WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley, along with several members of the Iowa Congressional delegation, has sent a letter to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees asking them to enhance the functions of the National Guard Bureau so that the National Guard has a voice in decisions made by the Pentagon leadership.
“Our National Guard members are going above and beyond the call of duty in the War on Terror. They deserve a seat at the table with all the branches of the military,” Grassley said.
As a member of the Senate National Guard Caucus, Grassley cosponsored the National Guard Empowerment Act. Many of the provisions were included in the Department of Defense Authorization Act which passed last year. The remaining provisions have been included in a separate piece of legislation which Grassley has also cosponsored. The National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2008 would make the Chief of the National Guard Bureau a full member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as designate several key Air Force and Army positions for National Guard members, give the National Guard a formal role in identifying equipment needs, and protect the National Guard’s lead role in domestic response.
Here is a copy of the text of the letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
April 17, 2008
The Honorable Ike Skelton The Honorable Carl Levin
Chairman Chairman
House Armed Services Committee Senate Armed Services Committee
2120 Rayburn House Office Building 228 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Duncan Hunter The Honorable John McCain
Ranking Member Ranking Member
House Armed Services Committee Senate Armed Services Committee
2340 Rayburn House Office Building 228 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Skelton, Chairman Levin, Ranking Member Hunter, and Ranking Member McCain,
We are writing to thank you for your leadership on the Armed Services Committees, and to urge you to continue your efforts to ensure that the National Guard has the equipment, support services, and power within the Department of Defense (DOD) necessary to adequately protect and provide for National Guard troops and families.
As you well know, the National Guard is serving our country at an unprecedented level. Lengthy and multiple deployments are placing great strains on National Guard troops and families, as well as on National Guard equipment and readiness levels.
As the role of the National Guard has shifted from strategic reserve to operational force, we are concerned that Pentagon policies and culture have not shifted accordingly. Unfortunately, while National Guard soldiers are increasingly being utilized along with active duty forces, we have seen the Pentagon often make decisions that directly impact the National Guard without properly consulting the National Guard or incorporating their requests.
The experience of the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry of the Iowa National Guard is a good example of the continuing disconnect between the DOD and the National Guard, and of the need for reform. This Battalion was deployed to Iraq in the spring of 2006 and was originally scheduled to return home in April 2007, but had their tour of duty extended as part of last year’s troop surge. When the Pentagon lengthened their tour of duty, they learned of this extension through the media and family members, instead of through the proper chain of command. This improper notification caused much unneeded stress and anxiety for them and their families.
Then, when the Battalion returned home in July 2007, after serving the longest continuous deployment of any ground combat unit in Iraq, they learned that many of them did not qualify for full Montgomery GI Bill benefits because the Pentagon had written their orders several days short of the 730 day requirement. While we are pleased that this problem has now been fixed through the Army Board for the Correction of Military records, this mistake also caused much anxiety for Iowa National Guard troops, and caused much unnecessary hassle for Iowa National Guard leadership.
Currently, members of this Battalion, along with National Guard soldiers from other units, are still waiting to receive the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence benefit that they have been promised by the DOD. It has been over six months now since the last affected Iowa National Guard unit returned home from Iraq, and the Pentagon has still not made a decision about how to pay these troops for this benefit that they have been promised. Furthermore, there are indications that the Pentagon is likely to ignore requests from the National Guard that troops be paid a lump sum, and instead require the National Guard to bring troops back onto active duty and give them days off. We are troubled by this, because we have heard concerns from the National Guard that days of paid leave will be less beneficial to troops than a one-time payment, and that bringing troops back onto active duty will be an administrative burden for National Guard leadership and will be disruptive for demobilized troops.
We are pleased that Congress recently acted, through H.R. 4986, the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, to augment the power of the National Guard by elevating the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to a 4-Star General, enhancing the duties of the Chief of the Guard Bureau, and making the Guard Bureau a joint activity of the DOD. We are also pleased that this bill includes the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, to help ensure that National Guard and Reserve troops receive the treatment, care, and support they need and deserve when they return home. We hope these provisions will prevent other National Guard troops from experiencing problems similar to those faced by the 1-133rd, and will help ensure that the National Guard leadership has the influence and support in the Pentagon that they need.
We believe we must ensure, however, that the DOD implements these important reforms in a timely manner. That is why we request that you and the Armed Services Committees exercise the appropriate oversight to ensure that these reforms are properly and promptly implemented by the DOD.
We also believe that we must build on the progress made in the 2008 NDAA, and continue to work to enhance the power of the National Guard, and expand and enhance programs that benefit National Guard troops and families. As you craft the Fiscal Year 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, we specifically request that you work to enhance the functions of the National Guard Bureau and work to make the Chief of the National Guard Bureau a full member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Giving the Chief of the Guard Bureau a seat at the table would help ensure that Pentagon policies, initiatives, and decisions meet the needs of National Guard troops and families, and that the National Guard has the equipment, resources, and support that they need to perform their required domestic and overseas missions.
Thank you again for your leadership, and for your attention to our concerns. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, or if we can be of any assistance to you on these issues.
Sincerely,
Bruce Braley
Chuck Grassley
Tom Harkin
Tom Latham
Leonard Boswell
Dave Loebsack