NO WORK, NO PAY FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD There’s a $101M shortfall in the National Guard Personnel, Army Appropriation budget. According to National Guard Bureau, Spokesman Captain John Fesler. What does this mean? According to Colonel Tim Powell with the Mississippi National Guard, drill training for this weekend has been postponed. With no drill, there’s no pay, leaving nearly 9,000 Mississippi National Guardsmen waiting to see what’s next. Captain Fesler, says the budget shortfall is due to higher-than-normal expenditure rates, fewer mobilizations, higher-than-planned training attendance and high passing rates at schools. None were willing or available to go on camera to explain to Mississippi’s service men and women why they will possibly not be getting paid. In the meantime, we’re told the Department of Defense is expected to ask congress to re-allocate funds to cover the costs of drill training. Instead of going on camera, several state leaders commented on this issue via written statement: “The budget constraints facing the Defense Department overall demonstrate why the House and Senate need to complete the defense authorization and appropriations bills as soon as possible. As vice chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Senator Cochran has been instrumental in crafting legislation that would fund operations, training and readiness for the National Guard above President Obama’s budget request.” – Chris Gallegos, Senator Thad Cochran’s spokesman “The Governor has been in contact with Adjutant General Leon Collins and Mississippi’s Congressional delegation regarding the postponement of the Mississippi National Guard exercises. They are working together to ensure federal budget shortfalls do not prevent our 9,000 guardsmen from completed planned exercises this month, and receiving the compensation they are due.” – Nicole Webb, Spokesman for Gov. Phil Bryant “I was recently made aware that the National Guard Bureau currently faces a funding shortfall in their Military Pay and Allowances (MPA) account that will affect Drill weekends scheduled for the beginning of this month. I have been told that this nationwide Army National Guard funding shortfall has been caused by higher than anticipated participation rates in units, a decrease of planned deployments/mobilizations and an increase in initial training for new soldiers. I anticipate that the National Guard Bureau will be submitting a reprogramming request to House and Senate Armed Services Committees very soon, which will move funds from other accounts to cover the MPA shortfall. I hope this request will be transmitted as soon as possible to ensure additional Drills are not affected. It disappoints me that this nationwide funding shortfall will affect the men and women of the Mississippi National Guard, but am optimistic that this unfortunate event will be handled with urgency.” – Congressman Gregg Harper “The situation facing our National Guard is exactly why Congress needs to pass the ‘National Defense Authorization Act’ (NDAA) and defense appropriations before the end of the fiscal year. The Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the House of Representatives have all done their parts. It is time for the full Senate to follow suit. Harry Reid should bring NDAA and the military funding bill to the Senate floor without further delay.” – Senator Roger Wicker
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 22:52:04 +0000
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