National Guard Combat Job

The U.S. National Guard, a supplement for the regular Army, hires entry-level government employees as full-time and part-time soldiers. New hires, known as recruits, are needed to fill National Guard combat positions now. Combat infantry workers perform a variety of duties, but primarily protect their country, their unit, and themselves in battle. New National Guardsmen must take the military career test, or ASVAB, to learn which facet of the Guard fits best. Many new recruits test into combat positions.

Job Duties
Combat National Guard workers perform the job many people can’t, they physically fighting for their country. Combat Guardsmen must perform duties assigned by a commanding officer and follow the chain of command at all times. The most important duty a combat soldier performs is the following of orders. Entry-level recruits with high combat test scores may find themselves training for positions in more technical combat positions, such as Special Forces, divers, or recruitment and retention specialists. Other recruits may feel more at home filling the ranks of the U.S. infantry.

The job duties a National Guard employee must perform differ greatly depending on title and training. Work may include overseeing weapons assigned to the unit, diving in hostile waters, front-line combat, and bridge building or demolition. All National Guard combat troops receive field training, but many soldiers earn specialized training for military careers. Do not associate the National Guard with easy military service, however. Each National Guard troop performs an important task, whether stationed near home or deployed in hostile territory.

Job Qualifications and Compensation
National Guard applicants must meet government criteria for health, citizenship, criminal record, age, and education for employment consideration. Upon recruitment, Guard troops must work to pass the ASVAB test and earn appropriate scores for the career path desired. U.S. National Guard government employees must earn good scores in several areas of the ASVAB test, but combat troops often need high scores in arithmetic reasoning, coding speed, and verbal expression.

National Guard pay scales change with rank increases and time served; however, entry-level Guard recruits earn competitive salary and benefit packages. Uncle Sam gives Guard troops healthcare, lodging, food, government retirement plans, and more. Start your infantry career by filling out the National Guard application and talking to a recruiter. Apply online today and you could begin earning the pay and benefits a national hero deserves.

National Guard Combat Engineer Interview Video

Video Transcript

Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
National Guard Combat Engineer: Combat Engineer in the National Guard, Echo Company –training in Canton.

Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
National Guard Combat Engineer: It’s also kind of relaxed because right now we’re in kind of a teaching phase. So, we’re teaching all of the new guys what they need to know before they head down to what’s called “Warrior Challenge” in May, and that’s basically a huge competition between all the training companies in Ohio. Obstacle courses, medical evaluations, stuff like that.

Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
National Guard Combat Engineer: A typical day for the last few months has just been constantly going over the stuff you need to teach the other guys and a lot of jokes. Because there’s not necessarily a set training schedule, so we just go off of whatever it is we need to do. There ends up being a lot of free time.

Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
National Guard Combat Engineer: Basically, it’s the same thing as the rest of the military, any service branch; you take the ASVAB, which is Armed Service Aptitude Battery Test, and that determines your technical score, so you can pick your job title and stuff like that. Then, you go through your physical, which involves vision testing, blood work, and make sure you aren’t doing any drugs. Then, your weight and also your skeletal mobility to make sure you don’t have any hindrances in your movement.

Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
National Guard Combat Engineer: If you want to serve your country in any branch, be able to be physically fit, at least at the minimum requirements. Some people that come in just say, “Oh, I want to get my college paid for,” but they’re not physically or mentally prepared at all. So, there’s quote “fat bodies” and people who are completely off their rocker and insane. So, there are people that should not be in it at all. But, other than that, if you want to do it, you’re pretty much good to go as long as you have a high school diploma.