***VIDEO FILE INCLUDED*** Rep. Susie Lee Calls for Access to Equal Pay, Benefits, Job Opportunities Between Active, Reserve Duty Servicemembers
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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-03), a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, spoke at a hearing examining the parity in pay and benefits, and access to career advancement between active and reserve duty servicemembers.
Rep. Lee highlighted the need for oversight of reserve and guard members' employment protection programs, and recounted one of her own staff members, a Marine Reserve veteran, whose employer did not offer him advancement opportunities after returning from a combat deployment.
Instances like this are not uncommon. Servicemembers from the active and reserve components often serve next to each other, do the same jobs, run the same risks, but receive different pay and benefits.
In her remarks below as prepared for delivery, Rep. Lee recounted the story of one of her staff members, a Marine Reserve veteran, who missed out on career advancement opportunities after returning to civilian life from a combat deployment:
"The topics of pay parity and employment protections for guard and reserves is very important to me as one of my own staff members and former resident of my district has seen what happens when an employer does not hold up their end of the bargain of giving our returning troops the opportunity for promotions they may have missed out on during a combat deployment.
"Now, imagine you are 20 years old and that you go to Iraq to serve your community. You come back, as is often the case in Las Vegas, to a tipped position at a casino.
"After a year of absence and although your employer has brought you back to your old job, you realize that five or six people you helped train in lower skilled positions are now in a higher position and earning $600 to $900 more per week than you.
"You received the USERRA protection training during your activation briefings and post-deployment.
"So, you bring the issue of promotions to your employer's attention, they tell you they are glad to have you back, but make no effort to promote you.
"You don't have the time to file a complaint because you are now once again a full-time employee and full-time student at the local university. So, you go back to work, keep your head down, and continue to work in your old job.
"This is just one story, but it's something that happens to members of the guard and reserve in Las Vegas and across the country."
Rep. Lee also recounted recently meeting the Nevada Army National Guard 3665th Explosive Ordinance Disposal Company before their combat deployment to Afghanistan:
"I also recently attended a sending off ceremony of the [3665th] Explosive Ordinance Disposal Company in my district, and I want to make sure we are looking out for their best interests upon their return as well.
"We have a responsibility to do better for our returning servicemembers, and I hope this discussion will help us identify ways that we can do that."
BACKGROUND: In the post-9/11 era, the reserve component (defined as the Army and Air National Guards, and the Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard Reserves) have become an integral part of the United States' national defense plans as an Operational Reserve, a change from their traditional role as a Strategic Reserve. However, personnel and benefits policy has not kept pace with changes in operational roles. This places unfair strain on servicemembers, employers, and families.