Schweitzer offers Guard 'square deal'

The Daily Inter Lake

Gov. Brian Schweitzer announced legislation Tuesday in Kalispell that would create a revolving fund to assist families with a member of the National Guard called into active service.

At a press conference, Schweitzer cited a quote from President Teddy Roosevelt to explain the initiative.

"A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards."

Schweitzer added that he includes servicewomen in his use of that phrase. He said that Roosevelt went to bat for the military in his time, inspiring his own plan to provide one-time cash grants falling into three categories:

. Status-based grants of $250 per family member upon activation for more than 30 days.

. Casualty-based grants of $2,000 grants for National Guard members who are injured due to their active military service.

. Supplemental Needs- based grants of as much as $2,000 in cases where military pay is 30 percent less than civilian pay.

Speaking before members of the Montana National Guard, Schweitzer said soldiers receive training for their missions, but their families must cope alone with major events such as births, deaths, first communions and graduations.

"How do we take care of the home fires?" Schweitzer asked.

His answer was a legislative proposal creating a Military Family Relief Fund with $1 million in seed money envisioned to grow into a revolving fund. He said additional dollars would come from a voluntary income tax check-off box and/or tax-deductible contributions from private sources.

Schweitzer will submit the relief fund to the Legislature in January as part of a "Square Deal for Montana" package of proposed measures.

The governor was joined at the press conference by Maj. Gen. Randy Mosley, the adjutant general of the Montana National Guard.

"I'm really excited that you and Lt. Gov. Bohlinger have stepped forward like this," Mosley said.

The Defense Department has deployed more than 80 percent of Montana National Guard members to federal service, Mosley said. Their families have had to rely on neighbors and civic organizations for help.

"That has not been enough," Mosley said.

Schweitzer and Mosley said that many families suffer financial losses because their guard pay falls short of their civilian salaries.

"This is the only fund of this kind that addresses that shortfall," Mosley said.

Schweitzer, who serves as commander-in-chief of the Montana National Guard, said he found morale high when he visited with service members deployed to New Orleans, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mosley said that the Montana National Guard is recognized as a top producer in percentage increases of enlistments. About 3,400 Montanans now serve in the National Guard.

If the Legislature approves the relief fund, Schweitzer said the dollars would become available in October. Mosley said the guard would work with various state agencies to develop a needs-based application.

The governor said the $1 million figure was used just as a starting place to seed the fund. Since no one knows how many people will be deployed in coming years, he said it was impossible to quantify the dollars required.

Schweitzer said he had no doubt that the need exists for this assistance.

"If anything, it's not enough," he said. "It's a start."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.