My son Doug informs me that he and approximately 4,000 of his National Guard brethren have been given short shrift.
In case you didn't know, Doug was among the 4,000 (actually, 2000+--ed) troops who just returned from a 22-month tour (16 months in theatre) of Iraq. Not only were they the longest serving unit in the conflict thus far--period-- the professionalism of these men moved Michael Yon to write:
We met up with members of the Minnesota National Guard during one of the stops on the patrol. I don’t know what the Minnesota soldiers were eating for breakfast, but the first thing that Marine Sergeant Major O’Connell said about the Minnesota National Guard was something to the effect that this was the best bunch he’d ever seen. I had to clear my ears and ask him to repeat that. I seemed to have had an auditory hallucination, because high praise coming from a Marine Sergeant Major in Anbar province, who knows what competent troops are, just didn’t seem right when it was heaped on the Army. When I asked for clarification, Sergeant Major O’Connell not only stood by it, but he started listing the reasons why this particular Minnesota National Guard unit deserves special recognition.
Any notion that a Marine Sergeant Major was giving the unit high praise as a gesture of respect for an Army colleague was quickly disabused by Mellinger when he added that Sergeant Major Howard, the top enlisted Marine in Iraq, had also extended congratulations. Mellinger said he was going to contact the CSM of the National Guard to make sure it was known how highly regarded these soldiers are by the people who have come to rely upon their effectiveness in one of the most dangerous outposts in the world. The Minnesota soldiers stood there so quietly that CSM Mellinger must have thought they didn’t believe him. With characteristic bluntness, Mellinger assured them of the veracity of the praise he was relaying, by saying something like, “I’m too old to blow smoke.” Mellinger affirmed that this was honestly the highest congratulations he could confer. In my experience of having seen CSM Mellinger interface with, say, fifty different units during the month total I’ve spent with him, be they Marines, soldiers, sailors, Special Forces or Air Force, I have never seen him give an endorsement like the one he extended to the Minnesota National Guard. If the citizens of Minnesota should be faced with some calamity, I’d say the Governor can rest assured that the state has an able posse.
Despite their tour being extended by over 120 days, the fighting Red Bulls continued to discharge their duties with the highest degree of professionalism, and without complaint. Now they are home, and our elected officials have been quick to pay homage and have given lip service that they deserve our full measure of support to help them re-integrate into civilian life.
As Minnesota State Representative Bob Dettmer wrote,
Over the next few weeks over 2,600 Minnesota National Guard Troops will be returning home from their tours of duty in Iraq. We most certainly owe these brave young men and women our sincerest thanks and gratitude for their commitment and service to our country. As we welcome them home to their families and friends, the transition back to civilian life can be difficult for some of these soldiers.
As a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, a parent to two sons who have served, and veteran myself this issue is of particular importance to me. In preparation for the large number of troops returning home, the legislature passed a number of bills appropriating money for reintegration programs, veteran outreach programs, and the creation of a Minnesota GI bill that builds upon the federal GI bill and aims to help our vets continue their college education. These young men and women have put their lives on the line to serve our country, and they deserve our full support when the return home.
Now I don't for one second doubt the veracity of Rep. Dettmer's intentions toward our returning Minnesota heroes. But what I'm about to report can only lead one to shake one's head in wonderment as to the motivation behind the travesty.
Specifically, in order for National Guardsmen to receive the level of benefits of the Montgomery G.I. bill, commensurate with those in the "regular" branches of service (i.e., Army, Marines, etc.,) the rules state that Guardsmen need to be on active duty for 799 consecutive days, with 20 months of active duty time spent in a combat-related mission. Despite the fact that Doug and his compatriots spent 22 months in a combat related mission, their orders specified 798 days, just one day short of the number of days required to receive full benefits!!
Yes--despite the fact that the Red Bulls served longer tours than any other outfit, including regular Army and Marines, they will NOT get the same level of benefits as their counterparts in the "regular" branches of service, because their orders were for one day less than the required amount! This appears a bit too convenient to say that it was a mere oversight that just happened to affect over 4,000 (correction--2,000--ed) of our best and bravest!
They were told upon their return in July that this situation would be addressed, but they have yet to hear anything regarding a resolution to the matter.
This comes at a time when many of them are just beginning to attend college and technical college.
Doug is attending Alexandria Techincal College for Law Enforcement, and finds himself in a bind (along with other servicemen and women). Specifically, they are now required to pay tuition, and must choose a program to help pay for books, etc., things that the military normally helps to pay.
If Doug accepts the lesser plan, but later finds out that he would indeed have been eligible for Chapter 30, he will not be able to change plans!
To reiterate what Representative Bob Dettmer said, "These young men and women have put their lives on the line to serve our country, and they deserve our full support when they return home."
Yes, our Minnesota heroes deserve our full measure of appreciation and support. They do NOT deserve to be bogged down in bureaucratic red tape and "clever" accounting shenanigans!
I call on all who hold Minnesota's heroes in high esteem to contact your state legislators and U.S. congressmen to enact an expeditious solution to this grievous miscarriage of justice.
Our young Minnesota men and women who have sacrificed so much in selfless service to our nation deserve better.
Much better.
***UPDATE****The latest update (and good news)
here.
