Army specialty schools for 68w national guard?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 11:34:27 -0400

Hey yall, I've got a question for my army brothers and sisters out there. So I'm prior svc navy hospital corpsman and i just reenlisted into the national guard as a 68w (combat medic). My recruiter is an 11B, and he was talking to me about specialty schools. He said airborne is pretty much off the table cause I'll be in the guard and big army just doesnt need airborne guard members like that, but he suggested mountain warfare. Does anybody know which hooah schools i could or should attempt to get into once I report in? I'm a bit of a motard and want to get my hands dirty and earn some sweet quals. Thanks everyone!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2019 11:40 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 11:40:33 -0400

It all depends on what your state pays for, how many slots are available, and if someone likes you enough as a soldier to give you one of those slots. Example; my state doesn’t do airborne at all, so that’s completely off the table for me. Second, I had to go on a “deployment” (and trust me I’m using the term lightly here) just to be able to get a walk on slot for BLC through the brigade that I’m attached to, cus my state only has BLC slots for 68W when a position becomes available.

Response by CPT Ray Gilmore made Jun 13 at 2019 12:40 PM

CPT Ray Gilmore — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 12:40:37 -0400

Mountain Warfare is the best school to prep for schools like Ranger and Sapper.

However, getting to any of them, from the guard as a medic..... that's the hard part.

Talk to your S3 Schools NCO when you get to your unit, and find out what schools you can get to from your state.

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made Jun 13 at 2019 7:27 PM

SPC Casey Ashfield — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 19:27:49 -0400

Your unit NCOIC/S3/R&R NCO can offer you more guidance on what schools their chain of command is willing to send you through. I know some units in the Guard will stress Air Assault or Airborne, Mountain Warfare etc over other schools. So in that case Airborne MAY BE an option. No way for sure without talking to the one who makes the pitch for the money to make it happen.

Having spent most of my enlistment in the 3-172, the battalion responsible for running the AMWS, I have some experience of the grading requirements for the school. If you would like some more insight, feel free to message me on here.

Response by SFC Joseph Johnson IV made Jun 15 at 2019 11:22 PM

SFC Joseph Johnson IV — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 23:22:11 -0400

I was a Combat Medic (68W) in the Army and I know for a fact that medics are able to go to airborne school, Ranger School, Flight Medic School, and there are some other specialties that you can do as well. However, some of these may require special permissions. That you would have to check and see what the regulations say. On active duty you can pretty much request any of the schools that you want. I also know that when I was at AIT, which is the same school for active duty, that I was being recruited by the Rangers. As far as high speed training goes there is air assault, pathfinder, as well as Battle Staff. Hope this helps.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2019 9:38 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Jun 2019 09:38:49 -0400

There are plenty of ways to get into schools. NG has to pay for them unless you are on Title 10 orders. Most of the time the easiest way is to win a best warrior competition or best medic competition to get the slot. Reserves are a little easier to get the spots for some classes. GANG likes their infantry leaders to be Rangers so they will send them, Engineer units like their leaders to be SAPPERS. You can go to both but you’ll have to prove worthy before they send you.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2019 2:24 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Jun 2019 14:24:12 -0400

Pathfinder

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2019 9:54 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 09:54:23 -0400

The easiest schools to get will be the ones your unit/state needs. It's harder to justify AMWS for a guy living in Kansas than it is for one living in the 86th IBCT footprint. Likewise for airborne if you aren't associated with one of the airborne units. It may also depend on your assigned units manning. If your unit is short 2 medics, it might be a harder sell to get them to send you to a motard school, as they are already feeling the pinch and sending you to an extra school could have you primed to pull details away from your PMOS (rigging/inspecting sling loads (AASLT), DZ/LZ/PZ operations (Pathfinder), assisting unit movement through Class IV and V terrain (AMWS), etc).
Depending on your work schedule outside the unit, there are bunches of less glamorous courses that can help make you indispensable to your unit or your career progression instead that pop up needing fills quicker, though some will require you to promote first. UPL, Field San, UMO, and the like aren't fun but do need people to do them as well. Also, just assuming you plan on spending more than just one year in the Guard, after pinning, see if your local RTI holds an instructor course. That can help with advancement when a teaching spot opens. Again, not razzle-dazzle style but it can help.