Question about the National Guard

[Free4Life11]

I have a question about the National Guard. I do not know, which is why I am asking, so I don't want to be jumped on.

I believe they have to "call up" National Guard troops. When they call them up, how long do they have before they have to report? I am just wondering if any troops were "called up" before the Hurricane hit. The reason I ask is, I assume it takes a few days for them to report. I mean they are given a little time to make arrangements with their family, employers, etc., right?

 

[ducklite]

It varies by orders. I've heard of guardsmen being given four hours to report for active duty.

Anne

 

[Free4Life11]

Oh, ok. Wow! Well God bless anyone who leaves with four hours notice! I really hope our government pays them well...

 

[lyeag]

Oh, ok. Wow! Well God bless anyone who leaves with four hours notice! I really hope our government pays them well...

Actually, when they are put onto active duty, they get the same pay as regular military. However, that may not be as much as what their regular job pays.... Also, the Reserves and N.G. are notorious for messing up paperwork and submitting it in a timely fashion causing delays lasting months before the pay kicks in.

 

[Free4Life11]

What is regular military pay? I'm sure there are different levels, but what would be the general range?

I'm sure problems with payroll and things like that don't do anything to help boost enrollment!

 

[ducklite]

What is regular military pay? I'm sure there are different levels, but what would be the general range?

It's a very complicated system, not sure it can really be explained here. If you're really interested and at least 17, why not talk to a recruiter--they've have a lot of answers to your questions.

Anne

 

[mudnuri]

What is regular military pay? I'm sure there are different levels, but what would be the general range?

well I dont the exact answer and I'm sure it varys by level, however

We have 2 local police officers who are MP's in the guard. They have been deployed in Iraq since last Fall, they are both due home before this winter, however our policy here, being a town government is to "make up" whatever pay it is they lost when they were activated. That said, the cops here, who are both less than a full year on our force before they were deployed, do not make as much in the guard activated as they do here, so they receive a direct deposit every 2 weeks to cover the difference

Brandy

 

[Free4Life11]

The last time I talked to a recruiter, or rather filled out a card...I got phone calls and literature until I was blue in the face!! A mistake I wont make again.

 

[doxdogy]

Just do a search for military pay. It will show you the charts on the pay amount based on rank/rate, years in and so forth.

 

[Auggietina]

Actually, when they are put onto active duty, they get the same pay as regular military. However, that may not be as much as what their regular job pays.... Also, the Reserves and N.G. are notorious for messing up paperwork and submitting it in a timely fashion causing delays lasting months before the pay kicks in.

This is not always true. DH has been called up to help out in a State Emergency and he was paid by the State not the Federal Government.
He did not get paid for a month after. It was a mess

 

[drakethib]

I have a question about the National Guard. I do not know, which is why I am asking, so I don't want to be jumped on.

I believe they have to "call up" National Guard troops. When they call them up, how long do they have before they have to report? I am just wondering if any troops were "called up" before the Hurricane hit. The reason I ask is, I assume it takes a few days for them to report. I mean they are given a little time to make arrangements with their family, employers, etc., right?

When Hurricane Andrew was coming in 91 (I think this was the year), I rcvd a phone call at work and was told to go home, get my uniform on, pack, and report at once.

I am not sure of the offcial "time", but basically when they call you, they want you ASAP.

 

[BamaGirl]

Go to http://www.dod.mil/dfas/ and you can see what the pay is for the military per month. Hope this helps. The pay system can be confusing until you have to work with it. As someone else said many of the soldiers get paid less for their guard work than they would at their daily jobs. Although some of these soldiers are out there because they have been activated (when they are activated the soldiers have no choice they must go) many of them have volunteered to go.

 

[Otto's Doll]

DH was activated for 2 years for the GWOT and his pay was messed up in August of 04. It took until May for them to straighten it out. Hard to support a family of 4 on the $38 check he received because of a paperwork error.

I just asked him what the turn around time is, and he said they usually want you in ASAP, with all your gear. He has to keep a bag packed at all time with specific things inside, so he is always ready to go.

 

[stm61]

every unit has different response times based on their jobs and where they are expected to report to, mine is 72 hrs usually but can be shortened in extreme emergency. We do not get the same pay as the active duty. If you are put on state orders you get next to nothing. When parts of north Jersey flooded about 5 yrs ago I think, I'm trying to remember so don't take it as gospel truth, it was about $40 a day. If activated on federal orders we still don't get the same pay. The base pay, which is what you see if you look at a military pay chart, is the same. The big difference is BAH (housing allowance), BAS (food), and COLA (cost of living). There are some other things, these are the 3 biggest. Activated personnel get a lower rate for BAH and BAS and don't get COLA. We also don't get medical benefits for our families until we orders are for more then (again trying to remember so it could be a different time frame now) 30 days. For things like floods we tend to get orders written for 2 wks or 30 days at a time since they're not sure how long they want us for. Try explaining to the mortgage co, car loan holder, etc, why yuo can't pay them! If you need medication or a dr visit good luck! Unless you're lucky enough to work for a co that makes up the difference, continues to pay, or keeps your medical benefits going while you're gone, you're basically out of luck.

 

[Auggietina]

When dh was called up for a state emergency 7 years ago - he was paid about $2 per hour. He was paid 24 hours a day 7 days a week - but it was about $50 a day

 

[SplshMtn99]

Well, DH found out at 5pm today (Fri) & he leaves Mon or Tues (not sure yet).

I can vouch for pay screw ups since he's full time & part time National Guard. He's been traveling ALOT lately for his jobs. He uses a gov't credit card which hardly ever works where he is OR isn't activated yet because orders weren't received in time to activate the card. He ends up using our credit card, or checking acct, or savings acct (sometimes all). He submits for travel expense later....and we wait to be re-imbursed. Meantime, credit card is due --- so I have to pay that again out of our own $.

In August, he had back to back trips. Came home 1 weekend just to do laundry in between, so he had no time to submit expenses in between, so we had to dish out for 2 trips. Well, his gov't card worked on part of the first trip & not at all on the second trip.

Now, even though it's a gov't card, the bill gets sent to us & shows up on OUR credit report. The gov't is supposed to pay off the card by the due date....but this time, due to a paperwork screw up in his orders, they didn't pay the card by the due date. Since we are buying / building a new condo, I'm trying to keep our credit squeeky clean & HAD TO PAY THAT CARD OFF TOO!!!!!!

Don't get me started on military pay. Oh -- too late.

 

[SplshMtn99]

When dh was called up for a state emergency 7 years ago - he was paid about $2 per hour. He was paid 24 hours a day 7 days a week - but it was about $50 a day

LOL -- I was actually going to say $50 / day sometimes depending on who is paying them. State or Federal.