What is a normal annual training like for the army reserves?

Again, depends on the unit. If you are in a Ready Force-X unit (RFX) you can anticipate as many as 28 days of AT orders. It may or may not be multiple exercises.

If you find yourself in a TDA unit that has a CONUS tied mission you might get multiple choices for different AT's ranging from stateside, Korea, or Hawaii.

Now, when I first entered the Reserves my first AT was in Korea, and I thought it was boring for a Intel SPC placed in a corner sharing a computer trying to stay out of the way of the Active Duty. Then I went again as a 2LT to the same exercise but as a Quartermaster Officer, and the same boring thing happened.

Then I got to a QM company and everything there was in the field for AT, and as a platoon leader I suppose my experience was much the same as all the soldiers there in terms of atmosphere and activities. Wake up, run around, play army, go to sleep.

*****
You don't have to worry about this now, but as you progress in leadership I can tell you there is an under appreciation for the AT's tagged onto Active Duty Exercises. Now, when I go to Korea it's still much the same of get on the plane, show up, be told when and where to be, and stay out of the way.

In the field, as a company commander or 1SG you are effectively PLANNING the exercise for all your subordinates and the movement of all your equipment. As a platoon SGT, or even section/team SGT you're participating in that planning as well.

So you're perception of the same exercise can range from "oh this is totally boring" all the way to "oh thank god, I don't have to track convoy's across the country".

I love McCoy. Spent a lot of time up there. I used to be in the 205th Artic Light USAR. that was stationed in the states around McCoy. Sadly, stupid Reagan cut us out. It usually took active duty units 6 months to do what we did in 2 weeks for AT. Anyway, since I don't know what type of unit you are in all I can say is: enjoy the dust, foxholes are easy to dig in the sand, make sure your machineguns firing position is well stabilized as the vibrations from them tend to shake a sand wall apart, make sure somebody keeps a good clean set of fatigues so he/she can sneak off to the PX for a platoon munchie run, look out for ticks, if they say it will be 80 degrees outside, it will be 90 degrees, if they say it will be sunny it will rain for 3 or 4 days, and GUARD YOUR FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The racoons are master thieves!!!!!!!!!!!! PS, there are some bears. LEAVE THEM THE FUCK ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While my experience is with the National Guard, I can tell you it's unit dependent. I worked with a CSSB and S1 regularly and sometimes they were in the field working in an ALOC and other times they were in the armory.

As for AT, expect them to be like a long FTX. You'll do your MOS, but you'll also pull security and do other duties that are part of basic Soldier tasks. Sometimes you'll be awake all damn day, try to sleep for a couple hours only to get night attacked. Sometimes they'll split S1 up into day and night shift so not everyone is crammed into the ALOC at the same time. Your NCOIC and OIC will also likely use this time to catch up on backlogged admin work from the traditional drill days.

As a side note if you have a paralegal in your S1, tell them to link up with whoever your brigade element is there to let the Brigade Legal Office know they have a paralegal in the field. Your NCO's should be tracking that, but sometimes they're not. This will allow them to actually practice their MOS while on AT. If there is no brigade element for your AT, suggest teaching the paralegal how to do awards, while that is outside of their MOS field it's important for future leaders to understand the award process.