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National Guard troops sent home just one day short of qualifying for benefits? America, please pay attention to how your reserve component troops have been denied benefits for decades, even as greater demands have been placed on them. 1/ https://politi.co/2TlBw6U
If you've missed this, please catch up on how many of the troops who've literally carried #COVID19 fatalities & provided healthcare in places other providers won't go - are denied eligibility for VA benefits & healthcare bc of their duty status: https://bit.ly/2Lz05sC 2/
A big eye opener is that troops mobilized under State Active Duty orders--no matter for weeks, months or (in some cases in NY) for years--exactly zero of this service time is creditable toward any VA benefits. Zero. 3/
But even deployed troops - for example, Guard or Reserve troops who serve a full tour in Iraq or Afghanistan - often do not qualify for full GI Bill educational benefits like the active troops they serve alongside. 4/
Keep in mind about 40% of the entire U.S. Armed Forces are kept in a reserve status. And the way Reserve/Guard are used often ends up being a way for feds to more flexibly have the same capabilities but without having to pay the full cost of those capabilities. 5/
Thing is, the 90-day mark is an important one. But most @DeptVetAffairs don't open up for Guard/Reserve unless they serve 180 *consecutive* days on active duty. Even the title of "veteran" generally isn't officially granted to these troops until the 180-day mark. 6/
Even just until 2017, Guard troops who served out their full time, did everything they were asked to do & retired at 20 yrs weren't considered "veterans" unless they had 180 days of consecutive active duty: https://bit.ly/2LGIijl 7/
As someone who has served active duty ("regular" army), National Guard, and Reserve - in my experience NG was by far the least recognized & supported. Those troops struggled w/civilian employment & didn't get full scope of benefits even after they deployed. 8/
Hundreds of National Guard & Reserve troops have fallen in combat since 9/11, but they are only truly equal in benefits they receive when it comes to burial. 9/
Also worth noting is highest rate of suicide in National Guard - although as of VA's Oct 2019 report, Guard & Reserve troop suicides are no longer tracked: https://bit.ly/3bO61Zz 10/
Specifically, Guard & Reserve troop suicides are no longer tracked in @DeptVetAffairs report on veteran suicides. Worth taking a look at the "veteran status" definition in the report itself: https://bit.ly/2AJWEgI 11/
There's so much to say here. But if there's nothing more to take away here, please know that veteran status & benefits are decided by often arbitrary duty status & duration (29 days vs. 30, or 89 vs. 90, or 179 vs. 180). Want to support the troops? Spread the word. 12/12
