Since I already have my DD-214 with a honorable, what would happen if I don't show up for drill weekend?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 18:10:07 -0400

Coming from 3 1/2 years active duty I finished my contract and im just curious what would happen if I didn't show up. I already have my DD-214 with a honorable so what would happen?

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Sep 23 at 2021 6:28 PM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 18:28:25 -0400

You are confusing me a bit. You finished your Active Contract or your Reserve? If you still list Reserve Service Time on you DD214 that you haven't completed, they would most likely just mark Unsat Performance and discharge you when you hit the maximum number of missed training assemblies and give you a General Discharge to go with that Honorable.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2021 6:29 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 18:29:57 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member Why are you asking this question?

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-will-happen-if-i-don-t-show-up-for-a-drill-in-the-air-national-guard

What will happen if I don't show up for a drill in the Air National Guard? | RallyPoint

Will I be separated? Will I get a "U" (unexcused absence) like in the Army Reserve? Can I lose my G.I. Bill benefits?

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Sep 23 at 2021 6:45 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 18:45:00 -0400

You miss any Drill and you get an Unauthorized (UA) absence- get several of those and they will start processing your chapter. And it along with your DD214 will show up if anyone checks. Finish your contact/oath honorably.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Sep 23 at 2021 7:51 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 19:51:03 -0400

Regardless of what’s on your DD214, if you get chaptered out for missing drill that will follow you as well. To include the OTH discharge you risk getting for failing to show up. Just finish your time and leave the right way

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2021 8:02 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 20:02:31 -0400

You contracted to the National Guard.
If you didn't want to show up somewhere, you should have gone IRR.

If you fail to show up you be coded U for drill, and they will send you a Letter of Instruction.
If you miss the second drill, you will be coded U again, and they will send you another Letter of Instruction.
After you miss the third drill, you will be coded U, and your Letter of Instruction will be followed by a Notification of Separation.
both the Letters and the Notification will explain that you will be discharged with a General under Honorable or other than Honorable, and how that affects your VA and other benefits.

I advise that you just show up.
If nothing else, Tricare Reserve Select is the cheapest health insurance you will find out there, and you have to be drilling and in good standing to qualify for that.
There's also tuition assistance, job placement services and of course, a drill check that can help pay bills.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2021 10:16 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 22:16:25 -0400

You have an Honorable from Active Duty. Now that you're in the Guard, you miss enough weekends and you will be chaptered out. And the Discharge for that will NOT be an Honorable. And guess what....the more recent discharge will be the one that is used. Just show up. Then, when you do sho up, request a transfer to the IRR. Save yourself some headache.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Sep 23 at 2021 10:52 PM

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 22:52:41 -0400

Why would you join the Guard if you didn't want to fulfill the obligation?

Response by LT Brad McInnis made Sep 23 at 2021 11:57 PM

LT Brad McInnis — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 23:57:29 -0400

Unless you have some serious reason why you aren't able to go, go to fricking drill. You signed a contract, honor it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2021 6:46 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 06:46:43 -0400

You might skate out of your first missed drill. But when the second one rolls around and they haven’t had any contact or acknowledgement from you they’re going to swear out a summons for arrest and if you get pulled over or anything like that afterwards you’re going to go before a magistrate

Response by Cpl Vic Burk made Sep 24 at 2021 8:44 AM

Cpl Vic Burk — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 08:44:54 -0400

If you signed the contract for the Reserves, that's on you. Live up to your contract the same as your active duty contract.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Sep 24 at 2021 9:13 AM

SSG Edward Tilton — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 09:13:39 -0400

Have you tried calling the unit? No one here can speak for them

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Sep 24 at 2021 9:40 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 09:40:36 -0400

You have paperwork from discharge "A" Which cover period B-U.
Now you're a reservists, an entirely new period of service.
If you screw this one up and get chaptered, you'll have paperpwork "B" which will cover period V-Z.
Discharge paperwork, much like successes, are only as good as the latest and greatest.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2021 2:28 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 14:28:26 -0400

I see this often enough, Active switches to Guard and then decides to skip town.

So the process is simple.
1. You don't show up and they reach out to you. Phone, email, send someone to your HOR, etc. This information is documented. You are emailed and sent a physical copy of your drill schedule and a counseling informing you to show up to drill and what consequences you could face. NJP, Admin Sep, LOR, etc.

2. You accrue 9 or more unexcused absences within a 12 month period, note that this absences do not have to be in a row just within a 12 month period. They can then initiate the process to separate you.

Also note that 1 drill day equals 2 MUTA's. So missing 1 drill day = 2 unexcused absences. So that means skipping out on 3 drill weekends is all it takes to start the separation process.

3. Separation. They will send a packet via certified mail to your HOR with the notification of separation and your election of rights along with all supporting documents such as those counselings, your drill schedule, and the mail tracking. Essentially this packet is your contact and supporting info for Trial Defense Services and how you want to respond. You can choose not to respond, that doesn't halt the process they'll continue in absentia.

4. The admin sep packet which is drafted by JAG will go through your chain of command with each commander offering their recommendations to the CG who will sign off on it and make a decision on your separation and character of discharge which can be Other than Honorable, the worst you can get from an Admin Sep. This effectively kills your Honorable Discharge from Active.

What you should do is request a transfer to the IRR where you'll get to keep your Honorable and not have to go to Drill. It's your career though, if you want to play Special and get an OTH which can affect your Civilian life that's on you my guy.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 27 at 2021 2:15 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 14:15:24 -0400

No pay due maybe?

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Sep 29 at 2021 6:36 AM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 06:36:50 -0400

You receive a DD-214 for each period of service. The fact you served honorably during one period does not guarantee or compensate for less than satisfactory service during another contracted period of service. The nature of your discharge is dependent upon your service during each contracted period. Full disclosure in an application, or a background check by a civilian employer would reveal the nature of service for each contract and result, at best, in your having to explain the lowest.