What's it like being a 11B in the Army National Guard?

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 22:38:21 -0400

I am currently a 42A I thought of re classing as a 11B because I hate sitting behind a desk.. But what exactly do you guys do as 11Bs come drill day? Is it worth it? Recommendations?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2015 11:00 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 23:00:25 -0400

I spent almost three years in the National Guard as an infantry NCO. Coming from active duty there were some surprises (I thought the Guard was much less disciplined and professional) but I will be objective on my assessment.
My largest frustration was keeping my soldiers well trained. The infantry involves a lot of perishable skills-if they are not constantly refreshed they will be lost. This is especially true for newer soldiers with little experience. I would teach something at one drill and have to continue teaching it for many months after to gain proficiency. However, we did get to do a lot of cool training. I did multiple air assault missions, live fire ranges, shoot houses, demolitions training, and tons of missions running around the woods shooting blanks.
A typical drill involves one training event. One month we may have zero and qual with our weapons. Next drill we will have a shoot house. Another drill will be a team live fire exercise. The next drill will be medical training and convoy ops. It does depend on how well funded the unit it. I was lucky and we had enough cash to do some cool stuff, but you should get a good amount of training, at least on the weekend you are at drill. Plus you get opportunities for schools like Air Assault, Mountain Warfare School, Pathfinder, etc.

Response by CPL Brian Clouser made Jun 6 at 2015 2:37 PM

CPL Brian Clouser — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 14:37:55 -0400

Drill weekend we train in patrolling,land navigation, firearms training. The list is a long one. Some drills "fun" you don't stop moving and some drills time lags on. The best thing for you to do is find a infantry unit, talk to them and see if you can train with them for a weekend to see if you like it

Response by SSG Buddy Kemper made Jun 6 at 2015 2:40 PM

SSG Buddy Kemper — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 14:40:46 -0400

11B is good in Guard/Reserve AND Active duty, bro. It's a great life/job no matter how ya slice it....but that's just my opinion. I think being a young Guard soldier is a bit more of a challenge since you only see your NCOs a couple times a month. That said, find a battle buddy in your same town and get a ruck march and 3-5 runs in each week, stay on top of your MOS stuff, get your EIB and take advantage of all education opportunities. Volunteer for Air Assault and Airborne as soon as you can. Guard had a great pre-Ranger program a few years back, so look into that as well. Thank you for your service. Blessings to you and your family.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 6 at 2015 3:02 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 15:02:33 -0400

I was an 11B for about 10 years in both the regular Army and the National Guard. It is one of the most difficult things you will ever do. You better learn how to "Embrace the Suck" because you will find lows that you thought were unattainable. But you will find no greater high than this. You will have brothers that will fight and die for you. Sometimes they will unfortunately but we are still grateful for such great men. Your country will expect the most out of you. You will be the one that is in the first wave into a fight. You are your country's strength in war and her deterrent in peace. We were the start of the Army and will will always be the strength of the Army.

If you are not sure it is for you than you shouldn't do it. It takes more than you will realize at times. But also when you watch a movie about war or hear a war story you will find it is about the infantry, from Saving Private Ryan to We Were Soldiers to Blackhawk Down.

But you want a full dose of it then you know where to find it. Whatever you do just own up to it. There is nothing wrong being a 42A. Sure they don't make movies about that but then someone has to do it. Just don't think you are going to be a killer as a 42A.

Response by PFC Stephen Eric Serati made Jun 6 at 2015 3:27 PM

PFC Stephen Eric Serati — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 15:27:33 -0400

Becareful what you wish for.The Infantry isn't for everyone.As far as worth it,depends on your long term goals.You do have better promotional opportunities,or it was that way when I was in.If your just pondering the idea and just need a change,why not something less challenging physically.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 6 at 2015 9:14 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 21:14:17 -0400

Infantry is where a lot of the fun is. I have my bachelors in nursing and am currently working on my MSN, but I still stay enlisted 11B because that's where I, personally, get the most enjoyment. If you want to go to all the "cool" schools, my advice to you is the find a unit that is well funded and that has slots that are coded for those schools. LRS would be at the top of the list, as would an HHC scout/recon platoon. Stryker units also tend to have a lot of excess cash from what I've heard. You will almost always be sleeping out in the field, whether it is in the heat of a mosquito-infested August or in the frigid Illinois winter in January. Units that plan and organize well typically have decent drills with a lot of quality, exciting training. Promotion potential is very dependent on the state you are in. Currently, the Illinois NG has a surplus of E-6+ so you must have a very competitive packet to get promoted. Though this probably won't have any effect on you for a couple of years at least, it is worth thinking about if you are considering infantry for the long term. Best of luck, whatever you decide. Hit me up if you have any specific questions.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 4:29 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 16:29:22 -0400

I'm not an 11B, but I hear you get out of it what you put in (on a drill weekend).

Response by 1LT Richard C. made Jun 8 at 2015 5:26 PM

1LT Richard C. — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 17:26:31 -0400

From a troop point of view, a lot of maintenance..weapons, gear, and skills. Many of the weekend drills are dedicated to all of the mandatory stuff like EEO briefings, CCT tests, Riot Training, PT tests, and preparing for annual training (i.e. inventory and maintenance of equipment). So many units have leaders with combat experience now, that a lot of the training has been adjusted accordingly (breach and clear a building/rooms, check point operations, etc).

Annual training is typically two weeks of war games with a live fire or two. Practicing patrols, ambush, reaction to ambush, and marches. It is up to you to stay in shape, because one weekend a month isn't going to do it.

The fun can be a lot of fun, but there is a lot of hurry up and wait. Like others have said, find out when the until is drilling. If you work with your local AGR(full timer) at your unit, they can help you coordinate the time/date/location and even get credit for drilling with that unit (note: that may not always work out - get permission first).

Response by 1SG Scott MacGregor made Jun 8 at 2015 8:29 PM

1SG Scott MacGregor — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 20:29:08 -0400

Being an Infantry Soldier takes a lot of guts and dedication. You need to train yourself off drill weekends to stay in shape. Depending on the unit and funding, embrace the suck is the phrase you better get used to. Drill weekends at home station can be boring if you don't have engaged NCOs. It can also be a time to fine tune basic skills. Every Infantry unit has 42A's. Get yourself in an Infantry unit and see for yourself. What ever you do, dont waste anyone's time/money to reclass only to find out you don't have what it takes to wear the blue.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jun 8 at 2015 8:55 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 20:55:31 -0400

I was with 2-162 INF when I went to ROTC at U of O (Eugene, OR). Every drill was a MUTA 5. We rarely slept, unless it was on the bus on the way to Camp Rilea for MOUT training. We earned our pay. Lots of the members we tight and during the off times during the rest of the month, we'd meet up somewhere at hit the ranges. I kidnapped the ROTC seniors when possible and brought them along for extra training. Talk about an eye opener. I believe this should be mandatory before we cut the soon-to-be LT's loose to Fort Benning. Humping M-60's through 50* rain all night through the woods and starving is truly spending quality time with the enlisted. Lot's of extra time of the radios, map reading, ambushes, booby traps, casevac, and then vile admin paperwork at the end of drill.

Response by PFC Miles Wenigar made Jun 10 at 2015 1:26 PM

PFC Miles Wenigar — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 13:26:16 -0400

3 yes served,grueling but self rewarding. Able for direct orders and follow commands.Come a conflict your more less going to be there.Fast ranking if u applie good leader ship.
PFC miles wenigar 7ID,32ND Battalion, Fort Order,California. Job I was a grenadier M203.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 1:33 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 13:33:28 -0400

It's AWESOME! BUT...
Do you like rucking? Can you stay 280+ on the APFT? Are you good with weapons and tactical skills? Is sleep deprived your preferred state at Drill? If you answered no to any of these questions, skip it.

Response by SSG Brian Kresge made Jun 10 at 2015 2:01 PM

SSG Brian Kresge — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 14:01:51 -0400

I was 11B from 1994 - 2014, changing only recently.

The experience was mixed and depended on whether it was a home station drill or one that took place at our major training facility.

When I was at 104th LRSD, we were right on our major training post, plus we availed ourselves of PA Guard aviation assets for jumps quite often, so there was a good bit of field time. But later, with the Guard Stryker Brigade, home station drills were mostly admin and typically boring, clean weapons and equipment from the last drill at the training station, etc.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 2:05 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 14:05:56 -0400

It really just depends on how squared away the training NCO is with the training schedule. I would recommend googling the Ranger Handbook and familiarize yourself with the terms/tactics if you want to be 11b.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 2:53 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 14:53:49 -0400

Whether you are Regular Army or National Guard, go 11B and never look back. You won't regret it. In my opinion, it is what being in the Army is all about. Infantryman since 1993 and I love it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 4:52 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 16:52:37 -0400

There is reason why they say there is "the Infantry and then there is Everyone-Else."

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 7:08 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 07:08:13 -0400

Florida Guard 1990-1998:

I joined to watch things go boom and do something I felt was important to me:

1. A good 30% of the time was a build up to the actual exercise. Boring stuff as in qualifications, PT testing, Common Task Training, pre-planning, PMCS's, cleaning and setting out gear, waiting for orders, etc...
2. A good 60% of the time was spent at Camp Blanding/Ft. Polk/MacDill patrolling, movement to contact, reacting to ambushes, creating ambushes, defensive positions, calling for fire, setting LP/OP's, etc...
2. At that time the Gulf War was won, and 9/11 was not even a glimmer. The military was slowing and there were even thoughts of greatly reducing the US Army in size.
3. In periods of "down-time" I kept my eyes and ears open and my mouth shut and learned from my peers in active duty (Vietnam Vet's, and Active Duty soldiers that had been in Europe during the REFORGER days).
4. Training was based on the concept of team work but also self responsibility. Hot, humid and crappy in Florida and if you didn't hydrate, got stung, bit or didn't take care of personal hygiene, cleaned your equipment, ran crawl, walk phases properly, ate what they gave you, or just listened you were a dirt bag and would likely fall out.
5. Training was a mix of platoon and squad based exercises in swamp and it was better than being back at the barracks/armory due to the high number of officers or senior NCO's who had nothing to do and would see 25-50 guys and think of any number of ways to keep us "busy" cleaning, scrubbing and moving things because in their minds we were big dumb monkeys. After all if you were intelligent "Why 11B? Why just a junior NCO? Why not OCS?"
6. 10% of time was spend in live fire exercises, or actually shooting those blank rounds Uncle Sam provided. Far more blanks...Far more blanks...
7. Feel we were tougher soldiers, but less well trained than todays soldiers. More time with M16A1/M16A2/M60/M249...Crew Served Weapons and NVG's were limited (very limited).
8. We had been prepared for missions that no longer existed. So the Vietnam Vets would take us aside and share their knowledge and set up exercises related to unconventional warfare in hot, wet, crappy places.
9. Infantry is hard work because you have periods of inactivity punctuated by high energy exercises at unknown times and are a magnet for poison ivy, poison sumac, ticks, chiggers, snakes, heat stroke, heat rashes and creeping crud.
10. Our time the field ran 2-3 days on the weekends and 2 weeks in the summer. Looter duty in Andrew and Opal.
11. You got muddy, smelled like ass, leaned up against a pine-tree at night to sleep, ran radio watch, and took the role of an infantry soldier.
12. It s hard and there is no way I could run at that tempo anymore.
13. Infantry is hard, and demanding. During war I can only imagine that when you add in live rounds, a hostile population and some blood it is an experience you are glad to leave behind.
14. You only see rank during a time of war in the Infantry. Hard lesson but a true one.

Glad I did it and I played the role of a link for all the others that went after me.

Don't do it for "macho points", do it because you want to. Not fun, but it's rewarding when you look back after a decade and say to yourself I was part of something that very few volunteer for.

Lots of resect of infantry, armor, artillery the world over it as is a shitty life, but it is the heart and soul of the military. During war brutal. During peace exercise, exercise, exercise and sometime you wonder "why?". But if you have good NCO's and listen you will learn. Hopefully you will never have to apply those lessons.

JAC

Ft. Benning 8/1990
53rd INF 1990-1993
C. Company 2/124 1993-1996
IRR 1996-1998

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 5:01 PM

CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 17:01:40 -0400

It's def worth it, if you don't mind laying in a muddy hole to sleep,80% of your meals are MRE and youcan wear out a pair of boots in just a couple of months, you'll love it. And that's only some of the benefits of infantry . Ya get out what you put in, don't come in with a REMF attitude or you won't make it. So I say doit!!!

Response by SGT Robert Cupp made Jun 13 at 2015 11:32 AM

SGT Robert Cupp — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 11:32:18 -0400

It largely depends on your unit. Whether it's land nav or entering and clearing rooms, they always have us doing some kind of training. It's very rewarding in the sense of honing your basic soldiering skills farther than your typical soldier. Most pog jobs have you training to do your job and doing common soldier tasks second. The infantry's job is perfecting those basic soldiering tasks.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 8 at 2015 12:35 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 00:35:57 -0400

Lots of good posts on here, I don't feel the need to elaborate. Most rewarding job I've ever had. Only you can decide if you have what it takes to attempt to earn the blue cord..

Response by SPC David Glines made Nov 26 at 2015 10:01 PM

SPC David Glines — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 22:01:56 -0500

I was a 11H in the guard we trained on our weapons proficiency and maintained our gear when mobilized we did everything AT we trained with our weapons movements and tactics when you deploy you do your job but that's my experience

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2016 1:51 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 13:51:16 -0400

I can't speak as to the Army infantry experience, but I was an 0331 (machine gunner) as an active duty Marine and it SUCKED, whether we embraced it or not. Since then, I've also been in admin, and I'm currently in public affairs - and yes, public affairs does go to the field more often than we're given credit, at least in *my* unit. So, I think I have a fairly good basis for comparison.

The majority of my fellow grunts were in the infantry because 1) they were young, 2) they had something to prove, and most importantly, 3) their recruiters BSed them into thinking it was all kinds of awesome. (Don't ask me how I know.) A few guys claimed to love it, but I noticed that very few of them reenlisted when their contracts were up. The infantry was kinda cool for the first year or so, mainly because I was in my late teens. That said, it got old real quick.

Now, if you're only dealing with Guard drills once a month where the light at the end of the tunnel is only a couple days away, then going 11B might be fun, and you get the bragging rights of being a grunt.

However, as you get older - especially on active duty - not being able to sleep because you're getting rained on in the field in the cold dead of night loses its appeal after a while. You'll be rucking a lot, with all the side effects that come along with that: blisters, back pain, messed up knees, etc. Infantry life is hard on your body, which is why regularly taking Motrin, aspirin, and other pain killers is a normal routine for a lot of old war horses who stay in the infantry long-term. Then, there's all the general hurry-up-and-wait and being treated like a child that, in my experience, is worse in the infantry compared to other MOSes.

I hate to be the wet blanket, especially since you sound really enthusiastic about laterally moving into the infantry. I can only speak from my personal experience as a Marine grunt, which unfortunately, wasn't very positive. To be fair, you might really enjoy it.

The best advice I can offer is to make damn sure your personality is a good "fit" before you start executing the re-class paperwork. Seriously, that's a big deal. Otherwise, you might start longing to be behind a desk again sooner than you think.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2016 6:31 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 18:31:03 -0400

I miss humpin for miles on in setting OPs ambushes etc and watching the POGS just look at you when there are barracks provided and we say no we will just sleep outside under the stars thinking about your GFs.

Response by SPC James Harsh made Aug 30 at 2016 7:45 PM

SPC James Harsh — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 19:45:12 -0400

It is dependent on your unit (situation dictates, haha). Mostly, It is a place that is all about training on a low budget. Depending on your state there are times that training will have some nice things. It is possible to be trained up but leadership is mostly prior service or people that have been downrange. When a recruit makes it out of basic training they will have experiences and sometimes gear issued that comes from more contemporary training. So, the Guard make the best out of what it has. Conversely, in my experience- When/if your Unit is called to get spun up, then it becomes a different ballgame. People will fall out to avoid going downrange, personnel get shifted and training intensifies. So, It's mostly a peacetime operation and thrives off of the value that Prior service & Active Duty Veterans have. Couple that with the civilian skills counterpart and the recruit mentality we can see a diverse group. I wasn't Active Duty but I'll take a leap and guess that there is a difference in rigidness compared to being full-time Big Army.

Response by Cpl Christopher Bishop made Aug 30 at 2016 8:37 PM

Cpl Christopher Bishop — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 20:37:33 -0400

I never thought Id actually see the words Being a 11B is fun. Now that I have, I gotta mention that it cant be that hard when you have the USMC going into the shit long before you do.

Response by SSG Byron Howard Sr made Jan 26 at 2019 12:19 AM

SSG Byron Howard Sr — Sat, 26 Jan 2019 00:19:21 -0500

My 1st three years was 11B them a year as a mechanic the next 16 as a combat photographer my time as an 11B really was helpful and gave me an advantage over others in my MOS. 2/12Cav.

Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Aug 4 at 2019 6:30 AM

SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 06:30:03 -0400

Yes, because it tends to better meet the needs of the Guard!