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

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

SPC (Join to see)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Article 15 remedial training

Go active duty then.

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.

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.