10L egislative UpdateLegislative Goals <strong>for</strong> 109th CongressYour InputWe recently asked our membershipby e-mail to provide suggestedfocus on possible goals <strong>for</strong> the 109thCongress. The list of goals we sent electronicallyappears on our legislative Web page . We thank the many members whoresponded. The following items are those issuesthat respondents felt we should focus onduring the 1st Session of the 109th Congress. Iencourage all interested readers to let us hearfrom you on the suggested focus our membershiphas provided.The following items received the highestinterest of members. Please note that all of theissues listed received membership interest, butthe following had a high degree of attention.High interest items:* Reduce Retirement Age. Currently the RCmembers are the only federal entity that does notreceive their earned retirement annuity at the timethey have completed their service. RC members oftenare sacrificing 401K payments and promotions.With the increase in deployments of one in six yearsor less, we are urging Congress to address thisissue. There are cost-neutral options.NOTE: Two respondents felt this was somethingwe should not consider at all.* Regeneration/ reconstitution of the ReserveComponents.* <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve Force mission trans<strong>for</strong>mationand integration. Recent GAO reports indicatethat integration ef<strong>for</strong>ts have been withoutdocumentation. An additional GAO investigationis required to evaluate current integration.* Trans<strong>for</strong>mation and rebalancing changeshave been presented piecemeal which has madeimplementation impact hard to determine. Weare supporting better fidelity and rigorous analysisof trans<strong>for</strong>mation initiatives and rebalancingplanning. With the level of RC contribution tothe total <strong>for</strong>ce on a continuous and increasedpace, we are encouraging Congress to maintain<strong>for</strong>ce end-strength, and to equip properly theReserve Forces. Recent downsizing has beenthe result of cost avoidance. We support fullsupport <strong>for</strong> training requirements and increasedsupport <strong>for</strong> equipment <strong>for</strong> Reserve Components.* NREA. We will fully in<strong>for</strong>m Congress ofthose equipment shortages that are required <strong>for</strong>the <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve Force. Congress is veryconcerned about this issue and intends to addressequipment shortages during the 109th Congress.* MGIB-SR Enhancements. RC membersexperience many problems when mobilized.By CAPT Ike Puzon, USNR (Ret)Education benefit eligibility, student loans, tuitionrefunds, and degree standing policies vary widely andmany result in increasing hardships <strong>for</strong> mobilizedmembers. Specifically work <strong>for</strong> Congressional action on:* Begin eligibility period when militarymember elects to use the program upon firstapplication to use the benefit.* Reduce the obligation period from six yearsto four years <strong>for</strong> Selected Reserve.* Increase the benefits to the authorized 47percent rate.* Stipulate that RC can use their educationbenefits when mobilized.* Require college refund provisions <strong>for</strong> RCpersonnel who lose tuition expenses due tomob/recall.* Adjust interest rates on federal student loanswhen the market drops below six per cent.* Health Care <strong>for</strong> RC Members and TheirDependents. We are seeking permanent legislation toprovide seamless health care coverage to service membersand their families in the Reserve Components.* Full participation in TRICARE <strong>for</strong> membersof the Selected Reserve on a cost-share basiswhen not on active duty.* Allow the option of an equivalent offset tocivilian plan premiums during activation.* Further strengthen rights under USERRA ifcoverage is terminated due to TRICARE benefitsprovided prior to mob.* Extend TRICARE Dental coverage to RCmembers <strong>for</strong> 120 days post mob.* Commission on the Guard and Reserve. We areurging Congress to support fully the commission toreview a number of issues including briefings onmultiple pay and compensation issues, trans<strong>for</strong>mationand rebalancing issues, roles and missions <strong>for</strong> theReserve Components, and equipment reconstitution<strong>for</strong> the Guard and Reserve Components. Thiscommission can make lasting recommendationsthat can be translated into legislation <strong>for</strong> 21stcentury Guard and Reserve Components.Overall, our membership showed keen interestin shaping our legislative focus. These highinterestitems show a membership concern<strong>for</strong> issues that greatly affect our ReserveComponent, and the Active Component.During these times of change, our membershipis concerned about the changes and the impactof the "trans<strong>for</strong>mation" of the <strong>Naval</strong> (Navy)Reserve. We heard from many that they feelthat the ef<strong>for</strong>ts have not been well thought out;and that the "not-so-new" vision <strong>for</strong> the <strong>Naval</strong>Reserve Component is good, but with no wellthoughtout plan to execute the vision. Many ofour members believe that we are migrating the<strong>Naval</strong> Reserve to a contract military <strong>for</strong>ce,yet not recognizing what the sacrifices of thepeople involved in providing the contractedmilitary services are.Recent discussions with actual members ofthe <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve Component indicate thatour membership is right on the mark. <strong>Naval</strong>Reserve members have indicated that actualimplementation does not follow rhetoric.Several still have questions about how andwhen Active Components will train and makeavailable equipment, if Reserve equipment islost. There are far more questions than there areanswers regarding current integration.The 109th Congress will be different thanprevious, yet much of the same politicalizationof issues will prevail. Our legislative team willfocus on the above items. It will be absolutelyessential <strong>for</strong> our membership to engageCongressional representatives on these issues.As you know by now, Congressional ef<strong>for</strong>ts arewell under way. Keeping the pressure on is theonly way to get these items into legislation. Asyou have seen in the recent past, the currentintegration ef<strong>for</strong>ts are based on cost avoidancerather than sound strategy. If you desire to havea Reserve Component <strong>for</strong> our National SecurityStrategy, and National Military Strategy,then you must engage your Congressionalrepresentatives.There has been a lot of discussion about“support” to the Active Component. Some of theperspective of the Active Component membersis way off due to cultural issues and lack ofeducation. As we all know, leadership can changeone or both of these issues over time. You onlyhave to review recent writings and actions torealize that much has to change <strong>for</strong> integrationto have a positive effect on war-fightingcapabilities. For a very long time, the ReserveComponent of the Navy has been doing nothingbut supporting the Active Component; in factthey have been working very hard at it, only tofind road blocks to their participation! So, howwould you explain the per<strong>for</strong>mance of deployedReserve Forces (Yes, <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve Force,including the full-time people, have beendeploying since 1976, and earlier.)?As we have seen in recent events, ournational commitments are worldwide andUNPREDICTABLE; and the Reserve Componentsare essential to successful implementation of ourNational goals. Please view our list legislativegoals on our Web page .NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005
11INFORMATION TRACK FORNEW NAVAL RESERVISTSBy CAPT Tom McAtee, USNR (Ret)<strong>In<strong>for</strong>mation</strong> contained in this article is beneficial to all <strong>Reservists</strong>;however, the content will have the greatest impact on:OFFICER/ENLISTED PERSONNEL RECENTLY RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTYDIRECT COMMISSIONED OFFICERSIN-SERVICE PROCUREMENT CWO, ENS, AND LTJGINTERSERVICE TRANSFERSFactual, precise in<strong>for</strong>mation is an essential commodity <strong>for</strong> today’s Reservist.Why? Due to our electronic world, Navy general and career in<strong>for</strong>mation ispassed so quickly and virtually on a daily basis. Since the receptacle <strong>for</strong> themajority of the in<strong>for</strong>mation is your local <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve Activity, your exposure timeto gather this in<strong>for</strong>mation is a mere two days a month at best. So, how does anew Reservist get answers to the following questions?Is a Selected Reservist also in the Ready Reserve?How do I get promoted in the <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve?What happens if I get injured while in a duty status?How long can I stay in the <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve?What are my benefits/entitlements while on active duty?What happens if I can no longer drill on a regular basis?Is a Reserve Non-Regular retirement worth it?Answers to these questions and other pertinent in<strong>for</strong>mation can come fromseveral sources within the <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve structure; but more and more officer andenlisted personnel are relying on what we call an “in<strong>for</strong>mation advocate” such asthe <strong>Naval</strong> Reserve Association to monitor, collect, assimilate, and logically presentthat in<strong>for</strong>mation critical to today’s Reservist.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005
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