Army National Guard or Air National Guard?

[Dfence52]

Does anyone have experience with either the army national guard infantry or the air national guard security forces? I am currently unemployed and am interested in joining I dont really trust the recruiters too much and would like to have first hand info. thanks

 

[GUEST]

7yrs Army guard. Pm me

 

[md_rick_o]

8 years DC Air National Guard at Andrews AFB. Depending on which unit (DC or Maryland Air Guard) you were considering i would be happy to tell you the inside scoop through PM.

 

[dneidFIST]

5 years in MDARNG here as 13F (Forward Observer, we're infantry with radios and fancy optics basically), PM me if you'd like.

 

[303_enfield]

Well, if you have the line scores for air national guard security forces, then you can be a 31B Military Police. Why go 11B? You like to walk? A MP MOS can get you a real world job. 11B MOS, not so much. Lots of MP units in Maryland. From one end of the state to the other.

Now, if you want another MOS, go Air Guard. The SF in the AG takes years to make rank. The NG MP units have lots of former SF Air Guard guys. They where tired of being E-4's for ten years.

Old, real old, 95B

 

[AV8OR]

0-3 in the AG. Was also an E5 before commissioning. Pm me if you like....career field is the biggest choice. You could either sit in AFG for 15 mnths or do 3.

 

[Guderian]

Does anyone have experience with either the army national guard infantry or the air national guard security forces? I am currently unemployed and am interested in joining I dont really trust the recruiters too much and would like to have first hand info. thanks

How old are you? Each service is different with respect to age limits. The age limits were raised for Iraq and Afghanistan, but now that US forces are drawing down and DOD's budget is getting slashed, age limits are decreasing. One month, I was able to join. The next month, I wasn't. All because of the change in age limit. Now I need to try and get in due to my special skill and request a waiver, which is not the preferable way to go.

 

[nutz]

The only good thing about the Army is making rank quicker, HOWEVER, if either implements a force drawdown you can lose rank (rate if you prefer). Explore your options alot before signing. Active AGR is an option as well as the military technician program.

I have 28+ years between active, guard and reserves. Most of these pups are still wet behind the ears and some of the stories we got would make them blush

Oh yea, almost forgot, army guys carry their beds...air force guys stay where they accept visa

 

[md_rick_o]

The only good thing about the Army is making rank quicker, HOWEVER, if either implements a force drawdown you can lose rank (rate if you prefer). Explore your options alot before signing. Active AGR is an option as well as the military technician program.

I have 28+ years between active, guard and reserves. Most of these pups are still wet behind the ears and some of the stories we got would make them blush

Oh yea, almost forgot, army guys carry their beds...air force guys stay where they accept visa

Yup, we enjoy the best of life on tdy's. Went to Blue Flag one year and the other services were out in tent city, we were in beachfront hotel rooms (oceanview not oceanfront, we didn't waste money !)

 

[dr_baer]

The key is find a job you like\want to do - they will train you.
Good luck!

 

[curtezriggs]

If your unemployed why are you considering part-time components? Joining the ARNG for Infantry won't help your employment situation. Things will be great for approximately 16 weeks, then you'll return home... unemployed, with skills unrelated to the civilian sector...

 

[Dfence52]

So I can afford to go back to college and improve my chances of getting a good job because it is next to impossible right now without it.

 

[nutz]

Yup, we enjoy the best of life on tdy's. Went to Blue Flag one year and the other services were out in tent city, we were in beachfront hotel rooms (oceanview not oceanfront, we didn't waste money !)

I'm guessing Blue Flag wasn't in Vegas that year

 

[nutz]

So I can afford to go back to college and improve my chances of getting a good job because it is next to impossible right now without it.

That is a great goal. Not sure what the current GI bill setup is.

Army food (chow hall), you get what they got. Air Force (dining facility) is a matter of choosing from the offerings. The tough manly men at Ft. Bragg would beg for an excuse to be at Pope AFB at any meal period.

 

[FHJ69]

Retired after 22 years out of USAR. 11A5P.

Go Air Guard!

 

[Ender]

Post 9/11 GI bill benefits are based on amount of active duty time. Don't expect 100 percent benefits just going to boot and training.

http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/factsheets/Post-911_General_Info.pdf

I don't know if the Army of Air Force does stuff different or has other benefits, I know Marines with combat tours that don't get full benefits.

 

[dneidFIST]

It doesn't matter what branch you're in when it comes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill. It does matter when you use the Montgomery GI Bill but only when it comes to whether you served Active Duty or Reserve/Guard, not whether you were Marine or Army or whatever.

I use the Post 9/11 GI Bill and have only ever been in the Army Guard. I deployed for a year so I get 60% of the total possible benefits that I could get. What that means is that I only pay 40% of my tuition (which is already cut in half because Maryland universities cut the tuition in half for National Guard servicemembers). If I had another deployment under my belt I would get 80%, and if I had three full years of Active time I'd get the 100%.

 

[pilotguy]

I would seriously recommend either doing Guard or Full Time for a historically short career field, like Air Traffic Control (can't think of others at the moment.) Then, you could get the training you need to get into a job NOW and then go to school later to improve on that.

 

[2ndCharter]

Oh yea, almost forgot, army guys carry their beds...air force guys stay where they accept visa

Not true if he goes SF. I was active duty SF and spent more time in the field than any ground-pounder I ever met. However, when I did make it to base, the food was much better and the women were too.

YMMV though with ANG.

 

[ShOrebird]

That is a great goal. Not sure what the current GI bill setup is.

Army food (chow hall), you get what they got. Air Force (dining facility) is a matter of choosing from the offerings. The tough manly men at Ft. Bragg would beg for an excuse to be at Pope AFB at any meal period.

I spent two years at DLI in California back in the 80s' which was a combined-forces post. They rotated the control of the chow hall between the services.
When the Army was in charge, we got stuff like "Liver Fiesta." I love fried liver but even I wouldn't touch it! When the Navy took over, we got stuff like fried rabbit and life was much better. Then the AF folks came in...
One Friday each month we got surf-and-turf... real lobster tails and steak! We also got carved-roast beef (by an officer no less)!.

Follow your gut