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Joining the National Guard: 10 Questions for your Recruiter

April 6, 2011 By admin

Are you interested in joining the National Guard? This is a choice that tens of thousands of people make every year. Some find that this is the best branch of the military for them. If you have any interest in joining, you need to answer many questions and collect detailed information before making a final decision.

To get started, click here to request a free information packet on joining the National Guard.

Before you join, you will want to speak one on one with a National Guard recruiter. This will give you the chance to ask a number of questions. If you do not know where to start, the following 10 questions will put you on the right track.

1. What is the National Guard? This may seem like a basic question, but it is one that you definitely need to get answered before making a commitment. This is a big change to your life, and you want to know exactly what you are getting into.

Sure, you can find out a lot about the National Guard online but there is no replacement for having a recruiter, somebody in a position of power, explain everything to you.

2. What are the requirements for joining the National Guard? This is a question that you definitely need to ask. In fact, it is something you should learn sooner rather than later. There is nothing worse than thinking you will qualify to join the National Guard, just to find that this is not the case.

From the first conversation with your recruiter, you should be able to determine if you are eligible. If you are not, it is best to move on instead of wasting your time.

3. Which National Guard career is best for me? This is something that you probably want to think about on your own. That being said, you never know when your recruiter may be able to lend you a little bit of advice.

If you are still worried about choosing a National Guard career, don?t be. You are required to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. This exam will measure your skills in eight key areas, and help you choose the career that is best for you.

4. Which National Guard job is right for me? Some people think that a ?career? and ?job? is the same thing. While they are similar, there are differences that you must be aware of. For instance, you may want to get involved with a medical career ? and that is fine. But you will have to choose a job specialty before moving forward.

It is easier to first choose a career and then select a specialty that you will enjoy.

5. What does the National Guard have to offer in terms of education? In short, you want to talk about things such as the tuition assistance program. This helps you pay for your college education.

Don?t have a high school diploma? No problem. The National Guard also has a program that can help you get your GED as soon as possible.

The National Guard knows how important a good education is. For this reason, they have many programs to help Guard members. This is something you definitely want to discuss with your recruiter, especially if you are interested in attending college.

6. How much training must I go through as I get started in the National Guard? This is a question that many prospective members overlook. Your recruiter can discuss both Basic Combat Training (10 weeks) and Advanced Individual Training (varies based on your job specialty).

You should not look at training as a bad thing. Instead, this is something that will help prepare you for your stint in the Guard, as well as a civilian career in the future.

7. How can I become an officer in the National Guard? Some people strive for more. If this sounds like you, it is important to learn what it takes to become an officer. Your recruiter can talk to you more about this process, including how the ROTC program works.

8. Do I get paid as a member of the National Guard? The short answer to this question is yes, but there are so many variables that you really need to ask your recruiter for more information. You are not going to join the National Guard to get rich. Of course, you still owe it to yourself to know how much you will get paid including any bonus you may be eligible for.

9. Can members of the National Guard go into combat? If you are terrified at the thought of going into combat, a position in the National Guard or any other branch of the military is probably a bad move.

This is a point of discussion with your recruiter.

10. After getting off active duty, why should I join the National Guard? Many members of the National Guard first served in another branch of the military. You may have an urge to get involved once again with defending your country. In this case, joining the National Guard makes a lot of sense. Your recruiter can give you more information on why this makes sense, as well as the benefits involved.

If you are thinking about joining the National Guard, contact a recruiter today. During your appointment, discuss the 10 questions above as well as any others that have been on your mind.

Filed Under: Careers

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebecca says

    October 21, 2013 at 8:10 pm

    I’m pretty short, but fit and able to move and run, but would they let me be a national guard? And would I be sent to combat a lot ?

  2. tom says

    October 22, 2014 at 8:22 pm

    My wife has a family member in the guard. They have a son just born but not married so do they need to get married for the son to get the benefits?

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