Army National Guard V.S. Reserves what is better/different

[Anvilbrother 0]

I am looking into getting into the army. Here is my background. Male, 26, one wife, one 18 month child, I live in baton rouge Louisiana I am a full time fire captain at a fire department. I am unsure the difference between the reserves, and the guard. I want to go infantry, but unsure if there is an inf. unit in La, and if not can you sill be 11B attached to something in your area?

I have wanted to get into the military since high school but my parents shit bricks and threatened to kill the recruiter when he pulled into the driveway after I took the asvab without them knowing. Well 10 years later I realize this is still a strong dream for me, and have approval from my wife to do this before I get old and regret it.

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[lawrocket 3]

You'll find most of the combat arms in the National Guard. They are the Infantry Divisions.

In general, the reserves are more for Combat Support and Combat Service Support. Not to say that you can't find a job you like in the Reserves, but most of the Combat Arms are found in the NG.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[AggieDave 6]

Both will take you to the sandbox right now. I have friends in the active military who have served more than one tour. I have friends in the reserves that have served more than one tour. I have friends in the guard that I'm waiting to get back from their first tour.

I'm not saying don't do it if you want to do it, just understand that you'll be going to the sandbox.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[warpedskydiver 0]

Thank you for volunteering to serve in our Military.

I just wish more would do the same.

We all have benefited from the sacrifices of those who paid our way in the past.

[JustChuteMeNow 0]

The Army National Guard is a dual state and federal force while the reserves are just a federal force. In the event of a state emergency the governors can mobilize the guard while the mobilization of the reserves would require a federal order.

Good luck with everything.

Think of how stupid the average person is and realize that statistically half of them are stupider than that.

[Anvilbrother 0]

Yes I and everyone around me is aware. Two of my co workers are military I would actually prefer to go to war. I have basically decided to go guard infantry at the moment if I can get it in writing that I get that and that there is actually a unit within 2 hours of home that support that. I looked up all the AFPT scales. Once I can score the required 11b AIT passing numbers I will go with my military friends and sign the line.

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[fercie 0]

Congrats on your choice to join the military. I am currently serving my first tour in Iraq in the Army reserves. There are a lot of us here that are on our 2nd and 3rd tours and a couple that are even on their 4th tours. Thats important to take into consideration, especially with a young family. I advise you to talk to a recruiter, but then cross check everything he or she tells you with someone that has nothing to gain by you joining, to make sure that your recruiter's not jerking your chain about anything.

Decide what you want and don't sign unless you get it IN A CONTRACT. It is easy for a recruiter to tell you that once you get through basic and to your unit that you'll be able to get what you want. You can get Airborne and other extras in your contract before you go to basic (but you have to be able to pass the physical, PT standards, etc).

As for Guard vs. Reserve, I don't really think its that big of a difference. There are friendly rivalries of course, but just make sure that you do what's right for you.

Fear is not knowing.

[fpritchett64 0]

Why do you need to wait until you can pass the APFT to enlist?

Unless things have changed a lot since I went to basic training (about 6 years ago) all you need to start basic is 13 push ups, 17 sit ups and run a mile in 8 minutes.

In order to graduate basic training, you will need to score at least 50% in p/u's, s/u's and the run, which I believe for your age range would be less than 35 p/u's in 2 minutes, around 49 s/u's in 2 minutes and run a 2 mile run in somewhere around 16 minutes. The thing is, nobody should have any trouble hitting those numbers after 9 weeks of basic.

Then to graduate AIT, you will have to be at Army Standard (60% in all areas) just a few more p/u's, s/u's and a little less time on the 2 mile run.

Although, if you're going 11B, I think you will go through a program where they combine basic and AIT into one course, but I still don't think you will have to pass the APFT before beginning your training, unless things have changed that much in the last 6 years.

[Anvilbrother 0]

I believe you are correct. I am just the type of person that wants to know im good before I do something. I have also heard by already being at the "mark" when you join allows you to enjoy it better. I called the recruiter and found out that there is an infantry unit attached under the 256th mec infantry in Plaquemine, La about 30 min from home!

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[jcd11235 0]

I've served in both regular Army and Army Reserves, both in peacetime, so the following for what it's worth.

First, investigate all your options before you commit yourself to any particular path, either in your mind or in a contract. That means exploring what Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines, as well as their reserve/nat guard components can offer you. They are all part of the same team.

Don't get caught up in the idea of being an 11B until you find out what is available to you. This is especially true if the line scores on your ASVAB are high. There may be some jobs that involve valuable training (that has a civilian application) that you may well regret passing up ten years down the road. In hindsight, I would have been much better served to have signed up for the software analyst MOS that was offered to me instead of the cannon crewmember MOS. Being a bit more patient and going into the Air Force also would have been a superior choice, with the benefit of hindsight. Especially having a young child, you should take advantage of the best opportunities available to you. The sacrifice you are making is not lessened any by not being combat arms. An army marches on its stomach. Combat arms units are worthless without support units.

I didn't much like the Reserves. They were far more laid back than regular Army, but in combat, I would have been far more comfortable fighting next to the troops from my active duty unit rather than the troops from my reserve unit. I'm not sure how applicable that perception is today, since most of the troops you'll come across in any branch or component will likely have been to the sandbox.

Don't worry so much about being able to pass the APFT before going in. Odds are excellent that you'll get in enough PT to pass without a problem before you graduate. Having said that, be aware that a pushup to Army standards is not the same as a pushup to high school physical education standards.

Also, keep in mind that basic training is fun. Sure, parts of it suck, but you'll get to do things you'll probably never get the opportunity to do again. It's an eight week game. Don't get me wrong, you'll learn a lot of important stuff, and you should take it seriously, but it's as much about learning to be a team player as it is about individual performance. It will be a lot more enjoyable if you don't let the Drill Sergeants get inside your head. Enjoy it.

In basic training, there are only two things you want your Drill Sergeants to ever notice about you, giving 110 percent, even when things get tough, and being a team player. Everything else is details.

BTW, I'm not trying to say not to go Infantry. Just don't go infantry without first knowing what your other options are. Think about long term benefits; don't sell yourself short because of some romantic notion that the only real soldiers are 11B or combat arms, cause it just ain't true, regardless of what us combat arms troops might like to claim while we're in or after we're out.

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[fpritchett64 0]

Man, if you were to go the EMT or any medical route, you would be doing your AIT at Ft. Sam Houston, TX. I'm sure you would have a blast there as the female to male ratio is like 12:1...lol.

All joking aside though, good luck with it, I hope you do well.

Edit to add: YOu mentioned possible deployment in 2010. I just completed my 6 year enlistment with the National Guard, and still have 2 years left of IRR. Our unit is scheduled to go over for their second tour around Dec or Jan of next year. First, they have to take a transition course and qualification at probably Ft. Hood, TX. They're in the middle of transitioning from the Alpha model to the Delta model Longbow Apache. Anyway, don't forget, we're getting a new president in November, and chances are, it will be a Democrat...I'll try to keep this off that subject, because I know this thread isn't about politics, but lets just say that I don't see anyone going anywhere but home in 2010. So, hopefully you'll be safe from that.