California National Guard

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/l...ion/p4013coll2

The Master of Military Art and Science (MMAS) program began in 1964 at the US Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC). CGSC regular course students may elect to take a set of electives, write a thesis, and earn an accredited Masters. This collection contains all the publicly releasable monographs produced since the program began in 1964. MMAS theses provide in-depth research on historical events, operational issues, and organizations, both existing and proposed.

https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Jour...at-a-Distance/

****Not only can students enroll in skill identifier-producing programs, they can also pursue a Master of Military Art and Science (MMAS) degree as part of the electives program****

It's probably already nothing you don't already know.

What I am NOT finding is the exact course syllabus that spells out the path to the Master's Degree. They say it can be done, but how?

The reason you won't find it is that for the DDE (distance learning) students, it doesn't exist. You have to complete the War College before you can apply. The one's who go to the 10 month ILE course can apply for it and get it.

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by rero360

Supersapper:

Not a CSM yet, infantry line company 1SG. I honestly don’t care what pot of money it comes from, I just want to ensure my soldiers and I who take the initiative to knock out these online classes get paid for our efforts, and sadly there’s damn few of us. Only one of my PSGs is actually an E7, and only two of my E6s are promotable with one being my AGR supply Sergeant. Now that I think of it, I am getting a new Readiness NCO and I think he’s an E7, but even still, we don’t have enough E6s or E5s either.

I agree...anyone who takes the initiative should be rewarded for their efforts. I hate the issue of removing the points and pay they had before.

I'm looking into finding out how to get paid.

[tomk556]

For everyone’s amusement and edification: I tried this semester to take two on campus classes at a community college in the evenings. Made some adjustments to my day on the ADOS side to allow me to get there on time and factored it into my TDY trips. Well, on the mday side, got a heads up last weekend that our YTC will be changing for the fourth time this year and AT will not be 27 days because we’re doing advon. The new dates conflict by several weeks with finals. I asked if an accommodation was possible and both instructors said it’s not feasible. That’s that. Classes dropped. About 300 in books down the drain. Fortunately the school had waived tuition. So yeah!

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by tomk556

That’s that. Classes dropped. About 300 in books down the drain. Fortunately the school had waived tuition. So yeah!

If this sounds like I'm bragging then I'm sorry, but I'm annoyed low level commanders (Company and Battalion) don't just let things slide in regard to meeting training requirements.

I'm a 47 y/o 1LT so I have a much different perspective than a 27 y/o LT in command. At the end of the day, the USAR training mission doesn't matter. A soldier not being present for AT isn't the end of the world. The fact if I don't make mission requirements of head count, leadership present, and mission capabilities means absolutely nothing.

I am the only one that writes my Annual Performance Review. I refer to things that I accomplished PERIOD, not benchmarks that the unit failed to meet.

So after I started figuring out all the insanity I just blew it off once I figured out I could say "NO", or simply not return voice mails in a timely manner.

I'll get around to it. If the USAR wants my time that comes with a price. Since they don't pay for it, they get the time I have to give them as charity.

I literally let another soldier miss so many BA weekends (in order to attend his weekend MBA school) he came up as a non participant, and guess what, Battalion asked me what the hell was going on.

But you know what? Who cares............... During his most hectic year he STILL HAD FIFTY ONE POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So doesn't matter what higher thought, he still had a "good year".

So that's all that matters. Good years (that count toward retirement years), and getting promoted. Nothing else really matters.

Since that's the case, then why run folks into the ground.

The USAR is oblivious to the fact they are burning up all their Goodwill with soldiers during periods of time where it doesn't matter. Soldiers just walk away the moment the window is opened, and aren't there when the chips are down and the country needs them later.

[IrishJoe3]

Snoopy, will you be my commander?! Standing applause for you sir....

As a PSG, I have seen so many good, motivated patriotic troops come in, sacrifice so much to be a reserve Soldier, only to get treated like crap. Like clockwork, they see through the 'Army Family' lie, they get jaded and burnt and just leave. And my experience leaves with them and I'm stuck leading a perpetual revolving door of inexperienced troops.

[tomk556]

It’s spot on about crushing the good will for nothing. For this 27 day AT, really only about a third of the company needs to be there advon. Everyone else will have literally no task to perform and will just be tasked out doing bs. I’m okay with getting hosed a little because I have it good on the full time side and the guard has worked out well for me. But for all the soldiers? It’s like I have nothing and I’m not the kind of leader who can try and spin something as positive when it’s clearly bs. I have some time before command (hopefully) and I’ll at least aspire towards pushing back and asking if it’s really THAT necessary, or if it’s just convenient...

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by tomk556

It’s spot on about crushing the good will for nothing. For this 27 day AT, really only about a third of the company needs to be there advon. Everyone else will have literally no task to perform and will just be tasked out doing bs. I’m okay with getting hosed a little because I have it good on the full time side and the guard has worked out well for me. But for all the soldiers? It’s like I have nothing and I’m not the kind of leader who can try and spin something as positive when it’s clearly bs. I have some time before command (hopefully) and I’ll at least aspire towards pushing back and asking if it’s really THAT necessary, or if it’s just convenient...

So, I just manage to escape a major bullet, but the new commander got screwed.

28 day NTC is on the books for the next three years. While this is scary, the original OPORD was for only 30PAX. With 180 PAX on my books I was thinking WOW, this might actually work out. I can certainly find 30 folks that don't mind going and not crush anyone else that needs out of this nonsense.

HOWEVER, our ORGANIC Battalion will be running the TA and we will be reporting to them. Sooooooooooo................ they want everyone to go. It's clear as day to me they want all the organic bodies they can get so they can boss them around much more effective than some company that isn't part of their rating chain once the exercise is over.

It's clear as day our company will be tasked out for absolutely every single thing that pops up during the exercise and there will be no reason to reach down to other companies attached during the exercise.

I've learned.

Not

My

Problem

Sorry Irish Joe, I'm not going to be anyone's commander after the nonsense of the last two years running an RFX company of legitimate size and METL. I got nothing for my troubles and it's taking nearly four years to get to CPT when others get there in two merely by luck of their commission year and when boards come up.

I'm in a place now where there are 4 CPT vacancies, 3 MAJ vacancies, and 3 LTC vacancies all above me in staff positions in my Branch, and I don't have the time to make it to full COL. So I'm going to coast here for the duration of my career.

Hell, I got a certified letter in the mail from the Reserves the other day, and my heart sank. Turned out it was merely a welcome letter from my new unit. WHO THE HELL HAS TIME TO DO THAT.

My unit, that's who

Sign in is at 0730 formation at 0800.

HOLY HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!

My new unit I have a 30 mile drive, and I literally will be getting an hour more of SLEEP than I will at my last assignment when I was sleeping in my OFFICE at Battle Assembly the night before.

[Supersapper]

Snoopy,

Congrats on the new unit. And also on the escape!

Call when you get a chance,

Sapper

[Mustard]

This may be the wrong thread/ subforum, but here goes...

Are national guard afforded any special considerations when it comes to gun laws? Like how LEO are exempt from the roster?

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Mustard

This may be the wrong thread/ subforum, but here goes...

Are national guard afforded any special considerations when it comes to gun laws? Like how LEO are exempt from the roster?

NOPE.........

Nor can you own a rifle similar to the one the state will arm you with, nor can you practice the course of fire the state will require to you qualify.

[tomk556]

Well one alibi on that: you don’t have to have a firearms safety card (or whatever it’s called these days) with a military id, but that’s it.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

NOPE.........

Nor can you own a rifle similar to the one the state will arm you with, nor can you practice the course of fire the state will require to you qualify.

Well that sucks. Any ideas of how the rifle is configured (optics/sights, barrel length, stock), or the course of fire which I'll have to qualify against? You know... to know what I'm missing out on as a regular civilian?

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Well that sucks. Any ideas of how the rifle is configured (optics/sights, barrel length, stock), or the course of fire which I'll have to qualify against? You know... to know what I'm missing out on as a regular civilian?

Who knows.....

Went to basic with an M4 with irons

My MI reserve unit had M16s

Qualified pistol with M9

Deployed with M4 with ACOG and Glock 19

********

Now, finding a range where you can load 20 rounds in an AR15 and fire out as far as 300m from the kneeling and prone. That’s another challenge.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

Who knows.....

Went to basic with an M4 with irons

My MI reserve unit had M16s

Qualified pistol with M9

Deployed with M4 with ACOG and Glock 19

********

Now, finding a range where you can load 20 rounds in an AR15 and fire out as far as 300m from the kneeling and prone. That’s another challenge.

At what distance does the army zero their rifles?

UPDATE: Google says 25/300m. I didn't find anything about what range vs standing/ kneeling/ prone though

[tomk556]

Zero at 25. Pop up qual runs from 25-300. No standing. Kneeling I believe doesn’t go past 150m.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by tomk556

Zero at 25. Pop up qual runs from 25-300. No standing. Kneeling I believe doesn’t go past 150m.

[Snoopy47]

If you enjoy shooting, don't go joining the military thinking you're gonna be getting a lot of it. Least of all the USAR and NG.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

If you enjoy shooting, don't go joining the military thinking you're gonna be getting a lot of it. Least of all the USAR and NG.

Yeah, no worries there. Not going for it to shoot more. I get plenty of shooting for my tastes already

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Yeah, no worries there. Not going for it to shoot more. I get plenty of shooting for my tastes already

To answer the question you posed:

---14.5" barrel with standard bird cage flash suppressor
---1:7 twist rate using 62gr green tip
---You can get an M2 front site or if you like the option, Troy makes a fold down A2 front sight. I have one on the front of mine
---Gas block is mid length, carbine
---MATECH AR15 USGI Rear back up iron sight

If you want to set it up as close as possible.

Course of fire is:

20 rounds prone unsupported, meaning no sand bags or help but you can use your elbows.
10 rounds kneeling
10 rounds crouching

You can do it two ways: pop ups or "Alt-C" targets. The most popular if you don't have the expensive pop up range is the Alt C

It's 10 targets on a paper that are scaled down versions of an E silhouette. They are scaled to the size you'd see at the range listed. Point of aim is point of impact. The results are as follows:
3 rounds in 300
3 rounds in 250
3 rounds in 200 (x2)
4 rounds in 150 (x2)
5 each in 50, 100, 100, 100

Any extra hits in each target are counted as misses. For example, if you hit the 300m target 4 times, the 4th hit is a miss.

Here's a vid of the whole idea:
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/57381...-qualification


Sapper

[rero360]

Resting the magazine on the ground during prone unsupported is authorized and in my book, encouraged, reason being is that it is more stable that using just your elbows, it's legal per the regs, and you can then shoot the prone supported exactly the same way in which you have more consistency between the two courses of fire and you are not exerting any force onto the handguard (which is not free-floated) which in turn also increases accuracy. just put your support hand on the front of the mag well and apply pressure straight back into your shoulder (keeping your body straight behind the gun).

Squad Designated Marksman graduate here who also did a little bit of work with my original unit's sniper while in the scout platoon before NY turned us all into MPs.

[Mustard]

Thanks guys. Not sure i want/need another excuse to put together another upper, but i figure iron sights are iron sights. I have 16" free float uppers in 1:7 and 1:8, with various muzzle devices. I run magpul buis,i figure that should be good enough to practice with?

[riserdive]

Mustard,

You're probably overthinking it.. Most arms room M4s are ~3-3.5 minute guns, with ball ammo. Competent shooters can outperform their issued equipment. Realistically, anything you own is probably more accurate than an issued rifle.

If you spend more time practicing transitioning laterally between targets, unsupported, and at varied distances, you'll probably have more value in this training plan than practicing making very small groups.. As a force, we have more people shoot poorly during 'pop up' transition targets than we do during static distance (Like Alt-C). Now factor in crouching and kneeling.

As a force, even in combat arms, marksmanship is not something given a high amount of focus in the Army. There is not as much institutional knowledge as you might imagine (or expect). There are a massive amount of enduring myths and misinformed blocks of instruction.

You could strike 'marksmanship' and insert 'fitness' and the same concepts apply. "Warrior Athlete" is laughable, organizational fitness and nutrition are decades behind the curve [USASOC's Thor3 is pretty good though].

Success in DoD is directly tied to initiative and the amount of effort you put into something outside of the duty day.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by riserdive

Success in DoD is directly tied to initiative and the amount of effort you put into something outside of the duty day.

Yea............ once you qual, that's it, get off the line. There will be a dozen others needing more chances to get a "GO".

The Army will take away the enjoyment of shooting for you. You're going to a three day range qualification battle assembly.

Over those three days,one day will be getting there and setting up the range for the next day. This will probably include you personally being tasked with filling sandbags because the ranges in CA don't have them there filled. Oh, range control will supply you sandbags (empty), but you better hope your 1SG thought ahead enough to remind everyone to bring trench shovels.

I can tell you, NCO's and preferred enlisted will have the better ammo details, and being First Aid details, or Range Control runners. So you personally are filling sandbags.

Then you get a day at the range, which is you personally getting 10 or so rounds to ZERO, then you qualify with 40. That's it. You'll spend an hour plus waiting your turn in the bleachers sh#t talking how awesome you're going to shoot, and then you'll get a 34 because it's hot, you waited two hours, and didn't drink enough. Oh, and those six you miss will be the 75 meters and 150s

Then the day is done, and you'll have to retrograde the range, and get it ready for Range Control to say you guys are OK to leave. Remember those sandbags you filled. Now you get to empty them. That is after you picked up all the brass.

You will have qualified, and no one will care. That SPC who is up for SGT will be on top of the world barely scraping by with a 26 because they can turn in a promotion packet with a passing score. Otherwise, no one really cares.

The following year, you'll hopefully get off the sandbag detail.

Then someone will think it's funny, and buy a pet turtle from a local pet store. Then they'll place it on the range, and call 1SG over and say they found a protected desert tortoise. Range Control will shut down all operations until wiled life services gets there.

[Milsurp1]

I’ve seen aircrew say they saw a rodent on board in order to get a RON in a lucrative location while customs and agriculture clears the plane to continue to the US, but never the turtle on the range trick.

[Mustard]

Over thinking, probably. Learning from calguns and prior service members i meet, the standards for weapons proficiency is startlingly low. But personally, just because the bar for success is low, doesn't excuse me from doing my best (within reason).

And i can't say that i'd get bent out of shape over the "**** **** games". I'm too mature to get riled up on something that is so seemingly inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. I'm here to serve my country, community, experience something new, have fun, and make money (roughly in that order). Assuming no one is seriously blowing their lid or dying (as opposed to blowing their lid as an intimidation tactic), NG is vacation for me

[riserdive]

What Snoopy described is reality in many organizations. ..but not all.

Don't be afraid to move around and find somewhere that is a better fit. The best advice I can offer when you're starting out is don't homestead. If you're spending more than 2-3 years in any single organization you're missing diverse experiences and opportunities. I know countless guys who did 4 years in 1 Company and got out because they were frustrated with how things were done as an organization, when really they were just symptoms of how one or two key leaders did things poorly. The reality is many organizations are not balanced - most tend to be split between being good in the woods OR good at meeting paper metrics and readiness requirements. You should experience both environments as you grow and develop.

I'm lucky that I have 2 President Hundred tabbed guys in my organization, and weapons qualifications run smoothly and efficiently. But our Airborne program is not sustaining itself; I'm one of less than 10 current/qualified jumpmasters in the organization, and I can't seem to grow the program or capability to save my life.. And with zero deployment opportunities for junior enlisted, morale suffers accordingly.

Every command has problems that are unique to it, and not always shared across the force.

[ptmn]

Homesteading isn't too bad if the unit suits you. I spent 26 years in the same unit (31 years total military service). Got to the point where all the overseas deployments, combat and parachuting injuries caught up with me, so I left.

[rero360]

Originally Posted by ptmn

Homesteading isn't too bad if the unit suits you. I spent 26 years in the same unit (31 years total military service). Got to the point where all the overseas deployments, combat and parachuting injuries caught up with me, so I left.

Yup, I did the first ten years in the same Armory, it was an Infantry HHC detachment and I was in the Scout platoon, no one wanted to leave so no one got promoted, everyone in the platoon was in the top slots every year for promotion but we kept turning down the promotions because it meant leaving the platoon. The PSG was former 10th Mountain LRRS and had been in Mogadishu, knew a ton of stuff. It was like that for the first 6 years then the state turned us into MPs and the unit grew in size, everyone got promoted pretty much instantly, and deployed right away. The unit turned toxic after or during the deployment and when the opprtunity came to move to CA I took it and re-classed to 13F, did 3 years with the 18th CAV, did the SFAAT deployment, came back to belonging to the 143 FA, did almost 5 years with them and now am at about a year and a half with the 160 IN.

[Levi123]

I'm ETS'ing next year and thinking of doing reserves as PSYOP or Civil affairs, I checked on ACT and they have an Airborne SQI unit in San Diego and Riverside. I want something that is deployable and holds my interest.

Judging by the posts here, I'm guessing the answer is no, but has anyone seen a Reserve Soldier in Grad School? Plan is to go for Physical Therapy

[riserdive]

Levi, I am very familiar with that organization in San Diego.. I was there for some years as a Detachment Sergeant and jumpmaster. Happy to answer any specific questions by PM.

Please understand that the RC PSYOP community (dudes assigned to USACAPOC) have not done any combat deployments since 2014. Period. Full stop. There are a very small amount of guys (1 Detachment annually) that go to Horn of Africa, and a couple of individual vacancies in support of SOCCENT (Bahrain and Qatar for O3+/E7+, with active TS/SCI). All of those missions will rotate to 2POG next year, and remain there for 4 years. Currently HOA mission is with 353rd POC (Vegas).

It is a fun MOS with lots of opportunities, but not remotely the same mission set that we have on the AC (SOF) side.

[Levi123]

Excellent I will PM you regarding this, thank you riserdive!

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Levi123

..... I'm guessing the answer is no, but has anyone seen a Reserve Soldier in Grad School? Plan is to go for Physical Therapy.....

I had a Platoon Leader that was in grad school.

I basically was willing to fall on the sword, and gave him all the needed excused absences he needed from Battle Assembly. I did this for anyone essentially that was willing to work the system.

It got so bad with his absences he ended up coming up for NON PARTICIPANT. So we had to at least play games with the system and get him to at lease come in for half a day here and there so his pay roll clock would reset and prevent NON PARTICIPANT.

It all ended up working out for him, and nothing blew back in my face as company commander, and ironically he still managed to get a good year with 51 points.

The bottom line however, is you'll probably need a chain of command that puts graduate school as a priority and does their best to work the system and worst just writes you excused absences with your willingness to eat a bad year of less than 50 points.

[tomk556]

Honestly, do grad school first and have it done. Focus on that and get the most out of your program and the 9-11 benefits. Stay in shape and then go back in if you decide to. With a masters in physical therapy maybe that’s a direct commission in the medical corps? The guard at least is not very compatible with going to school, especially if you have a demanding program and need to do in-person labs. You might get your yearly training calendar and then find a way to tailor your school to it. And then it’ll change. And then it’ll change again. And another time. No joke, my unit is on its fourth major calendar change and that’s before all the cancellations for the rona’. The worst is that most of the time you’ll give up and put your unit ahead of school. And then you’ll be sitting somewhere doing nothing, when you dropped a class to be there. I did school before I went in. School is worth doing right and getting as much out of it as you can.

[Levi123]

When I ETS I will be 35, so if I don't go immediately into the reserves, will I be able to come back into reserves at 38? I will still be in IRR

[tomk556]

Originally Posted by Levi123

When I ETS I will be 35, so if I don't go immediately into the reserves, will I be able to come back into reserves at 38? I will still be in IRR

Uggghh, that’s definitely a valid point that you might have to turn to the recruiters for. I want to say it’s enlist by 34, and commission no later than 42, but for prior service it could be different?

[ptmn]

tomk556, you really need to talk to a retention NCO to find out. My old unit it was fine since we were a specialty MOS, but I'm not sure if that's the case with all MOS's.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Levi123

When I ETS I will be 35, so if I don't go immediately into the reserves, will I be able to come back into reserves at 38? I will still be in IRR

As far as I know they subtract your service time from your age at re-enlistment.

So you could join again at 50 with 16+ years of service.

If you are IRR you are still "in" and to get into a drilling unit would be nothing more than transferring out of the IRR like it was any other reserve unit.

[rero360]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

As far as I know they subtract your service time from your age at re-enlistment.

So you could join again at 50 with 16+ years of service.

If you are IRR you are still "in" and to get into a drilling unit would be nothing more than transferring out of the IRR like it was any other reserve unit.

Also these rules seem to change all the time. Case in point, back in 2006 I was getting ready to deploy to Iraq and this old E5 shows up to the unit to deploy with us. We get talking and he rejoined because his son who was a CPT was deploying and he didn't want to sit at home while his son was in a combat zone. I asked him when he picked up E5 and he said it was 1967 in Vietnam as a Marine. So here you have a guy who's at least 57 years old and had been out of the military for almost 40 years but they let him back in. Granted this was just before the Surge and when the Military needed every body they could get their hands on.

[Levi123]

I had heard also that these rules change so often that as of now if you have even more than 24 hours of a break in service you have to go back to Basic. I'm assuming that means one day out of IRR, and not one day after ETS'ing. Cuz that seems excessive.

[riserdive]

Levi,
That is not the current policy for AC/RC/NG Army.

This is the policy: https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_p..._Web_Final.pdf

Army regulation defines a 'prior service' Soldier as someone who has had a break in service for more than 180 days (not a 1 day break..)

Prior service Soldiers who have not attended Army Basic Combat Training, USMC Basic Training, USAF Special Operations Forces training, USN Special Operations Forces training, or USAF Security Forces must attend Basic Combat Training/OSUT.

Prior service Soldiers who have attended one of those programs and have had less than a 5 year break in service are exempt from the requirement to attend Basic Combat Training/OSUT..