Reserve Component

Read below for information on the Reserve Component or pick from one of the two options here to learn more on what each offers.

National Guard

Army Reserve

Why Join the Reserve Component?

Choose the State in which you want to serve.
Guard Officers locate a unit within the State they desire and get a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) to Commission into that unit. Reserve Officers locate a unit within the State they desire and get a Vacancy Hold Request (VHR) to Commission into that unit.

Choose the Officer Branch that you want.
Guard Officers find a vacant position for the desired Branch and work with their State Officer Strength Manager to secure a Letter of Acceptance (LOA). Reserve Officers find a vacant position for the desired Branch and work with US Army Reserve Command (USARC) to secure a Vacancy Hold Request (VHR).

Have the best of both worlds: A Civilian and a Military Career.
The Reserve Components offer the unique opportunity to have both a full-time Civilian Career while also serving in a part-time Military Career. Augment your Civilian Career with Military training or choose a field with new challenges and adventures to broaden your horizon. The Reserve Components also offer opportunities to serve Full-time as a Soldier in the Active-Guard-Reserve (AGR) Program and Active Duty for Operational Support (ADOS) Program.

Fight our Nation’s Wars.
The Dual-status of the Reserve Components allow Soldiers to serve Part-time while also standing ready to defend our Nation when called upon. You may also have opportunities to volunteer for deployments and mobilizations with the Reserve Component.

Take advantage of Reserve Component Specific Scholarships and Education Benefits.
The Reserve Components offer a variety of additional Educational Benefits to help you complete school such as the Minuteman Scholarship, Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty Scholarship, Tuition Assistance, Student Loan Repayment Program, and the Montgomery GI Bill.

Scholarships

Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) Scholarship Program

The GRFD scholarship program is designed for Cadets who are interested in obtaining a commission as an officer in the Army National Guard (ARNG) or US Army Reserve (USAR) with a guarantee for a Reserve Component (RC) assignment. GRFD scholarships offer either full tuition and mandatory fees or a room and board flat rate of $10,000 per year, and cover up to 2 years/4 semesters of benefits. GRFD scholarship awardees also receive an annual book allowance and a monthly stipend based on their academic year. GRFD Cadets must participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) while attending college which means they will also receive pay for attending a drill one weekend per month as well as a two-week annual training in a local ARNG or USAR unit. In return for these scholarship benefits, a GRFD Cadet will serve as a Commissioned Officer in either the ARNG or USAR in a drilling status for 8 years after Graduation.

In addition to these scholarship benefits, GRFD Cadets that are military occupational skill-qualified (MOSQ) can collect Selected Reserve-Montgomery GI Bill (SR-MGIB) and SMP Kicker benefits in conjunction with this scholarship. Since GRFD Cadets also participate in the SMP, Cadets serving in the ARNG may use available State Tuition Assistance (STA), if offered by their State, to cover tuition and fees and combine this with the GRFD scholarship for room and board expenses.

Dedicated GRFD (DED-GRFD) Scholarship Program
The DED-GRFD scholarship program guarantees that Cadets who commission as Army officers will serve in their specified Reserve Component at the time they accept the scholarship; either ARNG or USAR. Dedicated GRFD scholarships offer either full tuition and mandatory fees or a room and board flat rate of $10,000 per year, and cover up to 3 years/6 semesters of benefits. DED-GRFD scholarship awardees also receive an annual book allowance and a monthly stipend based on their academic year. DED-GRFD Cadets must participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) with their Dedicated Reserve Component while attending college which means they will also receive pay for attending a drill one weekend per month as well as a two-week annual training in a local ARNG or USAR unit. In return for these scholarship benefits, a DED-GRFD Cadet will serve as a Commissioned Officer in either the ARNG or USAR in a drilling status for 8 years after Graduation.

Cadets receiving DED-GRFD scholarships CANNOT combine SR-MGIB (Chapter 1606 or 1607) benefits with their scholarship, including the SMP Kicker. DED-GRFD scholarship Cadets CAN combine an Active Duty GI Bill (Chapter 30) or Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) with their scholarship because these are benefits earned while in an Active Duty status.

Minuteman Scholarship Program
Minuteman scholarships can be either 2-year GRFD scholarships or DED-GRFD scholarships up to 4 years in length and guarantee that Cadets who commission as Army officers will serve in either ARNG or USAR. Minuteman scholarships require a nomination letter as part of the scholarship packet and offer either full tuition and mandatory fees or a room and board flat rate of $10,000 per year and cover up to 4 years/8 semesters of benefits. Minuteman scholarship awardees also receive an annual book allowance and a monthly stipend based on their academic year. Minuteman Scholarship Cadets must participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) while attending college which means they will also receive pay for attending a drill one weekend per month as well as a two-week annual training in a local ARNG or USAR unit. In return for these scholarship benefits, a Minuteman Cadet will serve as a Commissioned Officer in either the ARNG or USAR in a drilling status for 8 years after Graduation.

Minuteman Scholarship Cadets can be nominated from any State Adjutant General (TAG), any Civilian Aid to the Secretary of the Army (CASA), a Mission Support Command (MSC), or an Army Reserve Ambassador in lengths of 2YRs up to 4YRs for a scholarship. These scholarships are limited each year and need a nomination memo with a handwritten signature from the nomination source. Deadlines for the Minuteman scholarships are 01 September for fall starts and 01 December for spring starts each year.

Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP)
The SMP gives eligible enlisted members of the ARNG and USAR an opportunity to maintain status in their Reserve Component while simultaneously attending college and participating as a contracted Cadet in the ROTC Program working towards a Commission as an Officer. The SMP offers on-the-job training, reinforces the role of the Commissioned Officer in the Army, and gives ROTC Cadets the experience of working with Soldiers and Noncommissioned Officers in a Reserve Component Unit. All GRFD Cadets must participate in the SMP.

ROTC Cadets participating in the SMP will attend one weekend training event each month as well as a two-week annual training with their Reserve Component Unit. SMP Cadets may also take advantage of any Education incentives offered by their respective Reserve Component including, but not limited to, Selected Reserve-Montgomery GI Bill, Student Loan Repayment Program, and/or Tuition Assistance.

Early Commissioning Program
Recipients of the Early Commissioning Program (ECP) scholarships will receive financial assistance for 2-years at one of our 4 sponsoring Military Junior Colleges (MJC) in their pursuit of an Associate degree from the MJC and a commission in the U.S. Army.

These Soldiers will continue on at a 4-year ROTC program school of their choice to complete a baccalaureate degree without any other ROTC benefits except for Educational Assistance Program (EAP) within 36 months. The EAP will pay either full tuition and fees or flat rate of $10,000 for room and board for up to 24 months. Acceptance of EAP will add one Additional Military Service Obligation (ADSO) for each year or partial year EAP is used. Upon commission, the MJC lieutenants will be required to select and join a unit in one of the Reserve Components in a drilling status, attending battle assemblies and annual training while working on their 4-year baccalaureate degree. These scholarships are also known as the “Ike Skelton Scholarship”.

Education Benefits

Federal Tuition Assistance

The Tuition Assistance (TA) program provides financial assistance for voluntary off-duty education programs in support of a Soldier’s professional and personal self-development goals. TA is available for courses that are offered in the classroom or by distance learning and is part of an approved academic degree or certificate program. The courses must be offered by schools that are registered in GoArmyEd, are accredited by accrediting agencies that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and are signatories to the current Department of Defense Memorandum of Understanding (DOD MOU).

The Department of Defense (DoD) has directed a uniform per semester hour cap of $250 for tuition assistance (TA) and an annual ceiling of $4,500. The Services are authorized to establish Service specific eligibility criteria to manage TA funds. The Army will pay 100 percent of tuition costs up to the DoD semester hour cap of $250 per semester hour cap for up to 16 semester hours of TA funded courses per fiscal year. School fee charges of any type are no longer eligible for funding with TA.

Tuition Assistance Policies

State Tuition Assistance
State Tuition Assistance may cover up to the total cost of tuition at In-State Institutions and is available to ARNG Soldiers in most States; these additional benefits can be combined with GRFD Scholarships. To learn more about State Tuition Assistance in your State, contact your State Education Benefits Office.

GI Bill
The term GI Bill refers to any Department of Veterans Affairs education benefit earned by members of Active Duty, Selected Reserve and National Guard Armed Forces and their families. The benefit is designed to help servicemembers and eligible veterans cover the costs associated with getting an education or training. The GI Bill has several programs, and each is administrated differently — depending on a person’s eligibility and duty status.

Student Loan Repayment Program
The Loan Repayment Program (LRP) is a special incentive that the Army offers to highly qualified applicants entering the Army. Under the LRP, the Army will repay part of a Soldier’s qualifying student loans. Only specified Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs) qualify for the LRP.

The Army Reserve Student Loan Repayment Program is a Selected Reserve (SELRES) incentive program that helps USAR Soldiers pay off student loans. When used properly, this program allows Soldiers to greatly reduce educational debts. The SLRP is part of a Soldiers enlistment or reenlistment contract. Eligible officers normally execute an agreement on their oath date. In some circumstances, enlisted Soldiers who get commissioned can continue to apply for SLRP as long as they remain qualified. Dual status “MILTECHs” working for the Army Reserve are not eligible for SLRP payments.

Accessions

Reserve Component Accessions and Branching is managed by the Respective Component:
Cadets accessing into the US Army Reserve (USAR) must obtain a Vacancy Hold Request (VHR) from the USARC G1 IMT to identify a valid unit vacancy and request their branch. The HRA will process the request through Human Resources Command (HRC) to assign the branch and unit. This process can take up to 30-45 days.

Cadets accessing into the Army National Guard (ARNG) must work with their preferred State to find a vacancy in their desired Branch and obtain a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from the State Officer Strength Manager (OSM). This process can take up to 30-45 days.

Civilian Employment Assistance

Army PaYS
The US Army Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) program is an enlistment option and recruiting initiative. The Army signs a Memorandum of Agreement with a cross section of private industry, academia, businesses, and state and local public institutes. Future Soldiers and ROTC Cadets are guaranteed a job interview and possible employment with their chosen PaYS partner, while in the Army Reserve/Guard or after the Army. This unique Program provides America’s youth with the unique opportunity to simultaneously serve their country and prepare for their future. Corporations, companies, and public sector agencies that sign the PaYS partnership agreement and incorporated into the community-based grassroots programs and are informed and motivated Centers of Influence (COIs).

Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS)

ReC3ON
The Army’s Reserve Component officers are citizen soldiers – members of local communities who maintain a dual status as both military members and citizens with a civilian career. Preparing the next generation of Army leaders has been the mission of ROTC since 1916. In 2015, more than 2,500 2LTs will be commissioned as Reserve Component Officers through ROTC. As Cadets, these young men and women participate in the finest leader development program in the nation. Most of them find their way to leadership positions in business, bringing their skills and abilities to corporate America. These Citizen Soldiers face unique challenges, having to support themselves and their families through a civilian career, while standing at the ready to support state or federal military missions as needs arise.

ReC3ON

Private Public Partnership
It has transformed how both the Army Reserve and corporate America attract, develop, and retain talent. P3 focuses on fostering long-term partnerships with companies, corporations, foundations, academia, and non-governmental organizations to increase leader and unit readiness as well as enhances Individual Soldier physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial and employment readiness.

Mutually advantageous, P3 provides specialized opportunities in business and interagency environments for Army Reserve Soldiers to make immediate and meaningful contributions to both a robust national economy and the defense of the nation. To help identify the best opportunity for each Soldier, P3 has developed a nationwide-network of partners that provide readiness support.