My dad(28 years retired army) recommended me when I go to college I should do Split Option to get in the Army National Guard. I'm currently 17 right now and I have one more year of high school left. I can start my first half of boot camp this summer. My questions are...

1. Is could I still reinlist into the Army after my contract has expired with the Army national guard?
2. If I can reinlist into the army could I still become a Ranger?
3. What would I expect if i did split Option? Like what would i do between both training periods?

Thanks.

Hello Otacon. I spent 16 years of my 22 years of service in the National Guard and am just coming back in now after some years of retirement.

Things may have changed but when my younger brother did the Split Option program only a few MOSs were available for that program. He wound up going to Basic after high school and then doing his AIT after his freshman year of college. He had to take a school he did not want to complete the program but was able to qualify for the MOS he did want later OJT (on the job training). You may want to take a year off between high school and college to get the MOS you want. It can also be a good thing as it may give you more time to decide on your course of study. Even if you know what you want now you may change your mind after spending some time off from school.

Now for your questions:

1.) You can join the regular Army at any time during your enlistment in the National Guard and you would not have to wait until that enlistment is up to do so. You would be smart to do it sooner as you will most likely lose some rank in doing so if you are an E-4 or above by the time you transfer.

2.) Becoming a Ranger has nothing to do with having been or not having been in the Guard. Also remember there is being assigned to a Ranger unit and having gone to the Ranger School. They aren't the same thing. Contact RndrSafe here for more details.

3.) If you do go Split Option you will be a private at drill functions. You won't be deployable until you have your school so you won't be going anywhere. Mostly you will be doing whatever junior enlistedmen do in the unit you join and perhaps learning some of your MOS before you go to AIT.

My advice:

Don't go Split Option. Take a year off and get Basic and AIT done first. You'll be able to go to more schools (unless that's been changed for Split Option and I doubt it has) and when you do go to college you'll be able to qualify for the SMP program if you wish. SMP is Simultaneous Membership Program. You drill with a National Guard unit while attending college and ROTC. You can get some good practical experience under your belt before graduation as well as earn extra money. At the end of college and ROTC you will be commissioned a 2LT and can persue a career in the regulars at that time, or continue on in the Guard.

Thank you.

my wife went split op and encountered a few problems.

At the end of basic training, you are in decent shape. You are also use to doing military PT. In the year my wife took off, she remained in good shape by running but struggled upon entering AIT. She also got use to being a civilian again and had problems getting back into the "military mind set."

Another thing about doing basic and AIT in one shot is the friend factor. You will have friends in basic that will follow you to AIT. If you are OCET, where you do basic and AIT with the same bunch of soldiers, you will remain with familiar company.

About the college bit. If you go to basic and AIT (assuming your job's AIT is less than 10 weeks) in the very beginning of summer, you will finish AIT before college starts in JAN.

From a person who delayed college for 4 years for military service, I do not regret it one bit. College looks a little different when you take some time off. You will only laugh at the ignorance of the 18 yearold freshmen

Good points, Doody, particularly about being able to make it through AIT in time for the January semester.

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