The ESO's mission is to provide resources in a fair and equitable manner guiding servicemembers and building strong minds for an "Always Ready" South Carolina National Guard. Contact our staff at:
- Toll Free: 866.345.8400
- Fax: 803.806.4254
Programs:
Helpful Links:
- Post 9-11 Powerpoint Presentation
- Education Services Office Program Overview Powerpoint Presentation
Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)
Only ADSW, ADT, mobilized commissioned officers and ARNG traditional Soldiers in an active drilling status are eligible to receive ARNG FTA. FTA is a benefit to servicemembers, not an entitlement and is used to encourage enlistment and retention of quality applicants.
Note: ARNG AGR Soldiers (Title 10/32) are not eligible for ARNG FTA.They are eligible for FTA through their servicing active component (Army Education Center).
Instructions:
- Go to minuteman.ngb.army.mil/
- Insert your common access card and click "Log on with CAC." Click on your name and then enter your PIN.
- Click on "Apply for Tuition Assistance."
- Choose the "click here to continue to on–line Tuition Assistance Application."
- Statement of Understanding (SOU) – click "agree." You cannot proceed until you agree to the SOU.
- Fill out contact information. Note: You must enter your AKO email address in order to receive confirmation your application has been received. You must enter a phone number in order to continue.
- Fill out school information. Note: You must select the correct school and campus location. You will find this in your schools address.
- Fill out course schedule information by clicking "Add New Course."
- Recoupment Policy – Open and read the Recoupment Policy. Then click the "agree" button and proceed.
- Submit your application – Click on the "Submit" button to electronically send your request to the education service officer. You will get a window that states your application has been sent.
This completes your part of the process. The ARNG Education Office will validate and approve your request by assigning it a control number. You will receive an e-mail confirming the amount of FTA for which you've been approved.
Important Notes:
Keep track of your approved funding. The National Guard benefits will automatically cut off funding for subsequent requests once you've hit your maximum FTA amount.
You must notify the ARNG Education Office immediately of any course changes.
You, not the school, are responsible for turning in grades to the ARNG Education Office at the completion of each course/semester/quarter.
If you are AGR or a mobilized Soldier, you must contact your Active Duty Army Education Office to apply for Active Army TA. You can find the Active Army sites and point of contact at www.goarmyed.com. If you're deployed overseas, the CONUS Army installation that you deployed from will normally be designated as your servicing site (unless there is a site set up in–country).
GI Bill
Selected Reserve Chapter 1606
The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Army National Guard and Air National Guard. You may be entitled to receive up to 36 months of education benefits.
Who is eligible?
To qualify, you must meet the following requirements:
- Have a six–year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve signed after June 30, 1985. If you are an officer, you must agree to serve six years in addition to your original obligation. For some types of training it is necessary to have a six–year commitment that begins after September 30, 1990.
- Complete your initial active duty training (IADT).
- Meet the requirements to receive a high school diploma or equivalency certificate before completing IADT. You may not use 12 hours towards a college degree to meet this requirement .
- Remain in good standing while serving in an active Selective Reserve unit.
- More information on this Benefit.
Chapter 1607 Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
REAP is a new benefit providing educational assistance to members of the reserve components – Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve – who are called or ordered to active service in response to war or national emergency, as declared by The President or Congress.
Who is eligible?
To qualify, you must meet the following requirements:
- Eligibility will be determined by the Department of Defense (DOD) or Homeland Security (DHS) as appropriate.
- Generally, a member of a reserve component who serves on active duty on or after September 11, 2001 under title 10, U.S.C., for at least 90–consecutive days under a contingency operation is eligible for REAP.
- More information on this benefit.
Post–9/11 GI Bill
The Post–9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service–connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post–9/11 GI Bill.
The Post–9/11 GI Bill became effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. The amount of support that an individual may qualify for depends on where they live and what type of degree they are pursuing. For a summary of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, see the benefit comparison chart.
Approved training under the Post–9/11 GI Bill includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, and vocational/technical training. All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill benefits. Additionally, tutorial assistance, and licensing and certification test reimbursement are approved under the Post–9/11 GI Bill.
The Post–9/11 GI Bill will pay your tuition based upon the highest in–state tuition charged by an educational institution in the state where the educational institution is located. For more expensive tuition, the "Yellow Ribbon Program" exists which may help to reimburse the difference. For more information on the Yellow Ribbon Program click here.
The Post–9/11 GI Bill also offers some servicemembers the opportunity to transfer their GI Bill to dependents. For more information click here.
South Carolina National Guard College Assistance Program (SCNG CAP)
The SCNG College Assistance Program will pay 100% of college tuition and fees at state supported institutions up to $4,500 per year, with a cap of $18,000 per service-member. Only those identified as critical need and in good standing are eligible.
After the application is received, the service-member notifies the financial aid office of their eligibility, confirmation of eligibility is made with CHE and financial imbursement is made directly to the school by CHE.
To determine eligibility, contact the Education Services Office.
Incentives
The following incentives are currently offered to qualified personnel:
- Affiliation Bonus
- Civilian Acquired Skills Bonus
- Enlistment Bonus
- Extension /Re–enlistment Bonus
- Federal Student Loan Repayment Programs
- Officer Bonus
- Prior–Service Bonus
Contact the Incentive Manager for more information at 866.345.8400.
