Posted on Mar 20, 2017
Can anyone offer insight into what I can expect transitioning from National Guard NCO to Active Duty 18X?
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I am a Combat Engineer, and have been in a line unit for the entirety of my career. Have graduated both WLC and ALC, and have served as a Squad Leader for the last 20 months. I am looking for a little insight from anyone that has gone back through OSUT as a prior service Army NCO or from any former Drill Sergeants as to what I should expect. Thank you in advance.
Posted in these groups: 
Prior Service
Infantry OSUT (11B)
18X: Special Forces Candidate
United States Army Airborne School
Drill Sergeant
Prior Service Infantry OSUT (11B) 18X: Special Forces Candidate United States Army Airborne School Drill Sergeant
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
Infantry AIT is only done as OSUT. You may get inserted into an OSUT unit that is beginning the AIT phase. Or, if you start with a unit in BCT, you most likely be in separate quarters and will be given NCO tasks and details for the company or battalion during BCT. Some things will be mandatory with the unit, such as daily PT, APFT's, weapons qualification, grenades, etc. You will probably help out the DS's a lot. Count on a lot of CQ and SD.
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Thanks for your input SFC. My curiosities really lay in the uncertainty of how I'll be treated once I arrive. I fully expect to be treated as one of the trainees, and I would have it no other way. The only real question I would have is if I'd have access to the facilities on post, such as a gym. I'm an avid power lifter so I'm curious as to whether I'll be allowed to continue training. I know the treatment of Prior Service soldiers is at the discretion of the Company/Battalion Commanders, so I know that everyone's experience may vary. I just haven't been able to find any prior service NCO's that have had to go back through the IET environment after they've had their rank for awhile.
SFC J Fullerton
SGT(P) Matthew Vincent - You will be treated accordingly with the rank you are entering active duty with. You are coming from an Army component, without a break in service. Based on that and to my knowledge, completion of Army BCT is not a requirement to your enlistment to AD. However, you have to complete Infantry AIT as a prerequisite for the 18X training path. You will have duty requirements during BCT, but you should not be restricted to the confines of the training environment. Have you tried going to the Fort Benning OSUT website for information on prior service in training?
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SFC, no I have not yet as I wasn't aware there were a page dedicated to that topic. I will definitely check that out, thank you very much. I will be keeping my rank entering active duty, so I am hoping you're correct.
SPC (Join to see)
Now I don't know how often this comes about, but I did what we called "split-Op" training. And I went through BCT before completing my senior year of highschool, then went back to Benning for the AIT portion. Our whole company did this, whether they were in college,highschool etc. you could be thrown into a company such as that.
You are undergoing two big changes, National Guard to active duty and conventional Army to SF. Both changes will present themselves with many new elements. There are many things to consider, but I would highlight a few:
- As an active duty NCO, you can expect to relocate every few years. This sounds obvious, but it has a significant impact on one's family and is something people in the National Guard generally have not experienced.
- The National Guard has a fairly large variability within its ranks; some units are really switched on and some are a bit of a mess. Active duty also has variability, but I would say expectations are a bit more standardized.
- The biggest change will likely just be going into the SF pipeline, which is a big change even if you are coming from an existing active duty role. "SF is still the Army", as I'm sure you will hear many times, but it does do things different and attracts different kinds of people.
- I don't think it will matter to anyone (or nearly anyone) that you were National Guard (as opposed to active duty) before the 18X program. So I suggest avoiding saying things like "well, I wasn't on active duty, but in the National Guard I did this or that." People just see US Army on your uniform, and that's the way people will see you, so just embrace the new opportunity and always look forward. And good luck!
- As an active duty NCO, you can expect to relocate every few years. This sounds obvious, but it has a significant impact on one's family and is something people in the National Guard generally have not experienced.
- The National Guard has a fairly large variability within its ranks; some units are really switched on and some are a bit of a mess. Active duty also has variability, but I would say expectations are a bit more standardized.
- The biggest change will likely just be going into the SF pipeline, which is a big change even if you are coming from an existing active duty role. "SF is still the Army", as I'm sure you will hear many times, but it does do things different and attracts different kinds of people.
- I don't think it will matter to anyone (or nearly anyone) that you were National Guard (as opposed to active duty) before the 18X program. So I suggest avoiding saying things like "well, I wasn't on active duty, but in the National Guard I did this or that." People just see US Army on your uniform, and that's the way people will see you, so just embrace the new opportunity and always look forward. And good luck!
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Thank you so much sir for the insight! It is much appreciated. I very much embrace the active duty lifestyle as the majority of my guard time has been spend traveling around to various schools and training events. And I am incredibly humbled and excited to enter the SOF world and feel I am at the right maturity level and mindset to enter the SF pipeline, and I believe I am definitely ready for the challenges. I expect it to help me grow as a man and make me a better NCO as a whole and I am grateful for the opportunity. I'm glad I waited to grow up and gain the experience I have as opposed to going the 18X route as a 20 year old as a lot of men are doing now days.
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