Questions on the guard

[Cassius142]

Well I have joined the ANG, prior service with 8 years in the Navy. I have joined under the 19D, a top 10 needed in Cali, but now my perspective unit says, "We don't need your MOS, so we are going to change it."

I also have been in for about two weeks, but I haven't heard anything from my unit, the only reason I have any contact with them is because my recruiter is on the ball and trying to make this painless.

What’s going on here? Is this isolated idiocy or is the standard I need to get use to?

[Specialist Purdue]

You should as to be put into a Cavalry Troop.

[matthew.ritchie]

Well I have joined the ANG, prior service with 8 years in the Navy. I have joined under the 19D, a top 10 needed in Cali, but now my perspective unit says, "We don't need your MOS, so we are going to change it."

I also have been in for about two weeks, but I haven't heard anything from my unit, the only reason I have any contact with them is because my recruiter is on the ball and trying to make this painless.

What’s going on here? Is this isolated idiocy or is the standard I need to get use to?

I would hope this is more a problem of perception. It looks like the unit is trying to look out for you, although they're doing it in a clumsy way. There are several factors at work, but it is possible to have a situation where a unit has too many people, and thus the newer ones wouldn't be eligible for bonuses. These bonuses are to encourage people to join shorthanded units and specialties, and if the unit is overstrength, that changes the situation. As annoying as it is to go through this now, better than completing a school, then discovering you can't get the bonus you were promised unless you attend a different school.

Continue to work with your Recruiter on this issue.

[Cassius142]

No, I don't see it as looking out for me. The 19D MOS is a most needed MOS in California. I am already signed and sworn. So the issue is if they change my MOS, then I lose my bonus. If I am being screwed out of my bonus, why would I sign? Yes, I have far greater reasons to be in the guard than just the bonus, but you don't offer a man an ice cream cone and then give him yogurt.

I would also find it hard to be an obedient soldier knowing my unit, the command that is supposed to be looking out for me, cost me 15,000 dollars.

Seriously, if you take care of your people your people will take care of you.

I can't even procede with this through normal chain of command, because my chain of command hasn't bothered to contact me.

[Echo]

Is this your local unit? Are we talkin' the 18th Cav?

Sounds to me like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doin'... and you're gonna have to make more of an effort to get to the bottom of this.

You know how it can be... dealing with utility companies, large corporations and the like... sometimes it all depends on who you talk to when it comes to "customer service" as to what you're able to get done... maybe your recruiter is the one who's actually droppin' the ball here... how would you know?

Which MOS are "they" talkin' about "switching" you to???

While I agree that in a perfect world things should go as you say, and I'm not saying this is your fault by any means... it sounds like you're gonna have to be more proactive in order to get this squared away.

I also don't understand how or why someone would join a Guard unit... without having had contact with the unit. Back in the day, AFAIK, each unit had their own recruiter, and although that seems to have changed somewhat... I still wouldn't join a Guard unit unless I had paid my prospective unit a visit.

Matter of fact, 7 years before I actually joined my unit... I had went out with them for 2 weekend drills to Ft. Irwin to check it out... and then I didn't join until years later.