Do you have any specific questions about the differences?
It’s worth noting that there’s active duty, and then there are two part-time options: national guard (where you belong to the state but can be mobilized for federal work), or the reserves (where you belong to the federal military). The army reserves doesn’t have line jobs—infantry, special forces, etc. are only options for active duty or national guard.
You can only earn a G.I. Bill if you spend some time on active duty. You can do that either by joining the guard or reserves and then taking mobilizations, or by going active duty. There are also various tuition assistance programs for guard, reserve, and active duty, but using them tends to incur additional service obligations.
The Guard has been activated stateside more in the last couple of years than in a long time. COVID, extreme weather events, January 6, BLM, and probably a couple of other things I am sure I am forgetting. Deployment cycles abroad for the Guard are generally once every 5 years, though sometimes units will get skipped over. So you’ll have a trainup for 4-5 years and then deploy somewhere (in addition to the random as-needed activations). Generally the Reserves will only deploy abroad somewhere, but their deployment cycles will be more consistent (vs. skipping years) and they may be shorter. Unless you are in a super intense Guard/Reserve unit though or you have a terrible relationship with your leadership, you can generally choose not to go because (at least currently) there are fewer slots for deployments than slots in the units matched to those deployments, so not everyone gets to go.
You can find a Guard unit or a Reserve unit nearby to where you live.
The answer below is correct about tuition—you need to be activated outside of your initial training time to get the main GI Bill that covers a lot of tuition, and you need to be activated for 3 years collectively to get the Yellow Ribbon Program which covers full tuition at an expensive private program.
Insurance is the same—Tricare Reserve Select—Humana Military / Concordia Dental. Unless you are activated, then it is Active/free insurance (Tricare Prime I believe?).
Career capital depends on what you are trying to do after/in the military. Generally though, I would say the flexibility of the Reserve probably outweighs any marginal benefits the Guard may have. But it also depends a lot on your specific unit in the Guard or Reserve and your specific commander/your commander’s commander.
I asked someone else who has more experience in the national guard than I do to jump in and answer this. I will say that I’m not sure that joining the guard will be much added protection against going out-of-state. My husband was guard, and got mobilized to Iraq in 2004-2005, and ended up resigning his commission when it looked like that was going to happen again in 2007-ish. Also guard often helps other states when they need disaster relief.
Pros- you get cheaper health insurance and you will generally stay in your state guard unless you really want to leave.
Cons—some jobs are harder to advance in, and you may have limited positions available, and unit culture could be really good or really bad
For tuition assistance, in most states, you can go to the state college for free. Connecticut for instance has a program that will let you go to any state school for free if you have deployed or been active for 90 days. At the top of your career? You might make $12-15k annually for your 48 days.
Tricare for single people is like $50 a month. Families are $200. Dental is extra and like $30. I know several Veterinarians who have stayed in the reserves for health insurance alone. Also, you get life insurance for the time you’re in ($400k, ~$30 per month) opt out possible.
If you have more questions… this is literally part of what I do for the reserves but the guard is similar.
Do you have any specific questions about the differences?
It’s worth noting that there’s active duty, and then there are two part-time options: national guard (where you belong to the state but can be mobilized for federal work), or the reserves (where you belong to the federal military). The army reserves doesn’t have line jobs—infantry, special forces, etc. are only options for active duty or national guard.
You can only earn a G.I. Bill if you spend some time on active duty. You can do that either by joining the guard or reserves and then taking mobilizations, or by going active duty. There are also various tuition assistance programs for guard, reserve, and active duty, but using them tends to incur additional service obligations.
First off, thank you for your service.
I’ve thought about the Guard bc I’m a family-oriented person so I wouldn’t want to be deployed out of state too long.
What are the difference pros and cons of the national guard? Especially tuition, career capital, and insurance.
The Guard has been activated stateside more in the last couple of years than in a long time. COVID, extreme weather events, January 6, BLM, and probably a couple of other things I am sure I am forgetting. Deployment cycles abroad for the Guard are generally once every 5 years, though sometimes units will get skipped over. So you’ll have a trainup for 4-5 years and then deploy somewhere (in addition to the random as-needed activations). Generally the Reserves will only deploy abroad somewhere, but their deployment cycles will be more consistent (vs. skipping years) and they may be shorter. Unless you are in a super intense Guard/Reserve unit though or you have a terrible relationship with your leadership, you can generally choose not to go because (at least currently) there are fewer slots for deployments than slots in the units matched to those deployments, so not everyone gets to go.
You can find a Guard unit or a Reserve unit nearby to where you live.
The answer below is correct about tuition—you need to be activated outside of your initial training time to get the main GI Bill that covers a lot of tuition, and you need to be activated for 3 years collectively to get the Yellow Ribbon Program which covers full tuition at an expensive private program.
Insurance is the same—Tricare Reserve Select—Humana Military / Concordia Dental. Unless you are activated, then it is Active/free insurance (Tricare Prime I believe?).
Career capital depends on what you are trying to do after/in the military. Generally though, I would say the flexibility of the Reserve probably outweighs any marginal benefits the Guard may have. But it also depends a lot on your specific unit in the Guard or Reserve and your specific commander/your commander’s commander.
I asked someone else who has more experience in the national guard than I do to jump in and answer this. I will say that I’m not sure that joining the guard will be much added protection against going out-of-state. My husband was guard, and got mobilized to Iraq in 2004-2005, and ended up resigning his commission when it looked like that was going to happen again in 2007-ish. Also guard often helps other states when they need disaster relief.
Pros- you get cheaper health insurance and you will generally stay in your state guard unless you really want to leave.
Cons—some jobs are harder to advance in, and you may have limited positions available, and unit culture could be really good or really bad
For tuition assistance, in most states, you can go to the state college for free. Connecticut for instance has a program that will let you go to any state school for free if you have deployed or been active for 90 days. At the top of your career? You might make $12-15k annually for your 48 days.
Tricare for single people is like $50 a month. Families are $200. Dental is extra and like $30. I know several Veterinarians who have stayed in the reserves for health insurance alone. Also, you get life insurance for the time you’re in ($400k, ~$30 per month) opt out possible.
If you have more questions… this is literally part of what I do for the reserves but the guard is similar.