Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 120
04/03/2012 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| 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 | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
April 3, 2012
1:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Dan Saddler, Co-Chair
Representative Steve Thompson, Co-Chair
Representative Alan Austerman
Representative Bob Lynn
Representative Sharon Cissna
Representative Bob Miller
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Carl Gatto, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 20
Relating to awarding the Alaska Decoration of Honor to certain
members of the military.
- MOVED SCR 20 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16
Urging the United States Congress to approve legislation
allowing members of the military to receive promised retirement
benefits.
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SCR 20
SHORT TITLE: DECORATION OF HONOR
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) WIELECHOWSKI
02/01/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/01/12 (S) STA
02/07/12 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
02/07/12 (S) Moved SCR 20 Out of Committee
02/07/12 (S) MINUTE(STA)
02/08/12 (S) STA RPT 5DP
02/08/12 (S) DP: WIELECHOWSKI, KOOKESH, PASKVAN,
MEYER, GIESSEL
02/10/12 (S) BEFORE THE SENATE ON FINAL PASSAGE
02/10/12 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
02/10/12 (S) VERSION: SCR 20
02/13/12 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/13/12 (H) MLV
04/03/12 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 120
BILL: SJR 16
SHORT TITLE: MILITARY PENSIONS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) WIELECHOWSKI
02/03/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/03/12 (S) STA
02/09/12 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
02/09/12 (S) Moved SJR 16 Out of Committee
02/09/12 (S) MINUTE(STA)
02/10/12 (S) STA RPT 5DP
02/10/12 (S) DP: WIELECHOWSKI, KOOKESH, PASKVAN,
MEYER, GIESSEL
02/15/12 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
02/15/12 (S) VERSION: SJR 16
02/17/12 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/17/12 (H) MLV
04/03/12 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 120
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As sponsor, introduced SCR 20 and SJR 16.
MCHUGH PIERRE, Deputy Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner/Adjutant General
Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs
Fort Richardson, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 20 and SJR 16.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:05:03 PM
CO-CHAIR DAN SADDLER called the House Special Committee on
Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:05 p.m.
Representatives Saddler, Miller, Lynn, and Austerman were
present at the call to order. Representatives Thompson and
Cissna arrived as the meeting was in progress.
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.
1:16:52 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:16 p.m. to 1:18 p.m.
SJR 16-MILITARY PENSIONS
1:18:51 PM
CO-CHAIR SADDLER announced that the final order of business
would be SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16, Urging the United
States Congress to approve legislation allowing members of the
military to receive promised retirement benefits.
1:19:02 PM
SENATOR BILL WIELECHOWSKI, Alaska State Legislature, explained
SJR 16 came about after the Defense Business Board, U. S.
Department of Defense (DoD), suggested a plan to convert
military retirement from the current 20-year vesting system to a
retirement system similar to a 401(k) arrangement. He
acknowledged that an appropriate retirement system for military
service members can be a controversial issue; however, this
resolution simply asks that all service members should be
allowed to maintain the retirement system they were promised at
the time they signed up for service. Currently, a military
service member who serves for 20 years can retire with a
percentage of their pension, thus this resolution is about
keeping promises made to active duty military members. He noted
that in the committee packet was a copy of a bill in Congress
sponsored by Congressman Don Young which supports this issue.
Senator Wielechowski advised that Alaska has thousands of active
duty military members and constituents in his district support
the resolution.
1:21:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN declared a conflict of interest.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER objected.
CO-CHAIR SADDLER indicated Representative Lynn would be required
to vote.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN said he supports the resolution, explaining
that those who enlisted should get what they were promised and,
in effect, they have a contract with the federal government.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI agreed.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON observed that one who joined the
military at 17 years of age and served 35 years would be
required to wait several more years for their retirement. He
said, "This isn't the way that we're supposed to do things in
the United States."
1:23:29 PM
CO-CHAIR SADDLER opened public testimony.
1:23:47 PM
MCHUGH PIERRE, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the
Commissioner/Adjutant General, Department of Military &
Veterans' Affairs (DMVA), said the department strongly supports
the resolution. Within DMVA, there are 1,800 full-time National
Guard members, of which 800 are of active guard and reserve
(AGR) status, are paid in active duty status, and are eligible
for all benefits. The department believes the commitments made
to these members should be honored and they should receive the
retirement package promised to them at the time they joined the
military.
CO-CHAIR SADDLER understood the concern of the DoD about the
cost of retirement for military members, and whether those who
serve less than 20 years should have some benefit.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN observed a service member with a disability
can retire earlier.
1:26:19 PM
CO-CHAIR SADDLER held over SJR 16.
1:26:48 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 1:26 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |