Does the National Guard get called to go out of the country often?

Over long term history no but has been used due to the extremely small size of the active military recently. The number of times called up and length of time between call ups are really largely based on the mission of the National Guard unit; the Armored Calvary Unit here is training now for their second tour in Iraq but other units have not been called up at all-different roles for those units mean they are not needed.

The Army National Guard has taken over the Sinai mission which they are required to send one Task Force (Battalion +) every six months. They also took over the Bosnia / Kosovo peace keeping mission. And of course Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanastan missions. Almost all deployable Guard units have been to Iraq or Afghanastan once and most brigade are now on schedule to go back a second time. The model now is for the guard to deploy 1 year for every 5 - 6 years. But due to demand its more like 1.5 years for every 3-4 years.

And then you have national disasters, border security missions, airport security, ect.

Air National Guard deploys world wide as well.

Yes quite a lot recently. The active forces are so small that the guard is backing them up and standing in for units. Oregon's 41st Infantry Brigade served in Iraq and was repsonsible for a sector just like any regular army unit would be. The 116th ACR has also done plenty of tours in Iraq. Air Guard does shorter deployments but more often, my friend is deployed now on his third deployment I think.

The answer is yes and no.

The guard was founded to protect the individual states. This thinking kept the guard at home throughout most of US history.

Many of the guard units were federalized under title 10 and transistioned to active duty status to support WWII and the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Desert Storm (Gulf War I) started and finished faster than the guard could mobilize its masses to support, although there were select guard units deployed.

During Vietnam, President Johnson used the guard as a political tool when he refused to deploy it to SE Asia.

The Guard does not deploy as much as active duty does, but they DO deploy often...and ALL positions in the Air Force get sent to Iraq, some are more common than others..but there is a job for every AFSC there.

Im not in the NG, but I am Active Duty AF and I know for a fact there are a LOT of Nation Guard fighting next to the army in IRAQ and Afghanistan.

It is a very good possibility, i was a mass guard member for 10yrs at 1-104th, all feilds are always needed. But the likely hood of going is in the 30percent range. people less likely to go are admin, cooks

its based on needs. if they need you over there, you will go. there are tons of reservists over there now, and i know that there are/ have been a lot of FL Natl Guard over there. when joining any military branch, you should be ok with going over there. its just a matter of time before it happens!

damn! if you can't make such a decision, perhaps YOU are not officer material to serve in MY military! Flip a coin! heads - active duty tails- ARNG

Yes, but in Iraq only.