Peters Applauds Defense Department Move to Begin Implementing His Provision to Ensure Guardsmen and Reservists Receive Benefits They've Earned

Press Release

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) applauded the Department of Defense's (DoD) announcement it will take steps toward standardizing service records across U.S. military components. This move by the Defense Department means that DoD will begin implementing a provision Peters passed to provide National Guardsmen and Reservists with the official documentation granted to other servicemembers following their retirement or completion of service. Currently, Reservists do not receive a separation document detailing their service and Guardsmen do not receive the same forms as Active Duty servicemembers after completion of service. The DD-214 form is often required by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other private sector institutions to certify qualification for benefits. Under the announced DoD policy, Guardsmen and Reservists will receive DD-214-1 forms, which will more accurately document their complete time of service and ensure they receive the military benefits they have earned.

"It is simply unacceptable that bureaucratic red tape has prevented Guardsmen and Reservists from receiving the benefits they've earned. It's why I've repeatedly pressed this issue on a bipartisan basis to ensure members of the National Guard and Reserve can access their benefits," said Senator Peters, member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. "Particularly throughout the past two years, these servicemembers have stepped up to protect Americans during unprecedented crises -- whether it was helping to bolster pandemic response efforts or defend our Capitol during the January 6 attack. I was proud to introduce bipartisan legislation last year to correct this policy oversight -- and I'm pleased the Defense Department is building off this effort and taking the much-need and commonsense step to provide our Guardsmen and Reservists with a DD-214 form after leaving the service."

"This critical piece of documentation is not only an official reflection of servicemembers' time in uniform -- it also serves as a gateway to accessing the military benefits they have earned -- as DD-214's are often required by the Department of Veterans Affairs and state agencies to confirm veterans' qualifications," Peters continued. "This is an important start -- and I'll continue working to ensure this issue is fully addressed, including by formally codifying this policy into law and establishing a single-tier DD-214 document across all services."

"The Michigan National Guard applauds this positive step forward by the Defense Department -- and thanks Senator Peters for spearheading this effort legislatively in Congress," said Major General Paul D. Rodgers, Adjutant General of the Michigan National Guard. "Providing DD-214's to our National Guardsmen in Michigan and across the country after completion of their military service will ensure they can receive the benefits they have earned through serving their nation in uniform, promptly and without difficulty. Addressing this issue that has challenged Guardsmen will have real and meaningful impacts on our servicemembers and their families across Michigan."

"With a DD-214 in-hand after leaving the service, National Guardsmen and Reservists across the country will soon be able to access the benefits they've earned without hassle and in a timely manner -- the same as all other servicemembers," said retired Brig. Gen. J. Roy Robinson, President of the National Guard Association of the United States. "We are grateful for Senator Peters' leadership on this issue -- and for his continued efforts to pass bipartisan legislation into law that would streamline the service documentation process altogether, and ensure equal support for servicemembers across the active duty and reserve components."

Peters previously introduced bipartisan legislation in May 2019 to help reserve component members of the United States Armed Forces -- including members of the Reserves and National Guard -- receive the benefits they have earned following their retirement or completion of service. A provision based on this legislation was signed into law as part of the national defense bill in December 2019 -- this change announced by DoD was based off this provision. Peters has worked to build off this provision by introducing the bipartisan Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Forces Act which would establish a single-tier document system so that all servicemembers receive the same all-purpose document and that there's no difference between the active and reserve components.

Peters has long been an advocate for Michigan's servicemembers and veterans. Last year, Peters was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor for his efforts to support our nation's veterans and military. In 2017, Peters was recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Vietnam Veterans of America for authoring the bipartisan Fairness for Veterans Act into law. The legislation requires veteran discharge review boards to give liberal consideration to petitions for honorable discharge status if the servicemember has been diagnosed with PTSD, TBI or other related conditions connected to their military service. As of the fall of 2020, more than 1,500 veterans have had their discharges upgraded since his legislation was enacted.

Peters also introduced and passed out of the Senate his bipartisan CADETS Act to expand the Student Incentive Payment Program eligibility age for financial assistance to cadets who attended one of the six State Maritime Academies and commit to a post-graduation service obligation to include any qualified student who will meet the age requirements for enlistment in the U.S. Navy Reserve at their time of graduation. In return for their commitment to serve, cadets can receive up to $32,000 in this incentive payment funding over four years to help offset the cost of tuition, uniforms, books, and living costs.

Last year, Peters' bipartisan bill to strengthen transparency and communication for veterans and caregivers participating in the VA's caregiver program was enacted into law. Also, Peters' bipartisan legislation to expand apprenticeship opportunities for veterans and allow them to use their GI bill benefits to secure a registered apprenticeship was signed into law in 2020. Peters also fought for and helped secure a measure in the national defense bill to expand the Department of Veterans' Affairs list of medical conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure to include bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism.

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