Missouri Army
National Guard Recruiting
Information Page |
| 1. WHAT IS THE MISSOURI ARMY NATIONAL GUARD? We are a military force comprised of citizen-soldiers. Our members are from varied walks of life, but all share in the common interest in serving our country and local communities. 2. WHAT DOES THE NATIONAL GUARD DO? The National Guard has two functions: (1) We remain trained and ready to support the U. S. Army in case of national emergency (Desert Storm, Somalia, Haiti, etc. ), and, (2) We also remain ready to respond to state and local emergencies such as floods, earthquakes, riots, etc. 3. IF I JOINED THE NATIONAL GUARD, WHAT WOULD I DO? The National Guard has over 200 job specialties available, ranging from Combat Engineers to Chaplains, and from Military Police to Equipment Repairers. Your primary job depends on the unit you enlist into. 4. CAN I JOIN THE NATIONAL GUARD WHILE I ATTEND SCHOOL? Yes. The Guard has a program designed especially for enlistees who are attending high school or continuing their secondary education. This program, known as "Split Training Option," allows you to attend Basic Training during the Summer, return to school after your 9 weeks of training, then complete your Advanced Individual Training (job specialty) the following summer. 5. DOES THE NATIONAL GUARD OFFER ANY EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE? Yes. The Montgomery G. I. Bill provides full time college students and vocational/technical students with $263 per month (up to $9792), Montgomery G. I. Bill Kicker (up to $7200), if qualified. Missouri National Guard State Tuition Assistance, 50% tuition to many Missouri schools. Also, there are many scholarships available for just National Guard members. (SEMO has $1900 per semester worth of scholarships.) 6. WILL MY TRAINING CONFLICT WITH SCHOOL OR MY CIVILIAN EMPLOYMENT? Our training is conducted on weekends and during summer months. Any problems that may arise can normally be resolved through contacting your unit in advance of scheduled training. All training dates are published a year in advance. 7. HOW MUCH TIME WILL I SPEND IN THE GUARD? *Basic Training = 9 weeks *Advanced Individual Training = Minimum of 5 weeks, but varies depending upon your job specialty *Drill = 1 weekend per month *Annual Training = 15 days per year (usually during the summer) 8. HOW HARD IS BASIC TRAINING? That's a matter of opinion. Most people find that Basic Training is physically and mentally challenging. The hardest part is getting adjusted to the military lifestyle. (I have a Basic Training orientation VCR tape that details the entire Basic Training course.) 9. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER BASIC TRAINING? Your next step is to complete Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Again, the length of AIT varies, depending on your job specialty. This training is more mentally challenging than Basic Training, and many soldiers find it more relaxed and enjoyable. 10. WHERE WILL I GO FOR BASIC TRAINING AND AIT? This depends on your job specialty, many soldiers go to Basic at Fort Leonard Wood, MO (near Rolla), but there are four other Basic Training sites. AIT can be done at any of the thirty-four AIT sites. 11. WHAT IS DRILL? A drill is normally a 2 day training period conducted from 7:00am on Saturday to 5:00pm on Sunday at your unit Armory, one weekend a month. 12. HOW MUCH WILL I MAKE ON A DRILL WEEKEND? This varies depending upon your rank and the Montgomery G I Bill and whether or not you qualify for the G I BILL Kicker GI BILL, FULL-TIME RANK DRILL PAY COLLEGE STUDENT GI BILL KICKER TOTAL PER MONTH Private/E-1 $136.36 $272 $200 $608.36 Private/E-2 $165.24 $272 $200 $637.24 Private/E-3 $173.80 $272 $200 $645.80 · For a complete listing of G I Bill Kicker eligibility requirements, see me. 13. ARE THERE NATIONAL GUARD UNITS CLOSE TO ME? We have units almost everywhere. Here in Southeast Missouri, there are units in Caruthersville, Charleston, Portageville, Sikeston, and many other local communities. 14. WHY SHOULD I JOIN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD? *Few part-time jobs can rival the educational and monetary benefits the Army National Guard offers. For example, a part-time employee earning minimum wage would have to work over seventy-five hours per month to equal what you could earn in the National Guard as a Private/E-1, full-time college student qualifying for the GI BILL who drills just two days per month. |
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SGT Steve Casey Recruiter |
