Is college a good excuse for not attending drill?

I understand college is important , but obligation to duty comes first!! After all I assume military is paying the bill!!

I finished my junior & senior year of BA while in the NG with a predeployment op tempo and working 40 hours a week. Muta 6-12 monthly. Schools that were 120 hours and 21 day ATs. If you provide your teachers with your schedule they are by law required to give you time to make up assignments. I at one point was 4 weeks behind in all my classes. They had to work with me whether they liked it or not. Some people might have to take an “incomplete” and finish at their own pace after the quarter/semester. I think communication is key. There were a lot of times when my leadership released me early for school purposes because we were sitting on our asses the last few hours of drill. Or I’d bring my school work in and instead of playing grab ass do it until our next hip pocket training. As far as the soldier going to 2 weeks of AT, I think that they should take maybe a 2/3 course load. Preferably easy courses with a teacher that they have like. Bring study materials to AT for when they hurry up and wait. Then it’s in the soldier to get after it when they get back. I had to do it, and yes it sucked along with being inconvenient to not get a whole quarter done. But the Army also was paying me to go to school the quarter. The teachers have to be accommodating or it violates USSERA and probably a state law. I know in Washington it violates state law.

Soldiering is a priority for soldiers.
The rest is gravy.
Serve.

SFC (Join to see) I earned my undergrad degree while in the ILARNG. During my entire enlistment I missed a half a day of a MUTA 6 due to class conflict (final exam). If it's once in a while, professors/instructors and usually pretty good at making it work, so if the soldier is willing to make up the time in a constructive manner, it is generous of you to offer a little latitude. With that said, if the soldier is abusing your understanding, you don't always have to understand.

No.

No.

That would be up to the commander to approve RST's for such conflicts. If the student is up front with their schedule and any conflict ahead of time and none of this last minute stuff.

In this instance, the NG soldier is newly-assigned, having just finished AIT and just received drill schedule. Unfortunately also in a speciality college course this semester. For first Drill weekend with new unit, college is on a 10-day Wilderness First Responder Certification course, encompassing 2 weekends. This interferes with drill weekend. How to handle?

Absolutely not. Your Military training is detrimental to Unit Cohesion, discipline and your units ability to function as a team. When you prioritize your personal goals over that of your units goals, you essentially create a weak link in your unit. When you know your Military commitments will come into conflict with you education, you talk to your professors about it and make a plan for the work you may miss, talk to friends about getting access to their notes. I personally wouldn't want anyone in my unit who missed training, I wouldn't be able to count on you in the field to do your job properly. And when it's my life and the life of those I serve over in the balance, you damn well better be prepared. Your education will always be there for you to pick back up when you return.

sgt I have to say no, you need to communicated to your profs, and college is not a priority, you signed the papers took the oath, provide your prof with your schedule, just like anybody else with a job does, make arrangements, if the prof isn't willing work with you take it to the schools admin, most colleges/tech schools receive federal funding, if a complaint goes out they might lose their money, the other thing is don't wait till the suspense date to complete your assignment, get it done right away then you wont be hanging in the wind, I was young once and have been there