Wyden to U.S. Army: discrimination against Oregon National Guard soldiers must end
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May 20
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Over the years, Oregon National Guard soldiers have said that they are treated as second-class citizens while they serve in the Military. After hearing of these complaints, Senator Ron Wyden stepped up and did something about it when no one else would.
Working with Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader and the families of many Oregon National Guard members, Senator Wyden took on the status quo and began asking tough questions as to why members of the Oregon National Guard and reservists returning from active duty were not receiving the same level of support as full-time soldiers, particularly when it came to medical care.
"Although many senior officers realize that all soldiers deserve to be treated with respect and receive all the benefits they've earned, a culture of discrimination against the Reserve component seems to still permeate some aspect of the Army," wrote Wyden and Schrader in a joint letter. The evidence clearly shows, they emphasized, that members of the Oregon Guard had seen their health benefits "systematically denied."
Already people are taking notice. The Oregonian's editorial board noted that "all too often, the only way to move the military is to apply pressure from the outside" and thanked Senator Wyden for his effort. Additional coverage can be read in The Oregonian, The Statesman Journal, and The News Tribune.
And, most important of all, the Army has agreed to launch a thorough investigation of the claims.
To learn more about Senator Wyden's efforts, click here.
