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Town Hall Tackles Guard Issues Amid Pandemic

COVID-19 Response
COVID-19 Response
Washington Report

As COVID-19 continues to batter the American economy, officials are worried about the impact on National Guard soldiers and airmen.

Those concerns arose during a special town hall hosted by the Association of Defense Communities and Blue Star Families. The event’s panel of experts included retired Col. Mike Hadley, the NGAUS director of legislative programs,

The Thursday town hall, hosted online at covid19militarysupport.org, sought to answer questions from Guardsmen and their families about issues related to the ongoing pandemic. Almost 37,000 are currently activated to help states and territories respond to the coronavirus outbreak, with many serving on the front lines of efforts to contain the virus.

Topics ranged from a description of essential personnel and potential aid to the testing of Guardsmen possibly exposed to the coronavirus.

A major concern was whether the downshift in the economy will result in more Guardsmen being out of work in their civilian jobs and an increase in claims under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, better known as USERRA.

A recent survey conducted by the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs found that 13% of Guardsmen surveyed had seen a reduction in their work hours. Another 6% reported they had been laid off or furloughed.

“It’s something we’re watching very carefully,” Hadley said. “I think it stands to reason that [Guardsmen] will be susceptible to that, particularly as a lot of businesses are laying people off nationally.”

Hadley said NGAUS was working closely with officials to ensure Guardsmen are taken care of and not taken advantage of during these difficult times.

Other issues, such as food security and childcare, are also putting additional stress on Guardsmen and their families.

“We’ve seen what we’ve started to call the trifecta, where the drill pay has been pushed, the member lost their job and their spouse lost their job,” said Brian Garrett, the deputy director of military affairs for the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs. “Unlike our active-duty counterparts, Guard and Reserve don’t receive the same benefits.”

The Guard is providing nearly 75% of the U.S. service members performing missions in direct response to the virus.