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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The State National Guard was established under
3Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code and serves as part of the
4first-line of defense for the United States; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The reserve components of the United States armed
6forces are military organizations whose members generally
7perform a minimum of 39 days of military duty per-year and who
8supplement the active duty military when necessary; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The purpose of each reserve component is to
10provide trained units and qualified persons available for
11active duty in the armed forces, in time of war or national
12emergency, and at such other times as the national security may
13require, to fill the needs of the armed forces whenever, and
14during and after the period needed to procure and train
15additional units and qualified persons to achieve the planned
16mobilization when more units and persons are needed than are in
17the regular components; and
 
18    WHEREAS, There are Guard and Reserve members who have
19served for 20 years of qualified service for retirement without
20being called for active duty service during their military
21career, and at age 60, they are eligible for reserved military
22retirement pay, government health care, and other benefits of

 

 

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1service including some veterans' benefits, but due to current
2federal statute they are denied full standing as a "veteran" of
3the armed forces; and
 
4    WHEREAS, There are numerous Guard and Reserve members whose
5position is to train, prepare, and support the armed forces
6that are called to active duty, and these members are ready for
7deployment, but based on their assignment jobs are not called
8upon to be deployed; and
 
9    WHEREAS, These Guard and Reserve members have served and
10deserve the status of "veteran" of the armed forces; and
 
11    WHEREAS, S.491 and H.R. 1025, currently pending in the
12United States Congress, would authorize National Guard and
13Reserve members entitled to Reserves retirement pay the honor
14of claiming "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States"
15status; therefore, be it
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
17NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
18we urge the United States Congress to pass S.491 and H.R. 1025
19to provide National Guard and Reserve members entitled to
20Reserves retirement pay the honor of claiming veterans status;
21and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
2presented to the majority and minority leaders of the United
3States Senate, the Speaker and minority leader of the United
4States House of Representatives, and to each member of the
5Illinois Congressional delegation.