Joining Air/Army National Guard With BS Degree

[Limitedslip7]

I graduated last June with a BSMET degree and was unable to find work for six months. I finally found a crap entry-level manufacturing engineering job three months ago making a paltry $35k/yr salary, but it has provided decent experience so far. I have quite a bit of student loan debt so I have been looking into joining a reserve branch of the military to help pay for it while maintaining a civilian engineering job.

 

I first checked with the Army/Navy reserves but they claimed to only offer a $20k loan repayment for a 6 year enlistment (their website says $40k however), with no sign-on bonus and a high probability of multiple and lengthy deployments where I would be losing significant amounts of money/experience by not being able to work a civilian job.

 

The Army National Guard recruiter said they are currently offering a $50k loan repayment for a 6 year enlistment and would still be eligible for a sign on bonus in the unlikely event that I was able to secure one of the few MOSs still offering them. They said to expect an overseas deployment of up to one year and the possibilty of much shorter domestic deployments. With yearly loan payments factored in, I would be making $13,063 as an E-4 or $17,187 as an O-1. They also said I would have to start as an E-4, finish my E-4 MOS training, then apply for OTS if I wanted to remain eligible for the student loan repayment.

 

I have not yet talked with an Air Guard recruiter yet, but plan on doing so soon. However, I did receive a DUI three years ago. The Army Reserves recruiter said this would make it much more difficult to become an officer, but it was still possible. The NG recruiter didn't seem to think it would be too much of an issue and that I would just need a waiver. I'm sure this would especially limit my chances in the Air Guard. I'm not worried about the ASVAB or MEPS, I scored a 90 something on the ASVAB not too long after high school and have no physical ailments.

 

All that being said, has anyone been in a similar situation and joined the National Guard? Would it be worth the time investment? I'm thinking about enlisting at the end of summer/fall but would really like to hear from people with actual experience.

 

:bangbang:

[AWW$HEEET]

Im in the guard. I would try to get a commission before EVER going enlisted if you are dead set on getting in. Do it to become and officer, and dont settle for anything less. As a side note, you may not be able to get on with the Air National Guard though, because I believe Ohio is at 113% manning currently, and we need to get back down to 105%. This may just be for enlisted positions though, im not sure.

 

All in all I have mixed feelings about my experience. On one hand im pretty salty about going to base sometimes, because it seems like drill weekends always fall on days where I have really important things to do. I was also pretty pissed about being at basic training. On the other hand, they paid TONS of my tuition, TONS of GI Bill, and I got a $10k bonus at signing. That and the clearance you will receive affords you the ability to apply for jobs you otherwise wouldnt be qualified for on the government side. If I were to do it again, I would have either gone active duty as an officer, or not done it at all.

[Limitedslip7]

Well, if I join as an officer right away in the Army National Guard I cannot get the student loan repayment option, which is my primary motivation for joining. They said I would have to start as an E-4 and apply for OCT upon completion of my MOS training. Edited April 7, 2010 by LimitedSlip7

[AWW$HEEET]

Well, if I join as an officer right away I cannot get the student loan repayment option, which is my primary motivation for joining. They said I would have to start as an E-4 and apply for OCT upon completion of my MOS training.

 

I would look elsewhere then. If you have a degree there is no way I would go enlisted. The pay differential alone may be more than enough to cover that 20k or whatever repayment. Id have to do the math but my instinct is to look at another branch to get what you want.

[Scotty2Hotty]

Like Brian said, if you're joining just to pay for school, don't even think about it. Sorry, but to me that's a bullshit reason for doing it. I've had some time in, and can tell you that there needs to be more of a reason. I joined in 02', so still fresh 9/11 and full of killer spirit. I enlisted as a then 12B Combat Engineer (now 21B) and been blowing things up ever since. I don't know what MOS you're expecting to go into, but I can tell you be ready to deploy overseas. Be ready to put your life on hold to perform your duties in a possible hostile shit hole.

 

Don't get me wrong the student loan repayment program is great. Had a guy I served with @ FT.Hood that had all his loans from his Aeronautical Engineering degree paied in full. Now since I was active duty my GI Bill nets me more $$$ than what the National Guard gets with deployments. The National Guard gets a fraction of what the Active Army is entitled to.

 

Now as far as becoming a commisioned officer, it's OCS (Officer's Candidate School) that you would end up going to. With a degree/college experience, I have to say it's in your best interest to get that golden bar. Granted with the lack of experience, an open mind is a must in my opinion, for a good officer. The only reason the DUI might affect you, is because to be an officer you must obtain a Top Secret clearance. Long story short, the Military is a commitment, not a gym membership you can discard if you want. As the recruiters will tell you (believe about half of what they say Army wise) be ready for a deployment. I'm on my 3rd, but I love doing it so it's no problem for me.

[Limitedslip7]

While paying for school is my primary reason, it is not the only. I would be going into this fully expecting to be deployed for up to a year. I think I'd actually enjoy most of it, my brother is in the Marines and he says its not too bad.

 

I'm just trying to get a feel for what it actually is from people who are in so I know how much BS to dig through.