Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, Chief of the U.S. Army Reserve, visited Soldiers at Camp Taji, Iraq on Christmas day where he held an informal town hall meeting to discuss his insight and vision for the future direction of the Reserve along with proposed legislation for Reservist benefits.
Stultz, who served in the 108th Training Command (IET), covered topics such as professional development and the need to recruit the right Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) in the right geographical areas. “The Army Reserve will not return to a force that just performs battle assemblies one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer,” he said, adding that reforms to the personnel management system and retaining quality Soldiers are crucial goals for the Army Reserve.
Stultz discussed improving retirement benefits for Army Reserve Soldiers who perform increased and frequent deployments that result in long family separations just as active duty counterparts do. “Retirement benefits should be increased for both Reserve and Guard members,” Stultz told an enthusiastic crowd.
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Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, commanding general, Chief U.S. Army Reserve. Courtesy photo.
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One proposal introduced in Congress this year would allow Reservists and National Guardsmen who served in support of contingency operations since 9/11 to receive credit for mobilizations for early retirement purposes. For every 90 consecutive days that a Reservist is mobilized in a fiscal year, he or she could deduct one year from his or her retirement eligibility at the normal age of 60.
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) sponsored the National Guardsmen and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act (H.R. 208) seeking to amend Title 10, U.S. Code to “repair the gap in eligibility for National Guard and Reserve members to receive credit towards early retirement by including any active duty service since September 11th, 2001.” The bill notes that Reserve and National Guard Soldiers have fought alongside their active duty counterparts in harm’s way since 9/1, with more than 142,000 deploying more than once.
“Our National Guard and Reserve troops have distinguished themselves on the front lines of the War on Terror since September 11th, 2001,” Wilson said in a prepared press release. “Having assumed a more active duty role, Guard and Reserve members deserve to have retirement benefits that reflect the sacrifices they have made.”
Following his address, Stultz opened the floor to questions and answers providing enthusiastic dialogue and cheers from the crowd along with presenting coins to many Reservists. Topics ranged from promotions to the outcome of the NCAA football season (Stultz played collegiate football as a linebacker for Davidson College in North Carolina, graduating in 1974).
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