Your total enlistment period will be eight years, but you can serve as little as three or six years, and spend the remainder in IRR (Individual Ready Reserve).

Absolutely. Your Guard service is only part time—just one weekend per month, and one two-week period each year.

Recruits need to meet certain standards of height, weight, age, fitness and education in order to enlist.

Yes. Guard members can be mobilized to protect and defend America in battle domestically or overseas.

MEPS stands for Military Entrance Processing Station, METS stands for Military Entrance Testing Site.

The Guard is a military branch that serves both state and federal governments, at home and overseas.

Guard pay is based on your rank and the number of years you've served, along with incentives like hazardous-duty pay.

Your pay depends on a few different factors, but you won't make less than $183 for every weekend you drill.

Different states may offer commissioning bonuses for critical skill positions. Please check with your local Guard representative for current bonus information.

Yes, you will be paid for every day you work.

There are different ways to become an officer. If you’re heading to college, the ROTC program is the way to go.

The training period varies for each job.

For certain career specialties, particularly medical professions, the Guard will reimburse student loans.

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In two major ways: getting promotions and activating retirement benefits.

If you've completed Army or Marine Corps Basic Training, you won't need to repeat BCT. Most other prior service personnel will need to attend BCT (except USAF and USN Special Operations personnel). Your recruiter has details.

Yes, provided you can complete 20 years of total military service by age 62.

As a National Guard Soldier, you get good pay and great benefits, and continue building toward a military retirement—while serving your country in a part-time status.

You are eligible for this benefit only once in your career. Once it has ended, it cannot be reinstated, even with a new enlistment contract.

Your Chapter 1606 GI Bill benefit is suspended while you are AGR. You may need to extend your enlistment to have it reinstated once you return as a traditional drilling Soldier.

Eligibility for Chapter 1607 is based on Title 10 Active Duty periods. The Border Mission is Title 32 and not considered a mobilization eligible for Chapter 1607.

If you are released from Active Duty prior to completing 90 days due to an illness or injury in the line of duty, you will receive Chapter 1607 benefits at a 40 percent rate.

You cannot receive payment from more than one benefit program at a time.