National Scholarship Month on November, 2024: National Guard?

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National Guard trains generally one weekend a month, and two weeks a year. Your first step is to go to a Nat. Guard Recruiter and explore your options. Ask him/her to put you into contact with various units so that you can perhaps make a visit to them so you can talk to people from those units and see if what they do is in your interest. Then you will have to decide on an MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). This is Military Police, Quartermaster, etc. Then you will got to MEPS and get your physical done and all of your paperwork finalized and then within one year, you will go to basic training (you usually get to pick the date you go). Basic training is about 10 weeks and your AIT (Advanced Individual Training will vary depending on the job you are being trained for). You can do what is called "Split Option" where you go to basic, come home and go to school or whatever and then go to your AIT later withing 1 year of completing basic.

After Basic Training and AIT you report to your unit.Your weekend is called "drill" where you show up Saturday and do Physical Training for about an hour and then general mission training the rest of the day until 4 or 5. Sunday is usually the same. Your 2 weeks is called AT (Annual Training) where you head out to an Army post or someplace and conduct intensive readiness training. You have to qualify on your weapon once a year (maybe more depending on your command), and you have to pass a Physical Training (PT) Test twice a year. Look up "Army APFT Satndards" in yahoo and you should find a chart to tell you what you need to do.

The Benefits: You will more than likely get a bonus of up to $20,000. You get 100% tuition Assistance for in-state schools and if you already have a scholarship, they will match it and cut you a check that goes into your pocket. Also, you are eligible for the GI Bill and Kicker which gives you up to $509.00 a month while you attend school in addition to tuition assistance. You get paid for basic training (between 2,000 and 3,000 depending on your rank). You also get paid for drills and AT. You get $400,000 life insurance for $29/month if you want it and it covers you wheather you are on or off duty.

The best benefit is knowing that you are serving your community, State, and Country and that you are in a position that less that 1% of all Americans are willing to commit to. It is the American Soldier NOT the Constitution who gives the American People their freedom. As a National Guard Soldier, you are a guardian of freedom and the American Way of Life. You are a servant to the people of this great Nation and as such YOU have an active role in securing the blessings of liberty for not only your family, your children and their children, but to the children of strangers who are not willing or physically able to sacrafice what you are willing to give.

Any opinions on the National Guard? I'm thinking of joining.?

National guard tuition assistance is wanting in many ways. It is a great program, and a great benefit, but will not pay for all of your college (unless you have been deployed or have a good bit of active duty time).

The pay check for one drill is not that much money, it sounds like a lot when you are in high school, but it really isn't.

You could be training the whole month of August, but unless you are on pre-mobilization training that is very highly unlikely. The national guard sticks the to one weekend a month, two weeks a year fairly closely.

The deployment rates in the past were very high. Right now they are not, and in the near future deployments are likely to be fewer and further between.

Training in the national guard is on par with that of active duty army. Just you do not have the entire month (remember, only 2 days a month) to conduct that training.

If you want to go in as an officer, compete for a ROTC scholarship, and focus on ROTC and college. This should be your first priority.

If you are just wanting to join the army, instead look at going active duty. Here you will have a full time job, and full benefits. If you go guard first, and in the future decide you want to go active duty (like many new soldiers are nowadays) you will more than likely be unable to do so. Active duty is not taking prior service (this includes members of the nation guard) soldiers right now (with a very few exceptions).

My advice:

If you want to go officer: Go to college and join ROTC, compete for a scholarship.

If you want to go in as enlisted: Go active duty.

National Guard Questions?

Hey im a female in the Army national guard and i figured i answer some of your questions from my personal experiences so far. I joined in February and have been going to the RSP (recruit sustainment program) every month. I am shipping to BCT on the 6th of next month!

1. having your blood drawn is no big deal but if your scared don't worry about it they get people like that all the time...just let them know if you think you might faint or something...and there really good at it (it dosent hurt at all) because they get so much practice. When you go to BCT be ready to get multiple vaccinations! Im sure if your joining the Army you will be able to get past those fears though!

2.You will not have a problem joining the national guard at 5'. People in the Army come in all shapes and sizes, as long as you can do the job and pass your PT test you'll be fine. There's a girl in my RSP right now shes probably 5' or less and only weighed 98lbs when she joined. Shes TINY, and had to gain weight. But everyone still loves her because she is a PT stallion and is better then all the other girls. It just goes to show it doesn't madder what shape/size you are.

3. To ace the PT test? do you mean you want a 300 or just to pass? All i know is to do good you have to practice, practice, practice. exercise everyday do push ups/sit ups while watching T.V.

Try running exercises like playing "HIT" jog slowly for two telephone poles then sprint one then jog slowly for two poles....etc. It will expand your lungs/ increase stamina. I can do a 2 mile in 17:26 which is fairly good for most women.

GO TO THE GYM!!! Ive been going everyday and have been getting in great shape for BCT. One you get your military ID when you join you can go to the gym on base for free!

Do tons of push up exercises. Like do one push up rest for 30 seconds...do two push ups...rest for 30 seconds.....keep increasing each time as much as you can and then when you cant do anymore go back down to one push up again. I guarantee that will increase the amount of push ups you can do!

Do you know if you have RSP in your state? ask your recruiter. Its awesome for preparing for BCT. Basically you drill every month with an RSP unit that prepares you for basic before you leave on your ship date! and you even start getting paid! If you do have RSP in your state they will really help you get in shape too!

4. The asvab is not hard to do good on...its basic stuff really! dont be afraid of it! The only hard part is your timed but the test is not hard. Get the book "ASVAB for dummies" recruiters and i agree it is the best one to prepare you for the asvab!! you can even take free practice asvab tests online at

I got an 83 on the asvab with less than a week of practice time.

5. When you talk to your recruiter dont show them your set on joining or they'll pressure you even more. Dont let them pressure you/ give in just ignore the pressure and relax...

really you should know what you want before you go to there office ( your MOS, anything you want added in your contract(airborne), have ANY questions you want to ask written down).

They will try to compliment you and tell you how great you are and try to get you to join like that...just remember there doing a job and complimenting you is all apart of the game.

when you leave take all the information they gave you and research to make sure they were giving you accurate information and werent misleading you.

If you know anyone in the National Guard have them go with you to talk to them. That will make the recruiters less likely to mislead you as well.

6.In college doint forget you option do do ROTC and the national guard at the same time; its called SMP (simultaneous membership program).

You drill with your unit and are in ROTC .... and you get paid for it all and can get a scholarship that pays for all of your college. They also give you housing allowance...

you cant be deployed until after you graduate and can change branches (active duty army etc...) if you want when you grad. Its a pretty sweet deal and is what im doing when i get back from BCT! Talk to your recruiter and ROTC at your college about it!

Feel free to message me if you have anymore questions about the guard!!!! Happy to help!