Should my husband join the National Guard?

Question

My husband and I own a profitable business. I am currently pregnant with our third child. He has been reading about the benefits the guard offers and is now talking about meeting with a recruiter. One benefit that interests him is additional training which he might not take the time to do on his own. Also the medical benefits would be nice, since we are self-employed currently. We don't believe in the war, but he would do what he is told to do if he joined. Are there any huge downfalls to the National Guard?

Answer 1

If you join the Army or Air National Guard, you will NOT have medical benefits. He will be in the Guard one weekend a month and 15 days during the year, normally during the summer. HE will be covered during that time, but you and the kids will NOT. Having said that, another negative is that many Guard and Reserve units are being sent to Iraq or being activated to replace active duty units sent to Iraq. During active duty of more than 30 days, you and the kids could get medical benefits. I was in the Air Guard and I loved it and learned a lot. I was activated for Southern Watch in Kuwait for three months, and I was activated for Northern Watch in Turkey the following year for three months. It's a great experience. However, if he is against the war, then he has no business joining the military.

Answer 2

It used to be that medical insurance wasn't available unless the Guardsman was active duty for over 30 days. But now, as a member of the National Guard, he can buy TRICARE Reserve Select medical insurance if he meets the conditions to do so. It sounds like you meet the Tier Two requirements. That insurance costs $452 per month for family coverage, which is a lot more than he'll make during monthly drill. See the attached for details.

http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare/tricare-reserve-guard/tricare-reserve-select-overview

I agree with the others - if he doesn't believe in the war and is only in it for the benefits and training, he shouldn't join. They've already given you good reasons why. If he does, you'd better be able to run the business (and everything else) without him. He'll have to go to basic training and AIT if he's not prior service. And there's always the possibility he'll be deployed once he finishes Basic and AIT.

Answer 3

Wow nasty responses you got. Tell him that you didn''t marry him to spend your time alone. Tell him that you made a commitment to spend your life together, and you can't do that if he is deployed in the middle east. Tell him that the National Guard is an easy way out, and you think he should do something more substantial and meaningful to your future together as a couple. Tell him that you have a brand new baby, and his baby needs him too. Show him the alternatives. Let him see role models other than his friend in California. He should be going to College, not joining the military, but he will use that against you saying that the military will pay for his college. However, the fine print shows many restrictions and limitations to this clause. If he wants to serve, a man needs to serve his family first. You have a brand new baby. This is not a time for a man to be committing himself to abstract causes and selfish motivations. Serving your country is indeed selfish when it is only a way to dodge serving your family.

Answer 4

I've been in the National Guard for the last six and 1/2 years and it has been wonderful. There aren't any medical benefits really unless he signs up for tricare which helps. They have full time jobs and the training help me land a gov't job. I've been to war and almost all of us has been, but least he knows what he is getting into before he joins. its only 2 days a month for the most part and they help me get my first degree. now I'm on my masters :).

Answer 5

The National Guard are the disposable ones since they don't make the full commitment, they get sent into hotspots.
Why doesn't he pursue being a policeman, I'm trying to get a fireman job(nearly impossible), but there is a huge recruitment for the position, and he can work part time.

Answer 6

It's up to him but if he's going to join just for the benefits, he may be joining for the wrong reason. If your heart isn't in it, too many times it doesn't work out the way you want.

The two of you talk it over and think about the bad as well as the good and see if it weighs out for you in the long run.

Answer 7

yes. such as, ur life maybe? i mean if u consider that important. b/c if he does sign, he will hardly b home. and if ur about to have another child, wldn't u want ur child to be able to see his father? and the military is meant to screw ppl over. Its all lies and propaganda. Everyone i've spoken to has regretted joining. Just get a job, something, anything is better than "giving" 5-7 years of ur life to a cause u av no interest in. The best thing he cld do is BE there for the family. Have faith in urselves, and God , and everything will be ok.

Answer 8

please do not meet with a recruiter, because he will sell you any car on the lot. please speak with veterans of the guard and understand your benefits 100 percent. this is not a joke or an easy way to get money. National guardsmen are being killed or maimed each and every day . A lot of good those benefits will do you in those situations ....semper fi

Answer 9

Please don't . You don't believe in the war??
It sounds like all you care about is "what's in it for me." I'd bet the first time he gets orders for Iraq he'll go crying that "he can't go,what would happen to my business."
Pleae don't join.

Answer 10

Honey, if he doesn't believe in the war...he better believe and understand he may die for the war!!!