Part-time in the guard

[What_Once_Was]

I recently turned 17 and was considering joining the Guard part-time. My question is: What do you do when you join part-time? All I know is that you attend a meeting once a month.

Is that all you do? Do you go to the meetings and are told by another guardsmen what's happening in the Guard? Or is there more? I'd like to make sure I know what I'm getting into before I join. Thanks in advanced.

[Specialist Purdue]

When you are part-time Guard or Traditional Guard you attend drill one weekend a month and two weeks a year for annual training. What you do at drill depends on the MOS or job you take in the National Guard. Take 19D MOS it is Cavalry Scout. For our drills we go to a training site and train on things that pertain to our MOS like reconnaissance, weapons training, and anything else that we are required to know for our MOS. Sometimes you have drills that you go to your armory to have classes that are required to have each year but you mostly are training. It is very fun and a change of pace from your every day to day task.

[VTguard]

In addition to the one weekend per month training, once a year, units train together to learn to work with each other. For example, the Infantry may work with the engineers to train on clearing a wire obstacle. During this training, the Medical section may serve as support and train in treating casualties. The food section would provide meals for all soldiers. In addition to this training, National Guard members stand ready to respond to emergencies that occur within their state (and surrounding states) as well as deploy overseas if necessary. The training is part-time, but the commitment is full time.

[EFregoso]

Pretty much what the other two people said covered it.

I would like to add since you are 17 you will probly(unless you graduate early, or wait until you are 18) go for the Split Option plan. For example right now I go to drills and it is prepareing me to leave for basic on June 20th. During these drills you will train with all MOS's. It is just a pre-basic thing. Then after basic you will go back to the drills in a diffrent phase, and you will get diffrent training then before you went to basic.

After you graduate you will go to your AIT training, and then after that you will join your regular MOS training. Or atleast that is how I am understanding it right now.

So, depending on when you join, and when you go to basic your drills could be a little diffrent then what they stated above. Ofcourse if you are joining when you are 18 and graduated just ignore everything I just said becuase it doesn't apply(as far as I know).

[lee258]

If you really want to know what drill is like get with a recruiter, i am sure he wouldn't mine you coming to one of the drills.(and yes even recruiters have to report to drill)