In-service Reserve recruiter here to help

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Carolyn Viss
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  There's a new guy on base, giving people who may have to leave the Air Force the option of continuing to serve.

Master Sgt. Michael Nienhaus, 7th Mission Support Squadron in-service recruiter, has the primary job of briefing active-duty members on the benefits the Air Force Reserve offers before they leave the military entirely.

"The Air Force Reserve allows you to hold on to the military life you enjoy while pursuing other interests like college or family," he said. "You also get great benefits, the opportunity to deploy if you want to, make great friends, acquire Air Force skills in various career fields, and represent your country by wearing the uniform."

His role particularly benefits active-duty personnel who are leaving because of date-of-separation rollbacks, force shaping and loss of career job reservations, but he speaks with civilians as well and aids them in joining the Air Force when they may not be able to come in active duty.

"We recruit civilians who are over the 27-year age cutoff for active duty but still younger than the Reserve age cutoff, which is 35," he said. "Also, our ASVAB scores for various career fields are slightly different, and single parents have the option of joining the Reserve and forming a family care plan, whereas they have absolutely no chance of joining active duty."

A few key points Sergeant Nienhaus likes to make to folks he's recruiting for the Reserves are the great benefits (life insurance, medical care, re-employment rights, job training, travel, special allowances, Thrift Savings Plan, retirement plans, the Montgomery G.I. Bill, and more) and the flexible deployment cycles.

"Chances are, you won't be surprised with a deployment out of the blue," he said. "The Reserves deploy on traditional AEF cycles, and they are a federal organization only, as opposed to the Air National Guard, which is both state and federal."

It's a pretty great opportunity, Sergeant Nienhaus saids.

He said he understands the predicament many Airmen find themselves in after their first term of enlistment. He was active-duty for four years but separated in 1991 after his CJR was removed. After more than 10 years, he came back in the Reserves and is happy with his decision.