New Bill to Help 30k Previously Ignored Guardsmen

As many may know, Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility for members of the National Guard is based on the nature of their active duty time. For many Guardsmen, this means time spent on active duty under “state” orders under title 32 does not count, while active duty service under “federal orders” - title 10 - do. In many instances Guardsmen activated under title 32 orders were supporting home land security missions.

To help rectify this inequity, Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) introduced the National Guard Education Equality Act, a bipartisan bill that will help over 30,000 members of the National Guard receive their full education benefits.

“The benefits under the landmark Post 9/11 GI Bill are a reflection of our gratitude to those who have served our country since the 9/11 attacks and will help make this generation of veterans part of our nation’s economic recovery.” said Congressman Loebsack. “Unfortunately, due to a technical glitch, over 30,000 members of the National Guard are not receiving the benefits that they have earned. This bill recognizes the service of the Soldiers and Airmen of the National Guard by including all of their active duty service in the calculation of their GI Bill benefits.

Read the full article on Military.com.

Visit the Military.com Legislative Center to contact your elected officials about this important bill.

Comments

[SFC Howard Hodges (ARNG Ret)]

MSG Wuellner: You should know as an E-8 that you DO qualify for medical care upon reaching AGE 60 and with 20 yrs of qualifying Guard or Reserve retirement.

While you're in, you can use the new Tricare Reserve Select (TRS). If you're already retired but not yet 60, that sucks -- BUT...check w/ Tricare cause Congress was talking about a "gray-area" Tricare, which you could use in the interim period between retirement and age 60 (which would then qualify you for the Tricare for Life program.) I don't know if the interim program was approved yet by Congress & the Prez.

Not being deployed only affected getting VA care -- which requires 2 yrs of continuous Active Duty OR deployment of 90+days in combat theater. The VA system is busy enough as it is serving those who were deployed or served on Active Duty to try and take on anyone who's served just in the reserves (however, I do think you should qualify once you've done 20 good yrs -- talk to your congressperson.)

[alex]

After serving for many years I am saddened to see that the Army National Guard is disposing of it's soldiers as if they were expendable objects. Apparently all in an effort to cut cost!They are finding any excuse to get rid of soldiers, especially mid-career, thanks for your support senior leadership!

[Major Bone Doc]

From experience in going through the Disability Evaluation System, I can say that the military service and VA Disability system does seem corrupt and lackadaisical.

My Formal PEB was missing 9 months of medical records, so I saw a 40% disability rating get reduced to 0%. I was a medical officer, so was able to tell that they were screwed up.

I kept fighting though, and now have won.

Here is what I've learned:

No one will advocate you better than you.

You have to constantly push, push, push, or you will get no where.

However, if your case has merits, and you persist, including going to an IG or Congressional, you will eventually win. It could take time, but again, that is perhaps why they make it difficult.

If the system still doesn't give you what you deserve, you can also sue the government with a disability attorney.

Again, if your case has merit, an attorney will take it on a contingency. If your case is weak, an attorney will not waste his/her time. Unless they are no good.

Why would an attorney take your case for free? To get a percentage of your back pay to defray/recoup expenses. And perhaps they support our veterans, and have some compassion.

It may suck that you would have to give up a portion of your settlement.

But getting 60-80% of your back pay, and then your disability checks on a monthly continuous basis is worth it to hire an attorney.

In business, I have learned that 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

I will soon be writing articles on this subject on www.militarydisabilitycompensation.com.

Email me at BoneDoc@MilitaryDisabilityCompensation.com

I am a retired health care provider with orthopedic surgery expertise, and bonafide spine injuries. I was stymied by the system, so imagine what it can be like.

Thank you all for your service to country!

[SSG Thomas Dickey]

They teach us ETHICS and MORALS. They make dog tags and pin up posters and pictures in frames and place them in every military bldg for all to see.
Our government needs to practice what they preach.
It doesnt matter if you are for the war or not, politicians need to stand up and fight for the protectors of freedom.
Lies are being told to newly recruited soldiers about health care and benifits. I was lied to as well if this is what I face if I have a medical situation.
Our problem is; We dont stand together as one anymore. We are segregated by race, religion or it doesnt concern or affect me at this time.
We need to come together and stop the RED TAPE SYNDROM. Fire and replace those involved in the corrupt system and stop it now.

[CMCButler76]

With regards to Insider's comments of:
"Apply for a disability and you will get a denial or a minimal percentage thrown at you. If you protest and appeal, you can get it raised. But how many don't appeal or are frustrated and just give up?"

This was not my case at all. I may look OK but I had lots of small problems in various parts of my body including one that I didn't know or claim. Got 60% up front and it took me two years to get up to 70% and half that time was documentation. Most of the VA claims that are real are done with the Vet in mind. Take a look at the VA Board of appeals and you will see many examples of people (Veterans) trying to game the system. Real problems get taken care of.

Check out my articles by clicking on my name. Some good stuff on budgetting, getting fired, getting an education and life in general. You can read for free and I still get paid! Help a Vet!
Thanks!

[Insider]

But let's be brutally honest here: the DoD creates these restrictions with the intent of hoping to never have to pay out for them. Think about how much money get saved by depriving people of benefits?

Don't believe me? Think about disability benefits. Unless you're an obvious cripple or in a mental war, you're going to be waiting for a while. Maybe your disability was a bad injection of some vaccine or trauma from combat. They would rather out wait you and make you give up your fight.

Apply for a disability and you will get a denial or a minimal percentage thrown at you. If you protest and appeal, you can get it raised. But how many don't appeal or are frustrated and just give up?

They have financial analysts working on ways to save money, don't be fooled. Only when Congress steps in does the DoD and VA have to step up.

[SFC dewey petty]

What about the early retirement bill I have 38 months title 10 service from 2002-2006 that want count because they didnot make it retroactive

The bill says that for every 90 consecutive days spent mobilized, reservists will see the age-60 start for payment of annuities cut by three months. So a reservist eligible to retire who was mobilized for 18 months could begin to draw retired pay at 58-and-a-half.

The razor in the cake is the effective date. The early retirement provision applies only to mobilization periods after the bill is signed. jan 28 2007 sucks! doesn't it.

[Msg (Ret) David A Wuellner]

What about health benefits for those of us who put in over 20 years and were (through no fault of our own) never called up to active duty other than weekends and "summer camp"?

My unit was "held back" from deployment in Desert Storm because we were such a well trained TAC Hospital and might be more needed if/when the ground war was started.