Digital Life Membership

National Guard officers will soon have a new, lower-cost option to become life members of their association.

The board of directors in July approved a four-year test of a digital active-life membership. At $500, it will be half the cost of current life membership. Sales will begin in October when 2022 membership sales begin.

"We know we have a lot of members, especially company-grade officers, who would like to be life members but aren't able to pay $1,000," said retired Brig. Gen. J. Roy Robinson, the NGAUS president. "This gives them a more affordable option."

The subscription to NATIONAL GUARD magazine is a big difference between the two options. Current life members receive a hard copy of the association's official publication every month; digital members will get a digital subscription. They will also not receive the new metal lifetime membership card.

Other details are the same. Digital life memberships will count toward state and territory membership percentages that determine conference delegate counts and seating location. In addition, state and territory Guard associations will get a 25% rebate of all collected digital membership dues.

The new program is a product of the NGAUS membership committee, chaired by Maj. Gen. Randall Simmons of Georgia. The committee developed the program after seeing the emergence of digital memberships at other military associations and consulting with the National Guard Executive Directors Association.

Reduced magazine printing and mailing costs enable the association to offer the reduced-cost program without sacrificing revenue.

Robinson believes digital life membership could increase NGAUS membership numbers, which would only bolster the association's message on Capitol Hill.

"One appeal of a life membership has always been that you pay once and never have to worry about membership dues again," he said. "Now the entire process will be even easier."

NGAUS is taking pre-registrations for the new digital life membership program here. Monthly installment options will be available at purchase. Contact membership@ngaus.org for more information.