Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Determined Guam Guardsman Earns Blade Runner Award By Mark Scott,
                Guam National Guard
 BARRIGADA, Guam – Guam National Guard Capt. Greg May was on his last day at Maneuver Captain’s Career Course when a National Guard Bureau liaison spoke to the class. “If you’re in the National Guard and you’re here, you need to try for follow-on schools,” announced the liaison. May looked online and saw Pathfinder School starting in two days. “I don’t know anything about Pathfinder but let me call the schoolhouse and see if they have openings,” recalled May, who still hadn’t graduated from his current course. There were no openings, but he called and got himself on the waitlist. The next day, after his graduation ceremony, May drove across Fort Moore to the schoolhouse and found a spare bunk in the squad bay of an ongoing Air Assault class. After a night of rest, interrupted briefly by a 2 a.m. Air Assault wake-up, he showed up for “Day Zero” of Pathfinder School and was allowed to join. He was in. U.S. Army Pathfinder School is a three-week course for students to navigate terrain, establish and operate day and night helicopter and airplane landing and drop zones, conduct sling-load operations, provide air traffic control and navigational assistance to airborne operations, and more. Certain classes in Pathfinder School involve lengthy mathematical equations and calculus. Others require a mastery of load-bearing physics and even close-combat tactics. The highly technical course has an attrition rate of 50 to 60%. According to May, many Pathfinder students are senior-ranking officials, some with months of preparation. Some were taking the course for their second or third try. “I might as well have fallen in through the roof, “May said. “I had no idea what I was in for. “I failed every single phase,” May said. “I failed the entrance exam. I failed the Phase 1 and 2 exams, and of the six sections in Phase 3, I failed four of them. Even though I had an hour to study for my retests, the process made me question myself. Am I good enough to be here?” Being on the edge of dropping out of the course but continually finding a way to survive earned him the unofficial title of class Blade Runner. As a Pathfinder graduate, it’s a title he wears as a badge of honor. “In a way, I was prouder of that than if I had made the commandant’s list,” said May. “I just kept thinking, ‘I’m giving it my best and if I fail, I fail. But at least I can say I tried.’ And as a 40-year-old, I can set the example for my Soldiers of being resilient. If they keep grinding and keep pushing themselves, especially when no one is watching, over time the opportunities will come.”
 SHARE
 PRINT
  Guam National Guard
 Pathfinder
 
 Guam Guard Helps Elementary School Recover from Typhoon
 By Mark Scott,
  Guam Guard Hosts Central Pacific Cybersecurity Summit
 By Mark Scott,
  National Guard’s Heritage Honored at Storied Army Base
 By Air Force Master Sgt. Erich B. Smith,
  More
 Michigan Guard Military Police Soldiers end Guantanamo Mission4/15/2024New Georgia Army Guard Soldiers say ‘Send Me’  Overseas4/15/2024Alaska Air National Guard Helps 3 Alaskans During 2 Missions4/15/2024 View more Guard News »
 US, Canadian Special Forces Forge Partnerships in Jamaica4/8/2024
Deployed Pennsylvania Guard Soldiers Earn Their Combat Patch3/27/2024
Pennsylvania Guard Conducts Medical Cold-Load Training in Africa3/20/2024 View more Overseas Operations News »
 West Virginia Guard Expands International Partnerships4/16/2024

Maryland Guard, Bosnia and Herzegovina Conduct JTAC Training4/12/2024

Illinois Air Guard Supports Partner Poland4/10/2024 View more State Partnership Program News »
 Back-to-school tools for military families8/11/2015DoD sends blended military retirement proposal to Congress6/16/2015First employment symposium held for National Guard spouses5/11/2015 View more Family Programs News »
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil