Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 120
04/03/2012 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
SCR20 | |
SJR16 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ | SCR 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SJR 16 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SCR 20-DECORATION OF HONOR 1:06:18 PM CO-CHAIR SADDLER announced that the first order of business would be SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 20, Relating to awarding the Alaska Decoration of Honor to certain members of the military. 1:06:29 PM SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI, Alaska State Legislature, informed the committee SCR 20 is a decoration of honor resolution - the first of which was established in 2007 - to award military service members from Alaska, or those deployed while stationed in Alaska, who were killed in action or in support of combat action. This year the resolution awards the decoration of honor to 25 individuals who were killed in the line of duty while honorably serving the state and the country during 2010-2011. He explained the legislature must authorize the award by resolution so the decoration can be presented to the recipients' survivors. In 2008, the legislature awarded the decoration to 171 individuals for service from statehood up to 2008. 1:07:27 PM CO-CHAIR SADDLER asked how the decorations will be awarded. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI expressed his hope that the Joint Armed Services Committee will hold a ceremony as has been done in the past. In further response to Co-Chair Saddler, he said he was unaware if names need to be added for 2012. 1:09:02 PM CO-CHAIR SADDLER opened public testimony on SCR 20. 1:09:24 PM MCHUGH PIERRE, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner/Adjutant General, Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs (DMVA), expressed the department's support of SCR 20, and described its responsibility to provide an accurate list of names. REPRESENTATIVE LYNN advised Mr. Pierre to inform the sponsor if others who are eligible for the decoration become known, as an amendment to add a name can be introduced on the House floor. MR. PIERRE expressed his confidence in the accuracy of the list. 1:11:10 PM CO-CHAIR SADDLER asked whether other states have similar memoriam citations for service members. MR. PIERRE estimated five or six other states have something similar. REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked for a definition of "killed in action," and how the names are attained. MR. PIERRE explained the intent of the legislation was to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom. An effort was made to be inclusive, and there is a case pending that may allow death by suicide to be recognized. Otherwise, all deployed soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors, National Guard members, reservists, and Coast Guard members, who were born and raised in Alaska, stationed in Alaska, or deployed from Alaska and died overseas, are included. The department is notified of the death of any military member who has ties to Alaska by the personnel division of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). 1:14:29 PM REPRESENTATIVE MILLER recalled there was a test pilot who crashed and died after take-off from Eielson Air Force Base. MR. PIERRE advised the pilot was not eligible, because he was not deployed. In response to Representative Lynn, he said an armed services member who was wounded in combat overseas and subsequently died after returning to the U.S. is eligible. 1:16:07 PM Co-Chair Saddler, after determining no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony. 1:16:26 PM REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON moved to report SCR 20 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, SCR 20 was reported from the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
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SCR 20A.pdf |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |
|
SCR20 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |
|
SCR 20 Fiscal Note.PDF |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |
|
SJR 16 Fiscal Note.pdf |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |
|
SJR016A.pdf |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |
|
SJR 16 Military Pension Fact Sheet.pdf |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |
|
SJR 16. Text of HR3520.Keeping Our Promises Act of 2011.pdf |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |
|
SJR16.Letter from VoteVets.Org.pdf |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |
|
SJR16.Articles on Military Pension Cuts.pdf |
HMLV 4/3/2012 1:00:00 PM |