Last week, one of our fellow professional military organizations, TREA (The Enlisted Association) and their Legislative Director, Larry Madison, led an event on Capitol Hill for the top leaders of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserve components. It was co-hosted by Congressmen Steven Palazzo (R- Miss.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.). In addition to being a TREA: The Enlisted Association Life Member, Congressman Walz is also a Minnesota National Guard Enlisted Association (MNGEA) and Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS) Life member.
The event was sponsored by members of the Guard-Reserve Committee of The Military Coalition (TMC). Madison, who co-chairs the Guard-Reserve Committee along with John McElligott of the Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, was responsible for working with the Palazzo and Walz offices in putting the entire event together.
It was attended by over 150 people, including the Chiefs of the Army and Air National Guard, the Army and Air Force Reserve, the Naval Reserve, the Marine Corps Reserve, and the Coast Guard Reserve, along with members of the Guard-Reserve Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The purpose of the breakfast was to bring together the Chiefs of the Reserve Components of the U.S. Armed Forces with the members of the U.S House of Representatives who make decisions regarding legislation for manpower, equipment, and personnel in the Reserve Components.
Each of the Reserve Chiefs spoke about the needs of their respective components, especially in light of the fact that the Reserve Components have gone from being largely a standby-force to one that is in integral part of the today’s military force. Members of the various Reserve Components are today deployed and active in missions all over the world. Obviously, because they are only part-time military personnel, they have unique needs with regard to their families and their civilian employers.
Congressmen Palazzo and Walz used the occasion to announce that they have introduced a new bill, H.R. 1384, to correct the unfairness in current law that failed to extend eligibility to National Guard and Reserve Component troops for health care, education, leave, pay, and retirement benefits when they are activated for pre-planned military missions in support of combatant commands.
Current Law
12304b mobilization authority was established in the 2012 NDAA to allow DOD to deploy reserve forces for preplanned missions in support of combatant commanders. However, 12304b created a benefit disparity among the components. Reserve forces are compelled to leave behind family, friends, careers, and education pursuits to provide: life-saving humanitarian aid across the globe, security forces and logistical support in Sinai, Kosovo, Eastern Europe, and around the world. Unlike the active component, reserve forces are not provided: pre- and post-mobilization TRICARE; Post-9/11 Montgomery GI Bill Benefits; reduction in retirement age; credit for time spent deployed.
If passed by Congress and signed by the President, H.R. 1384 would provide:
Pre- and post-mobilization TRICARE to service members and their families; Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility to support personal and professional development; and greater predictability for operational deployments in order to protect time with families.
H.R. 1384 will correct this inconsistency by granting Guard and Reserve members access to these benefits, such as earning tuition funds through the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pursue higher education, and the provision of family health care services prior to and after mobilization.
“Our Guard and Reserve troops have been fighting alongside our active duty component for over 15 years,” said Rep. Palazzo. “In fact, many of the best performing units in the military come from the Reserve and Guard, yet the DoD has created a scenario where our soldiers are receiving less than equal treatment. Giving our troops equal benefits for equal service is simply a no-brainer. We should ensure that all of those who are putting their lives on the line for our country are given the benefits they have so bravely and selflessly earned.”
“This commonsense legislation is about recognizing the sacrifice of all our men and women who volunteer freely to serve this nation,” added Rep. Walz. “Ensuring fairness in health care, education and pension benefits to National Guard and Reserve Component troops who answer the call to serve right alongside their Active Component counterparts is the right thing to do. I thank Reps. Palazzo, Shea-Porter and Franks, our VSO partners, and most importantly, our veterans for fighting to bring these brave Americans and their families the peace of mind that comes with knowing they will no longer be denied benefits they deserve.”
MNGEA and EANGUS, along with many of our fellow Military Coalition organizations, have been working hard on Capitol Hill on this issue as more and more of our Guard personnel are being activated in support on pre-planned operations.
We currently have an EANGUS Call To Action through VoterVoice. Click below to contact your CODEL in Washington, D.C. and ask them to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 1384, and support the bill should it come to the floor!!!!