Great Benefits in the National Guard

When you serve in the National Guard you are doing a good thing for your country. There is no greater feeling than keeping your country and fellow Americans safe. Although this is the number one advantage of becoming a member of the Guard, there are many others. Are you aware of the long list of benefits that come along with this appointment?

While serving your community and country, you can take advantage of everything from money for college to top of the line insurance and much more.

Check out some of the following National Guard benefits:

Guard Pay

You will earn a paycheck for every day you serve in the National Guard. This is true regardless of your experience and position. Whether you are drilling one weekend per month or attending an annual training session, you know that you are going to get paid for your duties. Along with this, if you ever get called upon to serve you can be rest assured that your compensation will continue.

Note: you can receive promotions in the National Guard. Every time this happens, you can expect your paycheck to grow.

Money for College

The cost of attending college is on the rise. If you need financial assistance, joining the National Guard may be the first natural step to take. When you serve in the Guard, you may qualify for one or more of the following:

– Up to 100 percent federal tuition assistance

– Over $300 per month extra for living expenses, thanks to the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill

– Another $350 per month with the National Guard Kicker

– Repayment of student loans with the Student Loan Repayment Program (up to $50,000)

Bonuses

As part of the National Guard, you will find many ways to earn extra money. For example, you can earn a big bonus if you go into one of many ?cash bonus job fields.? Along with this, there are huge incentives for healthcare professionals and officers. The only thing better than earning a regular paycheck with the Guard is receiving a cash bonus when you sign-on.

Enlistment Options

There is more than one way to enlist in the National Guard. With so much flexibility, a larger number of people find that this is the branch of the military that is right for them. For example, you can join the Guard while you are still working towards your high school diploma with the Split Training Option. Did you know that you can also combine National Guard service with the ROTC program (known as the Simultaneous Membership Program)? This allows you to receive tuition assistance while also earning drill pay.

Even more Benefits

If the above benefits were not enough to get you excited, there are many others to consider:

– Free flights in the continental United States

– Low cost life and health insurance coverage

– The ability to apply for a home loan through Veterans Affairs

– Discount shopping at hundreds of military bases around the world

– Access to the Federal Retirement Plan

Final Word

When you join the National Guard you are putting yourself in position to serve your local community as well as the United States as a whole. But as you can see in the information above, that is just the start. From the moment you become part of the Guard, you are in position to receive multiple high level benefits. From competitive base pay to insurance to money for your education, the National Guard will take care of you in many ways.