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Guard families applaud Pawlenty proposals
by Laura McCallum, Minnesota Public Radio
December 3, 2004

Gov. Pawlenty's plan would create a "Support Our Troops" license plate to provide funding for programs that support military members and veterans. (MPR Photo/Laura McCallum)

Gov. Pawlenty is proposing a series of initiatives to help military members and veterans. He says the $18 million package is a top priority, even as the state faces a projected $700 million budget deficit. Some National Guard members and their families say the governor's proposed benefits would be a major incentive for military members.

St. Paul, Minn. — Minnesota leads the nation in National Guard recruiting and retention. But as more and more Guard members are called up for active duty, often overseas, state officials say they want to make sure that guard benefits keep pace with the demands.

More than 2,000 of Minnesota's 13,000 Guard members are currently on active duty, serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Gov. Pawlenty says the state should provide incentives for them.

	Allows him to "develop a future"

"In these challenging times, we need to do more to express appreciation and give encouragement to our military members and their families," he said.

Pawlenty is proposing that the state reimburse 100 percent of tuition costs for Guard members in post-secondary programs. Right now, tuition reimbursement is 80 percent. Pawlenty also wants to provide re-enlistment bonuses of $1,000 a year, and make some tax changes that benefit Guard members and reservists.

The commander of the Minnesota National Guard, Gen. Larry Shellito, says Gov. Pawlenty heard the concerns of Guard members when he visited troops in Bosnia and Kosovo.

"Loud and clearly he heard that; 'what about us in the mid-career? What's the incentive for us to stay?' And what we're learning now with the deployments is: their leadership is going to be critical," according to Shellito.

The package doesn't address the salary and health care concerns many Guard members have expressed. Some take a pay cut while they're on active duty, and they switch to a military health plan, which can be disruptive for family members. Pawlenty says the state pays the difference between state employees' salaries and their Guard pay, but it doesn't mandate that the private sector do the same.

	Gov. Tim Pawlenty

Still, the governor's proposal is being applauded by some Guard members' families. Karen Santiano-Francis of Harris says her husband, Steve, is being deployed again for the second time in as many years. She thinks the state should provide some tax benefits and 100 percent tuition reimbursement for Guard members.

"It would help an awful lot of military families. The tax revisions would be great, but the tuition reimbursement I think is very attractive to a lot of the younger members and also those of us who are going back to school," she said.

Santiano-Francis says her husband is planning to take some classes when he returns from Italy, so he would benefit from the tuition reimbursement.

Guard member Joshua Lind of Apple Valley agrees that the governor's proposal would be a big incentive for many people. But he sees the package as a way to entice kids with few opportunities into a National Guard that's being tapped more and more for overseas missions.

"I was told that when Minnesota needed people the most, that's when the National Guard was called, during flood duties, that's when we were needed the most, if there was a strike and people in nursing homes wouldn't have anyone to take care of them, that's what we would be doing, and it doesn't seem like that is the mission today," Lind said.

National Guard officials say they make it clear to new recruits that they will likely be deployed. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, about half of the state's Guard members have been called to active duty.

Gov. Pawlenty says he expects his proposal to have bipartisan support at the Capitol. DFL Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson of Willmar, a brigadier general in the National Guard, called it a good package.

"If we can scrape up the money, we want to be supportive of these initiatives," he said.

Pawlenty says while the state faces a shortfall, the budget he proposes in January will find money for the guard benefits.

"We're going to fund the things that are important to Minnesota, and this is priority number one. Starts with making sure that our public security and safety is protected, and that we recognize and reward the brave men and women in our military, and that's job one," Pawlenty said.

Pawlenty also wants to create a "Support our Troops" license plate that would raise money for military programs. About a third of his package consists of a series of projects for veterans homes and a World War II memorial on the Capitol grounds.

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