Sitting With The Big Boys

National Guard Association of the United States President Gus Hargett is lauding the decision by House and Senate conferees to include language in the fiscal year 2012 defense authorization conference report that would allow the head of the National Guard to become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In a statement released today, Hargett, a retired major general, says:

The passage of the fiscal 2012 defense authorization bill conference report last night brings the National Guard to the cusp of its greatest legislative victory in more than a century. Not since the Militia Act of 1903 created the modern, dual-mission National Guard have we seen approval of legislation that could have such a significant positive impact on our force.

But this is so much more than about giving the Guard a voice at the Pentagon by adding the chief of the National Guard Bureau to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It's about ensuring our civilian leaders have access to expertise on the Guard's domestic-response capabilities in a crisis.

On this, the 375th birthday of the National Guard, we thank the conferees for honoring the will of the House and the Senate by keeping the fundamentals of National Guard Empowerment intact in their final report.

We also thank the principle sponsors -- Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Lindsey Graham in the Senate and Representative Candace Miller and Representative Nick Rahall in the House -- for their support, their leadership and their determination. We know they were inspired by the daily sacrifice and service of our Guard men and women around the globe, and for that all who lead the National Guard are deeply humbled.

Presuming the House and Senate follow historic precedent and approve the conference report, I respectfully urge President Barack Obama to honor his 2008 campaign promise to us and with his stroke of a pen provide the National Guard with a seat at the table.