Can My Spouse Obtain Aer Assistance If Im Deployed Or Tdy
Yes, a spouse or other eligible dependent may seek AER assistance without their sponsor being present when the Soldier is unavailable.
Unavailable is defined as:
Options for requesting assistance when the Soldier is unavailable:
- Special Power of Attorney
- Spouses or other authorized dependent must have a valid SPOA from their sponsor granting them authority to act as the sponsors attorney-in-fact to establish, change, or stop allotments as required by Financial Management Regulation DoD 7000.14-R, para 400803.
- Note: A general power of attorney is not acceptable to establish, change or stop and allotment.
What Are The Guard And Reserves
In short, the National Guard and Reserves are a reserve component designed to back up the active duty military. Members of the Reserve Corps typically work on a part-time basis in order to maintain proficiency in their career field.
Both the Guard and Reserves are very similar, but members of the National Guard and Air National Guard can be called upon by their state governor for civil relief actions, such as natural disaster relief, to help with terrorism threats, riots, etc. Guard and Reserve members can also be called upon by the Federal government to relieve active duty members, fulfill deployment needs, and more.
Similarities of Guard and Reserves:
- Both serve in a Reserve capacity for active duty
- Typical service requirement = One Weekend a Month, Two Weeks a Year
Difference between Guard and Reserves:
- Guard = State Mission that can be called to both state and federal missions, depending on the orders.
- Reserves = Federal Mission.
Reserve Components: The National Guard And Reserve
The phrase reserve components can include both the Reserve and the Guard. The DoD has a group of reserve components including:
The Guard and Reserve both have their origins in early American militia groups formed at the beginning of American colonizationmore than one National Guard unit has its origins in such militias.
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What Do The Army Reserves Do
The Army Reserves is comprised of mostly part-time soldiers who complete the training and requirements specified by their MOS, while still holding a civilian job or attending school.
Reserves members work one weekend a month, completing drills, and two weeks a year for training.
Members generally attend drill near their home and receive benefits and pay from the Army.
They can be called upon to full-time reserves where they can be deployed or stationed in the U.S., depending on the needs of the Army.
Personnel in the Army Reserves can work in the majority of career fields that are open to enlisted members.
Job categories include administration, intelligence, and combat support, arts and media, legal and law enforcement, combat, mechanics, computers and technology, medical and emergency, construction and engineering, and transportation and aviation.
Army National Guard Vs Army Reserves
Ever wonder what the difference is between the two? Youre not alone. Many wrongly assume that the two organizations are one in the same. While there are many similarities, there are a few distinct differences.
The Army National Guard largely falls under the control of the state government. It can, however, be activated by the federal government as the Global War on Terrorism has most definitely proved. National Guard soldiers are the only military component that is allowed to operate in a domestic capacity. Because the National Guard can serve both state and federal governments, they are able to utilize state and federal benefits. These benefits can vary from state to state, sometimes greatly. Typically, the education benefits are greater for National Guard soldiers than for Reserve soldiers. While you cant double dip into two different federal education programs, Guard soldiers can utilize state and federal education benefits as it is being provided by two different sources.
The National Guard and Reserves are fairly similar in their organization. If youre considering joining either, Id highly encourage you to talk to soldiers of both components to get a first person account of the pros and cons of each.
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National Guard Pay And Reserve Pay
If you are thinking about joining the National Guard or the Reserves, you might be wondering how National Guard pay or Reserve pay works.
Serving in the National Guard and Reserves can be quite different than serving in the active duty military. You have your monthly drills, your annual training, and anything else the military calls you to do. You also work a civilian job, and the military is only a small part of your paycheck.
As an active duty soldier, you know you can receive base pay, BAH , and other types of payments and allowances.
How do things work for the National Guard and Reserves? How about if you deploy or train for more than a weekend? Will you still receive BAH if you are gone for three weeks?
Army Reserves Vs National Guard
The Army Reserves and Army National Guard each present unique opportunities to individuals who want to serve their country without making a full-time commitment.
Both the Reserves and National Guard allow individuals to work civilian jobs or attend school full time while serving in their MOS.
They allow you to work one weekend a month plus two weeks of training a year.
If they offer the same schedule and allow individuals to work near home, you may be wondering what exactly is the Army Reserves Vs. National Guard, and what is the difference?
Continue reading for more information on both, and 5 ways they are different.
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Your Commitment: 1 Weekend A Month Two Weeks A Year
The service commitment for the Guard and Reserves is often referred to as a one weekend a month, two weeks a year.
This is more or less your commitment when you join the Guard or Reserves. But you may find that your requirements may vary by unit. If you are prior service you may be able to join for as short a time period as 1 year. Or you can join for up to 6 years, or longer, depending on your contract.
Most Guard and Reserve units drill the first full weekend of the month and have a two-week Active Training period each year in which the entire unit drills. Some Guard units have a little more flexibility. For example, my unit has two 3 day drill weekends during the year, and we take one month off in the summer. This is a little more friendly for vacation time.
Individual Mobilized Augmentees in Reserves: The Reserves also have IMA slots in which members are able to backfill active duty slots on an as-needed, volunteer basis. IMAs typically dont have the traditional one weekend a month, two weeks a year schedule. The benefit is a little more flexibility, and the ability to write your own ticket.
Youll hear more about this in the podcast, where Rob discusses some of the benefits of having an IMA slot.
National Guard Vs Reserves
Related
The United States Armed Forces are comprised of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. The U.S. Coast Guard is under the control of the Department of Homeland Security, while the other four branches report to the Department of Defense. As of 2017, the combined total of active-duty personnel was about 1.3 million, with an additional 80,000 people in the National Guard and reserves. Although there are many similarities between the National Guard and reserves, there are significant differences.
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What Is The Difference Between Army Reserve And National Guard
Army Reserve is a part of the army that become active only when the orders are given. Until then, they are not active.
National Guard can be identified as the army of each state.
For Army Reserve, President is the leader. For National Guard, it is the Mayor of the State. However, National Guard can also be a part of the army, if necessary.
When activated Army Reserve serve the country while National Guard serve their states.
Summary:
Things To Remember About Joining The Military
Joining the active service, National Guard, or Reserve is a personal choice. If you want to serve but dont want the full time commitment, a Guard or Reserve slot can be just what you need. The important thing to remember is to judge your needs and goals compared to the type of service you are contemplating. Do you want to help your state out in times of natural disaster?
If you prefer your military service closer to home, the Guard may be a better option. There are no guarantees how close to home you might serve, but in general your options are better with a Guard unit in these cases.
Reservists often travel around the globe depending on the unit, the mission, and other concerns. If you want to serve with the option of travel, a Reserve job may be a better fit for you than a National Guard option though again, your experience may vary.
Active duty service is very tempting for those who want both the maximum amount of military benefits offered and the potential for travel and relocation. The best thing to do is to speak to an active duty recruiter plus those recruiting for Guard and Reserve counterpartslearn what the most current demands are and what jobs might be right for you.
Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News
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Supporting The Mental Health Needs Of National Guard And Reserve Members
Over one million U.S. military service members are members of the National Guard or reserves. These troops are being tested like never before, but they do not receive the same physical and mental health care coverage provided to their active-duty counterparts. It may be time to explore policy solutions to ensure that these service members have access to high-quality mental health care.
Retirement Benefits Start At Age 60
In most cases, retirement benefits start at age 60, including the Pension, and health care benefits. There are a couple of important points to note: you will be a Gray Area retiree until you reach age 60. During this time you will have base access, can use base facilities, and can shop at the BX, PX, NEX, Commissary, etc. You just wont receive retirement pay or health care until age 60.
Receive early retirement pay: In some cases, you can receive your pension before age 60, provided you were activated for at least 90 days during a fiscal year after January 2008. The details are case-specific, so I recommend reading more about early retirement to get all the details.
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Career Options In The Guard And Reserves
More often than not, you have more career flexibility in the Guard and Reserves than you do in the active duty military. I was able to change career fields when I joined the Air National Guard. Its also not uncommon for Guard and Reserve members to work in multiple career fields during their careers. Availability is dependent upon your base mission and the needs of your unit.
My recommendation is to contact the recruiter at your local unit to ask which jobs are available, and what kind of promotion opportunity is there.
You may also find that you are able to fill a billet with promotion potential. Some units will allow you to serve in a billet either one pay grade above or below your current pay grade. But other units may allow you to fill a billet two grades above your current pay grade. This gives you an immediate opportunity for career advancement, provided you meet the time in grade requirements and other qualifications for promotion.
What Is The Difference Between Guard And Reserve Service
Each branch of the military has a reserve component whose main purpose is to have trained units available for active duty as needed.
The National Guard includes the Army National Guard and Air National Guard in each state, U.S. territory and the District of Columbia. National Guard units typically are controlled by the state, but they can be activated for federal duty and deployed.
Both Reserve and Guard units train, as known as drill, about one weekend a month plus two weeks a year for “annual training.” Guard and Reserve members must serve a certain number of hours each year to make a “good year” to qualify for benefits and retirement.
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What Are Their Responsibilities
Army Reserves can be deployed as whole units and are known for quick mobilization.
Their vision is, The most capable, combat-ready, and lethal Federal Reserve force in the history of the Nation.
The Army Reserves provides the critical early entry and set the theater capabilities that are crucial to the nations defense and opening of major operations.
The Army reserve accounts for almost half of the Armys total maneuver support and ultimately saves money.
Having part-time members who are fully skilled, capable and ready to deploy, cuts back on the need for active full-time employees and provides the ability to fill in gaps when needed, without being over-staffed.
Understand Your Special Benefits: Operation Enduring Freedom And Operation New Dawn Service Members
Active-duty, Guard or reserve service members returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn deserve the easiest possible transition back to civilian life. To thank service members for their sacrifice, the Department of Veterans Affairs provides a variety of services and benefits, such as ongoing medical insurance, tuition assistance, options to keep your life insurance and readjustment counseling. Learn more about Veterans Affairs Benefits for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn Transitioning Service Members.
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Guaranteed Reserve Force Duty Scholarship
The Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty program is designed for Cadets who are interested in obtaining a commission in the U.S. Army Reserves or National Guard with a guarantee for a reserve component assignment. Scholarships cover full tuition and mandatory fees, and range in length up to 3 years. Scholarship awardees also receive a book allowance and a monthly stipend. These Cadets also receive weekend drill and annual training pay as participants in the Simultaneous Membership Program.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Must not reach 31 years of age by December 31st of the year you will graduate from college
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
- Score a minimum of 920 on the SAT and 19 on the ACT.
- Have no or only minor infractions of the law
- Have no moral or personal conviction against bearing arms to include armed combat or supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States
- Must complete the ROTC Basic Course requirements or Basic Combat Training
- Must be willing to participate in the SMP program with a Guard or Reserve unit. If you do not belong to a unit, you must obtain a letter of acceptance to the unit, stating that they will accept you as a SMP Cadet
- Must be medically qualified
The Dedicated Army National Guard GRFD and Dedicated Army Reserve GRFD Scholarships:
Army Reserve Vs National Guard
To a casual observer or to someone who is not aware of the structure of the army in United States, there might not be any difference between Army Reserve and National Guard. However, this is not true and, despite similarities, the two forces have quite a few differences. In fact, though they share the same army uniform, they are two different organizations and do different duties. This article intends to clarify the differences between the two once and for all.
It is true that superficially, they look alike because of the uniform and rank structure, which is same as the US army. They have the same number of soldiers in a squad and a particular number of squads make up a platoon in both, just like the US army. However, the biggest difference between them and the US army lies in the fact that they are reserve type units, which means that they are not full time or active army units. The soldiers in these units train at least one weekend in a month and also take part in an annual training lasting two weeks. But this is where similarities between the two units end.
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Education Benefits In Guard & Reserves
The Guard and Reserves offer Education benefits, including the Montgomery GI Selected Reserve . The rates for the MGIB-SR are lower than what you would earn on active duty, so you may want to look into the MGIB if you are prior service. You may also earn access to the ost-9/11 GI Bill if you are activated.
Some states have their own benefit for Guard Members: I happen to live in Illinois, which is one of the few states that offer free college tuition at a state college for members of their state Guard units. I believe there are only 5 states with a similar benefit. However, many other states offer scholarships, tuition reductions, or other benefits. Be sure to look into your states benefits.