Positions and Views of Mike McIntyre
on Military & Defense
| Currently Elected US Congress District 7, North Carolina |
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| Military & Defense |
Positions and Views |
| Military, a General Statement |
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a strong advocate for our nation's military retirees and veterans, I am continually working to ensure that our military is prepared to meet the challenges and demands of the 21st century. With the threat of terrorism a constant reality, it is increasingly important that we provide our military with the resources and training to protect our nation during periods of conflict. In order to preserve our national security in the present and in the future, we must strengthen our commitment to the armed forces by ensuring that their needs and sacrifices are recognized today.
With Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Camp Lejeune, New River Air Station, Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and several Coast Guard stations, in addition to our National Guard and Reserves, North Carolina is home to many of the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting our nation. That is why I have worked with my fellow colleagues on the Armed Services Committee to pass the 2005 National Defense Authorization Bill and bring over $270 million to our bases in North Carolina. This measure not only strives to meet the needs of our servicemen and women, but also enhances the ability of our National Guard and Reserves. The bill also includes more than $2 billion to provide equipment for protecting our troops, including $400 million for new body armor. It also includes a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for members of the armed forces and increases in hardship duty pay, imminent danger pay, and the family separation allowance. In addition, there is also a provision for up to $3000 per month in income replacement payments for reservists who experience a reduction in their income while away from their civilian jobs. Finally, for our older veterans, this bill eliminates the Social Security offset under the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) by increasing annuities paid to survivors of military retirees who are 62 or older.
[Response was truncated to maximum response length of 2000 characters.]
Source: Candidate Website (10/04/2008) |
| Defense and Military Budget |
With Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Camp Lejeune, New River Air Station, Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and several Coast Guard stations, in addition to our National Guard and Reserves, North Carolina is home to many of the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting our nation. That is why I have worked with my fellow colleagues on the Armed Services Committee to pass the 2005 National Defense Authorization Bill and bring over $270 million to our bases in North Carolina. This measure not only strives to meet the needs of our servicemen and women, but also enhances the ability of our National Guard and Reserves. The bill also includes more than $2 billion to provide equipment for protecting our troops, including $400 million for new body armor. It also includes a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for members of the armed forces and increases in hardship duty pay, imminent danger pay, and the family separation allowance. In addition, there is also a provision for up to $3000 per month in income replacement payments for reservists who experience a reduction in their income while away from their civilian jobs. Finally, for our older veterans, this bill eliminates the Social Security offset under the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) by increasing annuities paid to survivors of military retirees who are 62 or older.
Source: Candidate Website (10/04/2008) |
| Military Base Realignment and Closures (BRAC Commission) |
With Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Camp Lejeune, New River Air Station, Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and several Coast Guard stations, in addition to our National Guard and Reserves, North Carolina is home to many of the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting our nation. That is why I have worked with my fellow colleagues on the Armed Services Committee to pass the 2005 National Defense Authorization Bill and bring over $270 million to our bases in North Carolina. This measure not only strives to meet the needs of our servicemen and women, but also enhances the ability of our National Guard and Reserves. The bill also includes more than $2 billion to provide equipment for protecting our troops, including $400 million for new body armor. It also includes a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for members of the armed forces and increases in hardship duty pay, imminent danger pay, and the family separation allowance. In addition, there is also a provision for up to $3000 per month in income replacement payments for reservists who experience a reduction in their income while away from their civilian jobs. Finally, for our older veterans, this bill eliminates the Social Security offset under the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) by increasing annuities paid to survivors of military retirees who are 62 or older.
Source: Candidate Website (10/04/2008) |
| Reservists and National Guard |
Finally, for those servicemen and women who have made it safely home, as well as those who are serving today and those who will serve in the future, we must also recognize their contribution. Increasingly, the deployed troops are Reservists and Guardsmen and women, comprising approximately 40 percent of our total force in Iraq. Unfortunately, their education benefits have dropped from 47 percent of the active duty Montgomery GI Bill benefits to a low 29 percent. For this reason, I am an original co-sponsor of the Lobiondo-McIntyre Reserve GI Bill Improvements Act, which would increase the rates of basic educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve. This bill would increase the Reserve GI Bill to 50 percent of the Montgomery GI Bill over a five-year period. It would also authorize Reservists who serve on active duty for 24 months during a five-year period to qualify for benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill. This will be especially helpful to our district, which currently has the highest number of deployed Guardsmen and reservists from North Carolina.
Source: Candidate Website (10/04/2008) |
| Military Pay, Medical Care and Benefits |
I have worked with my fellow colleagues on the Armed Services Committee to pass the 2005 National Defense Authorization Bill and bring over $270 million to our bases in North Carolina. This measure not only strives to meet the needs of our servicemen and women, but also enhances the ability of our National Guard and Reserves. The bill also includes more than $2 billion to provide equipment for protecting our troops, including $400 million for new body armor. It also includes a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for members of the armed forces and increases in hardship duty pay, imminent danger pay, and the family separation allowance. In addition, there is also a provision for up to $3000 per month in income replacement payments for reservists who experience a reduction in their income while away from their civilian jobs. Finally, for our older veterans, this bill eliminates the Social Security offset under the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) by increasing annuities paid to survivors of military retirees who are 62 or older.
Finally, for those servicemen and women who have made it safely home, as well as those who are serving today and those who will serve in the future, we must also recognize their contribution. Increasingly, the deployed troops are Reservists and Guardsmen and women, comprising approximately 40 percent of our total force in Iraq. Unfortunately, their education benefits have dropped from 47 percent of the active duty Montgomery GI Bill benefits to a low 29 percent. For this reason, I am an original co-sponsor of the Lobiondo-McIntyre Reserve GI Bill Improvements Act, which would increase the rates of basic educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve. This bill would increase the Reserve GI Bill to 50 percent of the Montgomery GI Bill over a five-year period. It would also authorize Reservists who serve on active duty for 24 months during a five-year period to qualify for benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill. This will be especia [Response was truncated to maximum response length of 2000 characters.]
Source: Candidate Website (10/04/2008) |
| These are available issue topics for which there were no responses. |
| Missile Defense System |
| Military Policy |
| Department of Defense and Pentagon |
| Military Adequacy |
| Military Industrial Establishment |
| Cluster Bombs |
| Reducing Military Costs |
| Re-instituting the Draft |
| Military Families |
| National Guard / Reserve Pay, Medical Care and Benefits |
| Gays in the Military |
| Defense, a General Statement |
| Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty |
| Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) |