Military training...

Towely · 06-26-2007, 07:19 PM

I haven't yet enlisted but I am seriously thinking about enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserves soon and going to boot camp next summer. How does that work with UPS? I know they can't legally fire me for it but will I just leave and then return into the same position? Who will fill my spot? Will it affect my benefits at all?

What if I decide to just go active duty for 2 years, will they still hold the job for me? I don't want to ask anyone at my work yet. If they know I might be leaving come next summer they might just try and can my now and replace me so they don't have to worry about it later.

UPS Lifer · 06-26-2007, 08:02 PM

UPS will hold a job for you. It may not be the same job you left but it will be a similar job. All jobs experience turnover. Someone will be hired to replace you.

When you come back you will be reinstated.

If you go active it is like your status is frozen until you come back. You will be given time off to go to boot camp (unpaid) and you will be able to do your periodic training as a reserve. You will have to show your orders to your supervisor to get the time off. There are a lot of reservist that work at UPS, this is not an uncommon scenario.

retired2000 · 06-27-2007, 03:17 AM

ups has to let you go and serve your country, while you are gone on your two weeks every year for training they have to put into your pension fund also. i did this for 23 years.
semper fi

MR_Vengeance · 06-27-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Towely

I haven't yet enlisted but I am seriously thinking about enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserves soon and going to boot camp next summer. How does that work with UPS? I know they can't legally fire me for it but will I just leave and then return into the same position? Who will fill my spot? Will it affect my benefits at all?

What if I decide to just go active duty for 2 years, will they still hold the job for me? I don't want to ask anyone at my work yet. If they know I might be leaving come next summer they might just try and can my now and replace me so they don't have to worry about it later.

what do you do in the company?

Towely · 06-27-2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR_Vengeance

what do you do in the company?

I've only been there for 3 weeks so far so as of right now im still loading semi-trailers.

area43 · 06-27-2007, 06:10 PM

Towely, I was in the Marine Reserve for 6 yrs(85 to 91). UPS was accomadating at times. Some drill weekends were friday thru saturday. Sometimes the sup wouldn 't take enough work off of me to get their on time. My commanding office was understanding. He had a lot of respect for us drivers. The two weeks a year, actually alot of them were 3 weeks were tuff,but a nice change of pace from delivery. My MOS(military occupation speciality) was Combat Engineer(super grunt). Most our or training was done with active duty Marine Corp Grunts. They would hump(hike,lol) the hell out of us. Sure was glad to get back to delivery, I think? Just a side note, we got activated for the Gulf War in 91 and UPS payed the difference in pay. That was nice. Of course UPS made that decision after the war was over. Short war. lol

Well, good luck if you decide to go. If you do go, you will walk away with alot of good memories, a slimmer more cut body(which girls love),friends and most of all a deeper appreciation of being an American. God Bless ( :

bit · 06-27-2007, 06:24 PM

I would ask you why go in the Marines? Seriously, if you've been unloading, you're in decent shape

When I went in boot was 13 weeks, school of infantry was another 4, and my MOS (A school to others) was 6 weeks but I was delayed at the station for 2 months. I left for boot in April and came out in November.

If you want military training that will be useful in real-world, chances are you'll be better off in the Air Force, or signal/computers in Army/Navy. The Marines gave me a lot of skills I needed to get to my next job, but the leftover skill I'm still using now is discipline. You'll learn more discipline than you'll ever need.

Wise advice given to me from my Dad - Go in the reserves. If you like it enough to go active, then that's real easy to do. The reverse is possible but extremely difficult.

As far as your UPS job goes, well, there's never a lack of work to be done

-bit

bit · 06-27-2007, 06:40 PM

Oh yeah if you can land a copy of Ears Open, Eyeballs Click (

Marine Corps boot camp movie 'ears, open....

), I havent seen it, but from all the snippets I've caught, it's spot on as far as boot camp goes although it is about the lightweight Hollywood marines.

Towely · 06-27-2007, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bit

I would ask you why go in the Marines? Seriously, if you've been unloading, you're in decent shape

When I went in boot was 13 weeks, school of infantry was another 4, and my MOS (A school to others) was 6 weeks but I was delayed at the station for 2 months. I left for boot in April and came out in November.

If you want military training that will be useful in real-world, chances are you'll be better off in the Air Force, or signal/computers in Army/Navy. The Marines gave me a lot of skills I needed to get to my next job, but the leftover skill I'm still using now is discipline. You'll learn more discipline than you'll ever need.

Wise advice given to me from my Dad - Go in the reserves. If you like it enough to go active, then that's real easy to do. The reverse is possible but extremely difficult.

As far as your UPS job goes, well, there's never a lack of work to be done

-bit

Why go Marines? Well...cause I want to be a Marine.

I'm not enlisting for 'job experience' or anything like that. I'm enlisting to get away from all the civilian 'every day job' type crap. For me its down to either the Marines, Marine Reserves, National Guard or Army because I want to go into the infantry and thats all that offers it.

edit: as far as getting in shape, thats not a huge concern. I load packages 4 hours a day and train in MMA/Muay Thai 3 weeknights a week for 2 hours and 4 hours on saturdays... o.O

area43 · 06-28-2007, 12:57 AM

[quote=Towely;214356]Why go Marines? Well...cause I want to be a Marine.

Also, because we have the best darn dress uniforms and we know how to treat a Lady. ( :

retired2000 · 06-28-2007, 06:16 AM

why not the marines. if you are gong to do something you might as well go with the best.
semper fi

av8torntn · 06-28-2007, 08:27 AM

UPS seems to have no problem with employees serving in the reserves. When you take military leave and come back you are supposed to fill your job or you can take one that you would have gotten with your senority if you had not left. You can take up to five years of leave time, but time spent at war does not count.

http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/userra_fs.htm

Oh if you want to be the best go army.
http://www.ngms.state.ms.us/2-20sfg/index.htm

retired2000 · 06-28-2007, 01:48 PM

what did you mean by "time spent at war does not count" i was in the first gulf war and all my time counted. i got to retire on the same day as if i never left ups to go on that vacation overseas.

Towely · 06-28-2007, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retired2000

what did you mean by "time spent at war does not count" i was in the first gulf war and all my time counted. i got to retire on the same day as if i never left ups to go on that vacation overseas.

I think what he means to say is you can leave the job for up to 5 years. Say, you go active duty and get stationed in Germany for 5 years. If you are stationed in Germany for 5 years but then get deployed into a combat zone for a year that year won't put you over your limit because any time you are in a combat zone('at war') doesn't count against your 5 years.

I could be wrong though.

area43 · 06-28-2007, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Towely

I think what he means to say is you can leave the job for up to 5 years. Say, you go active duty and get stationed in Germany for 5 years. If you are stationed in Germany for 5 years but then get deployed into a combat zone for a year that year won't put you over your limit because any time you are in a combat zone('at war') doesn't count against your 5 years.

I could be wrong though.

Ok, smarty pants. Last time I give you some rep. LOL

Hey Retired2000, I just found out that I have Veterans medical benefits. Went to the Va ctr, they assigned me my own doctor,photo id, etc, etc. That will be great when I retire, I ll only have to worry about my wifes ins. Check out Vetrans.org. Reservist who have been called up and serve out the call up time and have a honorable discharge are qualified. Nice ( :

av8torntn · 06-28-2007, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retired2000

what did you mean by "time spent at war does not count" i was in the first gulf war and all my time counted. i got to retire on the same day as if i never left ups to go on that vacation overseas.

What it means is the time you spent in the first gulf war does not count toward your five years max of military leave. I think that you have to be in a designated combat zone with hostile fire pay. It is all in the law part of the link or at least it used to be they may have changed this rule but I havent heard that they did. If UPS counted your time in Iraq against your max military leave time I believe that they are wrong.

Towley good luck with your decision and I apologize if I was not clear enough with my reply.

DorkHead · 06-29-2007, 04:13 AM

Towely, I think you have to be in the Union first before the company can save you your job. Please, anyone, correct me if I`m wrong.

retired2000 · 06-29-2007, 04:22 AM

area 43.yes, that is true we do get va benefits. but, i think it is all tied into how much $ you make. the higher your income the more you have to pay. now if it is something that happened to you will on active duty that is a different story. how many years did yo serve?

semper fi

area43 · 06-29-2007, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retired2000

area 43.yes, that is true we do get va benefits. but, i think it is all tied into how much $ you make. the higher your income the more you have to pay. now if it is something that happened to you will on active duty that is a different story. how many years did yo serve?

semper fi

Nothing happened on active duty., I believe I got lucky and the guy at the Va was an ex marine. He said he didnt care how much I made, surprised me. He gave me the plan that gives you the best care.(cant rememger the plan). I pay nothing. ( :

av8torntn · 06-29-2007, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DorkHead

Towely, I think you have to be in the Union first before the company can save you your job. Please, anyone, correct me if I`m wrong.

You do not need the union here Uncle Sam has a bigger stick on this one. But you are right I think that he has to be an employee first and finish his 30 days.