Reservists returning from deployments are discovering that they were activated “on the cheap” by the Pentagon, acording to Military.com. Congress gave the Pentagon the tools to cut their personnel costs by not fully compensating Reservists and National Guard troops.
A relatively new and obscure deployment code, a measure the Pentagon created in 2014 to scale back spending on benefits, is the reason. By law, reservists involuntarily mobilized under Title 10, section 12304b, do not receive credit for the GI Bill while they are activated.
The Defense Department intends to lean more heavily on the inactive force in coming years in order to maintain the pace of deployments. Bean counters have been urging the Pentagon for years to cut personnel costs and Congress gave them the section 12304b to do that.
As combat deployments slowed [after the Iraq War], the Pentagon looked to create mobilization authorities that would fill operational needs worldwide, but also trim the budget, Lukas said.
The 12304b authorization was included in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act and stripped most mobilization and deployment benefits, Lukas said, including the accumulation of GI Bill benefits. The Pentagon started activating reservists under the authorization in 2014, she said.
“Mobilization authorities with benefits are expensive,” Lukas said. “And the Pentagon did not have the money to offset the cost. Congress gave them exactly what they asked for.”
That ought to do wonders for retention. I guess if you don’t have any personnel, that would reduce personnel costs, wouldn’t it? I’m sure it won’t affect the transsexual benefits and Manning’s weight reduction plans are still in the offing.
