MOS 11B - Infantryman (1:18)

Special Forces - Doors (:34)

MOS 19K - M1 Armored Crewman (:53)

Follow your training and career path as a Soldier.

Enlisted Soldiers are the strength of the National Guard. While officers create the plans, enlisted Soldiers provide the muscle and manpower to see them through.

The Guard takes average men and women and molds them into something special. As a Soldier, you’ll learn about structure, discipline, service and commitment. You’ll become stronger—both physically and mentally—and be better equipped to take care of yourself and others in just about any situation.

Over the course of several weeks, you’ll make the transition from citizen to Citizen-Soldier, and your life will never be quite the same.

It all starts here.

There are a few steps you’ll take prior to actually becoming a Soldier. Before any fitness tests and long before you meet your first drill instructor, you’ll need to start your application online. 

Once your online application is completed, you’ll be connected with a local recruiter. If you and your recruiter agree that you’re a good fit for the Guard, you’ll schedule tests to determine your physical fitness level and assess which career field is right for you.

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

Before you can join the Army National Guard, you’ll take a test called the ASVAB. Don’t let this exam intimidate you. It’s designed to find out what you’re good at, so we can find the best place in the Guard for you—the one where you’ll fit best and be most likely to succeed.

Basic Combat Training

Your ship date—the day you leave for Basic Combat Training (BCT)—will depend on the job you choose. You’ll probably ship within just a few weeks, but it’s possible to delay for up to several months. Until you ship, you’ll attend Recruit Sustainment Program (RSP). RSP will introduce you to military life and help you know what to expect once you get to BCT. You can count on BCT being one of the most intense 10 weeks of your life, but it will also be one of the best. Learn more about BCT. 

From BCT you'll move to Advanced Individual Training Advanced Individual Training:
(AIT) Following Basic Training, Soldiers attend AIT to learn a military job skill. Depending on the specialty, training ranges from 1 month to 1 year. (AIT), where you’ll learn your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Military Occupational Specialty (MOS):
Guard speak for “your job.” Every job title in the Guard has a code, using a number and letter. For example, a Cavalry Scout is MOS 19D (19 Delta).—your Army National Guard job. During the next 1-12 months, you’ll get intensive field instruction and hands-on experience at your job, and learn the skills that will transform you into a great Soldier and teammate. AIT takes place at different Army military training sites across the U.S., and your location will depend on your MOS. You’ll be able to choose from jobs within the following career fields:

Your Commitment to the National Guard

When you enlist in the National Guard, you can choose to serve three, six or eight years—typically training just one weekend a month and two weeks a year. If you choose only three or six years, you’ll spend the remainder of the time in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)—which means you won't train with a unit, but you can still be called up in the event of an emergency during the balance of your total eight-year commitment.*

You’ll train at a military base during BCT (10 weeks) and AIT (from four to 64 weeks, depending on your MOS). After that, most of your service and training will be in your own state and community. You’ll be able to live at home—not in military housing—while you’re in the Guard. You’ll continue your civilian job or go to school, then train one weekend a month at an armory or facility close to home. You’ll also attend Annual Training (AT) for two weeks, usually during the summer and usually at a location away from your hometown.

In the event of a deployment, whether domestic or overseas, you’ll travel and live with your unit. But as soon as your mission is over, you’ll continue to live and serve in your home community—as a true Citizen-Soldier.

*However long you choose to serve, every Soldier commits for a total of eight years. You’ll be paid for every day you serve in uniform. However, since IRR Soldiers don’t train, they don’t receive monthly pay unless called up to serve during an emergency. Learn more about Guard pay. 

Leadership Schools

As you continue your Guard service, you'll have opportunities for promotion. Your leadership skills can have a big impact on both your Guard career and your civilian career. The Guard offers courses designed to help you become a more effective leader at every level, in any situation. If you’re interested in real-world training, improving your leadership and management skills, and advancing your military career, check out the opportunities offered through our leadership schools.