Military Time

Soldiering is often a 24-hour-a-day job. Thus, military time is expressed using 24 hours, in groups of four digits ranging from 0001 (one minute after midnight) to 2400 (midnight), based on the 24-hour clock system shown here. The first two numbers represent the hours after midnight, and the last two numbers represent the minutes of each hour. For example, noon is 1200 hours, and 10:15 p.m. becomes 2215 hours, military time. The current time is 1259 hours.

Military dates are expressed by day, month, and year, in that order — abbreviated to the first three letters of the month and the last two digits of the year. For example: today's date, August 10, 2004 is expressed as 10 AUG 04.

The Bugle: The Army's Alarm Clock

Whether trumpeting the start of a new day or rallying troops above the din of battle, the bugle's call always serves the same purpose — effective communication.

General Washington and his troops would recognize some bugle calls in use in the Army National Guard today, as their melodies date back to the earliest days of the Army.

Some, like the familiar wake–up call, Reveille, were used during the Crusades. In fact, the crusaders are credited with establishing music as an important part of both combat and military ceremony.

The Army's bugle calls were not standardized until after the Civil War. Until then, each branch and each company used its own calls. You can imagine the chaos and confusion when several units fought together. From First Call in the morning until Lights Out at night, the bugle calls you will hear on post are pre-recorded and played over loudspeakers.

Drill

One weekend each month, you will attend training drills. This training consists of two four-hour assemblies on Saturday and an additional two assemblies on Sunday. Various training events are scheduled during these assemblies, each designed to prepare your unit for AT. It is imperative and mandatory that Guard members attend all scheduled training sessions.