To: EANGUS Members
From: EANGUS National Office Please share the following Roll Call: Drill Weekend Talking Points with other unit members
The EANGUS Legislative Quarterly Summit is almost here!
This event provides our members the opportunity to Learn about the latest legislative issues affecting the National Guard and their families. EANGUS brings in experts from the government and other organizations to speak about the latest legislative developments and to answer questions from members. Advocate for your interest on Capitol Hill. EANGUS members meet with their Congressional representatives and staff to discuss their concerns, urging them to support legislation that is beneficial to the National Guard. Build relationships with other EANGUS members and with Congressional staff. The summit provides a forum for EANGUS members from across the country to network with each other and share their ideas and experiences. It also allows members to meet with Congressional staff and NGB staff to build relationships with the people who are working on legislation and policy that affects you. No matter your Rank or time in service, this is your opportunity to be heard.
This is also an essential event for the EANGUS Legislative Team and the organization. It is an opportunity for EANGUS to solidify its legislative positions and to start the legislative information process in Congress.
The EANGUS Legislative Quarterly Summit can be beneficial for its members by:
- Informing our members who are concerned about the impact of potential budget cuts on the National Guard can learn about the latest legislative proposals and can meet with their Congressional representatives to advocate for their interests.
- Our members who are interested in seeing a change to the way that National Guard members are compensated can learn about the legislation that has been introduced to address this issue and can meet with Congressional staff to discuss their support for the legislation.
- Our members who are interested in becoming more involved in the legislative process can learn about how to advocate for their interests and build relationships with other EANGUS members and with Congressional staff.
Overall, the EANGUS Legislative Quarterly Summit is an essential event for its members because it provides them with the information, tools, and relationships they need to advocate for their interests on Capitol Hill. Please follow the EANGUS Legislative Team’s emails to participate in our next event. The more we engage our leaders, the harder it becomes to ignore our voices!
The following four issues will be discussed:
- 25 Fighter Squadrons
- Reserve Employers Comprehensive Relief and Uniform Incentives on Taxes Act
- National Guard Cyber Program
- USERRA For Spouses
The EANGUS Legislative team is always aware of how crucial our members are to the legislative process. The EANGUS Legislative Director Kevin Hollinger is always ready to answer any questions you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact him at (202) 670-1826 or kevin@eangus.org. Thank you, and we look forward to another great event based wholly on the hard work of our members.
EANGUS strongly supports the re-introduction of S. 5142 Healthcare for Our Troops Act, introduced during the 117th Congress. This legislation would have provided Reserve Component (R.C.) servicemembers with zero-cost TRICARE insurance. Additionally, this legislation expands TRICARE eligibility to R.C. servicemembers currently working for the federal government in their civilian capacity.
S.5142 – Healthcare for Our Troops Act was introduced by Sen Tammy Baldwin (WI) and Sen Susan Collins (ME) on November 29, 2022, during the 117th Congress 2nd Session.
Servicemembers are required to meet medical deployment ability requirements. An estimated 130,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists do not have health insurance under the currently disjointed systems of third-party health contractors and Periodic Health Assessments (PHAs), significantly impacting the Reserve Component’s medical readiness. Inconsistent healthcare coverage for members of the Reserve Component makes meeting these requirements difficult to achieve.
S. 5142, Healthcare for Our Troops Act, would have ensured servicemembers meet the medical standards of a deployable force at no cost to the servicemember. This change provides the Department of Defense (DoD) with a powerful recruiting and retention tool and a significant employer incentive to retain talented individuals in gainful civilian employment.
EANGUS does not believe that dental care only will make a significant improvement in medical readiness. As a last resort effort, the Reserve components use mitigating systems to provide zero-cost dental care and improve dental readiness. They currently use mass medical events with dental providers, a dental voucher system, and send servicemembers to providers near annual training facilities at the cost of the reserve components. With all these systems currently in place, there is no reason to believe that dental insurance solely would significantly improve reserve component readiness. Furthermore, no such plan, system, or program for healthcare currently exists. Healthcare issues are often more complex, time-consuming, and expensive to correct. We believe the most significant impact would be that the enlisted, especially our junior ranking members, would have to take more time away from civilian employers to complete the required dental care currently provided during their military service time.
Under current law, National Guard and Reserve servicemembers who are federal employees in their civilian capacity are ineligible to enroll in TRS. This creates confusion in coordinating benefits for servicemembers and their families and prevents servicemembers from establishing continuity of care and treatment as they deploy or transition in or out of the federal government. S. 5142 would have struck the language that disallows servicemembers from accessing TRS simply due to working for the federal government in their civilian capacity.
Don’t hesitate to contact your representative and urge them to support the re-introduction of S. 5142 into the 118th Congress by responding to this Call-To-Action.
If you have further questions regarding the Health Care for Our Troops Act, please do not hesitate to contact Kevin Hollinger at kevin@eangus.org or contact him direct at (202) 670-1826
S. 503 was introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on Feb. 16, 2023. The Senate bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. This is the second time Feinstein and Rubio have introduced this legislation.
Companion legislation to this Senate bill was included in the last two versions of the National Defense Authorization Act introduced in the House. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., reintroduced a House version of the Space National Guard Establishment Act on May 2, 2023. The House bill was cosponsored by Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., Rep. William Keating, D-Mass., Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, and Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo.
S. 503 and H.R. 3048, if enacted, would allow the nearly 1,000 airmen currently performing space missions in the National Guard to continue executing these crucial missions unimpeded while providing the Space Force with combat surge capabilities and delivering space-trained personnel and capabilities to support domestic operations and natural disasters.
The Department of Defense is fielding two options regarding reserve components within the Space Force, but has proposed merging all space missions into a full- and part-time force with no Space Guard.
Upcoming EANGUS Events
EANGUS Legislative Quarterly Summit (LQS)
15-16 November 2023
Homewood Suites by Hilton Washington DC Capitol-Navy Yard
50 M St SE | Washington, DC | 20003
EANGUS 9/11 Remembrance Event
Join us on a night to
Remember the Past.
Stand up for Tomorrow.
EANGUS works to improve and protect the benefits of the men and women serving in the National Guard and their families.
9/11 was a watershed moment for the National Guard. The attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, thrust the Guard into a new era of homeland defense and overseas warfighting. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the Guard mobilized more than 50,000 troops to provide security at airports, bridges, and other critical infrastructure. Guard units also assisted with search and rescue operations at Ground Zero in New York City and the Pentagon.
In the years since 9/11, the Guard has played a vital role in the War on Terror. Guard units have deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, and other countries in the Middle East. They have also supported homeland defense missions, such as Operation Noble Eagle, which involved the deployment of fighter jets to patrol American airspace. The National Guard has also been involved in a number of other domestic missions since 9/11. Guard units have responded to natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. They have also provided security at major events, such as the Super Bowl and the Olympics.
9/11 changed the National Guard in many ways. The Guard is now a more visible and active part of American life. It is also a more versatile force, capable of responding to a wide range of threats. The Guard’s role in the War on Terror and other homeland defense missions will likely continue for many years. “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived,” said George S. Patton.
This event is dedicated to those who have fallen. Our 9/11 Remembrance Gala is not only about remembering and honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, it is about celebrating life and the human spirit, along with the contributions of the National Guard in furthering the future of America.
On 9/11/2024, we will gather to remember our past and thank God for our National Guard heroes.
Donate, Sponsor, and/or Attend
EANGUS Resources
FROM EANGUS PLATINUM PARTNER:
ROCKET MORTGAGE
Rocket Mortgage® is America’s largest mortgage lender,1 helping millions achieve the dream of homeownership.
The mission behind Rocket Mortgage is clear:
Make the complicated home financing process simpler using innovative technology and amazing team members.
And as a member of EANGUS, you can receive a flexible $2,000 credit to buy down your interest rate or put toward closing costs, on top of receiving support from a dedicated team of Home Loan Experts.2
Check out the following Rocket Mortgage® resources:
The Foundation has received funding from USAA for the EANGUS We Care for America National Guard Emergency Relief Grant and Interest-Free Loan Program.
Go to the EANGUS-WCFA website for the criteria to apply for WCFA Grants and Interest-Free Loans.
SPONSOR A WREATH – REMEMBER, HONOR, AND TEACH
Join us and help the EANGUS We Care for America Foundation honor local heroes. Sponsor a wreath to be placed on a Veteran’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery or a local cemetery of your choice on December 16, 2023. Your sponsorship of a wreath means you are supporting a yearlong mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom.
EANGUS set a goal to sponsor 100 wreaths this year and with just 75 days left, we are almost halfway there! Won’t you help by sponsoring a wreath? In addition to honoring and remembering a Veteran on National Wreaths Across America Day, the National Guard Relief Foundation will receive a $5 donation for every wreath purchased using our special link.
Give to the Combined Federal Campaign to help provide emergency assistance when disaster strikes!In 2022, the U.S. experienced 18 separate billion-dollar natural disasters. As climate change, ongoing conflicts, and economic fluctuations strain our world, the number of disasters is likely to increase. Most households remain unprepared as many of these natural disasters can occur with little warning. And while communities, states, and entire regions are being impacted by these disasters, National Guard members respond when called upon. Unfortunately, many of their families also suffer catastrophic losses and are personally impacted by the increasing number of natural disasters and ongoing economic challenges.To address the emergency needs of our National Guard members, EANGUS established the We Care for America Foundation in 1992. Also known as the National Guard Relief Foundation, it serves as a nationwide resource to help current, former and retired National Guard members of every rank, by providing grants and interest-free loans to Soldiers and Airmen with a verified emergency need.If you’re a Federal Technician, AGR/AD member, other federal employee or federal retiree, we encourage you to GIVE HAPPY and help other National Guard members in need. One of the great benefits of the CFC is that you can give through payroll deduction or annuity, giving a little each pay period and supporting our mission all year long. Please select the National Guard Relief Foundation, CFC Charity Code: 11859.Refer to our website to apply for assistance or to review other ways youcan donate: www.eangus-wcfa.orgFor more info about CFC and to make a pledge, go to: www.givecfc.org
You must be a verified EANGUS member to participate.
The postcard and emails requesting membership verification are valid.
Thank you, and we look forward to your participation to capture the rich history of our EANGUS Members.