Active duty guys, rather be deployed with reservists or guardsmen?

I've been on both sides, active and Reserve and have seen good and bad from Reserve and Guard both. From my experience I'd rather work with Reserve over Guard because I've seen more good from that side of the house but that's based on my own experience and is only my opinion. If you are looking at which branch to join don't base it off opinions of active duty folks, there's more to consider.

Both Guard and Reserve bring outside skills to the table and both are Reserve components. Where they differ is state vs federal. Do research on your state because the Guard will be different from state to state and think about your end goals. If your end goal is eventually going active the best way to do that is go active. However, if you absolutely want part time service do you want the ability to go active later? Does your state release people to go active. I know two states who absolutely will not and one that will recoup bonuses and state tuition money used on the rare occasion they release. Don't just take a Guard recruiters word for it, ask recruiters from other branches how often they get someone released from Guard units vs Reserve in your area and compare answers. Branch shop, talk to every branch as they all have Reserve components and they all can offer about the same thing benefits wise but jobs and incentives may be different in your area. Do your homework before you enlist.

I came into this life as an airborne medic - I didn't deploy until I was a 43 yo guardsmen - HET driver is the perfect job for a 43 yo soldier, somewhere back in the guard retirement stuff I rounded a single number, and everything became simple and during the deployment my fellow guardsmen sent all of the active duty to me to explain the simple system that the organization made complicated

I still have nightmares of 'right seat rides' with poor clueless, ACU-wearing Georgia National Guard NCOs who had no clue how to do even some of the most basic Infantry skills in country.

Guardsman.

You may of opened a bigger can of worms than you expected.

I'm a Retired Reservist who also served Active Duty Time before going Reserves, and have more than a couple of deployments and training exercises under my belt.

In the 1990's as a Reservist, on deployments and training exercises the biggest thing we've found was a vastly different set of attitudes from Units we were attached to.

1) While in support of a Refugee/Migrant Operation. A few of us from the Reserves had volunteered to go, a few were selected otherwise. However we did try to perform that mission to the best of our ability. One Company of AD Soldiers we were supporting were not given any choice and their Company Commander & First Sergeant made painfully obvious that they felt we had no business or place working with them. That made for a difficult assignment, and an adversarial relationship in some aspects. Additionally the CO and 1SG felt that their company could perform the mission my Reserve Unit was tasked with and saw no damn good reason we should be there. At the end of the 6 month deployment period my Reserve Unit was happy to depart, The AD company how ever had come under an investigation concerning potential abuse of position.

2) 5 man Team deployed to Germany for a training exercise. While in route from the USA the exercise was cancelled. NATO had begun to spin up for Kosovo. When we arrived we were informed of the change and asked if we could change mode and begin supporting planning. That was an easy task change and could be done under the authorizations and orders we had. Set into preparing the Soldier's handbook for Kosovo using the resources and materials available to the 21st TAACOM. Our Team was also asked if we could aid in doing a Route Recon from Thessaloniki Greece to the Macedonia and Kosovo Border. We were willing but that also required a significant change of orders as well. Requests were submitted through appropriate chains of command, and denied. Another team was stood up from USACAPOC for the route recon mission. However the 21st TAACOM was very supportive of our efforts to support their mission.

However after 2001, when I retired from the Reserves, though still working as a DA Civilian; the Active, Reserve, and National Guard Components have had to work more closely than ever before. Each component have learned more of the capabilities each brings to the tasks assigned. Similarly many NG and Reserve units bring a broader background to bear when they deploy. My civilian background and training as a Firefighter/EMT supplements an organic Medical Corpsman's abilities and duties. Different skill sets, but not mutually exclusive. Additionally my experience as a Commercial Driver, I still hold a CDL, but will be retiring it this year, aided in route planning for heavy equipment. A Dragon Wagon hauling a M1 can not go the same places a LMTV can.

So ultimately when you get Guardsmen and Reservists, you can be receiving a wealth of skills and experiences not organic to a line company on active duty. So every good experience can also have a negative based on preconceived expectations. more depends on time weighted experiences than just brief interactions.

Best to you with this Just for fun exercise.