As part of our nation's total defense force, the Guard can also be mobilized to respond to national emergencies. Washington's National Guard has two distinct organizations-the Air Guard and the Army Guard. Within each organization, there are a number of career opportunities and all have varying degrees of application to civilian life and nonmilitary components provide excellent training for which Guard members are paid while learning. Throughout the military training process, leadership and management skills are emphasized. These skills have direct application in civilian employment.
Guard units offer a variety of specialized skills training from word processing to flight training.
As in private industry, the military is highly computerized, and there are opportunities for military training in information management systems. Because the Guard has a large variety of military equipment, many Guard personnel specialize as vehicle and aircraft mechanics, heavy equipment operators, pilots, truck drivers, and food service technicians. The Washington National Guard is unusual in that it is one of the few military organizations that has its own army and air force. Along with military training opportunities that help enhance civilian occupations, the Washington National Guard offers opportunities for its members to train outside Washington State and overseas. In the last year, Guard units have trained in Germany, Belgium, Panama, Japan, and Korea.