Author Topic: Air National Guard  (Read 1536 times)

Offline Rich46yo

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Re: Air National Guard
« Reply #30 on: November 08, 2014, 08:51:57 AM »
I think almost 1/3 of the force deployed to Iraq and Afcrapistan, from all services, were either reserve forces or NG.

Different world nowdays. Once upon a time the NG was a great place for rich Daddies boys to hang out a few times a year and get some service time on their resumes. Now its a good way to end up in a sand storm with rounds inbound.
"flying the aircraft of the Red Star"

Offline earl1937

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Re: Air National Guard
« Reply #31 on: November 08, 2014, 09:33:18 AM »
Just an observation based on experience, sport.
:cheers: 1 week of OCS at Lackland and he would hit the road! (anyway, guys, he seems to be a good dude, just needs attitude adjustment!)
Blue Skies and wind at my back and wish that for all!!!

Offline Serenity

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Re: Air National Guard
« Reply #32 on: November 08, 2014, 10:36:57 PM »
Okay, I'm gonna jump in as a fellow REALLY lazy person.

I'm lazy. I'm immensely lazy. I've had days where I just don't bother eating any real meals because I just cannot be bothered to get up and make anything more intensive than cheese and crackers. That being said, I'm smart. It often gets me in trouble, because I can get a lot farther than some contemporaries without putting too much into it, until I'm in over my head, then I'm SO far behind the power curve that I'm drowning.

Or so I used to be.

Join the military. Doing so helped to cure me of a LOT of that laziness and half-arsery. Granted, I still have those cheese and cracker days, but I've also spent the last three days buried in books while my other IFS classmates are out partying, because for the first time in my life, I'm actively seeking out things I can do to get ahead and be more prepared, more competitive for my slot. You're gonna get your rear kicked. I did. It's a good thing. You're gonna be miserable at first. I was. Embrace the suck. You'll come out better.

I'm going to go the opposite direction as others and say while you should finish your degree, don't go the officer route. It is certainly more beneficial, but it can be a lot more painful as well. There is a lot more resting on your shoulders, and if you're not of a mindset to push yourself to work and train and fight until you're infallible, then lives may be lost. There is still a lot of life experience, education and benefit to the enlisted side, and sometimes opportunities which are much more fun than what's available to officers. It's no cake-walk, but it'll help grow you into a better prepared individual who is more competitive at EVERYTHING in life.

As for branch, consider the Navy. I know you said that you don't want to work internationally; why not? Why wouldn't you want to see the world? The advantage of the Navy over other branches is that a lot more of our international focus is on humanitarian aid, disaster recovery, and building positive relationships with other countries. Granted, there's some warfighting mixed in there when the time comes, but like they say, there's no ocean in afghanistan! (That's an oversimplification, I know, there are all sorts of Navy rates on the ground too over there, but proportionately, depending on your rate, you're MUCH more likely to be relaxing in Bahrain...).

You don't really have anywhere you seem to be headed right now. If, as you say, you CAN be a hard worker once you get up and go toward it, consider the military. A DI will be happy to kick you into gear manually, and if you do spool up as you say you will, you may find a rewarding life-long career helping people and travelling the globe. And if not, if you hate it, you'll be done in a few years with at least a little more discipline, motivation, worldly experience, and a nice resume booster.

Just my $.02, to be taken as advice from a sailor about as salty as fresh-cut grass...