Alaska Teritorial Guard benefits

If you haven't heard, last week the senate voted to keep the language in the defense authorization act to keep retirement pay to the veterans who served in the Alaska Territoral Guard.

Sen. Begich press release

Sen. Murkowski press release

From Begich:

Sens. Begich and Murkowski introduced a bill providing for the pensions to be restored to the ATG members, but were also successful in getting the language into the Defense Authorization Act. Concern arose after the SAP came out questioning the pensions and stating ATG service was state service and therefore not eligible for computation of retired pay.

I happened upon this commentary about it, and thought it was a great little history about the guard, not to mention some plain facts:

Alaskan Senators Lisa Murkowski (R) and Mark Begich (D) successfully brought forth legislation to restore full retirement pay to the surviving members of the ATG who qualify, and they have sent a letter to President Obama asking him to directly intervene. The fact that this should be necessary is a disgusting travesty. The nation, and the Army in particular, owe a debt of personal honor to these men and women – and an apology.

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Remembering our veteran's today

There's not a whole lot I can say on Veteran's Day. I, like so many millions of Americans, have family and friends in Iraq, Afghanistan, or returned - or not. My cousins, my prom date, my high school classmates. What do I say to honor them?

I really can't. I've channeled my energy into what I believe would help them most this year, and that was getting the right people elected. Candidates who promise to only use our troops when absolutely neccessary.

Now that (mostly) all the campaigns have stopped, I quickly realized that was the easy part. Now, it's about making sure those officials are going to do what they promised.

To really show our veteran's we care, lets make sure they are taken care of before they leave, while they are serving, and when they come back.

It's not about putting a flag up and calling it good. Make sure the candidates we've elected are looking out for our soldiers, looking out for our veterans.