WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Virginia National Guard Association (VNGA) strongly opposes the Department of Defense (DoD) reprogramming $3.8 billion of FY20 funding. Through tireless advocacy, the VNGA and its parent organization, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), helped Congress recognize the critical role of the National Guard to our national security and helped secure robust funding to ensure readiness and lethality in FY20.
The reprogramming disproportionally targeted the National Guard. One-third of the reprogrammed funding was intended by Congress to address unfunded requirements and critical modernization efforts to ensure safety and lethality of Guardsman in the field, including:
$790.0 million for the National Guard within the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account (NGREA), of which Virginia National Guard receives a significant amount:
- Since 1981, NGREA has been a vital readiness tool for the Reserve Component to address unfunded requirements and ensure weapons platform compatibility across the Total Force
- NGREA is designed to supplement budget requests and ensure National Guard and Reserve equipment interoperability
- NGREA is a direct response to the articulated and demonstrated needs of the warfighters in the field
$100.0 million for the Army National Guard High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) Modernization Program; the Virginia National Guard maintains over 1,000 HMMWV
- The Army National Guard HMMWV Modernization Program has modernized over 3,800 HMMWVs (out of 43,000) since it was established in FY13
- The program returns already-procured vehicles in a brand new or like-new, zero hours and zero miles status
- The program guarantees combat readiness for HMMWVs and Army National Guard soldiers when deploying in support of overseas contingency operations
$169.0 million for C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft for the Air National Guard
- It is critical to modernize the Air National Guard C-130 fleet by continuing to replace some C-130H aircraft with new C-130J aircraft because the Air Force plans to continue utilizing the C-130 beyond 2040
- The Air National Guard operates 40% of the Total Air Force C-130 tactical airlift mission and most Air National Guard C-130 wings operate 30-year old C-130H Hercules aircraft
- Air National Guard C-130J procurement funding ensures the safety, reliability and effectiveness of the Air National Guard C-130 fleet, both at home and abroad
TAKE ACTION NOW! Tell your representatives to support restoring over $1 Billion in National Guard Funds Reprogrammed by the Department of Defense.