Posted on Jul 18, 2018
How can one make the most out of their career in the National Guard, specifically the Infantry?
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I recently graduated from training and waiting to be processed into my unit which is currently deployed overseas. I'm eager to learn about all the opportunities I may be able to take advantage of.
Posted in these groups: 
11B: InfantrymanTexas ARNG
11B: InfantrymanTexas ARNG
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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Learn everything you can! All the do’s and Dont’s. Get several years in, if you plan on staying in the. Move to a different mos that will actually benefit you in the civilian word.
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Initially find a BCT to cut your teeth and get the most line experience as you can. Stay in top physical shape and you will be able to go to any NCOES school or special training course that comes up and your unit won’t be afraid to send you. Once you get trained, tabbed out and see if you have the stones to stay in the Infantry (many go into another MOS or hide in echelons above reality staff or MOS immaterial position) then you can seek a position in the special forces unit in your area. If that is not your cup of tea; work to be a TL,SL,PSG,1SG as much as possible. Diversify your experience with Infantry units (Recon, Light,Stryker,Mech) if possible along the way and when you decide to get a family and a career; evaluate your life and ensure that you can balance your Infantry expectations with your Family and Career responsibilities. You mess that up and you are of no value to yourself nor your unit. With the new DP ongoing with the NG you will find yourself gone for 3-6 months a year if you are in a deploying BCT so now your units next 3-5 yrs. once you make enough rank, identify if you can get an AGR job so you can do this thing full time but in the Guard it’s the gem of the military and above all, have fun and don’t lose sight of what is important, being a n amazing Soldier, inspirational leader and strong example of what a Warrior is by keeping your family together-career on track and military life in order always.
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Your in luck that Texas has both Special Forces units as well as an Airborne Infantry unit in the National Guard. Having said that I believe they try to find recently discharged folks that had the schools already first but they do also send folks to SFAS as well as Airborne School. The TXARNG unit that is Airborne I think is somewhere near Ft. Worth or between Ft. Worth and Austin. I cannot remember. Here is the deal on that as well. The Unit 1SG of these units is going to be looking for a long term commitment if they do send you to a school like Airborne or SFAS. I believe the TXARNG also sends folks to Air Assault school but don't quote me on that because I am not sure on that part.
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SPC Erich Guenther
Capt Gregory Prickett - B Company is in Terrell (outside and East of Dallas), D Company is in Bastrop (outside of and East of Austin)............according to their Facebook page.
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The ARNG (Army National Guard) and the ARC (Army Reserve Component) are very different from RA (Regular Army). I really cannot offer up any solid advice regarding making the most out of the ARNG career. The Infantry training in RA is intensive and last much longer than a weekend or two weeks a year. You may not be afforded the same opportunities that an RA Soldier would receive ie Airborne, Air Assault, Ranger, Halo, Combat Diver etc. As well the promotional make up is different. If you want to make a complete career out of ARNG it is doable but bear in mind I remember seeing 50+ year old specialist when I was in. Just some food for thought.
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SSG Eduardo Ybarra Jr. MS Psyc
CPT (Join to see) - So let me understand this correctly, you have not seen Soldiers with either HALO or Combat Diver or both who are not affiliated with Special Operations? In the late 80's and through the early to mid 90's being assigned to the 24th ID which is now known as the 3rd ID there were several guys within the Division with having either one or both. This included those assigned to Benning and Stewart. If you happen to be in a unit that is not rapid deployment you probably may not see it. Another factor to consider is this was almost 30 years ago where the requirements were much different. To answer your question it was a couple hundred, which may not seem like a great deal in the vast Army but in one location the perspective is different.
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CPT (Join to see)
SSG Eduardo Ybarra Jr. MS Psyc A couple hundred is quite a bit compared to today. I never see anyone in the RA infantry that has those badges unless they were SOF, LRS, or Pathfinder PLT... Or if they washed out of an SOF pipeline or transferred from one of the above mentioned. Maybe there is another corner of the military out there that has ready access, but definitely not any that I have seen. Everything is on an as needed basis now, I once had the schools funding manager tell me that it would be fraud to send me to Pathfinder school because it wasn't in my para/line.
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SSG Eduardo Ybarra Jr. MS Psyc
CPT (Join to see) - You are absolutely right, the times have changed and it is more difficult now to attend those schools unless you are in those specific fields. As to your schools NCO telling you that attending Pathfinder is fraud is pure nonsense. Pathfinder falls into the realm of Airborne and Air Assault which you should be able to attend. If you haven't I would recommend you try and get stationed in Benning for a two to three year hitch. This is if you want to attend some schools and are running into difficulty. At Benning you can pretty much "walk on" to any school there. Hope this helps and good luck.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
SSG Eduardo Ybarra Jr. MS Psyc - I think you will find that those guys that had HALO and Combat Diver had rotated back from SOF. I have had a number of NCO's that switched back and SF still has to support the Infantry School. But I'm like SSG Blount, I can't remember ever seeing HALO and Combat Diver on anyone that had been SF or Ranger.
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TX ARNG has airborne infantry units. Get yourself transferred over to a sniper section there. Volunteer for training and deployments when possible. Achieve a high PT score. Keep your airborne/ranger/pathfinder physical up-to-date so that when opportunities for schools come up you are the one that is ready to go (this is the key to getting schools in the NG). The NG is what you make of it... I've been enlisted NG my whole career and have been on 2 great deployments, attended more than 20 schools, and have been able to rack up some academic degrees. If you have any specific questions, feel free to message me.
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