The National Guard consists of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Members are required to work at least one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. Service members are financially compensated for their duty performance, but also pay any applicable federal and state taxes on this pay.

Pay Grades

The military is made up of 19 pay grades. Officer pay grades range from O-1 to O-10. Enlisted pay grades start at E-1 and end at E-9. Every branch except the Air Force also has warrant officer ranks, which consist of five pay grades. An E-3 in the Army National Guard is also known as a private first class, while an E-3 in the Air National Guard is known as an airman first class.

Drill Weekend

Each service member is required to attend monthly Unit Training Assemblies, also called Drill Weekends. Pay for one drill weekend for an E-3 starts at $230.64 for an E-3 with less than two years of service. An E-3 with between two and three years of service earns $245.16 per drill weekend. An E-3 with more than three years of service earns $260 per drill weekend, according to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.

Annual Training and Other Active Duty Periods

For the two-week annual training, each service member earns active duty pay for each day of service. For an E-3 with less than two years of service, pay is $57.66 per day of active duty. For an E-3 with two to three years of service, pay is $61.29. E-3s with more than three years of service earn $65.00 per day of active duty. In addition, each member also receives basic allowance for housing, which is dependent upon location.

Special Pay and Allowances

As with other ranks, service members can earn other special pay and allowances while deployed. This depends on the nature of the duty position and location, and also the duration of the assignment. All E-3s in the National Guard are also eligible for the Reserve Montgomery GI Bill for education.