Career Opportunities in the Guard

[ZR-1]

Wondering a bit about what career opportunities get closed if you go Guard rather than Active Duty. Are some of the items below still possible if you are in the Guard?
 

- Exchange tour (Navy or foreign)

- Test Pilot School

- Thunderbirds/Demo Team

- Overseas assignment (Europe, Korea, Japan)

- Pentagon assignment

One of the drawbacks I see to the Guard is being based out of the same place and doing the same thing for 20 years. Is being interested in some of the items above enough to consider Active Duty over the Guard?

[herkbum]

29 yrs in the ANG, visited over 50 countries, worked in an Eastern European Embassy for 2 years. ANG HQ is in DC area with plenty of opportunity for assignment. You can do volunteer assignments in all places you listed.


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[ZR-1]

1 minute ago, herkbum said:

29 yrs in the ANG, visited over 50 countries, worked in an Eastern European Embassy for 2 years, ANG HQ is in DC area with plenty of opportunity for assignment. You can do volunteer assignments in all places you listed.


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Thank you for the reply! This is exactly the kind of insight I was looking for.

[elvis]

TX ANG dude just got picked up for the Thunderbirds.

[M2]

4 hours ago, elvis said:

TX ANG dude just got picked up for the Thunderbirds.

Don't just post good shit like that and not include a link!

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/02/25/san-antonio-based-pilot-selected-to-join-air-force-thunderbirds/

Congrats, Wang Chung! 

[SocialD]

On 5/9/2021 at 6:40 PM, ZR-1 said:

One of the drawbacks I see to the Guard is being based out of the same place and doing the same thing for 20 years. Is being interested in some of the items above enough to consider Active Duty over the Guard?

 

One of the greatest things about the ANG is being in the same place for all 20 years.  That said, there are plenty of opportunities to go around, especially in the coming years as the airline hiring ramps up.  Our OG receives opportunities all the time for random assignments.  There are even more to be found if you seek them out.  Not long ago, they were seeking volunteers to go to EUCOM for a 3-year AD assignment just to fill a pilot position (ie...not a staff job/embassy job/etc...).   There are other opportunities for 30 day, 90 day, 180 day and 365 day assignments here and there.  I was looking at a 180 days to Hickam...then I got my airline job so it didn't pan out.  Another thing that is a great option is the State Partnership Program.  Basically every state has a partner country or two and we have officers who fills a full time billet in each country as a part of that program.  A UPT buddy did this gig in Estonia and absolutely loved it.  Our two partner countries would be amazing assignments.  I considered applying for it, but again the airlines called.  It's mostly a sleepy little assignment with LOTS of opportunity to travel...you just have to wear your blues occasionally. 🤮 

 

[herkbum]

One of the drawbacks I see to the Guard is being based out of the same place and doing the same thing for 20 years. Is being interested in some of the items above enough to consider Active Duty over the Guard?

 
One of the greatest things about the ANG is being in the same place for all 20 years.  That said, there are plenty of opportunities to go around, especially in the coming years as the airline hiring ramps up.  Our OG receives opportunities all the time for random assignments.  There are even more to be found if you seek them out.  Not long ago, they were seeking volunteers to go to EUCOM for a 3-year AD assignment just to fill a pilot position (ie...not a staff job/embassy job/etc...).   There are other opportunities for 30 day, 90 day, 180 day and 365 day assignments here and there.  I was looking at a 180 days to Hickam...then I got my airline job so it didn't pan out.  Another thing that is a great option is the State Partnership Program.  Basically every state has a partner country or two and we have officers who fills a full time billet in each country as a part of that program.  A UPT buddy did this gig in Estonia and absolutely loved it.  Our two partner countries would be amazing assignments.  I considered applying for it, but again the airlines called.  It's mostly a sleepy little assignment with LOTS of opportunity to travel...you just have to wear your blues occasionally. 🤮 
 


I did SPP for 4 yrs, 2 in country and then 2 as the Director at JFHQ. This was my entry point into the AGR program.


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