This thread sucks at life so far.

Better to go into things with a thorough understanding than be one of the guys who spends four years doing some job they hate because things did not quite pan out the way the recruiter said it would . . .

 

I'm pretty sure my information is correct for the following, but I may be off on some of the National Guard specific details.

 

1) If you join a line company in one of the NG SFGs, you belong to that unit prior to selection.  They send you off to SFAS and the rest of the pipeline, during which time you're assigned to SWC, but on completion of training you revert back to your assigned NG unit.  (Pretty much the same thing as would happen if you joined, say, a 'Guard infantry unit and they sent you to basic and AIT and then back to your 'Guard unit.)

 

In the NG you're technically not an 18X, you're a Rep 63 (if I remember that correctly), which is pretty much the same difference, with the same infantry basic/AIT and airborne start point for the pipeline before you go to selection and on to SF specific training.

 

2) The basic "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" thing pretty much sums it up, except that NG SF companies get some extra training days during the year (not sure how many except that the two weeks a year is usually three weeks).

 

You can do a lot more than that (the often discussed "guard bum" approach to employment), if you are willing and able to go to additional schools and/or cover down on other training or real world missions that come up overseas and stateside.  There are both voluntary and involuntary deployment possibilities out there, depending on whether it's your unit that got tapped for the deployment or if another NG SF unit (or active duty one) is looking for additional personnel to get them up to strength for a trip.

 

3) The pipeline will run about a year to two years, depending on which specialty you go in for.  18B and C are the shortest, 18E is longer, 18D is the longest with an entire year of medical training.  

GOP,

 

There's a ton of good SF info at professionalsoldiers.com.  Much more than you can find at Socnet.  I've not found a site that's more SF specific with and with so many former SF soldiers posting.

 

Warning: they appear to be unmerciful with anyone who comes across as a pretender, wanna be, or a Walter Mitty type. 

 

It would be a bad, wrong thing to go there and start asking and talking "Green Beret" this, and "Green Beret" that.  If I were you I'd go there to lurk and read.  If you spend some time there searching many of your questions will probably be answered without having to register and ask anyway.

 

I hope this helps. 

1) How does this process work? Would I go to an Army recruiter, sign up under a "Rep 63" contract, then join a SFG (2Oth SFG(A) is 40 minutes from my house, and their website lists a recruiter). Also, do I train/meet the team before I go through the pipeline, and if so any idea how that works?

2) Honestly, if I make it through the selection process, I'd probably train as often as possible. I live here, so the opportunity would be readily availible I would guess.

 

3) With my goal to be a weapons Sgt, it would take around 18-20 months. I don't really think I have much say in deciding that though.

 

Also, I just read 20th groups homepage, and it appears they do mandatory schools, are deployed yearly, and do monthly drills. Awesome. Their AOR is South/Central America...is there much action to be found there? I guess the whole 'war on drugs' thing is still active, and possibly training government forces?

1)  You join through a National Guard recruiter.  The recruiter POC listed for 20th Group is probably the best guy as far as recruiters go to talk to if he is the assigned recruiter for the Group.

 

As for location, you want to join one of the line companies -- Auburn, Decatur or Mobile -- not the HQ/support units in Birmingham or Huntsville.  The line companies will do a much better job of getting you ready for going to selection than the other options.

If you join a line unit you should be able to contact them directly and arrange to go meet people in the unit, observe NQP (non-qualified personnel -- guys waiting for selection and the rest of the pipeline) training, and such.  As far as I know, NQPs are not ever assigned to a specific team, but once you're in the company and get past selection you can probably sort out which ODA they're leaning towards slotting you for.

 

(Though don't read too much into ODA assignment -- these days active and reserve units are basically building ODAs for specific deployments rather than having them long-term units.  You'll move around as needed.)

 

2) If you're in Alabama, a lot of 20th Group's training is done in-state, yes.  Once you get an 18 series MOS there's a lot of money out there for training. 

 

3) 18B can be done in one year for guys who're already in, so 18-20 months sounds about right if you're coming in off the street and have basic and AIT to figure in to the mix.

 

As for the 20th Group website, it sounds like the info there is somewhat dated, but the NG SF guys are pretty busy with training and real world missions by reserve unit standards. 

 

There are also some rumors that the powers that be are thinking about bringing back 11th and 12th Groups (USAR SF), but even if they did, I don't imagine they'd be any closer or more convenient than 20th if you're in Alabama.

1) Yeah, I have the recruiters name (listed at 20th's site), and he's who I would work with I guess. As far as meeting them before hand, Im sure Im gonna be heavily looked down upon, being as I'll be an 18 year old kid fresh out of HS....and they are 25+ year old guys who have been on several combat deployments and hold civilian jobs as well. No problem though, I'd expect that.

 

2) If I'm a 20 year old (by the end of selection), would it be possible to go to College as well as doing a few other schools, or is that not likely.

 

3) Yeah, 20th group is extremely close. I know exactly where there HQ is, ride by it occasionally I believe without even knowing it (if it is where it is listed). Auburn is within 2:00 from me, Decatur is 1:45 from me, and Mobile is 3:30 from me...so it's very doable.

 

Now, into the bonus questions:

 

4) Would they teach me anything that would help me get through the pipeline? Like orienteering,etc?

 

5) How is the acedemic portion of the courses? I struggle in math to be honest, so I should probably perfect that as much as possible before selection.

 

6) Do I ask too many damn questions?

 

Just wanted to let you know Horsesoldier that I really respect you and thank you man. You have helped me out tremendously over the few years I have been a member here, and have listened to alot of my BS and unrealistic/unthought out goals, and have always provided me with top notch info regardless of how many questions I ask or how often we disagreed on seperate topics (Like when I used to say "Navy SEALs are the best, blah blah blah" and you took a more reasonable approach). So I really appreciate it.

 

Longrifle, Im definitely gonna check that site out for sure. That'll be great. And don't worry, Im definitely not gonna post there or at SOCNET. Im not an idiot, I would be absolutely destroyed by those dudes if a inexperienced kid like me posted there.

 

GOP,

 

There is a recent thread there on the 20th Group page about how long it took someone to go through the pipeline.  He said about 2 1/2 years.

It appears they upped the minimum age limit to 20. That sucks.

 

Anyone know any cool jobs in the guard outside of regular infantry? I highly doubt there is a guard AB or Ranger unit, and they don't list anything other than 11b, 11c, or 11z in the combat arms side of things. I'm gonna look into USMC reserve units, etc.

I wish we had an edit button here.

 

Anyway, I'll probably go 11b in the Guard and go to as many schools as possible. Would it be possible to go to jump school (that one has a particular interest to me), or many other schools once in unit?

 

Generally speaking the 'Guard has fewer school opportunities than active duty, and you're usually restricted to stuff that is mandatory for your MOS and duty position/rank (SF team guys are much better funded than most NG units).  So unless you joined an airborne unit, jump school is probably out, etc (unless you also do college ROTC, in which case jump school is pretty routine) -- and airborne units in the NG are pretty uncommon.

 

That said, there is an airborne infantry unit (LRS unit, specifically) in the Georgia NG.  I believe they're located in Atlanta, or somewhere in the Atlanta area.  I've also met a couple of Air National Guard TACPs who'd been sent to jump school, but I don't know how that works, exactly, as I think it has something to do with if the unit has a mission to support specific army units on jump status or something like that.

 

 

I wish we had an edit button here.

 

Anyway, I'll probably go 11b in the Guard and go to as many schools as possible. Would it be possible to go to jump school (that one has a particular interest to me), or many other schools once in unit?

The Airborne unit in Georgia seems like a great option, I wish there was a way I could find out more info on that. Do you know the unit name? Also, do you typically have to live in the state where you serve? I am 2 hours from Atlanta, which would be easy to do...but since Im in Alabama Im not sure if thats possible or not.

I was hoping to be able to hit up Airborne school, Ranger school, pathfinder school, possibly sniper school, and eventually SFAS (and the remaining SF pipeline). None of that is probably gonna happen Im sure, as Im sure funding is pretty low like you say in NG units. So (another question, sorry man), what schools would pertain to 11b?

The Airborne unit in Georgia seems like a great option, I wish there was a way I could find out more info on that. Do you know the unit name? Also, do you typically have to live in the state where you serve? I am 2 hours from Atlanta, which would be easy to do...but since Im in Alabama Im not sure if thats possible or not.

Had to Google them, but it's Company H, 1-121st Infantry (LRS).  See: 78thtroop.com/221stmi/lrs/LRS_Gallery/unithistory.html  (no www. on the front of that)

 

According to Global Security, they're in "Newman" which I'm thinking should probably be "Newnan."

 

As far as I know, there is no requirement whatsoever to match up your home state in terms of residence with the state whose NG you serve in.  At least the units from 20th and 19th Group I've worked with seem to have plenty of guys who commute across state lines to serve.

If you went into an NG LRS unit, I think you'd be required to get airborne.  I would think that if you make some rank (E-5 is probably a minimum) Ranger School is a possibility, and the Recon and Surveillance Leaders Course is probably another option (also run by the Ranger Training Brigade -- shorter, but more focused course).  No idea if they'd have sniper slots -- there are some NG infantry units with snipers on their MTOE, though.

 

SFAS from there would require switching units and states back to Alabama (or elsewhere with 19th or 20th Group units), but I don't think that's overly complicated.

 

For a standard 11B in a mech or light infantry unit, you're probably looking at infantry OSUT for initial entry training and then anything else would be luck of the draw, except for required NCO education or unit level events like Combat Lifesaver/TC3 or Expert Infantry Badge train up/testing.

USMCR in Alabama has, I think, a Force Recon company or part of a company down near Mobile.  They've also got an artillery unit(s) in the state, or did back when I was in high school and college down that way.

On the National Guard and Army Reserve side of things, the jobs I'd say might be pretty interesting and provide some valuable skills (besides combat arms specialties) would be stuff on the intel side of the house.  Lot of interesting work going on there, and a background in MI (and the clearance to go with it) can open doors with federal law enforcement and various other interesting government agencies.  There are assorted MI slots in various kinds of units (including SFGs and conventional combat arms units), and I also think the Army Reserve has some larger MI units down your way -- might require a commute to Atlanta or the Nashville area, though (may be wrong on that).

 

EOD is a growth industry, and job skills that wouldn't hurt if you go on into SF or other SOF units, or civilian law enforcement.  According to Global Security, Alabama has a number of EOD units in state, and I'm pretty sure there are some Army Reserve EOD units that are located in and around Huntsville (where they teach ammo handler and EOD AIT).

 

Being a medic can be the best job going in the military (being, say, a platoon medic) or can be like watching paint dry (working hospital or TMC settings, etc.), so I'd say only go that route if you can be sure you're going to a combat arms unit or something else that interests you. 

 

While it's not SF, there is a unit in the Mississippi Army NG that flies MH-60s that rolled down to them from the 160th.  I'm not sure where in the state they're based, but being a crew chief with them or the like might be cool.

 

Mississippi and Georgia both have TACP units in their Air NG side of things, and I think there's an AF Reserve AFSOC unit at Eglin in Florida.  There are some AIR NG and AF Reserve Rescue Squadrons and Special Tactics guys, but I don't think any of those are in commuting distance if you're in central Alabama.

 

I think that's pretty much a complete data dump on SE USA units that I can think of that might be within driving distance and such.  Some of my information may be off (some of it's coming of Global Security, etc.) but the above may give you some ideas on directions to go if you're looking for something to do for a couple years until you're eligible for going SF.

GOP, besides 11b infantry you might want to check out 19d (cavalry scout). It's like a combination of armor, reconaissence, and infantry. Your standard cavalry unit is usually better funded than your standard infantry unit. Almost all the scouts I know love their jobs (the same cannot be said for the infantry).

 

Horse, I might be wrong, but didn't you say you were a 19d when you were in the regular army?