Whats going on with September drills (2014)?

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 22:12:07 -0400

As We Enter The Last Month Of The Training Year Many Guardsmen Are Having Their Drills Postponed Or Cancelled, Why Is This Just Coming Out Now?

Wasn't September budgeted?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 3 at 2014 1:54 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 01:54:26 -0400

I was MUTA d out. Don't ask me how but i still had a good year.

Response by SFC(P) Tobias M. made Sep 3 at 2014 2:34 PM

SFC(P) Tobias M. — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:34:02 -0400

Septembers drills are the way they are due to the budget cuts. They are running out of money. The entire state of Iowa has moved their drill to the 27th to keep us from being paid prior to 1 Oct.

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Sep 4 at 2014 10:19 AM

LTC Yinon Weiss — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 10:19:42 -0400

The information I got was that the National Guard Bureau has a budget shortfall, and had to get money back from the States as a stop gap. It's supposed to be temporary, and therefore drills are being postponed to later in the month, but even that is not definite. Postponing drills can be extremely disruptive, so I am sure this was definitely a measure of last resort.

Response by 1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2014 11:39 AM

1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 11:39:54 -0400

I hope for some this is begging the question of some states' "chief-to-indian" ratio. Ours has roughly a BDE's worth of soldiers. But it's a BDE sized element with over a dozen COLs and a handful of GOs. That's a lot of cash, especially when you have field grade officers sometimes doing tasks that in the RA are performed by NCOs or even junior enlisted. Case in point, the first DD 1351 I filed in the Guard was reviewed by a LTC. On Okinawa that was done by a SPC.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2014 4:57 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 16:57:11 -0400

This is becoming a habit. I suggest everyone exercise their right to VOTE come November.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2014 10:53 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 22:53:11 -0400

No comments on this one guys?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2014 10:55 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 22:55:41 -0400

My drill was supposed to take place this weekend, but pushed off until the end of the month due to budgeting issues. Yes. I know what you mean.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2014 11:49 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 23:49:56 -0400

It was specifically stated to me that drill in MA was pushed out to the end of Sept from this weekend because of money. Drill for AL was also pushed out to the end of Sept, but the specific reason was not stated. I can only assume that it was money as well.

Response by 1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 7 at 2014 11:20 AM

1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 11:20:56 -0400

This is my string of thought:

1) Will this affect soldiers' retirement points towards a "good year"?
2) Will there be any national legislative or state gubernatorial response to this?
3) How is this an ARNG issue and not also affecting the ANG?
4) If this is the result of fiscal mismanagement, which I suspect, whose career will be affected and how?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 7 at 2014 11:21 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 11:21:01 -0400

Hello all, former NGB Budgeteer here,

I can’t speak on specifics of what happened but just knowing broadly how funds are managed will paint a pretty good picture.

1. Funds are budgeted in annual cycles. In FY14 Congress cut some funds out of ARNG personnel pay dollars as the National Guard was scheduled to decrease in end strength by 4,000 Soldiers. Reference NDAA 2014; public record.

2. All Military organizations (NGB included) pay for unprogrammed projects out of hide. This is an excellent way to fund new requirements that have not been able to compete for funds in the deliberate manner of annual budget cycles. This can cause pain in post-war drawdown however when every dollar starts to count.

3. Mobilizations have decreased (reference every public news channel). Every Soldier that deploys from the ARNG is a mouth that the Active Component feeds for a year. With mobilizations on the decline, the ARNG does not benefit from the cost avoidance offset.

4. Why delay drill now? Most everyone is familiar with, “We have no money, we have no money” then near the end of the year, “holy crap spend spend spend”. Well this year is different as the funds ran dry. ARNG is likely waiting for what they call, “grow back” cash. That is earlier int he year I asked for $100 to buy a widget. That widget ended up costing $90 and it takes a few months to deobligate the $10 that wasn’t spent and get it back in the pot for spending.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2015 2:16 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 14:16:21 -0400

Family day and AT recovery MUTA 4 in my unit. No word yet on it being cut or delayed. It wouldn't surprise me though after the fiasco from two Octobers ago. Never in my 30 years have I had a entire drill weekend cancelled for lack of funds from the federal government. It was a big training year for us and played catch up the remainder of the winter, MUTA 6's once the money was turned back on.