NGAUS Legislative Alert #11-3

The Issue: Authorizing Veteran Status for National Guard and Reserve Members Entitled to Reserve Retirement Pay

Immediate Action Required: Contact your Senators and Representative and ask them to support H.R.1025 and S.491. These bills would authorize National Guard and Reserve members entitled to Reserve retirement pay the honor of claiming “Veteran” status.

On March 4, 2011, Sen. Mark Pryor introduced S.491, Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act of 2011. On March 10, 2011, Rep. Tim Walz introduced H.R.1025, co-sponsored by Rep’s Tom Latham and Jon Runyan, to amend Title 38 to recognize service in the Reserve Components by honoring them with status as “veteran” under law. Both H.R.1025 and S.491 are cost-neutral and provide an opportunity for a divided Congress to come together in support of our Reserve Component members.

Many members of Congress may not know that a Reserve Component member can complete a full Guard or Reserve career but not earn the title of “Veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States” unless the member has served on Title 10 active duty for other than training purposes.

Today, National Guard members performing Operation Noble Eagle duty or protecting our Southwestern border in a Title 32 status may one day retire from the Guard but not qualify to be classified as a Veteran of our Armed Forces.

Title 38 (Veteran’s Benefits) excludes career reservists from the definition of “veteran” who have not served on Title 10 (active duty) for other than training purposes. Drill training, annual training, active duty for training and Title 32 duty are currently not qualifying service to earn veteran status.

This cost neutral bill would not bestow any benefits other than the honor of claiming “veteran” status for Reserve Component members who completed a 20 year career but were never ordered to Title 10 active service.

TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION:
By using the “Write to Congress” feature on the NGAUS Web site at www.ngaus.org/writetocongress, you can IMMEDIATELY e-mail your elected representatives. A sample letter is included in our “Write to Congress” feature. You can e-mail the pre-written message or edit the sample letter as you desire. This is the quickest and most effective method of expressing your views to Congress. Also, contact your friends and family and urge them to "Write to Congress" as well. For more in-depth information and background visit our web site at www.ngaus.org. Please direct any questions concerning this issue to Pete Duffy, NGAUS Deputy Legislative Director: pete.duffy@ngaus.org, or Kevin McColaugh, NGAUS Legislative Affairs Manager: kevin.mccolaugh@ngaus.org.