The Texas Army National Guard had an informational pop-up booth during Cardinal Hour on Oct. 18.

Sergeant Dominic McCormick spent the hour answering students’ questions regarding the Texas Army National Guard.

“A lot of people don’t understand that you have part-time and full-time components,” McCormick said.

The Army National Guard acts as a “part-time state-based military component that serves a dual mission,” and works under the orders of the state governor or the president and responds to state emergencies.
“Our primary prerogative is to assist our local communities in times of economic crisis and civil unrest,” McCormick said.

High school students can enlist in the army in their junior or senior year, which is the split option.

“We send you to basic training for your junior year or the summer after junior year, and then finish your senior year as a soldier,” McCormick said.
Basic training lasts 10 and a half weeks, but the minimum obligation for part-time employment is one weekend per month and two weeks out of the year.

Once basic training is completed, soldiers begin job training in their specialties and receive their diplomas.

The Army National Guard offers a large selection of specialties with a range of skills. These fall into three main categories: Combat (ex. Air Defense), Combat Support (ex. Engineers) and Combat Service Support (ex. Logistics). Regardless of the profession a soldier goes into, everyone goes through the same basic training, according to the Army National Guard.

Soldiers get paid as soon as they enlist.

“You will be paid for every day you serve, whether in training, weekend drills, annual training or deployment,” according to the Army National Guard.

For more information about the Texas Army National Guard, contact McCormick at [email protected].