John Stark Regional High School senior Erik Hilyard has enlisted in the N.H. National Guard in February. Because of his exceptional performance on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery entrance exam, (ASVAB), he has earned the GI Bill Kicker, which is an additional $350 a month on top of the GI Bill ($384 a month while he attends college for books, etc.). The ASVAB exam is evaluated by the percentile of your peers from 1-99. You need at least 31 to enlist in the military and at least a 50 to qualify for the Kicker. While the national average on the test is 17, Erik scored above the 90th percentile.
Erik Hilyard of Henniker will attend UNH in the Performing Arts program once he finishes basic training. He will receive 100% free state and federal tuition assistance as a member of the Guard. Erik also qualified for and chose a position as a 13M (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems Crewmember). Due to his academic performance, Erik also secured an enlistment bonus of $20,000.