<p>I have been thinking of enlisting in for Active duty, but it just seems too time consuming, given the fact that I am 22 yrs old and have to finish college. Reserves, on the other hand, would allow me to serve in the millitary while studying as a full-time student at a college. How many students choose to stay in reserve and attend school? I am not going to the millitary just for tuition assistance, but how much the millitary pay for my tuition when I am a reservist?</p>
<p>I’m not a reservist, but from what I’ve gathered from talking to reservists educational benefits can be summed up in 3 major components:
- Tuition Assistance
This benefit cannot exceed $4,500 per FY (fiscal year Oct to September), and availability depend on which branch you are in the reserves for. For example, the Navy and Marine Corps do not have this benefit at all (government budget cuts) unless your unit is called to active duty. Different branches also have different ways to qualify.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Montgomery GI Bill for Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
This benefit is only available to those reservists who have signed a 6-year commitment contract, pass basic training, and remain in good standing in their respective service branch. Payment amounts are monthly and depend on the type of educational program you are pursuing and if you are a full- or part-time student. For example, a full-time student at a traditional “institutional” program (i.e. in an accredited campus-dregree-based program) for 2012 would receive $356 per month. That would be the highest per month - it goes down from there. The benefit is good for 36 months (4 academic years).
<a href=“https://www.gibill.va.gov/resources/benefits_resources/rates/CH1606/ch1606rates100112.htm[/url]”>https://www.gibill.va.gov/resources/benefits_resources/rates/CH1606/ch1606rates100112.htm</a></p></li>
<li><p>Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
This benefit allows reservists to use the active duty MGIB (Chapter 30) benefits by percentage (40, 60, 80, etc) based on the amount of time your reserve unit was called to active duty, if at all, after 9/11/2001. A reservist may also “buy-up” by paying an additional $600 to receive a higher percentage payment.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>So, from what I gather, the MGIB-SR is the most common reservist educational benefit used, which is $356/mo or less (depending again on full- or part-time status). If you’re in a service branch that participates in Tuition Assistance, then they will provide no more than $4,500/yr (which may help a lot depending on the cost of tuition at your school . . . that’s about 1/2 the tuition cost for a California State University/yr, and 1/3 the tuition cost for University of California/yr, for example). Otherwise, the only other benefits kick in when you’ve been activated.</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>many states will waive tuition for state national guard members. Colorado comes to mind but I believe 20+ states will do this. Others provide varying amounts of aid, some provide none…my state of SC gives us 9,000/yr towards in-state tuition which covers 95% of state tuition at major uni’s here. Also get the MGIB-SR and many careers have kickers so you’re looking at ~$700/mo in benefits while taking full time classes. With 1x/mo drill puts you up near 1k/mo in income on the side. Essentially the same commitment as Reserves but you belong to the state you are a member of rather than the federal govt. Still go to basic, tech school etc…</p>
<p>National Guard has Army & Air Force units</p>