Here is a response from Senator Mark Dayton to the
letter I wrote to our elected officials:
April 12, 2006
Mr. Leo Pusateri
656 Roosevelt Road
Saint Cloud, Minnesota 56301
Dear Mr. Pusateri:
Thank you for contacting me about matters concerning the National Guard
and Reserve.
Since September 11, 2001, more than 370,000 reservists have been deployed overseas and domestically in defense of our nation. The reserve component comprises at least 40 percent of our current force structure in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In volunteering to serve their country, these self-sacrificing men and women have left behind their families and the many obligations of civilian life.
On January 24, 2005, I introduced S. 32, the National Guard and Reserve Bill of Rights Act of 2005. This essential legislation would expand and
improve the benefits and protections offered to members of the National
Guard and Reserve who are serving on extended active duty.
The National Guard and Reserve Bill of Rights includes provisions which
would better inform servicemembers about the facts of their deployment,
guarantee timely compensation, and provide comprehensive TRICARE health
coverage and re-enlistment bonuses. The bill would also reduce the reservist retirement age, increase funding for child-care costs, enhance
educational benefits, and create new positions within the Department of
Defense to better represent reservists' interests. Currently, S. 32 is before the Senate Committee on Armed Services, of which I am a member. I am committed to seeing this bill through the Senate I look forward to working further on these issues during the 109th Congress, which will promote the best interests of the patriotic men and women in the National Guard and Reserve.
Again, thank you for taking the time to share your views with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me again, if you have any other comments or concerns.
My best regards.
Sincerely,
Mark Dayton
United States Senator
MD:ldb
Below is my response to Senator Dayton:
Dear Senator Dayton:
I appreciate your taking the time to contact me regarding your actions to improve the benefits for our Guardsmen and Reservists who are serving so gallantly in Iraq and other theatres of battle.
As a parent of a National Guard soldier currently in Iraq, I just wanted to say that I appreciate what you are doing. Even though we are on opposite sides of the aisle politically, I appreciate your support of our troops and of their mission.
With greatest sincerity,
Leo J. Pusateri, Jr.
656 Roosevelt Road
Saint Cloud, Minnesota 56301
(Filed under heroes)
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