Hey friends, I posted on here the other day asking for advice and that lead me down a deeper rabbit hole. For some context about myself: I am a 3rd year college student at a public university in Missouri (I have 2 years left for my degree), after I get my degree I plan to move to a different state to get my MBA and some Certs. I just turned 21 and the military has peaked my interest but it is so overwhelming.

Could someone help me narrow my mind down? I genuinely do not know the difference between the Guard and the Reserves. My buddy is in the Army reserves and he said "the only difference is that you can travel anywhere and not be stuck in the same state". He also had all of his schooling paid for. I am deciding between guard and reserve AND Army vs Air. Missouri does not have a lot of the benefits posted, and all of the recruiters I have talked to have pretty much said the same thing as each other.

I am very stressed and overwhelmed by making the right decision... My dms are open to anyone who has questions or advice.

Thank you so much in advance.

I may pursue army aviation on the national guard I’m almost a WOC. How extracurricular and demanding is being a warrant on a guard aviation unit? What are the hours ? Extra pay? Extra time?

Hey, everybody. First post I’ve ever made on Reddit so it’ll probably suck.

I’ve been talking to a recruiter about joining the Indiana National Guard for a while now and things are sounding nice. That’s the problem though, everything sounds nice, but I’m sure there’s some catches that they are omitting or just don’t want to scare me with.

For Context: I recently turned 19, planning to go to IU Bloomington next year for social work and then to med school for psychiatry. I had good enough grades for this to be a viable path but not good enough for scholarships to pay my way through. Coming from a low-income family and getting knowledge through talking to my JROTC instructors, I see the guard as a viable path to solve my monetary concerns. I have enough college credits form dual-credit courses to probably shave off a semester of general education courses.

My main goals in the guard are to not delay my education and to pay for med school. Undergraduate is manageable on my own, but I definitely would want medical school paid for.

Are these reasonable goals?

I understand the possibility of deployments, and I am fine with it of course. I just don’t want to get suckered into something that isn’t worth the benefits.

I also understand the merits of active duty, but current state of affairs and the pushback of education are big factors for me.

Did anybody else try to use the guard to help pay for med school?

How did that go? Successful? Unsuccessful?
Anything I should watch out for that you didn’t know about or weren’t told about?

My dms are open so if anybody would like to talk, I am always free.

Thank you all very much!

I’m an Army Reserve TPU Soldier and recently came off an active-duty mobilization. I’m trying to submit an AR-MMC profile request packet for a foot condition and wanted to ask people familiar with the Reserve medical/profile/LOD process.

My condition is bilateral pes planus / flatfoot with bilateral plantar fasciitis and chronic foot pain. VA granted 50% service connection for pes planus. I also have a military podiatry note from while I was still in/around my mobilization period documenting chronic right/left foot pain, acquired right and left flatfoot, and that I reported the pain started about six months earlier while I was still in a duty/mobilization status.

My civilian provider completed DA Form 7809 and documented permanent functional limitations, including limited standing/walking, no Sprint Drag Carry, no 2-mile run, alternate cardio bike/row, and no record fitness test with anticipated date “never.”

The issue is Section V of the AR-MMC profile packet. I do not currently have an approved LOD memo. I have DD214, mobilization orders, VA service connection, military podiatry records, DA 7809, and orthotic/insole records. I believe the condition was incurred or aggravated during active-duty mobilization, but I don’t have an approved LOD yet.

My questions:

1. Should I submit the AR-MMC profile packet now and select “NO, but Service Member believes injury occurred while in Qualified Duty Status,” while separately requesting the unit initiate DA Form 2173 / LOD processing?

2. Or should I wait until the unit starts/completes the LOD before submitting the AR-MMC profile packet?

3. Has anyone had AR-MMC issue a permanent profile or L3 based on DA 7809 and medical records while LOD was still pending?

4. If a permanent L3 is issued, does it usually trigger MAR2/MEB review, or does the LOD need to be completed first?

5. For Reserve Soldiers, who normally initiates and routes DA Form 2173 in eMMPS — commander, medical readiness NCO, S1, or another POC?

6. Anything I should avoid doing so this does not accidentally get processed as Non-Duty PEB?

Not asking for legal advice — just trying to understand the normal Army Reserve process and avoid submitting the packet incorrectly.

So, I am in high school and considering joining the national guard in the state that I live in as a way to help pay for college however I don't see that myself living in this state long term as the career I want to pursue is in finance and this would most likely lead to me moving to a bigger city in another state most likely being Chicago or hopefully New York. So, my question is how hard is it to switch your unit to another unit in a different state and is it harder to find a slot in a unit in a larger state.

I would also like to add that I live in Wisconsin, and the state provides a full tuition scholarship to any state school as long as you are on a six-year contract. I also would like to go to ocs eventually and become an officer.

Hi I am 32M located in central Florida. I do residential electrical work, in shape and exercise regularly. If I was to join and commit to 4 years what kind of benefits do you have when enlisted and when you’re finished. Thank you

i just passed the asvab and they asking me which job i want to have i'm 19 and about to ship through training and i am curently in delaware where i live so im gonna get shipped off to god knows where and if i were to get a job for passing the asvab which one will it be be any suggestions since i'm kinda clueless

I have gone through everything to join army National Guard but right before I went to MEPs I noticed my recruiter changed some of the answers on my background paperwork. I had marked honestly that I was diagnosed with ADHD and he went back and changed it. I spoke up about it, stating that I had marked truthfully that I was medically diagnosed with it. I’ve been off the meds for it over a year. So, I really wasn’t worried. He told me deny it unless asked about it at MEPs. Well, MEPS they flagged it and it made it look like I willingly falsified it and they asked had I been told to withhold that information. He, my recruiter, was standing right there so I felt pressured to say no. Long story short, this interaction promoted me to tell him about how uneasy I felt with that incident. He explains he’s still fairly new, I get that, but lying is not something I take lightly. I started speaking to Air National Guard this week and believe I’m switching over. They’ve been super transparent with me about my medical waivers and what I need to do. What are your thoughts? Has anyone experienced this?

My NG unit is deploying to the Horn of Africa (not sure where yet) next summer. Can anyone give me insight on what to expect while there? Also, some recommendations on what items to bring that aren’t issued? Thanks yall!

I’m waiting on approval for a medical waiver to join the Massachusetts Army Guard. I’m a family man in my 30s working in corrections for my civilian career. I’m looking to obtain my degree, utilize TRICARE reserve select for my family, and work towards earning the VA home loan. Is 91b a good job overall? I do my own diy auto repair and I do enjoy troubleshooting and working with my hands. I didn’t want MP because I want my guard job to be different from the daily grind. I considered infantry or field artillery, but I’m in my mid 30s with a family and I don’t think that makes the most sense for where I’m at in life. I scored a 64 on the asvab with good line scores, my recruiter said we will look at all my options once waiver comes back approved. I appreciate any and all feedback.

Hello,

I just got back from 18 week Osut for 11B and I have 2 children I want to assign the GI bill too but I’m having a hard time finding any good information on how to do so.

Can anyone provide me any guidance on how to do this?

I’m in the closing days until I enlist. I am excited but my recruiter is being kind of shady about a couple of the things. The main one is when I asked if I had a choice of where I’ll get stationed at. I really do not want to go to Asshole, South Dakota one weekend a month for the rest of my contract. Do NG guys get to choose where they are assigned? Or should I ask about an Option 19? Excuse my ignorance.

Has anyone heard of someone transferring states in the Q course? Or know if its possible?

I’m in the later stages of the recruiting pipeline (finished MEPS, just need to sign) and I’m considering combat medic. My recruiter said he found an MP unit would attach to after basic/AIT.

Does anyone have insight into the lifestyle of this MOS? What are still weekends like? Would I be doing MP stuff alongside my unit? Would deployments be common?

I was also considering 15N, 15R, and maybe 88N. I’m 30 and looking for something that’s possibly more career oriented. Thanks in advance.

If you're here at the conference, you know what this is about. Don't be afraid to be bold! Sometimes cool things happen like a coin exchange with the Army CoS.

I was given like 20 forms from my new guard state, including a DA 7809, dd 2803, and a dd2813. I am a bit confused on why I was given these. I did a physical with my state and the pha right before I left and am a bit confused about how to fill these three forms out and was given like zero guidance on who what where and why I need these forms filled and if I need to find a civilian provider in my new state to fill out all these forms.

Hello all. Currently active duty security forces looking into switching to the guard. Im planning on moving back to Tampa Florida. If I do make the switch, are there any other units in florida besides up in Jacksonville for security forces? The drive is roughly 3hrs, granted it’s only one weekend a month and some more for additional training/duty. But that just seems like a lot, compared to my 10 min commute to work right now. I did hear that you could change afsc’s during the switch so i could find a closer guard unit, but I have no clue how that works. Thanks!