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cultural values that encourage selfless service and
superiority in battle, and we oppose anything which
might divide or weaken team cohesion, including
intra-military special interest demonstrations.
In particular, we warn against modification or
lessening of standards in order to satisfy a nonmilitary
agenda imposed by the White House.
We call for an objective review of the impact on
readiness of the current Administration’s ideologybased
personnel policies, and
will correct problems with
appropriate administrative,
legal, or legislative action. We
reject the use of the military
as a platform for social
experimentation and will not
accept or continue attempts
to undermine military priorities
and mission readiness. We
believe that our nation is most
secure when the president and
the administration prioritize
readiness, recruitment, and
retention rather than using the
military to advance a social
or political agenda. Military
readiness should not be sacrificed on the altar
of political correctness. We oppose legislative
attempts to modify the system of military justice
that would undermine its fairness and due process
rights for all concerned, both the accuser and the
accused.
Citizen Soldiers:
National Guard and Reserves
Our Reserve and National Guard forces are
national assets that must be nurtured in a manner
commensurate with their role as America’s sentinels.
Their historic mission as citizen-soldiers is a proud
tradition linking every town and city across America
to liberty’s cause. Since September 11, 2001, the
National Guard has transformed from a strategic
reserve to a fully integrated operational fighting
force. The Guard has bled on missions in Iraq,
Afghanistan, the Balkans, and the Sinai. Today, more
than fifty percent of our Guardsmen have combat
experience. The Guard has demonstrated its value
to the nation not only in war but during emergencies
America has a
sacred trust with our
veterans, and we are
committed to ensuring
them and their families’
care and dignity.
here at home such as Hurricane Katrina and Super
Storm Sandy.
To avoid the overextension of our military,
we support a larger active force and oppose the
current Administration’s cuts to the National Guard
and Reserves. Those reductions are dangerous and
counter-productive because the men and women of
the Guard and Reserve tend to be older and more
experienced than their active duty counterparts.
Guard and Reserve
forces are currently deployed at
historically high rates. The Army
Reserve alone has soldiers
in 30 countries. To its credit,
the Republican Congress, by
passing the National Defense
Authorization Act, has moved
to ensure these troops have
what they need. That provision
has triggered another veto
threat from the Commanderin-Chief,
even though the bill
passed with overwhelming
bipartisan support in both the
House and Senate. He would
have the members of the
Reserve and Guard train on, and potentially be
deployed with, equipment that is no longer used by
their active duty comrades. We cannot tolerate this
endangerment of both our troops and our national
security. Therefore, we recommend a permanent
line item for National Guard affairs, one that is
not eliminated by the President and reinstated by
Congress. The guard is too essential to our national
defense to be a secondary decision.
Honoring and Supporting Our Veterans:
A Sacred Obligation
Our nation’s veterans have been our nation’s
strength and remain a national resource. Their
service to their country — as community leaders,
volunteers, mentors, educators, problem solvers,
and public officials — continues long after they
leave the military. In the same way, our obligation
to the one percent who defend the other ninetynine
percent does not end when they take off
the uniform. America has a sacred trust with our
veterans, and we are committed to ensuring them
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