There is something about the Guard that I don't think active duty understand so much less the public. A guard guy will serve 20-40 years with the same unit, same group of guys, with people who are your literal neighbors from child hood, and go into war zones together.....that super pyramid of military rank structure matters less than who you are working with. I firmly believe that is a *strength* of the guard, not a weakness. I think of other warrior cultures from back to cavemen....families and neighbors formed together to defend their community. There is a closeness and a brotherhood. A cohesion that transcends rigidity and doesn't necessarily make the movies.

I imagine the term "bro" seems casual for a military setting in the eyes of someone I'd guess has never served, or never been in the guard. Don't take this as a lack of professionalism. We are damn proud, and damn committed to serving those next to us. We have each others' back. We don't trample over each other in the name of career progression or self promotion. We take great pride in representing our hometown and our state as we accomplish missions ranging from local to national, to even global. Sorry for the rant.