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Posted (edited)

So, I generally understand these units, but I have trouble in a couple of areas regarding their relationship to the regular armed forces.

I am given to understand that state guards are even less professional than national guards, and national guards tend to have personnel with real military experience among the weekend warriors, less so with state guards.

I understand that the officers of guard units tend to be drawn from regular forces, either retired or serving out a hitch on reserve duty.  But sometimes (often?) an active duty officer commands a guard unit?

But I kind of fail to understand, for example, how a guy like Dan Caine serves most of his active-duty USAF career commanding guard units.  How does that happen and why isn't it a "fitted and retained" barrier to advancement.  How is a guy like that even up for consideration for senior command of USAF.

Hegseth commanded a guard unit in the Middle East.  What's up with that?

 

 

Edited by TwiceHorn
Posted (edited)

Guard units can be deployed, thus the Middle East aspect.

Guard Units are military, and are called "National Guard, but belong to individual states.

From the intertron:  In its modern incarnation, each state's National Guard is still usually under the command of its governor. During times of national need, National Guard troops can be “federalized,” or shifted to federal control, reporting to the president as their commander-in-chief.

Unless they are deployed or "activated" their duty typically involves one weekend/ month and 2 weeks some time during the year, most often in Summer.  This precipitates the comments about their readiness.

Edited by Iceman
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Posted

National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers go through the same training (BCT and AIT) as Active Duty US Army soldiers and are branches of the US Army. The NG has a state mission and can be activated, historically, for things like riots or natural disasters

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Posted
59 minutes ago, The Dude said:

National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers go through the same initial training (BCT and AIT) as Active Duty US Army soldiers and are branches of the US Army. The NG has a state mission and can be activated, historically, for things like riots or natural disasters

FIFY. 

When my kid was infantry, he was training 50 hours a week.  The statistics will show that guard units take more casualties than full-timers.  It's because they aren't as good at the job.   

Posted (edited)

I guess I understand many or most things about various guard units.

Some are weekend warriors, and that only, others are former active duty serving out a hitch or volunteering.

What I don't understand, I guess, is the chain of command and when and how active duty officers command guard units.

And I suppose Air National Guard units tend to have more former active duty than weekend warriors due to the skills required, and maybe require active duty command on a full-time basis, as opposed to during deployments only.

Also, at least for national guard units, it seems it is a mistake to assume they are all or even mostly "gravy seals."  It seems many may be regular-service veterans, and even the weekend warriors may be actual veterans of deployments, including in combat roles.

Edited by TwiceHorn
Posted

All I know is my Dad was career USAF & retired O-4 (Major) while someone I know was ROTC to pay for his degree @ Bama & 4 years active / 26 years reserve / 1 weekend a month stuff & retired with Ø deployments... retired O-5.

Dad was Security Police (E-5 & then Bootstraps ---> OCS) while the other dude was a Tanker / Gunner.

 

*yes, it's about what you do that determines advancement.

Marines / Army: Infantry, blow shit up & Fly stuff.

Navy: Fly stuff, drive boats.

USAF: Fly jets.

Coasties: Drive boats, grab drugs, rescue lost boats, fly stuff (helo's, radar planes).

FB_IMG_1617516054668.jpg

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
9 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

I guess I understand many or most things about various guard units.

Some are weekend warriors, and that only, others are former active duty serving out a hitch or volunteering.

What I don't understand, I guess, is the chain of command and when and how active duty officers command guard units.

And I suppose Air National Guard units tend to have more former active duty than weekend warriors due to the skills required, and maybe require active duty command on a full-time basis, as opposed to during deployments only.

Also, at least for national guard units, it seems it is a mistake to assume they are all or even mostly "gravy seals."  It seems many may be regular-service veterans, and even the weekend warriors may be actual veterans of deployments, including in combat roles.

There are guard guys that are full time.  It's an actual job. It's a pretty sweet gig (as far as military goes) if you can get it.  

It's a tricky situation.  So, the GF's son was active duty USAF.  Got out, joined the guard, went to space x, then Gulfstream, and now to a sweet gig as a manager of a really rich guy's G650.   Problem is, he is  California Air National Guard, and his new sweet private-sector job is in NY.  So he's paying out-of-pocket to fly NY-CA once a month to make a couple-hundred dollars in drill pay.   It's a shitty situation. 

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