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Joining the Army National Guard... yay or nay
- Thread starter TC2
- Start date
The Almighty
New member
TC2, you and I are kinda in the same boat.
Im probably gonna sign up once I get my degree next month. I dont care about the payments for school, I simply want it for the experience and the extra cash, to a certain extent.
Im probably gonna sign up once I get my degree next month. I dont care about the payments for school, I simply want it for the experience and the extra cash, to a certain extent.
C
Crazy Ivan
Guest
Well, where should I start.
First off, I just got back from US Army a month ago. I wast at Ft. Benning, Georgia (Home of the Infantry) for 3 months. I was Active duty, my MOS is 11B (Infantryman) + Airborne. Wanted to be a paratrooper and then go to Ranger school. I am here because I am on medical separation. I have a back surgery that needs to be taken care of before I go back in about 6 months.
If you going to military, might as well make most out of it. Infantry boot camp is 14 weeks long ! Airborne is another 3 weeks. It gets really rough and even rougher if your platoon is full of DUMBFUCKS and , guess what, half of my platoon were National Guards that just joined for the college money like you. They had the worst time there. Infantry isn't for everyone, we had guys that would cry all day long and in the formation because they were hurt. I was a squad leader and I hated them because they couldn't fuckin square themselves away. You have no idea what life is like when your platoon is not squared away. It's pain, lot's of pain. Not just physical, which is hard to tolerate in the first place but mental pain that the Drill Sergeants love to do to you.
I would say if you considering joining the military then just do it.
Something to think about, of 50 recruits in our platoon, only 25 graduated basic and infantry training. The rest either got sent home or in the hospital.
Try not to think too much of the drawbacks. Infantry is the hardest boot camp and you won't be going through it, so no worries you'll make it just fine. Plus, the National Guard actually gets deployed more often than the Active Duty personnel do. You'll get to travel plenty. Pay is ok, if you have a couple years of college then push for promotion. That way you can start as PFC, what I did. When you get to MEPS you'll be able to talk to the person who finalizes your contract and they are like salesmen, you can negotiate with them as long as you have valid reasonings and explanations.
First off, I just got back from US Army a month ago. I wast at Ft. Benning, Georgia (Home of the Infantry) for 3 months. I was Active duty, my MOS is 11B (Infantryman) + Airborne. Wanted to be a paratrooper and then go to Ranger school. I am here because I am on medical separation. I have a back surgery that needs to be taken care of before I go back in about 6 months.
If you going to military, might as well make most out of it. Infantry boot camp is 14 weeks long ! Airborne is another 3 weeks. It gets really rough and even rougher if your platoon is full of DUMBFUCKS and , guess what, half of my platoon were National Guards that just joined for the college money like you. They had the worst time there. Infantry isn't for everyone, we had guys that would cry all day long and in the formation because they were hurt. I was a squad leader and I hated them because they couldn't fuckin square themselves away. You have no idea what life is like when your platoon is not squared away. It's pain, lot's of pain. Not just physical, which is hard to tolerate in the first place but mental pain that the Drill Sergeants love to do to you.
I would say if you considering joining the military then just do it.
Something to think about, of 50 recruits in our platoon, only 25 graduated basic and infantry training. The rest either got sent home or in the hospital.
Try not to think too much of the drawbacks. Infantry is the hardest boot camp and you won't be going through it, so no worries you'll make it just fine. Plus, the National Guard actually gets deployed more often than the Active Duty personnel do. You'll get to travel plenty. Pay is ok, if you have a couple years of college then push for promotion. That way you can start as PFC, what I did. When you get to MEPS you'll be able to talk to the person who finalizes your contract and they are like salesmen, you can negotiate with them as long as you have valid reasonings and explanations.
out_at_sea
Banned
TC2 said:
I was in the ANG....Bear in mind that when you join the army you hand out your ass to the country, hence whenever there is a call up you myst be ready; you are also bound to the state and the governor can call you up in case of disasters .
In time of peace all the reason you were listed were the main reason...NOW be ready to fire the M16 and even to die....You gotta really like it and really wanted...
Info about the guard
I have been thinking about this as well and have some info you might find useful. First of all You are talking about a state organization, yes I know it says Army but its like a state version of the Army Reserves. In wartime you more than likely do not ship off to some foreign country if you choose a job like infantry or other combat arms, what you do is pick up the domestic slack from the regular army and reservists who do ship over seas. For instance you might end up pulling guard duty for military bases IN YOUR STATE, or help with disaster relief if one happens. Since it is a state agency you get some benefits that Reservists don't, but really is six of one half a dozen of the other. In the guard you get 100% tuition reimbursement plus GI Bill plus any federal tuition assistance above 12 hours a semester. This only applies to tuition not to the scores of fees the university will charge you. Additionally it caps at about $76 per credit hour up to a limit of 12 hours or roughly $912 a semester, bear in mind this is state assistance not federal and may vary with the state you are in. You can also get your guard pay plus GI Bill monthly allowance which can add up to a few hundred bucks a month. If you take more than 12 hours a semester you can also get additional federal tuition assistance which will be 75% of your tuition above 12 hours. Example 15 hour semester, 12 hours gets 100% tuition remimbursement (state) 3 hours gets 75% tuition assistance (federal). Hope this helps, I am going to be joining the guard as well, but I also will be in ROTC while in school and once I get my commission I hope to go Active Duty.
One main difference between the guard and the reserve is that the reserve pays more of your student loans back if you take them, but they dont get state tuition assistance, the guard pays back less of your loans but does give you state tuition assistance. Crunch the numbers for your situation ie the school you want to attend and then make your decision as to which one benefits you the most. Also there is a simultaneous enrollment program for the guard/reserve and the ROTC at your school. If you are in ROTC as well you can double dip your benefits which means you get ROTC money as well as the perks from the guard/reserve not to mention you get an officer's commission once you get your degree.
I have been thinking about this as well and have some info you might find useful. First of all You are talking about a state organization, yes I know it says Army but its like a state version of the Army Reserves. In wartime you more than likely do not ship off to some foreign country if you choose a job like infantry or other combat arms, what you do is pick up the domestic slack from the regular army and reservists who do ship over seas. For instance you might end up pulling guard duty for military bases IN YOUR STATE, or help with disaster relief if one happens. Since it is a state agency you get some benefits that Reservists don't, but really is six of one half a dozen of the other. In the guard you get 100% tuition reimbursement plus GI Bill plus any federal tuition assistance above 12 hours a semester. This only applies to tuition not to the scores of fees the university will charge you. Additionally it caps at about $76 per credit hour up to a limit of 12 hours or roughly $912 a semester, bear in mind this is state assistance not federal and may vary with the state you are in. You can also get your guard pay plus GI Bill monthly allowance which can add up to a few hundred bucks a month. If you take more than 12 hours a semester you can also get additional federal tuition assistance which will be 75% of your tuition above 12 hours. Example 15 hour semester, 12 hours gets 100% tuition remimbursement (state) 3 hours gets 75% tuition assistance (federal). Hope this helps, I am going to be joining the guard as well, but I also will be in ROTC while in school and once I get my commission I hope to go Active Duty.
One main difference between the guard and the reserve is that the reserve pays more of your student loans back if you take them, but they dont get state tuition assistance, the guard pays back less of your loans but does give you state tuition assistance. Crunch the numbers for your situation ie the school you want to attend and then make your decision as to which one benefits you the most. Also there is a simultaneous enrollment program for the guard/reserve and the ROTC at your school. If you are in ROTC as well you can double dip your benefits which means you get ROTC money as well as the perks from the guard/reserve not to mention you get an officer's commission once you get your degree.
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