HuntingtonNews.Net - House Passes McKinley Amendment to Help Reservists

Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV) offered an amendment withRep. Bill Owens (D-NY) that directs the Secretary of Defense to establish an electronic tour calculator so that reservists can keep track of active duty tours. This is included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by the House on Thursday.

"After these men and women put their lives on the line, they shouldn't have to worry about whether they receive credit for the time they served," said Rep. McKinley. "This language would require the Department of Defense (DOD) to come up with a tour calculator so that reservists can keep track of what counts and what doesn't."

"The reserve component of the Armed Forces has answered the call proudly and with distinction, in Iraq and Afghanistan and across numerous conflicts in America's history," said Congressman Owens. "This legislation will help ensure reserve members have the ability to fully account for their service. As a veteran, I am proud to introduce this legislation with colleague from across the aisle and look forward to helping it move forward in Congress."

For each active duty tour totaling 90 days served, a reservist may credit such tours towards early retirement. The national president of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) praised the amendment.

"The nation is relying heavily on National Guard and Reserve forces for every operational mission at home and overseas," said Col. Robert Norton, U.S. Army Ret., and President of MOAA. "But reservists often don't know that in some cases their active service is not being fully credited for early reserve retirement purposes. Guard and Reserve women and women are serving and sacrificing for the nation and they deserve to know how their service is counting, or not, towards an early retirement."

The amendment mirrors a bill that Rep. McKinley introduced earlier this month (H.R. 2272) with Rep. Owens (D-NY).

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