[2010_Black_Stallion]

I'm a "Weekend Warrior" currently deployed to Afghanistan. Last time I checked we wear U.S. ARMY, or U.S. AIR FORCE, or U.S. MARINES, or U.S. NAVY on our uniforms. We all go to the same training. Haven't heard of "weekend warriors" going to one BCT while active goes to another. This is my first deployment but my team leader has been deployed 3 times in the past 6 years, my squad leader 4 times in the last 8 years, and my former squad leader 4 times in the past 6 years. Us "weekend warriors" have 2 jobs that we have to take care of, our civilian job and the military, and one of them might not be there tomorrow so good luck trying to live off of a weekend paycheck. Have a few battle buddies that do just that because they can't find a civilian job. Active Duty as yourself has a steady job and you know you will get a check on the 1st and 15th. We can't live in on base housing, we have house payments, water bills, electric bills, etc. Things that you don't think about when living on base. We are always on call for whatever unexpected disastors happen in the states not active duty. When you see a weather disaster or a terrorist attack on tv and see the military there, thats the "weekend warriors" not active duty. So please tell me how much you have to deal with when on active duty.

I understand that active duty trains and trains when not deployed but the weekend warriors have other things on their plate from just the military. When deployed, we are still paying our bills and other expenses back at home. These are expenses that active duty don't take in consideration since most stay on base. Last time I checked not all active duty goes outside the wire either. You can't control your mission. If your mission is to go outside the wire then you go out if not then you stay in. Everyone has a part in everything. Most of my seargents have had missions where they went outside the wire and have gotten blown up and shot at and others are currently inside the wire and are getting IDF daily and getting blown up. From what I know with active duty is that you stay with your unit when you get back from deployment, with reserves and national guard that isn't always the case. My unit gets home in a few months and there are already some of us that have been transferred to other units to deploy again 1-2 months after we get home.