Recruitment Session Highlights Benefits Of National Guard
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Area high school students found out Tuesday night at the Warsaw Armory during an hour-long recruitment session. SSG Dan Murphy and Spc. Andrew Bowman invited students to the Armory to find out more about the benefits and requirements of joining the National Guard. Another session tentatively is scheduled for Jan. 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the Armory.[[In-content Ad]]At the start of the presentation, Murphy showed a video of training at Fort Benning, Ga., filmed last summer.
"Keep in mind that the first couple of days are a shock to the system because you take them from the civilian world to the Army world," Murphy said to the potential recruits as the video played.
Bowman said the intent of the Guard training is to strip soldiers of their ego, build confidence in them and build a team.
"They want everyone acting as a team so when someone gives a command, everyone reacts at the same time," Bowman said as a large group of soldiers in the video did push ups together.
There is a lot of physical exercise during training, Bowman said, to the point where soldiers look forward to it.
During training, soldiers run through obstacle courses including crawling through the mud under barbed wire; they partake in nuclear/biological/chemical training, which includes going through a gas chamber; and there's leadership reaction courses, basic rifle marksmanship training, first aid training, buddy team tactics and training with live hand grenades.
After the 12-minute video, Murphy and Bowman discussed more of the mission of the National Guard.
The National Guard falls under state and federal jurisdiction. The Guard responds to local or statewide emergencies by the governor. The U.S. president also can activate the National Guard to participate in federal missions.
Currently, there are about 351,000 National Guard members. The Guard has participated in every war since before The Civil War, said Murphy. It's all volunteer.
Among the benefits, Murphy said, is 100 percent tuition assistance, the G.I. Bill, student loan repayment, job skills training and a paycheck on top of a person's civilian paycheck. As a citizen soldier, a National Guard member can return to their hometown guard unit after training and pursue life as a civilian soldier. They serve one weekend per month, and two weeks of annual training unless deployed.
Bowman said there's no part-time job out there that's going to give a person the benefits the National Guard does. Murphy said the average person who comes into the Guard at 17-18 years old can potentially retire at 37-38 years old. The longer a person stays in the Guard, however, the more retirement the person can accumulate.
The video presented showed a lot of infantry type of stuff, Bowman said. "There's a lot of technical stuff involved, too."
"The military offers something for everyone," said Murphy. In the National Guard, Murphy said, people can enter fields from the military police to truck driving. "There's so many different fields you can get into."
"No two people go into the military for the exact same reason," said Bowman.
Before ending the recruitment session, Murphy showed a video of National Guardsmen in Iraq to show serving is not all about killing.
Warsaw Community High School senior Kirk Cramer enlisted in the Guard on July 4. To date, he said he's served one weekend a month. He's had medic training and a lot of physical training for strength.
"I first enlisted because it was something I wanted to do since I was little, and it was a way for me to support my community," said Cramer.
The Guard, he said, has been more physical than he expected, but he said he's enjoyed it so far.
The best part, he said, is "probably the experiences I've had and the relationships I've built."
Cramer said through the National Guard, he hopes to get a degree in criminal justice while attending college.
On April 15, he ships to Ft. Leonardwood, Mo., for basic and advanced individual training, totaling 20 weeks.
Pvt. Leighanna Torres enlisted in September 2006 "to further my career as a cop. I want to do (military police)," she said.
A 2007 WCHS graduate, Torres said she thought about the Air Force but wanted to be more fit so she joined the Army. She just returned from basic and AIT training 1-1/2 weeks ago.
"It was fun," said Torres. "It was challenging for the most part, but when you got used to it, it was easier."
She said much of the training had physical parts to it, but it's also more mental. Now, she will serve one weekend a month, unless deployed.
"I'd say do it because you'll just have your best memories there," Torres said of why someone should join the Guard.
For women, Torres said, "They definitely take equal opportunity seriously. In training, they won't treat you any differently than the men."
Jeff Reffett, 19, Rochester, was one of the people at the recruitment session considering joining. He said he was seriously considering joining to advance himself.
Though Reffett has family who have served, they never pushed him to consider doing it. It was his own idea, and he said he thinks he can handle it.
"I'm hard-headed," said Reffett.
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Area high school students found out Tuesday night at the Warsaw Armory during an hour-long recruitment session. SSG Dan Murphy and Spc. Andrew Bowman invited students to the Armory to find out more about the benefits and requirements of joining the National Guard. Another session tentatively is scheduled for Jan. 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the Armory.[[In-content Ad]]At the start of the presentation, Murphy showed a video of training at Fort Benning, Ga., filmed last summer.
"Keep in mind that the first couple of days are a shock to the system because you take them from the civilian world to the Army world," Murphy said to the potential recruits as the video played.
Bowman said the intent of the Guard training is to strip soldiers of their ego, build confidence in them and build a team.
"They want everyone acting as a team so when someone gives a command, everyone reacts at the same time," Bowman said as a large group of soldiers in the video did push ups together.
There is a lot of physical exercise during training, Bowman said, to the point where soldiers look forward to it.
During training, soldiers run through obstacle courses including crawling through the mud under barbed wire; they partake in nuclear/biological/chemical training, which includes going through a gas chamber; and there's leadership reaction courses, basic rifle marksmanship training, first aid training, buddy team tactics and training with live hand grenades.
After the 12-minute video, Murphy and Bowman discussed more of the mission of the National Guard.
The National Guard falls under state and federal jurisdiction. The Guard responds to local or statewide emergencies by the governor. The U.S. president also can activate the National Guard to participate in federal missions.
Currently, there are about 351,000 National Guard members. The Guard has participated in every war since before The Civil War, said Murphy. It's all volunteer.
Among the benefits, Murphy said, is 100 percent tuition assistance, the G.I. Bill, student loan repayment, job skills training and a paycheck on top of a person's civilian paycheck. As a citizen soldier, a National Guard member can return to their hometown guard unit after training and pursue life as a civilian soldier. They serve one weekend per month, and two weeks of annual training unless deployed.
Bowman said there's no part-time job out there that's going to give a person the benefits the National Guard does. Murphy said the average person who comes into the Guard at 17-18 years old can potentially retire at 37-38 years old. The longer a person stays in the Guard, however, the more retirement the person can accumulate.
The video presented showed a lot of infantry type of stuff, Bowman said. "There's a lot of technical stuff involved, too."
"The military offers something for everyone," said Murphy. In the National Guard, Murphy said, people can enter fields from the military police to truck driving. "There's so many different fields you can get into."
"No two people go into the military for the exact same reason," said Bowman.
Before ending the recruitment session, Murphy showed a video of National Guardsmen in Iraq to show serving is not all about killing.
Warsaw Community High School senior Kirk Cramer enlisted in the Guard on July 4. To date, he said he's served one weekend a month. He's had medic training and a lot of physical training for strength.
"I first enlisted because it was something I wanted to do since I was little, and it was a way for me to support my community," said Cramer.
The Guard, he said, has been more physical than he expected, but he said he's enjoyed it so far.
The best part, he said, is "probably the experiences I've had and the relationships I've built."
Cramer said through the National Guard, he hopes to get a degree in criminal justice while attending college.
On April 15, he ships to Ft. Leonardwood, Mo., for basic and advanced individual training, totaling 20 weeks.
Pvt. Leighanna Torres enlisted in September 2006 "to further my career as a cop. I want to do (military police)," she said.
A 2007 WCHS graduate, Torres said she thought about the Air Force but wanted to be more fit so she joined the Army. She just returned from basic and AIT training 1-1/2 weeks ago.
"It was fun," said Torres. "It was challenging for the most part, but when you got used to it, it was easier."
She said much of the training had physical parts to it, but it's also more mental. Now, she will serve one weekend a month, unless deployed.
"I'd say do it because you'll just have your best memories there," Torres said of why someone should join the Guard.
For women, Torres said, "They definitely take equal opportunity seriously. In training, they won't treat you any differently than the men."
Jeff Reffett, 19, Rochester, was one of the people at the recruitment session considering joining. He said he was seriously considering joining to advance himself.
Though Reffett has family who have served, they never pushed him to consider doing it. It was his own idea, and he said he thinks he can handle it.
"I'm hard-headed," said Reffett.
On the Net:
www.inarng.org
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