There are many tangible benefits available to Soldiers in the Army National Guard. Programs that help pay for your college education. Cash bonuses for specific jobs and excellent pay for your service are the most recognizable. There are other benefits available to Guard members; listed below are just a few.
Fly For Free
As a member of the Army National Guard, you are eligible to travel free on military aircrafts when space is available. You can fly within and between the Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Base Privileges
As a member of the Army National Guard, you and your family can enjoy the different privileges of military installations around the world. Benefits include unlimited discount shopping at any Military Exchange (department store) and commissary (grocery store). Discount lodging, cabins and campsites are available on most installations. You can loan or rent sports' activity gear and camping equipment. Craft, automotive, and woodworking hobby shops offer an area and the tools to work on personal projects.
TRICARE Reserve Select
The National Guard is concerned about the well-being of its Servicemembers and their families, which is why the new TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) program is being initiated. The program will help these individuals receive the healthcare they deserve by now allowing every member of the Selected Reserve the option to purchase health coverage from TRICARE. Click here for more.
Life Insurance
Life insurance plans are available for Army National Guard members and their families, through inexpensive insurance programs geared towards their needs.
The insurance plan offered to Guard members is the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI), which provides coverage for a Guard member 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It costs approximately $16.25 per month for $250,000 of insurance with smaller amounts of coverage available. Coverage is available through age 60, upon receipt of your first retirement check or 120 days after a Soldier's ETS.
Family coverage is available through Family Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (FSGLI). This program is available to the spouses and dependent children of members insured under the SGLI program. FSGLI provides up to a maximum of $100,000 of insurance coverage for spouses, not to exceed the SGLI amount of the insured member. It also provides $10,000 for dependent children. Spousal coverage is issued in increments of $10,000. Coverage costs vary among plans.
Every Soldier A Recruiter
Every Soldier a Recruiter (ESAR) is the pilot referral bonus program of the Active, Reserve and National Guard components of the Army that provides select Soldiers and retired members of the U.S. Military the opportunity to assist with recruiting efforts and rewards those efforts with referral bonuses up to $1,000.
ESAR was established to instill in all Soldiers and leaders that Every Soldier is a Recruiter. ESAR is open to individuals in the ARNG (SELRES), including AGR Soldiers on Active Duty, Military Technicians (MILTECHs) and Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW) personnel. ESAR is also open to Soldiers of the USAR and Active Army and retired members of the U.S. Military.
Click here to learn more.
Guard Recruiting Assistance Program
To maintain today's readiness and strength requirements while preparing for tomorrow's challenges, the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program promotes strength from within by recognizing and rewarding those who help the ARNG achieve its goals.
Guard Recruiting Assistants can earn additional income assisting ARNG recruiting efforts by identifying well-qualified men and women for service in the ARNG. RAs earn $2,000 for each new recruit who enlists and reports to Basic Training or for each prior service member who affiliates with a unit for four months.
Guard Recruiting Assistants are embedded in their respective communities and are uniquely positioned to identify potential Soldiers in the people they already know. It's the effective way to promote strength from within.
Veterans Administration Home Loans
Army National Guard members may be eligible for a minimum or no down payment loan, offered by the Veterans Administration, to make buying a home more affordable. VA loans are available for home purchases and refinances. A VA loan eliminates the homebuyer's need to make a down payment and purchase private mortgage insurance for homes up to $359,650. Qualified veterans need to obtain a certificate of eligibility from the VA, or your lender may be able to obtain one for you online. Members with six or more years of Guard service, or those with 90 days of continuous federal active duty service (Title 10), are eligible for the "VA Home Loan Insurance Program."
VA guaranteed loans are made by private lenders, such as banks, savings and loans or mortgage companies to eligible veterans for the purchase of a home, which must be for their own personal occupancy. To obtain a loan, a veteran must apply to a lender. If the loan is approved, the VA will guarantee a portion of it to the lender. This guaranty protects the lender against loss up to the amount guaranteed and allows a veteran to obtain favorable financing terms.
Explore your options online at www.homeloans.va.gov.
Contact your local recruiter for more information.
