Friendly Forces

"There is no other military in the world that has a National Guard like us, and no other military in the world that has an NCO corps like us," he said. "These two things give us a strategic advantage over anyone who wishes to cause us harm." https://lnkd.in/exhPZHbR

"Instead of a conventional Guard or Reserve force to supplement its ranks, the Space Force is moving out on something new—a part-time Guardian force—that could become a model other services can adopt. The goal is a system in which Guardians can switch easily between full-time and part-time (and back again), enabling Guardians to take a break from service to pursue advanced degrees, gain civilian work experience in commercial space or cyber, or take time off to care for family members." https://lnkd.in/eh58imRq

"Even though employers are required to provide time off for their workers who serve in the Reserves, it can be risky in terms of advancement or job retention for many employees to be absent from their workplaces, especially during busy and demanding periods when their presence is needed. As a Reservist achieves more senior rank and greater leadership responsibilities — as Walz did — the military time commitments grow as well. That usually means fitting in Reserve-related tasks during the civilian work week and time at home with family to handle personnel and logistics issues that can’t wait until weekend duty. On top of all this, a Reservist can be called to duty with very little notice. In the case of the National Guard that can mean days or weeks of duty in support of natural disaster relief efforts such as the hurricanes that devastated the Southeast this fall. Too often this service — and sacrifice — places substantial stress on marriages and other relationships, leading to conflict and even divorces that result from Reservists’ repeated and sometimes unexpected obligations that take them away from home and family. Reserve duty certainly doesn’t shield a member from combat." https://lnkd.in/eNjHHSCa

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New Defense Department initiative would recruit Silicon Valley’s top technical minds to join the reserves as officers https://lnkd.in/eEtDcnGz

A provision in the House-passed version of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070) would increase the paid military leave cap from 15 days to 20 days. And new legislation introduced this week by Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Rob Wittman, R-Va., would expand the benefit’s availability even further. The Supporting Federal Employees in the National Guard and Reserves Act (H.R. 9910) would increase the maximum military leave an employee may take in connection with their part-time service to 36 days, which corresponds to the minimum number of days that members of the National Guard and reserves are required to serve—14 days of annual training plus one weekend each month. “Our brave guardsmen and reservists often leave their homes and families to remain prepared to support our communities during an emergency, train to serve their country?or when called into full-time service,” Spanberger said in a statement. “These heroes serve at great personal cost—and should not have to further sacrifice in support of the mission. I’ve heard firsthand of the extra burden shouldered by federal employees who often contribute their personal PTO and sick leave to fulfill their duties.” https://lnkd.in/e6G-up2k

Not a good look CF Industries https://lnkd.in/emeUmJ_B

As I said on a call recently to an organization that was interested in learning how they could do more for the military community, "if you want to support the military, SUPPORT THE MILITARY. You have people in your own workforce that get penalized for serving." The military, particularly the Guard and Reserve, sustain us as a country--not just in war or as a strategic deterrent, but on the homefront during domestic emergencies. I hope these service members work for employers that understand the importance of their service for us all. https://lnkd.in/eQVxtQ5V.

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The article discusses a proposed bill aimed at addressing a coverage gap for National Guard and Reserve members regarding their eligibility for Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. Currently, these individuals are only eligible for VA healthcare if they have been activated for federal service. The proposed legislation seeks to extend VA healthcare eligibility to Guard and Reserve members who have completed initial training and remain in good standing, regardless of activation status. The bill aims to ensure that these service members have access to the healthcare benefits they deserve. https://lnkd.in/exXrXp_x