KICK PA ARNG

My Guard Experience: I'm throwing 2 of them up today since I have been slacking. This one belongs to: SGT McKenna Donley... 92A - Automated Supply Specialist 88M - Motor Transport Operator I joined in August of 2014 as a Senior in High School. I joined because I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with my life after High School and I knew that the Army National Guard could offer me endless opportunities to broaden my options. I think the best part about being in the Guard is that you have a large say so in choosing your duty station before you enlist and that you can go to college at the same time as serving your contract. I knew that if I changed my mind about going to college, I could always go Active Duty later on, but I never decided to go that route because I am content with my current contract. My favorite experience has been Basic Training, by far. It was very challenging, but it pushes you to limits that you never thought you could possibly reach. I would love to re-live my BCT experience. I also loved being a full-time technician at Fort Indiantown Gap. I gained a lot of experience and so many important relationships in the process. This was the best networking opportunity I have had since joining. My biggest challenge was NTC (National Training Center), which was a deployment training for my unit. We were in the desert for a month and it definitely tested my patience. I am not sure exactly where I want my future to take me now, but I know that everything I have already accomplished was only possible through the Army National Guard. There is always a job opportunity and always someone to answer your questions. If I were to give someone thinking about joining, I would tell them to weigh their options and know that they are ready to make one of the biggest commitments of their lives. It's ok to join because of money, but you have to join because you WANT to. Money want get you through some of the challenges of Basic Training. I would Absolutely recommend the National Guard to others. I has its downsides at times, but so does every other job. The National Guard is exactly that, a job. You will have to make sacrifices and adjust your lifestyle , but it is all so worth it. I wouldn't change anything.

Guess we know which branch he's going into!

My Guard Experience: This one comes from a former Reservist and a fellow NCO and recruiter. SSG Kevin Wolverton: B- Infantryman, 11C- Indirect Fire Infantry, 92F- Petroleum Lab Specialist, PAARNG Recruiter... I love the military. I joined in 1997, initially with Active Duty and though I enjoyed it, it was hard on my family. The saying that your family serves with you is true and that was difficult. I decided that it wasn't fair to my wife to put her nursing career on hold just so I could further mine. I got out in 2004 and joined the Reserves in 2012 thinking it would be just like Active Duty, only part-time, which was not the case. In 2017 I started talking to SFC Kicklighter but I was hesitant to pull the trigger and switch to the National Guard thinking it would be the same as the Reserves. When I finally did, what a totally different experience. Once the process was done, SFC Kicklighter didn't just wash his hands of me. I expressed an interest in becoming a recruiter and he mentored me and helped make that thought a reality. I am currently serving as a recruiter on the same team that brought me into the Guard and am happy to say that my career is back on track. I came into the Guard as an E-5/Sergeant and I'm now an E-6/Staff Sergeant. I know that it wouldn't have been possible without SFC Kicklighter and his teammates. My current position is the most challenging and rewarding job that a Soldier can do. As a recruiter you're helping young men and women make a decision that's going to change their lives. Seeing a young person go from an applicant to a Soldier is rewarding because that Soldier has just opened up so many opportunties for themselves. The work environment is great and I have no problem going to military schools of my choosing, for the most part. I haven't really experienced any major challenges yet. It is exactly like I was promised and exactly what I wanted. My plan is to get to, at least, E-7/Sergeant First Class, but hopefully further. Because their are great career paths and so many benefits in the Guard I plan on putting my daughter in when she is old enough. I would recommend the National Guard to anyone. It is hard work sometimes but it has been the best time of my life. The experience you gain is like nothing else you will ever do and will set you up for success at any job you will ever have in life.