Community Outreach Program

Our Mission

The purpose of the Community Outreach program is to establish relations within all of our diverse communities here in Massachusetts. By developing these inroads it is our intention to increase the public’s knowledge of the Guard. The ultimate goal is one in which we, the Massachusetts National Guard, are able to develop a better understanding of our communities and are able to ensure proper representation of all demographics in our organization.

United We Stand

Today the Guard finds strength in diversity. The Massachusetts National Guard is comprised of more than 8,000 members of many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds that together provide a force that is fully capable of responding to local, state and national emergencies, and when necessary, can also deploy world-wide in support of the Department of Defense.

Divided We Fall

It is imperative to the success of the Massachusetts National Guard to effectively communicate with local communities and develop a good rapport in an effort to increase participation from various groups not properly represented in our organization.

Opportunities

Currently there are more than 100 enlisted career fields in the Massachusetts Army and Air National Guard, ranging from infantryman to medical specialist to aircraft technician.

What we can Offer

- No high school diploma? We can help.
- Job Training? We provide training in more than 100 career fields.
- College Education? Membership in our organization provides you FREE tuition and fees at all State schools and you may qualify for new G.I. Bill.
- Signing Bonus? Bonuses up to $20,000 are available.
- Health/Dental Insurance? Insurance for our members is available through Tri Care
- Life Insurance? Members can secure a $400,000 policy which is available at very low premium.
- Citizenship? Our members can participate in an Accelerated Naturalization Process.

GED Plus Program

Individuals that do not have a GED or a HS diploma can obtain help. The Army National Guard's GED Plus Program provides free training and testing services that will enable you to successfully obtain your GED

You must also meet the following criteria:

- You must have withdrawn from high school for at least six months prior to your date of application for enlistment. No waivers are authorized.
- You must be 18 years old or older, or not be eligible to return to your local high school to complete your diploma program.
- You must score a minimum of 31 on the AFQT. If you score 50 or higher on the ASVAB you may be eligible for other incentives and/or bonuses.
- Anyone testing positive on the Drug and Alcohol Test (DAT) screening will be immediately discharged from the program. DAT waivers are not authorized.

If you enlist under the GED Plus Program you will not be able to participate in the Split Training Option (STO), and may not be shipped for Initial Entry Training (IET) until you complete the GED Plus Program.

The GED Plus training program will take place at the Professional Education Center in Arkansas.

Anyone enlisting under the GED Plus Program who presents an accredited GED completion certificate or diploma prior to shipping will not be required to attend the ARNG GED Plus Training program.

Excerpt from Massachusetts House Bill H4469 Pertaining to Education

Section 2A: Such guidelines shall provide tuition and fee waivers for Massachusetts National Guard members. The Commonwealth, not the institutions of public higher education shall bear the cost of such tuition and fee waivers for Massachusetts National Guard members.

Benefit to Guard member: This provides Guard members in good standing with State backed funding to complete 130 credit hours at any of the 28 Massachusetts State Universities, Colleges and Community Colleges.

Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)

Any member of the National Guard who has been mobilized on or after September 11, 2001 for at least 90 continuous days of active service, in response to a war or national emergency, is eligible for enhanced benefits under Chapter 1607, the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP). Unlike Chapter 30, the traditional active duty GI Bill, service members do not have to pay anything into the Chapter 1607 program in order to participate.

Monthly payment rates under Chapter 1607 are a percentage of the Chapter 30, Active Duty GI Bill monthly rate of $1,034. Your rate is determined by the length of time you were mobilized. Monthly rates for full-time attendance are as follows:

- 90 days, but less than one year, equals 40% ($413.60)
- One year, but less than two years, equals 60% ($620.40)
- Two or more years, equals 80% ($827.20)

The Massachusetts National Guard has approximately 100 different specialties to choose from.

For example:

- Military Police Officer
- Journalist
- Infantryman
- Black hawk Helicopter Crew Chief
- EMT
- Air Traffic Controller
- Motor Transport Operator
- Mechanic
- Carpentry/Plumber/Electrician
- Radar Systems Repairer

Over 550 employment locations and over 120 different trades located in Massachusetts.

TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) is a premium-based health plan that qualified National Guard and Reserve members may purchase. TRS, which requires a monthly premium, offers coverage similar to TRICARE Standard and Extra.

Join the TRICARE Dental Program (TDP), the only dental plan sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) for National Guard/Reserve sponsors and their families.

With the TDP, you will enjoy a nationwide network of more than 57,000 participating dentists, high-quality customer service and comprehensive dental coverage designed specifically with you in mind!

Serviceman’s Group Life Insurance

SGLI is a program of low cost group life insurance for service members on active duty, ready reservists, members of the National Guard, members of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Public Health Service, cadets and midshipmen of the four service academies, and members of the Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Full Time Coverage ...Reserve/Guard Duty If you are a Reservist or National Guard member and have been assigned to a unit in which you are scheduled to perform at least 12 periods of inactive duty that is creditable for retirement purposes, full-time coverage is in effect 365 days of the year. You are also covered for 120 days following separation or release from duty.

Section 5: In the case of death of a member of the Massachusetts National Guard resulting from injury, sickness, or disease received while in the line of duty pursuant to orders under Title 10 and 32 of the United States Code or Chapter 33, and that injury, sickness or disease resulting in the death was not the result of fault or neglect on the part of the decedent, a single payment of $100,000 shall be paid to the surviving spouse…child, children, mother or father.

Benefit to Guard Member: In addition to any life insurance held, the State of Massachusetts will pay $100,000 to remaining family members as prescribed in section 5 of the bill providing that the death was related to National Guard activities while under Title 10 or 32.

Section 6: Fifty percent of the monthly premiums for any coverage held in the serviceman’s group life insurance program administered by the Veterans Administration, or an equivalent group life insurance program of the service member’s choosing provided that the reimbursement shall not exceed 50 percent of the monthly premium cost of the Serviceman’s Group life Insurance, for a member of the Massachusetts National Guard shall be borne by the commonwealth.

Benefit to Guard Member: The State will reimburse National Guard members for fifty percent of the premium for SGLI or other equivalent life insurance program. This would equal $174 dollars paid in the case of maximum coverage of $400,000 of SGLI coverage at $29 per month.

A sweeping new veterans’ education package was approved as part of the 2008 war budget. It is designed to fully cover the cost of completing four years of college-including tuition and fees, books and living expenses. This new plan will allow the service member to transfer benefits to spouse or children. The specifics of which will not be available until the Pentagon issues regulations governing these rights.

Citizenship is one of the most coveted gifts that the U.S. Government can bestow.

All naturalization applicants filing under the military provisions of Section 328 or 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) need to be members of the United States Armed Forces.

Basic Requirements

- Ability to read, write, and speak English
- Knowledge and understanding of U.S. History and Government
- Good moral character
- Attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution
- Favorable disposition toward the United States

Section 328 Requirements

- Must be lawful permanent resident at time of filing.
- Serving in US Military, honorable service, or was honorably discharged within 6 months at time of filing N-400, Application for Naturalization.
- Has at least one year of service under honorable conditions at time of filing
- Military personnel are eligible to apply for citizenship under special provisions provided for in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 329.
- Honorable service in active duty military status during period of war/hostility declared by the President in Executive Order
- Became a Legal Permanent Resident after enlistment/induction, or enlisted/re enlisted while in the United States, weather or not the applicant is a Legal Permanent Resident.

In addition to the requirements above, Section 329 states

- Military personnel are eligible to apply for citizenship under special provisions provided for in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 329.
- Honorable service in active duty military status during period of war/hostility declared by the President in Executive Order
- Became a Legal Permanent Resident after enlistment/induction, or enlisted/re enlisted while in the United States, weather or not the applicant is a Legal Permanent Resident.

A bonus of up to twenty thousand dollars is available for new enlistments for individuals that qualify to serve in military occupational skills designated as critical.

Excerpt from Massachusetts House Bill H4469 State Bonus for Active Service

SECTION 16. Upon application, as provided in this section, there shall be allowed and paid out of the treasury of the commonwealth without appropriation to each person, who shall have served in the armed forces of the United States in active service as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation Noble Eagle who was discharged or released under honorable conditions from such service, the sums specified in this section; if the domicile of every person on account of whose service the application is filed, shall have been in the commonwealth for a period of not less than 6 months before the time of his entry into the service.

1. $1,000 to each such veteran who performed active service outside the continental limits of the United States in the Afghanistan or Iraq area as those areas are described by proper federal authority.

2. $500 to each such veteran who performed active duty within the continental limits of the United States or outside the continental limits of the United States other than in the Afghanistan or Iraq areas for a period of 6 months or more.

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