Activation is obviously fine with me. I’m more concerned about maintaining my residence in Texas, for multiple reasons. If I am activated and sent elsewhere in the country, or even abroad, that doesn’t change my state of residence.
I can completely understand full time Guard positions being reserved for those who earn them through service and seniority. I hadn’t considered that they were so limited, and I certainly want to “earn my stripes.”
I’m still going to ask about this, and try to score a FT position if it’s possible, but will not think ill of anyone if it’s simply not possible.
I want to serve, I am absolutely willing to go overseas and be mobilized. I just want to keep my actual residence in Texas.
Your HOR (home of record) won’t change from Texas unless you change it, regardless of where your orders take you. Unless you end up at NGB (National Guard Bureau) in DC, you’re extremely unlikely to get permanently assigned outside Texas.
AGRs are under Title 32, which is the “organize, train and equip” function that justifies the federal government providing your pay and benefits. They are, as has been noted, pretty hard to come by.
On the ANG side, there are ART (Air Reserve Technician) slots available at most Guard units that have iron (airplanes), and they’re also full-time, but civilian during the week and military on UTA (unit training assembly) weekends.
Bottom line: to start with, get a slot, get initial and tech training and start pulling duty. Go from there. And welcome.
Colonel, USAFR
Your home of record would always be Texas even if you enlisted RA.
The chances of enlisting for an AGR position is slim and none with none being the term you should look at.
The advice of checking with local units is not bad, especially if you know someone.
The deal is that you can only enlist for a job that exists in a unit *close enough* for you to make drills. Normally that means withing reasonable driving time, not live in Beaumont and drill in EL Paso. But there are exceptions to that, question is will your situation be exceptional? Why should a unit commander fill one of his slots for someone 500 miles away that may not make drills?
Again, look at what your real question is: is it maintaining a home of record which means tax breaks etc or actual residence which the RA cannot promise.
Thank you for wanting to serve. Good luck and come back for advice anytime you need it.