DES MOINES - Presidential candidate Chris Dodd and Iowa State Representative Ray Zirkelbach spoke out today against the Bush Administration's short-changing of many of Zirkelbach's fellow soldiers in Iowa's "Ironman Battalion." Dodd and Zirkelbach vowed to work together to find remedies and ensure that America always honors its commitment to the men and women of the National Guard.
Rep. Zirkelbach returned to Iowa this summer after nearly two years of deployment as a member of the Iowa National Guard's 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry. As reported in the Des Moines Register, the "Ironman Battalion" served 17 months on the ground in Iraq, longer than any other U.S. combat unit. Now, nearly 500 of the battalion's members are being denied full educational benefits under the G.I. Bill.
"I am immensely proud of the sacrifices my brothers and sisters in the 133rd made to serve our country for nearly two years in Iraq," said Rep. Zirkelbach. "We made a commitment and we honored it.
"It is unconscionable that this Administration would not honor the commitment they made in return. The brave men and women with whom I served deserve better than being nickeled-and-dimed out of the benefits they were promised - especially when those benefits are supposed to help pay for education."
Senator Dodd vowed to continue pursuing the issue in the coming days.
"This Administration should be ashamed that they are trying to finance this disastrous war through the back door by skimming benefits, such as tuition reimbursement, rightfully earned by members of Iowa's National Guard," said Dodd.
"Our guardsmen, including Ray Zirkelbach, have already paid a steep enough price. George Bush and his allies like to talk about supporting the troops, but it's about time they put their money where their mouth is.
"In the coming days I will explore our full range of options to do what I can to help remedy this injustice."
Rep. Zirkelbach praised Dodd's commitment, saying "I applaud Chris Dodd for standing up and fighting for the 133rd and other soldiers around the country. We'll be working hard together to find a solution to this problem and I am confident that the Dodd Administration will always honor its commitment to and deliver results for our troops."
Last week, Zirkelbach endorsed Chris Dodd for President, saying, "I've seen first-hand the disastrous effects that a lack of clarity from leadership can bring. Chris Dodd is the only candidate that is offering clarity and speaking with conviction on what we need to do to end this war. That's why I trust him to get the job done and that's why he's earned my endorsement."
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