California National Guard

[Levi123]

I'd recommend joining as a nurse, I think it's one of the best jobs in the Army besides a PA, and they get big bonuses yearly

Hey thanks for the information. It's true you will get both sides of the story. Just did a 12 hour shift in BDE ops with a PT/former W1 with 160th, who ETS'd at like 11 years, did PT school in the reserves, and commissioned this year direct.

That being said I have a 3.35 at SNHU so im low speed. I gotta do one thing at a time. So I will likely ETS, go to grad school, if not PT then something else, then come back in the reserves because I know I want to still do more with my Army career. Thanks for the advice

[tomk556]

Timely thread as I have been considering joining the Army or Naval Reserves (but think I'm too old for the Naval Reserves).

I'm 44 years old, Registered Nurse for 14 years with both adult and pediatric critical care experience and some CCT experience (rotor wing, fixed wing and ground). I make very good money as an RN in the Bay Area, but bored in my current job, feel like I'm spinning why wheels and not really challenged. Always regretted not enlisting in the military when I was younger. I have no debt currently aside from rent. Student laans are paid off, car is paid off, don't have any revolving debt.

After reading through this thread I'm not really sure if it's a good idea anymore. Definitely welcome any advice, pros/cons, or just flat out tell me I'm nuts to be considering this at my age.

[Levi123]

This was my experience. My only regret is not joining sooner. It has been a very rewarding experience. I still remember standing in line in the DFAC in basic, with my tray held tight to my chest, head straight, sneaking a look around with my eyeballs and just being so grateful to have finally joined and really just soaking it in. I absolutley don't regret joining.

[Snoopy47]

My only regret is not joining sooner.

Agreed..........

I was in basic at 38yo and my experience was mostly just watching young folk flounder and grow and have this life altering experience that was going to be a foundational part of their lives.

I was there to check the box. I knew every bluff the Drill SGT's threw at us. I knew everything was a game, but for everyone else it was real.

Then I realized there was so much in my life prior to joining that I would have benefited from learning its all BS (the entirety of the Army is just jumping through hoops), and you don't have to worry about everything being perfect. I didn't figure that out until I was in my late 20s and would have benefited greatly 10 years sooner.

I also trusted people much longer in life and would have benefited knowing much sooner people's priority is their own agenda over pretty much everything else.

*****
We were given THREE blank rounds to carry in our magazines. If we lost one we were done for. A battle buddy lost one, and he was FREAKING OUT.

Then I remembered, while there were only three platoons, there were facilities for FOUR. Which meant extra supplies (to include magazines and loose blank rounds). So I pilfered from the unsecured vacant platoon supplies and gave it to my battle.

Problem solved.

He got to learn that lesson at 19. I was still freak'n out into my late 20's.

*******

But as pointed out, we joined, and get to say we did while most others don't.

I tell my Joes that flag in a parade is as much for you as it is the guy that put a bullet between Bin Ladin's head. It will never be for the CEO of Google.

[Mustard]

Glad to hear it was a good choice for y'all. I swore in on April 8, at 35 years of age. I'm looking forward to the new adventure, and hearing that older guys joined and felt it was a rewarding experience is encouraging.

Did any of y'all get extra "love" for being the old guy in the group?

[Snoopy47]

Did any of y'all get extra "love" for being the old guy in the group?

Any extra anything you get in Basic isn't out of love. You'll get singled out for sure, and with the current age limits probably be the oldest in TRADOC if not among the top few in your class.

You will be older than most your Drill SGTs. Probably all the ones you see day to day.

In basic I was put in a leadership position right out of the gate, only of course to be made an example of and have it taken away ASAP so a young person can get the experience.

In AIT I was one of the few in a leadership (squad leader) position to keep his job the entire time, but I think mostly out of reason to keep a constant older person among the mix during company wide student leadership meetings. Also, in AIT you could only be in a class leadership position if you were fitness GREEN, academic GREEN, and discipline GREEN. After the first round of academic/fitness tests the list shrank dramatically. So maybe it wasn't my "age" that caused that.

In AIT found myself in a dorm at the end of the hall by the EXIT as my billeting. The one other guy older than me (by a few months) was at the end of his hall down another corridor.

In AIT the 1SG like to single me out because I was older than him AND have a Master's degree. Him being only HS educated liked his position over me.

*******
Be rest assured, never will the entire company be smoked, and Cadre say, oh, but not you Old Guy, you're one of us.

If you want to be the guy that doesn't get smoked, you need to be the reason why everyone else is getting smoked.

The most frustrating thing you might notice (maybe no one liked me, so who knows) is the young little F-er's wont heed your warnings. You are not a wise older person, you are a POS just like them, and the Cadre generally don't treat you any differently so the little F-er's don't see you any differently. My efforts were in vain, so after a month I just didn't worry about it.

Remember, the kids are all over themselves and the males are out impressing females. It literally is like high school because half of them are just out of from there.

The kids are all homesick but for me, Basic wasn't even the length of one fiscal quarter. I never understood why they hid food, phones, or bartered for candy from the MREs. In fact, if I got Skittles (which I dont like at all) I NEVER bartered. I simply gave it away. First hand got it. I never bartered. If anything I wanted to convey is share among your Battle Buddies without personal greed or hoarding.

**********

I did run one kid into the ground administratively. He was a F-up, and wasn't making it easier for the rest of us. One day he threatened me, and said "I'm going to kick your *** old man." So I threw him under the bus, and the Drill SGT's feast upon him.

I wrote a note to the DS's and slipped it under the door. I effectively said, PVT threatened me with physical violence. But the HOOK to what I wrote was: "If I were to go to sick call (which they could NOT stop me) I would check the box on the in processing form":

I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY ENVIRONMENT

At which, I knew very well the entire administrative process would be taken out of the hands of the Drill SGT's and handled at a level above the company commander.

He ended up getting caught with a phone, faced an Article 15, and decided to quit. So I didn't throw a fellow soldier under the bus that didn't deserve it. He never finished anyway.

[Mustard]

I expected some level of authority, mostly since I'm coming in as an E-4, and to a small amount my age and education (BS/MS). I'm not dying for the responsibility, but figured I'd get stuck w/ it. Therein lies the end of the special treatment I expect.

As long as I am otherwise treated as poorly as the rest of my cadre, I think I'll have a good time

[Snoopy47]

I expected some level of authority.........

........E-4...............

I think I'll have a good time

Just a recommendation not to the use the word "Authority" in reference to yourself while in basic.

[Mustard]

Just a recommendation not to the use the word "Authority" in reference to yourself while in basic.

"You know, Drill Sgt, I'm going to be an officer soon so you'll want to listen to me before I pull rank on you...."

R.I.P.

[tomk556]

"You know, Drill Sgt, I'm going to be an officer soon so you'll want to listen to me before I pull rank on you...."

R.I.P.

[Mustard]

Don't know what an 09-S is, but my recruiter put me in as an E-4, with the intent to get me into OCS shortly thereafter. Assuming schedules work out, i'll be a butter bar around January/ February of next year

Hoping to get into aviation thereafter (fighting forrest fires from a blackhawk was the final thing that got me motivated), but i'm just stoked i finally got off my *** and did the thing

[riserdive]

Mustard,

MOS 09S is OCS Candidate. It is a temporary MOS placeholder, for people who do not have a MOS yet.

Similarly,09R is a Reserve ROTC 'simultaneous membership' service member.

Even the people contracted for any one of the standard MOSs technically hold 09U (Initial Entry Soldier) until they graduate AIT and are awarded 11B, 13F, 68W, etc..

[jstert]

California National Guard

i spent 25 years in the reserves, nothing exciting, 4 yrs air national guard enlisted, 1yr arng enlisted, 20 yrs usnr officer. best, most productive time was in ang, arng was pits, usnr was blah. i was a student when enlisted and my ang unit was very accommodating. i even got extra drills and active duty to serve as a summer job.

my advice is to enlist in a decent ang/afres unit, leaning to afres to avoid unit politics and extra state duty in the national guard. done right the reserves can be interesting and even fun enough to hang around for 20 good retirement years. getting a small, but inflation indexed & secure, pension plus health insurance at 60yrs old has been very much worth it.


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[CheapBloke]

I spent 4 years active 2000-04 as 11C.
I do want to join reserves or nasty gi... err nvm, only reserves., I am 38 now, and I am sure I have until almost end of year to rejoin, but I am out of shape and years of smoking did no help to my health.
Do I have a chance still? Lol.
Re-enlistment code is 01?

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[Snoopy47]

I spent 4 years active 2000-04 as 11C.
I do want to join reserves or nasty gi... err nvm, only reserves., I am 38 now, and I am sure I have until almost end of year to rejoin, but I am out of shape and years of smoking did no help to my health.
Do I have a chance still? Lol.
Re-enlistment code is 01?

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On paper it looks like you are good to go. Your fitness condition is on you. The thing you might be concerned about is getting through a medical at MEPS.

If you can clear MEPS a recruiter will probably be more than happy to work with you.

In regard to your FITNESS, well, the Reserves is not like Active Duty, and what I mean is the time in service CLOCK STARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! the moment you sign the contract, and NOT your ship date.

That said........... get to a recruiter, clear MEPS ASAP, and sign a contract. Pick a unit and MOS that will push your shipment date as far as you can get, and then use that time to get in shape (for me I had 6 months before I shipped).

I don't know what you have in terms of awards, but if you deployed or have a CAB that would make an interesting mix into the pack of kids you'll be lumped in with.