109th Congress Must Unite for Reserve & National Guard Members Our leadership Must Support Reservists, National Guard, including their families, surviving spouses and as Disabled Veterans!

Reservist stress and rigors In example, the state of Oregon’s citizen soldiers are responding to the ‘War on Terror’ mission’s call. More than 700 of their National Guard are in Iraq. Total number by late fall or early winter will be 1,300. This out of its 6,300 Army National Guard members, often called on for other deployments. Congress must lead on assuring equity of treatment for our Reservists, disabled veterans and their surviving spouses.

OBJECTIVE: Unity! All Congressional Delegates SHOULD support this cost-neutral legislation giving measured increased “Space Available” privileges on military aircraft for drilling reservists tied to service, and to retirees, disabled veterans and surviving spouse and dependents.

Under-utilized Resource for Reward & Reservist/NG Retention: Post Cold War, current and projected Reservist/NG duty isn’t reflected in ‘Space A’ privileges for active or retired Reservists – which remain the same as in the Cold War. The THEN much less active Cold War Reservist/NG mission appropriately earned limited travel privileges to CONUS without dependents for Reservist/NGs. Originally, Space Available Travel on military aircraft was to give respite from rigors of Active Duty and reward military retirees’ careers also marked by rigorous duty. These fly OCONUS, that is, to Overseas destinations.

Legislation is Needed To Tie Increasing Privileges To Years: Reserve & National Guard (NG) years of service and privilege earned: Under 6 Years Service: Current Reservist/NG privileges – CONUS only. Over 6 Years & Reserve/NG Unit Member: Add dependents to above – CONUS only. Over 15 years & Reserve/NG Unit Member: Active Duty member privilege – OCONUS/CONUS. Retired Reserve/NG: Active Duty Retiree privilege. 50%-plus DAV: Active Duty Retiree privilege. Surviving spouses of eligible members: Retain or convert privilege to that of retiree. (See more detailed definitions on following slides)

Under 6 Years Reserve/NG: Current privileges – CONUS only. Presently, Reservist/NGs have only the domestic ‘space available’ flight privileges without their dependents in the U.S. and its possessions. This would not change in the first 6-years. Reserve/NGs under 6-years have no prior service and are in their first term of enlistment. Adding to this basic privilege after 6 years will provide additional incentive to extend.

Over 6 Years Reserve/NG & Unit Member: Add dependents to above – CONUS only. Adding dependants transforms this into a family benefit that recognizes their sacrifice. Flights in the United States and its possessions (CONUS) with dependents for Active Duty (AD) and Active Duty retirees is now being tested. The test only to includes family of AD and AD retirees. Limiting to this addition for reserve/NGs after 6 years to this. Encourages continued drilling unit membership. It also ‘wets’ the reservist family’s appetite of family for future improved benefit to follow.

Over 15 years & Unit Member: Active Duty member privilege – OCONUS/CONUS. This adds overseas destinations to the Reserve/NG and his family, who is still satisfactorily participating in a unit at 15 years and beyond. Privilege would be same as Active Duty Member, that is Category 3. This enhances ability to make a flight with the higher category or priority flying privilege.

Retired: Active Duty Retiree privilege. This is for the Reserve/NG who chooses to retire after 20 or more, good years of service in the Reserves. This fulfills the “Total Force” doctrine, showing current Reservists members that they will be treated with equal dignity in their retirements. Presently this level of privilege comes only after age 60. Reserve retirees under 60 can presently only fly CONUS without dependents.

50%-plus DAV: Active Duty Retiree privilege The Reserve/NG, INDEED ALL military members upon yielding the sacrifice of their health and well-being to freedom’s cause, deserve to be honored in this manner. Reserve/NGs need to know that if they become disabled they will have an active, honored membership in the military community.

Surviving spouses of eligible members Presently, surviving spouses lose any space-a privileges they enjoyed when their spouses were alive – regardless of that spouse’s status while alive, Active component or Reserve/NG. Granting surviving spouses retirees privileges would assure Reservist/NGs, Active Duty, retirees and DAVs that their spouses will not be expected to lose a quality of life enhancement simply because of their death.

Cost Neutral Fairness and Reward: There simply are no valid economic or operational justifications to reject these suggested benefits for Reservist/NGs, Disabled American Veterans, or their Surviving Spouses. The Department of Defense opposes virtually all adjustments to their Space-A policies. However the prime focus should be ‘user to eligible’ ratios. Actual levels of travel will not impact operations. The recent test on CONUS flying with dependents demonstrated the exaggerative nature of Department of Defense assumptions on space-a travel privilege expansions’ impact. These no-cost changes have too much to offer in retention and recruiting to ignore other than for well documented objections.

Member of the 109th Congress We urge you to support… …that Congress direct the Department of Defense to revise subparagraph (d) to paragraph 4-5 of DoD Regulation 4515.13-R and to reflect these needed reforms that will introduce parity and reward appropriate to Select Reservists, 50% DAVs, Reserve Retirees and Surviving spouses of all these. Questions? Contact BY CLICKING HERE