Pennsylvania Bill Would Give Employers Tax Credit for Hiring National Guard Members
Hoping to incentivize employers to hire Pennsylvania National Guard members, state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery/Berks) introduced a bill to provide a $1,000 tax credit to employers who hire them. “The Pennsylvania National Guard is recognized as one of the finest National Guards in the nation, and it’s largely made up of part-time members who work […]
National Guard Units in 7 States Have Held onto Confederate Streamers Despite a Deadline to Turn Them In
Army National Guard units with a Civil War-era lineage were ordered to relinquish any Confederate battle streamers from their guidons, but more than 100 of the streamers have yet to be recovered a week after the deadline. At least 48 mostly southern National Guard units were directed in March to strip their guidons of rebel […]
Nebraska National Guard Troops Who Were Sent to Border Expected to Return Home This Week
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced Saturday that the Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers who were sent to the U.S.- Mexico border last month to aid authorities in efforts to counter immigration and drug trafficking are expected to return home Friday. The 61 soldiers have been stationed there since Aug. 2 to provide “additional observation and reporting near the border” to assist Texas law enforcement involved in Operation […]
Texas National Guard Member Fires Across Rio Grande, Wounds Mexican Citizen
“Texas National Guard member fires across Rio Grande, wounds Mexican citizen” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to […]
Alaska Soldier Charged with Murder of National Guard Wife Who Disappeared
A soldier in Alaska has been charged with murder after the body of his missing wife — also a member of the Army — was discovered in a storm drain in Anchorage near an apartment the two shared, according to local media reports. Zarrius Hildabrand, 21, was arrested Friday and charged with first- and second-degree […]
Pentagon Activates National Guard, Sends Helicopters to Aid in Deadly Hawaii Fires
The Pentagon announced that it has sent a number of troops and military helicopters to Hawaii to assist in rescue-and-recovery efforts in the wake of devastating wildfires that swept through the island of Maui. “As of this morning, the National Guard has activated 134 National Guard personnel — 99 from the Army National Guard and […]
More Republican Governors Deploy National Guard Troops to Texas Border
The Republican governors of Oklahoma, West Virginia and Nebraska this week joined a growing list of those deploying National Guardsmen to the U.S.-Mexico border to bolster the ranks of the Texas National Guard’s scandal-scarred mission. The roster now includes at least 13 Republican governors who collectively made pledges to send roughly 1,300 Guardsmen to the […]
Army National Guard Halts Payments for Soldier Student Loans After Funding Snafu
The Army National Guard has ceased payments to soldiers for student loan debt as the service component faces unforeseen funding issues, and officials have no timeline for when the problem may be resolved. The issue is isolated within the Student Loan Repayment Program, or SLRP — one of the key incentives for joining the part-time […]
US Military’s Recruiting Woes Are a National Security Crisis
America’s armed services are failing to meet their recruiting goals, with the Army in particular suffering the worst shortfalls in five decades. There are many reasons behind this, but one is very surprising: veterans themselves. Recent reporting and anecdotal evidence indicate the likelihood that children of service members will sign up, or be urged to […]
Army National Guard Can’t Retain Enough Soldiers, Even as Active Duty Meets Goals
It was a celebratory moment for the Army in April when it hit its retention goal for the fourth year in a row. The achievement signaled that, despite a historic recruiting slump, once soldiers are in, they like the service and tend to stay. “I do love our soldiers. They joined a great team, and […]