Department Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard

Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Committee June 1, 2015

Wyoming Military Department

Version 3.2

wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard

Agenda

• Military Department Update
• Wyoming Veterans Commission
• Wyoming Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy
• DOD’s current 10 Key Issues
• Guard Re-employment Rights
• Veterans Preference Points

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Military Update

• Upcoming deployments

– 2-300 early fall 2015 – C-Med fall 2015 – Air Guard fall 2015

• MAFFS
• Tunisia State Partnership Program
• Afton armory ribbon cutting – 16 Sep 2015
• Camp Guernsey fire rehearsals
• Camp Guernsey hosted Regional Best Warrior Competition
• $2.4M Maintenance Fund
• National Issues

– legislative issues – threat – cyber 3

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Interim Topic: Wyoming Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy

“Courage to Change”

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Wyoming Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy

“Why is WCCA not a recognized § Title 21 ‘Educational Institution’ in the state?”

• Wyoming Youth ChalleNGe remains hard at work

recruiting those Wyoming adolescents with the “Courage to Change”.

• This study would research the topic, determine the

advantages/disadvantages of making the program a recognized educational institution and work through the legislative details involved (if any).

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WCCA Interim Topic Significant Events

• 23 March 2015 - Met with Wyoming Superintendent of

Public Instruction Jillian Balow and team

• 6 May 2015 - Meeting with Director of School Support,

Rob Bryant

• 12 May 2015 - Telecon w/ WY Girls School (DFS)

Superintendent Chris Jones

• Next step: Follow up meeting with Director of School

Support, Rob Bryant and team

• 10 September 2015 - final recommendation to JTIC

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WCCA Educational Institution Accreditation Considerations

• Accreditation

– teacher requirements – oversight reporting – inspections

• Educational requirements

– individual educational plans – special education

• Incentives

– school district dropout listings – e-rate funding – awareness through state statute codification

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Improved Performance

175 251 247 266 483 128 191 167 180 365 75 110 101 106 242 51 91 76 79 150 1 5 5 9 26 100 200 300 400 500 600 FY05-06 FY07-08 FY09-10 FY11-12 FY13-14

Attendance & Academic Trends

Applicants Registered Graduates HSECs Diplomas

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Improved Performance

• Four starts per year
• Full time counselors
• New director
• Services & capabilities added…

– 2012: Cowboy Ethics curriculum – 2012: staff presence – 2012-15: enhanced/standardized facilities – 2013: recurring guest speakers – 2013: social media use (data, interaction) – 2014: vocational training at EWC – 2014: website functionality & resources – 2014: peer mentors – 2015: cadet scholarships & career day

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Wyoming Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy Sunset Clause

• WY Statute Title 19, Article 7 entitled “National Guard

Youth Challenge Program” – Effective July 1, 2009

• §19-9-704: “W.S. 19-9-701 through 19-9-703 are

repealed effective June 30, 2017.” – Unless amended, will eliminate WCCA in ~24 months

• The WYMD recommends removal of the sunset clause

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WY Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy

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WCCA Sunset Clause Course of Action Timeline

Legislative Session 2016 Advantages

• Get ahead of the process
• Continuity for WCCA
• stability
• classes continue as planned
• no fear of layoffs

Disadvantages

• Budget session

Legislative Session 2017 Advantages

• General session

Disadvantages

• Ramifications of potential

WCCA shutdown

• negative effect on employees
• delay classes/recruiting
• three months before sunset

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Interim Topics: Guard Re-employment Rights & Veteran Preference Points

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Military Friendly State

• Advocacy group scorecard used by Under Secretary of

Defense

• The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel &

Readiness

– Seeks to maintain the welfare of the active duty, guard, and reserve service members and their families living within their borders

• Wyoming deserves to be recognized locally and

nationally for their support of the military

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Current DOD 10 Key Issues

Currently, efforts are being focused on the following 10 key issues (as approved by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness) which promote the well-being of our service members and their families 15

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Interim Topic: Re-employment Rights for Military Members

• Many Wyoming residents who live and work in Wyoming are members
• f the National Guard of another state. This is often because the other

states National Guard is closer or has career specialties not present or

• pen in the Wyoming National Guard
• One of the robust military member protections this Legislature has

provided is the right to re-employment once any military service ends, (W. S. §19-11-111) generally applicable to State Active Duty

• Currently, this protection is not clearly applicable to Wyoming residents

serving in the National Guard of another state

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Interim Topic: Guard Re-employment rights recommendation

• W. S. §19-11-111 provides the right of reinstatement

to former employment to any member of a “uniform service” called to military duty.

• Recommend W. S. §19-11-103(a)(ix) be amended to

include service in the national guard of any state.

• Example - add the following language in italics and

underlined : "Uniformed services" means the armed forces, the army national guard and the air national guard of any state, the commissioned corps of the public health service and any other category of persons designated by the president in time of war or emergency;”

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Employment Protections during State- Sponsored Activation

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Interim Topic: Veteran Preference Points

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• While the practice is widespread in government, veteran’s

preference given by private sector employers in hiring can violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and various equal employment

• pportunity laws.
• At least 17 states have now enacted laws to allow private employers

within the state to provide some type of preference to veterans in their private hiring actions, if they so choose.

Interim Topic: Veterans Preference Points

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Interim Topic: Veterans Preference Points

• Recommend Legislature consider adding statute allowing private

employers to grant a preference to veterans in hiring similar to the law

• f Minnesota (S.F. 1599, 2012).
• Example – add new section of W.S. §19-14-102 and re-title:

Permissive Preference For Veterans In Private Employment.

• 1. A private, nonpublic employer may grant preference to a veteran in

hiring and promotion.

• 2. A private, nonpublic employer may grant preference in hiring and

promotion to a spouse of a disabled veteran who has a service- connected permanent and total disability and to a surviving spouse of a deceased veteran. "Disabled veteran" in this subdivision means a person who has had a compensable service-connected disability as adjudicated by the United States Veterans Administration, or by the retirement board of one of the several branches of the armed forces.

• 3. Granting preference under subparagraph (1) or (2) does not violate any

local or state equal employment opportunity law. 21

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Private Hiring Preference – Enacted Legislation

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Questions/Guidance

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