Palace Chasing into ANG (TACP)

UncleJ91

Verified Military
Joined
Oct 26, 2016
Messages
4
Location
Minot AFB, ND
I'm going to try and make this short/concise. I am currently AD and will be eligible to palace chase into the ANG come January 2017. My intentions are to cross-train into TACP. As of now I'm interested in going to the 165th in Savannah, GA or the 147th in Houston, TX. But honestly I will go anywhere available in the country if it means I can cross-train into TACP (anywhere is a step up from my current base at Minot). Anyway, I was hoping to get some info on training and life as a TACP in the ANG. Specifically, how long after you arrive at your unit will you be waiting before being sent to the pipeline in Texas? After graduating, should one expect to take longer to put on JTAC, in compare to a TACP on AD? Lastly, do you find yourself more immersed in your civilian career/life with a little bit of TACP on the side? Or is there a healthy balance of both civilian life and TACP throughout each month? I understand these are very particular inquiries so any help is greatly appreciated. I also apologize, this was neither short or concise.
 
I'm going to try and make this short/concise. I am currently AD and will be eligible to palace chase into the ANG come January 2017. My intentions are to cross-train into TACP. As of now I'm interested in going to the 165th in Savannah, GA or the 147th in Houston, TX. But honestly I will go anywhere available in the country if it means I can cross-train into TACP (anywhere is a step up from my current base at Minot). Anyway, I was hoping to get some info on training and life as a TACP in the ANG. Specifically, how long after you arrive at your unit will you be waiting before being sent to the pipeline in Texas? After graduating, should one expect to take longer to put on JTAC, in compare to a TACP on AD? Lastly, do you find yourself more immersed in your civilian career/life with a little bit of TACP on the side? Or is there a healthy balance of both civilian life and TACP throughout each month? I understand these are very particular inquiries so any help is greatly appreciated. I also apologize, this was neither short or concise.
Has PC changed?
The old rules required you to transition into your current AFSC.
School dates for the Guard are a mystery, @CDG should be along as our resident Guard expert, but the unit will have to wait until you are processed in before submitting a training request, and that will determine your waiting period.
Have you contacted any Guard units yet?
 
@DA SWO Thank you for the training input. From what I understand, as far as cross-training goes, I wouldn't be able to if my current AFSC is critically-manned, or even palace chase for that matter. Thankfully as of now it's not. Otherwise if the the AFSC I want at the local Guard unit is in need of manning then I should be able to cross-train. I have not contacted any Guard units yet, but I have a buddy at the 165th who is going to shoot me a POC to get in contact with and I'll have to find one for the 147th down in Houston as well.
 
I'm going to try and make this short/concise. I am currently AD and will be eligible to palace chase into the ANG come January 2017. My intentions are to cross-train into TACP. As of now I'm interested in going to the 165th in Savannah, GA or the 147th in Houston, TX. But honestly I will go anywhere available in the country if it means I can cross-train into TACP (anywhere is a step up from my current base at Minot). Anyway, I was hoping to get some info on training and life as a TACP in the ANG. Specifically, how long after you arrive at your unit will you be waiting before being sent to the pipeline in Texas? After graduating, should one expect to take longer to put on JTAC, in compare to a TACP on AD? Lastly, do you find yourself more immersed in your civilian career/life with a little bit of TACP on the side? Or is there a healthy balance of both civilian life and TACP throughout each month? I understand these are very particular inquiries so any help is greatly appreciated. I also apologize, this was neither short or concise.

I'm also at Minot and have been increasingly thinking about this.
 
I'm going to try and make this short/concise. I am currently AD and will be eligible to palace chase into the ANG come January 2017. My intentions are to cross-train into TACP. As of now I'm interested in going to the 165th in Savannah, GA or the 147th in Houston, TX. But honestly I will go anywhere available in the country if it means I can cross-train into TACP (anywhere is a step up from my current base at Minot). Anyway, I was hoping to get some info on training and life as a TACP in the ANG. Specifically, how long after you arrive at your unit will you be waiting before being sent to the pipeline in Texas? After graduating, should one expect to take longer to put on JTAC, in compare to a TACP on AD? Lastly, do you find yourself more immersed in your civilian career/life with a little bit of TACP on the side? Or is there a healthy balance of both civilian life and TACP throughout each month? I understand these are very particular inquiries so any help is greatly appreciated. I also apologize, this was neither short or concise.

Each Guard ASOS runs their 1-level (non-qual) program differently. You would have to ask the 165th and 147th what their process is. As an example, at the ASOS I came from, you had to pass a minimum of 3 PASTs, two timed rucks, and generally prove yourself during training/smoke sessions. If you completed two PASTs, and failed the 3rd month, the clock reset. So I was eligible after the three month minimum, and it took another two months to get the seats.

How long it takes you to put on JTAC is subjective as well. Last year, JTAC was made a 5-level task. So you have 18 months max to put JTAC on these days. Whether you get it done quicker depends on your unit's assessment of your readiness, and how the seats line up. We are standing up a Guard only JTACQC out in Oklahoma City. First class is slotted for January. So that will alleviate many of the problems the Guard had with getting slots. The AD JTACQC experimented with running supplementary all Guard classes, but it was too heavy of a workload on the Instructors.

How much or how little you put into being a good TACP/JTAC in the Guard is up to you. Some guys get the beret, and then only do the bare minimums after that. Some guys get full time positions. Some, like me, bounce around Guard bumming. Picking up orders wherever they're available and volunteering for everything.
 
Each Guard ASOS runs their 1-level (non-qual) program differently. You would have to ask the 165th and 147th what their process is. As an example, at the ASOS I came from, you had to pass a minimum of 3 PASTs, two timed rucks, and generally prove yourself during training/smoke sessions. If you completed two PASTs, and failed the 3rd month, the clock reset. So I was eligible after the three month minimum, and it took another two months to get the seats.

How long it takes you to put on JTAC is subjective as well. Last year, JTAC was made a 5-level task. So you have 18 months max to put JTAC on these days. Whether you get it done quicker depends on your unit's assessment of your readiness, and how the seats line up. We are standing up a Guard only JTACQC out in Oklahoma City. First class is slotted for January. So that will alleviate many of the problems the Guard had with getting slots. The AD JTACQC experimented with running supplementary all Guard classes, but it was too heavy of a workload on the Instructors.

How much or how little you put into being a good TACP/JTAC in the Guard is up to you. Some guys get the beret, and then only do the bare minimums after that. Some guys get full time positions. Some, like me, bounce around Guard bumming. Picking up orders wherever they're available and volunteering for everything.

Let’s say I’m assigned to the TACP GUARD UNIT in NY can I volunteer to go out with a different guard unit?
 
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