Sorry it took so long for me to get around to this. I wish I could blame it on traffic, or work, or something other than my lack of motivation to give an answer.
A while ago Russ at Boxing Alcibiades asked me a question about recruiting. It seems that Russ has been talking with a recruiter about joining and he wanted to know why they were "selling" him on a job for which he didn't think he was suited.
Reserves is something where most RA recruiters, particulary the detailed ones who only focus on the RA side get themselves strung-up. Anyone in recruiting knows the facts. The money, the benefits, the incentives, they're all in writing. Where RA recruiters get themselves in trouble though when crossing components is how the Reserves "works".
Russ, I can't know where you are or what units are in your area. But that is a very important fact to know for a reserve recruiter. You see, the Regular Army can assign you to any vacancy around the world. If you want to be a 96B or whatever, and there is a slot open for one in Germany, you can be assigned there. It doesn't work that way for the Reserve. The Reserve is local. You might be the most qualified CI Agent the world would ever know, but if you're enlisting in the Reserve, and there isn't a CI position within 200 miles of where you live, they won't assign you to one. With the Reserve you need to choose what is available in the area in which you live.
That's one reason they could be "pushing" 37F.
Recruiters also try and become friends with the people who work in the units. I've gotten a couple of quality referrals from the FTUS at my local reserve centers. And I try very hard to repay their kindness by getting prospects and applicants into their units. It doesn't always (ever?) work. Recruiters have no control over what a NPS applicant will get for a job. None. Nada. Nil. But just because we have no control doesn't mean we won't tell you that we may to get you in for an appointment, or to commit to test, or phys, or even enlist.
As for some of the comments about why they might not be talking toyou about becoming an officer. More paperwork and it takes more time to do get an OCS packet done. Plus there is the whole board process. It's a lot of work for someone who only counts as a single GA. Recruiters can be like water: we'll take the path of least resistance.
Anyway, wish you the best of luck man and hope to see you in boots some time.
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