There are several options for joining the Army National Guard. Your local Army National Guard recruiter will discuss all the options and will help you decide which option is right for you.
One option is to join the Army National Guard and report for both basic training and advanced individual training within 360 days of the date you sign your enlistment contract. This would be a good option for a high school senior who is not planning on going to college immediately after high school.
A second, and very popular option for high school juniors is the Split Option Enlistment. As a junior in high school, you can enlist in the Army National Guard and not interrupt your high school education. You start by attending basic training the summer after your junior year. You will return home in time for school to begin your senior year in the fall. When you return, you will train one weekend per month with your local Army National Guard unit. The summer following your high school graduation, you will attend advanced individual training in the specialty you chose when you enlisted. In most cases, you will return in time to start college in the fall. If you are at least 17 years old, you can take advantage of the split option enlistment program.
If you are interested in this program, see your high school guidance counselor to schedule an appointment with an Army National Guard recruiter. The recruiter will schedule an appointment for you to take the ASVAB.