NH Army National Guard Offers Multifaceted
Education
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hristopher Lind was 27 when he decided he wanted to join the military, realizing he would be too old to enlist if he waited much longer. Lind was working at the Valley Street jail in Manchester as corrections officer when the itch to serve found him. “I already had a college degree and a career. I just wanted to go into the military to find out whether I would like it or not,” says Lind, who now holds the rank of lieutenant. When he joined the Guard in 2014, Lind was a fire support specialist. In 2018, he entered Officers Candidate School and embarked on an 18-month training program to earn a commission. During that time, Lind says he became aware that the Guard not only helped college students pay for school but also helped Guard members earn graduate degrees at state colleges and universities. Members of his Guard unit directed him to the Education Services office, where Lind presently works full time. He decided to let the Guard pay for his studies at the University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies in Concord so he could earn a master’s degree in project management. Lind also serves a rear detachment commander of the headquarters battery for the 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery based in Franklin as part of his Army National Guard duties. He says the forward detachment of his unit is actually deployed in the Middle East. Lind, who has worked as the Guard’s education services officer since April, says many Guard members are taking advantage of the free college tuition waivers that he oversees. Older Guard members like himself want to gain new skills, college degrees or enter new trades. In 2022, New Hampshire Army National Guard members received more than $650,000 in tuition waivers to attend schools such as the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, Keene State College, Granite State College, the state’s community colleges and the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord. Lind says about 90 Guard members used the education benefits during the fall semester. But college tuition waivers are just the tip of the education benefits spear, according to Lind. For example, if a Guard member is pursuing one major and decided to switch gears and studies business instead of liberal arts, Lind says the Guard will pay for that. Typically, making a
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change like that halfway through one’s four-year college education can cost thousands of dollars. This benefit can be helpful for young Guard members who are not sure which field of study or career path they want to ultimately pursue, Lind says. The Guard also allows soldiers to receive training for a variety of roles that will prove useful in civilian life, Lind says. For instance, if a Guard member has a particular specialty, such as what Lind had when he was a fire support specialist, and they want to learn how to drive trucks, Lind says they can do it and obtain the commercial driver’s licenses that go with it. Certain MOSs, or military occupational specialties, carry bonuses of up to $20,000 for Guard members who perform those tasks. The Guard also provides its soldiers several options to pay for college regardless if they choose to live on campus or take online courses. Lind says Guard soldiers who want to live on campus have to pay for their housing and food but do not have to pay tuition. This essentially can save them up to 50% of their total education costs. If they take online courses and live at home with their parents, Lind says it would cost them nothing. If a Guard member does an overseas deployment, they can tap into federal G.I. Bill benefits, Lind says. A Guard member who has 36 months of active duty can get 100% of the G.I. Bill benefits, Lind says. Most deployments tend to be 11 months, which will net Guard members 60% of the federal benefits. A college tuition benefit can also be given to a dependent. “I already have my college degree. I’m using the state tuition waiver to get a master’s degree,” Lind says. “For my G.I. Bill, I have a daughter, she’s 1 year old. So, I transferred my G.I. Bill benefit. I have 70% that I’ve qualified for through federal service.” “When she goes to college, she can use that benefit because I’m not going to. I don’t need it,” Lind adds. Guard members who serve six years and then enlist for another four years can transfer their state tuition benefit to their spouse if they want to attend college thanks to a recently passed New Hampshire law, Senate Bill 360, Lind says. Members who have student loans they borrowed before they enlisted can receive up to $50,000 to repay those loans, Lind says. This benefit applies if the Guard member attended a New Hampshire college or university or out-of-state school. Lind points out that 36 years of age is the cutoff to join the Guard unless someone can get a waiver for up to age 41. To enjoy the education benefits, Guard members have to be in good standing by attending all of their weekend drills and pass annual physical fitness tests. Guard members who do not maintain good enough grades to maintain their grade point average will lose
