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Illinois Gov Finally Does Something for Soldiers
Night Stalker
Member Posts: 11,967
Blagojevich signed laws strengthening employment rights and benefits for Illinois Guard Members and Reservists. The legislation increases employment security for Illinois Guard members and Reservists who are called to active duty.
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed four pieces of legislation granting Illinois Guard and Reserve members greater employment security and benefits equal to active duty military members.
"Our country is relying more heavily on citizen-soldiers than it has in the past, so when they are called to duty, they leave behind families and civilian jobs, and all the related obligations. We need to make sure that they can come back from service and resume their lives without difficulty," said Gov. Blagojevich.
House Bill 4660, sponsored by state Rep. Lisa Dugan (D-Kankakee) and state Sen. George Shadid (D-Pekin), strengthens employment protection for Illinois National Guard and Reserve members who are called to active duty. The new law imposes fines ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 against employers who terminate soldiers' jobs while they are serving on active duty. If the Service Member's Employment Tenure Act is violated, HB 4660 also requires employers to compensate the person called to active duty for any loss of wages or benefits, along with reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
"National Guard Members and reservists who are called to active duty to fight terrorism across the world should not have to fight for their jobs when they return home," said Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn.
Quinn was instrumental in winning approval for legislation that helps ensure military service members are informed of their rights and benefits. Senate Bill 2526, sponsored by state Sen. Patrick Welch (D-Peru) and state Rep. Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park), requires the Illinois
Department of Military Affairs to publish a document outlining the rights and responsibilities of military service members under State and Federal law. The information will be available to service members, their families and organizations that assist service members both electronically and in paper copy.
The third piece of military legislation signed today, House Bill 4372, gives Guard members the same rights when called to service by the President as they receive when the Governor calls them to service. Currently, military members are entitled to certain rights in connection with a stay, postponement, or suspension of court proceedings and a monetary credit or refund of college tuition and fees when they are called to service by the Governor. The new law now extends those same entitlements to service members called to active duty by the President. Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Peru) and Sen. Lawrence Walsh (D-Joliet) sponsored the legislation.
National Guard and Reservists members will also now have access to MIA/POW scholarships. House Bill 4491 amends the school code definition of eligible veteran or service person to include an "Illinois National Guard member" in the provision concerning MIA/POW scholarships. The change makes Guard members eligible for the scholarships if they are declared prisoners of war or missing in action, or permanently disabled from service-connected causes while on active duty or in training. Chief sponsors of House Bill 4491 are Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Troy) and Sen. Denny Jacobs (D-Moline).
"This allows for equal benefits and recognition for all Illinois service members regardless of their duty status," said Gen. Thomas. "The Guard and Reserve have played a key role in our nation's defense with more than 5,000 Illinois Citizen Soldiers answering the call to active duty in the last few years."
All bills are effective immediately.
NSDQ!
"The Lord knows the way I take, and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" JOB 23:10
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today signed four pieces of legislation granting Illinois Guard and Reserve members greater employment security and benefits equal to active duty military members.
"Our country is relying more heavily on citizen-soldiers than it has in the past, so when they are called to duty, they leave behind families and civilian jobs, and all the related obligations. We need to make sure that they can come back from service and resume their lives without difficulty," said Gov. Blagojevich.
House Bill 4660, sponsored by state Rep. Lisa Dugan (D-Kankakee) and state Sen. George Shadid (D-Pekin), strengthens employment protection for Illinois National Guard and Reserve members who are called to active duty. The new law imposes fines ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 against employers who terminate soldiers' jobs while they are serving on active duty. If the Service Member's Employment Tenure Act is violated, HB 4660 also requires employers to compensate the person called to active duty for any loss of wages or benefits, along with reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
"National Guard Members and reservists who are called to active duty to fight terrorism across the world should not have to fight for their jobs when they return home," said Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn.
Quinn was instrumental in winning approval for legislation that helps ensure military service members are informed of their rights and benefits. Senate Bill 2526, sponsored by state Sen. Patrick Welch (D-Peru) and state Rep. Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park), requires the Illinois
Department of Military Affairs to publish a document outlining the rights and responsibilities of military service members under State and Federal law. The information will be available to service members, their families and organizations that assist service members both electronically and in paper copy.
The third piece of military legislation signed today, House Bill 4372, gives Guard members the same rights when called to service by the President as they receive when the Governor calls them to service. Currently, military members are entitled to certain rights in connection with a stay, postponement, or suspension of court proceedings and a monetary credit or refund of college tuition and fees when they are called to service by the Governor. The new law now extends those same entitlements to service members called to active duty by the President. Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Peru) and Sen. Lawrence Walsh (D-Joliet) sponsored the legislation.
National Guard and Reservists members will also now have access to MIA/POW scholarships. House Bill 4491 amends the school code definition of eligible veteran or service person to include an "Illinois National Guard member" in the provision concerning MIA/POW scholarships. The change makes Guard members eligible for the scholarships if they are declared prisoners of war or missing in action, or permanently disabled from service-connected causes while on active duty or in training. Chief sponsors of House Bill 4491 are Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Troy) and Sen. Denny Jacobs (D-Moline).
"This allows for equal benefits and recognition for all Illinois service members regardless of their duty status," said Gen. Thomas. "The Guard and Reserve have played a key role in our nation's defense with more than 5,000 Illinois Citizen Soldiers answering the call to active duty in the last few years."
All bills are effective immediately.
NSDQ!
"The Lord knows the way I take, and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" JOB 23:10
Comments
And this has come to pass,not to stay.
...The downsizing of the military has been going on for the last 12 years or so. When the Soviet Union surrendered without our permission we lost the need for the huge Cold War standing military we had. To save money the military was downsized...Bush the First started it and it was carried out with near orgasmic enthusiasm during the eight years of "The Fornicater in Chief's" reign. No big deal...it's hard to keep SSBN's on station with no targets or SAC birds on alert with no targets.
...Benefits... well retirees may be doing with a little more medicare than they needed in the past but with Champus, Champus Plus and the various Tricare Plans military familyies no longer have the choice of just military hospitals for their care.
....Pay...is significantly higher for the military over the last ten years especially for enlisted(see even your main man Clinton did sign some congressional bills for the military). Last year's pay increase for me was close to 4% if I'm not mistaken and the previous year it was about the same, the year before that I think it was about 5%. Some specially targeted enlisted ranks got even more pay.
.....wounded or injured vets get an appropriate stipend for their entire lives...should the severity of the wound increase its impact on their lives it can be reevaluated and increased as appropriate. Now I'm not sure on the next one but I now believe that vets receiving a retirement no longer have to subtract their disability pay from their retirement pay...I may be wrong on this one but I believe you can now draw your retirement pay and your VA disability. My wife draws a VA disability of about $650 a month. that is hardly peanuts for a 30%. While I rate about a 40% I've always felt my pension provides me more than enough so I've never gone after the extra bucks.
....The trade off for a smaller military is longer deployments under arduous conditions....The trade off for the American taxpayer is a smaller defense budget. In light of 9/11 that did change but do you really believe the Democrats will champion a larger standing military at the expense of their various handout social programs? If you do I have this bridge I really need to sell you.
The Reserves and the National Guards HAVE been called up to take some of the current load off the active military. Yes it does impact their civilian lives for a year or two or three...but those Reservists and Guardsmen have been taking the "King's Schillings" for many many more years than that and now it happens to be the time that they have to take the "Kings chances". Most of them understand that...a vocal few complain that the war is disrupting their civilian lives......it will for a short time and then they can return to their normal life. But the key is that is the reason they do stand ready. Since the Congress and the President have decided on a smaller military it does have to do more with less...if you don't like that start petitioning your Congressman for greater defense spending........Wow talk about a screen door on a submarine!
I'm actually sorry I came down so hard on your comments, but I really get angry when I see such sweeping comments with no basis in fact...and instead being used for a political diatribe. Finally I just came back from a homecoming party for one of my former students who just returned from over a year in IRAQ.....this young PFC paints a picture of a highly motivated satisfied Regular Army that is doing the job professionally and competently and that is exceptionally proud of what it has accomplished over there. In any case I hope you now will look a little deeper before you issue sweeping indictments. Beach
NSDQ!
"The Lord knows the way I take, and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" JOB 23:10
1984 Defense Budget= $400 Billion....but that would be $800 Billion in todays dollars.
We give alot of it away to other countries as free money and equipment.
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