Welcome to the Minnesota National Guard Enlisted Association! On behalf of the Executive Board, I want to thank you for supporting MNGEA and being a member of the only professional organization that directly supports the morale and welfare of the Minnesota National Guard enlisted force and our retirees.
It has been a busy couple of months. I took office on June 1st, leaving the Legislative Vice Presidency behind. June 1st happens to be the date that Governor Dayton signed the tax exemption for retired military personnel into law. Yes, it is time to celebrate! When the Governor signed the “Omnibus Supplemental Appropriations Bill” into law, it meant that you will be covered with some type of tax exemption for your entire military career, no matter in what status you serve. That is AMAZING!
AGR, Dual Status Technician and Traditional (Drill Status) National Guard personnel already enjoyed a State Tax Exemption. Now, once you retire and start drawing your annuity, your tax exemption will continue forever. Surprisingly, in a year of disagreement, our state legislature agreed to support those who have served. Our association has worked tirelessly for many years to get this accomplished!
All-in-all we have been rock stars on the legislative front the past year. Of the 19 resolutions passed at the 2015 EANGUS conference in Indianapolis, I’m proud to say that I had the pleasure of drafting twelve. Of those twelve, six have since been enacted into to federal law by Congress. We often lament that the wheels of government are in slow motion, but we went from 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds… well, twelve months.
I hope to make MNGEA the biggest enlisted association in EANGUS. We have been close in the past and its time to step it up. I need you and every member, every retiree to help me reach this goal. Tell your fellow Guard member, enlisted, warrant officer and officer. Let them know what we have accomplished, not only the last year or so, but for many years and tell retired friends too. I want to get you as excited as I am! The bigger we are the stronger our voice, together we can move mountains.
Just think about what we have accomplished… we have had enormous success. Constituent votes count on Capitol Hill. Let our voices be heard!
Sincerely,
Ray Kennedy
MNGEA President