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"Expect the Unexpected": Interview with National Guard Recruiter
Arthur Luneau
"Expect the Unexpected":
Interview With National Guard Recruiter Arthur Luneau
Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Luneau
is one of the original members of Military.com. He has a wealth of
military experience, including time in the Marine Corps, Marine Reserves,
Army Reserves, and currently the Army National Guard in New York State.
Here he discusses the Guard, its advantages, little known facts, and
reasons for joining. Read further for a REAL insider's view of life
in the military and the pride that comes from serving in the Army
National Guard.
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Q:Could you give us a brief overview of your position and
responsibilities in the Army National Guard? A: Basically I'm a Recruiter/Retention NCO for the New York
Army National Guard. The basic job description is finding new bodies
to put into the Guard, and trying to keep the ones that we have here.
Q:Before the Guard, you were in the Marines. What did you
do in the Marines, how long did you stay, and what rank did you attain? A: I joined the Marine Corps in June of 1986. I was a Combat
Engineer, and my last duty station was 3rd CEB –(Combat Engineer Battalion)in
Okinawa, Japan. I did just about six years with the Marine Corps,
and then at the end of the previous Gulf War, the reduction of forces
kicked in. A lot of people who before were planning on staying in
ended up getting out. From there I bounced into the Marine Corps Reserves.
I spent just shy of three years in the Marine Corps Reserves. It was
really hard to get MOS qualified, as there weren’t any local USMCR
centers -- I had to drive over 90 miles to get to drill. So I switched
from that to the Army Reserves. First I worked as a Licensed Practical
Nurse (MOS 91C), when they still had the MOS, but then there were
no funds or school seats, and eventually the MOS went away. I ended
up going to 812th MP Company in Orangeburg, New York as an MP, and
I got out completely in 1997. So my initial tour went from 1986 to
1997.
Q:What year did you join up with the Army National Guard? A: I came to the Guard on August 28 of 2001.
Q:What caused you to join then after being out of the armed
forces for about four years? A: Actually, it started out for selfish reasons. My G.I. Bill
was running out in November of 2001, and I was looking around for
a home. I figured, 'let me find out what's available', and at the
time New York State National guard was offering 100% free tuition.
They allowed me to enlist in 'Try One', which is just a one year enlistment.
That's how I initially went in, with the idea that I was going to
do a year in the Guard, finish up my degree and then get back out,
and that would be it. I had my first drill September 8th, and then
9-11 happened. We were activated, and initially part of the standby
force for New York City. Then myself and about 15 other individuals
from 1st and 156th Field Artillery were sent down to the city as part
of the Burial Detail Honor Guard for the Firefighters and Police Officers
who died at the World Trade Center.
Q:When did you become a recruiter for the Guard? A: I picked up recruiting this past January.
Q:What was the reason you went into recruiting? A: From 9-11 until January 7th of this year, when I began recruiting,
I had been on either State or Federal Active Duty. When that happened,
everything else went to the wayside. I initially did Burial Duty in
New York City, then I was stationed at Stewart International Airport
as part of the Homeland Security force there. Then I was down at Indian
Point Nuclear Power Plant as part of the Guard force. From a career
standpoint, it made more sense to find an active duty slot because
-- with the exception of the airport duty -- I wasn't receiving any
retirement points. Career-wise, that was the smart move.
Q:Before you had decided on joining the Guard, did you
find Military.com's information to be helpful? A: Actually, where I grew up in Carmel, New York, we don't
have any armories close by. The closest one is Poughkeepsie, which
is about 45 miles away. I was never exposed to anything about the
National Guard. There were recruiters from the Marines, Navy, Army,
and Air Force, but nothing about the National Guard. At the time,
the California Guard was advertising with Military.com, and I had
followed their link to their website. After looking at some of the
stuff they had, I ended up going to the 1-800-Go-Guard site. I filled
out the online request for information, and in less than 24 hours,
Staff Sgt. John Gallo out of the Poughkeepsie Armory gave me a call,
and within about two weeks I was enlisted. Very efficient!
Q:What about other resources on Military.com's site, besides
the recruiting section? Did you find any other sections helpful? A: I had originally signed up for the Buddy Finder tool, trying
to find guys I had served with in the Marines or overseas. Also, I
wanted to keep abreast of the current military headlines. It was a
fantastic website, and at the time it was the only thing out there
that had all the options and information available. There was something
for everybody from a combat infantryman to an aircraft mechanic. You
could always find out some bit of information about your MOS and what
was going on. Even though I was out of the military, I tried to keep
my military proficiency up.
Q:Why did you want to keep up -- - had you always considered
rejoining the military? A: Well I found I was a lousy civilian!
Q:When you joined the National Guard, did you find anything
that took you by surprise, even after your previous military experience? A: Yes! The professionalism and the quality of the units that
I was in. I was with the 1st and 156th Field Artillery. The Officer
Corps was outstanding -- people like Major Richard Coty and Major
Ronnie Ridner who were acting Battalion CO and XO -- they were not
only technically proficient in their actual jobs, they were tactically
proficient, and actually cared about what they were doing. Looking
at the equipment quality, I was always under the impression that the
National Guard got everything that the regular Army didn't use anymore,
but I found out that in most cases, we're getting the new and better
equipment, because of our support role. They usually give us equipment
that's as good as or better than that of the active side. The Marine
Corps used to be like the old Guard -- getting everything that the
Army kicked back. But it has changed because our missions have changed,
time has changed, the world has changed. People are realizing that
the Guard is not just a bump in the road, but that we have a
real world mission. Right now, in New York State, we're deployed all
over the place. We also have people in Afghanistan, in Iraq -- so
they're utilizing us a lot more than they have, since probably the
early 1970's.
Q:Are most Guard members prior service Marines or Army? A: I'd say it's split into thirds. There's a third of prior
service members who really miss the camaraderie and esprit de corps
of their active duty days in whatever branch. The Guard gives them
a way to get away from the 'real world' a little bit and keep that
military spirit alive. Then there's a third of people who joined the
Guard and who have stayed there. There are some who have been here
thirty, thirty-five years, and they're not going to go until they
throw them out! Then you have a third -- just as on the active side
-- of individuals who are looking for college. They're going to do
their four or six years, and then they're going to get out. Those
guys are few and far between though. Most of the people that I've
met since I've been in the Guard end up staying because it's a fantastic
job!
Q:Do you use Military.com now, and what about your fellow
Guardsmen? A: Yes, it's getting out there quite well. I use it a good
portion of the time, especially when I'm trying to give a recruit
information on the job they're interested in. The graphics and the
listings I use almost on a daily basis -- it's a fantastic tool for
me to use.
Q:Do you have any advice for somebody considering the Guard?
How should they prepare, and what should they expect? A: Expect the unexpected -- I don't know how to put it better.
Unless you're from a military family, and have a general idea of what
military life is like, it's going to be a shock. It's not like the
civilian world. It's not Marine Corps boot-camp either, but it's something
that takes a little getting used to. Keep an open mind, and put forth
100%, because that's how you're going to make yourself an outstanding
member of the National Guard.
Q:How do you think your Marine Corps experience prepared
you for the Guard. Was it a hindrance at all, or was it beneficial?
A: In certain aspects, it was a hindrance. The Marine Corps
has a different mindset and a different mission than the National
Guard. The Marine Corps has a tendency to be a little more rigid than
the other services. It's great on the battlefield, but not having
that flexibility sometimes can be a hindrance. I've learned to work
around it though. The person I am today is because of the Marine Corps.
The person that I'm going to become is because of the Army National
Guard.
Q:How does the Guard compare in recruiting with the other
services? A: A lot of people don't understand the extra benefits that
go along with being in the Guard. Most states offer outstanding education
benefits. If you're somebody who's considering joining the Reserves
or Guard primarily for education -- which is a legitimate reason --
the Guard has the plus of state benefits. I believe Texas, for example,
offers free tuition for state schools. In New York, it's no longer
100% tuition free, but we haven't (to the best of my knowledge) had
anybody turned down for the grants or loans that they have applied
for. You have everything that the Reserves have to offer, plus the
benefits of the state. Compared to Active Duty, you have the advantage
of being able to use your benefits immediately. Especially Active
Duty members know that it's tough -- especially in a combat unit --
to get your schooling and maintain proficiency in your MOS while you're
on Active Duty. For many Active Duty people who return to the civilian
world, they go back with a spouse and family, making it harder to
get that degree than if you're a member of the Guard.
Q:Is there anything you'd like to say about your recruiting
center specifically? Any messages for recruits? A: We work hand-in-hand with all the Guard recruiters -- we're
all on the same team. In the Hudson Valley area, you have Kingston,
where I work out of, Poughkeepsie, Leeds and I believe we have a storefront
out in Middletown as well as a unit in Newburgh. Contact any one of
those places or 1-800-GO-GUARD, and we'll do whatever we can to get
you in and have you doing what you want. Everybody is very professional
and confident that they can do their job, so that's good for anyone
considering joining the Guard.
