Army National Guard in Combat

[BrianP]

I am curious on what the National Guard actually does in Iraq or Afganistan. The Drill Sargents told me that i would be doing everything from filling sand bags to checking for land mines with my boots, and the only action that the guard gets is picking up the brass casings after the regular Army was done kickin ass.

It was funny at first but after awhile i started to take them serious lol... I'd hate to think that i spent all that time getting my ass kicked at Ft Benning to Fill sand bags

My favorite one was when one Drill Sargent told me that if i compared a football field to a battle field i would be the water boy.

[USMC Chuter]

The Army National Guard is doing the exact same missions the rest of the Army is doing in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is not at all uncommon for a National Guard brigade to replace an active duty brigade; pound for pound, same place, same misson. And vice versa.

When I was in Iraq (Ramadi), we had a combat engineer battalion from the Iowa NG that was tasked with clearing IED's from the roads in and around the city. An active duty Army infantry brigade that was tasked with securing/patrolling a major part of the city and surrounding area was replaced by a Pennsylvania Army NG infantry brigade. They, in turn, were later replaced by an active duty brigade. The Army NG cavalry bridade from my home state served in Kirkuk, and was later replaced by an active duty brigade. Once activated, the mission is the mission. Don't let boot camp active duty/reserve criticism fool you. Hell, ask the Army NG Special Forces soldiers from Utah and Alabama if they were left filling sandbags when they deployed..lol

[SSGMike.Ivy]

Prior to retiring from the Army Reserves I was attached to the 469th Combat (Hvy) Engineer Battalion when the first Gulf War broke out..All of our drivers were sent over seas for the convoys, the assignment scheduled for my Battalion was mine clearing, concentina wire and tank ditches...All packed ready to go and the war ended.....fortunatley

[BrianP]

Well thanks for clearing that up for me guys, but you have to remember that those were drill sargents telling me this. towards the later weeks in basic they could have told me that the world ended and the only place that still existed was Fort Benning i probably would have believed them

[Gorilla24D]

Originally Posted by BrianP

I am curious on what the National Guard actually does in Iraq or Afganistan. The Drill Sargents told me that i would be doing everything from filling sand bags to checking for land mines with my boots, and the only action that the guard gets is picking up the brass casings after the regular Army was done kickin ass.

It was funny at first but after awhile i started to take them serious lol... I'd hate to think that i spent all that time getting my ass kicked at Ft Benning to Fill sand bags

My favorite one was when one Drill Sargent told me that if i compared a football field to a battle field i would be the water boy.

NG engineer here and I can tell you for sure that they were jerkin your chain, Just spent the whole year of 2005 rolling down MSR's hunting IED's.
The (csc) we were at was run inside and out by a Texas Guard unit and I am Kansas guard,,,
head on a swivel and watch yours and your buddies six.

[RR691983]

They do the same thing as active duty. 'nuff said

[jeffblacky]

of course , i rember seeing bullets coming our way , as the RA does and the Marines.

[RR691983]