Today December 13.

Thanks to all those serving in the Guard. Your mission has certainly expanded in modern times. In many instances it is tougher on Guard members and their families than on Active folks.

Salutes to all of you.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Today December 13.

Thanks to all those serving in the Guard. Your mission has certainly expanded in modern times. In many instances it is tougher on Guard members and their families than on Active folks.

Salutes to all of you.

While active duty I met quite a few soldiers that came from the Guard, and every single one of them told me it was easy. Standards were relaxed, nobody really gave a shit half of the time and let’s also not forget that it’s a part time gig.
I’m not taking anything away that the guard does. But don’t try to tell me that it’s harder than active duty because it isn’t. Hell, I saw a good number of divorces happen just because of our ridiculous work hours or the wife couldn’t PCS with the service member because there was a step child and she didn’t want to give custody to the ex while she was gone.
They don’t train as much, and they don’t have to move around constantly. It just plain isn’t harder on them and their families as the active duty soldiers.

Disagree since 9/11 the op tempo for the guard has been exceedingly high personally from 9/11/01 to 1/1/09 I was away from home more than there. I know guardsman who have done five or more deployments.
While I will agree some standards may not be strictly adhered to at times that has gone down in the extreme the last 18 years.
When an active duty troop returns from deployment he doesn’t have some of the concerns a guardsman does.
The active duty troop returns to a base with health care ,counseling, housing, rations, support functions all within reach. A guardsman “goes home” often to a place many miles from health care, mental health services and other supports. An active duty troop doesn’t have to worry about if that job he had before deployment is still there or what he will have to do for him and his family when his tricare ends shortly after demobilization. Some guys demobilize and go home to an area hundreds of miles from a VA facility.
I have seen many guardsman face hard times after deployment- many lose jobs relationships housing and are faced with many obstacles to obtaining support that again is much more accessible to active duty troops.
The “old guard” of sloppy slackers is long gone

Absolutely agree with the above.

I lost a marriage, job and was passed over for other jobs because I was in the Guard.

USERRA? The employers in California were defiant: "Prove it. We'll find some reason to discipline/ fire/ lay you off. You people aren't any good for anything but killing."

The Guard IS easier....in peacetime.

Thank God for the Citizen Soldiers and Airmen. We can't do it without them.