Posted on 03/15/2011 12:11:23 AM PDT by Racehorse
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.
Manymembers 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 at 202-454-5307 or via email at pete.duffy@ngaus.org.
Speaking as one who’s done it all (NG, USAR, active duty), I say why not? After all, “they also serve who only stand and wait.”
I did 21 years in the Army Guard, and never went anywhere except ADT. Frankly I have resisted the efforts of others to even join the Legion. I just can't bring myself to pretend to sit as an equal at the same table as those who fought WW2, Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East.
I reach age 60 in 6 years and then qualify for the pension. Under today's economic realities I am seriously considering not applying for the money. Just walk away and let it go.
Just might be the only opportunity I'll ever have to truly serve my country.
B S
Because it depreciates the term veteran. Look at the use of the term citizen, it value is value is approaching zero.
Obama likes to spread things around and thin it out.
I don’t hold with this proposition very well. Full-time ‘Active Duty’ Service — enlistment or commissioned — ought to be the absolute minimum threshold to achieve ‘veteran’ status. Otherwise, what is the ‘distinction’ between some weekend warrior who MIGHT have served and a service member who actually DID serve ?
Some citizen who held a full-time ‘civilian job’ while occasionally training for potential service by spending a few arduous weekends or his summer vacation ‘on maneuvers’ doesn’t equate to the same status of another citizen who left hearth and home for whatever duty as his / her military occupation required.
I’m not demanding actual combat or presence within a combat theater — the divisional wedge still has FAR more REMFs than ‘warriors’ at any given time. But ... there HAS to be a line somewhere that distinguishes between those who MIGHT have been and those who actually ARE ‘veterans’.
There is no ‘shame’ in being a career Reservist; it’s an honorable and commendable and valuable occupation. But it simply ‘ain’t the same’ as being a ‘veteran’.
Frankly, this over-reach feels not too different at all from that of gays who insist their twisted relationships be ‘sanctified’ as marriages. I’m NOT equating the two conditions, merely suggesting that the arguments for or against the one are quite similar to the other.
Q: How many legs does a dog have if you call it’s tail a leg ?
A: Four
One Man’s Opinion
21stCenturion
( USAF ‘65 .. ‘72 )
I didn't know that this was common.
Frankly I think if you've put in your time you deserve to be called a 'veteran'. I knew guys in the Reserves whose only 'active duty' time was sitting in a windowless office, in civilian clothes and translating tapes. Why should they be considered more of a veteran than you?
With all due respect, you ought to reconsider your judgment upon the issue.
I am a Vietnam veteran who never faced direct combat. But, every day I worked at 5th AF, we relayed Steel Tiger/Barrel Roll frag orders.
I understand your feelings, but you really ought to learn more about the Guard and Reserve.
With much respect,
Gary
With all due respect, you ought to reconsider your judgment upon the issue.
I am a Vietnam veteran who never faced direct combat. But, every day I worked at 5th AF, we relayed Steel Tiger/Barrel Roll frag orders.
I understand your feelings, but you really ought to learn more about the Guard and Reserve.
With much respect,
Gary
I totally agree with you my brother,
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.Its just a word to bring us home with the others who have served.
If the phone call came we(I) would have gone packing
.
I cannot believe the dishonor some of these comments are saying about a lost soul who gave his/her life for these BUll@#$% wars. No one has a choice, or gets picked out of a hat. The call come we go.
We all stand ready still for the call.Heck I would do another 20 if they would call me.
THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL BENEFITS????
Give them the veteran status and let them share with their child this proud heritage that is dissolving.
Patriotism “for most”is whats shown in the movies, not carried in our hearts like the rest of us
Hoorah
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