Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: jolly22 on November 05, 2014, 08:50:01 PM
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So who here is in the Air National Guard. I'm STRONGLY considering joining it.
I'm 19, at a local community college, part-time job, and coach a travel soccer team..
BUT. I'm going be completely honest. I'm incredibly lazy.. It may not seem like it with all the stuff I do. But it all only takes a few hours at a time.. I work 6-10 in the AM then work again 2-4. Soccer from 4:30-8:30. I'm not in school this semester because of a tax malfunction. But I'm only 16 credits from graduation with my associates.
Maybe someone can help me change my attitude here, but I don't see the point of school right now. I want a job that I can get into right away. That's why I'm strongly considering the ANG. I'm not physically or mentally able to go into a military branch. I just can't. I won't survive. I'm not mentally tough enough.
ANG seems right for me. It's helping people. Which I love doing. I love helping people every chance I get and I feel this is really a job opportunity where I could really make a difference. It doesn't seem quite as physically and mentally demanding as the military itself. It's something I believe I can handle.
Here's my main concern. I want to go ANG full time. Everything I read is all about Part-time while pursuing a full time career. All pay rates are based on part-time. I don't know what I could while I'm doing part-time ANG.
Out of all things I said right there, Who can help me out. Give me some suggestions of what I could do and what's maybe a decent option.
Thank you
:salute
JRjolly
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The National Guard is a state's military force as well as being a federal reserve military force. I don't know why you think it's not the military, I suppose it's their recruiting/marketing. The National Guard has been filling in for our reduced regular forces to the point that it's like a full time military commitment for many people.
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FLS is spot on.
What would you do if you were activated to go to Afghanistan or Liberia for a full tour?
When you are activated your uniform will say US Air Force, maybe think some more about that.
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Jolly
There are those who will sugar coat this for you. I am no one of them. Finish school first. If you still want in after school, go in as an O if at all possible.... you'll save yourself a world of crap. I'm not knocking Enlisted... I was for 21yrs.
The USAF, Active Duty, Guard and Reserve is not looking for anyone not mentally or physically able to handle it. Active Duty, Guard and Reserve are all expected to operate at the same level. They all get the same Basic Training and Technical School. Same standards, same uniforms etc etc.
If you absolutely must enlist... get back to classes as soon as possible.
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I would go to school if i were you...Also, concider becoming a teacher. Teacher manual labor load is light. summers and weekends and holidays off. Pay is not great but you will have a union to help maintain your job and benefits , maybe a pension.
For a lazy person such as yourself teaching should be perfect. The old saying goes something like "Lazy professionals become teachers."
GL and stay in school. don't sign your life away to the military, yet.
:salute
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I guess i misinterpreted myself there. I know they're military, but not part of the main branches? lol I knew that.
I couldn't be a teacher. I'm too smart for that. I'm too valuable to be a teacher. I'm not knocking teachers, It's just not me. I need something where I can use my brain but still be able to make a physical impact if necessary. There was a position open here in VA where they basically needed a brain. Where to move troops when needed, how many to have on at a certain time, etc. I don't remember what it was called :P But I feel like that would fit me perfectly.
I'm not saying I "couldn't" handle it. Because I could, but it would put a lot of strain on me. I'm an extremely hard worker ONCE I GET GOING. It's getting me into the working part of it that's hard. I'm all business at that point.
I don't want it to be sugar coated. I don't want a false idea of what I could be going into, so I appreciate it tremendously.
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If you don't think you could hack the "main branches" what makes you think you can hack the Guard. Have you been paying any attention at all to where the Guard and Reserve units have been ending up the last 5 to 10 years???? Have you bothered to see how many times the unit you are thinking about has been activated or had members activated and sent overseas? Where do you think that Guard unit is going to send you to do basic? :huh
If you don't have a desire to serve, to be an adult about it, do yourself a favor and forget anything to do with the Military. Keep in mind that quite a few of the Guard units are more than a little political oriented. It may be that promotion / job selection would be based on who you are, you know and suck up to. Not to mention how long they let you stay in.
From what you say, you have a bit of growing up to do. Any part of the military is no place to be looking to get a free ride or simply coast along. They can afford to be choosey now. You might be a different person that what you have posted but if you are not, then I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
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Lets see......your lazy, smart, self centered and pompus, I'd go into politics if I were you where you can pretend to be there to serve your country with out putting any dedicated soldier's life in danger.
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I already here the older men on this board bristling...without them even posting...the vets on this board are doing more than bristling...the best thing you can do is find a purpose in life...find a purpose that you feel drawn too...if you want to help people...go into utility services...water, sewer, gas, electric, phone....everyone is going to need these basic services...and they are filled with lazy smart people...of course if you run across someone like me as an employer...you wont make it long....but if you find a municipality, where politics play a role in the basic services, the lazy smart ones fit right in...
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I would go to school if i were you...Also, concider becoming a teacher. Teacher manual labor load is light. summers and weekends and holidays off. Pay is not great but you will have a union to help maintain your job and benefits , maybe a pension.
For a lazy person such as yourself teaching should be perfect. The old saying goes something like "Lazy professionals become teachers."
GL and stay in school. don't sign your life away to the military, yet.
:salute
I say teaching.... I have been a teacher for 4 years now and can tell you it is extremely rewarding. Get your schooling done. You are close enough that it would be a wasted for all the time you have put in already.
To smart to be a teacher??? I know personally at the school that the more stuff you know about things the better you can engage students and get them to learn.
Many schools give the teachers some leeway in being creative in teaching. I say the smarter the teacher the better the student will learn.
Remember what a veteran teacher told me the first year I taught. Once you teach a child or teenager you have affect the World for life.
He then told me this little poem.
If you have touch a rock,
You have touch the past.
If you touch a flower
you have touch today.
If you touch a child
you have touch the future.
I can tell you from experience, that teaching has been the most rewarding job I have ever had. By saying you are to smart is limiting the impact that you can have on the world.
Remember that someone taught the children who became smartest scientist in the world. Because of those teachers the World is where it is today.
From the way you talk you would not be able to survive the Military.
<S> LtCondor
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Lets see......your lazy, smart, self centered and pompus, I'd go into politics if I were you where you can pretend to be there to serve your country with out putting any dedicated soldier's life in danger.
Funny. That's my major. Major: Political science/law. Minor:Spanish
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Air and Army National Guardsmen go thru the same training right next to their Regular (full-time) counterparts. Its the same military, with the same BS and everything else. Dont listen or assume anything and if you do enlist, any recruitment promises must be in writing before you take the Oath. And really try to take the advice given above and finish school first, (OCS) and go in as an officer. Nothing wrong with enlisting however as I had done in the Army, its really a valuable experience I think. It will definitly cure any residual laziness you might have!
Good luck sir <S> - Hetzer
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You state that "I'm incredibly lazy". That a rules you out for military service. Don't waste your time or anyone's else's trying to get in. Military service requires dedication, commitment, and most importantly, continual hard work. You don't appear to have any of those attributes.
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You state that "I'm incredibly lazy". That a rules you out for military service. Don't waste your time or anyone's else's trying to get in. Military service requires dedication, commitment, and most importantly, continual hard work. You don't appear to have any of those attributes.
He says lazy, yet goes to school, has a job, and coaches soccer. I dont think he's lazy, just doesnt have goal it seems. So lighten up Francis.
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He says lazy, yet goes to school, has a job, and coaches soccer. I dont think he's lazy, just doesnt have goal it seems. So lighten up Francis.
Just an observation based on experience, sport.
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I was a political science major for 3 years. Then I wised up after my older friends who graduated with that same degree all ended up selling progressive insurance or managing a rental car place. One even became a cook.
If you're going to do liberal arts and have no intention of becoming a teacher, in my opinion you are wasting your time and money.
I saw the writing on the wall, left university for trade school and found that I am a lot more employable as an industrial electrician / mechanic and I make more money than most of my friends with liberal arts degrees.
However,
If you were to go the officer's route (which would be smart) a political science degree should be fine. If you are at a community college now and transfer to a 4 year school it will be a kick in the nuts because that tends to be a very competitive field of study considering all of the people in it who are also pre-law.
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Just an observation based on experience, sport.
Based on mine, he sounds like officer material <S>
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It's not that I don't have the grades to compete with the already pre-law students. I chose the community college route because of money. That's the fact there. That's a good point. I simply don't know what I want. So I started considering military.
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joining the military definitely would remove the laziness from you. just like everybody else said, you maybe called to go to overseas.
if you dont know what you want then dont join the military, because you will find out real soon that being there is not what you really wanted.
perhaps you will find an answer if you ask people that are closer to you and that know you and that includes yourself.
btw I am lazy, I dont go to work because I want to work but because I like to eat and have some money to waste :). however once I get to my job then I find out that time passes faster if you actually do some work than if you sit around looking at the wall.
semp
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So who here is in the Air National Guard. I'm STRONGLY considering joining it.
I'm not physically or mentally able to go into a military branch. I just can't. I won't survive. I'm not mentally tough enough.
the Air Guard IS a Reserve Component of the United States Air Force.... it IS a branch of the military. Also, be advised. Depending on your military occupational specialty. there is a pretty decent chance you could be forward deployed overseas.
also Jolly22, whats your where-abouts in VA?
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There was a position open here in VA where they basically needed a brain. Where to move troops when needed, how many to have on at a certain time, etc. I don't remember what it was called :P But I feel like that would fit me perfectly.
They advertise well don't they. I'll be blunt again... if you "enlist", it will be 10 years before anyone in your chain of command is interested in your "brain". You'll be the guy "making it happen" so to speak, by following the orders of someone else and doing the leg work (this after months or years of mostly training). Oh sure, you'll be expected to do well on all your training, testing, and especially "qualification training/testing". It's not like you go to Basic & Tech School then "off to work". Once "formal" training is complete, it's OJT the rest of your freeking life (well, it WILL seem so).
There are a HOST of jobs in the USAF that fit what you describe. Brainy stuff and all that. There aren't too many jobs where your average doofus is going to do well.
If you do this, FORCE as much information as you can from your recruiter.... make no mistake, his butt is on the line if he doesn't make his quota. Look at the catalogue of jobs available, and then call a unit and ask about it. I'm not kidding, you'll likely find most of them eager to help. I can't stress this enough... there is SO much in terms of possibilities. If you see something you think you'd like, and don't do your research, you may well be disappointed.
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oops
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I guess i misinterpreted myself there. I know they're military, but not part of the main branches? lol I knew that.
I couldn't be a teacher. I'm too smart for that. I'm too valuable to be a teacher. I'm not knocking teachers, It's just not me. I need something where I can use my brain but still be able to make a physical impact if necessary. There was a position open here in VA where they basically needed a brain. Where to move troops when needed, how many to have on at a certain time, etc. I don't remember what it was called :P But I feel like that would fit me perfectly.
I'm not saying I "couldn't" handle it. Because I could, but it would put a lot of strain on me. I'm an extremely hard worker ONCE I GET GOING. It's getting me into the working part of it that's hard. I'm all business at that point.
I don't want it to be sugar coated. I don't want a false idea of what I could be going into, so I appreciate it tremendously.
You have a lot of participation trophies don't you? The military is not Stripes. It is a commitment and that sounds like one item missing for you. Not knocking I was once young and undecided too. Have fun now while you can but know you have to make a choice sooner or later and you need to prepare yourself for it.
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I would go to school if i were you...Also, concider becoming a teacher. Teacher manual labor load is light. summers and weekends and holidays off. Pay is not great but you will have a union to help maintain your job and benefits , maybe a pension.
For a lazy person such as yourself teaching should be perfect. The old saying goes something like "Lazy professionals become teachers."
GL and stay in school. don't sign your life away to the military, yet.
:salute
Wow. :huh
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Wow. :huh
X 2 on the wow!
What Natcigg said is more disturbing than someone saying they are not cut out for the military "can't handle it" and yet they want to go Guard.
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X 2 on the wow!
What Natcigg said is more disturbing than someone saying they are not cut out for the military "can't handle it" and yet they want to go Guard.
I don't want to go overseas. The "NATIONAL" guard, tbh, I thought was only to help when there are states of emergency. NOT international duties. That's what I don't want. I would love to do National Duties, but not International.
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I don't want to go overseas. The "NATIONAL" guard, tbh, I thought was only to help when there are states of emergency. NOT international duties. That's what I don't want. I would love to do National Duties, but not International.
If you are not willing to serve overseas than the military is not for you. There are other routes. Since you live in VA,
You could join the Virginia Defense Force. It's a state owned organization which I guess you could consider is a state military auxiliary. They are just voluenteers and retired vet that show up in BDU uniforms to "drills" and assist the local community. You do not recieve pay for this though.
But again. If you are not willing to go overseas. Do not join the National Guard.
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I don't want to go overseas. The "NATIONAL" guard, tbh, I thought was only to help when there are states of emergency. NOT international duties. That's what I don't want. I would love to do National Duties, but not International.
Then, the military is not for you. Since the Vietnam War, the military has been an all volunteer force. Part of the "volunteer" is the very real possibility of overseas assignment. With the draw down of our military comes the opportunity for everyone to serve more than thier fair share of overseas assignments, including guard and reserve members.
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I don't want to go overseas. The "NATIONAL" guard, tbh, I thought was only to help when there are states of emergency. NOT international duties. That's what I don't want. I would love to do National Duties, but not International.
Public service is up your ally. While i would stick with teacher as a recommendation. Have you thought about law enforcement or someother form of public service. Funding for cops seems to be bulletproof and a nice retirement is in order. Also check with you state and local authorities, they myriad of state and government jobs will also come with good pay, benefits, and retirement. All of these social service jobs have room for interns, allowing you some immediate exposure and experience.
:salute
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Funny. That's my major. Major: Political science/law. Minor:Spanish
Great. You can be the new "Amnesty czar."
Join the service. Good lessons learned regardless of outcome.
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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.
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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!)
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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...