Deployments
 

How do deployments work for Air Guard pilots specifically on the C17? I was doing some reading on Baseops and if I understand correctly they are “scheduled “ deployments every few years for a certain amount of time?

C-17 Guard and Reserve units do not deploy. A person in the unit can volunteer to deploy with the active duty.

In the Herk, we deploy as a unit.

I know you said ANG, but fwiw, there's also involuntary individual non-flying deployments in the AFRC now. Caveat emptor buddy.

semantics. yes, you can volunteer to "deploy" with an active duty unit, or for an active duty staff job.

units are tasked for their AEF. If squadrons cannot get enough volunteers, they can be involuntarily activated.

As the previous poster said, individuals can also be cherry-picked and involuntarily activated for staff jobs, not related to the AEF.

Also units may have exercises, evaluations, or other training where participation is "mandatory"

Check with flyers in the unit you are interested in to get the particulars.

Also, you can get a new commander, and the next thing you know your requirements can increase overnight. (e.g. all drills mandatory versus more flexible policies)

Not Air Force, but same thing.

I knew my active duty wife was going to do some deployments so I found a “garrison support” unit in the Reserves. Their mob duty was to fall in on the local installation of the active duty personnel had to deploy. How safe can you get?
Called St Louis about something and it came up that I would probably deploy soon.
Me: “I just got back from a 1 year deployment 13 months ago.”
St Louis: “You’re only guaranteed 18 months at home after a deployment.”
Me: “My unit is a garrison support unit. How are you going to deploy us??”
St Louis: “ You don’t understand. We aren’t going to mobilize your unit. We’re going to mobilize you. You have about 6 identifiers that are critical right now.”
Me: “Expect my request for retirement tomorrow.”

I am pretty sure no guard or reserve C17 unit has ever deployed as an entire unit. We have been activated to a certain tail availability at the start of the wars and for the past few years. Those individuals are on orders at home station and support active duty world wide flying. Now the reserves are getting some ground deployments but nothing is coming to the guard unless you want to do a deployment in Germany or Spain.

true but it could happen. The C-17 was not around during desert storm when entire AMC Guard and Reserve flying units were activated.

In reality, you only truly volunteer once. When you join.
After that? All needs of Uncle Sam... its nice to have the appearance to have choices.

This plus a lot. Don’t take a military pilot billet: active, reserve, or guard if you can’t handle the worst case taskers that could come your way. It’s a lot of fun and definitely great flying, but even in the Guard you can’t say “no” if they really want you.