Does anyone feel that their acquired MOS skills aren't being used to full potential?

2016-03-06T01:53:33-05:00

I'm feeling that my MOS as a 91F (Small Arms Artillery Repairer) doesn't serve it's full potential in the Guard. I expected that I would've been repairing and troubleshooting weapons. Instead damaged weapons are being repaired by a second party. It's Personally disappointing because I enjoyed the training and won't get the opportunity to perform my MOS.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 2:14 AM

2016-03-06T02:14:59-05:00

This is the Guard. You likely have federal technicians that do this for a job everyday. It will not change. Part time soldiers have fewer and fewer real world jobs all the time. It's essentially becoming the Boy and Girl scouts for grown men and women. Go active.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 8:04 AM

2016-03-06T08:04:15-05:00

The fed techs are Guardsmen (job opportunity for you), the amount of work needing to be done depends on the missions completed. The majority of your hands-on will happen during STX and Annual Training. If you want to get on orders, check out mobcop.army.mil for opportunities. Active duty may be an option, if your unit will release you and there are needs in the Active component. Regardless of what others say, Guard meets the same requirements as the Active component and attend the same training. Your Guard career is what you make of it, best of luck.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 12:40 PM

2016-03-06T12:40:00-05:00

Welcome to the national guard. Look into AGR and Tech jobs through your state. Good luck soldier

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Mar 6 at 2016 9:09 PM

2016-03-06T21:09:28-05:00

I had the Reverse Problem, Too Many NECs and trying to do them all at once was a bit daunting when I was in.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 8 at 2016 7:51 AM

2016-03-08T07:51:46-05:00

It sure is easy for Active Duty folks to run down the Guard. When CFLCC Hq in the Iraq war needed Information Operations support, they got them from the Guard. But when it got to be time for awards, where did they go?

It is a different beast being a Guardsman. If you expect someone to save up something for you to do 2 days a month, you'll spend your career waiting. I spent 11 years of my 38 year career as an intel analyst, and you can probably imagine how many times we got real-world classified information to analyze.

So I generated my own, doing what any open source intel analyst has to do - scour the unclassified media for hints to mosaic together into a pattern of real world ground truth.

In your situation, you are going to have to take your time to lay out a schedule of what useful work you can do in the 16 hours that constitutes a drill weekend. And you have to realize that it has to fit within everything else that the Guard has to manage with only 39 days a year to get done, i.e. weapons qual, PT tests, mandatory briefings, field problems, and so on. (So don't plan on more than 4 hours at most.) And when you have a plan done, with a clear indication of value to the unit, then you still have to convince someone in your command to approve it and put in on the training schedule. And only THEN will they save back some of the repairs for you to do.

There's also the possibility of an Annual Training with an active unit doing small arms repair. That also has to be planned, justified, coordinated, and funded.

I mean no insult to AD, but you have 365 days per year to train, and if you don't have a plan, it's no problem, because there's always someone to tell you what to do. The Guard depends of people to spend their own personal time (unpaid) planning and accomplishing missions. If that's too much for you, then consider going active and let someone else do the thinking.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 8 at 2016 10:33 AM

2016-03-08T10:33:00-05:00

That is unfortunately the case for both guard and reserve, believe it or not there ar jobs in the federal system that do this at the civilian level ( not sure if you would consider going reserve AI know Guard is pretty limited to promotions by state)

Response by CW3 Susan Burkholder made Mar 8 at 2016 11:45 AM

2016-03-08T11:45:10-05:00

Every single drill! It happens across most MOSs in the Guard. The problem is not deadlines or third party contracts or that full time AGR and fed techs are doing the job throughout the month; it's the gate keeper mentality. Most full time guard personnel just don't want to relinquish job duties on the one weekend of the month. I know it is frustrating and disappointing. This is a common retention problem among the Guard. I see, they have not figured out a solution to this yet. Best of luck to you in your decision - whether it's a deal breaker or whether you try to make the best of it.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Mar 9 at 2016 12:00 AM

2016-03-09T00:00:12-05:00

My MOS skills are being used to the full potential and then some.

Response by SPC Byung Kang made Mar 10 at 2016 4:05 PM

2016-03-10T16:05:07-05:00

This is an interesting discussion - I was in the National Guard for total of 6 years for Financial Management (44C when I ETS'd) and maybe some may be able to relate, but much of what I've been trained to do had almost no relevance in the civilian world. Took me a while to get my things together and when I actually got the first "real" civilian job, it was based on less than 5% experience of something I got pulled into doing while I was deployed that the employer was interested in. Long story short - i would say that for each position you apply for (whether it's directly or far from related to your MOS), dig into each particle of your experience in the military and connect the dot for your potential employer and give them a solid (and true) story. At least that's what worked for me...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2016 1:21 PM

2016-03-22T13:21:20-04:00

Welcome to the reserves. Where is your maintenance shop? Does anyone in your unit work full time at an OMS or MATES? If you do, see if they can make arrangements on the weekends so the SMA soldiers can work on the equipment.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2016 6:51 PM

2016-08-04T18:51:40-04:00

I just think its hard to continuing learning since there arent a lot of us

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2017 11:31 AM

2017-03-01T11:31:05-05:00

I've been in the guard now for 5 years as a 91f and have never done my job.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2017 9:44 PM

2017-03-27T21:44:01-04:00

Well what I would suggest you do is try to come to Active Duty side. For a while I was the only 91F in my bde. I PROMISE you when you come Active Duty you will get to do your job and then-some.

Response by SPC Andy Mineo made Mar 27 at 2018 2:32 PM

2018-03-27T14:32:24-04:00

Gaurd or not good luck finding a job as a civilian. Hope you live in a hunting town with no repair shops.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2019 8:26 PM

2019-01-17T20:26:35-05:00

Same here... haven't even seen any military weapons for over 6 months... looking into reclassing to infantry. At least they actually train every drilll