NCNGA Weekly Guardsman for May 14, 2020

May 14, 2020

 

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Armed Forces Benefit Association


 IN THIS EDITION:

NGAUS Applauds Bill to Provide Health Coverage to Guardsmen after COVID-19 Missions NGAUS 
Update! Tax Free Military Pension Call to Action! Contact Your North Carolina Representative and Senator. NCNGA 
AFBA/NGAUS Scholarship Now Accepting Applications NGAUS 
EANGUS Providing Emergency Relief to Current or Former Guard Soldiers & Airmen EANGUS 
COVID-19 Products Offered to National Guard Members, Retirees NCNGA 
A new Bradley? The Next Generation Combat Vehicle becomes the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle. FAS 
The Sergeant Major of the Army Shares His Reading list. Green Notebook 
College Within Reach 2020: Applications Are Open NCNGA 
May 14th — Today in Guard History National Guard 


NGAUS Applauds Bill to Provide Health Coverage to Guardsmen after COVID-19 Missions NGAUS 

WASHINGTON (May 13, 2020) — The voice of nearly 45,000 current and former National Guard officers is applauding a new Senate bill that would provide Guard soldiers and airmen with transitional medical coverage after they demobilize from COVID-19 missions.

Introduced today by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., the Support our National Guard Act would provide Guardsmen and their families with six months of TRICARE medical coverage after they leave federal Title 32 active duty.

TRICARE is the U.S. military’s health care delivery system. It functions similar to private medical plans. Guardsmen on federal orders in increments of more than 30 days and their families currently have access to the coverage.

They and their families receive transitional medical care for six months after an overseas assignment to help cope with possible post-deployment health issues, but the law governing domestic missions has no requirement for such coverage.

“These soldiers and airmen have been on the front lines of the worst public health crisis in more than a century,” said retired Brig. Gen. J. Roy Robinson, the NGAUS president. “It would be unconscionable to send them home to their families without medical coverage.

“Active-component personnel coming off the same front lines have coverage, and rightly so,” he added. “All we are asking is that we treat Guardsmen the same way.”

Read more…

Update! Tax Free Military Pension Call to Action! Contact Your North Carolina Representative and Senator. NCNGA 

UPDATE! Last week the Association asked you to contact your NC State Senator and Representative. Some of you did and have received some feedback. While this effort is definetly impacted by COVID 19 focus, there is momentum for this effort and if there is no movement over the next few weeks the momentum will carry over to a tentative late summer session and next years session.

As the NC State legislature returns to session at the end of this month, the focus will rightfully be enacting legislation in response to COVID-19. However, there is pending legislation in both the NC Senate and House that could be moved forward during this session. Senate Bill 188 and House Bill 650 provide state tax exemption for all federal military pensions and military retiree survivor benefits.
To find you NC Representative and Senator visit https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators and enter your address. When you click on the name of your NC Representative or Senator, you will see their email, mailing address, and phone number. You can use the attached example for an email, written letter, or phone script when you contact your legislator.
While this legislation being approved during this session is not guaranteed, what is guaranteed is that it will not get approved if the legislators do not hear directly from their constituents. This is not only the sentiment of the Association, but also the direct statement of a number of elected officials who support this legislation.
Your Association is working closely with other organizations in this effort. However, it is your individual voice that will make the difference in this effort.

Click the links below to download the letters for your House Representative and your Senator:
Tax Exemption Form email House
Tax Exemption Form email Senate

Feel free to contact me at Larry@ncnga.org if you have any questions.

AFBA/NGAUS Scholarship Now Accepting Applications NGAUS 

NGAUS Active Life Members and their dependents are eligible to apply for the AFBA (Armed Forces Benefit Association)/NGAUS scholarship, awarding two applicants, each with a $5,000 scholarship.

Now accepting applications through June 1, 2020.

Scholarship Application

Not a NGAUS Life Member? Become one today.

Please feel free to contact membership@ngaus.org with any questions you may have about the NGAUS and AFBA Scholarship or NGAUS Life Membership.

EANGUS Providing Emergency Relief to Current or Former Guard Soldiers & Airmen EANGUS 

The Enlisted Association of the United States (EANGUS), through its We Care Foundation will be establishing grants to provide emergency relief to current of former National Guard Soldiers or Airmen. These grants are for those experiencing financial hardship due to a loss of income or an increased financial burden due to COVID-19.

Full details can be found here.

COVID-19 Products Offered to National Guard Members, Retirees NCNGA 

Correction Enterprises of NC DPS is making these PPE and cleaning items available to current National Guard Servicemembers and retirees. Items must be picked up at their Yonkers road location.

A new Bradley? The Next Generation Combat Vehicle becomes the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle. FAS 

Laying out priorities for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle that could replace the Bradley, survivability is the most important element of design, the Army told interested industry representatives. Mobility, the ability to upgrade, capabilities and weight were also high on the list of what the Army wants. The vehicle’s mission will be detecting and destroying targets while staying out of reach of enemy weapons.

Read the full report…

The Sergeant Major of the Army Shares His Reading list. Green Notebook 

Recently, I spoke with the Sergeant Major of the Army about COVID-19 and the challenges and opportunities we are facing right now as an Army and a Nation. He highlighted that now is the time to reassess our goals and set new ones. One of your goals might be to read a book or two during this time. Goals are important and they are even more important now, as we all deal with the necessary restrictions to stop the
spread.

We spoke again this week and he shared his reading list with me. He found that reading has helped him grow professionally and as a person. SMA Grinston also shared that reading helps him take a mental break from the day-to-day stressors of life. He even says that if he wasn’t a reader, he wouldn’t be the Sergeant Major of the Army.

Read more…

College Within Reach 2020: Applications Are Open NCNGA

The College Within Reach 4-H National Mentoring Program focuses on building relationships and college and workforce preparedness for military-connected youth between the ages of 12-17. Participants will be matched with mentors who share common experiences and interests while exploring topics such as college and career readiness, college application processes, academic and career goal setting, and creating sustainable plans leading to long-term success!

To find more detailed information regarding the College Within Reach program, participants can visit our program website.

Follow the links below to fill out an application for various roles in the College Within Reach Program.

Mentor and Site Liaison Application | Mentor and Parent Application

If your constituents would like more information you can refer them to the Program Manager, Cam Rutledge, at collegewithinreachnc@ncsu.edu or 919.513.2703.T

May 14th — Today in Guard History National Guard 

1945
Mindanao Island, Philippines – Elements of Florida’s 124th Infantry, 31st Infantry Division (AL, FL, LA, MS) repel several Japanese “banzi” suicidal attacks. The 31st Division, nicknamed “Dixie” first entered combat in World War II when, in March 1944, it took part in the fighting in New Guinea. Elements of it made an assault landing on near Aitape causing a diversion of Japanese defenders while the main portion of the division landed at Maffin Bay almost unopposed. The 31st then moved to secure Morotai Island, cutting off 40,000 enemy soldiers based on Halmahera Island from reinforcements and supply from the Philippines. By the time the 31st landed on Mindanao it was a veteran division and proved its metal when it captured a Japanese airfield at Valencia, which led to the banzi attacks as fanatical Japanese soldiers tried in vain to recapture it. The men of the ‘Dixie Division’ were still fighting in the mountains of the island when the war ended in August 1945. During the course of the war the division suffered 414 men killed in action with another 1,400 wounded and it had one member awarded the Medal of Honor.

Read More…

 

 

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