Question:
Done with Active Army, now onto National Guard?
MaggieBeth14
2010-06-19 14:50:52 UTC
I am ETSing from the Active Army after 4 years, and joining the Texas National Guard. When talking to the Guard recruiter, he told me that I would get 24 months stabilization. I'm not quite sure what he meant. I'm not sure if he meant that I, personally, will get the stabilization because I'm coming from active duty, or if the entire Guard unit gets it. I'm going in to talk to him next week, but I wanted to know if anyone out there has had the same experience, or even knows anything about this.

Does anyone know what's up with the 24 month stabilization thing? What can I expect from the National Guard? And how does it compare with Active Duty?
Eight answers:
HDH
2010-06-19 17:42:12 UTC
I did the same thing. It means YOU personally will not have to deploy for a combat rotation overseas for two years. But you will have to go with your unit if you are called up in the case of a natural disaster or other similar mission.



The National Guard is pretty cool. As a two-time Iraq veteran, myself, it's nice to have a monthly get-together with folks who've deployed overseas. It's only two days a month. But sometimes those two days can be pretty boring. It seems like we spend half our time doing the same mandatory stuff we did on Active Duty - like updating SGLI forms and attending suicide prevention briefings and updating our medical data. Unfortunately, since you only HAVE two days a month, you spend a larger portion of your time with that kind of thing.



Discipline is not as strict as your average Active Duty unit. It's not that people have no military bearing, it's just a little less enforced. (Don't push it though.) Unit quipment is not replaced as often, though you'll probably get new personal gear (web gear and helmet and sleeping bag and so forth.) There's some differences in pay and administration and promotions and TDY training. You'll pick up on that as you go. Don't be afraid to ask!



It can be just as frustrating as Active Duty, as far as tedium and impossible dead lines for inspections and long days at the range and the Good Idea Fairy attacking. (Command staff tends to be less experienced so you get the Goo Idea Fairy coming around more often.)



Overall, it's not bad. The extra little bit of income helps. If you want to do some college courses, you may be able to get tuition assistance. You will be paid full-time pay if you do get a TDY course. And one weekend a month sure beats getting called back out of IRR for another combat rotation!
bluefalcon_gillis
2010-06-19 14:57:50 UTC
you can't be deployed for 24 months. I should say you don't have to deploy for 24 months you can volunteer.



What your drills will be like depends on the kind of unit are are getting in. You might end up right in the middle of a CERFP team.



You will have monthly weekend drills and you will train for most of it. Classes and hands on. If you have equipment it will be PMCS'd and test driven. It has to be ready to go in case you get called up for state duty.



You will also most likely find that weekend drill doesn't quite mean a saturday and a sunday. Many times it might include either all or half of friday and sometimes a thursday and maybe a wednesday or more. In the National Guard you just try to call it drill. No point in getting your hopes up.



You may have to take additional courses at your new unit. The length of time varies but most are about 2 weeks long.



If you do end up on CERFP expect a lot of extra drill days.



You can also expect to get called out for natural disasters. In which you will get a call and have so many hours to report and get ready to go. I don't know what they have in your parts but around here it's usually flooding or snow. Depending on the damage done it's hard to tell how long you will be on that. But then again I don't know what kind of unit you are getting into. Maybe they don't get called up very much if at all.



Good luck and have fun.
anonymous
2016-06-04 04:45:09 UTC
As it has been said by others, ALL contracts (active, reserve, national guard) are for a total of 8 years; one piece of advice - negotiate hard with the recruiter. To start the conditional release process, you must see an active duty recruiter. The Recruiter is the only person who can request a conditional release. He/she does this by submitting a DD Form 368, Request for Conditional Release. This form must be signed by the member and the active duty recruiter. If you've not yet been through basic training, and you get a conditional release approved, normally you are enlisted active duty as a non-prior service candidate (which offers more enlistment options). - see website below for info. My advice - even though you signed a contract, you are not powerless. Hell, you could just not show up to ship out - what are they going to do? I have seen it done before.
anonymous
2010-06-19 15:03:46 UTC
If they still have the "try one" policy where you can enlist for one year at a time.I would try that. I did this a few years after I ETS'd and repeated 3 times until I got fed up with the Guard for ineptitude. It is a pain in the *** if you have to go places for more than a month. Yuo will find it very relaxed compared to the Regular Army though. Pretty easy to do and a tiny little paycheck for spending your weekend a month.
Ray
2010-06-19 15:16:33 UTC
You personally get 24 months of stabilization (i.e. no deployments/mobilizations) unless you want to go.



All units are hit or miss based on the quality of their officers and NCOs, just like active duty. You'll find a generally more relaxed attitude depending on where the unit you join is in their deployment cycle. If it seems TOO relaxed relative to possible danger (i.e. Combat Support MPs who are all lazy and fat) then run.
Dannie
2010-06-19 15:23:14 UTC
i love the guard but my opinion is active duty is a lot more high speed and more of a brotherhood rather than the good ole boy system the guard opened a lot of doors for me like college and cool jobs and a ton of fun but if you deploy try to go with active army
anonymous
2010-06-19 15:06:49 UTC
This simply means that you cannot be deployed for the amounted time, in your case 24 months. "Stabilization" is the policy by which individual Soldiers are considered ineligible for involuntary re-mobilization for a certain period of time after REFRAD from such a deployment.



Hope this helps and Good luck.
anonymous
2010-06-19 15:01:11 UTC
cant be deployed for 24 months and it is good because you get your civilian life back while still being ready to serve your nation i love the concept of it


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