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U.S. Rep. Braley: 1-133rd GI benefits investigation: Braley again pushes Defense Department to provide documents
3/6/2008

Contact: Jeff Giertz, Communications Director
jeff.giertz@mail.house.gov
(202) 226-4026 (office)
(202) 297-6745  (cell)
 
Washington, DC – The Democratic and Republican leaders of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee joined Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) to request additional documents from the Department of Defense (DOD) relating to the Army error leading to a denial of GI Bill education benefits to hundreds of members of the Minnesota and Iowa National Guard that served in Iraq, including nearly 600 members of the Iowa National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry based in Waterloo.  The first request to the DOD for the documents was October 31, 2007.
 
The National Guard troops served in the longest continuous deployment of any ground combat unit serving in Iraq.
 
“The Department of Defense needs to provide the Oversight committee with the requested documents so we can continue investigating the Army’s denial of benefits to hundreds of Iowa and Minnesota troops,” Braley said. 
 
“Congress’ job is to provide oversight, accountability and answers to the men and women who’ve been denied the benefits they deserve because of an Army error.  I will continue to press the Department of Defense to provide the committee with the information needed to conduct an in-depth investigation to get our troops answers.”
 
Oversight Committee members formally requesting the Army documents are: Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA); Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA); Subcommittee Chairman John Tierney (D-MA); Oversight Committee Ranking Member Tom Davis (R-VA); Subcommittee Ranking Member Christopher Shays (R-CT); and Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN). 
 
Additional background on the investigation can be found at: http://braley.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=77088
 
The full text of the letter is attached to this message and below.
  February 28, 2008
 
The Honorable Robert M. Gates
Secretary of Defense
United States Department of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-1000
 
Dear Secretary Gates,
 
Thank you for sending representatives from the Defense Department, Army, and National Guard Bureau to meet with Congressman Braley and Oversight Committee staff on February 8, 2008, to discuss the denial of Montgomery GI Bill benefits to members of the 1/34th Brigade Combat Team of the Minnesota National Guard.
 
Although it is troubling that many of these soldiers were initially denied benefits to which they were entitled, we are pleased that the Department has acted quickly to correct this problem.  In particular, we are encouraged that the Army Board for Correction of Military Records has amended orders for the majority of these troops to reinstate their GI Bill benefits.  As we discussed with your staff, there are several areas in which the Committee continues to seek information. 
 
First, the Committee has not yet received all documents originally requested on October 31, 2007, including communications to or from military or civilian officials and government contractors regarding the impact on Montgomery GI Bill benefits, or other benefits, of the orders deactivating troops on September 29, 2007. 
 
We would also appreciate an explanation for the discrepancy in the number of service members who still need to be contacted about their benefits.  The status update provided at the briefing identifies four soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division who have not yet been contacted and counseled.  According to the Deputy Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard, however, at least six soldiers just from Iowa alone still have not been notified about the problem.[1]     
 
In addition, we would like information about members of two other National Guard units referenced in our recent briefing, from Pennsylvania and Nevada, who also appear to have been denied GI Bill benefits.  Please provide details on these and any other affected units, including the number of soldiers affected, the steps you have taken to resolve the problem for troops from these units, and the status of amending orders to provide GI Bill benefits for these troops.
 
Finally, as we requested in our October 31 letter and discussed at our recent briefing, please provide information on any National Guard or Army procedures which are being put in place to ensure that future deployments and deactivation decisions appropriately maximize soldiers’ legitimate eligibility for benefits.
 
We ask that you please provide this information to the Committee no later than March 21, 2008.  Thank you again for meeting with us and for your efforts to resolve this issue expeditiously.
 
Sincerely,
 
Henry A. Waxman                                      
Chairman                                                      
 
Tom Davis
Ranking Minority Member 
  
John F. Tierney                                           
Chairman                                                      
Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs                                               
 
Christopher Shays
Ranking Minority Member
Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs
 
Bruce L. Braley                                            
Member                                                        
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform                           
 
Betty McCollum
Member 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform


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