Drill Weekend...someone shoot me please!

[starbkjrus]

Alright, I am a Tennessee State Guardsman. I am a volunteer. I volunteered for this. I must keep reminding myself of this. I am 43. I have Multi-focal Gout, (in all my joints. Very Painful), Arthritis, and Diabetes. Plus I am NOT in the best of shape. So I am told that I have to go to Catoosa, GA for this training. Cool! I am actually looking forward to this. So far I have received some pretty interesting training. I am up at 0330 Friday morn, drive the short distance to the Base in Millington, TN. Throw my gear in the back of the guys vehicle that I'm riding with and drive 6 hours. We arrive and are told to stow our gear. No probs. The first thing we do is fall in for PT! We have not 1 but two Marine Corp Drill Instuctors! These guys make R. Lee Erme look like a sissy!" After PT we get a 4 mile road march, only to come back to camp for more PT! Then we march down the road to Chow, so called because it is not classified as anything even resembling food. March back to camp for more PT! By now I am in EXCRUCIATING PAIN! But I hack it out because if I say that I am hurting there will be more PT! Finally we are allowed to go to bed. 2230. {10.30 pm.} 0400 Saturday Morn, the DI's set of a flash grenade outside our tent. More PT. Another road march, then this chow stuff again, then another road march. Then we start te lessons that they are going to teach us, Land Navigation using co-ordinates and a compass, first aid, Communications and Radio lingo. Then more PT. Somebody please kill me and end this torture. No such luck. Meanwhile, no coffee, no smoking, no guns with live ammo... Yet another road march. Chow was an improvment because we got MRE's. A look around Hajjitown. This is a training facility for Iraq and Afganistan. Another road march, more PT, more instruction on the uniforms (still no mysterious bullet from out of nowhere to end the pain!) etc... Lights out 2315 hours. 0430 Sun morn and another flash grenade. More PT in the moonlight, more marching, more drilling, more of this stuff called chow.(allright God, What did I do to tick you off?) Then we break down camp and pack it all up. Now please notice that nowhere have I mentioned showers, bathing, etc... We weren't allowed this luxury. We all made references to Gunny Erme's line in FMJ... "I will PT you till you DIE! I will PT you till you a** is sucking buttermilk!..."
Let me tell you about my new trick...

And you volunteered for this??

[Woodsheal]

"Adversity is the school of the soldier"

Sure brings back memories...!

[Warlock]

Oh, I'm all too familiar with the US Army National Guard. I served as an Avenger Crewmember with the NM boys myself. BUT, what "Warlock" is talking about here is the STATE Guard, which is some sort of civilian augmentation of the US Army National Guard. I'd never heard of such until his first mention several months back. It's all volunteer in the truest sense (no pay, you buy all your own uniforms etc.) They don't deploy as a military unit, they just man TN I guess when the Army guys are gone. That's how he's able to serve with them with all the serious ailments he's listed. I'm pretty certain being diabetic would immediately diqualify a soldier from being deployable, thus forcing a discharge from service. The State Guard is something altogether different. You can read about them here.

Actually we aren't an augmentation. We are a separate department of the Military Dept of Tennessee. Army Ntl. Guard, Air Ntl. Guard, TEMA, and the TN State Guard. We went to Mississippi for Katrina, Union University when the tornado hit, in fact we were first and only at that scene. Not to mention other duties.

I applaud you. You got a little taste of what we of the Corps knew--and loved and hated. Actually, we all love it now and hated it then!

Your dedication is an true inspiration, and like Frank McGrath, I'd sign up , too. But I am so old and broken down they wouldn't have me on a bet. (55 years, heart transplant, etc. Not a viable candidate. It's easy to volunteer when you know they won't take you.)

Keep us posted on your progress. I really enjoyed hearing you war stories.

Just the smallest of taste. We had a 63 yr old heart surgery patieint and one that was about to go through the surgery. So, I shut up, and like alot of others I did not complain or whine. I was tryin' to be amusing about my experience. I KNOW that I have come nowhere near what our Magnificent men and women in the Armed Forces go through. Makes me appreciate them all the more!

Now you know why I finally gave it after 25 years! But I sure loved being Drill Sergeant! Reminds me of pushing troops at Ft. Benning!

[QUOTE=Frank McGrath;528704]

and like Frank McGrath, I'd sign up , too. But I am so old and broken down

The Scot......I , too, am 55, old and broken down.

Never too old or broken down!

And you volunteered for this??

Yes I did! What the heck was I thinkin'?

[SFCRick]

:buttkick:

[cacunn]

Deleted by CACUNN

[macwilkin]

The US Army National Guard (sometimes known as State Guard) has the same commitment that the US Army Reserve has which is similar to the active duty commitment. Back (mumble, mumble) years ago, all three had a 6 year commitment which included basic training. The active commitment would be active duty for 2 years, 2 years Ready Reserve and 2 years inactive reserve. NG and ER would have their 4-6 months basic and advanced training then drills for 16 hrs/month and 2 weeks "summer camp". I don't know the current requirements but I'm sure they haven't changed THAT much. Once you sign up and are sworn in, your theirs for x years.

The State Guard/Defense Forces is different from the National Guard, though, in the fact that they cannot be federalized.

T.

[beowulf67]

Alabama has their State Defense Force as well. Here is their mission:
"The purpose of the Alabama State Defense Force is to provide a professional complement of personnel to support the State mission and the Federal homeland security requirements, by assisting the Alabama Army and Air National Guard as a force multiplier, and to assist local and state EMA offices with disaster relief, humanitarian causes, ceremonial service, religious and medical support for the promotion of the well-being and safety of the citizenry of Alabama"

[Tattoo Bradley]

Actually we aren't an augmentation. We are a separate department of the Military Dept of Tennessee. Army Ntl. Guard, Air Ntl. Guard, TEMA, and the TN State Guard. We went to Mississippi for Katrina, Union University when the tornado hit, in fact we were first and only at that scene. Not to mention other duties.

From the TN State Guard's Website:

The purpose of the Tennessee State Guard is to provide a professional complement of personnel to support the State mission of the Federal homeland security requirements, by assisting the Tennessee Army National Guard as a *force multiplier, and at the direction of the Adjuntant General, to assist civil authorities with disaster relief, humanitarian causes, ceremonial service, religious and medical support for the promotion of the well being and safety of the citizenry of Tennessee.



Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Augment

Aug*ment"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Augmented; p. pr. & vb. n. Augmenting.] [L. augmentare, fr. augmentum an increase, fr. augere to increase; perh. akin to Gr. ?, ?, E. wax, v., and eke, v.: cf. F. augmenter.]

1. *To enlarge or increase in size, amount, or degree; to swell; to make bigger; as, to augment an army by re["e]forcements

I saw it as the State Guard "augmenting" the TN relief needs, especially when the ARNG guys are deployed.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The State Guard/Defense Forces is different from the National Guard, though, in the fact that they cannot be federalized.

T.

I believe that the California State Military Reserve can be called to active Federal duty, however it requires the consent of the Governor as (in theory at least) Federal activation would leave the state without the necessary military man power to defend itself or protect State military assets.

[Nick the DSM]

i dont remember my dad telling me about that. though today, he does the drilling