What are the benefits of going from Active Duty to Reserves?

When you are 6 months from ETS you go see the RCCC. They'll give you the brief about the benefits and that's when you can contract with them. The day after your ETS your RC contract starts.

You also might consider the National Guard.

OK so one item I would mention and hopefully I don't get ripped on for being truthful here. You also have to consider what your plans are when your going to get out. Are you going to college full time? Part time college? Going for a practical trade? Reason I asked is because both National Guard and USAR drills ARE a sacrifice and a fairly large infringement on your personal life. You may not see that now because your Active Duty and one weekend a month probably seems minimal to you. I can tell you from long ago past experience both the USAR and NG are not very organized at long-term planning. They can slide those drill dates all over the calendar on you and sometimes even at the last minute the week of you get a call at home from your unit admin.......guess what, even though you have plans already you have guard drill or USAR drill this weekend because the CO thought it would be best to have it this weekend then one weekend two weeks later. It happens a lot. Exam week in college.........oh gee you have a 4 day drill weekend....oops!. Summer vacation or summer job............"hey did we tell you our Annual Training this year is 3 weeks instead of 2 weeks?" So keep that in mind. If your really flexible and laid back and that kind of thing does not bother you then proceed but also keep in mind you'll be facing those interruptions as long as your enlistment lasts. Other setbacks abound as well "Well we really can't promote you now because we don't have a slot, however if your willing to drive 4 hours across the state there is a nice guard unit there which.....". Or one of my favorites which happened to my Nephew...."I know you enlisted 11B but we are overstrength with 11B's so even though you just graduated OSUT you need to pick a new MOS and we need to send you to another AIT". Now that last one as you know is very rare and happened at the time when the state was realigning it's Infantry units to support units which only happens maybe once a half century.......but it did happen.