South Carolina Army National Guard: Qualifications

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Qualifications to Become

A Member of the Army

National Guard

All individuals must meet certain enlistment criteria to qualify for membership in the Army National Guard. These criteria ensure that those who join the Military Service have the right mental, physical, and moral aptitudes the to perform those tasks that the military requires. In general, these criteria are:

Age: Must be between the ages of 17 and 36. Consent from a parent or legal guardian is required if 17. Waivers are not authorized if 37 or older.

Citizenship: Must either be a United States citizen or an immigrant alien legally admitted to the United States for permanent residence and possessing immigration and naturalization documents.

Education Level: High school juniors and seniors may enlist but are required to get a High School Diploma in order to remain qualified. GED holders are eligible as long as they meet the qualifying scores on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Test.

Mental Attitude: Must achieve a minimum score of 31 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Test. Must qualify in a specific area of the ASVAB depending on occupational choice. Waivers of the minimum score are available under special cercumstances. See your local Army National Guard Recruiter for details.

Physical Condition: Must be able to pass an initial Military Entrance Physical Examination, be in good health, and meet minimum standards for height and weight. Certain illnesses, past injuries or diseases may preclude individuals from elistment.

Marital Status and Dependents: May be either single or married.

Moral Character: Must meet standards designed to screen out those individuals who are likely to become disciplinary problems. Standards cover arrests, court convictions, drug usage, and moral turpitude.

Waivers: Some waivers are granted to individuals on a case-by-case basis for some of the enlistment criteria listed above. See your local Army National Guard Recruiter for additional details.

Terms of Enlistment: Each person who enlists in the Army National Guard signs an enlistment contract for a total of 8 years of service. As few as 3 years of as many as 8 years can be served in a drill status, with the remainder served in an inactive status. The enlistment contract will identify the occupation for which the individual is enlisting, the number of years that will be served in an active National Guard status, and the unit in which the individual will serve.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 1-800-GO-GUARD

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