Can I do a study abroad program while serving in the Marine Corps Reserve?

I'm looking to join the Marine Corps Reserve while I'm in college and may want to do a 4 month study abroad program at some point. Would serving in the Reserve prevent me from doing this? Is it possible to make up my drills or do them before I leave?

Can I do a study abroad program while serving in the Marine Corps Reserve?
not sure. ask your recruiter maybe they'll let you make up missing drills.
Reply:If you're in college but want to be a reservist in the Marines ask a recruiter about the split-time reserves. You're a full-time student for fall %26amp; spring semesters (which means you could do a study abroad program during one of those semesters) and then you go to the Marines for training during the summers.
Reply:Maybe,





But your reserve unit commander would have to approve it.





The problem being,





You still have to train so many days, to complete your reserve enlistment.





Missing a whole year, would make it very hard, to make up those days, either before or after that year.
Reply:Serving in the military reserves is NOT the same a frolicking and picnicking on the beach. You'er either IN or your out.


A military unit is a TEAM, not a foreign exchange student exercise. You are needed IN THE UNIT when you are to be IN THE UNIT;which is once a month and 2 weeks a year.





A team NEEDS its members to support each other. Your "drills" as you refer to them, are a integral part of your unit training. Unit training is that training done with the unit, not a correspondence course or a phone-in caricature of your existence.





I guess if you join the Marines and get rotated to Iraq, you'll want to be "on sabbatical" while your team mates are kickin' Shititass in Baghdad.
Reply:Definately you want to ask your USMC recruiter that question. Also, as we all know - recruiters tend to .. well .. B.S. quite a bit. Dont forget to ask him/her for EVIDENCE in WRITING if they find the answer. You dont want to be THAT GUY who is fooled into joining and later on down the line be like, oh crap! I was tricked?! (I got the experience first hand). 100% tuition my butt .. -_-