PHOENIX - In recent letters to Arizona's Congressional Delegation and the Arizona Department of Administration, Governor Janet Napolitano has begun urging federal and state officials to rethink the pay and benefits offered to men and women who serve in the National Guard.

"In the last three years, the need for National Guard and Reserve troops to serve overseas and here at home has been increasing," said Napolitano. "These individuals deserve to enjoy benefits that are comparable to their active-duty counterparts."

The Governor emphasized compensation disparities between active service and Reserve or Guard duty in pensions and retirement packages.

In the letter to ADOA Director Betsey Bayless, Governor Napolitano urges the Department, which administers pay and benefits to state employees, to review the compensation and benefits provided to members of the Arizona National Guard and U.S. Reserve Units. The Governor's letters to the state's Congressional delegation urges Arizona's Senators and Representatives to request that the Department of Defense initiate a "prompt and thorough" nationwide review of the long-term compensation and benefits structure for the National Guard and Reserve.

Copies of the letters are attached.

Letter To ADOA Director Betsy Bayless
Letter To Congressional Delegation

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