The Average Salary of the National Guard
The National Guard is a segment of the United States military that serves on a part-time basis. Their base pay scale is adjusted every year by the National Defense Budget, with the 2010 rate increasing by 3.4 percent. Average yearly pay for individuals is determined by a combination of factors.
Other People Are Reading
-
Base Pay
-
The base salary for members of the National Guard is determined by the individual's rank and years of service, with pay increasing accordingly. They are then compensated based on the number of drills performed in the course of a year.
Required Commitment
-
Members of the National Guard perform active drills for one weekend a month, plus two weeks of training every year. They are paid for each day they are on active duty, including their initial Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training periods.
-
Incentive Pay
-
In addition to the base pay, National Guard members have a variety of means to increase their salary, including voluntary assignments, enlistment bonuses, cash incentives, hazardous and hostile fire pay, and more.
Average Pay Charts
-
There are a number of contributing factors determining pay for National Guard duty; most available charts are based on "per drill" payments . A new member at the lowest rank with less than four months in service can expect to receive $179 for a two day weekend. A comprehensive chart is available at the Military Times website.
Benefits
-
When determining the full advantages of serving in the National Guard, one should also review the additional benefits of education opportunities, medical and retirement coverage, and housing allowances for those with dependents.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of The U.S. Army Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of DVIDSHUB
