Army Reserve Civil Affairs

**unclestevie45** · 01-06-2007, 06:28 PM

Without writing my whole resume, I am a former Marine and currently in the MA National Guard.

I am looking at moving to the Civil Affairs Unit in RI, which is just down the road from me.

My question is, anyone here ever been in Civil Affairs? Pro's and con's?

I worked with them BRIEFLY when I was in Afghanistan during 2003.

Thanks, in advance.

**depicts** · 01-06-2007, 07:17 PM

unclestevie45, funny my third post to you today!!

I served in Vietnam, and worked with the 4th Infantry CA teams working in the Jarai Montegnard villages of the central highlands. My unit maintained Camp Courage, 13 enlisted men and 1 officer who lived in the combined relocation village of Plei Klan Ngol.

My time spent there was very interesting and uplifting. Beside helping the villagers learn how to defend themselves from Viet Cong, we brought them clothing, medicine and sanitary education, as well as English lessons.

We ate the native food, lived in the Vil with pot bellied pigs and chickens running all around, and Water Buffalo working in the rice paddies.

I wasn't a full time CA specialist, but I spent a fair amount of time with Major Barrantine, our Division S4 who was in charge. We had a Priest who said Mass in the Vil on some Sundays for the troops there, and some villagers joined in.

We taught them about sanitary water, disease control and worked side by side with them planting and harvesting rice. They showed us how they used local resources to survive.

We learned from them, they learned from us. It was a unique experience that I'm glad I had the opportunity to share.

While there were some scarey nights and probed perimeters, the CA work was relativley quiet compared to a grunts work. If you need the adrennalin rush, or are an action freak it might not be for you. If you want to help some people in desperate need, and let yourself grow, you might like it.

I think the CA work going on in Iraq now is a lot tougher job than it was in Vietnam. While I had exposure to some ARVN (Army Republic of Vietnam) units and civilians, for the most part they weren't as hostile and militant as the civilians in Iraq now. Maybe you COULD get the rush there!!

**unclestevie45** · 01-06-2007, 08:19 PM

A good friend of mine was in Iraq with a CA unit a couple of years ago.

I know he got his 'rush', and has the Bronze Star, with V, to prove it.

It just sounds like an interesting job, and I am not happy with my current unit, so I am shopping a little.

I'm in a good spot because I am up for re enlistment and can look around without any pressure.

Just not quite ready for another deployment. I would like to put it off, if possible, for another couple years. Selfish, but thats the way it is.

**centermass181** · 01-06-2007, 09:58 PM

no 11B in your future?

**unclestevie45** · 01-06-2007, 10:12 PM

Well, first last and always I am a Marine. I went to Parris Island in 1985, and left the Marine Corps in 1992. I went into the MA Guard after 9/11.

I have been told that all prior service Marines in the Guard are, by default,
11B also. Not sure how true that is though.

I have always been with artillery though, both firing batteries and headquarters elements. My current unit is a target acquisition battery.

I am mostly looking for a change.

**cgc510** · 01-07-2007, 03:45 PM

My nephew was a Captain in that unit in RI. He spent a year in Iraq, been home for two years. Send me a private message, and I'll see if he can answer any of your questions. He also won the Bronze Star over there. From what I got from him, he loved the unit and the work they did.

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