The Defense Department released a study last week recommending an increase inthe statutory cap of 1,950 nondual-status technicians to 5,110, which would include 750 for the Air National Guard, up from the current 350, and 4,360 for the Army Guard, up from 1,600. 

For the past two years, the president’s budget submissions to Congress have  recommended raising the cap on Army Guard nondual-status technicians from 1,600 to 2,520.    

NGAUS supports raising the congressionally established ceiling on nondual status personnel to 5 percent of the total Guard fulltime, technician, and Active Guard Reserve (AGR) requirement.        

 Unlike dual-status technicians, nondual-status technicians are not uniformed members of the Guard and cannot be deployed.  

The fiscal 2010 National Defense Authorization Act directed the Defense Department to conduct a study on whether an increase in the limit of nondual-status technicians for the Guard is advisable. 

 In late June, 51 senators signed a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressing support for the president’s request for additional nondual-status technicians.

 The House version of the fiscal 2011 defense authorization bill includes an increase of 920 Army Guard nondual-status technicians. The Senate is expected to consider the fiscal 2011 defense authorization bill in September. 

———- 

Magazine: Black Hawks, Purple Hearts, GI Bill  

Aging Hollywood movie stars might be jealous of the way UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in the Army National Guard are able to wipe away the years through modernization. It’s how the force keeps itself in the air and the story is told in the September issue of NATIONAL GUARD. … 

It is an exclusive club and the qualifications for entry are quite serious. America’s wounded warriors are awarded a Purple Heart. The medal’s history and significance are told in the issue now on its way to your mailbox. …

 The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a wonderful benefit, but understanding its many components nearly requires a college degree. A story in NATIONAL GUARD helps navigate the tricky path. … 

For nearly 50 years, NGAUS has offered insurance plans to members. Read how the NGAUS Insurance Trust can give you the security you need in a profession filled with uncertainty. … Richard Green, the NGAUS legislative director, doesn’t clip coupons, but he knows a bargain when he sees one.  

These stories and more can be found in the September issue of NATIONAL GUARD. For an early look, check out www.ngaus.org/magazine.

 ———-

Spouses to Weigh In on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’  

Pentagon officials last week mailed 150,000 surveys seeking input from military spouses about the potential repeal of the law that bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. military.  

The surveys were mailed to 80,000 reserve-component spouses and 70,000 in the active component. They will have a little more than 30 days to complete the surveys. 

“We understand the inextricable link between the families, service members and readiness, and this survey is a way to try to better understand that,” Gen. Carter F. Ham, U.S. Army Europe commander, said in a recent Pentagon Channel interview.

 Ham and Jeh C. Johnson, the Pentagon’s top lawyer, were appointed by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to head a special review panel that’s studying the possible implications on the military should Congress decide to repeal the current “don’t ask, don’t tell” law that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly. 

“What we’re trying to gauge is an assessment that if this law is repealed, and this ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy is changed, what will that mean to our families,” Ham said.  

The group has been meeting with troops and family members since February.  

———- 

VA Expands Agent Orange Coverage List  

The Department of Veterans Affairs is adding heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and some types of leukemia to the list of conditions that might be caused by exposure to Agent Orange.  

VA says the new rules, scheduled to go into effect in two months, will cost $42 billion over 10 years.  

But Politico reported this week that some in Congress think the list of ailments linked to Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War is too crowded with conditions more related to lifestyle, such as diabetes and heart disease. About 270,000 veterans are being compensated for diabetes because of its link to Agent Orange, which was a defoliant used in the war to destroy cover for enemy troops.   

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., a Marine veteran of the war, questions the inclusion of so many conditions that, VA reports, could affect one out of four surviving Vietnam veterans, about 500,000 people. 

Webb, a strong advocate for veterans, has convinced the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to schedule a hearing on the matter. It is set for Sept. 23.   

He told Politco, “I just want to understand the logic of how they decided this latest service connection.” 

The concern is the growing cost of VA compensation, which has increased rapidly since 2005 when the cost was $28.6 billion per year. It is expected to near $50 billion by 2011.

———- 

ASSOCIATION HISTORY  

In 1992, both major candidates for president of the United States spoke at the 114th NGAUS General Conference in Salt Lake City. The scheduling of President George H. W. Bush and Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas was a last-minute affair.

Both had been invited for many weeks and both had indicated they would not be attending.  

In fact, Vice President Dan Quayle was scheduled to speak until two days before the conference convened. The Clinton campaign telephoned a willingness to fly to Salt Lake City only 24 hours before the candidate ultimately would speak.

Intense media attention surrounded the appearances by Bush and Clinton less than two hours apart on Sept. 15. 

———- 

THIS WEEK IN GUARD HISTORY  

Sept. 2, 1945, Tokyo Bay, Japan — Representatives of the Japanese government surrender to the Allies as World War II ends. Among the occupation forces quickly moving to Japan will be six National Guard divisions. One other, the 40th Infantry Division of California and Nevada, will move to occupy Korea, replacing Japanese authorities who have controlled the peninsula since 1904.

When the 40th sails home in 1946, the men are unaware that the division will return to the peninsula in 1952 to fight during the Korean War. 

Source: National Guard Bureau 

———- 

BY THE WAY  

The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States has an opening for an executive director. Complete information about the position and how to apply can be found at www.eangus.org.

 ——— 

WRITE TO CONGRESS  

Help NGAUS meet its goal of 200,000 emails to Congress this year!  

Total for 2010: 72,577 

Top 5 States: 

1. Georgia – 10,242

2. Tennessee – 7,115

3. Mississippi – 4,591

4. Texas – 4,368

5. Ohio – 3,993

Maj. Gen. Frank Vavala, the adjutant general of Delaware, was elected chairman of the NGAUS board during the 132nd NGAUS General Conference in Austin, Texas. 

The new chairman said he was “awed and humbled” by the confidence placed in him by the association members. 

Vavala takes the reins from Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, who was elected chairman two years ago during the conference in Baltimore. 

The conference was attended by 4,700 people, including 1,900 exhibitors. It  ended Monday evening with the annual states dinner. 

Vavala joined the Delaware Army National Guard in 1967 as a private. He was commissioned as an officer in 1970 after attending the Delaware Military Academy Officer Candidate School. He has served as adjutant general of the first state since 1999. 

Brig. Gen. John Walsh of Montana was elected Army vice chair at the conference.

Brig. Gen. Bill Burks of Nevada is the board’s new Air vice chair. 

Retired Brig. Gen. Ken Ross of Louisiana and Col. Al Faber of Ohio were elected

again to serve as the board’s treasurer and secretary, respectively. 

Also, several people were elected to serve on the board. From Area I, elected

board members are Maj. Gen. Bill Redell of New Hampshire, who will be the

adjutant general reprentative; Col. Frank McGinn of Massachusetts, who will be

the Army representative; and Maj. Nicole Ivers of Massachusetts, who will serve

as the Air representative. 

Board members elected from Area IV are Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner of Missouri,

who will serve as the adjutant general representative; Lt. Col. Martin Fries of

Kansas, who will be the Army representative, and Lt. Col. Tony DeJesus of

Kansas, who will be the Air representative. 

Capt. Sharel Paradis of Oregon was elected as the board’s company grade officer

representative for Army. Retired Lt. Col. Ron Wagner of Wisconsin was elected

the board’s retired/separated representative. 

———- 

Conference Delegates Set Legislative Agenda       

Delegates at the 132nd NGAUS General Conference in Austin, Texas, approved 89 resolutions for the association’s legislative agenda for the coming year. 

The list includes 34 Air National Guard resolutions, 16 related to the Army National Guard and 39 joint resolutions. 

A highlight of the joint resolutions is a new effort to allow technicians to buy TRICARE Reserve Select. By law, technicians are currently not allowed to buy TRS. Another new item on the list is the effort to fund scholarship programs for health care specialists for the reserve component. 

Another resolution would require anybody in a National Guard Bureau directorate

position to have two years of command experience or five years in a state. 

Other resolutions address standbys such as equipment modernization and facility improvement. 

This is the important business of the annual conference as the NGAUS legislative staff now has its marching orders from the membership. 

Richard Green, the NGAUS legislative director, said, “We’re going to now focus our efforts on what our members have decided are most important.”  

He said the resolutions will be prioritized in October by the task forces, which he praised for their efforts during the conference.  

“This was probably the best turnout ever for our task forces during a conference,” he said.  

———- 

Nebraska Senator Accepts Top NGAUS Award  

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., received the Harry S. Truman Award from NGAUS Sunday.

It is the association’s highest award and recognizes the senator’s work on behalf of the National Guard during his 10 years in the Senate. 

“During my time in the Senate, I’ve tried to keep the needs of the National Guard in mind,” he said after receiving the award from Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the NGAUS chairman of the board. 

Nelson was nominated for the award by the Nebraska National Guard. 

A two-term governor, Nelson said his time as the chief executive of Nebraska required he call the Guard to duty several times. 

“As expected, the Guard members did a great job,” he said. 

Nelson’s work in the Senate has benefited the Guard in many ways. He was instrumental in ensuring “gray area” retirees are able to buy TRICARE health insurance and that children are allowed to remain on their parents’ health insurance policy until the age of 26.  

He made it possible for Guardsmen to travel home at government expense during breaks in distant training far from their home state. He also helped secure money for equipment and for the new joint forces headquarters in Lincoln, Neb. 

———- 

Speakers Discuss IEDs, Securing the Homeland  

Speakers are often the highlight of the NGAUS general conference and this year was no exception. Attendees heard discussions of topics both timely and critical. 

Two of the most interesting in that regard were led by Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., commander of U.S. Northern Command, and Lt. Gen. Michael L. Oates, director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. 

Winnefeld took pains to let the Guard members know he considered them an integral part of his command’s mission to make America secure.

He called the Guard his “No. 1 partner” in that mission.  

Oates said the IED is a tactical weapon, but has strategic implications as it affects the will of the U.S. and its allies to continue the long global war on terrorism. He said the growing IED problem in Afghanistan should begin to fall off in a few months when defensive efforts now in the works are in place. 

He said the U.S. military must reflect the IED threat in its training just as it did during the Cold War when training included combat operations in a nuclear or biological environment likely to be part of a battlefield. 

“If we are not replicating the IED environment in our training here in CONUS, shame on us,” he said.  

Other speakers included Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, Gov. Rick Perry, D-Texas, Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National Guard Bureau, and others. 

Fuller accounts of the speakers and other aspects of the conference will be in the October issue of National Guard magazine. 

Meeting Called to Order at 1603 by President Dalton. EB completed the Pledge of Allegiance to Flag.  Quorum was established.

1. Roll Call:

   1.1. Officers: Absent:  None

   1.2. EB members absent:  SFC (Ret) Trimmer, Army retired rep, CSM Husband, Army enlisted rep, CW3 Harding, CGMTS rep, MAJ Brown, Joint Staff rep, CW3 Salters, R & R Cmd rep, LTC Doolittle, 177 MP Bde rep, MAJ Spenilli, FCT rep, CSM Wimberly, 177 RTI rep, BG Francisco, TAG rep   

1.3. Introduction of guests & new EB Members: None

2. Reports:

   2.1. Secretary’s Report: Minutes of EB meeting for 24 June were distributed and reviewed. two minor typos were discovered and ED Ewald will correct for record.  Motion by Davis with second by Weigel to approve minutes as amended; voice vote carried.

   2.2. Treasurer’s Report: Copies of NGAM’s overall financial summary as of 30 June (3 pages) and of NGAM’s checking account as of 22 July were distributed and reviewed. Motion by Halt with second by Weigel to approve; voice vote carried.

3. Old Business:

3.1 ED Ewald reported on the NGAM 2010 vs 2009 dues collection status. Overall

the 2010 NGAM dues collections were slightly less than those collected during 2009. The 2009 Officers (Air & Army) collections were 53% vs 2010 collections of 49%. The enlisted dues collections for 2009 were 24% vs 23% for 2010.  ED Ewald noted that NGAUS dues collections were slightly above those collected during 2009; 53% for 2010 vs 51% for 2009.

3.2 ED Ewald reported on the status of registration for the NGAUS Conference which will be conducted 20-23 August in Austin, TX.

4. New Business:

4.1.   ED Ewald reported on status of 2012 NGAM Conference dates and location. It will be held in Ypsilanti at the Marriott Eagle Crest Resort during the second weekend in May.

4.2 A briefing by VP Davis regarding the NGAM Vision 2010 thru 2014 was conducted. Actions related to this briefing will begin after the NGAUS Conference and will be initially developed by an Ad Hoc committee to be appointed by the President. 

4.3 ED Ewald briefed the EB members that he would attend a regional membership conference in Missouri sometime in the early Fall. Dates and location are yet to be determined.  There have been many States which have shown a dramatic drop in NGAUS dues collections.

5. Good of the NGAM:

5.1 President reminded everyone that the NGAM Secretary’s position continues to be open. Any Executive Board member could volunteer for the position.

6. Next NGAM Executive Board Meeting:

The next schedules EB meeting will be on 26 August @ 1600 hrs in room 206 of the RFSC, Lansing. Motion by Dalton seconded by Marshall to adjourn, voice vote carried. President Dalton adjourned meeting at 1640 hrs.

Submitted by:                                                       Approved by:

_________________________________              __________________________________

COL (Ret) Wm (Bill) R Ewald                              CCSMgt Michael R. Dalton

NGAM Executive Director                                     NGAM President

Gen. David H. Petraeus says that his new plan for Afghanistan will be to take

“learn and adapt” to heart as the mantra for counterinsurgency, and added that

he will adapt his guidance in the weeks and months ahead as he learns more about the fight.

In a new guidance statement for the war, Petraeus recognizes that the decisive

terrain in Afghanistan is what the military calls the “human terrain,” the

population where counterinsurgency operations are taking place.

“The people are the center of gravity,” Petraeus wrote in the guidance.

Separating the Taliban and other enemy groups from the people and protecting

them from threats is the way forward, he said. Meeting and understanding the

people is the main mission for military forces and international civilian

organizations in the country.

He wants service members to conduct foot patrols and talk with the people.

“Take off your sunglasses,” Petraeus wrote. “Situational awareness can only be

gained by interacting face to face, not separated by ballistic glass or Oakleys.”

NATO and Afghan forces have to live among the people to carry out the

counterinsurgency strategy, the general’s guidance states.

But the guidance is not all velvet glove. It also calls for NATO and Afghan

partners to pursue the enemy relentlessly.

“When the extremists fight, make them pay,” Petraeus wrote. “Seek out and

eliminate those who threaten the population. Don’t let them intimidate the innocent.”

———-

Senate Bill Would Address Demobilization Issues

An Oregon senator has introduced a bill that will allow demobilizing Guardsmen

to stay on duty for additional post-deployment reintegration activities.

The bill, known as S. 3748, was introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, Aug. 5.

The bill would provide for the retention of members of the reserve components on active duty for a period of 45 days in the home state following demobilization Title 10 deployment to support their reintegration into civilian life.

The need for Wyden’s bill was highlighted by recent problems with the

reintegration process for the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon

Army Guard. Following a recent deployment to Afghanistan, the 41st received

substandard medical treatment at an active duty base in Washington.

The 41st also suffers from a high unemployment rate.

If passed in its current form, the bill would require physical and mental

evaluations; employment counseling and assistance; marriage and family

counseling and assistance; financial management counseling; educational

counseling; and counseling on benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and DoD.

To the extent practicable, these services would be coordinated through the

Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program and would allow family participation.

The bill would affect those that are deployed for over nine months and would

give 45 days of active duty pay and benefits. It also would require the

Department of Defense to pay for the cost from its own budget without passing the cost along to the Guard.

The bill has been referred to committee.

NGAUS released a legislative alert last week on its website which will allow

NGAUS members to write to Congress to support the bill.

———-

Enlisted Leaders See More Deployments, Less Funding in Guard’s Future

Senior enlisted leaders from the National Guard think that Guardsmen need to

prepare themselves for more work despite trimmed federal budgets.

The senior NCOs, speaking to conferees at the 39th annual Enlisted Association

of the National Guard of the United States conference in St. Louis last week,

encouraged Guardsmen to keep up their training, increase retention, and

continue to make the Guard a cost-effective solution.

Topics at the EANGUS conference ranged from retention to operationalizing the

Guard. In summary, the NCOs agree that the Guard will have to continue to be a

potent force available for a variety of operations.

With the nation in an ongoing financial crisis, funding has become a major issue for the services.

Command Sgt. Maj. Richard J. Burch, Army National Guard command sergeant major,

said the key to securing funding is showing that the Guard is a cost-effective

organization in terms of both equipment and people.

The Guard is also adept at maintaining its existing, trained personnel. “Our

success story is our retention rate,” Burch said. “That’s Soldiers taking care

of Soldiers, out there in our ranks, making sure that those quality Soldiers

know that they are part of a team – a vital part of the team – and that we want

them to stay a part of the team.”

Chief Master Sgt. Christopher A. Muncy, the Air National Guard command chief

master sergeant, said thousands of Air Guardsmen should prepare for more

deployments, despite shrinking ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The air component piece will continue there. Your Air Guard will deploy as it

has over and over again,” said Muncy.

Command Sgt. Maj. John D. Gipe, the senior enlisted advisor for the Assistant

Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, said that in an effort to make sure

the Guard and Reserve are getting the best, most efficient training available,

they are taking a hard look at the contiguous mobilization model. This would

allow deploying troops to train together in an extended block before federal

deployment rather than stretching the training over a year.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, and Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the

National Guard Bureau, also spoke during the conference.

———-

AAFES Officials Warn of Duplicate Charges

Customers who have shopped at an Army and Air Force Exchange store Aug. 7 to 9

should make sure to check their statements for any duplicate charges caused by a processing error. 

The error has resulted in numerous charges to customer’s credit cards.

“Shoppers who swiped their cards any time between Aug. 7 and Aug. 9 at an AAFES

facility are strongly encouraged to review their statements to see if they are

impacted by this issue,” said Army Col. Virgil Williams, AAFES chief of staff.

“If a customer finds a billing anomaly, no action will be required on their

part, as we’re working to correct inaccuracies on their behalf.”

According to a press release from AAFES, employees in information technology,

finance and accounting are working to remove the duplicate charges.

“We’re putting all the resources we have towards doing the right thing for

customers affected by this unfortunate turn of events,” Williams said.

“If there is an overdraft fee as result of a duplicate charge, we’re going to fix it.

Our priority is to take corrective action as quickly as possible and return

customers’ accounts to the exact state they were prior to this glitch.”

The processing error that produced duplicate charges affected AAFES locations

worldwide. Depending on the type of card used, officials said, corrective action

could be visible to the customer anywhere from 24 hours to a couple of weeks.

“The timeline is subject to a number of variables,” Williams said. “Regardless,

we want exchange shoppers to know that every possible measure is being taken to

eliminate any additional charges and rectify any concerns created as a result of this processing miscue.”

———-

ASSOCIATION HISTORY

In 1995, President Bill Clinton and Miss America Shawntel Smith of Oklahoma were

at the National Guard Memorial to pay tribute to rescue workers following the

Oklahoma City bombing. The president shook hands and personally thanked some

rescuers in attendance during the 45-minute ceremony in the Hall of States.

Clinton, who was visiting the Association’s headquarters for the first time, was impressed with the facility, the use of which was donated by NGAUS for the event.

———-

THIS WEEK IN GUARD HISTORY

August 18, 1846: Santa Fe, N.M. — Soon after war is declared against Mexico,

Gen. Steven Kearney with 2,000 soldiers, mostly Missouri volunteers, enters the

town unopposed. He claims New Mexico for the U.S. Later, the Missouri troops

will fight near the Mexican town of Chihuahua City where they soundly defeat a

larger enemy force, inflicting 600 losses while only suffering six causalities

of their own.

Source: National Guard Bureau

———-

BY THE WAY

Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates was quoted in Foreign Policy

magazine Monday saying that his intent is to retire from his position by next

year, if not sooner. He is currently the fifth longest-serving Defense secretary.

TRICARE Retired Reserve is scheduled to begin coverage Oct. 1 and will begin

accepting applications Sept. 1. Retirees wishing to apply need to go the to the

TRR link on the TRICARE website (www.tricare.mil) to see if they are eligible.

Once the website confirms eligibility, the member will be able to download an

application which must mailed with two months advanced premium payment and post

marked by Sept. 30 for coverage to begin Oct. 1.

NGAUS and other military support organizations will continue its efforts to

challenge and reduce the monthly TRR premium rate. 

———

WRITE TO CONGRESS

Help NGAUS meet its goal of 200,000 emails to Congress this year! 

Total for 2010: 68,058

Top 5 States:

1. Georgia – 9,592

2. Tennessee – 6,856

3. Mississippi – 4,294

4. Texas – 4,124

5. Ohio – 3,661

Visit us online to see all state totals and to make your voice heard through the

Write to Congress feature at www.ngaus.org/writetocongress.

Audio Conf number is>>1-866-203-8558 (Pass code>>none)

Meeting Called to Order: Pledge of Allegiance to Flag  

1. Roll Call:

   1.1. Officers: Absent:

   1.2. EB members absent:

1.3. Introduction of guests & new EB Members:

2. Reports:

   2.1. Secretary’s Report: See distributed minutes of EB meeting of 22 July 2010.  Review and approve.

   2.2. Treasurer’s Report: See Treasurer’s report of  NGAM’s overall  financial summary as of 30 July and of NGAM’s Fifth-Third Bank  accounts as of 26 August. Review and approve.

3. Old Business:

3.1. President Dalton discusses the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee to consider and develop future plans for NGAM thru 2014. He calls for committee volunteers.

3.2 ED Ewald provides a summary of the NGAUS Conf (Austin, TX) which ended on 23

August.

3.3. ED Ewald reminds the Executive Board members that he will be working with the

Army Chief of Staff office to develop a NGAM conference program for 2011 since NGAM will combine its annual conference with the Air/Army Leadership Conference.

4. New Business:

4.1. President Dalton provides a summary of the EANGUS Conf (St Loius, MO) which ended on 11 August.

4.2. ED Ewald reports that he will attend the Army OCS graduation in September (if invited). NGAM traditionally awards a Life Membership to the top graduate.

4.3. Ed Ewald reports that he is now collecting NGAM, NGAUS and EANGUS dues for 2011. He will be sending blank NGAM membership cards to the Air and Army units.

5. Good of the NGAM:

5.1.

6. Next NGAM Executive Board Meeting:

The next schedules EB meeting will be on 23 September 2010 @ 1600 hrs in room 206 of the RFSC, Lansing.

Submitted by:                                                       Approved by:

_________________________________              __________________________________

COL (Ret) Wm (Bill) R Ewald                              CCSMgt Michael R. Dalton

NGAM Executive Director                                     NGAM President

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved funding last week for more
than 100 National Guard construction projects.

The bill, H.R. 5822, which passed by a vote of 411-6, provides $1.02 billion for 81 projects in the Army National Guard and $292.39 million for 29 projects in the Air National Guard.

Included in the funding totals is $60 million in Guard and Reserve Initiative
funds for critical unfunded requirements for the Army Guard and $50 million for
the Air National Guard. This is money not linked to any specific construction
project.

During consideration of the bill, Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, noted the strong
support of NGAUS and inserted a statement from the association into the
Congressional Record.

The Senate Appropriations Committee marked up its version of the bill, S. 3615,
in July, but the measure is not expected to reach the Senate floor until after
the August recess.

———-
Bill Improves Mental Health Support for Guard

Legislation introduced by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., would require mental
health screenings via telephone at least once every 90 days for all members of
the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), Inactive National Guard and individual
mobilization augmentees who have deployed into combat since 2001.

Lautenberg’s bill, S. 3678, known as the Sergeant Coleman Bean National Guard
and Reserves Mental Health Act in honor of a New Jersey soldier who committed
suicide in 2008 after returning from his second deployment to Iraq, goes beyond
a provision adopted in the National Defense Authorization Act that passed the
House.

The House provision was offered by Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., and limits the
telephone screenings to the IRR.

If additional in-person mental health screenings are necessary, the Lautenberg
bill would allow the military to provide job protection, basic pay and other
benefits while service members seek help.

Lautenberg’s legislation also explicitly requires five in-person mental health
screenings for all members of the Guard and Reserves within 60 days prior to a
deployment, between 90 and 180 days after redeployment and then no later than
six, 12, and 24 months after return from deployment.

These screenings would close a loophole in the law that requires such screenings for active and reserve component members except those in the IRR and ING, as well as individual mobilization augmentees.

Retired Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr., the NGAUS president, wrote a letter of
support to Lautenberg last month, saying, “Our young men and women in the IRR
and ING who have been deployed deserve appropriate and timely mental health
screenings and care similar to what their counterparts in the active forces are
receiving.”

———-
Are You a Veteran? Bills Would Expand Definition

The Senate and the House of Representatives are considering bills that would
define National Guard and Reserve retirees as veterans even if they did not
deploy or serve during a time of war.

Current law does not consider retired Guardsmen or Reservists qualified for the
full range of veterans’ benefits if they do not meet certain criteria regarding
the period of their service and the amount of time on active duty.

The issue was discussed in the July issue of NATIONAL GUARD magazine (Washington Update, page 8). The effort has the support of NGAUS and several other military-related organizations.

The House subcommittee on disability assistance and memorial assistance approved H.R. 3787 last week. The bill, which was introduced by Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., and Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, will go before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs following the current August recess.

A similar bill in the Senate, S. 1780, was introduced last year by Sen. Blanche
Lincoln, D-Ark., and was the subject of a hearing in May before the Veterans’
Affairs Committee.

———-
Finally: War Supplemental Passed, Signed

After a bit of back and forth between the House and the Senate, the war
supplemental bill was passed last week and signed into law Friday by President
Barack Obama.

It came much later than Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates would have liked, but
it is now in effect and includes the money needed to support the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan, including the increase in troops in Afghanistan.

The law provides $33 billion for the wars, plus about $4 billion in foreign aid
to Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Aid for Haiti was funded with $2.9 billion
and the Federal Emergency Management Agency received $5.1 billion to replenish
disaster relief coffers.

Vietnam veterans will be glad to know the law includes $13.4 billion to address
exposure to Agent Orange.

Gates said in June he wanted the bill to become law by the Fourth of July, but
efforts by some House members to squeeze additional domestic spending into the
bill caused a delay.

———-
NGEF Golf Tourney Benefits Two Foundations

One of the largest fundraisers for the National Guard Educational Foundation and the National Guard Youth Foundation is set for next month.

The 12th Annual Charitable Golf Tournament will be held Sept. 27 at the Gunston
Course on Fort Belvoir, Va.

Luke Guthrie, NGAUS director of membership and marketing services, calls it a
“premier fundraising event” for two worthy causes.

NGEF tells the story of the National Guard and operates the National Guard
Museum and a well-stocked research library at the National Guard Memorial in
Washington, D.C.

NGYF supports the successful Youth ChalleNGe program that helps troubled
teenagers complete their high school education and find the right path in life.
Thirty-three ChalleNGe program sites are found in 27 states.

Sponsorship of a foursome is $600. Individuals may register for $150. To sponsor a hole or golf cart is $100.

Registration on the day of the tournament begins at 12:30 p.m. with a shotgun
start beginning at 2 p.m. Awards will be presented that evening at the dinner,
which begins at 6:30 p.m. “Slots are filling up fast, so act now to reserve your place in this fun event,” Guthrie says.

For more information, contact Luke Guthrie at (202) 408-5886 or
luke.guthrie@ngaus.org. Also, check out www.ngef.org/golf.

———-

Army Suicide Study: War Not Sole Cause

A 15-month study on the increasing number of suicides in the Army found that
many soldiers who have killed themselves had either a single deployment to the
war zone or none.

The report released last week at the Pentagon comes at a time when suicides
among soldiers are at an all-time high.

“For us to blame this just on the war would be wrong,” said Gen. Peter
Chiarelli, the service’s vice chief of staff.

The report found only 21 percent of suicide victims in the Army had multiple
deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan or both.

A record 160 active-component soldiers killed themselves in the year ending
Sept. 30, 2009.

Many other troops engage in risky behavior, such as drinking and driving,
criminal acts or drug abuse, which has resulted in more deaths. The result is
more soldiers die by their actions than in combat.

According to information from the National Guard Bureau, as of July of this
year, the Army Guard reported 58 suicides, already nearing the 64 suicides in
2009.

The reasons may surprise some, however. A majority of the Guardsmen who commit
suicide–32 out of 58 in 2010–have never deployed. In contrast, 56 of the 77
suicides among active-component soldiers this year were soldiers who had
previously been deployed.

Those most at risk in the Army Guard are males between the ages of 20 to 24 who
have served for about two years. Although the reasons behind many suicides will
never be known, it is clear that there are differences among the active and
reserve components when it comes to suicides.

The Army study commissioned by Chiarelli cited commanders for not recognizing
mental health problems among their troops and for not disciplining those with
substance abuse problems. It also noted that a lowering of standards has allowed more people with a history of problems into the service.

The entire Army Health Promotion, Risk Reduction, Suicide Prevention Report 2010 can be viewed at

http://usarmy.vo.llnwd.net/e1/HPRRSP/HP-RR-SPReport2010_v00.pdf.

———-

ASSOCIATION HISTORY

In 1982, NGAUS won passage of a law to provide civil service retirement
disability pay to Guard technicians separated from their jobs upon being found
physically unable to maintain drilling Guard membership.

———-

THIS WEEK IN GUARD HISTORY

Aug. 6, 1945: Hiroshima, Japan — A B-29 bomber named Enola Gay drops the first
atomic bomb in history, devastating the city and killing more than 118,000
people either directly from the blast or from radiation sickness over the next
few weeks. Among the crewmen serving as a specialized mechanic and gunner is
former Michigan Guardsmen Sgt. Robert R. Shumard. He had been a member of
Battery C, 182nd Field Artillery, when it was mobilized in 1941.

Source: National Guard Bureau

———-

BY THE WAY

The House of Representatives is in recess until Sept. 14. The Senate is expected
to adjourn for its summer recess Friday.

Tennessee native Johnny Majors, who coached the University of Pittsburgh to a
national championship in 1976 and is a member of the College Football Hall of
Fame, visited the National Guard Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Monday. Photos
of his visit can be found at Flickr.

———

WRITE TO CONGRESS

Help NGAUS meet its goal of 200,000 emails to Congress this year!

Total for 2010: 62,615

Top 5 States:

1. Georgia – 9,050
2. Tennessee – 6,334
3. Mississippi – 3,909
4. Texas – 3,725
5. Ohio – 3,391

Visit us online to see all state totals and to make your voice heard through the
Write to Congress feature at www.ngaus.org/writetocongress.

Meeting Called to Order at 1603 by President Dalton attending and presiding via audio conference. EB completed the Pledge of Allegiance to Flag. Quorum was established.

1. Roll Call:
1.1. Officers: Absent: Treasurer Marshall (TDY)

1.2. EB members absent: Brig Gen (Ret) Heaton, Air retired rep, SFC (Ret) Trimmer,
Army retired rep, CSM Husband, Army enlisted rep, CW3 Harding, CGMTS rep, MAJ Densham, 63rd Bde rep, MAJ Brown, Joint Staff rep, Lt Col Holzhei, 127th WG rep, CW4 Stone, Aviation rep

1.3. Introduction of guests & new EB Members:

2. Reports:
2.1. Secretary’s Report: Minutes of EB meeting for 22 April were distributed and reviewed. Comment made to consider recording the General Business meeting and including them as a matter of record with other EB meetings. Motion by Francisco with second by Wimberly to approve minutes as written; voice vote carried.

2.2. Treasurer’s Report: Copies of NGAM’s overall financial summary as of 30 May (3 pages) and of NGAM’s checking account as of 24 June were distributed and reviewed. Motion by Halt with second by Spinelli to approve; voice vote carried.

3. Old Business:

3.1 ED Ewald reported on the details of the just completed 54th NGAM Conf.
a) Attendance; 126 including Corporate sponsors.
b) Golf Outing: 35
c) Business Meeting:
d) Election of new President and Vice President: President Dalton confirmed by general membership and Major Brian Davis, 127th WG elected as Vice President.
e) Dinner: 58 attended
f) Conference Ad book summary: $8400 profit
f) Financial summary: Overall $9700 profit.

3.2 ED Ewald reported on the 2010 NGAM dues status which has decreased from the 2009 percentages of support.

4. New Business:

4.1. ED Ewald reported on NGAUS Conf (Austin, TX) registrations. Currently there are 26.

4.2. ED Ewald reported on NGAM June Education Grant applications and approvals. Fifteen applications received with four rejections. Overall the Air had four applications and the Army had seven. Five applications were approved and the checks and letters of congratulations will be sent with copies of the letters sent to the Commanders of the approved. All non-winners will also be notified by letter.

4.3 ED Ewald reported on status of 2011 NGAM Conference dates and location. It will be held in conjunction with the Air/Army Leadership Conference on 29April thru 1 may at the Amway Hotel in Grand Rapids. Motion by Halt with second by Weigel to approve the 2011 NGAM Conference change to be a joint Conference with the Leadership Conference, voice vote carried. ED Ewald will contact the Marriott Eagle Crest which has been contracted for the NGAM 2011 Conference.

5. Good of the NGAM:

5.1 ED Ewald led discussion regarding changes to future NGAM Conferences which would include odd years with the Air/Army Leadership Conferences. Discussion also included possible combination with the Family Support Conference. Discussion by President Dalton to form an Ad Hoc committee to develop these ideas with further action to follow.

5.2 ED Ewald requested the EB approval for the changes regarding the NGAM Fifth Third banking accounts. Ed Ewald has established two cash accounts; one as the checking account and one as a Business Money Market account which bears interest and can be draw upon for funds as a checking account. ED Ewald also established two additional CDs; one for $10K and one for $5K. Both our NGAM’s current $5K CD will mature during 2010. Motion by Wimberly with second by Vern to approve; voice vote carried.

6. Next NGAM Executive Board Meeting:
The next schedules EB meeting will be on 22 July 2010 @ 1600 hrs in room 206 of the RFSC, Lansing. Motion by Francisco seconded by Davis to adjourn, voice vote carried. President Dalton adjourned meeting at 1712 hrs.

Submitted by:
COL (Ret) Wm (Bill) R Ewald
NGAM Executive Director

Approved by:
SGM (Ret) David R. Weigel
NGAM President

Audio Conf number is 1-866-203-9725 (Pass code: none)

Meeting Called to Order: Pledge of Allegiance to Flag
1. Roll Call:
1.1. Officers: Absent:

1.2. EB members absent:

1.3. Introduction of guests & new EB Members:

2. Reports:
2.1. Secretary’s Report: See distributed minutes of EB meeting of 24 June 2010. Review and approve.

2.2. Treasurer’s Report: See Treasurer’s report of NGAM’s overall financial summary as of 30 June and of NGAM’s Fifth-Third Bank accounts as of 22 July. Review and approve.

3. Old Business:

3.1 ED Ewald reports on NGAM 2010 vs 2009 dues status; see attached, this two page summary was previously sent on 14 July.

3.2 ED Ewald reports on NGAUS Conf (Austin, TX) registrations.

4. New Business:

4.1. ED Ewald reports on status of 2012 NGAM Conference dates and location.

4.2.

5. Good of the NGAM:

5.1

6. Next NGAM Executive Board Meeting:
The next schedules EB meeting will be on 26 August 2010 @ 1600 hrs in room 206 of the RFSC, Lansing.

Submitted by:
COL (Ret) Wm (Bill) R Ewald
NGAM Executive Director

Approved by:
SGM (Ret) David R. Weigel
NGAM President

The House of Representatives once again has the war supplemental bill in its
hands. The Senate stripped more than $20 billion from the House version of the
bill last week and sent it back to the lower chamber, where it sits barely two
weeks before the month-long August recess.

Action is expected this week, however. News reports said the House could take up the bill today.

Back in June, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he wanted the bill, which
includes $33 billion to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the next
three months, passed by the Fourth of July.

With that target date in the rear view mirror, the services are now saying
civilians will not be paid and other money will run out if lawmakers do not pass a bill the president will sign before knocking off work on Aug. 9.

The Senate approved a bill in May, but the House, pushed largely by Democrats,
added $22.8 billion for domestic programs, including about $10 billion to
prevent the layoff of teachers in states facing severe fiscal crises. That’s the funding the Senate removed last week when even 11 Democrats joined every Senate Republican in objecting to the added money.

The current bill would provide $5.1 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to replenish government disaster aid accounts and $2.9 billion for Haiti earthquake-related reconstruction and aid.

It also includes the administration’s request for $13.4 billion in mandatory
funds to compensate Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange.

———-

NGAUS Task Force Talks Big Guns

Col. Rod McCants, assistant commandant of the Army Air Defense Artillery School
at Fort Sill, Okla., spoke last week to the NGAUS Army Fire Support/Air Defense
Task Force at the National Guard Memorial in Washington, D.C.

He presented an overview of the Fires Center of Excellence at the school.

The task force meets a few times each year to receive briefings on key
developments in the fire support community and to discuss NGAUS resolutions
related to fire support and air defense.

The task force chairman is Maj. Gen. Robert Bray, the adjutant general of Rhode
Island.

Other speakers included Col. Brant Dayley from the Army G-8 office, which
integrates funding, fielding and equipping actions, Col. Mark Strong of the Army Guard force management divisions, and Maj. Matt Anderson of the Army Guard
material programs division.

The Fire Support Task Force will meet next month at the 132nd NGAUS General
Conference in Austin, Texas.

———-

Magazine: Oh, Those Wonderful Old Armories

Today, an armory might just be an armory. But once upon a time, armories were
castles, monuments of grandeur and centers of activity far beyond their intended purpose.

You’ll learn the history of four former armories in the August edition of
National Guard magazine, which is being mailed this week.

These grand buildings have mostly said farewell to their military roles and are
now often no more than idle curiosities. Some have new uses and others are still in search of one. You’ll especially be amused to read what goes on at the old armory in San Francisco.

There’s more in the August issue: The Humvee is on the way out. Read about its
replacement. … The skills that make you a successful Guardsman may also help
you own a business. … Hurricane Katrina arrived five years ago. Its impact
still is being felt in the National Guard.

Plus, Texas Guardsmen learned on the job in World War II, a man from Nebraska
stood as tall as a stalk of corn during his military career and NGAUS prepares
for the 132nd General Conference in Austin, Texas.

You’ll find this and much more in the August issue of National Guard. If you
can’t wait for the postman, find much of the magazine later this week at
www.ngaus.org/magazine.

———-

For Good Reason, Recruiting Misses Goal

Both the Army and Air National Guard missed their recruiting goals for June,
however, recruiting activities were adjusted and those goals were intentionally
missed as a way to keep end-strength numbers within congressionally mandated
limits, according to the National Guard Bureau.

Still, even with the June adjustments, the Army Guard met 94 percent of its
monthly recruiting goals with 4,544 accessions out of a goal of 4,825.
Additionally, high retention of soldiers already serving in the Guard
contributed to the adjusted recruiting goals.

As of June 30, the Army Guard was just shy of 363,000 soldiers in its ranks,
about 4,700 soldiers above its projected and congressionally mandated
end-of-year end strength of 358,200.

However, end-strength numbers are authorized to be up to 3 percent above that
mandated limit.

Meanwhile, the Air National Guard met 99 percent of its recruiting goal for
June, with 501 accessions and a goal of 507.

Recruiting numbers in both the Army and Air Guard will continue to be adjusted
through the remainder of the fiscal year to maintain authorized end strength,
said Guard officials.

———-

Wyatt Discusses ‘Resilient’ Guard Children

Children of National Guard members often are overlooked by teachers who are not
accustomed to dealing with military families, the director of the Air National
Guard said last week at a conference on military children.

Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III was on a panel with leaders from other services at
the Military Child Education Coalition gathering last week at National Harbor,
Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

He noted that Guardsmen often live and serve in communities that have little or
no experience in dealing with military families. During a parent’s deployment,
teachers may not understand the difficulties faced by a child.

“So the challenge is not just educating the child, the parents and the
employers, but educating the educators to the challenges that our children
face,” he said.
He described Guard children as “resilient” in coping with their parents’
service. Wyatt was part of a panel of senior officers with leaders from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The conference was attended by more than 1,000 people.