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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Feb 9, 2012 - 5:06:14 PM |
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Blackantehm Military News
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| 1st Lt. Jeremy Degier, Sgt. 1st Class Mark Swedeen, Chief Warrant Officer Jason Wright and Sgt. 1st. Class Andrew Carrillo (not pictured) were Soldiers from B. Co. 2-211 who were awarded Bronze Stars during the official welcome home ceremony on Sept. 23. The unit was mobilized in March of 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mobilization training was conducted at Ft. Hood, Texas where they joined over 600 soldiers from Utah, Nebraska, Florida, Arkansas and Colorado, along with individual ready-reservists to form the 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion. U.S. Army photo by Minnesota National Guard. |
ST PAUL, Minnesota - The Minnesota Army National Guard's 1/34th BCT was extended in January 2007 for a period of 125 days; as a result, Soldiers of the 1/34th BCT were on orders longer than any unit in the US Military -- Active, Guard, or Reserve -- in either OIF or OEF. The Army cut orders to account for this extension. Inexplicably 1,338 orders reflected a 730-day duty period; and 1,162 orders reflected a period shorter than 730 days. 730 days (2 years) is the cut-off point for a higher level of Montgomery GI Bill benefits.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
* If a Soldier served 730 days or more, they can then choose to make a $1,200 payment upon returning from active duty and receive $894 per month while going to school full-time. This benefit is "portable" for ten years, meaning that it is accessible after the service member leaves the military. This category of benefit is called "Chapter 30" of the Montgomery GI Bill.
* If a Soldier served 729 days or less, they are entitled to the Reserved Education Assistance Program (REAP). Full-time students under REAP receive $660 per month. While the Soldiers don't have to make any payment, this benefit is not "portable" -- once military service ends, the benefit ends. This category of benefit is called "Chapter 1607" of the Montgomery GI Bill.
* The difference in the benefit is $234 per month.
WHAT'S THE REAL ISSUE HERE? Minnesota National Guard Soldiers were extended and asked to perform duty that exceeded the expectations of Active Component Soldiers, but are not being provided Active Component benefits.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES THIS REALLY AFFECT? Bottom line: More than half of the Soldiers eligible for the Chapter 30 benefits enroll for it. When the Minnesota National Guard was alerted to this discrepancy while Soldiers were "demobilizing" at Ft. McCoy, Wisc., 2,703 National Guard Soldiers received the Montgomery GI Bill briefing. Of those 2,703:
* 715 were eligible for the Chapter 30 Benefits
* 376 (52%) chose to pay the $1,200 and receive the benefits
* 147 (21%) chose not to pay for $1,200 and did not want to receive the benefits (the still are entitled to REAP)
* 192 (27%) chose to wait 120 days (end of November) to decide
SO WHAT HAS THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD DONE FOR IT'S SOLDIERS? Major General Larry Shellito, Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard, has asked the Secretary of the Army Geren to conduct an Army Board for Corrections of Military Records (Attached) to rectify the length of the orders.
STATEMENT FROM THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD, ATTRIBUTABLE TO MAJOR GENERAL LARRY W. SHELLITO, THE ADJUTANT GENERAL: "These Soldiers were the victims of a significant injustice when their January 2007 extension amendments reflected fewer than 730 days ordered to duty, yet they performed the same or longer period of duty as their 1,338 Minnesota Army National Guard comrades whose orders were amended to read 730 days. This inequity is significant in that the Soldiers victimized by the issue are not entitled to Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill benefits, which provides enhanced monthly benefit rates and is portable for ten tears following departure from the service. Chapter 1607 Reserve Education Assistance Program, or REAP, benefits do not carry these attractive features.
I believe that all of my Soldiers who served 20 consecutive months or longer in Active Duty as part of the 1/34th Brigade Combat Team's Extended mobilization should be entitled to the same set of benefits for their dedicated service to the Nation. My staff and I have been working to resolve this issue through the National Guard Bureau, the Department of the Army, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and elected officials since we first discovered this inequity in July 2007.”
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