Hey Everyone,

Does the Air National Guard offer Signing bonuses to non prior service, and what about Student Loan Repayment?

Same question for the Air Force Reserve.

Thanks.

I think they do, as a matter of fact the bonus may be for a qualified job. Student Loan Repayment goes up to 20,000...note that if I'm correct, this is for the ANG only.

All you need to know here, before you talk to your local recruiter.

Yes. Almost all jobs in the ANG offer a bonus, student loan repayment, and GI Bill/Kicker.
I hit my 6 year mark this April in the ANG, and I will be the first to tell you that the benefits, especially for school are amazingly good.

I went to college 8 semesters full time while a traditional guard member and nearly all my college was paid for(which landed me a killer civilian job now) and what little I had to borrow for school is being paid off by the loan repayment plan.

You must finish basic and tech school to get any of these benfits. When you get back from your training, you will see the retention NCO and they will handle all of your benefit matters. You will get 1/2 of your bonus amount when you get done with training, and then they split it up each year the amount you have left until your enlistment is up. The GI Bill Kicker is $659 tax free money direct deposit into your account each month you are enrolled full-time status (>12 credit hours). You can use this money for whatever you want, not just school. Use it to pay rent, car, anything, its there. Along with being an E-3 through basic and tech school, you will get just under $200 take home for each drill weekend. This with the GI bill can keep you mostly afloat during school.
The loan repayment plan is capped at $20,000, and they pay 15% a year of your total balance you have in loans, as long as the 15% isnt above $2500 one time payment(at leat the way it was for me), may differ by units. Your loans must be at least one year old before they are eligible to be paid off, which is what i ran into. My first loan payment didnt get sent out for 2 years, as I was waiting for the loan I took my first year of college to turn 1-year old. That is the only loan I took out for college, as the rest I paid for with tuition assistance, which paid nearly 100% tuition each semester. I got many academic scholarships and guess what, that was cash in hand as tuition was already paid for by the guard. One semester I got a $3500 check to me from scholarships on top of the guard paying all tuition....sweet sweet deal. The guard is absolutely the best decision I have made in my life, I now do not need the benefits or the drill pay as my job more than covers me financially, but I am going to re-enlist just becuase it is such a good thing to be a part of.
Good luck, any questions, please ask. I highly recommend you joining, it is a great experience.

Cam

yes, i too was interested. i met with a recruiter and am going to meps next wk for testing. so total benefits for 6yrs will include 15k cash bonus + 659 cash both to be used for anything i choose?
but i have to be enrolled in full time college right?

will $659 be enough, i havent gone to college in 2yrs but when i did it was about $300 a class + books and such

thanks

depending on what state you are in...the guard offer 100% free tuition...that GI bill and kicker ($659) you get every month for a full course load....plus your drill pay which is under 200 per month...don't worry, it goes up with rank !

In addition to that, you may be able to get financial aid from your school, after the fees for books then you're all set and the school gives you a check for whatever money is left over...

Like me for example, I get free tuition, plus my GI Bill and kicker which is 659 tax free, and at the beginning of each semester once my financial aid is approved, the school sends me a check for 2,200 dollars....all mine to use. Factor is books and you can see that things aren't bad benefit wise.

Just do me this one favor guys, when you sign your name on that dotted line, just understand that you stand ready to serve your community and your nation should she ever call upon you. You give to the military, and i can assure you that they will give back to you. The military has saved me from paying car taxes (good ole Connecticut), I've weaseled my way out of speeding tickets, train, plane, and vacations fr super cheap, like everything thing else--there are issues but in the long run the experience will help more than hurt you...good luck!

wow thanks, its better than i thought
yes of course ill do my duty when enlisted

Just to let you know...you do not have to go to school full-time in order to receive benefits (unless they changed it). But why not go full time??? I'm thinking about getting back in the Guard, after a whopping 14 year lapse. I want to start graduate school and I want to finish out my 20 (I have 8 years in right now). Good Luck to you.

quote:

Originally posted by xboxhaxorz:
yes, i too was interested. i met with a recruiter and am going to meps next wk for testing. so total benefits for 6yrs will include 15k cash bonus + 659 cash both to be used for anything i choose?
but i have to be enrolled in full time college right?

will $659 be enough, i havent gone to college in 2yrs but when i did it was about $300 a class + books and such

thanks

I was thinking of joining after I graduate..I will have some substantial student loans..will this help or do I have to be in the guard and a student at the same time to recieve these benefits?

quote:

Originally posted by FireDog20:
I was thinking of joining after I graduate..I will have some substantial student loans..will this help or do I have to be in the guard and a student at the same time to recieve these benefits?

If you join after you graduate, and have a lot of student loans, the Air National Guard will make a payment on them for your entire enlistment. You do not have to be a student to get the Student loan repayment plan, just have to have loans!
Its a good deal. They will pay 15% every year, capped at $2500 each payment. The only catch, is that each loan they pay on has to be at least 1 year old, which your should be as you are graduating.
I am about to receive my last student loan payment from the guard(3rd one). I took out a small loan my Freshman year and they have paid about 75% of it to this point, leaving me with chump change to actually pay off out of my own pocket.
You will also get the enlistment bonus, which, can go towards loans too if you choose.
The 20K bonuses that are coming online for the ANG will be 10K paid after tech scool is complete, and then at your 3rd year anniversary, you will get another 10K. You first guard student loan payment will come when you get done with Tech School also.
If you choose to go to grad school, you can use the GI Bill/kicker for it($659/month for 12 credit hour student)
My advice, join for sure. Its great. I re-enlist next month for another 6. I got all my college paid for and now I just want to stay in because it is the right thing to do, and my wife is enlisting next month also.....
Contact me for any other info about the ANG.

Cam

Hi all. I was told by an AFR recruiter that as long as you have at least 40 credit hours in school when you sign up, you will go in at a higher grade. Is this true for the ANG as well? Thanks in advance.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: a123slonky,

quote:

Originally posted by a123slonky:
Hi all. I was told by an AFR recruiter that as long as you have at least 40 credit hours in school when you sign up, you will go in at a higher grade. Is this true for the ANG as well? Thanks in advance.

All ANG members who enlist go in as E-3, whether credits or not. As long as you have a high school diploma/equivalent, you will go in as an E-3. I enlisted in the guard before I graduated high school, and was an Airman Basic at that time, when I graduated, I was promoted to A1C, 4 months before I even went to basic.

Hi everyone! Im 23 and I've been wanting to join the air force for along time. I was in 9th grade when I first thought about it, but my childish fears of boot camp and being yelled at stop me from thinking about it till I was about 21. I've called my local recruiter twice this year. The first time just to get information then 5 months later to let them know I was ready. I have a child so they told me I have to get married or turn over custody. So my fiance and I who have been together 6 years are gettin married in two weeks. Now my question is which is better the actual air force or air national guard? Thanks!

In a similar situation there Scannon. Without the child..or wife lol.. Been thinking about it for a long time. I graduated from college in December. I CANNOT find a job and this seems like the right thing to do for me. I was thinking about going to grad school now and going the ROTC route - Instead of OTS.

I hate making life-changing decisions :P