View Full Version : Tell me about the National Guard.
I was thinking about enlisting but I don't know anything more than what the recruiter has been telling me. And that ain't much.
What are the best jobs for someone that likes guns, cars, bikes...
Will the National Guard be a job that pays well or is it going to be a weekend thing?
Can I stay in Colorado?
Do you get the job you signed up for or do they assign you one later and your stuck?
I don't know anything about what I am signing up for and I would like some more information before sign a blank check for everything including my life.
I was thinking about enlisting but I don't know anything more than what the recruiter has been telling me. And that ain't much.
What are the best jobs for someone that likes guns, cars, bikes...
Will the National Guard be a job that pays well or is it going to be a weekend thing?
Can I stay in Colorado?
Do you get the job you signed up for or do they assign you one later and your stuck?
I don't know anything about what I am signing up for and I would like some more information before sign a blank check for everything including my life.
1st of all, congrats for taking a huge step forward as a patriot for even THINKING about it! [Beer]
What it comes down to in job selection is, what the heck do you want to do or enjoy doing?! For real! There are a ton of different options available, from an MP, to a dental assistant, to a tracked or wheeled vehicle mechanic, to helicopter mechanics. CO Nasty Guard even has an infantry unit now! It just comes down to where the positions are available. After you take the ASVAB placement test(shows what jobs they say you are smart enough for), ask a recruiter for a list of ALL jobs you qualify for. Not just a list of what they have openings for, because that is probably what they will try and give you. Get both! When you look over the list it usualy will say the MOS(like 11B for infantry) and where they have there monthly drill. Narrow it down to where you are willing to go on your own dime to get there one weekend a month. Thats a good place to start.
CO National Guard is a weekend thing for about 99% of the jobs. http://www.nationalguard.com/careers/pay.php there is a pay scale for you. I dont know your age or education or anything, but expect somewhere from E-1 to E-3 by the end of basic, unless you have some education or experiance, but dont count on any better than E-4 pay. During basic training and AIT and your 2 week long(1x a year) drill you will get paid full active duty pay. Not too much for an E-1 private, but when your living in their housing, and eating on their dime, and wearing there clothes, you can save a couple bucks if your careful.
Oh, and a signing bonus is always a good thing. Dont let the recruiter fool you, they do take taxes out of it, and you only get about half of it after basic. The other half comes after you finish your enlistment, however long you choose to make that. A buddy of mine that joined infantry got a 20k bonus! The first half that he has gotten came to about 7 or 8 grand after taxes, so its a decent chunk of change! and the bonus gets bigger the crappier job! I remember when i went in, it was 10 grand for a dental assistant, but 30 for a freeking "sewage treatment specialist" aka plumber...
Great thing about the Guard is it is state run, not federal. You will join the CO National Guard and be working for the state, not the feds.(there is some gray area on this... deployments etc etc). You are at the call of the governor of CO, as well as the POTUS. So if the Gov wants extra security during say, the DNC!, he will call up the guard! You will also be assisting in natural disasters and other interesting stuff within the state. There will be times that things happen in other states, and our Gov. deploys you to help out, like when Katrina hit. CO was generous enough to send thier troops down to help out! The only times you will be gone from this state for an extended time is if you are deployed(either in the US or over seas) or for training.
You do get the job you sign up for 99.9% of the time. Its part of the contract that you will sign when you fill out your final enlistment paperwork. Its pretty rare anymore that the army will change your job without your consent.
Any other questions? No, im not in the Guard, I have some friends that are, and I keep kicking the idea or joining for a few extra bucks... I was active duty for a while in the Army, and know that they could probably use some experianced soldiers to help out.
I didnt get a chance to check the site out really, but you can probably find some good info here about job availabilities and such. http://www.coloradoguard.army.mil/
Good luck with your decisions! And let me know if you need any guidance! One of my buds or myself would be glad to help! ...I know how recruiters can be... [M2]
Well,,take this with a grain of salt,, 23 year old memories at work here..
Maybe someone with more recent experiance will stroll by...
What are the best jobs for someone that likes guns, cars, bikes
Infantry,, Mechanic...
Will the National Guard be a job that pays well or is it going to be a weekend thing?
Last I knew, 1 weekend a month,, two weeks sometime during the year...
Can I stay in Colorado?
After basic you Should be able too, if You sign up for the CNG...
Do you get the job you signed up for or do they assign you one later and your stuck?
May depend on what their needs are at the time.. You should be able too get what you want though... Just as with contracts in civilian life,, Make sure it's what you want before you sign..
I was told with my College credits I could join with the rank of e2. I don't think there is a big difference between e1 and e2. But in any case its better than starting on the bottom.
The plus side is I get my college loans paid off. (when?)
I get lots more exercise than I can use.
I get to learn a new skill or use my skills.
Free haircuts on demand.
GunTroll
04-28-2009, 15:58
Hair cuts aren't free even in basic! $6.45 when I left. As for a job look into 45B if you like guns or working on them. It's a small arms repairer job. If you want to wear face paint and let your little war cry come out and run through the woods with guns, go any job in combat arms. I was a Cav Scout. It was cool. That job doesn'r really transfer well to the civillian world unless you want to go into LE or mall security. I'd pick something technical if I could do it over again. Oh yea.....hope you like saying dumb words that have many and no meaning at all at the same time.......HOOOAH! so dumb,so dumb.
I can't believe that they charge for haircut! I guess I knew that though. My brother was charged $13 for his when he was in boot camp. As for technical though. I don't know what I want to pick if not small arms repair or something like it. I would love to fly something though. To bad there isn't a jack of all trades job.
I honestly don't know anything about it, but I'm pretty sure that there no longer exists any "weekends only" kind of stuff anymore. If you sign up for the reserves thinking you'll do two weekends a year, you'll find yourself in Afghanistan 2 weeks after boot camp is over.
ryanek9freak
04-28-2009, 17:00
The National Guard is not the Army reserve. Yes, you will get deployed once a year, but your primary focus is the United States.
I realize that, I just wanted to point out that if one can expect full deployment in the reserves, then it seems unlikely that signing up for full military will get you anything that is just on the weekends.
ryanek9freak
04-28-2009, 17:40
I have several family members in the CNG, and they only work one weekend a month, and then get deployed once a year for about a month or so. Not really a bad deal if you ask me.
GunTroll
04-28-2009, 17:51
I was thinking about enlisting but I don't know anything more than what the recruiter has been telling me.
Tell me was it the Kid Rock song at the theaters that got you thinking?? Citizen soldier or something?
ChunkyMonkey
04-28-2009, 17:56
Doc,
Let me know if you wanna chat w/ a Marine recruiter. Good luck w/ your decision!
I honestly don't know anything about it, but I'm pretty sure that there no longer exists any "weekends only" kind of stuff anymore. If you sign up for the reserves thinking you'll do two weekends a year, you'll find yourself in Afghanistan 2 weeks after boot camp is over.
Its still weekends only... Deployment depends on alot of things. How long since your units last deployment, whether or not your unit is fully staffed, whether or not you are considered "combat ready".
Tell me was it the Kid Rock song at the theaters that got you thinking?? Citizen soldier or something?
No. Never heard that song. I got fired from my job and I am going broke looking for more work. I have always wanted to join up and I want to do it before I get to old. I wouldn't mind all the benefits that come with serving either.
GunTroll
04-28-2009, 18:55
Go active if you need more money than what the guard pays(which isn't much if your not deployed). Benefits are better and you can negotiate to get Ft. Carson in your contract if you must stay in CO. I hear you on the age thing. Thats why I joined. I felt the need to serve and felt like the clock was running out. I hear 42 for the Army now though. Damn thats old for boot. If you go you'll get something out of it and put something in at the same time. Good deal all in all.
theGinsue
04-28-2009, 19:39
.....hope you like saying dumb words that have many and no meaning at all at the same time.......HOOOAH! so dumb,so dumb.
Funny story about that...
I PCS's (that's Permanent Change of Station...moved) from Peterson AFB here in Colo Spr to Hanscom AFB near Boston in MA. While in billeting I made friends with a Mass National Guard NCO whose unit was augmenting our Security Forces by working @ the gates.
One day this guy has to go with one of his troops to see the SF Commander. When they got there they has to explain why the PFC called this Colonels wife a whore. After the shock wore off they found out that what had transpired was the PFC checked the Col's wife's ID he said "Have a good day Hooah!". Now, to you and me, who speak clearly, we'd understand what he said. To a Boston native who speak like they have shit in their mouths, like this woman - HOOAH sounds like WHORE (come on, they pronounce car keys -> khakis!). That was the last day they were allowed to say Hooah @ the gates.
Don't know much about the CO-Army NG, but active duty AF did me well. Like you've been told, you really want to pick a career (MOS) that can translate into skills that work in the civilian community. While it's true that the NG spends most of it's time CONUS (Continental US; all in CO), they can and often are deployed to the hot spots like Iraq & Afghanistan. If you want to "fly" something - as in pilot, you'll need to be at least a Warrant Officer (used to require a minimum of an Associates Degree). Choose your career wisely!
GunTroll
04-28-2009, 20:08
Thats good!
What's a fun job? Mechanic, arms repairer sound like something that I would be into but they have things like cable installer, legal services... I wouldn't mind being deployed but I don't want to be gone for a year at a time though. The recruiter was talking about getting a job with a security clearance. That could pay very well in the private sector working for a defense company. But what job was that? And how likely would it be to get?
theGinsue
04-28-2009, 20:46
Without going into too much detail, I have a security clearance and it's a huge factor in why I have my current job. We're looking to hire a new employee. While skills for the position are really important, we don't even bother looking at folks who don't have @ least a Secret clearance.
When I joinded the USAF, I didn't have any marketable skills. They trained me as a computer operator, then as a programmer. When I retired, finding a job wasn't really hard. Sure, I'm a computer geek, but it certainly pays the bills.
Without going into too much detail, I have a security clearance and it's a huge factor in why I have my current job. We're looking to hire a new employee. While skills for the position are really important, we don't even bother looking at folks who don't have @ least a Secret clearance.
When I joinded the USAF, I didn't have any marketable skills. They trained me as a computer operator, then as a programmer. When I retired, finding a job wasn't really hard. Sure, I'm a computer geek, but it certainly pays the bills.
I'm a nerd too. (Not Even Remotely Dorky) I could see myself doing something like that too. Can you suggest a job that would teach me computers and get me a clearance?
Thanks for at least considering serving man [Beer]
Joining up is a big step in your life, and it'll change you forever...mostly for the better.I noticed while reading through the thread that you said you didn't want to be deployed for a year long tour.
At the time I got out (fall of 2005) reserves usually deployed for 12 months, national guard for up to 18, but active duty for only 6 months.So that may be something to think about.
Something else to bear in mind is that your decision to join won't just effect you , but your entire family,especially if you go to Afganistone or Iraq.I belive it was harder on my wife and kids than it was on me, which is one reason I hung up my boots [Bang]
Basically what I'm getting at is don't rush into things, research everthing, find a job you like, talk to your loved ones,and do what you feel you should.Remember no matter if you join Guard ,reserves or active, once you are in you are in,theres no going back until your contract is up.
I will say serving was the best thing I've done in my life.Feel free to ask any questions, it hasn't been long since I was in,and I have a nephew who is currently serving,so I may be able to answer some things.
Ster
I have been thinking about joining as well. Either that or CSP. Fish got me thinking seriously about that. Hard to go away with little ones crawling around. Momma gets nervous if she has to spend more than 12 hours alone with the rugrats. Now that I am 36, I feel like the clock has gone on for so long that maybe time has run out. Tried to join ANG a few years ago, but a motorcycle accident with a broken face & shoulder slowed down the process.
Whatever you decide, I give you props for standing up.
I give everyone that has served our Country props! Thank you all for doing your duty and providing my Wife, my Children and myself the freedoms that we enjoy today. It is because of you that I believe that honor & integrity still exist. [Beer]
Well I went down there today for the ASVAB test and I scored 70. I was told that I could learn any job they have to offer. I will have to look into what jobs they have now. Maybe they will return my phone calls too.
I would only add a few things;
1. If your not willing to goto war, stay away.
2. Eather find a job that gives you a new skill, or do it for fun, but go into it knowing what you want to get out of it.
I'm from a active duty stand point, but you can PM me if you want. Did thay tell you your GT and ST scores?
I would only add a few things;
1. If your not willing to goto war, stay away.
2. Eather find a job that gives you a new skill, or do it for fun, but go into it knowing what you want to get out of it.
I'm from a active duty stand point, but you can PM me if you want. Did thay tell you your GT and ST scores?
I know there is the possibility of going to war. I'm sure I could reach down and find the balls needed.
No GT or ST scores. I mean I got to look over the whole thing but it was all greek to me. And I don't remember what they were. And by the time we got back to the shop everyone went home so I could get the low down on all of it.
I know there is the possibility of going to war. I'm sure I could reach down and find the balls needed.
No GT or ST scores. I mean I got to look over the whole thing but it was all greek to me. And I don't remember what they were. And by the time we got back to the shop everyone went home so I could get the low down on all of it.
GT score is the one that is really going to matter so you know!
What's the GT score for? Does it remind anyone else of a GT car?
SigsRule
05-02-2009, 20:01
I'm retired AF - 9.5 years on active duty and 13 more years in the reserves. I learned marketable skills and today am a highly paid management/engineering consultant so the service was really good to me. But don't go in if you're at all concerned about the possibility of deploying and going to war. Any military service entails giving up some basic freedoms civilians take for granted. Sure, you get something back but once you've joined you're in for the duration of your enlistment, and maybe then some, except for unusual circumstances. If you're in the military, you go to war. Period. You may luck out and never have to deploy to a hot zone, but you're supporting your brothers and sisters that did.
If you read this far, I have to add that my military service made me who I am and if I had it to do all over again, I would. My purpose in writing this is to encourage you to think carefully about your choices. Nobody ever got rich joining the National Guard, Reserves, or Active Duty but most got something money can't buy. If you do join up, congratulations and you'll have my best wishes and support. Just don't do it because you need a job.
What's the GT score for? Does it remind anyone else of a GT car?
hehe kinda! GT is general technical. It is the combined score of your mathmatics and reading/writing. score http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joiningup/a/asvababcs.htm
that will take you through how it is all set up and what everything means. kinda a long read(5 pages)
basicly the GT score is their "how smart are you really?" score. they can look at all the other scores, ones that will say you are an awesome mechanic but a crappy cook and decent at clerical work, and know that you will be good at exactly what the scores say you will. The GT is the one that can really open up jobs for you. they say you need "x" score to be a mechanic, cool, you got that, but that GT score shows them what kind of mechanic you can be! the higher the score, the more technical job. so if you have a high GT, you may ge able to be a chopper mechanic instead of a lawn mower repair guy! or maybe you could be a clerk in a more specialized unit, or a cook with an actual kitchen, not just handing out MRE's. get it?
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjobs/a/arjobs.htm I think that will tell you what scores you need for certain jobs...
GunTroll
05-02-2009, 20:56
The military needs ditch diggers too!http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:8R2h4vRXbFjJ8M::www.golfentertainer.c om/GroupUploadArea/0001/0000/_common/Gomer_Pile1.jpg (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.golfentertainer.com/GroupUploadArea/0001/0000/_common/Gomer_Pile1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.golfentertainer.com/page896.aspx&h=507&w=600&sz=87&tbnid=8R2h4vRXbFjJ8M::&tbnh=114&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgomer%2Bpile%2Bpictures&usg=__S8V_03sWAUo6ei1s8504Cy8KUoI=&ei=VQv9SersO4uqtgeAvMGSDA&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=3&ct=image)
They said I qualify for all jobs. That's reassuring.
but 25b 35t 18e are the ones he gave me off the top of his head. Although I did change the letters for no reason just to be secretive. 89 sounds good too because I would get to have enjoy my job. But blowing up perfectly good weapons seems so very very wrong to me.
wow! they say you qualify for 18 series? SF is pretty rough man! crazy, when i went in in 01, you had to have at least 4 years service and be eligiable to promote to E5 before they would let you go through the SF-Q course!
signals and com sounds boring, but i dunno, could be interesting i guess...
intel can have some fun stuff involved, wanna learn to water board?
but seriously, you know as well as i do that 89 series could be fun. nothing better than blowing shit up!
GunTroll
05-03-2009, 19:15
18x is an enlistment option these days. If you wash you revert to 11b. I'm not exactly sure what the "x" is. I think its kind of a undecided job within the 18 series.
Special Forces would be a fun job and I would love it if I made it. I am looking into getting something with a signing bonus and can teach me a few things. Helicopter mechanic would be cool since I haven't worked on a jet engine yet. I mostly tinker with internal combustion piston engines.
I asked the Sgt. to give me a copy of my test scores so I can look them over more closely. I will know more tomorrow.
yeah, if you can, through this whole process, and the following career, collect and save copies of EVERY piece of paper you get. It could benifit you later on.
Special Forces would be a fun job and I would love it if I made it.
Do you LOVE the suck? Can you walk all day with 75Lb on your back, just to run all night in the rain? Were does fire go when it go's out?
All things to think about if you want to try for an 18E job.
GunTroll
05-05-2009, 08:00
Do you LOVE the suck? Can you walk all day with 75Lb on your back, just to run all night in the rain? Were does fire go when it go's out?
All things to think about if you want to try for an 18E job.
With the HOOAH bars in the newer mre's he should be just fine. SF would be cool but for how long. Are you considering being a lifer in the military? If your using the military as a stepping stone to better your life through skills learned and getting a sense of doing something important for your country then getting out I'd still learn a marketable skill over a Hooah job any day. SF sounds cool but it is a serious commitment with an enlistment of I believe 6 years on your first contract. Two of them (first two of six) is just training. The sign up bonus I have no idea of but I'm sure your recruiter told you. The re-sign bonus is very high because of the training that is invested into you. I had a friend go through selection while I was in and he told me it was the hardest training he ever did. He trained for two years just to complete and die in a motorcycle accident (Motorcycle + Army don't mix well). If I could do my Army time over again I'd seek out a job that would be better transferable to the civilian world. I wouldn't even think about reserves or NG though. I have no experience with either but feel active was better suited for me.
trlcavscout
05-05-2009, 09:27
Hair cuts aren't free even in basic! $6.45 when I left. As for a job look into 45B if you like guns or working on them. It's a small arms repairer job. If you want to wear face paint and let your little war cry come out and run through the woods with guns, go any job in combat arms. I was a Cav Scout. It was cool. That job doesn'r really transfer well to the civillian world unless you want to go into LE or mall security. I'd pick something technical if I could do it over again. Oh yea.....hope you like saying dumb words that have many and no meaning at all at the same time.......HOOOAH! so dumb,so dumb.
Oh come on, 19D (Cavalry scout) matches up to alot of civilian jobs, for example I work for a cable company in a town full of "undocumented workers" and well "PIRATES" [ROFL2]Their is also alot of gang activity, which is also kinda [ROFL1] but seriously according to the ATF this town is second only to maybe Pueblo?
I find the skills I learned very useful on a daily basis! From jumping fences, to maintaining my "proffesional" composer during stressfull encounters. After airborne and air assault I have no fear of heights, after all the weapons training I am able to ID all the weapons I see on a daily basis, and best of all every once in a while somebody (usually in drug/gang houses) just feels froggy and wont listen to reason, so I help them see the error in their ways [ROFL2].
I looked into the guard when I was ready to leave the Army, the Guard is ok but unless you have a reason not to I would reccomend going active, alot better benefits and faster promotion. But any MOS where you can play with C4, claymores, and machine guns is good. When I joined I considered SF, ASVAB score had to be 95 or higher at the time. I scored a 91 so I didnt consider it long.
GunTroll
05-05-2009, 10:57
I'm glad 19D was my pick. It was fun. I like how it crossed over for you. I'm just not thinking it worked so well for me. I got put in the arms room (armorer) so that's were I picked up my current passion for firearms. And my distaste for the AR platform. Damn erector set gun!
trlcavscout
05-05-2009, 11:15
AR's are fun toys. I really dont like relying on them, give me a 240B any day.
One thing I now wish I would have done in the Army is fiber optics. But I was a mechanic before enlisting, I did not want to do that anymore so I looked for a FUN MOS. I dont know about the guard but you usually have a 1 time chance to change MOS at your first reup, I know alot of guys that changed from boreing jobs to better ones.
Well, I was a 91B,, When they were still called that.. Medical Specialist..
And I've been doing construction for 21 years... Go figure...
I can put on a mean band-aid though....
I did of course miss out on the "real" good training,, Desert Strom, et all,,, Heck, it was getting to the point while I was in, couldn't even put on a band-aid without without the supervision of the PA..
GunTroll
05-05-2009, 18:22
AR's are fun toys. I really dont like relying on them, give me a 240B any day.
Oh yeah!
Well, I was a 91B,, When they were still called that.. Medical Specialist..
And I've been doing construction for 21 years... Go figure...
I can put on a mean band-aid though....
I did of course miss out on the "real" good training,, Desert Strom, et all,,, Heck, it was getting to the point while I was in, couldn't even put on a band-aid without without the supervision of the PA..
Well it pays well and gives you some exercise. So no problems there as far as I can see. Were you ANG or what?
AR_Forever
05-08-2009, 21:49
Did 11 years as 12B Combat Engineer ANG. Lot of fun chit demo, weapons, toys and vehicles... Signed up at 17 while still in high school one of the best things I ever did. Pay was good and used the GI Bill for school; if I had stayed in I would have made 20 years back in Feb. Find a good MOS and Company within the National Guard go drill with them a few months and make sure it's what you want to do.
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