Posted on 02/22/2022 5:07:23 AM PST by qwerty1234
A question for all you current and former military folks:
I have young relative recently accepted to medical school. He is exploring joining the national guard, both to help pay for medical school and because he is also very service oriented - however he (and I) are actually unclear what the legal 'gotchas' are - the recruiter he has spoken to have all made it sound quite simple - a weekend a month, couple of weeks in the summer, and possibly being activated for some national emergency for a short time (i.e. Katrina type situation) - and with that commitment for X number of years, they will basically pay for most of his medical school (so no small benefit to him)
However, to me that seems to simplistic and too good to be true? Once you sign on the dotted line, I have always understood that they basically own you - and that 2 weeks in the summer might turn into 3 years in Iraq or Ukraine - or any place else - at the whims/needs of the military. I am wrong about that?
He is not actually opposed to having to serve overseas, not even for semi-extended periods if needed - but doesn't want to be tricked into it -and worries that if he doesn't truly understand what he is signing - and gets doesn't get the buy in from his wife who is clear ahead of time what he is agreeing to - that he will end up overseas for years, and divorced because "she didn't sign up for this".
What is the real scoop when you joing the guard as a medical professional? He just needs all the information so he can make an informed choice.
I’m guessing that as long he is in school, they’re not going to ship him off.
Looks like they are intending to get a commission (become an officer). Once a commission is accepted it is essentially for life unless resigned or taken for cause. A lot of junior officers were called up after 911 even though they had fulfilled their service obligation (normally 8 years) because their commission was still valid.
Is he accepted to medical school, or just an undergraduate program with a major in medicine?
What guard is his conidering? Army National Guard, Air Force National Guard? Is he going to be enlisted National Guard, or Officer?
What will his MOS (career field) be?
If he is attending medical school there will be many obligations for Med School that may conflict with obligations with the Guard. What if his unit’s two week drill in his home state coincides with an internship halfway across the country?
If he does have a confirmed slot in medical school, he may be better off trying to get a full scholarship/ROTC where not only his school is paid for, but he gets paid to go to school. He may also be better off doing this as a Reserve Officer rather than joining the National Guard.
Good luck to him.
I’m a Veteran, but I would not join today.
Is he vaccinated, as he will need to be for both fields.
Does he already have his BS degree?
We’ve been in a State of Emergency for 2 years now.
No telling how long that will be abused.
all my comments are based on friends being in the military. Three of the guys I grew up with went into the service. I also know a couple more from work who are reservists.
He’ll be fine while he is in school, but they have been using the “National Guard” to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the last couple of decades. Since 9/11 the national guard has been used extensively in combat operations abroad. There are also the considerations of obligations after school. He will be required to serve a number of years before being able to get out, which means overseas service while active, and then at a whim Brandon can call them up and send them to Ukraine to fight, or in his case your relative will be fixing the wounded. Then there is the question of whether there is a stop-loss order in effect, which means that you can’t muster out or resign your commission until the stop-loss is rescinded. I had a friend who got caught by this back in the early 2000s and he couldn’t resign his captaincy for 3 years. Even once you resign\retire you are subject to recall for national emergencies. Nat Guard also gets called up for natural disasters, which happen every year in the US - tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, BLM protests, Antifa protests, etc. Keep in mind that the national guard was called up for the Jan 6th farce, and were sleeping in an unenclosed parking deck (during the winter for some of it) for the better part of 6 months.
My personal opinion would be that he would have a shorter term obligation if he joined the Air Force ROTC, then served the 4-6 years of active duty afterwards. The problem with this is that once the bachelors degree is obtained and he is commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, he will have to meet that obligation before going to med school. Stop-loss and recall are still part of this, but you won’t be called up suddenly if you are active duty for 4-6 years and then get out.
Regardless of what direction he goes, if he joins he will need to do basic training right away (in whatever window the service requires) So figure 6-12? (marines are 12, aren’t they?) weeks depending on branch.
Lot of decisions and variables to be made.
Don’t forget...”May be required to fire on U.S. citizens”.
plus all the woke training he would have to deal with. And keeping his patriotic service oriented mouth shut about anything that is happening. can’t be one of those ultra right wing patriotic samurai-soldiers who loves his country.
He's going to have his hands full with classes and studies. He won't have time to give up weekends for guard duty....
I had a friend who was commissioned into the medical corps before going to med school. He did a few summer events and light work for drills. He then did his internship and residency at military hospitals.
If he commits to the military as a doc….they will make sure he is successful.
He then had to do six years.
Now, how would they treat a member who was not dedicated to the Mil doc path? I guess they would treat him like everyone else.
Also Have him look at enlisting after medical school for the money to pay back federal loans. That may be another avenue.
I served eight years on active duty and 14 years in the NG.
There really aren’t any good answers to your question. He certainly could wind up serving for extended periods on active duty. Whether that happens would depend upon the future which no one can predict.
That said, I’m very glad I joined the Guard after leaving active duty. I enjoyed the challenges. The retirement benefits are great, particularly the medical. Tricare for life pays everything not paid by Medicare. The $24K annual retirement pay is also nice.
FWIW, four of my last five ‘summer camp’s were 22 days, not 14 and were in Korea.
I would find a better way to pay off the loan. The leftist military will be dangerous to all.
>>Is he accepted to medical school, or just an undergraduate program with a major in medicine?
He is already excepted - starts in the fall of this year.
Just remember he can end up in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Taiwan, South Korea/Japan, or a Middle Eastern country with little support.
I also knew someone in the Guard who had an explosives MOS. He was literally one week a month two months a year because of his MOS. He did get additional pay and full Tricare because of it, but it made it almost impossible for him to hold a regular job.
>>I would find a better way to pay off the loan.
Yea, he is clear on that - its not just about the loans - I have already pointed out that doing it just for the loans is not a good enough reason and he agrees; he is aware of that - he has the right personality for the military imo, but just isn’t sure his marriage could survive years of unexpected deployments overseas with no end, especially if he starts having kids etc. Surely lots of people make it work, but it is easier (I would think) if you knew ahead of time exactly what you were getting yourself into and your spouse was fully onboard.
May I ask which med school?
“2 weeks in the summer might turn into 3 years in Iraq or Ukraine”
I got out 10 years ago after retiring AGR. Even today the Guard and reserves are being used as vacation replacements. If you are in you get to relieve the active duty components so they can have a break. Now as long as he is in schools and not fully MOS qualified that will keep the deployment at bay. On the other hand if he was to branch Artillery, go to the Arty basic school to get in and then goes to med school he will be eligible to deploy as a cannon cocker. Nothing wrong with deployments and I did enjoy them because it got me away from the stop signs, cell phones and Walmarts. I knew everybody not dressed like me wanted to kill me but there was no BS.
If fired on US citizens, he will be KIA.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.