“When I was first told about the GED Plus program, I thought, 'Cool, two
weeks of school in Arkansas.’"
con't...
PV2 Roberto Di Giovine recently completed GED Plus and offered to share
his experience and opinions with us.
General Educational Development (GED) Testing Service
The GED examination is for individuals who have not completed their formal high school education. The GED exam allows people to prove what they know.
Did you know...
- More than 700,000 adults worldwide took the GED Test in 2004.
- Those who obtain scores high enough to earn a GED credential outperform at least one-third of today's high school seniors.
- GED graduates include comedian Bill Cosby, Wendy's founder Dave Thomas, Delaware's Governor Ruth Ann Minner, and former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado.
- More than 95 percent of U.S. employers consider GED graduates the same as traditional high school graduates with regard to hiring, salary, and opportunity for advancement.
The 2002-Series GED Tests measure knowledge in 5 different areas:
- Language Arts - Writing
- Language Arts - Reading
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
Do I need a GED or High School Diploma to join the Guard?
Not necessarily!
If you do not have a GED or a HS diploma, the Guard can help. The Army National Guard's GED Plus Program provides free training and testing services that will enable you to successfully obtain your GED.
The Army National Guard will pay you to get your GED when you enlist. If
you don't have either a high school diploma or alternate education credentials
(GED, National Guard Youth Challenge, Correspondence Diploma, etc.), we can
help. You can enlist under the Army National Guard GED Plus Program. You
must have a minimum AFQT score of 31 and a certified transcript showing completion
of the ninth grade. You must also meet the following criteria:
a. You must have withdrawn from high school for at least six months prior
to your date of application for enlistment. No waivers are authorized.
b. You must be 18 years old or older, or not be eligible to return to your
local high school to complete your diploma program.
c. You must score a minimum of 31 on the AFQT. If you score 50 or higher
on the ASVAB you may be eligible for other incentives and/or bonuses.
d. Anyone testing positive on the Drug and Alcohol Test (DAT) screening will
be immediately discharged from the program. DAT waivers are not authorized.
If you enlist under the GED Plus Program you will not be able to participate
in the Split Training Option (STO), and may not be shipped for Initial Entry
Training (IET) until you complete the GED Plus Program.
The GED Plus training program will take place at the Professional Education
Center in Arkansas.
Anyone enlisting under the GED Plus Program who presents an accredited GED
completion certificate or diploma prior to shipping will not be required
to attend the GED Plus Training program.
Talk to a recruiter for more insight.