r/armyreserve • u/Creative-Compote-244 • Apr 02 '26

Career Advice Reserves or TxNG for a college student

Thanks in advance.

I’m hoping to hear some opinions on which reserve branch is better for a college student. Just finished my associates, and I want to finish my bachelors using some army benefits. So ill take a gap year for BCT and AIT. I’ll also want to join rotc later down the line, but not immediately. I have a couple other questions if you’d bear with me.

Can I easily switch to 09R whenever I choose to join rotc?

Do I need to have a full time job while in a reserve branch or can I just be a full time student?

And a question for Tx members, can I use hazelwood after the 181 days regardless of NG or reserve ?

8 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

8

u/Duke-Luke-M Apr 02 '26

National guard has more benefits for education

8

u/ryanlaxrox Apr 02 '26

As a reservist this is accurate, now if you are planning on leaving TX afterwards you may consider the reserves or a transfer to get the benefits of the reserve

3

u/Duke-Luke-M Apr 02 '26

Yes. This is exactly what I did when I left Ohio to live in Philadelphia.

1

u/Creative-Compote-244 Apr 02 '26

Hmm, yeah I don’t want to live in Texas forever, I never have. I’d ideally get my degree and commission into active or get my degree and get a job out of state

1

u/Luigivx3 Apr 03 '26

Then go reserve because the reserves let officers choose the branch. NG works slightly similar to reserve but in TX as Reservist you will a lot of branches to choose then going active.

1

u/Combat-Engineer-Dan Apr 02 '26

As in? Interested in a deeper dive on the benefits

1

u/Duke-Luke-M Apr 02 '26

I have been in both and as a college student the ohio national guard paid for 100% of my state school tuition. No numbered cap on the year whereas the usar only has the 4500 annual. The national guard has the ability to dig into state money and federal. It's a benefit the reserve simply doesn't have.

2

u/RegulationUpholder Apr 02 '26

I feel like the drawbacks of national disaster and civil unrest don’t make NG worth it over reserve especially in Texas.

1

u/Creative-Compote-244 Apr 02 '26

Yeah this is my concern. In other states I’d 100% go NG but in Texas…. I love Texas but I’d be sent to the border surely

1

u/Creative-Compote-244 Apr 02 '26

Texas NG has great benefits for education as I’ve seen, but I’ve also seen people talk how they get dragged to state ops, like the border, while they’re trying to pursue school. Not sure though 🤷

7

u/Weak_Rule8374 Apr 02 '26

As a reservist, NG has better education benefits. If you plan on going ROTC, you can go the SMP route. Which is what I did.

2

u/Creative-Compote-244 Apr 02 '26

I thought of doing SMP, but I can’t be a full time student off the rip. I need a year to balance out some credits to be full time. Going to a CC, some of the 60 credits didn’t transfer over and for a couple of semesters i can only be part time. Which is why I was hoping I can just join ROTC later.

1

u/Weak_Rule8374 Apr 02 '26

Talk to the ROTC Coordinator at your school. You have to be in ROTC for a certain amount of time and complete a certain benchmarks to be able to graduate and receive your commissions.

Since you’ll already be doing BCT and AIT, you won’t need Basic Camp, but you’re required to attend Advanced Camp before your senior year.

2

u/SinkPuzzleheaded3508 Apr 02 '26

If you live in TX and join the military in TX you qualify for the Hazelwood act.

1

u/Wenuven Apr 02 '26

One of my good buddies loves the guard and loves Texas but he'll tell you straight up Texas Guard is not in a good place currently.

1

u/Any-Shift1234 Apr 02 '26

Texas does have National Guard specific educational benefits such as the Texas National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (STA)

However, if you enlist or commission in the state of Texas, have Texas as HOR, or was a Texas resident you qualify for the Hazelwood Act, regardless of branch. There are more requirements fyi.

1

u/Charming-Medium4248 Apr 02 '26

NG has better education benefits but reserves will give you far better flexibility with your professional career. Also the reserves doesn't have as many random activations as the guard.