What is it like to be a commissioned officer and NCO in the National Guard?

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 May 2022 15:27:55 -0400

I'm still currently in AIT, and have a 6 year contract in the Guard. I'm still unsure if I'll re-up or not and even stay for the 20 years for a retirement check. But I know it's possible for me to reach E-5 by the end of my contract. I just don't know whether I want to go the NCO route, or commission as an officer. I just want some insight on what it could be like for either side. I know it's MOS dependent and unit dependent, but I thought I could at least get some insight to it. I'm currently in AIT for 25U, and want to get as much information as possible to help put me in the right direction.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2022 4:52 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 May 2022 16:52:04 -0400

What's it like being an NCO in the Reserve and Guard? Think of it like you're herding 50 cats to get 200 tasks done in 2 days...sometimes 3 days. And then there is all of the extra work you have to do outside of Reserve/Guard Weekend duty that needs doing before the next Duty weekend comes around. That's usually unpaid. It's a tough challenge, but a rewarding one.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2022 6:26 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 May 2022 18:26:30 -0400

I sure hate to burst your bubble, but you are not going to walk into a pension at 20 years of service in the Reserve Component. You will earn yourself a retirement check, meaning around your mid 60s you will collect a check for your 20 or more years of service in the NG. Only 20 years of Active Duty qualify for a pension at 20 years.

Of course, if you already understand that, then you can calculate if it's worth it to you or not.

If you want to be an officer then go for it. If you want to be a warrant, do that instead. If you want to be at the front line of personally leading, developing, and mentoring Soldiers, then be an NCO. Do whatever you feel called to do. You don't want to be an officer? You can resign your commission.

In six years when your contract ends, whatever you decide will be hidden from you now. You'll be a different person with different needs and desires. Just set yourself up to be able to take advantage of all opportunities. Get your education, do college, jump on Army Schools, and volunteer for everything. When the opportunity comes you'll be ready for it

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made May 14 at 2022 8:20 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Sat, 14 May 2022 20:20:36 -0400

You are excited and that's awesome. But you are putting several carts in front of the horse on this.
You are way too early on picking whether you want to be a careerist, NCO or Officer. There is alot of steps in between you aren't accounting for. Focus on your job and checking the boxes for promotion. Along the way also focus on knocking out some higher education. You can't commission without a degree so until that is a reality the NCO path is what you are on.

If you are in the Guard or Reserve component you won't retire at 20 and start pulling retirement. You need to do all your research so you understand how retirement works.

Good Luck and keep that motivation.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2022 9:39 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 May 2022 21:39:33 -0400

I've seen someone make E6/SSG inside his first contract, but he's a CW2 now and already has CW3 requirements behind him. So he's not your typical soldier, but does make very clear what opportunities there are.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2022 10:25 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 May 2022 22:25:21 -0400

Every single job and pathway in the military is laid out in regulations. Ideally, a Mentor will guide you through. Don't wait for someone to lay the opportunity at your feet.

As some are pointing out, it looks like you presume a retirement check at 20 years. That's only if those 20 years are full active duty. Otherwise, you'll get a prorated pension based on your retirement points at the age of 60. So yea, you can do 20 years NG/Reserve and walk away at 40 if you started at 20, but you wont see a dime of that until 60.

Just to let you know......... I'm anticipating $1500 a month at retirement hopefully reaching the rank of LTC. It's not life changing walk away from work money. Even active duty it's not life changing money. It's 40% of based pay for a 20 year active duty retirement check (50% is the old retirement plan).

However, Active Duty is living on BAH (which can be MORE than base pay in some areas) pay and all sorts of other perks, so really the retirement check is at best 25% of total pay. One needs to have other plans in place for retirement.

Anyway............. career path wise, NCO, WO, or Commissioned you should get a mentor. In the NG or Reserves we can make our destiny much more than our active counterparts. Right now......... without a degree only NCO is open to you, but a degree usually needs to be had anyway for the more higher rank NCO promotions based on competition among your peers. Opps, forgot WO's don't need degrees either, but I don't know a WO that doesn't have a Masters or is at least working on it.

One thing is for sure as I have observed of COL's and CMS's they have all figured out how to work the system into their civilian responsibilities. Otherwise folks will get burned out.

There are some ways to maneuver in the NG and Reserves and still not look like you are slacking off. You'll just have to figure that out for yourself because it's going to be dependent on your civilian conflicts and opportunities.

When a window of opportunity opens up for you to take your next level of Military Education or class needed for promotion and you can fit it in your civilian schedule DO NOT PASS IT UP!!!!!!!!!!!! The mentality of "oh I'll take it later" will bite you in the rear, or potentially lock you out of other opportunities that you could have done but can't because you didn't check a box.

Do not let a FOR RECORD fitness test or weapons qualification card lapse. This goes for security clearances as well.

You will be amazed over the course of your entire career how many opportunities show up for lord knows what and right out of the gate disqualifier #1 is going to be anyone flagged for anything or has a lapsed qualification of some kind. Next opportunities open up for those who have checked all the boxes and are merely waiting out TIME IN GRADE.

I have a friend who got THREE YEARS in I-T-A-L-Y. It's easy to get good postings in the Reserves/NG if you are a competent soldier if you are green across the board.

You have to be ready to POUNCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If all you want is a pay check, well you can bust your ass to LTC and still only get $1500 a month. Don't spend it all in one place.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2022 9:44 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 May 2022 09:44:29 -0400

As an NCO in the guard I can tell you it is one of the most rewarding and frustrating things in my life. I absolutely love leading and developing soldiers and watching them grow in their military and civilian careers. I actually started the packet and process to go to OSC; but decided to shadow a few officers prior to get a good understanding of the role... I never completed the packet and focus all my energy on becoming a better NCO instead. I found that I like receiving the intent and executing the plan; rather then designing the plan. I give officers a lot of credit, but in my civilian side I am an executive; the last thing I wanna do when I come to drill in sit around planning training missions, etc. If will all depend on you, your commitment and what you want to spend your time doing. I have always served in "lite" combat line units; so I only have that perspective to share. Best of luck to you, and enjoy the ride!

Response by CSM William Everroad made May 16 at 2022 10:19 AM

CSM William Everroad — Mon, 16 May 2022 10:19:49 -0400

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member If you are E2 now, you should be E3 by the time you hit your unit. You could be pinned E5 by the time you are in your 4-5th year. That is crazy fast considering you now are responsible for 4-5 Soldiers and their training, morale, welfare, and discipline. By the end of the 6th year, you will know if being an NCO is for you.

Long term, you will need a college degree to be competitive, no matter which path you choose. It is best to work on it early when you have fewer responsibilities. 25U is a technical MOS, but it may not feel like it early in your career. You will spend lots of time installing and performing maintenance on communications equipment for dismount, vehicles, and command posts. Know your job, know your equipment. Be the subject matter expert. By the time you make NCO, you should be able to train a brick how to 25U better than you. Signal Officers are a bit different; if you commission in the same branch. Signal Warrant Officers are even more technically proficient.

You will need to decide if you want your civilian education to parallel your military expertise. You could seek out a degree in electrical or cimputer engineering or satellite communications.

And while you are balancing your Army responsibilities, pursuing civilian education, completing military education and annual training, and social obligations you still need a job to put a roof over your head and feed yourself. Find an employer that strongly supports military servicemembers. Even better if the job is in your military career field.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made May 16 at 2022 10:33 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Mon, 16 May 2022 10:33:47 -0400

I would suggest that you worry about finishing AIT and get back to your unit before you worry about that kind of stuff. I stayed enlisted for about 2 1/2 years before the BN solicited me to go to OCS, and by that time I had some understanding what was involved and whether I wanted to go that route. Even though they have Retention points for enlisted today, it's important to know that Officer ranks are competitive and it's up or out, for the most part. Most branches don't hit that wall until Major, but it's on every officer's mind.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2022 6:32 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 May 2022 18:32:47 -0400

You're getting a lot of good advice. What I can tell you is the same thing I told my daughter who is within her first year of her contract in the Navy, I asked her what is her goal. She responded with saying she wants to do 30 years since I completed 26 years of service. I told her not to look at the 20 years because the military becomes more of a way of life where most of us live it out and before you know it, 6 years goes by, then 10 years, 15 years, and low and behold here comes your 20 years.

Now I'll be honest with you, Son, you want a very good career, either becoming an NCO or Officer, I would say, go Active. As one person said, the Reserves/NG is like herding 50 cats to do 200 tasks in 2 days, which is a very true statement. I honestly hated it and I was a Comms Chief when I finished. As an NCO or Officer in the Reserve or NG, you spend all weekend long in meetings and come out trying to herd your "50 cats" to give them a job to and now they only have half a day to complete it. Not trying to discourage you, but rather encourage you to go Active, you'll gain better experience, gain maturity, and as you want, a 20 year retirement as opposed to retiring from the Reserves/NG and waiting until your 60 years of age.
One last bit of advice, look to your left and right, those buddies of yours who have been in the same length of time as you have, don't listen to them! They never been in the same boat as us who have been there. Hope all the advice you've been getting here has helped you out. Hooah!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2022 5:01 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2022 17:01:06 -0400

I started on the enlisted side and made the jump to O-grade after about 2 years as an e-5 (right about near the end of my first contract).

NCO's are incredible leaders and the hardest workers in the Army. That said, my goals in life better meshed with the officer route, and my experience so far has allowed me to make a more significant contribution to a greater number of troops had i stayed enlisted (granted that is also partially to do with my enlisted career field as a 46R). I highly encourage you to become an NCO before deciding to make the jump to officer. Spend that first contract experiencing what it's like to be a junior Soldier and take notes on what you like and dislike in the nco's, warrants, and officers in your command chain.

I can't tell you what the right route is for you without knowing you and observing your performance and understanding your goals, but I tell all my junior Signal Soldiers the following:

Regardless of what you want to do, use every education and credential assistance benefit open to you and build your resume during your first contract. Being a Soldier and team member in your unit comes first, but don't neglect your personal growth.
If you enjoy actually doing your job and getting hands on systems (especially as a Signaleer), and you are well suited to directly leading Soldiers and deciding HOW to accomplish the mission assigned, then stay enlisted. If you find you want to be a leader but still want to do the job AND want to specialize in a specific aspect of the Signal world, consider becoming a Warrant Officer (its a good middle ground). If you prefer planning, and setting policy and procedures, and assigning the tasks/missions while enabling your subordinates to do what they do best with as little interference from higher as possible, look at the officer route. That said, every state has a different process when it comes to assessing new officers and determining what they branch. Depending on your state there's no guarantee you become a Signal officer. Your State Officer Strength Manager can better explain that process to you.

Feel free to message me directly if you have more specific questions, especially what its like for Signal or AG officers in the Guard, and good luck as you finish AIT and head back home to your unit!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2022 7:13 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 07:13:06 -0400

All of this depends on if you like what you are doing and look forward to it. In order to make any decsion first complete your training and get to your unit and some experience.

But first the retirement check: After you have 20 years of qualifying service and reaching age 60 you may apply for retired pay. You will also receive health care benefits which are worth a lot. More on that later. Those who have completed sufficient service to retire from a reserve component, but not have reached age 60 are "Gray Area Retirees". See https://www.dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/plan/Gray-Area-Retirees/Army-Gray-Area-Retirees/

Re the health care part: it is complicated and requires outside reading, but it is worth it. Particualry after age 65. See https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/Eligibility/RSMandFamilies

For all these benefits keep in mind that Congress in it's infinite wisdom can change things between now and then. The trend seems to be that benefits for the reserve components is being enhanced.

Officer or NCO? Well... if you stay in the Guard you will eventually be an NCO, as with time you will gain experience, continuing military education, and be promoted unless something goes wrong.
Re being an officer: first look to see what officers do. That is quite variable depending on the MOS and unit mission of the officer. You can expect that with increased officer rank more time will be spent in planning, which means desk (or field desk) work.

Having worked in the civilian sector for now in excess of 20 years after retiring, more than one time I have said, "Darn, I wish I had a Sergeant here", to help with an organizational/management problem.

I was never a member of the Guard or Reserve. Early on as an enlisted soldier I was somewhat skeptical of the reserve compnents. As time went by I learned the importance of the reserve components, particularly in my own branch (Army Medical Department where about 75% of the strength is in the Reserve). Today it is obvious in the news that the operational tempo throughout the armed forces is pretty high, and the reserve components play an important role.

Thank you membesr of the Guard and Reserve for your service. Citizen Soldiers!

Army Gray Area Retirees

Gray Area Retirees - Army Reserve and National Guard

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 4 at 2022 1:36 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 13:36:28 -0400

I will say this….just go with the flow… volunteer for opportunities if able and focus on growth

Response by CW3 Susan Burkholder made Jun 6 at 2022 1:32 PM

CW3 Susan Burkholder — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:32:56 -0400

I think it's wonderful that you are already thinking about retirement. As a former HR person in both military and civilian - it's very refreshing to see a young person already planning for the future. Most people head blindly into life and wonder why they are cash strapped. I think you'll be way ahead of the game financially with that attitude.

Service in the guard whether enlisted or officer is like money in the bank. And considering that retirement will probably mean time to travel, play, or even start a second business, financial security is a nice goal. If you complete a standard part-time term in the Guard by age 60, you could be eligible to receive monthly payments based on serving one weekend per month plus an additional 15 days per year, for 20 years.

This is on top of any benefits from your civilian career. You'll still receive those and any other retirement funds you may have come. The medical and health benefits are also an awesome financial bonus. There is no other cheaper out of pocket monthly healthcare costs than those offered to military retirees. You will also be eligible for cheaper mortgage, auto, and life insurance than most civilian employers offer. ALl because of your National Guard Service. So, you can see how it all adds up. Serving part-time in the National Guard is like money in the bank.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2022 1:42 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 13:42:07 -0400

I have to say, I like that you are thinking about where you are heading. That is rare. So the sooner you figure it out the better. The NCO and officer worlds are very different. Most CPL, E5,and O1 don't really have a clue. E6 and O1 is where your eyes really start to open up. Everything officer and pretty much E7 and up requires a degree. As for me I made 1SG and would have liked to stay E6 my whole career. (but you can't do that really). I realized as a new E8 that I never wanted to be a 9. I had a Batchelors when I enlisted in the infantry and then 30 years later retired from the Reserves as an MP with a JD and an LLM. By the time drill weekend came around I really needed that 2-3 days in the field being me. And that is the key. You are what you do, and if you don't love what you do in the Army, drill weekends suck for you and everyone you come in contact with. I turned down officer because I was an NCO at heart. I suppose I could have been successful as an O1-O3 but I would have hated it after that. As it was, it wasn't till I made 8 and got pulled out of the field that I started to dread drill weekends. What I am saying is do a little soul searching and figure out who you are. Are you a player or a coach? I played rugby in college - I never wanted to be a coach. It's not who I am. I loved being in the maul or in Army terms, I loved clearing rooms. Yes it's demented or simple minded to some, but it's who I am. Look to who you have been and what you love to do in your spare time. Do you grab a controller or do you srap on the cleats and hit the field? Either path is honorable and rewarding. But if you understand you are a square peg then take pride in that and leave the round hole to the guy that is a round peg.

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Jun 12 at 2022 10:23 PM

A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 22:23:28 -0400

If You Have The Opportunity To Become An Officer, Instead Of An NCO.
And Become An NCO,
You Should Be DE-MOTED Back To Civilian Life,

Are You FKING NUTS?.....

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Jun 12 at 2022 10:27 PM

A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 22:27:53 -0400

BTW...
If It's Based Upon Receiving A Retirement Check.
It's The Wrong Reason.
If It's Money You Want, I'd Suggest You Invest In Rental Properties,
Not The Possibility Of Combat

Response by SGT James Palmer made Jun 15 at 2022 1:37 PM

SGT James Palmer — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:37:45 -0400

Now my experience is somewhat dated. I was in the GaARNG from ‘70-‘76. I went the NCO route. I liked my senior NCO’s in my unit. They were the guys you went to get things accomplished. I made E5 rather quickly and thought about OCS. But, a college degree is part of advancement (I never did get one)
I’m a visual learner and not as good at book smarts. Being an officer is where the glory’s at if you can make it. Either route is good. BTW, they offered me another stripe had I re-enlisted, but by then personal life got in the way. Wish I’d stayed in, OD Green is still my favorite color! Staff Sargent would have been good too. Whatever you do, be sure and get those VA Benefits!

Response by MSgt Thomas O'Rourke made Jun 17 at 2022 12:14 PM

MSgt Thomas O'Rourke — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 12:14:08 -0400

Well said, it can be chaotic but in my experience, I was dealing with people who had responsible civilian jobs and knew that we had to accomplish a great deal in a limited time. When we deployed, it was evident that we were an effective and cohesive force that was able to match and sometimes surpass the performance of our Active duty colleagues.

Response by COL Hugh Stirts made Jun 17 at 2022 1:07 PM

COL Hugh Stirts — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 13:07:14 -0400

I resigned my commission after 9 years active duty (4 at West Point and 5 in the RA). After 2 years, I was convinced by a 1st Sgt to join the reserves and command his unit (I was an 03 at the time). It was one of the smarter moves I have ever made (and I havnt made a whole lot of them). After 20 years I retired as an 06, and have reaped the considerable benefits every since. It IS a hard row, and for about 10 years i had 3 jobs, full time DoD civilian, adjunct professor, and reserve officer. I really enjoyed every job, but the one I miss most is my time in the army. And as an officer, or NCO, the higher in rank you become the more time you will spend on active duty. Ive never been an NCO so I cant comment on that route, but I would recommend being an officer. Thats just based on my own experience. Regardless of how you chose, your success, satisfaction, and promotions all follow the excellent way you preform......duty, honor, country.

Response by SFC Howard Holmes made Jun 28 at 2022 6:09 PM

SFC Howard Holmes — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 18:09:21 -0400

If you're going to do your job correctly, you have to make up training schedules. Must include soldiering skills and MOS specific skills. Ensure that annual requirements/quals are scheduled and expectations are met. Ensure that retention interviews are maintained, APFT, records checks. Depending on OPTEMPO mandatory staff meetings, seldom ever paid, evaluations and counseling as required. Ensure that subordinates are on a proper career path and that their necessary schooling is scheduled. Meet higher command requirements as needed, and many times, during the weekend, you have your schedule, and higher HQ will squash all of it. Again, you have only two days, command has only two days with the troops, and everybody is vying for their time. It can be very, very frustrating. The time I spent in the Guard, I was in a very busy unit and I had to go on six or seven Annual Training Periods per year, so it can be very, trying. Then when you get activated/mobilized, you eat a lot of crap from Active Duty counter parts. I understand why as I retired from Active Duty, and some Guard Units are very lame, poor leadership, poor training, low standards, regulations not enforced. These units give the units with stronger leadership and standards a bad name, but even they live the life only a couple of days a month and two weeks a year, and that's nothing compared to AD. Biggest gripe is, the "Good ol' Boy" network can create a very frustrating environment for both officers and NCOs alike.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 4 at 2022 2:58 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 02:58:36 -0400

As a Marine reservist NCO, I have observed that about 70% of a leader's problems are self inflicted. Whether or not you have a rewarding experience is going to be decided by how well you observe your leaders from a junior position. See what works and why, see what doesn't work and why. When you see patterns emerge, dig deeper. Learn by example to lead by example. Then when you become an NCO, you will know how to lead and have a good deal of practice learning. As for officer vs NCO, I would recommend doing both. Most of the best officers I have had were prior NCOs. They tend to be more competent because they have worked out most of the kinks while NCOs. Alternatively, if you decide that you like being an NCO and you are good at it, I doubt any military leader has ever thought "I could use fewer good NCOs"

Response by SFC James High made Jul 7 at 2022 2:14 PM

SFC James High — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 14:14:06 -0400

I am a retired SFC with over 30 yrs service and I can tell you for a fact that Officers Command Soldiers and the NCOs are who Leads them. If you decide to go for a Commission after basic and AIT, then I recommend choosing a branch that has a lot of upward mobility. I can tell you this, being either Commissioned or Non-Commissioned you will have duty that goes beyond just one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer.

Response by CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 7 at 2022 5:43 PM

CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 17:43:26 -0400

I’ll speak to being an officer. Your job is to solve problems by thinking through it logically, and then get a large number of people to do the right things at the right times to achieve the end state you (and your boss) want. For an infantry officer, that includes figuring out how many rounds of 7.62 ammo you have, how many minutes of firing will that last, how far can we walk in that time, and what positions and left/right limits can those machine guns fire from without shooting the guys who are moving forward.

At drill, it is things like thinking about how many people are in your unit, what do you estimate is the throughput for dental and medical stations, and figuring out which subordinate units should be ready to go through at what times. Then, figure out how much time those subordinate units won’t be standing in line and decide if the NCOs should use that for their own priorities, or if there are specific tasks you need them to cover with their soldiers to meet the annual tasks you must accomplish. For example, maybe they need a class on battle drills to be ready for training next month so they’re ready for a live fire the month after that. So you identify those problems months beforehand, solve those problems between drills, and brief it to your NCOs a month or two out from actually doing the event. And at drill, you go around making sure it’s happening how you envisioned, or solving other problems that come up (because how things unfold are different—the dentist is a lot faster than you thought, but two soldiers from every squad have to come back and have teeth pulled, so they won’t be there when your NCOs are teaching that class that has to be taught to everyone, for example).

Those are the problems you’ll be working on as a junior officer. And it’s easy to not do the planning when you should, because no one feels the pain until four months later, and now your lack of discipline is the reason drill is miserable and/or unproductive. And it isn’t battalion’s fault, because your job is to stand up and fix it no matter what people higher than you didn’t do for you that they should have.

Personally, I find officer work interesting, engaging, and meaningful. I like solving those problems. And I’m glad I’ve got NCOs to keep the privates on track, because that kind of hands-on development isn’t as meaningful to me as figuring out how to accomplish certain tasks.

Also, I recommend active duty. Reservist duty as an officer is very hard on a civilian career. And as an active duty officer, you get more time to do the work you enjoy.

Response by COL Carl Jensen made Jul 14 at 2022 1:01 PM

COL Carl Jensen — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 13:01:53 -0400

I got talked into doing the guard after I did my 2 yrs in the Army. They sent me to OCS, and I spent 10 yrs with the Guard as an officer. I never felt that I was back in the Army, but it worked out OK even with the weekly admin nights that you never were paid for. I transferred to the USAR and it was more like being back on active duty in the regular Army. They both were worth the time, so I stuck it out till I was riffed. The benefits at the end were worth the time and effort.