• The Air National Guard offers many career choices.american flags image by SUE ASHE from Fotolia.com
  
  The Air National Guard acts as a separate unit from the Air Force that focuses on domestic needs at a state level. They support the Air Force when needed and sometimes work with the Army National Guard as well. Upon enlistment, Air National Guard members can choose from a variety of careers and training in the technology, medical, electronics, aircraft, mechanical and public service fields. Soldiers in this branch of the military can have one of three duty status types: inactive, active or civilian.
  
  

Inactive

• Inactive duty status requires Air National Guard members to serve one weekend each month to fulfill yearly training requirements. Even though these soldiers are training, they are not considered active duty because one weekend a month does not equal a 40-hour per week service assignment. Inactive duty status also requires additional flying periods as necessary to complete training requirements based on the individual's chosen career path: Thus not all Air National Guard members are required to put in additional flight time because not every career opportunity the Air National Guard offers involves flying an aircraft. Some service members may volunteer for additional duty assignments such as working with civil air patrols for which the service member is not paid but instead receives credits toward retirement. These volunteer duty assignments are also considered to be inactive duty.
  
  

Active

• Active duty status is for Air National Guard members serving a full 40-hour week of work on a regular basis. Air National Guard members must serve two full weeks per year, as stated in the enlistment contract. Included in the active duty status are temporary duty assignments to another base or specialty projects supporting either other segments of the Air National Guard, Air Force or civilian task forces.
  
  

Civilian

• Individuals also have the ability to work directly with and be paid by the Air National Guard by being accepted into civil service job positions. These are governmental job positions in which an individual is paid overtime for any work that lasts longer than eight hours in any one day. Both civilians and Air National Guard members can work in these jobs. These civilian duty status jobs include work in technology, medical and administrative roles throughout the country. Civil service jobs are eligible for retirement benefits with other benefits such as medical, dental and paid vacation time. Non-enlisted civil service personnel are considered to be civilian governmental workers and are not subject to the same requirements and restrictions as enlisted members of the Air National Guard. If an Air National Guard member works a civil service job, the member is considered to be working with an active duty status on a civilian duty status job.