Supporting Guard Members at Work and in Education
If you聽ask anyone聽who鈥檚聽served in聽the military聽what聽their service聽means to them,聽you鈥檒l聽likely聽get聽a聽variety of responses聽invoking聽duty,聽sacrifice,聽obligation聽and honor.听
After聽a total of聽22 years聽of聽active聽duty聽and聽聽service,聽my response聽would聽also聽include聽the word聽鈥渁ppreciation鈥澛爎elated to聽educational benefits.听Those benefits聽enabled me聽to earn聽my doctorate from聽North Carolina State University聽and聽launch my聽academic career.听
Rather than fully transitioning into civilian life upon leaving active duty, many service members choose to join the National Guard, allowing them to continue serving their country part-time while pursuing a non-military career.
The聽National Guard Receives聽Both Federal and State聽Funding
Unlike military reserve units, which fall under the exclusive command of the federal government, the National Guard has a dual state and federal mission and聽therefore聽receives funding from both the state and the federal government.
Currently聽in my home state,聽the聽聽comprises聽approximately 10,000 citizen soldiers and聽airmen聽sworn to protect the Constitution and聽the聽state.听Typically, their commitment includes serving one weekend a month and聽attending two weeks of training聽per year.听
Higher Education Challenges and Benefits for Guard Members
Serving in聽the National Guard brings unique challenges, especially when balancing educational aspirations and civilian employment. Many聽guard members face situations where their drill weekends or training periods overlap with work or school obligations, requiring both understanding and flexibility from employers and educational institutions.听
One specific benefit that I encourage all聽guard members聽to consider, if their state offers it, is聽college tuition聽reimbursement, like the聽听辞谤听聽programs.听In North Carolina,聽actively drilling聽Army and Air Guard members with聽at least two years聽of service remaining聽are eligible to apply for tuition聽assistance聽for any school in聽the state, including approved online institutions聽such as聽Western Governors University.听
Applications for the Spring 2026 term聽for NCTAP聽began聽January 1, 2026.听
Recommendations for Guard Members聽Considering a聽Degree
Earning a bachelor鈥檚 or master鈥檚 degree聽can聽benefit聽a聽guard member both in their civilian and military careers.听It鈥檚聽not easy juggling all these commitments,聽but聽it can be done with the following聽considerations:
Choose a聽.听Military-friendly schools understand the聽specific聽challenges and concerns that face the聽military and聽offer specific support such as financial aid and tuition聽assistance, credit for military training, flexible academic policies, and veteran support services.听聽
Create a structured schedule.听Servicemen聽and women are used to聽structured聽and precise schedules. Create one that includes set times for study.
Set realistic goals.听Set incremental, achievable goals and consider聽enrolling part-time or聽in a school that allows for聽flexibility.
Leverage support systems.听Don鈥檛聽be afraid to seek support from a cohort of fellow聽military students, military support networks, academic support services, and family and friends.
Recommendations for Employers of Guard Members
Ensuring that these individuals are supported through clear policies and accommodations not only benefits service members but also strengthens our workforce and communities.听If your organization employs National Guard members, you can support聽them聽through the following聽actions:
Comply with聽the聽.听This is a federal law that protects the civilian job rights of service members and veterans.
Train managers.听Educate聽your聽supervisors on the rights of service members and ensure they understand聽them.听
Plan for absences.听Work with your staff to plan coverage for聽times when your employee is training with the聽guard.
Offer differential pay聽and flexibility.听Help your employees close the income gap聽during military leave聽and offer聽schedule聽flexibility around drill weekends and deployments.
Offer tuition聽assistance.听If your employee is聽pursuing聽higher education, provide some form of tuition聽assistance聽that is stackable with other聽aid,聽grants聽and scholarships.听
Supporting Military Members, Together
Many states have聽a long tradition of supporting the military community, whether聽it be active-duty personnel, reserve or guard personnel,聽retirees聽or their families. By continuing to聽provide聽别诲耻肠补迟颈辞苍听蝉耻辫辫辞谤迟聽and workplace accommodations,聽we can聽make it easier聽for聽National Guard members to continue聽proudly聽serving our states and country.听
