Daniel Elkins | Enlisted Association of the National Guard of Montana https://eangmt.org The Source for MT National Guard Information Mon, 18 May 2020 16:34:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://eangmt.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2015/06/Logo-150x150.jpg Daniel Elkins | Enlisted Association of the National Guard of Montana https://eangmt.org 32 32 Testifying Before Congress… Part 2! https://eangmt.org/2020/02/20/testifying-before-congress-part-2/ Thu, 20 Feb 2020 16:06:44 +0000 https://mteang.org/2020/02/20/testifying-before-congress-part-2/ Back in October we were invited to testify about issues facing the men and women of the National Guard. We are proud to announce that we’ve been invited to testify again on March 10 to give our testimony on legislation that is being worked on as a direct result of our efforts!

Executive director of EANGUS SGM (Ret) Frank Yoakum will be presenting our verbal testimony. Thank you to Chairman Levin for looking to us as trusted voices for Veterans and especially those that serve in the Reserve Component of the Armed Forces. Thank you also to Justin Vogt, for ensuring that we had a seat at the table and our voice would be heard.

]]> NEW EPISODE: Worst Day of Your Life: Coffee with CSM John Troxell https://eangmt.org/2019/12/18/new-episode-worst-day-of-your-life-coffee-with-csm-john-troxell/ Wed, 18 Dec 2019 17:04:07 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/12/18/new-episode-worst-day-of-your-life-coffee-with-csm-john-troxell/ Earlier this year we announced our new podcast, Coffee with Congress, where each episode we sit down with a new member of Congress to ask hard-hitting questions that have nothing to do with politics at all! 

In our latest episode, we sit down with Command Sergeant Major John Wayne Troxell! Command Sergeant Major John Wayne Troxell has served in the Army for over 30 years and most recently served as the principal military advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force and joint development for enlisted personnel. Listen in as CSM Troxell discusses riding alligators, what’s wrong with the panthers, and preparing for the worst day of your life.

Check out our other episodes now and follow along as we continue to dig deep! The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and everywhere else!

Here’s a sneak peek: 

 

]]> Huge Win for the National Guard https://eangmt.org/2019/12/17/huge-win-for-the-national-guard/ Tue, 17 Dec 2019 13:46:25 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/12/17/huge-win-for-the-national-guard/ The Department of Defense (DoD) has changed an unfair policy that denied Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility to members of the National Guard even though they were serving side by side with Active-duty troops who were gaining eligibility. Over the last year, we have been sharing the stories of Student Veterans about how vital their benefits have been to their life after the military. We believe that these benefits are earned through the sacrifice and hard work of Troops who give up everything on behalf of our country. In spite of Servicemembers’ willingness to serve, many are all too often denied the benefits they deserve. Since 2018 we have worked to ensure the phrase, “Every Day in Uniform Counts.” would be recognized by policymakers in DC. We have submitted recommendations to Congress, we have helped introduce bills to the floor of the Senate, given interviews, and even testified before congress!  

All of this work has paid off because DoD is now going to begin granting eligibility towards Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for the time Guardsmen served at the southern border. We want to thank the House Committee on Veterans Affairs (HVAC) and the DoD for hearing our call for change and taking the first steps toward ensuring fair and equitable benefits for every service member who puts on the uniform regardless of duty status.

Read the Story in Stars and Stripes Here!

]]> NEW EPISODE: Rattlesnakes Are Our Friends: Coffee with Congressman Van Taylor https://eangmt.org/2019/12/04/new-episode-rattlesnakes-are-our-friends-coffee-with-congressman-van-taylor/ Wed, 04 Dec 2019 14:33:27 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/12/04/new-episode-rattlesnakes-are-our-friends-coffee-with-congressman-van-taylor/ Earlier this year we announced our new podcast, Coffee with Congress, where each episode we sit down with a new member of Congress to ask hard-hitting questions that have nothing to do with politics at all! 

In our latest episode, we sit down with Congressman Van Taylor! As a seventh generation Texan, Van Taylor is a family man, businessman, and decorated Iraq War Veteran. He brings all of his life’s experience to his role as Representative for Texas’ 3rd District. Listen in as Congressman Taylor discusses sweet treats, what a name is worth, and why rattlesnakes are actually our friends.

Check out our other episodes now and follow along as we continue to dig deep! The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and everywhere else!

Here’s a sneak peek: 

 

]]> Fighting for Veteran Status for Men and Women of the National Guard https://eangmt.org/2019/11/14/fighting-for-veteran-status-for-men-and-women-of-the-national-guard/ Thu, 14 Nov 2019 15:03:08 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/11/14/fighting-for-veteran-status-for-men-and-women-of-the-national-guard/ Our Legislative Director Daniel Elkins, spoke with KPBS about the issues facing the men and women of the National Guard that are serving at our southern border. Members of the Guard are being asked to serve alongside their active-duty counterparts doing the same job and accomplishing the very same mission but receiving very different benefits and pay. We are proud to continue to fight for those that tirelessly serve on our behalf.

Watch the Interview with Daniel:

We also testified before Congress on this very issue:

]]> Featured on Inside Higher Ed: Don’t Play Politics with Student Veterans https://eangmt.org/2019/11/05/featured-on-inside-higher-ed-dont-play-politics-with-student-veterans/ Tue, 05 Nov 2019 15:07:15 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/11/05/featured-on-inside-higher-ed-dont-play-politics-with-student-veterans/ Inside Higher Ed, the resource for insight on news within higher education, asked our Legislative Director, Daniel Elkins, to share his expert opinion on the current political climate facing those who advocate for Student Veterans. Daniel explained that,
“In service, we embody the One Team, One Fight mindset. Unfortunately, in D.C. this is not always the case, and the type of cooperation and camaraderie I experience while in uniform is not currently at work on the Hill.”
Daniel gave a few examples of commonsense ways that those who are in position to help Student Veterans could work together,
“Whenever Congress decides to make a change in policy it should be driven by data.” Daniel continued, “A nonpartisan study… should be a prerequisite to making any broad sweeping policy changes that could displace thousands of students.”

 

Read the Full Article here!

 

Read more about the specific issues Daniel spoke on:

LINK: Building a Better G.I. Bill Calculator
LINK: G.I. Bill is an Earned Benefit
LINK: Daniel Testified in front of Congress on behalf of Student Veterans

]]> NEW EPISODE: Racing Lawnmowers: Coffee with Congressman Kelly Armstrong https://eangmt.org/2019/10/30/new-episode-racing-lawnmowers-coffee-with-congressman-kelly-armstrong/ Wed, 30 Oct 2019 16:12:33 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/10/30/new-episode-racing-lawnmowers-coffee-with-congressman-kelly-armstrong/ Earlier this year we announced our new podcast, Coffee with Congress, where each episode we sit down with a new member of Congress to ask hard-hitting questions that have nothing to do with politics at all! 

In our latest episode, we sit down with Congressman Kelly Armstrong! With the goal of making North Dakota a better place to live and work, Congressman Kelly Armstrong represents the people of his state and uses his background in business and love for the outdoors to advance positive changes for North Dakota. Listen in as Congressman Armstrong breaks down Knoephla soup, the migrating bees of North Dakota, and strategy for avoiding shark attacks.

Check out our other episodes now and follow along as we continue to dig deep! The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and everywhere else!

Here’s a sneak peek: 

]]> Testifying Before Congress: Every Day in Uniform Counts https://eangmt.org/2019/10/28/testifying-before-congress-every-day-in-uniform-counts/ Mon, 28 Oct 2019 18:06:04 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/10/28/testifying-before-congress-every-day-in-uniform-counts/ Recently, we had the distinct privilege of testifying before Congress about the unique hurdles facing the members of the National Guard. We are proud of our Legislative Director, Daniel Elkins for boldly standing up for his fellow brothers and sisters in arms.  We were able to explain the inequality in support and resources being given the National Guard compared to our Active Duty Counter-parts. We believe that anyone who puts on the uniform is deserving of our full support. We believe that “Every day in uniform counts.”

Read our full written testimony!

Watch Daniel’s testimony below:

 

]]> Bringing the Voice of The National Guard to Congress https://eangmt.org/2019/10/24/bringing-the-voice-of-the-national-guard-to-congress/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 15:54:46 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/10/24/bringing-the-voice-of-the-national-guard-to-congress/ Yesterday we had the honor of testifying before the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. We were proud to raise the alarm on many issues that face the men and women of the National Guard that have gone unaddressed for too long. In the coming days, we will be sharing actual video footage of the hearing and the questions we were asked.

In the meantime, the Federal News Network wrote a great article that gives a pretty good synopsis of not only what we shared but what the other witnesses testified about as well.

]]> Our Partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs https://eangmt.org/2019/10/21/our-partnership-with-the-department-of-veterans-affairs/ Mon, 21 Oct 2019 13:37:45 +0000 https://mteang.org/2019/10/21/our-partnership-with-the-department-of-veterans-affairs/ We’re excited to announce our formal partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This partnership will help get life-saving resources to members of the National Guard who may not otherwise have access to the support that they deserve. Secretary Wilkie explains, “VA engaging members of the National Guard is a priority set in the National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide. This partnership enhances the access to these resources for current service members and Veterans already connected with VA.”

We look forward to a long and productive relationship with the VA and thank Secretary Wilkie for his continued commitment to the men and women of the National Guard.

Read the VA Press Release
Read the EANGUS Press Release

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