are covered.  I will not, for OPSEC, go into the training, but if you join, you will train in areas discussed in the rate training manual.


   Hope this helps you.