AMVETS Calls on Congress to Divert Wasteful Defense Spending to Help Ground Troops

This week, AMVETS submitted letters to Congress, calling on legislators to once-and-for-all put an end to the wasteful alternate engine program for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Over the years, both the Bush Administration and the Obama Administration have called on Congress to pull funding form the program with the support of the nation's top military minds saying that the alternate engine was unnecessary.

This year, legislators have introduced an amendment to strip the program of its funding, diverting much of the funds to the National Guard & Reserve Equipment Account, which has faced persistent shortfalls throughout the Global War on Terrorism.

AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley has sent letters of support for the amendment to legislators playing a key role in the process, such as amendment cosponsor Rep. John B. Larson (D-Conn.).

AMVETS leaders from the Department of Pennsylvania have also become involved with the issue, calling on Congressmen Chris Carney and Patrick Murphy, two veterans of the current conflicts, to support dissolving the program. AMVETS leaders have also submitted "letters to the editor" calling for an end to the program.

AMVETS posts and departments interested in becoming involved with the issue should contact AMVETS National Legislative Department for more information.

For updates on this issue and the upcoming vote in the House, check back regularly with American Veteran.

(Image: Letter to Congressman Larson voicing AMVETS' support to diverting funds from the F-35 alternate engine to finance equipment for reserve troops.)

Rep. Coffman joins the fight for USERRA equity

In April, Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.-6) introduced a piece of legislation that would close a loophole in the Uniformed Servicemembers Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA) protections for members of the National Guard and Reserve called the National Guard Employment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1879).

Under current USERRA laws, members of the Guard and Reserve only have recourse against employers if they are mobilized for active duty under Title 10 orders. However, in recent years, members of the Guard have been increasingly activated for Homeland Security missions, which fall under Title 32. Current law provides no employment protections under Title 32, which Coffman hopes to correct.

"The soldiers and airmen serving in the National Guard must have the same reemployment rights irrespective of where they are ordered to serve. We need to recognize that those who are called up for a homeland security mission can face the same hardships and challenges in trying to get their civilian employment back as someone who has been away from their civilian occupation due to an overseas assignment or some other mobilization to active duty," said Coffman in a recent statement.

On Thursday, AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley will testify before the House Committee on Veterans Affairs in support of Coffman's bill. American Veteran will be on hand to cover the hearing.

Coffman is the latest veteran serving in Congress to call for action on USERRA. Last month, Ohio Congressman John Boccieri introduced the Servicemembers Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act of 2009 (H.R. 1474) alongside Alabama Congressman Artur Davis and Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, which would allow veterans to pursue their USERRA claims on accelerated dockets within state court systems.

Both Coffman and Boccieri are featured in the latest issue of American Veteran magazine, which highlights veterans of the Iraq war elected to serve in the 111th Congress.

Sen. Bob Casey, Reps. Artur Davis and John Boccieri discuss USERRA overhaul

Earlier this month, Alabama Congressman Artur Davis and Ohio Congressman John Boccieri introduced a new bill that would overhaul the current Uniformed Servicemembers Employment & Re-employment Rights Act called the Servicemembers Access to Justice Act (SAJA, H.R. 1474).

The new law would close critical loopholes for members of the National Guard and Reserve who are unfairly discriminated against by employers. Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy introduced a companion SAJA bill in the Senate.

On Thursday, Casey, Davis, and Boccieri fielded questions from reporters across the country to explain SAJA and its potential benefits for our citizen-soldiers.

Boccieri worked to pass a similar bill while he served in the Ohio Legislature, which allowed Ohio's reserve forces to hold companies who sought to circumvent USERRA accountable for their actions.

During the call, Boccieri said that under the current law, troops can only take legal action within the federal court system--a process that can take upwards of four years to complete. Unfortunately, most are unwilling to see the process through.

"When faced with pursuing a case or putting food on the table, most people will choose the latter," said Boccieri. "They'll just walk away."

In Ohio, troops who wish to file USERRA complaints now can bring suit in the state court system on an accelerated docket. The new federal bill would present the same oppotunity for citizen-soldiers nationwide.

According to a 2006 Pentagon report, more than 11,000 troops return from combat to find that their civilian job is no longer available. More than 22,000 do not receive the pay or benefits they are entitled to through USERRA. Davis also said that countless others may not be reporting their employment issues.

During the call, Casey said that veterans have the fewest discrimination protections under current laws. He hopes that SAJA will "give USERRA teeth" when businesses shirk their legal and moral obligations.

SAJA has been referred to committee in the House, and AMVETS Legislative Director Ray Kelley is scheduled to testify in support of the Senate bill next week. Check back regularly with American Veteran online for more details, and if you have a USERRA story you would like to share, please comment below.

(Note: Rep. John Boccieri is a Major in the Air Force Reserve and a life member of AMVETS Post 44 in Youngstown, Ohio. To learn more about Boccieri, check out the Spring issue of American Veteran magazine. Photo: Rep. Boccieri sits down with American Veteran magazine in his office on Capitol Hill in February. Photo by Jay Agg.)

Pentagon to End Stop Loss

This afternoon, the Associated Press reported that defense officials will curb implementation of the controversial Stop Loss policy this summer. AP also reported that troops held past their ETS dates will be entitled to an additional $500 per month for the duration of their extended service. The new benefit, called Stop Loss Special Pay, will be retroactive for members of the military held beyond their ETS after Oct. 1, 2008.

Stop Loss is the oft-criticized military policy to hold mission-critical troops beyond their contract or retirement dates. Stop-loss is often referred to as a "backdoor draft" which is responsible for forcing thousands of troops to continue serving in the military long beyond their prescribed time in service. (It was also the subject of the controversial 2008 MTV Film "Stop Loss.")

According to a Department of Defense press release, the Army Reserve and National Guard will deploy their first Stop Loss-free units in August 2009. The active component will follow in January 2010.

Personally, I couldn't be happier to see DoD give Stop Loss the axe. During my time in the Army Reserve, I saw the ways in which the policy affected the morale of troops, both in the field and in garrison. Once Stop Loss in enacted, the sense of hopelessness can permeate well beyond the affected soldier. Their battle buddies feel the same loss of purpose and motivation when faced with a suddenly open-ended military obligation.

When my unit returned from Iraq in 2004, our MOS, civil affairs, was held under Stop Loss. Though the policy did not directly affect me, since I was still under contract, the loss of morale was palpable. Some of my closest friends--friends with ambitions of college, ambitions of a normal family life, ambitions of a civilian life--were suddenly deciding to reenlist!

Naturally, I asked why. After all, they were quite adamant about leaving the military after a rough year in Iraq. They simply told me that they had no other option. The Army was going to hold onto them anyway, so they might as well cash in on the bonus.

In no way do I intend to disparage the service of career military men and women. Nothing is more noble than to dedicate your life to serving your country. But I must ask what might have been for the men and women who epitomized the mantra "Army life is not my style," yet decided to re-up.

The military has repeatedly touted the necessity of the program over the years, saying that it was essential to the mission to retain the best and brightest. I'm happy to see that DoD has changed its tone, despite of continued operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy reiterated my thoughts in his statement on Stop Loss today:

"Stop Loss disrupts the plans of those who have serve their intended obligation. As such, it is employed only when necessary to ensure minimal staffing in deploying units, when needed to ensure safe and effective unit performance. It is more easily rationalized in the early stages of conflict when events are most dynamic; but tempo changes in this war have frustrated our efforts to end it altogether."

If you have stories of your experiences with DoD's Stop Loss policy, let us here about it!

-Ryan

(Photo: In 2007, then-Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno delivered the oath of enlistment to soldiers from 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Security Station East in Iraq. Photo by Staff Sgt. Curt Cashour, released.)