Before this degrades into an "us and them" AD vs. AR/NG thing, what's sad about it, is that both sides have different, complementary strengths and weaknesses, which should, and have resulted in very good units.

High level and CSS staffs tend to be better as Army Reserve formations. (There is no practical way to train an AD guy on how to do higher level logistics) The operational and mid- to lower level tactical formations are much better as Active Duty. (i.e., some BDEs, Almost all BNs, and most Companies.) Smaller level tactical units can be a wash, especially during peacetime, between AD and NG. And low density, specialty MOSs are almost always superior outside of the AD Army.

Back to the "war stories" topic. When I was on the way out of my second command (of a DIV CAV HHT) I was "rewarded" with an additional AT as an LNO to the 29th SIB in Hawai'i. Seems the 29th has never worked with their Cavalry Troop, and they wanted an experienced CAV officer to provide LNO services between the ad hoc 2 Troop Squadron they were plussing the unit up with for a JRTC rotation.

While Hawai'i was beautiful, the SIB staff didn't want a thing to do with me, (because I was a white mainlander) or my "crazy extra units." They wouldn't even give us a radio net.

So... 6 months later, when we went to Fort Polk, Yours Truly got together with all the additional units (1 x Australian LRRP PLT, 1 x Mech Inf Co, 1 x Tank Co, 1 x ATK helo Co, 1 x Light Recon Troop, and 1 x Air CAV Troop) and hammered out a deal, where, on our own hook, we formed a SuperBattalion that was completely independent of the 29SIB CoC. And because I had access to the BDE TOC, I was de facto commander.

Once the rotation started, as expected, the Hawai'ians excluded us from planning, support and radio nets, so we kept our ears open, and ended up killing upwards of 96% of the enemy in sector, on our own. The 29SIB flailed around and failed miserably in every thing it attempted, OTOH, including things like attempting to maneuver Battalions on 3-6 man ambushes.