2009 Accomplishments

Pay increase 3.4% (.5% more than requested by the President)
No TRICARE fee increase
TRICARE Standard for ‘Gray Area’ retirees under 60
Reserve Component Pre-Mobilization Health Care- doubles from 90 to 180 days the amount of time a Reserve Component member is eligible for TRICARE coverage prior to mobilization
More full-time support
New GI Bill education benefits (tuition, stipend, books and tutors)
Lower TRICARE Reserve Select fees
Additional National Guard member on the Defense Military Family Readiness Council
NG Youth Challenge: Increases DoD share of program from 60% to 75% of the costs; includes $110.8 million for the National Guard Youth Challenge
Program, which is $15 million above the President’s request of $95.8 million
AGR PAY INCREASE Additional (.5 Percent above Presidents Request)
Mil-Tech Pay Increase
Two Year advance VA funding
Variance in Reserve Component End Strength - allows the Service Secretaries to waive Reserve Component end strength by up to two percent if such a waiver would enhance manning and readiness in essential units or in critical specialties
Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence -allows up to $200 for each day of Admin-istrative absence that a member would have earned between January 19, 2007, and the date of the implementation of the PDMRA program had the program been implemented during that time
Stop Loss Special Pay - authorized for any month, or portion of a month beginning October 1, 2009, and ending on June 30, 2011, for a Reserve Component member who serves on active duty while the member’s enlistment or period of obligated service is extended, or has the member’s eligibility for retirement suspended due to Stop Loss
Continued Service after AGR Retirement -includes provisions allowing for recomputation of retired pay and election to receive Non-regular retirement pay after qualifying for regular retirement
Military Construction- authorized $585 million in Army National Guard Military Construction ($156 million above the President’s Budget Request) and $236 million in Air National Guard Military Construction ($108 million above the President’s Budget Request.)
$50 million for state specific National Guard counter-drug programs as well as an additional $15 million to sustain current levels of staffing for High Priority National Guard Counterdrug Programs. This continues the elevated funding for National Guard state plans nationwide which Congress has provided in recent years; includes $1.1 billion for Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug activities, Defense-wide. Fully funds the request of $166.5 million for National Guard State Plans that support domestic law enforcement efforts and counter-narcoterrorism schools
An additional $20 million for Yellow Ribbon Reintegration and Outreach programs
STARBASE - received full funding of $16.4 million