Legislative

On March 15, 2024, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall approved Legislative Proposal 480.  This proposal would give the Secretary the full authority to transfer Air National Guard Airmen and units performing space missions into the US Space Force without any approval of the governors that serve as the commander in chief of those Airmen.  The exact verbiage of the proposal states “Such transfer shall occur without regard to section 104 of title 32, United States Code, or section 18238 of title 10, United States Code.”  The two specific sections of law referenced are the code that has established the command structure of the National Guard that has existed for years.  This code clearly states the requirement to have a governor’s consent to an transfer of the National Guard force structure in their state.  By including this in the proposal, the Secretary has circumvented the legal authority that has been given to the states. 

Support the Healthcare for Our Troops Act, H.R. 4221, and the Dental Care for Our Troops Act, S. 2046 / H.R. 4420.

Healthcare for the Soldiers and Airmen of the National Guard has been a top priority for the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS) for years now.  EANGUS has been one of the loudest, strongest voices for over a decade for equitable healthcare options for the National Guard; through the creation of Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) to the modern fight of Tricare For All.  In that time, a continued fight has existed to ensure that dual status Technicians and their families should be eligible to enroll in Tricare Reserve Select.  Enlistment into the military comes with job related benefits of service that are all designed to ensure we maintain the strongest, most capable fighting force in the world.  Dual status Technicians are one set of heroes that work continually behind the scenes to ensure the National Guard is “Always Ready, Always There”.  Without their support, daily military actions, maintenance, training, and readiness do not get accomplished.  These Guardsmen, however, remain unable to enroll in Tricare Reserve Select, despite enlisting into service as a benefit, due to a federal law related to Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB).  

The Army National Guard has halted Student Loan Repayment. Due to “unforeseen funding issues,” The Army National Guard has ceased paying soldiers for student loan debt. The funding issue is currently isolated within the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). It’s unclear whether the service component has notified the more expansive force about the payment holdups. 

The Federal student loan repayment program permits agencies to repay federally insured student loans as a recruitment or retention incentive. The average student loan debt for a college graduate in the United States is $30,000. This can be a significant financial burden, especially for young servicemembers starting their careers.

The Army National Guard offers several student loan repayment programs to help servicemembers repay their debt. These programs can provide a significant amount of financial assistance, which can help servicemembers improve their financial security and achieve their financial goals.

The Department of the Air Force has put forward a legislative proposal (LP 480) which seeks to forcibly transfer Air National Guard units performing space missions into the U.S. Space Force without consent of affected governors.

Support S. 2307 and H.R. 3392, the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2023, to maintain the existing 25 ANG fighter squadrons with a minimum of 18 primary aircraft each.