National Guard Information: What You Need to Know

Anybody interested in joining the National Guard should collect as much free information as possible. Some people end up joining the Guard; others end up passing on this for the time being. As long as you do your homework and learn as much as you can about this option, you should be able to make an informed final decision.

If you have any interest in joining the National Guard, click here to request a free National Guard career information packet along with details that will help you make up your mind.

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National Guard Details

Before you can join the National Guard and be happy with your decision, there are a few things you must first learn.

1. Types of careers. Are you under the impression that all National Guard jobs are nothing more than front line fighting? This is anything but the case. There are many types of careers that you can get involved with. In fact, this is one of the number one reasons to join the National Guard. Some of the most popular career path options include: infantry, armor and field artillery, aviation, medical, military police, transportation, logistics support, mechanic and maintenance, signal and military intelligence, engineer, administrative, interpreter/translators, and Special Forces.

2. Types of jobs. This is the same as the ?types of careers? right? In some cases yes, in some cases no. The difference between the two should be easy to see. The career fields listed above are generalized. Within each category there are many jobs. For instance, saying that you want to work in the engineering field is just the start. From here, you need to choose a specific specialty such as combat engineer, power line distribution specialist, technical engineer, general engineering supervisor, etc.

3. Training, training, and more training. This may sound like one of the worst parts of joining the National Guard, but soon enough you will find that this is not the case. The training that you receive should be looked upon as something special. Even though it may not sound like a great deal on your side of things, it will really get you off to a good start.

To start, you will go through Basic Combat Training just like everybody else who joins the National Guard. From there, you will move onto Advanced Individual Training. This is when you begin to prepare for the career field and specific job that you have chosen. Advanced Individual Training can last anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year. No matter how long you train, one thing is for sure: when you are complete you will know exactly what you are doing. Not only can this training help you while you are in the National Guard, but once you move on it will allow you to find a high quality civilian job.

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4. Pay. Even though most people don?t join the National Guard for the money, this is something that you want to become familiar with. How much you earn is based on your rank as well as the number of years you have served. During your first year, you will not make any less than $179 for every weekend that you drill.

On top of regular pay, cash bonuses are given to those who choose certain career paths.

5. Frequently asked questions. As somebody interested in joining the National Guard you are going to have many questions ? all of which require answers. Make sure you seek out and find the proper answers before moving forward. From free information online to requesting a meeting with a local recruiter, you can find the answers you need.

Believe it or not, you can learn a lot about the National Guard without ever speaking to a recruiter. Of course, when you are ready to get serious you need to touch base with somebody who knows exactly what they are doing; this is usually a recruiter.

All of this National Guard information can be had for free, in greater depth.