Army Reserve vs National Guard

[*Tater-Salad*]

Currently in an IM residency, set on Army (reserve vs guard) due to bases near me. Wanting to join up as an attending after residency, most likely. Having a hard time getting clear answers from recruiters so I wanted to get knowledge/experiences on here:

1) Training length differences between the two.
2) Let me be clear before asking this, that I don't mind deployments. I simply already have a primary care job lined up after residency and I want to be as transparent as possible with them as far as deployment expectations. So with that said, differences in how often one might be deployed between the two. AND I assume the "90-day boots not the ground" +/- in/out time goes for both?
3) Can any of the initial training count towards GME credit for residency? Had a friend that got approved for it in the Air guard.
4) Jobs that I would most likely be put into. GMO?

Thanks ahead of time!

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[armytrainingsir]

1.
By 'training', do you mean the initial entry courses? If so, training is the same. Within the last two years, a relative did the USAR and good friend just did the NG thing. Identical.
Direction Commission Course
Basic Officer Leadership Course

2.
90day BOG is how the USAR does it. No idea for NG. Op tempo, you need to find a USAR IM guy and find out from the horse's mouth.

3.
No idea, but my guess is no.

4.
GMO isnt really a term used in the army reserves. Generally speaking, clinically, you would deploy as an IM doc; operationally, as a battalion surgeon.

 

[TheEarDoc]

Currently in an IM residency, set on Army (reserve vs guard) due to bases near me. Wanting to join up as an attending after residency, most likely. Having a hard time getting clear answers from recruiters so I wanted to get knowledge/experiences on here:

1) Training length differences between the two.
2) Let me be clear before asking this, that I don't mind deployments. I simply already have a primary care job lined up after residency and I want to be as transparent as possible with them as far as deployment expectations. So with that said, differences in how often one might be deployed between the two. AND I assume the "90-day boots not the ground" +/- in/out time goes for both?
3) Can any of the initial training count towards GME credit for residency? Had a friend that got approved for it in the Air guard.
4) Jobs that I would most likely be put into. GMO?

Thanks ahead of time!

1.) Same training. Had NG and Reserve docs at DCC and BOLC. You are looking at 4 weeks for BOLC and then 80 hours online for phase I of BOLC and then close to 4 weeks for short course in person for BOLC II.

2. Deployments are probably more for NG than Reserves because NG can be called up for state missions as well. BOG is for mainly Reserves. It's usually more like 110-120 days (pre-deployment - 90 days BOG overseas - post deployment). As Reserves you are at the beck and call of just federal control. In the guard you belong to the state and federal and depending on your state, the governor, political climate, natural disasters, etc. you could easily be seeing more time in a green suit than a white coat than your reserves counterparts

3. No not that I am aware of because they are just basic Army courses and not really medical courses. BOLC I and II is more medical than DCC, but it's more of how role I and role II and role III/role IV care works in the Army

4. Jobs you would basically be a medical doctor and could be assigned to a role I field aid station close to enemy lines in combat or role II
medical/surgical hospital or role III or IV depending on what the Army needs.

 

[USCguy]

90 days BOG applies to ARNG as well

Both can be deployed overseas.

Guard-Governor can call you up
Reserve-you can be mobilized to back fill at MTFs

the guard doesn’t really have IM specific slots that I’m aware of, so you will functionally be a 62B Field Surgeon. Which is basically a primary care doc doing emergency/urgent care and limited inpatient (our Role 2 ASMC can theoretically hold patients for 72 hours) in theater. for drills, we perform PHAs on the folks in our state

 

[JamesL]

I'm FM boarded and currently in a 62B slot in an Area Support Medical Company (Role 1/2) in the ARNG. I've been in the Guard for a year now; DCC (3 weeks) and BOLC (3 weeks 4 days) have been delayed due to COVID until next year.

For overseas deployments it is 90 days boots on the ground, give or take a few weeks for mobilization and demob.

Even though I cannot deploy overseas yet, I got activated and placed on Title 32 (Federal) orders to work a quarantine mission, followed by a nursing home assistance mission for a month.

Later placed on State Active Duty for a week during the riots and ran a Battalion Aid Station doing mainly sick call (basically urgent care) for about 800 Soldiers before being attached as special staff to a mobile quick reaction task force. Luckily we basically just slept on the floor of every armory in our part of the state for that week.

Most of our local units got activated by the State for forest fire duty but we were not pulled in for that as parts of the unit are still doing COVID missions.

On drill weekends I generally do health assessments on Soldiers (a process I'm still trying to figure out... doesn't help the Soldiers have to use the one government computer on a government network in our armory), and some medical training for the Soldiers, though the NCOs tend to lead the combat medical training. We are in the process of switching army physical tests from the APFT to the ACFT which will require a lot of Soldiers profiles (waivers saying not to do a particular exercise because of prior conditions) being reevaluated.

In my state, i'm in a critical speciality so my contract is actually only 2 years, but I'm going to extend out. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[*Tater-Salad*]

To all who responded, this was extremely helpful. Thanks a million!

Overall, sounds like reserve has a little less "life disruption" and may be the best option. I'm in the works now of getting this process started and might reach out to y'all if I have any further questions. Thanks again!

 

[PCC108050]

How does promotions work between the two? Are there fewer 0-6 billets in one?

 

[DMBandFan86]

Time based mostly for physicians. If you want to do admin then having CCC and ILE is a good idea. O-6 takes a long time to make. If you start as CPT it takes about 6+ years to make major. It is about the same time for each rank I believe (not sure as I am not that high up). If you want to make general then you also need war college, but the selection is hard. Thinks like being a commander and deployments can help your promotion. Always have good drill years, participate in AT, pass PT and have good ratings.

 

[TheEarDoc]

How does promotions work between the two? Are there fewer 0-6 billets in one?

Promotions are about the same in both the reserve and guard. I would say it's probably easier to promote in the reserves because you are not bound to one state, but can transfer to any unit in the US. I know for some positions in the guard there are only so many slots for each position for the higher ranks which can stagnate promotion due to no open slot being available.

The way things are going right now for promotions in the guard/reserve you need to make sure you are completing your military education for each rank to have a good chance at promotion. It used to be as long as you were green in all your metrics you could promote with bare minimum qualifications. This has not been the case the last couple of years.

So you'll do DCC when you first commission. Then you'll want to complete BOLC within the first couple of years and try to get CCC completed before you come in up for your in zone look for Major (0-4) to have a good shot at promotion. If you want O-5 then plan on getting ILE completed.