Letter to the Hon. Major General Timothy P. Williams, President of the Adjutants General Association - Kinzinger, Bustos, Ryan, Palazzo Lead Bipartisan Call for Meal Reimbursement for National Guard Deployed to Nation's Capital

Letter

Dear Major General Williams:
First and foremost, we would like to express our deep gratitude to Virginia, as well as the 53 other states, territories and the District of Columbia, for quickly and effectively mobilizing our National Guard to protect the Capitol, preserving the democracy that we cherish. We know staying prepared for your many missions is difficult, but your recent response to the National Capital Region demonstrated in action the National Guard's motto: "Always Ready, Always There."
The logistical feat of moving, housing and feeding nearly 27,000 Citizen Airmen and Soldiers at the peak of the civil disturbance mission in D.C. was enormous, and the National Guard unequivocally tackled the challenge. However, we have concerns that, due to the enormity of the task and the speed at which the National Guard was deployed, some Guard members may have lacked adequate access to meals. Specifically, contract food services were used in lieu of per diem allotments for meals. We are not questioning this choice; providing contract food service was the only realistic solution to feed such a large and geographically dispersed force. However, some National Guard members faced significant delays in receiving meals or served on shifts that did not align with the appropriate meal type or time. In these instances, many Soldiers and Airmen chose instead to purchase food at their own expense here in Washington, D.C.
This is a concern for those that have already completed their mission and returned home as well as those troops that remain on station. We encourage the Adjutants General Association of the United States to address this issue within each of your states by educating and empowering local commanders to nominate members for missed meal reimbursement or other similar reimbursement programs that may vary by state. We look forward to an ongoing and productive relationship with you and all the Adjutants General in support of the National Guard.