RENO, Nev. –
Without military service, Katherine Bain said her admission to veterinary school at Cornell University would not have been possible.
“I definitely believe my guard career got me into Cornell,” said Bain, a former member of the 152nd Operations Group, Nevada Air National Guard. “(Military service) instilled a good work ethic. Basic, tech school — not a lot of people do that. Not a lot of things are impossible after that. It opened doors for me and showed me all the things that I can do.”
When it was time to re-enlist, Bain was already well into her studies at Cornell and working at the university’s veterinary hospital in New York while juggling her monthly military drill obligations.
She made the tough decision to leave the military after her initial enlistment contract expired to focus exclusively on her studies but hasn’t ruled out returning to the military.
Bain isn’t alone.
Over the course of the past three years, the Nevada Air Guard has seen an average of about 18 Airmen leave the organization after their initial enlistment contract expired, said Master Sgt. Chelsea Canaday, Nevada Air Guard retention office manager.
“It really differs every year and there are a lot of things that go into individual decisions on whether or not to stay,” Canaday said.
For a part-time reserve force like the National Guard, civilian careers can take precedent over part-time, reserve military service and the economy, she said. For instance, first-term departures dipped dramatically during the pandemic due to economic uncertainties but have recently gone back up to pre-pandemic numbers — a trend both in Nevada and across the Air Force.
Air Force-wide, retention rates for first-term Airmen fluctuate usually stay around 55 percent, according to recent studies by the RAND Corporation. Historically, retention rates are lowest at this point of embarkation for those members choosing to stay after their initial contract or making the decision to seek a career in the military. Overall, the Nevada Air National Guard Recruiting and Retention Office regularly cite retention rates at more than 90 percent, a number that includes those hitting that point of embarkation or already long into their career.
Retention is critical for the military, given recruitment and training service members receive cost, which can cost up to $100,000, not to mention the loss of service members who have gained six years of experience, according to RAND.
For Air Guardsmen looking to stay after their first enlistment contract, federal incentives include the VA Home Loan and extension of Montgomery G.I. benefits for college. Without an extension in service, those benefits disappear. There are also state benefits, such as the 100 percent tuition waiver for Nevada System of Higher Education schools. If members re-enlist, they become eligible to pass that waiver to a spouse or child, a retention incentive the Nevada Legislature passed in 2021.
“The Nevada Air National Guard is never going to fault someone who wants to better their career, whether it’s here in the military or in the civilian workforce,” said Brig. Gen. David Chauvin, Nevada assistant adjutant general. “There are benefits for enlisting and there are additional benefits for deciding to re-enlist.”
Chauvin added: “We welcome people from various careers and walks of life. Of course, we always want Airmen to continue their service, but if someone leaves to attend an Ivy League school, such as Kate (Bain), we appreciate their decision to serve in the first place and wish them luck in their careers. She’s a rock star and you can’t fault her for making that decision. Airmen like Kate are always welcome to return to the Nevada Air National Guard.”
Bain’s family has an extensive résumé of service in the Nevada Air Guard. Her brother, Andrew Bain, works in the 152nd Intelligence Squadron. Her father, Martin Bain, retired at the rank of colonel in 2022 in the Nevada Air National Guard after serving time as the state’s air surgeon.
Like his daughter, Martin Bain — a trauma and acute care surgeon at Western Surgical Group in Reno — acknowledged the benefits the Nevada Air National Guard provided for his career and life, specifically the friendships he made and experience gained. He also said that given the dual nature of a part-time force, juggling civilian work and education, the Nevada Air National Guard is ideal for those seeking a leg up in a competitive workforce.
“In terms of young people wondering if the guard is for you, well, if you want 100 percent of school covered, a college degree, travel the world, advance in the world, yeah, it is valuable,” Martin said. “It helped my daughter. Without her military service, I’m not sure she gets accepted to Cornell.”