Staff photo by Allison Kwesell
Pfc. Anna Burris and other members of the Army National Guard practice drills at the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue.

Pfc. Kaylee Milliard thought she'd be as lost as everyone else in boot camp, stumbling around and confused.

But a special training program at her unit's headquarters in Chattanooga prepared her better than others.

"When we were told to do a right face, half the people didn't know what to do," she laughed.

A few months later, the young private was the distinguished honor graduate out of 167 students in her job specialty training.

Pfc. Milliard had an advantage because of a program started three years ago across the Army National Guard.

The Recruit Sustainment Program began as a way to keep Guard soldiers graduating from boot camp and other training on time while also easing them into military life, said Master Sgt. Kevin Hudgins, program head for Chattanooga-area soldiers who sign up with the Tennessee Army National Guard.

Locally, 367 recruits have gone through the sustainment program and 19 have been either honor graduates or distinguished honor graduates at Army schools, Master Sgt. Hudgins said.

Guard units are different from active military branches when it comes to recruiting and unit assignments. Though new Guard recruits can drill and serve with any unit in Tennessee, based on their job specialty, there's often a good chance that they'll serve in the unit where they signed up.

In the active military, it's unlikely that troops will be stationed near their home.

Trainers, who also serve as recruiters, have a connection with the soldiers they recruit, giving them a special motivation to see new enlistees succeed, said Master Sgt. Hudgins.

In the Sustainment Program, recruits have two full days of mandatory training each month, whether they are leaving for boot camp in a year or a month.

Typically, training begins early Saturday morning with a physical fitness test. Recruits then change into fatigues for classes in military customs, weapons maintenance and close order drill throughout the day.

When locations are available, recruits also rappel and practice marksmanship at Guard firing ranges.

Pvt. Marissa King, 17, signed with the Guard in September. The November drill was her second time training with soldiers.

The Marion County High School cheerleader captain said the training helps show where she needs improvement, which helps her set goals before she heads to boot camp in June.

"You get a heads up about everything," she said.

Clutching a rubber training rifle, she said she learned quickly to "hold her gun down at all times" -- a weapons safety measure to prevent unintentionally pointing a weapon at a fellow soldier.