National Guard
Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) - just means you are full-time college student, in Army ROTC and drilling with the National Guard or Reserves at the same time. Students who contract as a Simultaneous Membership Program Cadet simultaneously enroll in ROTC and belong to an Army Reserve or National Guard unit. A student can become an SMP Cadet in their sophomore year and become non-deployable while in college.
SMP Cadets, Scholarship and Non-Scholarship
SMP Cadets, scholarship, and non-scholarship will receive:
- Experience working with an officer during drill, learning the job of an officer.
- Drill pay as a Sergeant (E-5): $300+/mo (for calendar year 2020).
- ROTC stipend of $420 per month while in school.
- Non-deployable status—your college education won’t be interrupted by deployment.
- Officer training in your unit.
Other Benefits
Other benefits that SMP students may qualify for:
- Federal Tuition Assistance: $250 per credit (for 12 – 18 credits; up to $4500 per year)
- Reserve GI Bill: $309+/mo. (must have completed Basic and AIT)
- Reserve GI Bill Kicker: $350/mo. (must receive Reserve GI Bill benefits and be in a select specialty or unit)
- ANGEAP: 90%+ of in-state tuition costs per semester (GA Army National Guard only) any public college or university in Georgia
The Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) program is designed for Cadets who are interested in obtaining a commission in the U.S. Army Reserves or National Guard with a guarantee for a reserve component assignment. Scholarships cover full tuition and mandatory fees, and range in length up to 3 years. Scholarship awardees also receive a book allowance and a monthly stipend. These Cadets also receive weekend drill and annual training pay as participants in the Simultaneous Membership Program.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Must not reach 31 years of age by December 31st of the year you will graduate from college
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
- Score a minimum of 920 on the SAT and 19 on the ACT
- Have no or only minor infractions of the law
- Have no moral or personal conviction against bearing arms to include armed combat or supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States
- Have no moral or personal conviction against bearing arms to include armed combat or supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States
- Must be willing to participate in the SMP program with a Guard or Reserve unit. If you do not belong to a unit, you must obtain a letter of acceptance to the unit, stating that they will accept you as a SMP Cadet
- Must be medically qualified
Dedicated Army National Guard GRFD and Dedicated Army Reserve GRFD Scholarships
The dedicated Army National Guard GRFD and Army Reserve GRFD Scholarships:
- 2, 2.5, or 3 year scholarship
- Pays full tuition and mandatory fees or room and board
- Pays $1200 per year for books
- ROTC Monthly Stipend of $420/mo. respectively during the fall & spring semesters
- Awarded by the Army National Guard and Army Reserve
- Must become an SMP (see above)
- Must be aligned in both academics and military science courses to graduate and commission in 2-3 years
- Must actively drill as a Cadet with a National Guard or Army Reserve Unit (where the Cadet will receive drill pay as an E-5 or above, $300+/mo. for calendar year 2020)
- Must serve 8 years after college actively drilling in the Reserve Component -Army National Guard or Army Reserve, that awarded the scholarship
- CANNOT use Chapter 1606 or Chapter 1607 Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits while receiving a Dedicated GRFD scholarship
- CANNOT revoke Dedicated GRFD scholarship nor request active duty immediately after college
If you are already a student, call, text or email us for an appointment so we can discuss how you can integrate ROTC into your academic curriculum.