In shaping legislation authorizing and funding National Guard pay, personnel, educational, and medical benefits the text of legislation emerging from the Armed Services Committees and Defense Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate at the Committee level and in legislation composed in private in Committees of Joint Conference is edited or otherwise influenced and shaped by bodies of staff personnel having no history of service in the National Guard. This has operated to the prejudice of the National Guard in denying legislation needed to establish programs providing greater parity of benefits with the active forces and needed health care for serving and retired National Guard members and their families. Quite simply, the National Guard needs to have experienced National Guard veterans participating in professional staff discussions within those committees that shape authorization and appropriations legislation affecting the National Guard.