Finding harmony between the duties of the Army National Guard and the duties of a full-time civilian job can be a unique and ongoing balancing act. For some Guard Soldiers, the best way to achieve this harmony is to combine the two and make the Army National Guard their full-time job.
By joining the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) program, Soldiers can volunteer to provide full-time support to the Army National Guard on either the State or National level. The opportunity allows Soldiers to offer full-time support to the organizing, recruiting, administering, instructing and training of the Reserve Component, while also taking advantage of active duty-level benefits and pay.
Soldiers may be placed on AGR status for a period of 180 consecutive days or more through Title 10 and Title 32. When part-time Guard Soldiers apply for the Title 10 AGR program, they submit an application for full-time status in a Federal level position. Soldiers in the Title 10 program have opportunities to be stationed at one of hundreds of locations worldwide.
Title 32 allows a State Governor, with approval from the President or the Secretary of Defense, to order a member to duty for operational Homeland Defense activities. Under Title 32, Soldiers can be ordered to report for full-time National Guard duty at the State level.
Serving full-time provides a host of benefits to Army National Guard Soldiers. Soldiers placed on AGR, through Title 10 or Title 32, earn the same benefits and entitlements as an active duty Soldier, including paid leave, medical care for themselves and their immediate Family, full educational benefits and the opportunity for immediate retirement after 20 years of active federal service. Soldiers are also offered promotion and training opportunities at active duty Army schools at more than 6,000 training locations.
Along with a wide variety of assignment locations, Soldiers on AGR have the opportunity to serve in a wide range of fields and Military Occupational Specialties (MOS). AGR Soldiers can work in the areas of:
- Recruiting
- Public Affairs
- Transportation
- Quartermaster
- Chemical
- Military Police
- Signal
- Retention
- Operational Research and Systems Analysis
- Information Operations
- Logistics Operations
- Judge Advocate General
- Finance
- Adjutant General
- Engineer
- Military Intelligence
- Ordnance
- Civil Affairs
- Aviation
For more information about Title 10 and Title 32, talk to your retention or readiness NCO, or visit the Army Human Resources Command website at HRC.army.mil and select Career from the main menu. From there, select either Active Guard Reserve-Enlisted or Active Guard Reserve-Officer.
By Staff Writer Tatyana White-Jenkins
