Great place with recruiters that truly care about helping you get the future you want.

A great place filled with good people. Everyone is upfront and honest, they dont lie, they tell you the whole truth making your feel very confident in your decision to enlist. I always have a great time and have made good friends and a family to last a life time. Id recommend the guard to everyone not only because of the benefits but because of the people and mission.

I transitioned to the Iowa national guard from active duty in order to continue serving, but among my family and friends. I had my reservations thinking it would potentially be “less than” what I was used to, and I was wrong. I can’t place a value on being able to serve your country, experience both training & combat deployments, while remaining near the people most important to you. My leadership on arrival included current recruiter Sergeant Nick Refsland, he was and remains highly experienced, knowledgeable, and brutally honest regarding military life. A bronze star was pinned on my chest due in large part to the mentoring and support this man gave me. If your interested in serving your country, learning to shoot, move, and communicate, all while remaining near both your family and friends. Then take a damn hour out your life and talk to a recruiter about what can be offered.Respectfully,SSG Craig Scott 11Bravo/ 168inf 2003 - 2012

My review is on the the individuals inside working as recruiters. They will be honest and not tell you what you want to hear like other recruiters. They do this for two reasons: integrity and family. Once you sacrifice your integrity you can not get it back, as far as family being in the guard you will see your recruiter again and again. If they give you a raw deal that soldier will remember it and will never recommend a friend or family member again.Guard members are close, I moved to Minnesota and still in contact weekly

Super friendly and genuine people, not afraid to tell you the whole story of what you may be signing up for. Sure, they lead with the pamphlets and typical benefit spiel but they fill you in on stories about the guard, the good and bad; ones you cant get from reading a brochure.Do note that if you in the middle of college coursework at the time you are thinking of enlisting, make sure the semester is over before you go ahead and enlist. I made the mistake of joining a few weeks before my classes finished and missed out on a higher starting rank because of it. I did get a 20k bonus, however, for enlisting with the particular MOS/job at the time I did. So it really worked out alright in my situation,b make sure you ask you recruiter for more information if you have a similar situation.

There are many thing I would like to say about this place and the individuals working there. First let me start by saying that the atmosphere is very enjoyable and there is no pressure by any of the recruiters that work there to enlist. Also having been under SFC Refsland as a lower enlisted I can truly say that he takes care of people like they are part of his family. He won’t beat around the bushes when it comes to the truth about things. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for this man guiding me to be the NCO I am today and for that I truly am thankful!

Outstanding service.

Great info at the recruiting store front! There was no commitment to just stop by and learn. Great location in the food court!

Very friendly. Welcomed me when I came in. I chose to sign up right then and there.

While I have been in the Army for about 24 years there are a certain number of individuals (we will call NCOs) that stick out in my mind as having integrity and always doing the hard right over the easy wrong(ish). One of those NCOs is SFC Nik Refsland. I first met him when I deployed with the Iowa Guard. He was an individual I could always count on and someone that put others first. After we got back Nik and I worked full time for a while and his integrity and desire to empower young and old Soldiers to become more than they were is second to none. One of my favorite things was to watch him teach, because in everything he said and did there was a learning moment. He is now a recruiter for the Iowa National Guard. Recruiters always get a bad wrap and some of them deserve it, but, I would bet my next months pay check that Nik will always do what is in the best interest the a potential recruit. He is in the business of building relationships that will last a life time. My daughter is not old enough but if she is interested in joining he is the first person I would call and would 100% trust he would do right by her. Give him a call but when you do have him tell you a story...you wont be disappointed. ~ James

The National Guard Career Center at Jordan Creek Mall is a great place to check out. The Career counselors are there to help you or a family member