1.      Rep. Beauprez (CO-07), "Guardsmen & Reservists Financial Relief Act,"   http://thomas.loc.gov
2.      Decommissioning of units continues – VFA 203, System Commands!
3.      Testimony with the RFPB.  www.defenselink.mil/ra/rfpb
4.      21st Century Citizen Soldier Benefits Act.  http://thomas.loc.gov
5.      Phone cards for American military in OIF/OEF. www.aafes.com
6.      Issues of interest --  Commission for the Transformation of the Guard and Reserve,
7.      Write your Congressional member - NOW

Details:

1.      Guardsmen & Reservists Financial Relief Act.  HR 1779. The legislation will provide financial relief for the families of National Guardsmen and Military Reservists who have been called to serve in the war on terror.  "There is no doubt that our National Guardsmen and Military Reservists are serving our nation with honor and distinction," said Beauprez.  "These brave men and women are serving to help protect all American families.  This legislation will help their families pay the bills while Guardsmen and Reservists put their careers on hold to sacrifice for our country." In leaving their jobs in the private sector to fill vitally needed positions for our national defense, many of our National Guardsmen and Military Reservists have taken a drastic cut in pay, placing their families in financial hardship.  Beauprez' legislation, H.R. 1779, "The Guardsmen & Reservists Financial Relief Act," allows guardsmen and reservists who are activated for more than 179 days to make penalty-free, early withdrawals from their IRA or pension fund.  The bill is retroactive to cover those guardsmen and reservists who were called to service beginning on September 11, 2001, and extends to cover those who may continue to be called to active duty through September 12, 2005.

2.      VFA-203 Decommissioning.  As of this week, the F/A 18s of VFA 203 will depart from NAS Atlanta.  With the GAO report mandated by Congress, still not publicly released, it is a huge loss to our Nations Military war-fighting capabilities at this time.  Yet, DoN and DoD have proceeded with the decommissioning, even though GAO has not made the report public.  Information indicates that GAO is going to say there is ‘risk’ involved in the loss of VFA-203.  I wonder what that word really means to the war fighting efforts, if there is another conflict to cover within the next 6 months or 6 years.  Recently Congressional leaders indicated that the Guard and Reserve force was no longer a Guard or Reserve force, but an extension of the active component and providing interchangeable forces to the active forces, and fully supportive of our National Security Strategy.  I wonder what happened to the Navy thinking on this effort.  Currently, DoD is trying to figure out, how many more forces they need to send to OIF due to current events, and what increased effort is needed in OEF.  All services are re-engaging Reserve Components in this effort, except for our Navy service of course.   Meanwhile, HCS 4 and 5 along with NR cargo handlers, NR Seabees, VR units, and many other Reservists are actively deployed to OIF and OEF.  DoN plans call for decommissioning more of these very same units except VR units. Does anyone see any disconnect between plans, programming, requirements, technology delivery schedules and usage?  Integration and Zero Based Reviews take on a different flavor, when the integration and review is directed from the top down – doesn’t it.  So, here we are – another milestone for the DoN – decommission an effective, efficient, affordable unit, so that Navy can show that integration is a way of life.   All this makes one question if VFA-203 personnel are being taken care of.  What training in the grand FRP training matrix are they fitting in at this time?  How will they get to and be trained at the fleet training sites?   It is not too late to write your Congressional members, if you are concerned.  If you are in the NR force, you should be concerned.  New Fleet Replacement Plans, currently being defined, have not been finalized, and force structure is currently being changed and reviewed.  NR Force will change, but if the unit force structure is efficient, effective, affordable, ready, and provides war-fighting capabilities, does it make sense to delete these forces at this time?

Systems Commands.  Recently, NRA learned that the ZBR that is underway has identified the entire Naval Reserve’s Navy Systems Commands billets as items to be deleted for cost savings.  Having only minimum factual knowledge of the proposed cuts, we are concerned that the ZBR is even considering these surge billets that perform to Navy’s requirements.  These billets and people have historically been ones that the Navy relied on for several key S & T systems commands functions.   This is another step towards integration that makes little sense outside of deconstruction of the Naval Reserve Force.  What are the cost savings gained from sending these qualified EDOs and AEDOs home, verses keeping full active EDOs and AEDOS in place?  I am sure the contractors and vendors will be able to provide the additional manpower at a cost savings – right?      

3.      NRA Testimony at RFPB, April 20^th, 2004.  NRA was invited to provide testimony at a quarterly meeting of the RFPB on April 20^th, 2004.  Many of our National Military Veterans Association and The Military Coalition colleagues provided invited testimony for the RFPB during this meeting.  Overwhelmingly the associations present provided testimony regarding their memberships (representing over 6.5 million members) desires for the Congress and the RFPB to review and look at the many benefits (pay, benefits, and health care) our Guard and Reserve members are receiving in light of the changed usage, changed requirements, and changed mobilization efforts of our Guard and Reserve members, their families and their employers.  During the Q and A period the question was raised about ‘cost’ of our military force.  This same theme has been raised before, such as; ‘Concerns about cost,’ Charles Abell, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told House members last month that he worries Congress will be too generous.   "I worry from the perspective that you and your colleagues are very generous to our folks, and in most cases, our folks deserve everything that you give them," Abell said. "However, I do get worried that it is possible to create a force that is too expensive for the nation."   It is a mystery to me, why any leader at this time would stand up and say – the Guard and Reserve cost too much, and they ‘worry’ about the benefits and efforts to provide for military members and their families.  In fact, it is almost insulting.  What did anyone think we were getting when we went to an all voluntary force, including the Guard and Reserve forces?  NRA believes we have to rethink what we tell the American people about what it cost to have a primer military force – active and reserve.  If we are going to address the myriad of military requirements that a sole supper power has, then we should move on with ‘worrying’ about what it cost.  A nation can not achieve military might or maintain military might on the cheap. www.defenselink.mil/ra/rfpb

4.      21st Century Citizen Soldier Benefits Act.  S 2274. Landrieu has introduced what she calls the 21st Century Citizen Soldier Benefits Act, which would give Guard members and reservists who are called to duty for two years during any five-year period the same GI Bill education benefits, including financial aid for college, given full-time military personnel. Her bill also would give employers 50 percent tax credits for every dollar in pay they provide their workers while they are activated so their families don't suffer significant pay cuts, as well as guarantee activated troops lower interest rates -- about 4 percent -- for mortgages, car loans and credit cards.  The Landrieu legislation would give reservists and Guard members the chance to collect federal retirement benefits at 55, the same age at which active duty military personnel become eligible.  Other lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., have introduced bills to increase benefits to Reserve and National Guard troops. And several, including Reps. David Vitter, R-Metairie, and Chris John, D-Crowley, both candidates for the U.S. Senate, asked military brass to investigate complaints that Guard members and reservists aren't being given the complete medical exams mandated by Congress, both at the time of deployment and when they return home from assignments. www.thomas.loc.gov or http://thomas.loc.gov

5.      Phone Cards for American military in OIF/OEF.  Any American can now help troops in contingency operations telephone call home. The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is now authorized to sell prepaid calling cards to any individual or organization that wishes to purchase cards for troops who are deployed. Up until now, those wishing to lend a helping hand had no other alternative, but to purchase other retailer’s prepaid cards that, in many cases, were not designed for affordable international calling. Now, anyone (even those not in the military) can help troops in contingency operations call home from the many AFFES installations in OIF/OEF.  Anyone can log on to    www.aafes.com <http://www.aafes.com>   and click the help our troops call home link.

6.      Issues of interest:  There are presently 167,478 National Guardsmen and Military Reservists on active duty helping fight the war on terror.  Since September 11, 2001, 366,240 National Guardsmen and Military Reservists have been mobilized.  As of last week, the Guard and Reserve components made up about 40% of the forces in OIF, with Naval Reserve forces engaged in these actions. 

• Commission on Guard and Reserve for 21^st Century.  Support for this issue is growing.     This effort is not in competition with any ‘transformational’ initiative that is currently underway.  It is has role of looking further into the future, and studying the issues that will impact our countries National Military Strategy and National Security Strategy.  The NRA is strongly encouraging Congress to consider and authorize a Commission to review the Guard and Reserve requirements of the 21^st Century before we make long lasting changes, and force structure changes.  Many members and associations agree it is time to take an independent look at the issues.  The 29 associations of the NMVA have endorsed this idea to Congress.  The only way this will get done, is through your e-mailing, and faxing letters of concern to your Congressional delegation.  We urge you to consider it.
• Rebalancing Forces – http://www.defenselink.mil/ra/secondary/annualreports.html Easing the Stress on the Guard and Reserve – This is a new report completed by OSD RA, and is well worth your review.  Many questions of today’s efforts and future efforts are not answered.  

7.      E-mailing or fax a letter to your Congressional members.  We strongly urge you to write or contact your Congressman or Senator on any issue – now.   Under current conditions – e-mails or faxing is the best way to get the word to your Congressional member.  History shows that Guard and Reserve issues are not, and have never been defended correctly when DoD and the Departments bring forth their budgets.  There are so many Guard and Reserve issues in play at this time, as we continue to recall Guard and Reserve members that it will take those that will e-mail and write to keep the issues in front of Congress as they move toward election mania.  Since 9-11, 37% of the Guard and Reserve Forces have been recalled, that number is going up!  We believe it is the right thing for you to do, if you are so inclined to let your representative know, how you feel about the issues.  Some members indicate that the below urls have not worked for them, but we have tested them, and they do work.  Please call if you have questions.

Find your members in the House at – www.house.gov/writerep  – e-mails and fax numbers are listed on home pages

Find your members in the Senate at – www.senate.gov – e-mails and fax numbers are listed on home pages

Example for e-mail or fax letter:

 Dear Senator (last name)                                                          Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (Name)                                            

The purpose of this letter is to seek your support for (Bill Number {or issue}).   I feel that (this bill or issue) deserves your support, and encourage you to support the issue with a positive {or negative} vote for the members of the Guard and Reserve, their families, and their employers.

The Guard and Reserve Forces have proven they are affordable, efficient, and are war fighting assets.  They are willing to die for our freedoms, we must support the Guard and Reserve components, and I urge you to support them.   

Very respectfully,

(Your Name),
(Your address)

Research legislation at http://thomas.loc.gov or www.navy-reserve.org

Feel free to forward this e-mail.  For those of you who receive this from _______________please consider joining the Naval Reserve Association.  Check us out at: www.navy-reserve.org or call on our toll free number 866-672-4968.