Are there 12B units in USAR?

I've read through some of your responses here, which tell me that you've made a few assumptions that are very incorrect.

First, when joining the Reserve Component, which means USAR or ARNG, you look for the unit THEN you look for the MOS. As CPT (Join to see) pointed out, it's too common for new Soldiers to get signed up for a unit that's three hours away and have trouble making it to drill. It sounds like you are in it mostly for the bonus, find the unit within 50 miles that is offering the biggest bonus. Ask both a Reserves and National Guard recruiter what they're offering at the units closest to you.

You believe that you should join the reserves because they're used more in federal missions. I don't know if that's true or not, I can only say they both offer plenty of activation options and they both offer opportunities to support national missions. Even here in Italy where we have a lot of RC Soldiers on one year activitions, we have about an equal number of National Guard and Reserves. We even have a NG and Reserve Deputy General each. The USAR may be called to support more federal missions, but the MOS 12B is not. Most of the times when USAR is called up to support missions it is the support MOS's, not the combat MOS's that are called up. Either to deploy or as back fill for another deployed unit.

You've thrown a few form names around, but you don't understand what they are or how they're used. In every Army form is a regulation number that tells you how to use it. Your DA 4651 is used to transfer between units, it references AR 140-10 which is called transfer between Reserve units, or something like that. You use it when you move your residence and want to transfer to a closer unit. It's definitely not for transferring to an active duty unit. It's just as difficult to get a DD638 endorsed in the USAR as the ARNG. They both hired you for a job and expect you to honor the commitment. The difference is there are 54 ARNGs who each have their own general and their own policy towards release to AD, and there's only one for the USAR. That CG has made his view very clear that unless you're in dire financial straits you are expected to honor your enlistment commitment before going to the Regular Army.

I don't know if you realize this, but if you do submit a Conditional Release and go to Active Duty before you complete your obligation, a portion of your bonus will be recouped. The pretax portion. So, if you're offered $10k for three years, you'll receive $7,800 after federal taxes. If you leave after two years you'll incur a debt of $3,333, a third of the $10k not a third of the & 7,800.

When you do transition into the Regular Army, nobody cares what MOS you were. You'll be treated like a brand new recruit at the MEPS. If you have over 180 days of Active Service at that point you'll be called Prior Service and have fewer options. Your current MOS will not affect what MOS's you're offered. The class seats available that day will affect what MOS's you're offered. You'll be in the Reserves, nobody thinks you're a tough guy doing 16 hours of drill a month. If you want 19D with an Airborne option, and they have class seats for that, you'll get it.

So, to reiterate, find a unit within driving distance that you can handle driving to on a Saturday morning at 4 am for the next three years, then find an opening for the MOS you want. Second, stay in the unit for the whole three years, or however long your bonus obligation is, or you'll have to pay some of it back.

Others have mentioned the ARNG. One thing a lot of people new to the Army reserve component (which encompasses the ARNG and USAR) is that the ARNG is configured with combat units (i.e., all the Combat Divisions, Brigades, etc) and the related combat support units. The USAR is configured with the rest of the combat support, combat service support and "other" support units.

What the recruiter was telling you is true from an E1/E2 point of view. I ran a vacancy search (the same tool/database I assume the recruiter would have access to) and the results are in the attached graphics.

So, yes. There are vacancies for PFC and above -- but their closeness to you might be a different story.

Like SGM Bill Frazer said. Try with a higher level recruiter.

Just go to a higher level recruiter.