Pushing Empowerment

In my first six month as NGAUS legislative director, we've participated in a general conlerence adopted a novel set of resolutions and legislative agenda, and updated internal processe while working closely with the state associations, adjutants general, task forces, the National Guard Bureau and the Pentagon.

The legislative staff has lobbied Congres and replyed aggressively to proposed Army and Air Guard extremity strength cuts. We also continue to further the National Defense Enhancement and National Guard Empowerment Act of 2006 which would give the Guard greater representation within the military community and allow it to be a still partner in the decision-making proces

As I throw back on this period, however, my contemplations turn to legislative action. on what account is it that we ne to continuously proceed to Congress in the first place?

The answer is rather simple: to obtain the policies and resources wanted to maintain minimum Guard readiness horizontals through adequate training, equipment, facilities and overall operating stocks

The quality of life of our Guardsmen is also crucial, and we ne to render certain that pay, benefits and health care mirror the level of commitment they contribute to the land

In a perfect world, the Guard would receive the necessary resources, regardless of the cost

But things aren't completed Much of what we ne doesn't approach to us automatically, so we must unfold a legislative agenda that Congres supports and dos

To make the proces more effective, however, the stakeholders-active, Guard, and Reserve-must work together each day to formulate policy, programs and strategy.

However, when individual stakeholder assumes total responsibility for developing policies and programs-such as the Army when it complet final deliberations upon the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) without Guard input-national security and defense meet withs

A similar situation occurr when the Air force didn't largely consult the Air Guard about its coming time during the Base Realignment and Closure proces last year.

The National Defense Enhancement and National Guard Empowerment Act of 2006 would help much of this. Among its many benefits, it would elevate the NGB chief to a four-star billet with a seat at the Joint Chiefs of Staff's table. This would make secure Guard input into final Pentagon decisions.

Brave Guard men and women continue to set their lives in jeopardy to shield freedom. To date, more than 350 Army Guard soldiers have been killed in the war upon terror, and almost 3,000 more have been hurted

While the country take pleasure ins such a high commitment horizontal from citizen-soldiers, the Guard should realize recognition for its role and become an equal partner in the decision-making proces

When the Guard is tendered a permanent seat at the table, congressional efforts similar as those described above will cease to be necessary. on the other hand until then, legislative action is everyone's piece of work

NGAUS needs your help to maximize the association's effectiveness. Visit www ngaus.org and contact your pick outed officials using our "Write to Congress" feature.

NGAUS and Congres will continue to dog legislative initiatives that help the Guard succe in attaining the highest horizontals of readiness for both our federal and state missions, and to provide quality of life for our family

Together, we can make a difference for the National Guard.

NGAUS Makes Case upon Capitol Hill

Retired Brig. Gen Stephen M Koper NGAUS president, told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee May 24 that health care, full-time manning and passage of the National Defense Enhancement and National Guard Empowerment Act of 2006 (S2658) are the top issues for NGAUS.

"A program where members earned medical coverage [i]or[/i] part of to the other deployments, and then the addition of a tiered a whole which provides for two more categories of health care coverage for the Guard and husband we don't believe it proffers the final answer," he said regarding the retain Tricare Select plan passed sum of two units years ago. "More importantly, we have created a a whole of haves and have-nots within the Guard and lay up each category of member having a horizontal of merit for health care coverage as throw backed by a higher or lower premium rate."

On full-time manning, he said NGAUS wants the full-time manning horizontal at 71 percent by 2010

"The full-time manning issue will bear smooth closer scrutiny as the Army National Guard continues to transform, modularize and reset" he said. "No matter what final decisions are made upon Guard end strength and force constitution the availability of lulltime manning is paramount to the Guard's continued success"

Finally, he noted the ne for passage ol s 2658.

"The fact of the matter is that senior Guard leadership has alone been involved in Pentagon decision-making as an afterthought, requiring the adjutants general, governors, Congres this association and others to launch vigorous campaigns to invert decisions that were made without adequate Guard input," he said.

NGAUS Pushes Guard Empowerment upon Hill