Tension between National Guard and Active Duty Army?

I have nothing but respect for the National Guard. They did very well during my deployments. That doesn't mean I won't give them grief when I get a chance. That's what siblings do.

I've served in both AD and Guard. Each have their pros and cons. I leave it to the performance of the unit doing the mission. I hear it and just emphasis the need to have a cup of shut the hell up! Problem solved.

I've been both active & Guard as well. When I was active, the Guard was like poor family members. Once I went into the Guard, initially it was culture shock. I soon learned that Guard is not the US Army & one shouldn't demand it operate like it. Going to Iraq, we got selected for missions that required folks with less training, less rules, & more focus on the job at hand than serving our branch or careers. 90% of the regular Army & all of the Marines & Navy people we did missions with had no issues with us. We had some people who never saw us in a positive light but they they seem to be the nit-picky, miserable types anyways. We initially had issues with some units until they got to know us. I can attest though, some Guard units are terrible. Much more ate up than any regular Army unit can get away with. Some of those units were so bad that it resulted in their members getting killed in combat. It's units like them who give the Guard very bad reputations.

ok 1st it dose not say National guard on the uniform it say's U.S. ARMY so it dosen't matter to me but i can see what you mean when i was on Active Duty at FT Benning i went to see the dentist and told that they couldn't fix my tooth because i was National guard not R.A. i would have to wait until i got home did all the same training as the R.A. but because i was A.R.N.G. i got nothing but shit on and still do exepct from the other Guard Veteran's i got out as a pv2 but now i am with generals and get the full respect from them i should have got when i was in now i am on the board of Govenors for the Y.D.V.A. that's the 26th Yankee Infantry Div. Veterans Assoc. Boston Chapter we meet on the 4th Saturday of the month and still do things with the Active Guard

Having served in both the Active Army, Joint Billets, the ARNG, and retiring as an IMA from the USAR, I agree most strongly with these few comments:
*The individual age of soldiers particularly in the Combat Arms
*Share lack of repetition of battle / CS / CSS drills
Not that these aren't just corners units turn in mobilization.

I think that there's the brutal "Brothers in Arms" ribbing that goes on. I remember seeing Res Component Soldiers come to Ft. Reilly and thinking "is this Halloween?" But that was Post-Desert Storm Peacetime Army. Since 9/11 I am all about the ONE ARMY Concept. The Reserves/NG are no longer a STRATEGIC ASSET. They are OPERATIONAL.


A special shout out to Reserve/NG Brothers and Sisters who have MAD SKILLS that they bring to units to CRUSH the enemy!!!!

Anyone remember the old saying:
Join the Reserves, Travel the World and Meet Interesting People and Cultures - and Kill Them.
BUT JUST ON WEEKENDS. LOLOLOL

When I was active duty, I'd joke about them.

I've made a return trip to MEPS to finish my time and retire. While at MEPS, even though I'm Prior Service and a Priority at MEPS, I was still treated pretty shitty by the Active Duty NCO's that were there.

I started in the Regular Army as an Infantryman, then I finished my career in the Army Reserves. A lot of Regular Army Soldiers been brainwashed thinking that everybody in the Reserves and Guard is untrained and unprofessional which is a false statement and wrong to put one against the other. In the late 1980's or early 1990's the Army wanted to reduce the number of people on active duty, and we know it is all about money with the politicians. But at the same time offer soldiers to finish their career in the Guard and Reserves, and the Army wanted experience soldiers to implement that change. One of the things the Army had done created a position for Active Duty Soldiers pick for Title 11 assignment as trainers assigned to the Guard and Reserves to help to get them trained up for deployments. In my opinion it was planned in advice before Desert Storm, our trusted politicians knew in advance and used our military for personal gain since then it is all history to this day, your average men and women in the Guard and Reserves have active duty experience.

With all the utmost respect to the Active Duty side, this friction is true.  I have been a 29 year member of the Massachusetts Army National Guard and it has has been like this since I've been in and in speaking with members of my original unit when I first enlisted I would hear the same discussions from them.  I see the Active / Guard as a choice.  The Active personnel had a choice when they first enlisted and chose the path that they are in.  I, do to my personal life, chose the Guard because I got to serve and stay and take care of my family and kept my employment (who back the Guard 100%).

On the National Guard side, It's all talk. When it comes down to mission, it was always "one team, one fight".  Guard puts AD on a pedestal that when we witness things out of regs we shake our head and say "See they're just as messed up as us." AD just jokes and calls out our physical fitness and 670-1 standards.  In the Guard its the Soldiers individual responsibility to conduct their own PT to meet these standards. And this is where I go the defensive. Who seriously enjoys waking up everyone morning to get smoked? I mean an actual PT workout, not lets run around the track a few times workout. If AD asked their platoon I bet at least 30 percent would be like, "Im not motivated for PT." Exactly, now imagine no Senior NCO are there motivating or forcing you to do it. (AD are paid to workout also). It's tough for Guard guys who work various careers to even manage that readiness on their own time. If we actually did adhere to those standards the NG would be in a crisis state of readiness. My first Platoon SGT was well, huge! But he had 32 years experience (we don't get full retirement until 62) and he knew everything times 6 concerning our equipment including weapons (he worked at a gun shop). It's a full spectrum of little things that contribute to the overall success of our Nation. I rambled oops.