National Guard AKA "Weekend Soldiers"

November 27, 2012

National Guard sees action now and then but not much, probably depends on your MOS ... I would never want to be in the National Guard though.

My close uncle is a Staff Sergeant and deployed a few times over seas but with active units. Now he is in a National Guard unit to finish

his time till he retires. From what he told me he misses active duty and deploying. My self, I'm going into the Marine Corps in a year maybe

a few months (still thinking when to enlist). Personally if I'm going into the service I want to serve with the best and get the most experience.

Also my grandfather served in the National Guard but that was when the military was nothing like it is today. He's not a huge fan of the idea that I want to enlist

and he is defiantly no happy I want to be a devil dog. Guess he don't want to see me going down range, but most of my family are pretty happy and supportive.

Well there are some important questions for anyone to ask themselves before they join.

How can the military benefit your life?

What MOS('s) would you be interested in?

How does this MOS convert over to the civilian sector?

Do you mind being away from family and loved ones for at least 6 months at a time?

Will you mind moving every 2-4 years?

Do you want to make a retirement out of it?

Will you use the GI Bill?

Its also important to talk to a handful of people that have worked in your MOS and never take your recruiters word for it.

November 27, 2012

I loved the military growing up, always looked as them being heroes at a young age. I really never was a regular child I guess you can say.

Most of my family were in some branch of the military and always supported the military some way. Of course that probably cause I grew

up in the deep south with the southern discipline from the old days. I was always thought to care for others before I care for my self.

I really do think I would benefit from joining the military. I know its a rough life especially if your deployed and it really changes you. Everyone I met

who been to combat is a great person to meet and get to know though. They are different then the office workers or average citizen who meet on the streets.

Theses guys see things and felt things that most people won't never see and can't understand. They have so much respect and are apart brotherhood like no

other. I want to make a the sacrifice, if that either being away from my family for a few months at the time or paying the ultimate sacrifice.

In the Marine Corps I'm looking to be your average grunt, 0311. Uncle was a 68W and current 11B for the Army and with the stories he tells me and things

he talks to me about being a grunt I don't see having it any other way. Personally I don't see joining the Armed Forces and taking a office position.

I want to get out and be in the fight, not to kill and shoot but to change something. If that either being my life, my friend besides me, or a locals. I want to travel

and see the world especially third world countries cause I know my uncle is very different from being to Iraq and other countries. He always tells me how different

it is their and how people here don't realize what he have. People are always telling me I can go and get a good education and make something of my life working

in a office making more money then I can handle but the military is something I want to do and something I think I need to do.

I already talked to many Marines whether its just strangers or friends of the family. Also I talk to my uncle almost every day and normally bring up a little discussion about

the military and me serving. And I done read many biographies and autobiographies about amazing men in the military such as SEAL of Honor, American Sniper, and Into the Fire.

Also I love reading about some of the greatest Marines and how they got to where they were in life or where they are today. I'm still thinking about it and what MOS I would like

to have but I know I still have a little time left to think before I sign those papers lol.

Edited November 27, 2012 by Limitless

November 27, 2012

I loved the military growing up, always looked as them being heroes at a young age. I really never was a regular child I guess you can say.
Most of my family were in some branch of the military and always supported the military some way. Of course that probably cause I grew

up in the deep south with the southern discipline from the old days. I was always thought to care for others before I care for my self.

I really do think I would benefit from joining the military. I know its a rough life especially if your deployed and it really changes you. Everyone I met

who been to combat is a great person to meet and get to know though. They are different then the office workers or average citizen who meet on the streets.

Theses guys see things and felt things that most people won't never see and can't understand. They have so much respect and are apart brotherhood like no

other. I want to make a the sacrifice, if that either being away from my family for a few months at the time or paying the ultimate sacrifice.

In the Marine Corps I'm looking to be your average grunt, 0311. Uncle was a 68W and current 11B for the Army and with the stories he tells me and things

he talks to me about being a grunt I don't see having it any other way. Personally I don't see joining the Armed Forces and taking a office position.

I want to get out and be in the fight, not to kill and shoot but to change something. If that either being my life, my friend besides me, or a locals. I want to travel

and see the world especially third world countries cause I know my uncle is very different from being to Iraq and other countries. He always tells me how different

it is their and how people here don't realize what he have. People are always telling me I can go and get a good education and make something of my life working

in a office making more money then I can handle but the military is something I want to do and something I think I need to do.

Ok man. Well there is an important aspect that I want you to think about.

What are you going to do if in 10 years you blow out your knee. You are forced to retire from the military. You dont get your pension but you will get your medical benefits.

The only jobs you will be able to pick up that are worth anything is law enforcement, fire fighter, or other federal job like border patrol/postal worker.

And that is if your knee isnt too bad. Im not trying to talk you out of anything man. As a veteran I want you to know that the civilian world doesnt honor what you learned in the military. They dont care, and that means you could end up at Home Depot or Walmart.

I worked on a multimillion dollar helicopter for 4 years and now Im not qualified (on a civilian level) to wash the windows of a luggage cart. The military is great. But make sure you set ground work for the chance that you get out before retirement.

November 27, 2012

I loved the military growing up, always looked as them being heroes at a young age. I really never was a regular child I guess you can say.
Most of my family were in some branch of the military and always supported the military some way. Of course that probably cause I grew

up in the deep south with the southern discipline from the old days. I was always thought to care for others before I care for my self.

I really do think I would benefit from joining the military. I know its a rough life especially if your deployed and it really changes you. Everyone I met

who been to combat is a great person to meet and get to know though. They are different then the office workers or average citizen who meet on the streets.

Theses guys see things and felt things that most people won't never see and can't understand. They have so much respect and are apart brotherhood like no

other. I want to make a the sacrifice, if that either being away from my family for a few months at the time or paying the ultimate sacrifice.

In the Marine Corps I'm looking to be your average grunt, 0311. Uncle was a 68W and current 11B for the Army and with the stories he tells me and things

he talks to me about being a grunt I don't see having it any other way. Personally I don't see joining the Armed Forces and taking a office position.

I want to get out and be in the fight, not to kill and shoot but to change something. If that either being my life, my friend besides me, or a locals. I want to travel

and see the world especially third world countries cause I know my uncle is very different from being to Iraq and other countries. He always tells me how different

it is their and how people here don't realize what he have. People are always telling me I can go and get a good education and make something of my life working

in a office making more money then I can handle but the military is something I want to do and something I think I need to do.

Ok man. Well there is an important aspect that I want you to think about.

What are you going to do if in 10 years you blow out your knee. You are forced to retire from the military. You dont get your pension but you will get your medical benefits.

The only jobs you will be able to pick up that are worth anything is law enforcement, fire fighter, or other federal job like border patrol/postal worker.

And that is if your knee isnt too bad. Im not trying to talk you out of anything man. As a veteran I want you to know that the civilian world doesnt honor what you learned in the military. They dont care, and that means you could end up at Home Depot or Walmart.

I worked on a multimillion dollar helicopter for 4 years and now Im not qualified (on a civilian level) to wash the windows of a luggage cart. The military is great. But make sure you set ground work for the chance that you get out before retirement.

I understand where your coming from and I know that is one of the toughest thing is going from soldiers to civilian.

In the past I wanted to take up a medical MOS in the military. Always loved medicine for some reason. Right now I have my first responders

certification and been thinking hard about getting my NREMT-B. A few people told me all ready to go all the way in the military as a medic so

when I get out I have the opportunity to become a doctor witch I am not smart enough for but I'm still thinking about it. Wouldn't mind being a corpsman

but I would like to see combat at least once in my life. If possible I would like to be in a field hospital or combat medic with a unit of the Marine Corps.

My uncle works in the law enforcement field now and I know from reading books about soldiers when they get out they normally just puck up your basic civilian

job like construction worker or what ever they were raised doing. Depending on the MOS I would get I guess I would either go back to what I'm doing right now

witch is a part time helper for a construction company, find a job in the private military sector, or medical emergency services.

November 27, 2012

I loved the military growing up, always looked as them being heroes at a young age. I really never was a regular child I guess you can say.
Most of my family were in some branch of the military and always supported the military some way. Of course that probably cause I grew

up in the deep south with the southern discipline from the old days. I was always thought to care for others before I care for my self.

I really do think I would benefit from joining the military. I know its a rough life especially if your deployed and it really changes you. Everyone I met

who been to combat is a great person to meet and get to know though. They are different then the office workers or average citizen who meet on the streets.

Theses guys see things and felt things that most people won't never see and can't understand. They have so much respect and are apart brotherhood like no

other. I want to make a the sacrifice, if that either being away from my family for a few months at the time or paying the ultimate sacrifice.

In the Marine Corps I'm looking to be your average grunt, 0311. Uncle was a 68W and current 11B for the Army and with the stories he tells me and things

he talks to me about being a grunt I don't see having it any other way. Personally I don't see joining the Armed Forces and taking a office position.

I want to get out and be in the fight, not to kill and shoot but to change something. If that either being my life, my friend besides me, or a locals. I want to travel

and see the world especially third world countries cause I know my uncle is very different from being to Iraq and other countries. He always tells me how different

it is their and how people here don't realize what he have. People are always telling me I can go and get a good education and make something of my life working

in a office making more money then I can handle but the military is something I want to do and something I think I need to do.

Ok man. Well there is an important aspect that I want you to think about.

What are you going to do if in 10 years you blow out your knee. You are forced to retire from the military. You dont get your pension but you will get your medical benefits.

The only jobs you will be able to pick up that are worth anything is law enforcement, fire fighter, or other federal job like border patrol/postal worker.

And that is if your knee isnt too bad. Im not trying to talk you out of anything man. As a veteran I want you to know that the civilian world doesnt honor what you learned in the military. They dont care, and that means you could end up at Home Depot or Walmart.

I worked on a multimillion dollar helicopter for 4 years and now Im not qualified (on a civilian level) to wash the windows of a luggage cart. The military is great. But make sure you set ground work for the chance that you get out before retirement.