I signed up for the guard last november and i am supposed to leave for basic and AIT sept 3. For personal reasons i don't want to go anymore and i was wondering if there was a way to be discharged, i was reading in the navy forum and they had a huge discussion about it and i was wondering if the process would be the same.

Unfortunately since you are guard, you are not on DEP. I do however believe that you can get out of it, talk to your recruiter. But you should really consider honoring your commitment, you did swear on it.

You only swore an oath to god and country. Don't feel like you should make good on it or anything. I don't think you have to ship, you can walk away.

You really need to discuss this with your recruiter. You will have orders published, placing you on Active Duty for training. If you do not show up you can be counted as AWOL.

yes you can get out..just talk to your recruiter...or really....whatever you do though..dont take that flight to basic if you want out...its not AWOL if you havent been to training yet..

Yeah, just don't show up to ship. You'll get a call and a discharge letter. Better to call your recruiter though and put up with his browbeating, it's the honorable thing to do.

Think long and hard first though, this may preclude you from joining in the future.

I'm trying to figure out if i back out from the reseves will i be able to go guard or will it stop me?

I'm prebasic and my unit is 70 miles away not the job i want. I still wanna be in the military but the reserves dont have what im looking for?

I need help

Hey Badger! Do the honorable thing, try to stick it out! Otherwise, work through your chain of command, recruiter on the issue(s). This country needs U! I know the American opinions, polls, likes of Harry Reid, Nancy Polsoi, Jane Fonda, etc, is changing on daily basis on the war in Iraq (GWOT) while disapproving the war. For the most part, U signed an enlistment contract with the USA. Honor your enlistment contract, honor your word! Honor your forefathers who served in previous wars! Duty, Honor & Country!

What are your "personal reasons"? It could just be human nature and your nerves getting the best of you. Trust me, Basic Training is not that tough....work hard, do what you're told, don't quit, and you'll be just fine. Trust me, I did it as a 34 year old "old guy".
Plus, the hardest part of your contract will be basic and then AIT; after that, the Guard life is not bad at all. It's only one weekend per month, and it's not even that....it boils down to about 16 hours of work and putting on the uniform.
My advice....power through...get done with Basic...AIT if you're heading that way....then re-evaluate.
Best of luck to you.

70 miles is not that far...many of us have traveled a LOT farther than that.

Not the job you want? Talk to the unit. Yes, this can be an intimidating conversation, but it's one you will HAVE to have if you don't want to totally muff-up what you are trying to do. Yes, the recruiter you have built a relationship with will have to be your first point of contact, and no, I wouldn't be looking forward to making that phone call either.

But ya gotta do it. Make that call, or buck up and ship out to Basic. I'll have respect for you either way, if you take one of those 2 roads.

Tell them you are not interested, and will likely not be going through with it, but offer them to switch you to a new job.

Any way you slice it, either shipping to Basic and then bailing, or just not contacting them are equally bad moves. When you enlist in the Armed Forces, you are considered to be a Man, or a Woman. Please be sure you act like one, and at least contact them to work through this. You didn't specifically say in your post that you were considering going the AWOL or desertion route, so I have to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are planning on doing it the proper way...please do it the right way.

Nobody is going to send MP's to your door and haul you off to Basic Training...but the reality is that if you don't cancel this training obligation in a proper manner (legal orders have been cut by a legal Federal authority...they hold up with the effect of law in court), you WILL have a paper trail to follow you, and you WILL have to re-visit this issue at a later date.

I don't buy the deal about "you signed, now honor your contract", as we change things all the time in the service. If you approach the problem like a big boy/girl, and deal with the command properly, you might be able to modify your slot and end up with a situation that benefits both you and the unit. You never know until you try...but if you don't at least try to work with them, you deserve what you get.

Again...crying about the 70 mile thing will only get you laughed off these boards. I used to drive 160 miles one way to a unit that had me sleep on the concrete Armory floor with the bums (that got old fast), or pay out of pocket for a hotel room (which about negated my drill pay). Many people did this in order to serve in this unit...we called it "pay to play" and usually we broke even on $$$, but we got to re-classify into really good jobs, and got to fly around in multi-million $$$ helicopters that were WAY cooler than your average 'weekend cruiser'.

How did you get stuck in a job you didn't want in an all volunteer Army? Did you change your mind, or were you mis-informed? Have you looked into whether the Guard job you apparently want is even open to you? Are your ASVAB's good enough (line scores...not overall...especially your GT score). Is there something particular about the Guard you like, or is it just that the unit is closer than the Reserve unit is?

Remember, most months have 30 days, and most units drill 2 of them, making it 28 days between your 70 mile back breaking journey. That's a long time between road trips, and most of us actually enjoy bugging out of town once a month to party a bit after drill with our Army buddies. Totally different group of friends you make in the Service, and you will probably look forward to those drives after the first Annual Training (summer camp). You'll just have to take my word on that.

I re-read this after I posted it, and want to say that I don't mean to come off as an A$$ about it...I recognize that my tone is a little condescending, and I don't know any more about your particular issue, so take what applies, and disregard what doesn't...I reply to this question often, and usually it's snot nosed spoiled brats who got in over their head. If that's not you, than don't take it as such. If it is...well...you know.

Good luck, any which way. Send me a private email off my public profile if I can be of any specific assistance. I've been around the block a bit, and might be of some help if you are stuck on how to actually get on to the next step.

I wanted top be a cav scout from the start and when i talked to a recruiter he told me the reserves didnt have infantry or armor just like the national guard.

Then I found out that there is armor in the guard.

I dont so much mind driving the 70 miles but I dont see the point if I'm just gonna reclass

quote:

Originally posted by 11871298:
I wanted top be a cav scout from the start and when i talked to a recruiter he told me the reserves didnt have infantry or armor just like the national guard.

Then I found out that there is armor in the guard.

I dont so much mind driving the 70 miles but I dont see the point if I'm just gonna reclass

It must depend on your state, b/c I have a very good friend who went Reserves as a 19D here in Ohio and I know for a fact that there is Armor, Cav Scouts and Infantry in the Guard and Reserves, so maybe you should check your sources. You talked to "a recuiter" or YOUR recruiter? Good Luck Kid, Sept 3 is next week!

As for asking if ditching the reserves would wreck your shot at the guard... think about that for 10 seconds and if you have to ask again slap yourself.

My final say... you signed it, no guns allowed at MEPS.

I talked to my future soldier recruiter

O well i guess its time to suck it up.
I live in Ill but my units in iowa

This weekend they are going to fort Mcoy so I' wont be able to go

quote:

Originally posted by 11871298:
I talked to my future soldier recruiter

O well i guess its time to suck it up.
I live in Ill but my units in iowa

This weekend they are going to fort Mcoy so I' wont be able to go

One option is to try and find a unit closer to your home. At your rank it should be very easy to find a slot some where else and as long as you don't change your MOS you will keep your bonus.

When I was in the 20th Special Forces Group Alabama Army National Guard there were people that came as far away as Texas to drill with my unit.

Think long and hard about this decision. I know. I got booted out of the Marines after 2 years and it took an act of Congress (literally) and 8 years of hard work to get my butt back in to the National Guard.
If you pull out they may not let you back in. Its al ong life to live always wondering if you could have done your duty to the country.

quote:

Originally posted by 12595452:
yes you can get out..just talk to your recruiter...or really....whatever you do though..dont take that flight to basic if you want out...its not AWOL if you havent been to training yet..

The moment you go on active orders to ship, if you do not show up it is considered AWOL. Depending on what state you are in they may issue a warrant for your arrest.

My buddy joined with me, but stopped going to drills and got out before shipping.

If you ship, forget about it. The army is laying down $40k+ for you and they will get it out of you by having you scrub latrines in bootcamp if they have to.

Talk to your recruiter. If you are set on this decision, then do not let him or others tell you otherwise.

And ignore the other responses from people badgering you about not going. Sometimes soldiers get riled up because they went through it and they dont think its fair for others to back out. (despite now being the best time to back out)

And do we not respect and defend the opinions of others as soldiers ourselves? Its what we fight for isn't it? Too many soldiers forget that.

If he wants to get out, let him do it now. Don't browbeat him to death about it.

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You sign the line, you do your time.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: macedawg007,