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SCANG Base Tour Program

SCANG Base Tour Policy

South Carolina Air National Guard Base Tour Program

Tour Information
Base tours are offered to local civic organizations, schools and youth groups middle-school age and older to educate people about the South Carolina Air National Guard and McEntire's missions. Tours are free of charge and can be subject to last-minute cancellations due to mission requirements and resource availability. We do not accommodate tour requests to combine different groups. Tours are given twice a month on Thursday's not preceding a drill weekend and are scheduled on a first-requested, first-served basis. Public tours of McEntire Joint National Guard Base are available to groups of 10 to 40 people. Tours for children under the age of 10 are considered on a case-by-case basis and must be requested by a SCANG sponsor who will be able to accompany the group. No tours will be given on drill weekends or federal holidays.

Requesting a Tour
Tour requests must be submitted no later than 60 days prior to the date of the tour and requested through the 169th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office. Tours are coordinated one month in advance. Groups requesting a tour must complete the Tour Request Form and email it back to us.

Tour Itinerary
Tours start at 9 a.m. and are scheduled for a maximum of 4 hours. These guided tours end no later than 2 p.m. and are subject to limited availability. Tours of McEntire may include various organizations on base to include a static display and Army National Guard Aviation, however, no particular activities can be guaranteed. Every effort will be made to honor your request, but ultimately, we work around our daily operations schedule and mission requirements. In these cases, a tour may be cancelled at any time, without notice. There will be no substitutions during these cases.

Transportation
Groups are responsible for providing their own transportation. All buses/vans must arrive at the Main Gate for security processing. Groups will be met at the Main Gate by the tour host who will escort the group and remain with them for the duration of the tour. If a group is more than 10 minutes late, tour itinerary is subject to change.

Cameras
Cameras are allowed on the tour; however, there are some restrictions. Your tour guide will inform you of these restrictions.

Required Attire
JROTC uniforms are required. If uniforms are not optional, closed-toe shoes are required on all tours. Additionally, tour guests cannot wear tank tops, cut off t-shirts or attire that contains offensive material.

Lunch
Prepared food is not available on this installation, however seating is available. Guests who wish to have 30 minutes built into their itinerary for lunch must plan to bring their own food and drink.

Directions to McEntire Main Gate:
From I-26 E:
Merge onto I-77 N via Exit 116 toward Charlotte- 6.1 miles
Merge onto Shop Rd. Exit 6A- 1.8 miles
Turn left onto Pineview Rd SC-768- 1.9 miles
Turn right onto Garners Ferry Rd/US-76E/US-378E- 7.7 miles
Turn right into the Main Gate entrance
From Sumter:
Follow US-76W/ US-378W- 21.4 miles
Turn left into the Main Gate entrance
From Charlotte:
Merge onto I-77S toward Columbia (crossing into South Carolina)- 83.8 miles
Take the SC-262/Leesburg Rd Exit 9B toward US-76/US-378/ Garners Ferry West- 0.4 miles
Turn right onto Leesburg Rd- 0.8 miles
Turn left onto US-76 Garners Ferry Rd- 10.1 miles
Turn right into the Main Gate entrance

The Visitor Control Center is to the right.

Additional Information
Public Affairs will not sponsor overnight visits. For Boy Scout camping opportunities troops must have a sponsor that is a member of the South Carolina Air National Guard. The sponsor must obtain approval from the 169th Fighter Wing for the event. The sponsor must also be on-site with the troop for the duration of the camping or tour event. For additional information, call 803-647-8208 or email.

Benefits

General benefits of serving

Base Privileges
As an Air National Guard member you will be entitled to certain privileges at all Active Duty Air Force Bases. For example, base exchange privileges and commissary privileges.

References:
http://www.aafes.com
http://www.commissaries.com

Experience
After you complete Technical Training school your training will continue through upgrade training and in-service training. This will ensure that you have the most advanced training in your career field. You will also be given the opportunity to apply that training in a working environment. Giving you the hands on experience you will need to be a success in the Illinois Air National Guard and in the civilian community. You will also be given management training. That's right! The Illinois Air National Guard will also provide you with management training through the Professional Military Education Program. This training will help you to assume future management positions in the Guard as well as in the civilian community.

Free Travel
Space Available flights are available to traditional Guard members within the Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Active Duty Guard members are able to travel worldwide.

G.I. Bill
The G.I. Bill is available to Guard members enlisting for six years. GI Bill money comes directly to you to use for school expense.

Reference:
www.gibill.va.gov

Guard Pay
Air National Guard members get four days pay for each drill weekend and 15 days annual training pay. Plus, while you are attending basic military training and technical training you will receive a monthly salary. Depending on your pay grade at time of enlistment you could receive anywhere from $887.00 to $1100 a month while in training.

Reference:
Military Pay Charts

Life Insurance
The Servicemen's Group Life Insurance is available for Guard members at a rate of $17.00 per month for $200,000 worth of coverage. This covers you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Retirement
Members qualify for retirement after completing 20 good years of military service. Retirement pay begins at age 60.

Training
All of your training is free through the Air National Guard and we will pay you while you learn. The training you receive is comparable to the training you can receive in civilian colleges and vocational technical schools. Plus college credits hours are awarded upon completion of the training.

Reference:
Benefits of serving in the ANG

Uniforms
Complete military wardrobe including shoes, boots, jacket, all weather coat, hats, and caps. Everything is replaced free upon return with normal wear and tear.

What are my benefits as a National Guardsman?

For information on the benefits of being an Air Guardsman, visit the Air Reserve Personnel Center web site.

General Information

How can I contact military personnel?

The Air Force World Wide Locator offered by the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) handles official and unofficial requests to locate Air Force Personnel. Official requests are defined as requests received from any government agency and the Department of Defense (DoD). All other requests are considered unofficial in nature.

The Air Force World Wide Locator only has location information on individuals who are currently receiving compensation from the USAF (Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, Retired, and Civil Service Personnel). If the individual has separated from the Air Force, no information is available. To obtain or find out more information about the service, you can contact AFPC at:

HQ AFPC/DPDXIDL
550 C Street West
Randolph AFB TX 78150-4752
Phone: DSN: 665-2334
Commercial (210) 565-2334
Customer Service Hours:
Monday - Friday (except Federal Holidays)
7:30 AM - 4:30 PM (Central Standard Time)
e-mail: afpc.pa.task@us.af.mil

If you need to contact a military member for emergency purposes, call your local Red Cross chapter, click on "Your local Red Cross" and enter your zip code.

How can I obtain copies of my military records?

Individual military departments, including the Air Force, do not maintain files or records pertaining to individuals no longer on active duty. When an individual is separated from military service (because of retirement, discharge from active duty or death), his/her Field Personnel File (containing all military and health records) is forwarded for storage to the National Personnel Records Center (Military). The Records Center is under the jurisdiction of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) of the United States Government.

An individual's complete service record is available to the former service member or, if deceased, to his/her next of kin (parents, spouse or children). Limited information (such as dates of service, awards, and training) is available to anyone. Not available to the general public is information which would invade an individual's privacy; for example, medical records, Social Security number or present address.

If requesting the records of a relative, a requester should mention the relationship to the former member (brother, uncle, or other). There is no charge for this service to former service members or their next of kin. For others, a nominal fee is charged for research and reproduction costs. Files at the Records Center are maintained as historical records only and are not updated to reflect current data on the former service member. The address for the National Personnel Records Center is:

National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis MO 63138
Phone: 314-801-0800 or 1-866-272-6272 (1-86-NARA-NARA) For individuals compiling family histories, NARA provides assistance to those interested in genealogy. NARA normally charges a nominal fee for research and reproduction costs. Their address is:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20408
202-501-5400

How do I find out about military and civilian job vacancies in the Air National Guard?

Vacancies at the State level are advertised by that state. Visit the ANG Locations page for a listing of state web sites. Advertisements can normally be found from the State Headquarters web site within their Human Resources Office (HRO) section. Questions regarding state web sites should be directed to that state. How do I get answers?

Vacancies can be found in the Careers section of the Air National Guard's recruiter web site at http://www.goang.com.

Military vacancies for the offices servicing the Director of the Air National Guard and State militia can be found in the Careers section of this web site. Civilian vacancies can be found on the Air Force Personnel Center's web site. The majority of these vacancies are located in the Washington District of Columbia metropolitan area.

I would like to sell a product/service to the Air National Guard?

Under the Federal Acquisition Regulations, any contracting opportunities/projects the National Guard undertakes are solicited via normal contracting procedures, including approval from the Acquisition Planning Board.

To find out about contracting opportunities with the National Guard, log on to the Government Publishing Office web site. All solicitations on behalf of the Guard can be found on that site.

Joining the Air National Guard

How do I find out about military and civilian job vacancies in the Air National Guard?

Vacancies at the State level are advertised by that state. Visit the Air National Guard Locations page for a listing of state web sites. Advertisements can normally be found from the State Headquarters web site within their Human Resources Office (HRO) section. Questions regarding state web sites should be directed to that state. How do I get answers?

Vacancies can be found in the Careers section of the Air National Guard's recruiter web site at https://www.goang.com/careers/find-your-career.

Military vacancies for the offices servicing the Director of the Air National Guard and State militia can be found in the Careers section of this web site.Civilian vacancies can be found on the Air Force Personnel Center's web site. The majority of these vacancies are located in the Washington District of Columbia metropolitan area.

How do I find out what will be expected of me at basic training?

For information on basic military training, visit the U.S. Air Force Basic Training web page.

How do I join the Air National Guard?

The first step in joining the Air National Guard is to talk to a Recruiter. You can do that through the Air National Guard web site.

SCANG Briefs

Main Gate (visitors, commercial and military)
4:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. inbound and outbound

Morrell Gate (personnel with military ID only)
Duty Day: 6:15 – 8:15 a.m. inbound only AND 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. outbound only
RSD: 6:00 – 8:15 a.m. inbound AND 3:30 – 5:15 outbound only

Church Gate (personnel with military ID only)
Closed, open for emergencies only

Air Force Child Care Fee Assistance
Get help finding and paying for child care.
Eligibility:
-Deployed Reserve/Guard
-Full-time Reserve/Guard (AGR)
-Dual status Title 32 AF Technicians
-No access to an on-base child care provider
Air Force Child Care Fee Assistance was created to provide authorized Reserve and Active Duty personnel assistance in locating, selecting, and offsetting the cost of civilian child care when on-base child care is not available. The programs available through Child Care Aware of America provide subsidies for eligible military dependents enrolled in quality commercial child care programs. Child Care Aware of America authorizes subsidy amounts based on total family income for those eligible Air Force families, and supplies monthly payments directly to the prospective child care provider.
http://usa.childcareaware.org/military-programs/

Personal weapons policy
The transportation of lawfully-owned personal firearms onto McEntire JNGB is now authorized for all U.S. military members and U.S. Government ID card carrying civilians.
AFI 31-101, Integrated Defense, and South Carolina (SC) Code of Laws Title 23, Section 23-31-230, and Title 16, Section 16-23-20, subsection 9a states that personal firearms shall be secured in a closed glove compartment, closed console, closed trunk or in a closed container secured by an integral fastener and transported in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.
Under no circumstance shall privately-owned firearms be removed from their secured placement while on base.

New Obligation for Post 9/11 G.I. Bill
Effective 1 August 2013 - All members wishing to submit a request to transfer their educational benefits will incur a 4 year service obligation from the date of their request. This will also include AGRs. In addition, all transfers must be approved before the members separates or retires from the service.
For more information contact the South Carolina Air National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Office at 803-647-8211.

TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS)
Starting Jan. 1, 2013, electronic payments will begin instead of the current monthly billing cycle. It is imperative to get the word out to your unit members that are enrolled in TRS, that they need to setup monthly premium payments to be made by either recurring Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or recurring Debit/Credit Card (Visa/MasterCard only). FAILURE to adhere to this billing change will cause their coverage to be terminated. To contact a regional TRICARE contractor visit the following website: www.tricare.mil/contacts.

Financial assistance
For general information about dealing with financial emergencies, getting out of debt, paying for child care, saving for the future and more, call 803-895-1332.

Veterans Job Assistance
In an effort to reduce veteran unemployment, the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, was included in the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program. VRAP has begun accepting applications for unemployed 35-60 year-old veterans in the new retraining assistance program, May 15. The program officially started, July 1. This program offers to eligible participants up to 12 months of training at the full-time payment rate as dictated by the Montgomery GI Bill, currently $1,473 per month. For additional information about VOW and VRAP, visit https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/.

Rack Up!
Though SCANG Airmen excel in everything from their daily tasks to the classroom to international competitions, their achievements often are not reflected on their ribbon racks! Award writing should no longer strike fear in the hearts of McEntire supervisors! The process has been streamlined via VPC-GR. A few strong bullets, an AF Portal login and the following handy guide are all you need: X:/Baseshare/Awards.

EPR/OPRs
Those applying for technician or statutory tour positions and those who need a copy of their current or past Enlisted/Officer Performance Reports can use the virtual Personnel Center-Guard and Reserve to request copies from the Total Force Service Center-Denver or use the Personnel Record Display Application to view and/or print a copy. Members also can view evaluation data online by accessing the virtual Military Personnel Flight. Access vPC-GR, vMPF and PRDA from the AF Portal, www.my.af.mil, (located under the Top Portal Links section.)

R3SP Toolbox
The South Carolina National Guard has published the "SCNG Leader's R3SP Toolbox" brochure. Its purpose is to educate members about resources that help strengthen resiliency, family readiness and other personal concerns. Go to www.169fw.ang.af.mil.

Web-HA mandatory for PHAs
Effective 1 January 2012, it will be mandatory for all members to complete your Web Health Assessment on-line. We will no longer be offering the standard paper copy questionnaire. You are due on your birth month and may complete the Web HA up to 2 months prior to, but no later than one week prior to that UTA. Any questions, please contact the Health Systems Specialist, 169th Medical Group, 803-647-8296.

No trespassing
The Base Firing Range, Bldg. 3320, is for official use only and closed to the public and non-authorized personnel. For more information, see Combat Arms, 803-647-8369/8284.