Wyoming Military Department Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Committee June 1, 2015 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 2 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Interim Topic: Wyoming Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy “Courage to Change” 4 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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). 5 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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 6 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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 7 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Improved Performance Attendance & Academic Trends 600 500 483 400 365 300 266 251 247 242 200 191 180 175 167 150 128 110 106 100 101 91 79 75 76 51 26 9 5 5 0 1 FY05-06 FY07-08 FY09-10 FY11-12 FY13-14 Applicants Registered Graduates HSECs Diplomas 8 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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 9 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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 10 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
WY Cowboy ChalleNGe Academy 11 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
WCCA Sunset Clause Course of Action Timeline Legislative Session 2016 Legislative Session 2017 Advantages Advantages • Get ahead of the process • General session • Continuity for WCCA • stability • classes continue as planned • no fear of layoffs Disadvantages Disadvantages • Budget session • Ramifications of potential WCCA shutdown • negative effect on employees • delay classes/recruiting • three months before sunset 12 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Interim Topics: Guard Re-employment Rights & Veteran Preference Points 13 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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 14 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Interim Topic: Re-employment Rights for Military Members • Many Wyoming residents who live and work in Wyoming are members of the National Guard of another state. This is often because the other states National Guard is closer or has career specialties not present or open 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 16 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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;” 17 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Employment Protections during State- Sponsored Activation 18 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Interim Topic: Veteran Preference Points 19 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Interim Topic: Veterans Preference Points • 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 opportunity 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. 20 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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 of 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 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Private Hiring Preference – Enacted Legislation 22 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
Questions/Guidance 23 wyomilitary.wyo.gov Wyoming National Guard
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