Posted on Sep 9, 2015
Can a National Guard or Reserve soldier be considered a "Professional Soldier"?
35.3K
359
118
17
17
0
I have heard through my military service the term "professional Soldier" . If you serve 10 yrs plus in the Reserve or National Guard, or even put in the til age of 60, and retire does that give you the title of a professional soldier.
********
As in profession not Professionalism.
********
As in profession not Professionalism.
Military Career
Reserves
Army National Guard
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 39
1
1
0
You are still a Soldier 24/7. Your profession is demonstrated by your MOS. Your professionalism as a Soldier is demonstrated by how you live the 7 Army values and the NCO creed. Remember that your two basic responsibilities will always be upper most in my mind. Accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my Soldiers.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Yes of course. If you are a soldier in the Guard or Reserves. You can be full time. Therefore making it a profession. It is very possible to do.
(1)
(0)
PFC (Join to see)
No problem SGT Bryon Sergent. Just trying to answer the question in regards to the definition of what a profession is not on the basis of "professionalism".
(0)
(0)
1
1
0
Active Guard or Reserve does not change the person you are; you are either a Professional or you are not. A scumbag will probably always be a scumbag unless a Professional comes along to change their direction in Life.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
SGT Bryon Sergent
Time and status do not make one a 'Professional' regardless of career or profession. A Reserve component soldier can be professional and an Active Duty soldier can fail to meet that standard. Being a professional makes you a professional soldier, so my advice is to be the best soldier, warrior and human being you can be, and you will be the professional your soldier and this Nation need and deserve.
Wearing the uniform does not make one part of a profession, if 'professionalism' is not an important factor in your career choice, you may want to reconsider your profession. There is a reason the two words are so similar.
Time and status do not make one a 'Professional' regardless of career or profession. A Reserve component soldier can be professional and an Active Duty soldier can fail to meet that standard. Being a professional makes you a professional soldier, so my advice is to be the best soldier, warrior and human being you can be, and you will be the professional your soldier and this Nation need and deserve.
Wearing the uniform does not make one part of a profession, if 'professionalism' is not an important factor in your career choice, you may want to reconsider your profession. There is a reason the two words are so similar.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
SGT Bryon Sergent, you ask one question and survey another, but you are absolutely on point to be questioning the military profession and the character of its members.
The better question is about the profession of arms. Being a professional or a member of the profession has nothing to do with time served. It is about commitment to the standards and ideals, and to constant individual improvement. Professions also are expected to self-police. We don't do that perfectly, but the structure is there. When a Soldier leaves a deficiency uncorrected or a breach of duty unaddressed, then he or she is lacking in professional character.
I disagree with most of the other commentators here. Being a professional is not a title earned and then automatically retained. It is an active and perpetual process. Saying "I am a professional" is not sufficient to make it so, nor is the act of drawing a paycheck. It is more than the bare minimum "honorable characterization of service" as well. To be a professional you must live the standard and demand that others do so.
I see no reason why Reserve Component Service-members should be excluded from this definition of the profession of arms. It is more difficult for us to maintain our profession in the Reserves because we lack some enforcement mechanisms and the time to fully devote ourselves to military pursuits, but the Active Component does not have a monopoly on the profession.
The better question is about the profession of arms. Being a professional or a member of the profession has nothing to do with time served. It is about commitment to the standards and ideals, and to constant individual improvement. Professions also are expected to self-police. We don't do that perfectly, but the structure is there. When a Soldier leaves a deficiency uncorrected or a breach of duty unaddressed, then he or she is lacking in professional character.
I disagree with most of the other commentators here. Being a professional is not a title earned and then automatically retained. It is an active and perpetual process. Saying "I am a professional" is not sufficient to make it so, nor is the act of drawing a paycheck. It is more than the bare minimum "honorable characterization of service" as well. To be a professional you must live the standard and demand that others do so.
I see no reason why Reserve Component Service-members should be excluded from this definition of the profession of arms. It is more difficult for us to maintain our profession in the Reserves because we lack some enforcement mechanisms and the time to fully devote ourselves to military pursuits, but the Active Component does not have a monopoly on the profession.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Yes I was in a Infantry Anti-Armor unit in both Iraq and afgastain in 2008. I was in Co-D, 162nd Infantry, 41st Infantry Bde Oregon Army National Guard from 5-2000 to 12-2010
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Nowhere do I recall seeing a different version of the Soldiers Creed for RC & AD troops. We are ALL charged to be 'experts and professionals.' If the enemy doesn't differentiate than why should we?
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
When a MLB or NFL or a NBA player can be called a professional because he makes $5 million dollars a year (or more), you're damn right that anyone who proudly wears the uniform of our nation is the consummate professional, and you can take that to the Bank!!!
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Good question. I was assigned to a Reserve Supply & Services Co (direct support), which meant close to the front lines (when there were front lines). The Company always recievd high praise for their mission, but the evaluators always added that they wouldn't live long enough to do it. Basically, we couldn't get the support we needed to train to defend ourselves. The MTOE authorized an M60 and 203 grenade launcher. Luckily we had a few VN prior service guys in the unit that helped. We also had to beg for range time at the nearest AC installation. I hope things have changed.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
No. Their civilian profession is their profession. I'm very fond of reading medical and legal books, and attending seminars and lectures if possible, that doesn't make me a lawyer or doctor. There are minimum standards to achieving status as a professional xxxx, and occasionally doing something once in a while is not it...
(1)
(0)
SSG Lonny Self
well see that's where your wrong ssg hasbun because a lot of professions in the so called real world are the same in the military such as water treatment I was in the engineers in the army and the guard and as a civilian so very professional at my job on both fronts
(1)
(0)
SSG Brian Lovins
CMSgt James Nolan - I know I am a day late and a dollar short, but I see what SSG Hashburn is saying. The original question was if it is a profession not in professionalism, when mobilized/working full time the I would agree it is a profession, when we demob and go back to our civilian jobs that is our profession, To me it is a multi faceted question with various possible answers, we are all professional soldiers but it may not be our everyday profession. The definition of profession is a job requiring prolonged training and special requirements, so by definition all Soldiers would part of the same profession. I would also say the VA supports that soldiers that have ONLY served in NG and Reserve are not professional Soldiers because they are not open to all the benefits we are offered after being on active duty (title 10). Another example is discounts, even though I am an AD veteran, I retired from the guard so my retired ID is pink. because of this I have been denied the veteran discount at certain places that my father in law who has a Blue AD retired ID gets. At the end of this totally useless response it is up to the individual to determine how they feel about themselves, everyone is going to have an opinion, you can't base how you feel about your contributions to this country because of someone else's opinion. Not many realize what being a RC Soldier really requires so until that is the case not many outside of the RC's are going to look at us as professionals.
(0)
(0)
SFC Michael Hasbun
Agreed. I think he might have been the only one who actually understood what I was saying...
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google