How do you make a National Guard experience more like active duty?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 10:21:04 -0500

While I love my job as a Guardsman, most of the time I feel like my service should be extended beyond drill. I go above and beyond, giving 200% while I'm there, but it's still cut short at the end of the weekend. My main outside-of-drill goal is to get my packet together and get ready for Sergeant, which I am seeking very actively. What would you advise for activities or organizations beyond the normal calendar, I.e. Honor/Color guard or seeking an AGR position. If you were in a situation like mine and ended up getting what you desired, please share your story.

Response by MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 10:35 AM

MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 10:35:06 -0500

Honestly as a Guardsman it's all about being willing to jump at any ADOS opportunity that comes your way. Seek out those options with your unit and when you get them, impress who you work for. The Guard is a small entity and your reputation should be preceding you. The more your name is out there the better chance you'll have of being picked up on AGR. If you are PA Guard I encourage you to look up SSG Kimberly Fauth. She's the Honor Guard coordinator and she can get you an interview and try out if they are currently hiring. It's a great program and it was my last ADOS job before being picked up AGR.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 11:00 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 11:00:03 -0500

Doing is really dependant on a few different things. Mainly your rank and experience. If you want to do more you have to be that guy that is always ready to go to a school at the drop of a hat. If you are looking for full time work you will really have to bring something to the table. Full time is very competitive.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 11:07 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 11:07:19 -0500

Volunteer for every and any school they offer you. On your 4100 packet, pick anywhere in your state. Volunteer for deployments, etc. Imy actually driving from Philadelphia to ft leonardwood as we speak. Noone wanted a slot for an asi school so guess who has two months tdy? Ask for what atrrs slots are available every unit has slots they need to fill, and people never want to take them.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 11:14 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 11:14:57 -0500

I volunteer for EVERYTHING, 4th of July Flag Ceremony, IL Combatives Tourney, Pistol/TAG Match, ASIST, Ammo Classes, SFAS. List goes on brother.

Response by MAJ Brett Rosequist made Feb 20 at 2016 12:44 PM

MAJ Brett Rosequist — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 12:44:56 -0500

I've used ADOS opportunities before as I was transitioning my career path in the civilian world.
A great resource to find these opportunities is Tour of Duty on the Army's MOBCOP site. Login to https://mobcop.army.mil and navigate to Tour of Duty if you are looking to augment your National Guard career with temporary active duty opportunities.

MOBCOP - Home

Individual Soldier Orders Viewer. Active and Reserve Component Soldiers can view and download TCS and COADOS orders from this webpage as a consolidated location for all deployment and mobilization related orders produced in DAMPS systems. Login using your AKO username or CAC.

Response by SFC Eric Buss made Feb 20 at 2016 1:04 PM

SFC Eric Buss — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 13:04:58 -0500

I was the same way when I was an E4. I did the Fed Tech gig for a while. Then I took an AGR job. The ADOS money is harder to get now with cutbacks. Definitely put in for Honor Guard details. That's something I really enjoy training Soldiers to do, and yet it can be stressful if you take it seriously. Also, don't be afraid to apply for any AGR job. If you get it and you're not DMOSQ, you will have a year to become DMOSQ. If you don't get it, you are still putting your name out there and they will remember you the next time. Just study up on the position before the Board and you will look motivated and trainable. Good luck. FTIG positions can be hard to get, but if you really are giving 200% each weekend, then your reputation will proceed you.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Feb 20 at 2016 1:07 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 13:07:44 -0500

I did as many correspondence courses as I could within my MOS Primary and Secondary.

Response by SFC Eric Buss made Feb 20 at 2016 1:10 PM

SFC Eric Buss — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 13:10:22 -0500

One more thing. Don't be afraid to call the Unit of an AGR position you put in for. Also, talk to the AGRs at your Unit to help get your packet together and get suggestions on how to ace the Board. Also, initial presentation of your person says a lot about you as soon as you walk into the Board. Uniforms must look great, and remain professional at all times. I didnt even ask my questions to a Soldier boarding because he rolled his chair up to the desk thinking it was just a conversation. Play the game.

Response by SGT Matthew Reid made Feb 20 at 2016 1:58 PM

SGT Matthew Reid — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 13:58:49 -0500

I was in the same situation as an Army Reservist. I went Active Duty. Not sure what your civilian situation is but it sounds like you need to get something out of your system. It took me 8 years and one very cold night in Colorado, standing guard at 3 in the morning watching my platoon sleep so no one would drive over them I decided that I had enough. Got out, went to college, and now I have a BSEET degree. I wish I had done that when I got out of high school, but I just did not know what I wanted then. Hope this helps. I'm available if you have questions, its's always been about the troops. I was lucky to have good NCO's, made me a good one.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 2:14 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 14:14:36 -0500

Build your career plan on ACT, volunteer for classes and deployments, complete courses that relate to your mos/give correspondence points, and use your TA for college . More doors open once you hit E5.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 4:13 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 16:13:29 -0500

Let me tell you brother, be proud and stay proud! Volunteer for anything that comes your way, but never mistake the fact that you STILL SERVE YOUR COUNTRY. At a given moment, your unit can be given a WARNO that they will be deploying in a short period of time. Stay focused, both mentally and physically. I understand how you feel; your a high-speed soldier looking to give 110% to the service, which is admirable. However, don't let this outweigh your career ambitions in the civilian world. Far too long I worried about going on ADOS tours and volunteering my time, which is great, though it got in the way of me going to school. Now I'm a proud Reservist about to go to BLC, I have a great, and highly respected chain of command and I'm a year away from my bachelors. Just stay the course but worry more about what will help you in the long-term rather than what's good for now. You signed the dotted line which is much more than others can say. Never forget that brother!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 5:03 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 17:03:21 -0500

Tough question. Because as a guardsman your job isn't to be active.

But what you should do; stick always do the (and my) golden rules of the army for success.
"Right place, right time, right uniform, ready to work." take this a step further and live and breath this in your day to day life. Appointment or meetings? Be 15 minutes prior, dressed appropriately, ready to go... Can get you some punitive couch time of you're married and lecturing your wife for failure to plan.

Next "Be the SME" (subject matter expert). For me this is a thing of pride. I'm a cocky motherf- and I don't like not knowing what I don't know. When i was with the line as a new young medic there was plenty I didn't know. Weapon systems, advanced infantry tactics mounted and unmounted, protocols, radios, etc. I wanted to be the dam best... So when I tell someone I am I can also back it up. So I learned it, studied FMs and trained hard with my platoon. Also I wanted to be the SME medic. So I learned that. Skill sets far and above my scope... So I did that.

Now that I'm in a clinic l, same thing. I desire to be the best in my clinic and while I came in with very little clinic time experience a little near to a year later I'm in a place where I am vital to the daily success. Doing so gets you into positions where I find myself now... Which is teaching NCOs what they're supposed to do, as well as how clinics should be operating for effeciency.

So do that but for your MOS... Squaring that away and promotions will come rolling in. If you're asking yourself then why I'm still a Spc... That answer is for separate reason for a differant time; but simply my viewpoints don't match up well with a first line as well as differant priorities.

Good luck mate, I hope you found something useful here.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 5:03 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 17:03:48 -0500

Become a title 32 federal tech, go AGR or join a Raid Unit.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 9:06 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 21:06:27 -0500

If you have the opportunity do get ADOS orders being a member of the Honor Guard team I highly recommend it. I was a coordinator in Tennessee for 5 years and it was easily the best job I've had to date.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2016 10:46 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 22:46:55 -0500

Deploy

Response by PFC Tuan Trang made Feb 21 at 2016 7:43 AM

PFC Tuan Trang — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 07:43:30 -0500

Volunteer more, that about it, for reserve and national guard, beside drills and emergency call(national guard), there ain't much beside volunteer for deployment or cq duty.

Response by SPC Christopher Perrien made Feb 21 at 2016 1:47 PM

SPC Christopher Perrien — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 13:47:44 -0500

The only way IMO would be to go on an active tour. I see people above using various new acronyms for such. And I would go with a "real" army unit. In my time , the national Guard could not be compared with the regular army. Of course I am talking the real real army , the combat arms and MOS's that can put you in the same. I don't know what you would do if you are (rear echelon) -the army with no women in it in the old days. If you are not a non-combat or comabt support, I doubt there is much deference tween the Guard and that Army.

Going active duty, is the only way to know the real army , that or your unit gets activated , then they might start looking/acting like the army in about 6months or so.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2016 10:32 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 22:32:18 -0500

Take a look at your states website and look at jobs, there should be many opportunities for ADOS positions some even outside of your state that may afford you the opportunities for several schools and possibly some active duty opportunities as well also you will gain a ton of experience and knowledge, this all will then in turn help you reach your short time goal of earning the "stripes" of a Noncomissioned Officer. Secondly I would talk to your Training NCO and see if there are some schools that the unit needs to fill, also let them know that you are available in short notice.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 3:59 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 03:59:34 -0500

We have a lot of Guard over here in Kuwait. I guess from what I know is find out if your unit will ever deploy. Or switch to active. But that is just my opinion.

Response by SPC Wade Griffiths made Feb 24 at 2016 6:34 AM

SPC Wade Griffiths — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 06:34:59 -0500

Go active duty then.

Response by SPC Jonathan Telfer made Mar 31 at 2016 11:59 AM

SPC Jonathan Telfer — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 11:59:19 -0400

Article 15 remedial training

Response by SFC Carlos Gamino made Apr 6 at 2016 10:10 AM

SFC Carlos Gamino — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 10:10:17 -0400

You can never compare AC and RC, your best option is to go active. You can do the Honor Guard detail as many are suggesting but really, are you applying your learned skill (MOS)? I would look for a unit deploying or go to the Active Component.