Peace Garden News

Senators John Hoeven and Jeanne Shaheen have introduced a bill aimed at creating a permanent federal tuition assistance program for members of the Air National Guard. The proposed legislation, known as the Air Guard Standardizing Tuition Assistance to Unify the Services (STATUS) Act, mandates that the Secretary of the Air Force provide tuition aid to Air National Guard members similar to what is available to those in the Army National Guard. This initiative has garnered support from the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS).

Senator Hoeven remarked, "Our Air National Guard provides invaluable service to communities across the nation, and also performs critical missions alongside their active-duty counterparts. Our legislation would provide drill status Air Guard members with the same educational benefits as those serving in the Army National Guard. With the recruiting challenges facing our military, it’s vital that we have a strong tuition assistance program in place to help our Air Guard attract and retain the best and brightest."

Echoing these sentiments, Senator Shaheen stated, "All those serving in the Air National Guard deserve access to the educational benefits they deserve so we can continue attracting and retaining elite talent. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that would help make tuition more affordable and ensure that the Air National Guard has access to the same educational benefits as the Army National Guard."

Retired Brigadier General J. Roy Robinson, President of NGAUS, emphasized, "When an individual joins the National Guard, they invest in our national security. In return, as a small token of our gratitude, we invest in their future through federal tuition assistance. We must equally provide for our Soldiers and our Airmen. This bill corrects a long-standing gap in National Guard benefits and will empower our Airmen to reach new heights in knowledge and skill. We thank Senators Hoeven and Shaheen for their efforts and continued support of the National Guard."

The introduction of this bill follows prior efforts by Senators Hoeven and Shaheen who advocated for making this program permanent after observing its success during a pilot phase. In correspondence with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall earlier this year, they urged him to allocate $4 million for this purpose in his FY2025 budget request.