national guard has part time special forces?

H

hannibal lecter spyderco

Joined
Mar 29, 2001
Messages
1,236
Well, I was thinking of joining the reserves. So, I went the typical army , navy, marines, etc... when I came up on the national guard reserve homepage, I was shocked when they indicated that they have a group of special forces for the guard, they indicated they go through the same training as the green beret, but its part time. Anyone know anything of this? Its hard for me to think of weekend warriors as green beret type folks. I would think much more dedication is required.
 
I believe that you are referring to the 20th SFG. And I bet they would take umbrage at being called "weekend warriors." I want to say that they are in Colorado. But I'm not certain.
 
Uh from what i read it seems like every single state has a group of special forces in the national guard. Well the training is on the weekend double of that what regular guards go through.. so its basically 2 weekends a month plus mandatory classes.. that must be taken. Not to belittle these men, but I think when you elect to be in special forces, its too dangerous of a business just do to it part time, from a skill set stand point.
 
Perhaps you should read Grisham's/ Clancy's Book Special Forces.

It's very detailed on the training, deployment, and professionlism of the reserve SF group. They have the repect of their full-time active peers for the roles they perform.

Which is enough qualification for me.
 
From what I understand, due to the fact that they are reservists and not consistantly dealing with the operational tempo of their active duty colleagues, they get to go to a LOT more different schools.
 
weekend warrior it definately is not. I have heard that they have double the monthly training (4 days) as well as extended annual training. Thats nothing though. They do go through the same training, from what ive learned. You will have to take almost a year of your life in order to become one. In addition, there is no jumping right into it either, you have to become E4+ first, which means at minimum another four months out of your life (at least) for basic, AIT, and any other schools applicable to your MOS. Then youll have to spend the time in a unit to be promoted to E4 and THEN apply for the opportunity to go to SELECTION. Only after you complete selection (If you complete selection) then you go to the Qualification course, which you will also have to avoid flunking out, and the other schools as well (MOS specific+Language training). Its a long difficult, road, and you have to find the time for it all. By then you might as well go first string IMO. NW
 
a few yrs back i was a civilian employee of the tx nat'l guard, and they had SF and ranger units, and besides training more than the regular guys, they had a large % of guys from the regular army who were senior NCOs who had been full time SF and were working on retirement in the guard so i would say the experience level was high, at least then and in tx - they also went to camp swift on there own time and ran ops all the time - i must say they were dedicated - the ranger guys were the same ...........


sifu
 
H,
I'm a civilian in Fl.knew a few of the 2oth Group!Friend, they have it together,they also have a mix of former,Rangers & SF!Saying they aren't up to par is like saying CJ is over the hill,AIN'T NO WAY! Remember Cj from meeting him a few times,he is def. a nice guy & "the real deal"!It was a priv. to meet & talk to him!!
jim
 
CJ,
"OVER THE HILL" COMMENT,WAS TO BE TAKEN AS TONGUE IN CHEEK!It was a pleasure to talk to you, you don't remember everyone you meet but the ones that meet you remember!
jim
 
Years ago, I remember there used to be an Army Reserve SF unit in San Rafael, California. They were occasionally in some of our NCO development courses. With the restructuring of the military I guess they became National Gaurdsmen (same thing, IMHO). Anyways, talking with them, they did two weekends/month and a ton of active duty schools and tours. They only got paid for one weekend/month and not two. You had to be very motivated and dedicated to be one and you needed to have a specialty they could use such as medic, commo, explosives, etc. A bunch of real nice guys, they didn't care for the "drill and ceremony" stuff though, (not that I blame them).;)
 
The 19th SFG (NG) is based in Draper, UT. It is composed of units from the western US and tends to focus on missions in Pacific, South Pacific, Southern Command and Central Command.

The 20th SFG (NG) is based in Birmingham, AL. It provides missions for Southern Command but tends to focus on the Caribbean.

Both National Guard Special Forces Groups backfill active duty units.
 
There is unit of the 20th SFG in the Ky. National Guard and the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron (Ky Air National Guard) is the only reserve/NG Special Tactics Squadron (combat controllers and para rescue) in the Air Force. Currently, they go through the same active duty schools as active duty CCT/PJs.
 
You'd be surprised what kinda units are in the Guard.

In addition to the Kentucky Guard's 20th Group and 123rd STS, we also have a Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team that gets certified next month ... they're so far ahead of their training schedule they've already been called in on a couple of anthrax scares. I've seen these guys go through their training ... they've had classes in everything from hand-to-hand CQB to radiological techno-geek stuff that makes my head hurt.

We're also recruiting for a Military Intelligence Company that's just been activated. They get all sorts of neat toys, hummers with Mk19s, M-2s, M-4s, ground portable radar, etc. Training includes foreign languages, intell analysis, you name it.

Our C-130s fly missions daily both in the US and internationally. Our UH-60s train constantly. Our infantry is good enough to run training missions for the likes of the British Paratroops.

We deployed 1,400 or so troops to the Gulf during that short war. We've currently got almost as many deployed in support of Noble Eagle.

"Weekend Warrior" does not apply any longer. Many of our guys are full-time. Some have been on every continent on the planet. (I personally have been deployed to maybe ten countries whilst in the Guard, and I'm a REMF journalista.) Lots go to military schools, missions, or are on tours constantly. Between assignments they catch up with the family, go to college, whatever. They have to maintain the same standards as the active duty, or they go bye-bye. Because you're not with the unit on a daily basis, a lot of self-discipline is needed to be prepared mentally, physically, and philosophically.


No, we're not perfect, but then again, neither is the active component. What people don't understand is that a lot of active duty time is spent on admin stuff, drill and ceremony, painting rocks white (or its equivalent). There's daily PT formations, service holidays and details and meetings and seminars ad nauseum. Been there, done that. In the Guard we don't have time for that stuff and instead focus on essential training each time we get together.

Still, it all balances out. Each component has its strong points and in the long run we're all on the same team working for the same goals.

Sorry ... I'm proud of what I've seen the past 12 years in our organization. I just wish people had a better understanding of what a great job our folks do.
 
King Tut,
Sorry I missed the 210th, I thought they were rescue not STS, my mistake.
DW Altom is correct about the Guard at least here in KY. I am ex Ky Army Guard (223rd MP Co.) and currently Air Guard (123rd Security Forces Squadron.) The 223rd are veterans of Desert Storm and Bosnia (I was not on either deployment.) The 123rd just completed Bold Lightning/Urban Warfare school at Camp Gruber, OK this past summer and we are curreently activated for Noble Eagle/Enduring Freedom awaiting deployment orders. About half our unit is (like me) full time civilian law enforcement and we have a very good cross section of prior active duty folks (also like me :,))
 
All of this Special Forces stuff. Want to throw in the mix that the Reserve, though not with the combat arms component of the Army anymore still has Special Operations Unit. Such as Civil Affairs and Psych Ops and MI. National Guard certainly has more Special Op soldiers, but the Rerserve has it's own group of highly motivated and underpaid special soldiers as well. Just my .02
 
Special Forces has long utilized reserve units.

At the end of the gulf war there were four such units. The 11th and 12th Groups which were Army Reserve, and the 19th and 20th which were National Guard.

When the Army elected to put all of its combat arms personnel into primarily the Guard organizations the 11th and 12th were deactivated. The 19th and 20th picked up a large number of former 11th and 12th Group operators from this shuffle.

The reserve units always maintained a high number of former active duty SF operators. This has not changed. In addition, former active duty SOF personnel from the Army's ranger battalions often join the NG SF units as the old ranger reserve companies were disbanded in the late 1970s.

SF likewise offers several other reserve options for qualified operators. These are excellent programs and quite difficult to get into as their numbers are small assignment-wise.

Citizen-Soldier SF operators are widely depended upon by their active duty opposites. More so than ever before they are called upon to conduct a wide variety of missions across the world. Operators are expected to perform at the highest levels and working relationships between active duty Groups and the NG Groups is very, very good as well as close.

As with the Marines, once a qualified Special Forces solider - Always a Special Forces soldier.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top