You can serve the military as a citizen's soldier ready to respond in case of emergency. Joining the National Guard also offers you other benefits.
Do you like the idea of military service,
but don't see yourself as a full-time soldier? The National Guard offers you the opportunity to serve not only in combat, but in many humanitarian capacities during an emergency. Your service entitles you to some attractive benefits, too.
Why Consider Joining The National Guard?
The National Guard prides itself on doing whatever is needed, wherever it is needed. Organized in each state, enlistees report for training two days a month and for a two-week period annually where they prepare to join a combat force anywhere in the world, if required. Often, guardsmen are called to help with natural emergencies such as storms, floods, fires, and other disasters where they help the local community to deal with the after-affects. Some guardsmen might even work on school or hospital construction, teach more efficient farming techniques to local farmers, or train local peacekeeping forces. National Guard careers are varied.
When they are not on active duty or in training, National Guard personnel work in their civilian jobs. During training, they receive income based on their military rank which supplements their civilian wages. The pay is one of the most tangible aspects of being a Guardsman.
Attractive Healthcare Benefits
Though their services are occasional, National Guardsmen are eligible to receive military health benefits through Tricare Reserve select. In return for a small monthly premium and yearly deductible, guardsmen and their families can obtain health insurance at lower rates than they could as civilians. Premiums are tied to rank, so family premiums for someone ranking E4 is about $200 a month with a $100 deductible, while the cost is around $300 a month for E5 and above. Guardsmen can obtain free prescriptions at on-post pharmacies.
Military Shop And Save
Guardsmen can use the commissary on base for grocery shopping, and shop at the Exchange (PX) for brand-name clothes, furniture, household appliances, and cosmetics. Savings at the commissary average 30% over most monthly grocery bills as the markup on the cost of products is only 5%. The baggers are volunteers, so it's customary to tip the bag boy when you go there.
Life Insurance Values
Joining the National Guard can also qualify you for great life insurance through the Service Members Group Life Insurance. For a small premium, you can buy $400,000 of insurance for yourself and your family without completing a health screen questionnaire.
While the opportunity to offer occasional of service without having to abandon your civilian life might be reason enough to enlist, the benefits of joining the National Guard offer an exciting incentives. If you want to find out how you might fit in one of the National Guard careers, contact your state or national recruiter today for more information.
