Hello, I'm new here to the board. I am looking at going into the Army National Gaurd and I want to hear what it is like from those inside and not just from a recruiter.  For those in Iraq, what is it like over there?
Shannon

my say is why join the guard and get shipped over to Iraq when you can go active duty for 3 years and go to iraq.

maybe because the alaska national guard has 100% Tuition Assistance ? and wants to do his part by being a guardsman ,

LOL Amazon is my wife.
She has had some slight asthma in the past and the Army Nat. Guard seems to be willing to work with her on it.  Army/ Coast Guard etc seem to think that if you ever had anything like that you are not exceptible. (she is telling me that actually army might be willing to work with her).
It's actually not about the college stuff though, she isn't even certain she wants to go to college.  Right now her plans are to see about spending a fiew years in the Guard and then looking into Alaska State Troopers.
Knifemaker02

What type of jobs are available for the Guard in AK?

She wants to be an MP so she is looking initially into doing inteligence and specializing in background checks.

They say they have 210 options.

If they have that type of MOS at an Alaskan post I would consider it.  The training is great, the people are for the most part great.  Keep in mind with that MOS there is a good possibility for deployment.  Up to a year, so your family and civilian life would be on hold.  If you want more specifics email me.  I did 4 years active on the Marine Corps shooting team and 4 years reserve in the Army as a grunt.  I had alot of guys on my team who were MP's.

Quite some years ago you could only join these divisions in Fairbanks: Armor, Medical, or Air but I don't know what it's like now.  I have seen very small garrisons in remote locations like Barrow.

Quoted: She wants to be an MP so she is looking initially into doing inteligence and specializing in background checks. They say they have 210 options.

Someone's not giving you the complete story.  MP and intelligence are two totally different career fields, and there is no "specialization in background checks".  MPs don't do background checks, and the only people in intel who might are (my last MOS) the 97B Counterintelligence Agents.  And in the Guard, 97Bs don't do any of that stuff.  Background checks are done by DSS, the Defense Security Service.  

You're getting fed a load of bullshit.....

QuietShootr, possibly I misunderstood what she told me.  I think what she was told was that inteligence or legal would make it easier to get into MP if/when NGuard gets them.  Otherwise she is looking at maybe signing over to the Army to be an MP.
She took the ASVAB today and got 94 of a possible 99.
What her recruiter recomended as possibly getting closer to MP would be DMOS 96B10 Intelligence Analyst or 27D10 Legal specialist.  Can you tell us anything about those MOS.  Any recomendations?
Thanks,
Josh

Why not just apply with AST.  Sounds like she is smart and being female help.  They are hurting for people.  Anchorage PD also is hiring from what I hear, though I am not 100% sure
Chris

Quoted: Why not just apply with AST.  Sounds like she is smart and being female help.  They are hurting for people.  Anchorage PD also is hiring from what I hear, though I am not 100% sure Chris

+1

Try applying as a first option.  You never know.  If they say she is unqualified, the persue other means.

They're bullshitting you.  The 96B course is a hell of a lot longer than the MP course, and no one in their right mind would want to switch from analyst to MP even if they'd let you, which they probably wouldn't.  Analysts are harder to come by than MPs.  

27D I know nothing about, except that it's probably a remf-clerk type job that has diddly to do with MP.  

If she wants to be an analyst, go for it, it's a lot better job than MP.  And despite what anyone tells you, being an MP doesn't give you an in in law enforcement.

Quoted: QuietShootr, possibly I misunderstood what she told me.  I think what she was told was that inteligence or legal would make it easier to get into MP if/when NGuard gets them.  Otherwise she is looking at maybe signing over to the Army to be an MP. She took the ASVAB today and got 94 of a possible 99. What her recruiter recomended as possibly getting closer to MP would be DMOS 96B10 Intelligence Analyst or 27D10 Legal specialist.  Can you tell us anything about those MOS.  Any recomendations? Thanks, Josh

Qiuet shooter, thanks.  I was wondering does what she does reflect on the recruiter or is it just how many people the recruiter gets to sign up?

As to going into AST right now, she is 19 and can't apply for atleast annother 1 1/2 years so she is thinking she might as well go get some experiance in the meentime.  We stopped by the AST offive in Anchorage the other day and talked with their recruiter for a while to make certain we knew what was up there.

Thanks everyone for the good advice and info, keep it comming.
Josh
(you know what they say, "knowlege is power" the more we know the better the choices we can make)

Yes, what MOS she goes into has an effect.  He may be tasked to put people into a certain unit or MOS.

Quoted: Qiuet shooter, thanks.  I was wondering does what she does reflect on the recruiter or is it just how many people the recruiter gets to sign up? As to going into AST right now, she is 19 and can't apply for atleast annother 1 1/2 years so she is thinking she might as well go get some experiance in the meentime.  We stopped by the AST offive in Anchorage the other day and talked with their recruiter for a while to make certain we knew what was up there. Thanks everyone for the good advice and info, keep it comming. Josh (you know what they say, "knowlege is power" the more we know the better the choices we can make)

Thank you, that is important to know.  She is thinking of skipping the MP stuff then and looking into the 96B.

US Naval Reserve also offers 100% tuition assistance. I think all of the reserve forces in Alaska offer this if you affiliate with the Alaska Militia, that funding comes from the State of Alaska I think. There are a lot of options. I can't speak for the other branches of service but based on what I see at the Naval Reserve Center on Fort Richardson MOS selection has very little to do with your location.

Quoted: She wants to be an MP so she is looking initially into doing inteligence and specializing in background checks. They say they have 210 options.

If she is interested in law enforcement and wants to be an MP stay away from MI, as far away as possible.  

MI works with maps, weather, and enemy capabilities. It’s a desk job for most people. Files, files, files, and a map room.  It is grueling work.  I've seen it eat people up.  But one thing I have never seen is MI as a stepping stone to MP work.  I guess anything is possible in the NG, but all her training would be in area unrelated to LE work. It would be a waste.  

If she meets the requirements she should go to MP school. If any other MOS is offered as a stepping stone to becoming an MP, better hit the door running.

Slight Asthma? Hmmmm.  I've seen a few active duty people with Provental inhalers, so I guess having asthma is okay once your in.  I'm not sure about getting in though.  I suggest she see a good allergist and get on preventative medications and perhaps get started on shots as well. It’s all about building resistance and using your lungs to their full potential. Asthma will scar up and ruin your lungs if you don’t take care of them when you are still young. An allergist will also have a spirometer to assess her lung function. People who take care of their asthma can still max the PT test.  They just have to work harder at it.

Robert2011,
   
Thanks for the info on MI. I wasn't sure what all it entailed and I don't  want to be an office person, that just isn't me. I expect the legal MOS would probably not be all that interesting or detailed either. On Oct.1st the Guard will know if they are getting any MP units or not. If they do my recruiter says she will try and get me one especially because of my scores. Otherwise I would have to do some other MOS and maybe sign over to the Army to be an MP. I've been thinking and it seems a little silly to join the Guard so I can sign over to the Army. From what I've been hearing it seems I would just as likely wind up going to Iraq if I joined the guard  as I would the Army itself.

As far as the asthma stuff, I only have some trouble in relation to grass pollens and the place I was working at the time. I generally don't have trouble and I don't get the typical attacks that people relate to asthma, just coughing and a little trouble breathing when I'm around a lot of grass. Generally here in Alaska it is non existant and I havn't had a prescription for an inhaler for a year and a half. My recruiter, Seargent Linx, says if I can get my doctor to write a letter saying that an can exercise just fine without trouble it shouldn't be a problem. I have had a couple years of shots too which has made a big difference.
 
I'm glad for all the advice and info and would be glad for more.
Amazon

Basic Training will most likely be in an area with lots of grass, so it may be a worse problem than you imagine. One way around it is to take BT in the winter. BT in the summer can be a horrible experiance for people from the northern states because they are usually in held in hot humid southern states. Even a little asthma can be a bad thing when you are dealing with extremes.  

It might be harder to get your Dr to sign off that your asthma is not exercise induced than you think. You might check on that right away. I might be wrong on this, but it is something you should find out about right away. You can always go Dr shopping if you hit a stone wall, but it will still take time and money.

For now you should work on pushups, situps, and running. Try to max the PT test now. If you can do pullups, max out on  those too. You will have an Airborne slot dangled before you at some point, probably just as Basic ends. You should be ready for it. You need to be able to max the PT test and do at least 20+ pullups to consider it. The first week of Airborne is just a big grass drill to see if you are physically fit. The rest of it is just fun and easy  training. Don't pass up an opportunity like that.  

I am assuming the Airborn you are talking about is Army Nat. G?  Also, can anyone say how they feel Air Nat. G compares with the Army?

There is only one Airborne school, at Fort Benning. If you are active duty you get a shot at it. If you are NG you may or may not right away, but eventually you will. If you max the PT test you will have first shot over those who don't. Sometimes in the NG of the past (not sure about it now) there might be a couple of school slots for the whole state, but again those who max the PT test get first shot at the slots. I've even seen Air Assault slots go begging because no one wanted them.  

In the NG, just make sure your unit Training NCO and Company clerk know that you want the slot when it becomes available. Sometimes they appear out of the blue on a monday morning.

One thing to remember about an MOS is you will probably be stuck with it for years. Don't believe a recruiter who says you can switch when you want. Once your enlistment is up you might be offered a new MOS as an option, but probably not before that. Better wait for a MOS you really want, even if it takes 6 months or a year waiting for a slot to open.

I can’t see having a non-MP MOS in the NG giving you a shot at an Active Duty MP slot, in fact I think it would hurt your chances of ever becoming an MP. If you want to be an MP do not settle for anything less. Do not sign a contract unless it is to become an MP. There are plenty of people who have been burned by recruiters who said you can just change your MOS later. It just aint so.  A NG to AD jump with an MOS change to boot seems unlikely.

as a female, I think she can't be a 96B in one of the line Bns in the 207th Inf Grp...  she can only work in Bde S2.  

let me tell you from direct personal experience: there is no real intel experience to be gained in the bde S2 shop!

I'd say take the MP gig if her plan is to go into AST.

Quoted: One thing to remember about an MOS is you will probably be stuck with it for years. Don't believe a recruiter who says you can switch when you want. Once your enlistment is up you might be offered a new MOS as an option, but probably not before that. Better wait for a MOS you really want, even if it takes 6 months or a year waiting for a slot to open.

I'll second that, excellent advice, be patient. Go in on 100% you're terms only.

So far all of the advice has been based on what Amazon has said she is interested in.  It would be interesting to hear what you guys think would most likely be a good fit (we just have a little list to go off).  She is looking for an MOS that would be active (not an office job), the more training in tactics and firearms the better.  She is walking an average of 1.5 miles a day and running about 1 mile a day on the treadmill, doing sit ups and pushups to try and prepare for it all.  Right now it is hard to do too much outside stuff since it is snowing.
Thanks,
Josh

I am a reservist in Anchorage. Word on the street is Air Guard gets you the most bang for your buck in the benefits department. Now I cannot go in to specifics simply because I do not know first hand, I have heard this from more than one recruiter from other branches of service. I do know of more than one person who transfered to the Air Guard. Regarding security/tactics training I am sure all branches have MPs to some degree. I know the Air Guard does have a para rescue unit (or something like that),  might be worth checking out.

Remember, this is the Guard.  There is no reason you can't get a list of available openings, find out which units they are talking about, and VISIT the units.  Talk to the people in the VERY section where you will be working.  You may even discover that the units have openings that the recruiter didn't tell you about, but that might suit you better.  Recruiters always have certain high priority things they try to stear people towards - sounds like the Alaska Guard is hurting for S-2 types and paralegals.

If the unit is too far away to visit - it will be too far away to drill at regularly, as well.

I am a Major in the Alaska Army National Guard as a full time Title 32 AGR officer.  We are converting to Title 10 sometime soon.  My entire unit is AGR for missile defense.
That said;
1.  The MOS's are changing and what used to be a 96 is now a 27.  
2.  The only MP unit in the AKARNG (and therefore, the only way to get that MOS) is in Ft. Greely and is only full timers.  If you want to be a full time MP in Alaska, there are plenty of jobs.  They can't keep them filled.
3.  Alaska is an Infantry state.  Almost all jobs for women are in the state HQ in Anchorage, the only exception being my unit and you must be a full timer.  If you aren't from around there, you will have problems making drills.
4.  Very good benefits in the Alaska guard, though their dud-rate is astronomical.
5.  There are very, very few outdoor jobs in the Army.  Especially for guardsmen.  They are outdoors when you are in the field or deployed.Otherwise you spend the majority of your time in the office doing odd-jobs.  If you are outside, you aren't doing a lot of physical actity.  Cleaning, working on vehicles, reloading equipment.
6.  See if there are any Security Forces jobs with the Air National Guard, might be a better fit.  Asthma and the army don't get along too well.
7.  Never believe a recruiter.
PM me if you have some specific questions.

Thanks.