After years on the decline, enlistment at the Indiana National Guard is on its way back up, and officials hope recent award and benefit changes will lead to further improvement.
Recruitment is up 14% over last year, according to Guard spokeswoman Lauren Houck. Air and Army members total of 12,173 members as of June 30.
At a closed ceremony Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Mike Braun ceremonially signed legislation, in effect July 1, that Adjutant General Larry Muennich previously said “will help address our challenges.”
Muennich also presented two Guard members with matching Indiana Distinguished Service Crosses for lifesaving actions — made possible by House Enrolled Act 1111.
Sgts. Justin Garrett and Taylor Watkins were at the Lawrence armory in September for a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps event with Lawrence Central High School when a 17-year-old girl’s asthma attack crossed into cardiac arrest. The duo performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until paramedics arrived.
The award previously was exclusive to those who perform a dangerous “act of heroism” or “act over and beyond the call of duty.” A new provision — for those who “contribut(e) directly” to saving others’ lives through an “act of courage” — put Garrett and Watkins’ names to paper and pins on their jackets.
“We just wanted a nice way to award soldiers and airmen who do outstanding, life-saving work,” Houck said.
Another award’s criteria was also expanded and a new one, the Indiana Outstanding Airman or Soldier of the Year, was created.
The legislation also offers big benefits that the pair of recruiters said could sweeten the deal for prospective recruits.
Soldiers and airmen who are 21st Century Scholars can now use Guard grants to pay up to $5,000 for higher education room and board, plus other approved expenses, for two years. The Scholars program covers tuition to Indiana colleges for foster children and low-income Hoosiers who meet academic requirements.
Members who apply for Guard tuition supplement scholarships can also use those awards to pay for credentialing programs and apprenticeships for “in demand occupations” determined by the adjutant general and Department of Workforce Development.
“The tuition assistance is great,” Garrett said. “Obviously, that’s one of our biggest selling points. It just encourages the citizen-soldier aspect, which is, all in all, going to make our job easier to help bridge the gap between the military and the civilian side.”
Other changes go beyond education.
House Enrolled Act 1111 adds soldiers on state active duty to the definition of a state employee for death benefit and worker’s compensation laws.
It also increases the payout cap on reasonable funeral expenses to $20,000 from $8,800 and deletes detailed, guard-specific processes for injury claims.
Additionally, the legislation allows the adjutant general to provide health insurance for members ordered to state active duty. Current law only lets the officeholder provide allowances to cover insurance premiums.
“All these changes seem to be heading into the right direction for recruiting aspects,” Garrett said. “… We are here to take care of our soldiers. We’re not just here for one week of the month.”
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