Tension between National Guard and Active Duty Army?

Having serve in Guard, Reserve and AC components, I have to concur.
Certain levels of snobbery set aside, most can get along and have much to offer each other. Experience, different points of view, experience.
I once had to find someone to train a tech deployingas the only one in her unit. Her equipment was brand new, still in the box after several years. I had to find a medhold reservist coming off of deployment to train her up aon everthing. Her AC unit was more concerned with vehicle maintenance that the critical role she was expected to play for them.
Usually, tensions build around those same types that claim "you aren't a real soldier, unless...". This usually leads to other problems and my all time fear...Reserve leaders trying to be "Active Duty". Don't get me wrong, some of my bet leaders came from the reserves. But when they start trying to show how Hooah they are, that's where the problems start. Trying to buddy up to the down-lookers, can make some of them forget what leadership principles are important, or worse forgetting who and what their subordinates are.
They key is to be open minded, utilize those different experiences and knowledge. Never be above learning new tricks of the trade.

Once, as a SSG in the regular army at Ft Bragg N.C., my unit, the 46th Support Group (Corps) hosted a reserve unit. I was given the chance to train some of their signalmen in the newest teletype machine. One day their Colonel came and asked what I thought of his soldiers. I meant it as a compliment when I said: "Sir, they are almost as good as regular soldiers." Big mistake. He immediately told me of how they are better because they only train one weekend a month and two weeks a year. I tried to make amens by telling him I meant it as a compliment, but I believe the lines of communication had fallen out of the trees and he didn't hear me.

I was having dinner with my friend (a vet) and 7-8 other folks at a home. This Army Col. kept bragging and bragging and bragging. I finally said, "Excuse me sir, Are you in the Army reserves?" My friend dropped his fork and looked at me. He knew exactly what I was doing. This Col went off on a rant. RESERVES! blah, blah, blah. I just rolled my eyes at my friend and kept eating, with a slight grin. I was in the FED. bldg. in Albany, in the large elevator with at least 8-10 other people. This Navy dude had perfect a perfect white uniform complete with several hashmarks on his sleeve. I ask him, "Excuse me, may I ask you a question?." "Of course" he replied. I said. "Are you in the Coast Guard?" I thought he was going to choke. He opened his mouth and said nothing. I kept a straight face, but inside, I was rolling over...

I served in the CTARNG for 25 years. We usually had active duty observers and raters during our annual training. Before 9/11 the AC treated us like a red headed stepchild and treated us poorly. However after 9/11 the attitudes did a 180. The AC leaders realized that they can't go to war without the NG. As COL Roach stated we bring civilian skills to the fight that the AC doesn't have. For instance a friend of mine was a COL in the RIARNG. He is a high level executive in banking. When he deployed to Afghanistan his job was threat finance: find the enemy's money and take it from them. What MOS is that in the Army?

As an active duty Marine, I was stationed at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, GE and was surrounded by mostly soldiers, but Air Force and Navy also. One day this Army CPT came in my office and said, "SSgt Hardy, I was told you might have nails I could get from you." My response was, "Sorry Sir, I ate my last ones for lunch!" Yes, there is a place for good natured ribbing, but when it comes to differences between active and reserve, there should be no difference. If you run across a bad unit, that unit is bad, not the whole system. I have run across both good and bad in active and reserve status. 

Mid-deployment, we had a visiting CO and CMDCM. There was an active-duty E6 who said, "What's up with all of these reservists?! They may flip burgers in their civilian career, and then they come over here (in theatre) and don't know their jobs!" Mind you that most of the room were reservists including our CO, XO and CMDCM. Thankfully, the visiting CMDCM mentioned that his entire command were mobilized reservists "who can go tow-to-tow" with any active duty command he had been at.

My personal opinion is that after you are deployed for a few weeks or months, everyone settles into their jobs, and besides patches, you can't tell who is active, reserve or National Guard. Many active duty don't have extended interaction with reserves or National Guard, but it is definitely more than a "one weekend a month, two weeks out of the year" commitment.

LCDR (Join to see) - LCR, I am sure that many reservists have over 3 years active duty, over 3 deployments since 2001. Due to the recent downsizing talk of reducing the active army by 40k, the active component will have to work alongside the reserve/guard units because of sequestration of $100 billion over the next 10 years. We have come back to the Donald Rumsfeld 'go with what you got' mentality. Rumsfeld said that Kuwait in late 2004. I was not at that meeting where he answered the Louisiana ARNG soldier's complaints about lack of up-armored vehicles with them at Camp Udari.

We had people from 5 states making up our unit in Iraq in 06-07. We performed more work hours and more 250 hour services (24 VS 17) on Apache Helicopters with 19 people than the previous AD shop with 41 people. I had 6 years previous AD with 5 in the NG at that time. There were many full time Technicians and AGR that really had their eye on the ball. We would finish up a phase in 2-3 days and spend the other 2 troubleshooting and clearing status's.

I was ARNG my 6 years. I joined for Mechanics. my Recurter lied to me after i signed my papers took my OATH I got hit with the green weenie. sent off to the INFANTRY. I was A Mechanic in my Cilivan job. after a few years AT camp EDWARDS BASE CAPE COD MA. home of the 26th (YANKEE) INFANTRY DIVISION (the NATIONS FIRST). on our training patrol our platoon truck was the DODGE PICK UP it wouldn't start. our PLT leader said weel looks like we are marching back. i said sir can i look at it. he said go for it. it had gas & spark all lites lit on the dashboard. i said sir give me your K-BAR KNIFE. I told the driver turn on the key & tap the gas if / when it cranks over. I jumped the starter with the LT'S K-BAR it started. the LT said give my self an ata-boy and then said what am i doing here in the infantry. why am I not working in the motor pool. I told him how the recurter screwed me. he told me & helped me go through the chain of command to transfur into a mech infantry unit. every one signed off execpt the BLT. Commander he said no. he needed the numbers for his meal roster. this was 1983 screwed again. then in 1984 they asked if anyone of us wanted to deploy to GERMANY for REFORGER 85. with the MECH INFANTRY UNIT that signed for me to join them but the BLT CO. wouldn't sing off for. but they let me temp for A few months because they needed bodys for REFORGER 85. the MECH UNIT was short of MECHANICS and that was my CIVILIAN job they put me in as A (O. J. T. ) >on the job training. A friend that worked at JANNEL FORD DEALERSHIP with me as A MECHANIC told them that I was a good MECHANIC. i earned & got my MECHANIC / DRIVER badge. with DRIVER-W DRIVER-T & MECHANIC BARS. and when we got back and returned back to my INFANTRY UNIT. they came and asked me if i wanted to work full time in the MOTOR POOL what a kick in the balls that was period. but i loved the guys i served with and still serve as SGT @ ARMS 26th (YANKEE)INFANTRY DIVISION VETERANS ASSOCIATION BOSTON MA. CHAPTER KNOWN AS THE Y.V.D.A.

CW4 Craig Urban - all are necessary

I served 4 years active duty 67-71 during V.N. They held us back from going to V.N. and sent 60 of us MP'S from Fort Gordan GA. to Inchon, Korea the day after the Pueblo ship was captured by North Korea. In 73-77 I was in the Army reserves. 77-81 National Guard at Midway Airport in Chicago. I got out for 14yrs. then joined the Guard as a SSGT. in a National Guard stinger unit. 96-2000 transferred to a CID unit in Lakeland, FL. for a yr. and then transferred back to an MP company in St. Petersburg, FL. I retired on my 60th birthday in July of 2007. I served alongside many good men and women during my 26yrs. and am proud that I did. I have respect for all Members of our MILITARY no matter Active or Reserve, or Guard. We all served in the Military subject to getting sent to wherever we were needed? WE are BROTHERS in Uniform!