Joining the Guard at 31?

[Gusington]

I am a cook roght now for the State of New York (Communications Dept.) with a MA in History. After basic trainng I was hoping to do similar work for the NY Guard, and maybe move into cybersecurity as I advance into that in my regular career. But I would be happy driving a truck or ambulance and rescuing flood victims too.

[Longdan]

Only rescue cute girls or puppies who will attract cute girls.  Do not rescue anybody else,
especially old people.  They caused the federal debt.  Get a cool hat.

[bayonetbrant]

I would think an MBA would be fast tracked up the logistics arm.

nope.  for several reasons:
1. no idea how the day-to-day operations of the military work
2. no experience operating within the military's supply chain, especially with the accountability issues that are a part of it
3. no idea how tactical/operational logistics work on the battlefield
4. if you're looking at putting someone at the "big logistics" level of moving entire fleets of stuff around - they already have those guys, wearing uniforms having earned their way up in the ranks, and they all have their MBAs that they earned while in the military

and most importantly...

5.  A lot of the tactical/operational-level admin/log positions (especially at BN/BDE level) are staffed by line officers with the technical enlisted guys under them for the detail work.  This provides more general military leadership to the section beyond an overly-myopic focus on the day-to-day A&L responsibilities of the section.  It also provides the commander with a ready pool of line officers that can be pulled out of a staff role and put in charge of a force on the battlefield, should it be needed - leaders that are already known and trusted within the unit to take on those sorts of roles when called upon.  The HHC XO is quite frequently tapped to play an ad hoc 'command' role on the battlefield with an amalgamation of scouts, mortars, engineers, and MPs under his control for a specific mission.  Same with the S-1, S4, or BMO.  Heck, some units have line officers as SIGOs and CHEMOs and use them the same ways, too.

Some civvie with an MBA on how to balance double-entry ledgers and leverage mind-share of brand marketing into customer conversion rates is not that useful in a logistics brigade that's worried about getting fuel trucks from point A to point B.

[Longdan]

History is important and so are detective skills.  I remember when the lives of an entire platoon
hung in the balance over the question of "what happened to Bixby's underwear."
If we had had a detective/historian in our midst we could have come to the conclusion that
a) he lost them or b) McIsaac stole them sooner than we did and then gotten back to whatever
TF we were sposed to be doing.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I would think an MBA would be fast tracked up the logistics arm.

nope.  for several reasons:
1. no idea how the day-to-day operations of the military work
2. no experience operating within the military's supply chain, especially with the accountability issues that are a part of it
3. no idea how tactical/operational logistics work on the battlefield
4. if you're looking at putting someone at the "big logistics" level of moving entire fleets of stuff around - they already have those guys, wearing uniforms having earned their way up in the ranks, and they all have their MBAs that they earned while in the military

and most importantly...

5.  A lot of the tactical/operational-level admin/log positions (especially at BN/BDE level) are staffed by line officers with the technical enlisted guys under them for the detail work.  This provides more general military leadership to the section beyond an overly-myopic focus on the day-to-day A&L responsibilities of the section.  It also provides the commander with a ready pool of line officers that can be pulled out of a staff role and put in charge of a force on the battlefield, should it be needed - leaders that are already known and trusted within the unit to take on those sorts of roles when called upon.  The HHC XO is quite frequently tapped to play an ad hoc 'command' role on the battlefield with an amalgamation of scouts, mortars, engineers, and MPs under his control for a specific mission.  Same with the S-1, S4, or BMO.  Heck, some units have line officers as SIGOs and CHEMOs and use them the same ways, too.

Some civvie with an MBA on how to balance double-entry ledgers and leverage mind-share of brand marketing into customer conversion rates is not that useful in a logistics brigade that's worried about getting fuel trucks from point A to point B.

I accept your knowledge of the situation. Interesting reading.


To clarify I did not say an MBA should be put in charge of anything on entering the military. I assume any green lieutenant has to learn the ropes.

[Gusington]

I will try to get a cool hat. I mean why do it otherwise at my advanced age?

[Longdan]

Hot Chix.  Remember Hot chix.

Something like this could happen.  (Courtesy of SDR. Without his permission.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMucmRlPZK0

[Gusington]

I am hoping that is my first call up.

[Centurion40]

Hot Chix.  Remember Hot chix.

I joined-up thinking that it would help me with the ladies.  It didn't.  I was still me.

[Martok]

Hot Chix.  Remember Hot chix.

I joined-up thinking that it would help me with the ladies.  It didn't.  I was still me.

It's the uniform, man.  You should've been wearing it more often! 

[Longdan]

They first started taking women in back in the day (1970's).
Some of us were secretly excited.  The first wave of man crushing bullcows killed that.
Then the real girls came in and turned it into a ladies social club.  Certainly improved the
overall tone but it was no longer a misogynist, studly, bulldozer and powertools type hangout.
Some guys had trouble with that.

[Gusington]

That's why we have this place.