Go Guard and Say Goodbye To $tress
The Army National Guard (ARNG) provides financial assistance to students who wish to attend college and enlist in the Guard. Two major scholarships include the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty contract (GRFD) and the Dedicated Army National Guard scholarship (DedARNG).
GRFD and DedARNG scholarships are for full-time students. After the applicants graduate, they will begin a new Military Service Obligation (MSO) contract and serve eight years in the Guard, which includes training.
DedARNG scholarships cover full tuition. There is no limit to the number of scholarships given out each year in every state and U.S. territory. The recipients also receive up to $1,200 for books and they will be paid a monthly allowance in the following amounts: $350 during sophomore year, $400 during junior year and $500 during senior year. Grad students can also apply if they have only two years remaining until they graduate.
Not only do you receive an allowance per month, per year, you can also receive the drill pay of a sergeant, approximately $225 per month, when you participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP). (This drill pay won't apply if you are already in the ARNG and have a rank higher than a sergeant).
“The SMP program helped me to become a better leader ... [and it] taught me about operations from the squad level all the way to the battalion level,” said 2LT Nick L. Corley, a graduate from Clemson University (Fighting Tiger Battalion) and a proud member of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 118th, Infantry (Mechanized). “The program also helped me to learn my branch before I reported to BOLC (Basic Officer Leadership Course) II; I was able to lead platoon attacks and act as a Bradley Commander. I recommend the SMP program to anyone en route to becoming an officer.”
The GRFD scholarship is similar to the DedARNG scholarship, but it is mainly for students entering their junior year of college with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. They also must join the SMP of a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) unit on their campus. GRFD recipients are funded each year at full tuition and receive $1,200 for books. They are given a ROTC allowance for 10 months of the year at $400 per month during their junior year and $500 per month during their senior year. As a member of the Guard, they will also receive drill pay.
If you receive one of these scholarships, you must be involved in the SMP with an ARNG unit while in school, and have a letter of acceptance from Guard unit stating that they will accept the student in an SMP status.
The Main Bases to Cover:
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Have a minimum high school GPA of 2.5
- Have a minimum score of 920 on the SAT or 19 on the ACT
- Must complete the ROTC Basic Course requirements or Basic Training
- Must be medically and morally qualified
To find out further info on the scholarships, contact a recruiter. Or, click here to chat online with a Soldier. They will be happy to help you out.
By applying for a Guard scholarship, you can reach your goals and greatly reduce the cost of college. Don’t let the high price of tuition stand in your way of a great education. A college degree has nothing but a positive payoff. So go ahead, build your future; invest in the Army National Guard.
Note: Army National Guard programs and benefits are subject to change. For the latest information, please contact your local recruiter for more information.
