National Guard
By rachelzwo
@rachelzwo (310)
United States
March 3, 2007 7:29pm CST
I don't love the Military. I tolerate it because it gives me a steady income and free health care for me and my family. I was regular Army for three years and then went into the National Guard. Today I had the first day of my second to last drill. THANK GOD!!! After being active duty, I feel as if my National Guard unit is just "playing army." In the morning we pulled weeds for about 2 hrs, which is a normal thing for the Army to do. Then for the next 5 hrs, we did absolutely nothing. I sat in our classroom and did my homework for college and just talked about stuff. It was so boring! I feel like it's such waist of time. I know not all National Guard units are like this, but mine needs to step up and stop PLAYING Army and actually try being the Army.
3 people like this
6 responses
@Stringbean (1273)
• United States
4 Mar 07
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your time in the service. Most military members I have met feel very proud to have served their country, and many plan to re-enlist when their terms are over. I guess it is a good thing they are not all like you describe your unit or our country would be in a lot of trouble. Maybe you could try requesting deployment if you prefer an assignment with more purpose than pulling weeds.
Not that pulling weeds is such a bad thing. It certainly humbles a person and teaches discipline.
2 people like this
@rachelzwo (310)
• United States
5 Mar 07
I'm sorry if you got the wrong idea from my post. I am very proud to serve my country. What I meant by "Thank God" for my past drill being my second to last one is that, after my last drill I'm going back to active duty and I'm thankful for that.
@DADCARES (64)
• United States
17 Mar 07
I have 16 years of military 4 active Air Force the rest Air National Guard and Army National. After being in active military I understand the term "PLAYING ARMY". I understand your feelings and understand your going back to active duty. I'm on disability and wished I could have retired from the military...God Bless You
@coolcatzz (1587)
• Canada
4 Mar 07
Wow that must have been boring. I had no idea that is how it was run. But I guess you have to do what you have to do. Free health care for you and your family is important.
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
16 Mar 07
Back in 03, my husband came close to being deployed to Iraq. Thank the lord that fell through because the people in his unit was not in the right mind frame to go there. His captain was never deployed before, for ones not understanding, he has never has left this state. Luckily, my husband was grouped with men that went to Vietnam, they knew what they were doing.
Now my husband has a GS job with the military and still does his one weekend a month and 2wks out of a year. I'm not complaining, it's extra money and also he's going to college as well.
As my husband says, Don't volunteer to do anything with the guard.
@MrsSgtB (289)
• United States
4 Mar 07
Where are you? I wanna join?! Just kidding. Not a bad job to get paid and just sit around. Like previous person I have heard of the Army doing yard work and chores when they are in trouble but other then that haven't seen it. Hopefully they start training you just in case you all deploy. I rather be trained then walking into an unknown.
@tarsadawn (350)
• United States
4 Mar 07
I've never heard of people in the Army "pulling weeds" before...I know when the soldiers get in trouble with their platoon, unit, whatever, they sometimes have to do chores around the base, but pulling weeds. Is this what they do all of the time? Doesn't make sense to me that we would pay people to train by pulling weeds and sitting in a classroom talking for 5 hours.
