NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF MINNESOTA

NGAMN Retired Group email 08-02

other emails: 08-01

Retired Officers of the Minnesota National Guard:

Please contact your congress using the NGAUS online tool - it is
simple to do, basically follow the steps starting here:

http://capwiz.com/ngaus/home/

which is also at the top of our website:

https://www.ngamn.org (look for Take Action under the banner).

Also, please read the latest NGAUS Legislative Update May 2, 2008 here:

https://www.ngamn.org/NGAUS_Legislative_Update_May_2_2008.php

Thank you, and let me know if you want to be removed from this list or
have a different email address you want me to use instead.

--

Carl Madsen
MAJ, Ret

NGAUS Legislative Update May 2, 2008

LEGIT
May 2, 2008
What's Happening in Congress?

Armed Services Committee Begins Secret Markup of H.R. 5658

The Senate Armed Services Committee announced on Thursday that it has
completed its markup for FY09. The sessions were closed-door, which is
common in sessions involving classified or security-sensitive
material, committee member Claire McCaskill (D-MO) has expressed
concern with the closed-door markups, saying "We should always come
down on the side of openness and transparency when doing the people's
business."

Highlights of the markup:

* 3.9% pay increase for all uniformed personnel

* Funds and provisions to enable combat of Weapons of Mass Destruction
and terrorist threats

* An increase in full-time personnel for the Army National Guard and
Army reserve by 3,371

* Rejection of TRICARE cost increases

* Requiring the Veterans Affairs and Secretary of Defense to review
suicide, maternal leave and other issues

* Full funding for readiness programs

* Additional funds for the Army Unfunded Priority list

* Increases in equipment, including B-52 bombers and 8 ships requested
by President Bush's budget request

* Limiting the use of funds for projects over $2 million in Iraq

* Reports on the implementation of Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program

* Requiring the Secretary of Defense to calculate the amount of
monthly premiums paid by members of the Selected Reserve for health
care coverage under the TRICARE Reserve Select program based on actual
costs of the preceding years

* Necessitates the secretary of each military department to provide
annual medical and dental exams and restorative care to certain
reserve component individuals and units to ensure medical and dental
readiness for deployment; clarifies funding for medical and dental
care to meet readiness standards for members of the Ready Reserve who
have been notified that they will be mobilized; and authorizes the
Secretary of Defense to waive copayments for members of the Selected
Reserve enrolled in the TRICARE dental insurance program during a time
of national emergency in order to ensure members of deploying units
meet dental readiness.

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House to Look at Supplemental War Bill Starting Next Week

Democrats announced on Tuesday that the highly anticipated bill
regarding emergency supplemental war funding will be introduced to the
House next week. Democrats in both the House and Senate have been
meeting recently to prepare for expected concerns from the
Republicans, in an attempt to speed the bill through Congress.

Three separate votes are planned: one for the war funding, one for
domestic items, and one for a series of Iraqrelated war policy
provisions. President Bush has threatened to veto the bill if it
exceeds $108 billion, his current request for funding, or if it
contains any mention of a timetable for withdrawing troops.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) stated on the floor of the
Senate that the plan is to have the supplemental passed in the House
next week, and hopes to clear the Senate side of it by Memorial Day,
though he admits meeting this goal will be extremely difficult.

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Department of Defense and VA Focus on Mental Illness

RAND, or Research and Development, Corp. has called on the DoD and VA
to lead the fight against mental illness in our forces in and
returning from service in AOR areas.

Recent studies show that the government currently treats only 50% of
soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and
other stressful mental illnesses. Currently brain injury
rehabilitation can cost from $30,000 to $350,000 per case. Many are
currently released from service before they are diagnosed with a brain
injury, requiring private treatment at the soldier's cost. According
to Terri Tanielian, co-director of RAND's Center for Military Health
Policy Research, "If all soldiers needing care for PTSD and depression
received proper treatment, costs could be reduced by $1.7 billion, or
$1,063 per veteran."

RAND reports that of the 1.6 million troops sent to Afghanistan or
Iraq, approximately 630,000 suffer from PTSD or some degree of brain
injury, which may include a concussion. However, 60% of these are
never seen or diagnosed by a doctor.

The report further states that the Army is more effective in treating
moderate to severe brain injuries, with less emphasis on mild
traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). The study estimates that close to 30%
of all deployable forces have suffered some type of TBI, suggesting
that the armed forces should significantly expand the accessibility
and number of health care professionals available, encourage soldiers
to seek treatment and invest in further research.

Additionally, NGAUS staff met with the outreach staff from the Senate
Committee on Veterans Affairs (SCVA) April 29 to discuss the future of
S. 38, which among other things, would authorize the VA nationwide to
contract with Community Mental Health Centers to treat rural veterans
and their family members for three years post deployment. The bill has
stalled in the Senate as it has been displaced by S. 2162 sponsored by
SCVA Chairman Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI).

Although S. 2162 incorporates many of the provisions of S. 38, it
limits the VA contracting program to pilot programs in six Veterans
Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), and would prohibit the VA from
contracting mental health treatment of rural family members.

The SCVA staff indicated that despite the strong support of S. 38 by
NGAUS and several military and veteran support organizations, due to
administrative and political objections voiced by the VA, it did not
approve the nationwide contracting and family treatment provisions of
S. 38. Oddly, the SCVA staff indicated that the VA has more money for
mental health care than it knows how to spend.

Meanwhile, the surge in behavioral care needs of our veterans and
families are not being met with the increased community resources that
S. 38 would provide. This remains a readiness issue for the National
Guard and Reserve, as most of our veterans and their families (a
strong part of the deployment process) are subject to redeployment.
NGAUS will continue to pursue expanded mental health care for our
rural veterans and their families.

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Increased Cost-of-Living Bill to Face the Senate, Passed in the House

On Tuesday, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced The Reserve Protection
Act of 2008 that would provide a basic allowance for National Guard
and Reserve members who are struggling to maintain their homes while
stationed in secondary areas.

"Our National Guard and Reserve members know the sacrifices they need
to make when they enlist," said Casey. "But no Reserve member should
be forced to sell his or her primary residence in order to fulfill a
temporary mobilization order. My legislation will help correct this
unfair policy for our National Guard and Reserve."

The 2007 version of the bill did not apply to members with dependents.
Casey's bill, S. 2930, corrects this by extending coverage to apply to
all activated Reserve members.

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Veterans Eligible for Cost-of-Living Increase

H.R. 5826, sponsored by Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez (D-TX), was passed
Wednesday. The House bill's cost-of -living increase would go into
effect on Dec. 1, 2008 and is tied to the cost-ofliving increase in
Social Security payments.

Sen. Akaka (D-HI), chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, has
introduced the Senate's version of the bill. Congress has passed every
increase since 1979, and these bills are expected to be passed and
signed quickly by the President.

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Congress Addresses Veterans Educational Benefits

In response to lobbying efforts by NGAUS and other veterans service
organizations to reform G.I. educational benefits, Congress is
actively introducing competing legislation to reorganize and improve
veterans educational benefits.

In early January, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced S. 22, "Post-9/11
Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007," which under a new
program to be administered separately from the MGIB, would provide
greatly expanded educational and training benefits for our nation's
2.4 million active and reserve members. Among its provisions, S. 22
would include coverage of full tuition at a rate not to exceed the
most expensive public institution, a monthly stipend of $1,146; $1,000
a year for books; tiered benefits up to 100% for National Guard and
Reserve veterans who serve an aggregate of 36 months on active duty
post 9/11; and 15 years of portability. Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ)
introduced a companion bill to S. 22 in the House, H.R. 5740. S. 22
has 58 co-sponsors and H.R. 5740 has 274. Since benefits of this
nature normally fall under "pay go" rules, it is rumored that this
particular legislation could be considered a provision of the War
Supplemental, which Congress is expected to introduce in the coming
weeks.

To compete with S. 22 and H.R. 5740, the House Veterans Affairs
Committee (HVAC) on April 30 marked up H.R. 5684, the "Veterans
Educational Improvement Act of 2008" introduced by Rep. Stephanie
Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) and amended by Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN). H.R.
5740 would provide a monthly stipend of $1,450 and tiered benefits up
to 100% for Guard and Reserve veterans who serve an aggregate of 36
months on active duty. The HVAC also approved H.R. 4889,
sponsored by the HVAC Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA), which, pending
approval by the House Armed Services Committee, would transfer
jurisdiction of the MGIB from Title 10 to Title 38 (a long-term NGAUS
goal).

In response to S. 22, Sens. Graham, Burr, and McCain introduced S.
2938, which would provide a stipend of $1,500 a month and tiered
transferability of benefits to dependents up to 100% after 12 years.
Also pending in the Senate are S. 2575 - the "Montgomery G.I. Bill
Education Assistance Transferability Act of 2008"- introduced by Sen.
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and S. 2871 - "Reserve Education
Assistance Program Enhancement Act of 2008" - introduced by Sen.
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) both of which would provide long sought after
improvements to veterans educational benefits.

As you can easily see, the veterans' educational benefits issue has
taken on a "life of its own" as reflected in the variety of
legislative proposals being introduced. NGAUS is hopeful that the
sponsors of these bills will "join forces" to create a truly
"landmark" veterans educational legislation combining the best
features of each bill that would ensure the members of our Armed
Forces with expanded educational benefits with which to build their
futures.

Please contact your Members of Congress, using the Write to Congress
feature on our web site www.ngaus.org and encourage them to support
these legislative efforts.

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New On- Site Commissary Benefits

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) has announced that it will
conduct 43 case lot sales of commissary items at National Guard
facilities more conveniently located to National Guard members and
their families who live far from military installations. In Early
April, DeCA conducted a case lot sale at the North Carolina Air
National Guard facility.

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Wyoming Visits NGAUS

A delegation from Wyoming, including both National Guard and civic
leaders, visited the NGAUS building Wednesday. General Green provided
a legislative brief, outlining the department's main objectives and
services offered.

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What Can You Do? - it's very simple, just click here to go to the
NGAUS Capwiz, plug in your zip code, and write your congress!

"Write to Congress" Update

Messages sent:

14,842 – This Year
30,767– Last year

Top 5 States:

1. Georgia — 3,325
2. Tennessee — 2339
3. Mississippi -– 861
4. Texas — 653
5. Oklahoma – 483

Our Goal for 2008: 54,000 messages - only 39,158 messages to go!
____________________

NGAUS Legislative Staff:

Rich Green, Legislative Director
Pete Duffy, Deputy Director
Chris DeBatt, Army Programs
Emily Breitbach, Air Programs
Bernie Phelps, Senior Analyst
Dixie Ross, Legislative Analyst

Carl Madsen
MAJ (Ret)