WASHINGTON –Presidential candidate and Senator Chris Dodd announced today that he has signed on as a co-sponsor to a bill designed to ensure that National Guard members will not be short-changed out of their educational benefits. Earlier this week, Dodd joined with State Representative and Iraq War veteran Ray Zirkelbach to speak out against the short-changing of benefits for Iowa’s “Ironman Battalion.” Zirkelbach himself served nearly two years of deployment, including 17 months on the ground in Iraq, with the Ironman Battalion.
“The men and women of the National Guard have made an invaluable commitment to this country, and they have honored it to the fullest. I am determined to ensure that our country honors the commitment we made to them in return,” said Senator Dodd.
“I will continue working to ensure that the Ironman Battalion receives the benefits they have earned and to ensure that our National Guard members are never again nickled-and-dimed by this Administration.
“The President and his allies may like to talk about supporting our troops, but I am determined to follow through and get real results for these brave men and women.”
Dodd is co-sponsoring Senate Bill 2139, the National Guard and Reserve Educational Benefits Fairness Act. Senator Tom Harkin is also a co-sponsor.
Under the current G.I. bill, for soldiers to qualify for full educational benefits, they must have served 20 consecutive months on active duty, with orders reflecting a call up to active duty of 730 days. Iowa’s Ironman Battalion soldiers met the 20-month requirement, but not all had orders for 730 days of duty. The bill which Dodd has co-sponsored would drop the 730-day order requirement, so that eligibility for full educational benefits would be based solely on length of service.
