Who's in the military?

[PiercedTiger]

I'm posting this here since I'd like your opinion on this. I know of few people have mentioned being in the military, and I'm considering joining the Air National Guard.

I lost my job a month ago, and have been unable to find work since then. I have an AS in Computer Network Systems, and worked as a network admin for about a year. I've seen a few positions posted at the local NAGB that are very similar to what I've done. I'm seriously thinking about enlisting since I would be paid while they train me further, and get paid for doing 1 weekend/month and 15days/year. Seems like a real small amount of time to sacrifice for the extra money, training and experience. The money would help a LOT as would the experience and training I think they will provide.

Thing is, I'm 27, have a wife and 3 kids, and I'm worried about them while I'm gone for the 6 weeks of MBT, and whatever time for education. Also, I have so many job applications out I'm worried about getting a job and then telling them I need to ship out for 6 weeks. I know they can't fire me for it and must hold the job, but I don't like getting a job and then saying "oh, by the way, I'm leaving for 6 weeks next monday". Especially when I'm applying for jobs that NEED someone there NOW full time to maintain their computer systems.

I'm at my wits end trying to find a job!! There are several military contractors around here (Lockheed, BAE, etc) that military experience would probably help get me into later on. I'm just worried about supporting my family while gone (mortgage, truck payment, insurance, etc).



Comments? Suggestions? Am I crazy for thinking this? Thanks guys and girls.

[steviestyles]

I'm in the military...US Air Force to be exact. Honestly a lot of people are under the impression that the Guard does their 2 weeks a year and one weekend a month. For the most part, that's out the window. When I was in Iraq last january, there was just as many Guard units as there were active duty units. With the War going on, you'll be most likely deployed for a bit longer and more frequenty.

Some other things to consider, you don't get paid anything unless you're activated, it's a lot harder to make rank, and from what my brother in law has told me (PA National Guard) it's like pulling teeth to get your pay benefits (Housing Allowance, Food Subsistance) when activated. Those are some things to think about. if you were to go say the active route, you would spend 6 weeks at basic training (you'd have to do the same for the Guard) and then I believe it's 12 weeks for the Tech School for your computer field. My job is computer maintenance and Telephone switch repair...we have the same school, but ours is 6 months long instead of 3. If you have more questions, feel free to PM me.

[edsyoung]

I retired from active duty in Oct 2007 after spending 26 years in the Air Force working Avionics Communications/Navigations systems. If you are considering joining, the basic training and tech school will be the same regardless if it is active, guard or reserves. Just my 2 cents, but if you don't want the full time commitment of being active duty, I would suggest joining the reserves. You can work as a traditional reservists ( 1 weekend a month 2 weeks out of the year) or if you want more you can do more. I'm not sure if you can do that in the guard, but you also need to realize that the guard works for the state until activated. I've known a lot of folks in both the guard and reserves and to me it seems the reserves would be the better choice. Of course your location could also influence which one to choose.

[Dana_15]

Originally Posted by PiercedTiger

Thing is, I'm 27, have a wife and 3 kids, and I'm worried about them while I'm gone for the 6 weeks of MBT, and whatever time for education.

My opinion, based on that sentence, don't enlist. If your worried about being gone for six weeks, how about if your gone for 16 months? You will be activated, count on it.

This is coming from a guy who served in the active US Army. Be a father to your three kids and a husband to your wife, be there for them.

[Dana_15]

Originally Posted by steviestyles

My job is computer maintenance and Telephone switch repair...we have the same school, but ours is 6 months long instead of 3. If you have more questions, feel free to PM me.

You didn't happen to train at Fort Gordon did you? I had a similar MOS and was trained there, although I was in the Army we had quite a few Air Force soldiers there also.

[PiercedTiger]

Originally Posted by steviestyles

I'm in the military...US Air Force to be exact. Honestly a lot of people are under the impression that the Guard does their 2 weeks a year and one weekend a month. For the most part, that's out the window. When I was in Iraq last january, there was just as many Guard units as there were active duty units. With the War going on, you'll be most likely deployed for a bit longer and more frequenty.

Some other things to consider, you don't get paid anything unless you're activated, it's a lot harder to make rank, and from what my brother in law has told me (PA National Guard) it's like pulling teeth to get your pay benefits (Housing Allowance, Food Subsistance) when activated. Those are some things to think about. if you were to go say the active route, you would spend 6 weeks at basic training (you'd have to do the same for the Guard) and then I believe it's 12 weeks for the Tech School for your computer field. My job is computer maintenance and Telephone switch repair...we have the same school, but ours is 6 months long instead of 3. If you have more questions, feel free to PM me.

Thanks for the info. The recruiter said 1 weekend a month (even corrected me a few times when I said 2 weekends by mistake), and said in the 10 years he's been in Syracuse no one as HAD to go anywhere. He said they get so many volunteers that not even all of them can go. Granted, this is from a guy who's job is get people in so.....

Thanks for the info about benefits... I was thinking about trying to get those as well to help pay our mortgage.

The way the recruiter talked it sounded like I'd be in Syracuse at the 174th 1 weekend/month, out to Fla or Nevada (IIRC) for TDI's, and that's about it. Maybe help out with disasters like Katrina or the floods we had up here last year.

Originally Posted by edsyoung

I retired from active duty in Oct 2007 after spending 26 years in the Air Force working Avionics Communications/Navigations systems. If you are considering joining, the basic training and tech school will be the same regardless if it is active, guard or reserves. Just my 2 cents, but if you don't want the full time commitment of being active duty, I would suggest joining the reserves. You can work as a traditional reservists ( 1 weekend a month 2 weeks out of the year) or if you want more you can do more. I'm not sure if you can do that in the guard, but you also need to realize that the guard works for the state until activated. I've known a lot of folks in both the guard and reserves and to me it seems the reserves would be the better choice. Of course your location could also influence which one to choose.

I've considered active duty just for the sake of doing it, getting the training/experience, and not having to deal with a full time job that I need to take time off for service.

Originally Posted by Dana_15

My opinion, based on that sentence, don't enlist. If your worried about being gone for six weeks, how about if your gone for 16 months? You will be activated, count on it.

This is coming from a guy who served in the active US Army. Be a father to your three kids and a husband to your wife, be there for them.

Thanks. I was thinking the 1 weekend/month, 15 days/year wouldn't take me away from them much. I'm more concerned with NOW as we're a month behind on many bills due to me not having a job since Oct. 8th, and denied unemployment. If I could get paid soon, pay the bills off, and be away things would be better. I'm not going to be much of a father if we lose the house either. We've been struggling for over a year now so savings are depleted and the extra income would REALLY help. It sounds like I could go in as an E3 due to my college degree and earn somewhere around $1500/month for a 2 yr enlistment (and more for longer terms). Hell, even an extra $1000 would help and probably be more than I'd make going back to retail and busting my balls 40 hours/week!

Every IT job I've applied for has either emailed me back saying they've "pursued another candidate", or just plan never responded back to me. Needless to say I'm getting VERY frustrated and have run out of ideas to support my family. (other than winning the lottery or robbing a bank. Both just as likely to work.) Many of them are looking for experience I could probably get in the military, and Lockheed/BAE/Sikorsky would probably favor ex/current military applicants as well.

[steviestyles]

Originally Posted by Dana_15

You didn't happen to train at Fort Gordon did you? I had a similar MOS and was trained there, although I was in the Army we had quite a few Air Force soldiers there also.

No, my training was at Keesler down in Biloxi Mississippi. Ft Gordon is where our SATCOM folks go.

[noladude]

Originally Posted by PiercedTiger

The recruiter said 1 weekend a month (even corrected me a few times when I said 2 weekends by mistake), and said in the 10 years he's been in Syracuse no one as HAD to go anywhere. He said they get so many volunteers that not even all of them can go. Granted, this is from a guy who's job is get people in so.....

Rule #1......NEVER believe what your recruiter says. The 1 weekend per month and 2 full weeks per year is a wonderful sales pitch. There is always the possibility that they can activate your unit and send you where they want and for as long as they want. It does happen and much more frequently now than years ago. Keep that in mind, you belong to the military. Good luck on whatever you decide.

[PiercedTiger]

Originally Posted by noladude

Rule #1......NEVER believe what your recruiter says. The 1 weekend per month and 2 full weeks per year is a wonderful sales pitch. There is always the possibility that they can activate your unit and send you where they want and for as long as they want. It does happen and much more frequently now than years ago. Keep that in mind, you belong to the military. Good luck on whatever you decide.

Yeah I know... I kinda lump them in with used car salesmen...

Then again, who CAN I believe? I've been googling for the last hour or so to see how many Air National Guards are deployed in Iraq and elsewhere. So far I'm having a hard time finding much since around 1995-1997. Seems like the guy could be telling the truth when he said it's been volunteers only being sent elsewhere for the last 10 years from his unit (174th FW), and that they've had more volunteers than needed. But then again I can't really prove that.

I figure they probably need more ground troops than air support in Iraq with most of the war being fought in the streets now, but I don't watch the news very often so.....

God I HATE making decisions that lead to long commitments! At least the house and truck could both be sold if I didn't like or want either. This is a little more, ummmm..... "permanent"?

Maybe the next president won't be so trigger-happy to f%ck the country over. well.... one can hope anyway.

[edsyoung]

Originally Posted by steviestyles

No, my training was at Keesler down in Biloxi Mississippi. Ft Gordon is where our SATCOM folks go.

That's where my tech school was at years ago. Spent 6 months down there. So are you a 2E2X1 stationed at McGuire? I was a T2A5X3A teaching comm stuff for the TALCE/CRG folks.

[tonythemarine]

to answer your previous question regarding the 6 weeks leave to MBT.. arrangement can be made to support your family while you are gone. during that 6 weeks.. you will be pay and a portion or even all that pay can be transfer over to your wife's acct to take care of them. there are many factors that come into play if you do or do not join.

i'd say join.... be an example for your kids. it's not like youre gona be active duty. so you'll still be there for them. that one weekend a month thing. u wont be far. ull end up being at the closest base to ur house. that 6 weeks aint nothing compared to marine corps bootcamp which is 3 months so be glad of that. i know plenty of guys in my unit who have kids such as yourself and they do fine. even when we all left to iraq last year. it was a year long tour for us. arrangements can be made to support your family while you are gone. that's the thing. it will also help you in the long run towards getting a better career w/ ur current experience plus military experience. employers love that.

like noladude said. do not believe a recruiter. but what you should do is try to get as much out of him as you can. mostly try to go for enlistment bonus and such. AND get it in writing. times such as now. there are plenty of bonuses to go around.

[PiercedTiger]

Thanks tony! My wife and I have a page long list of questions to ask regarding it. Near as I can tell not many (300-500) people from the 174th have gone over seas since Desert Shield/Storm, and each time it was for a year or less. Mostly pilots (maybe support crews too?) for air support/patrol of no-fly zones and such.

I'm going in for computer/network support so I'm probably not needed as much as combat trained units or even air support. Then again, I've always dreamed of flying so maybe I'll try for pilot.

On a different note, does anyone have a pistol/CCW permit? It seems to take an act of god to get one in NY so I'm wondering if you automatically qualify for one being in the military, or if it makes it easier/faster.

Oh, and yeah I saw a $15,000 enlistment bonus for something.... Maybe a 6 year enlistment.... Not sure. THAT would sure help!!!

[Qslim]

If you join the guard or reserve, you will deploy, and you'll deploy regularly. One thing to keep in mind here is that the guard exists to augment the regular active duty guys when their numbers are being stretched thin, as they are right now. Of course, I work on jets, so I don't know for certain that the same holds true for computer dudes as it does for maintainers, but every guard or reserve guy that I went to basic and tech school with deployed within a couple of months, and some of them have gone back several times on a regular basis.
In active duty, there are commands and wings that don't directly have anything to do with the war, and thus aren't even in the deployment cycle (mostly R&D and test wings, like the one I'm at). The guard and reserve are around to make sure that the guys working at these bases can keep on doing what they're doing without getting pulled away from their mission, and that means deploying, and doing it often.
Not that it's a bad thing, though. It's good experience, and luckily your deployment will be based on how long a squadron of 25 year old jets can fly combat missions without falling out of the sky, which isn't too long at all. The guys I know are gone for around 180 days usually.
As far as basic training goes, it'll go by in a flash. Look at the big picture, don't let something like 6 weeks of BMT and a couple months of tech school influence your decision too much. The first year will be rough, but you'll find a groove. Get all the info you can and make an informed decision.

[steviestyles]

Originally Posted by edsyoung

That's where my tech school was at years ago. Spent 6 months down there. So are you a 2E2X1 stationed at McGuire? I was a T2A5X3A teaching comm stuff for the TALCE/CRG folks.

Yep...2E2 stationed at McGuire in the Comm Sq. Were you in the CRG at McGuire at one point?

[edsyoung]

Originally Posted by steviestyles

Yep...2E2 stationed at McGuire in the Comm Sq. Were you in the CRG at McGuire at one point?

Knew a lot of the Comm and AGE folks there from previous assignments and by them coming through the courses at the AMWC and now the Expeditionary Center.