NG SF training tempo? I think my recruiter is lying

[agentfr00b]

Hi,

Can someone with some insight shed some light on NG SF training tempo? My recruiter (in Austin, TX) who seemed pretty straight forward told me that NG SF training tempo is 1 weekend a month, 2 weeks in the summer (sometimes an entire month in the summer). He told me it usually doesn't deviate from this and that is what I should expect.

Though, I've read online that their training tempo is way beyond the weekend a month requirement. I see mixed answers. I've scoured through the forums and found similar questions from like 2005 and am not sure of their accuracy. Not too much info out there on this honestly. Could someone please clarify this for me, as this will be a huge deciding factor for me to enlist or not. I plan on having a balanced civilian career w/ a family life in the future.

Thanks.

 

[thisisnotmyrealname]

Where have you searched? With a quick google, I'm pretty sure you can even find the current land-speed of a particular squirrel at Mackall.

As someone who's currently in the recruiting process, my best advice would be to directly contact a recruiter for the 19th (or 20th, if you're into long commutes). In fact, the 19th's recruiting website (and a very detailed description of the pipeline) is the 2nd website listed when you google "National Guard Special Forces".

 

[compforce]

Hi,

Can someone with some insight shed some light on NG SF training tempo? My recruiter (in Austin, TX) who seemed pretty straight forward told me that NG SF training tempo is 1 weekend a month, 2 weeks in the summer (sometimes an entire month in the summer). He told me it usually doesn't deviate from this and that is what I should expect.

Though, I've read online that their training tempo is way beyond the weekend a month requirement. I see mixed answers. I've scoured through the forums and found similar questions from like 2005 and am not sure of their accuracy. Not too much info out there on this honestly. Could someone please clarify this for me, as this will be a huge deciding factor for me to enlist or not. I plan on having a balanced civilian career w/ a family life in the future.

Thanks.

On the Teams or Support? For the Teams your best bet is to call either the S3 or the SF Recruiter for the Group you are trying to join. Non-SF recruiters will not typically be able to answer this question. The SF Recruiters are actually tabbed and have lived the life before moving to recruiting.

Even as Support my requirements kept me busy at least 3 months out of the year. When not on orders we had requirements around online training and various courses that we were required to finish in our own time. There were also things like training at JRTC (3 week rotation) that was in addition to Annual Training (AT).

Which Group are you trying to join? 19th or 20th?

 

[agentfr00b]

On the Teams or Support? For the Teams your best bet is to call either the S3 or the SF Recruiter for the Group you are trying to join. Non-SF recruiters will not typically be able to answer this question. The SF Recruiters are actually tabbed and have lived the life before moving to recruiting.

Even as Support my requirements kept me busy at least 3 months out of the year. When not on orders we had requirements around online training and various courses that we were required to finish in our own time. There were also things like training at JRTC (3 week rotation) that was in addition to Annual Training (AT).

Which Group are you trying to join? 19th or 20th?

Hi, thanks for the reply. Greatly appreciate it. I'm interested in only joining the teams, and not the support groups. I'm interested in 19th SFG as it's in my state. The recruiting office I called was the one listed on NG SF and the recruiter was not tabbed unfortunately.

 

[compforce]

Short version:

If you're on the Teams and you only want 2 days a month and 2 weeks a year, you're in the wrong place.

If you're tabbed and you want to stay busy, you can stay on orders one way or another pretty much full time with only short breaks between orders. The S3 for the local Battalion or Group S3 will gladly talk with you. They are responsible for SFRE and will need to schedule you anyhow. If your recruiter is the actual SF recruiter, he'll have them on speed dial.

 

[agentfr00b]

Short version:

If you're on the Teams and you only want 2 days a month and 2 weeks a year, you're in the wrong place.

If you're tabbed and you want to stay busy, you can stay on orders one way or another pretty much full time with only short breaks between orders. The S3 for the local Battalion or Group S3 will gladly talk with you. They are responsible for SFRE and will need to schedule you anyhow. If your recruiter is the actual SF recruiter, he'll have them on speed dial.

Understood, however, the recruiter said the same thing on the website:

"Guard Special Forces live throughout the United States and train with their units one weekend (three to four days) per month, plus an additional two to four weeks of training per year. Deployments are also less frequent, generally once every two to three years for six to 15 months, allowing Guard Green Berets to live as both civilians and Special Forces team members."

I do not mind this at all honestly. Just want to know if this is actually an accurate ballpark estimate? And if you've been in it, what was your tempo actually like on average? I'm guessing I'll have to get a hold of the S3 then.

 

[x SF med]

I laugh at one weekend a month and 2 weeks to a month in AT... not going to happen, it's SF NOT the friggin Boy Scouts or a leg Messkit Repair Battalion... I know of multiple guys who spent years in training and operational positions 'attached' to other Groups (AD and NG) because manning was critical.

You won't be a weekend warrior in SF unless you are just there for a paycheck and being able to run your mouth about being SF... and you won't last long either.

 

[Brill]

I wasn’t SF but just a support guy attached to the ODAs and in order to meet MINIMUM standards, I NEVER did the typical reserve “one weekend a month, two weeks a year” drill schedule.

I couldn’t maintain my quals at that rate and I imagine ODAs have higher standards in order to be combat ready.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Understood, however, the recruiter said the same thing on the website:

 

[AWP]

1 weekend/ 2 weeks was more or less the norm in the 90's, but my information-telling devices indicate we've moved past that point in time. The Army actually learned (gasp!) that a traditional Guard training plan isn't conducive to success for the Groups.

 

[18C4V]

19th SFG is busy and that includes the two SF Companies in TX. Deployments for 19th SFG has picked up since 2013 and they are between every two to three years. I have companies in my BN who are on their 2nd or 3rd mandatory deployment since 2013.

 

[Devildoc]

"Back in my day....." (been out a few...) It was never, ever "just a weekend and two weeks a year." If it was like that, back then, for non-special anything like me, I can imagine that something "special" would be that much more involved.

 

[Gunz]

1 weekend/ 2 weeks was more or less the norm in the 90's, but my information-telling devices indicate we've moved past that point in time. The Army actually learned (gasp!) that a traditional Guard training plan isn't conducive to success for the Groups.

Yes, and isn't conducive to success for any combat arms Guard/Reserve unit since deployments became commonplace. BITD G/R was where you went when you didn't want to fight.

 

[ShamgarTheJudge]

Other posts have said that the tempo really depends on the ODA. Is a deployment every 2-3 years include shorter JCETs?

 

[ShamgarTheJudge]

*does a deployment...

 

[Box]

I'd opine that the recruiter probably isnt "lying" to you - he just doesn't know any better. he is telling you what he "thinks' is true about most NG units. Non-SF recruiters putting people in the regular army have no idea what SF does - but they tell a hell of a story because THAT is what is in the script they are taught to deliver.

Unless your recruiter is an SF guy - if he is an SF guy he is willingly lying through his teeth and you should go to another recruiter.

If you want to do "guard time" you should consider a different career path - join the infantry. If you want to be an SF guy - be an SF guy. Come in, learn - go - do - and then after your first enlistment, THEN move into a Guard SF unit if it appeals to you.