I've been looking into the army national guard and the air national guard. I'm leaning toward the air side based on the fact that most deployed soldiers are coming from the army and marines in this war on terror. At least at this point. Also, I've heard the living conditions of the air force is a LOT better than the other branches. Being comfortable on a possible deployment is important to me, but i'm there to get the job done.


A little about me.. I'm young at the age of 22 and I'm married. Other than that, I'd like to end up on base somewhere coastal (probably not likely). Before I was thinking of enlisting I was considering a move to florida, california, or hawaii. Each has its own city/area respectively. The things I'm looking to get out of the military are 1) confidence, 2) training, 3) discipline, and 4)money.. Probably in that order. I put my experience above the money earned, because if I'm not happy..money is irrelevant.

I'm looking for jobs that are going to teach me a lot of different things, so training is imperative. Honestly, I was looking at the army special forces, but it's a certainty that i'll be in combat with that selection. There can be unknown mental and physical detriments associated with that sort of thing. I know that the military is a risk as a whole, but specifically choosing a "combative" MOS drastically increases the likelihood of something happening. That's in my uninformed civilian opinion..however.

Other than all that. I think I might look to the military for a career. I'd honestly prefer to defend the US and be stationed in the US. I don't know if any branch has it's own version of elite soldiers that specifically defend the country or not.. At some point the war on terror is going to reach our doorstep. 9/11 may have been the first REAL time, but it surely won't be the last. So, is there a branch that has homeland security or something? I'd also be up for helping people in floods and things like hurricane katrina; which is why the guard appealed to me in the beginning. I thought about the peace corps, but honestly..i'm not that selfless. They don't get paid or anything like that. Besides, any combat training is just going to benefit me down the road..whether it's from a mugger, someone trying to rob my house, or some foreign country coming over onto US soil. Being prepared is being a step ahead. Bottom line.

So I'm completely up for training in combat, arms, survival, first aid, etc. In fact, the more the merrier. It's the things I learn that are going to impact the rest of my life. I want this to be a beneficial and transitional time for me.


So, I'm looking into possibly some version of the guard, but other than that I don't know what i'm interested in. If military jobs could be ranked on a danger scale of 1-10..i'd say I want to be a 4-6. That's obviously a generic description and it's impossible to determine what/where/when the attacks are going to be...etc. So, I realize it's completely random who gets attacked, who gets hurt, and who doesn't. Just give me your best opinion and really any information you think might benefit me. I'm looking for possible MOS's AND the right branch.


Thanks in advance..

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rook144,

As you said, you're kinda vague. Hard to really offer you anything. CA, FL or HI sounds like Air National Guard to me. Most of that real estate is far too nice to put Soldiers and Marines.....

There are a few exceptions, mostly leftover land since WWII.

Such an orgainization does not exist, this is suppost to be the roll of the national guard (army and air) but a significant number of national guard have been deployed due to the abuse of the federalization clause of the national gaurd. The only thing left is the coast guard or a state defense force. Also air force personal are being deployed and placed in army rolls under the command of army sgts need I say more. The military can not maintain this war and they are abusing every nook and cranny auxilurary military resources. Our military is in shammbles right now, why not just move to hawaii and get a job then there is no risk of deployment since your not in the military or you may be able to join the coast guard auxilurary in hawaii, if you join the regular coast guard you go where they tell you of course it will be on a coast (where that coast is.... northern alaska who knows, lol) I dont think the coast guard has any elite units though. Be carefull with joining the military because once your in its hard to get out you have to scratch and claw to get out.

Well, that was my first inclination...like it's called the NATIONAL GUARD. I think it's crap that they're sending them over there. In my opinion this is just a bee's nest that we're hitting. I mean most of the people over there are religious nutters and are willing to do anything with no regard to killing or anything like that. Something needed to be done after 9/11, but I'm not sure if this method was the right one.. Seems like we're just beating our heads against the wall. I can't imagine what's going to happen once we pull out. It's going to be WAY worse. At least there was some sort of stability before we stuck our noses in.

I really like what the military stands for. It's the idea of defending our country. I don't think being in Iraq is defending our country. Sending special forces out and taking out osama, yeah that would have been defending our country. Trying to uproot every terrorist faction that's been in the middle east for hundreds of years.. Now that seems ludicrous.

Is the only way to be stationed somewhere nice to just go there and try to get on the reserves or something? I'm asking, because I want to make a move there regardless. (Hawaii, california, or florida). Currently, I haven't been to college so going into the military is the quickest way to make some money. I'm trying to get a base for a family down the road. Money, accommodations, etc. Also, they'll pay for my schooling which can add up REAL fast nowadays.

It sounds to me like what you really wan't is financial security and a future for you're family which are both great things. And its great that your looking ahead at your families future.

However you must keep in mind that wether its a national guard unit or not soldiers are trained to FIGHT. To defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies both FOREIGN and domestic. The army national guard is a viable fighting force and thus can be deployed in times of war.

If you are truly interested in combat training you must keep in mind that the military won't pay for you to become an extremely effective soldier and then sit you behind a desk somewhere. (except for the marines they got the right idea. Every Marine is a basic rifleman regardless of his or her MOS WOOT!) You will in all likelyhood be utilized in some kind of combat capacity.

The military is "Selfless" you are giving your time, skill, and possibly life for the sake of others thats about as selfless as it can get. If that kind of service does not appeal to you then you are probably looking in the wrong place.

There is no room for political opinions or bias during a firefight. The enemy will not care whether or not you expected to be deployed. Or how you feel about the war. Everybody bleeds regardless of political stance. so if you are strongly outspoken against the war enough that it could affect how you serve then I would not suggest the military for you.

I wish you and your family the best of luck in all of your endeavors.

Thanks for all the advice everyone..

What about air guard part-time/reserves? Would that be anything similar to what I've described?


Also, are there any MOS's that would give me training down the road for either swat, search and rescue, or a hiking guide?

I'm looking for training in survival, combat, and possibly mechanical. I'd like to learn a little bit about things I'm going to employ into use in the civilian world. I'm always going to be driving a car and fixing random stuff around the house. So being able to fix those things would be a plus. I mean I'm capable of reading directions, but experience mechanically is experience that would benefit me. Also, I'm an outdoorsman type. So, I'd like land/sea nav training. Honestly, my ideal job would be a search and rescue position. SWAT would be a secondary goal.

You might be better off signing up for the Police Academy, Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, or take Forestry couses in college.

The National Guard, and or Military Reserves is all aimed at one thing these days....fighting the war on terror. Get your mind wrapped around that before you sign up in any branch of military service, or you'll likely end up just being another rrpearso. Don't know who he is, search for his profile and click on review all his posts under his profile name. (he's still AWOL from his guard unit and still expecting his honorable discharge via email to his hotmail account)

Well, a avionics technician in the coast guard says it's related to these civilian jobs..

Land & Water Survival Instructor
Parachute Rigging and Repair
Life Support Equipment Technician
Commercial Aircraft Life Support Technician
Paramedic

I'm interested in survival skills definitely and I'm also interested in knowing a fair amount about first aid. I think those go hand in hand..one isn't the same without the other. I was also possibly interested in learning to fly a helicopter, but preferably NOT in a combat zone. The coast guard supposedly has only had patrols around iraq and never been deployed in direct combat. Although they say that the control is given to the Navy in times of war. I don't know what that means as far as reading between the lines on that one.


My biggest thing was I want to HELP people. I mean, if I shoot a drug dealer and prevent him from screwing up the lives of millions of people here in the US..then so be it. I don't know how likely it is for the "hollywod scenario" to play out where the druggies' family/crew come after me or whatever for killing a drug dealer. I'd like to think that isn't likely to happen.

If I could somehow find a job in the coast guard or any other branch for that matter, whose soul responsibility is to help people in natural disasters and things like that. I'd also like to be search and rescue (preferably land though). Then once you incorporate my wanting to learn about advanced survival and first aid/trauma treatment.

I think the coast guard AVT is the closest so far. The schooling seems pretty intense though. At least from what I've read. My main goal is to either be a hiking guide in a place like a hawaii (where there's mountains, rivers, forests..just about everything) OR be on some sort of military-esque civilian task force..such as SWAT. The only issue with SWAT is that to my knowledge you have to be a cop somewhere for a certain amount of time before they'll let you try out for SWAT. Being a cop isn't really my idea of fun. No disrespect to them or anything, just isn't my prerogative.

Also, does anyone know if the Coast Guard offers the same educational benefits as the other branches? My spouse was interested in the guard because of it's flexibility with tuition.

hmmm, avionic technician is related to Land & Water Survival Instructor, Parachute Rigging and Repair, Life Support Equipment Technician,
Commercial Aircraft Life Support Technician
Paramedic ???? Kinda doubt it. Avionics is related to the radios and black boxes in aircraft.

Just dont join, about the only thing honorable about the military is the high level ideals, fight and defend the constitution. Mass deployments of national guard to a police action is abuse of power, anyone who believes this is a bonified war is an idiot this is a second vietnam, at least in vietnam they had the honor to minimize the deployments of reserves and national guard so that if we were attacked from another front we would have resources we are so tapped out right now that if something serious really happened we would not even be close to being ready to deal with it. So far no one on here has been able to rebuke very much of what I say other than,

You sign dotted line
You go iraq

Our representation is so corupt that the people sent a direct message to washington in the form of a democraticly controled congress and nothing is happening they passed the war spending bill just like they promised they would not do and the coruption goes marching on, the government and the military no longer represent the people they just do there own thing. Plus the abuses you will encounter in day to day military life are deplorable

quote:

Originally posted by thegunny:
hmmm, avionic technician is related to Land & Water Survival Instructor, Parachute Rigging and Repair, Life Support Equipment Technician,
Commercial Aircraft Life Support Technician
Paramedic ???? Kinda doubt it. Avionics is related to the radios and black boxes in aircraft.

Well, it's for the coast guard and you get cross-trained toward probably 80% of the other airmen jobs. So, if they needed someone to go out on a search and rescue you'd be prepared. There's multiple stations on each aircraft that get manned by different personnel and like I said the AVT supposedly gets trained in about 80% of them.

quote:

Originally posted by rppearso:
Just dont join, about the only thing honorable about the military is the high level ideals, fight and defend the constitution. Mass deployments of national guard to a police action is abuse of power, anyone who believes this is a bonified war is an idiot this is a second vietnam, at least in vietnam they had the honor to minimize the deployments of reserves and national guard so that if we were attacked from another front we would have resources we are so tapped out right now that if something serious really happened we would not even be close to being ready to deal with it. So far no one on here has been able to rebuke very much of what I say other than,

You sign dotted line
You go iraq

Our representation is so corupt that the people sent a direct message to washington in the form of a democraticly controled congress and nothing is happening they passed the war spending bill just like they promised they would not do and the coruption goes marching on, the government and the military no longer represent the people they just do there own thing. Plus the abuses you will encounter in day to day military life are deplorable

So far as I know the only role the coast guard has played in Iraq was setting up some safe ports and things like that. Probably moreso in regard to the combat equipped navy vessels. I'd think anyway.

"abuse of power" your kidding right? The guard are, like i've said, a legitimate military force and can thus be deployed whenever the higher ups deem it necessary. The fact that those sighning up don't "expect" to be deployed doesn't change the fact that its a possibility especially during times of war. As for the "you signed on the dotted line"....you did sign on the effing dotted line. If being asked to do you job is such a huge deal for you then you shouldn't have sighned up. As for the military no longer representing the people, I think the fact of the matter is that they simply no longer represent you. And thus you attribute your own political and (questionable) moral ideals to the faceless masses.

Rook144 I would suggest posting questions about the coast guard in the coast guard forum of this site. Hopefully you will find someone more knowledgable about their current utilization and training. I wish you the best of luck.

zach as many have told you before don't feed the troll let him be and he will perhaps let us be

http://www.ngb.army.mil/features/disasterprep/default.aspx

Round Ronald is a fool. The duty of the guard is complex and not cast in stone. Do not go into the military if you do not want to serve. Service has no real limits on commitment.

I'm sorry winni I just can't help myself sometimes.

If it is my opininon alone why is congress controled by democrates, if you are going to flame at least get your facts straight.

yeah buddy, the first thing they did when they got in power was to ban smoking in the capitol building! Real movers an shakers they turned out to be huh?

zach sorry doesn't feed the admirals cat!!!


kidding buddy i know i got carried away with that deaf nutjob to! haha