Delegate Bob Marshall introduced HB 2474 on Jan. 21, 2011 to protect Virginia’s National Guard from being subject to the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law and offered this statement and action item today:
In order to respond to the majority of those who serve in our Military who do not want “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repealed (according to the Pentagon Study, page 49), I introduced HB 2474 to preserve DADT policy for the Virginia National Guard which is primarily the responsibility of state government except when called into Federal Service by the President. Still, Virginia is in charge of enlistments.
The Department of Defense reported that of Marine combat troops, 32 percent said they would leave service early and another 16.2 percent would consider leaving early if DADT were repealed. Of Army combat troops, 21.4 percent would leave and 14.6 percent would consider leaving. No foreign enemy could have delivered a more devastating blow to our Armed Forces. This manpower loss could precipitate a return to a compulsory military draft. President Obama believes women should register for the Selective Service. (Pittsburg Post-Gazette, October 13, 2008).
Rather than be paralyzed into inaction by a recent speculation by the Attorney General that Congress could theoretically condition federal funding to the Virginia National Guard at some future time, is this not a matter on which Virginia should take the lead, protecting our National Guard servicemen and women and urging other sovereign states to do the same, especially since the Repeal of DADT (and 232 years of military policy and 6000 years of religious and moral tradition) was passed into law by a Lame Duck Congress on a weekend before Christmas, on a bill dealing with Small Technology!
Had the President waited one month to allow the new Congress to vote on this matter, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would not have been repealed. The present Congress would not have allowed such a massive social experiment in a time of war.
Please contact the members of the Rules Committee below and ask them to support HB 2474. Thank you.
Delegate Bill Howell delbhowell@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1028
Delegate Lacey Putney dellputney@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1019
Delegate Steve Landes delslandes@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1025
Delegate Kirk Cox delkcox@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1066
Delegate Terry Kilgore deltkilgore@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1001
Delegate Lee Ware dellware@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1065
Delegate Bill Janis delbjanis@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1056
Delegate Rob Bell delrbell@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1058
Delegate Bev Sherwood delbsherwood@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1029
Delegate Wat Abbitt delegatewabbitt@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1059
Delegate Johnny Joannou No email 804-698-1079
Delegate Joe Johnson deljjohnston@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1004
Delegate Ward Armstrong delwarmstrong@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1010
Delegate Kenny Plum delkplum@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1036
Delegate Kenny Alexander delkalexander@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1089
HOUSE BILL NO. 2474
Offered January 21, 2011
A BILL to amend and reenact § 44-2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to eligibility for service in the Virginia National Guard.
