GUARD CLOSER TO JOINT CHEIF OF STAFF SEAT
With the successful votes in both the House and Senate last week for the fiscal 2012 national defense authorization bill, the National Guard is one presidential signature away from a permanent and official seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
By overwhelming votes, both chambers of Congress passed the bill which contains legislation that elevates the chief of the National Guard Bureau to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“This is the National Guard’s greatest legislative victory since the Militia Act of 1903 created the modern, dual-mission National Guard," said retired Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr., the NGAUS president.
The Senate began to consider S. 1867, the FY12 National Defense Authorization Act on Nov. 17. An amendment by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., was added by voice vote on Nov. 28.
The House approved its version of the measure in the summer.
The bill emerged from conference negotiations Dec. 12 with language intact to put the NGB chief on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
All that remains is for President Barack Obama to put his signature on the bill to make it law. There is no date scheduled for that historic signing, but it should be soon.
More information is available at www.ngaus.org/empowerment2011.
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Waiving the January 1, 2012 deadline imposed by the Department of Defense (DOD) on colleges and universities desiring to participate in the Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) program to sign DOD’s flawed Memorandum of Understanding governing the program.
National Guard Empowerment.
Amending Title 37 USC to fix the Department of Defense policy that unfairly reduces the BAH rate for full-time AGR National Guard members when transitioning between Title 32 and Title 10 service.
Authorizing full Space Available Travel eligibility on Department of Defense aircraft for National Guard and Reserve Members, Gray Area retirees, widows of retired members, and their accompanying dependents.
Authorizing Veteran Status for National Guard and Reserve Members Entitled to Reserve Retirement Pay.
Army National Guard Black Hawk Modernization – Appropriations Conference.
Oppose the recommendation of the Defense Business Board to eliminate the present military retirement pay benefit.
Reminding President Obama to follow through on his 2008 campaign promise to provide a permanent seat on the JCS for the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
Modify the Fiscal Year Requirement to the Aggregate 90 Days of Qualifying Service to Reduce the Age to Collect Reserve Retirement Pay.
Fight high unemployment of demobilized guardsmen by offering employers a tax credit.
Eliminate the fiscal year (FY) requirement now required to accrue an aggregate 90 days of qualifying service to reduce the age to collect Reserve Retirement pay.
Authorizing military retirees with service connected disabilities rated less than 50% to concurrently receive military retirement pay and VA disability pensions.
Amending the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers to claim the work opportunity credit for hiring Ready Reserve and National Guard employees.
Authorizing Veteran Status for National Guard and Reserve Members Entitled to Reserve Retirement Pay.
Embedded Mental Health Care Providers for the National Guard.
Join the National Guard Caucus!
Restore concurrent receipt of retired pay without offset by VA disability compensation to those medically retired under Chapter 61 with less than 20 years of service regardless of disability rating. |
