Major General (Ret.) Jeffrey Phillips, Mission: Readiness member and executive director of the Reserve Officers Association, writes in the Military Times about the impact of obesity on the military and the importance of PE and healthy school meals.

Whether or not you consider military service an attractive option, it’s hard to argue against a strong military being essential to America’s security.

Yet the U.S. military faces increasing difficulty finding enough quality recruits to meet its already slimmed-down goals. According to the Pentagon, 71 percent of Americans age 17 to 24 are ineligible to join the military, primarily because they are too overweight or too poorly educated, or they have a record of serious crime or drug abuse.

READ THE FULL STORY

ROA is now becoming prominent in Washington media; this is our sixth op-ed in The Hill since March; Military Times is considering two more.

“The common bond that unites every soldier, sailor, airman and Marine is a commitment to duty, honor and country. Whether native born, naturalized, or not U.S. citizens at all, service members are unified not by a common heritage, race, religion or creed, but rather by this universal code that builds character, breeds conviction and encourages valor,” Emilio T. Gonzalez, then the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, an immigrant and former U.S. Army soldier, testified before the Senate Committee on Armed Services in July 2006.

The ongoing discharge of immigrant recruits robs a U.S. military that is struggling to meet enlistment goals and profoundly betrays the very national values these young people seek to defend.

Now that the House and Senate have passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, the Armed Services Committee members and staff will start negotiating the differences between the two bill versions. Here are the agreed upon Conferees:

On the Republican side, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) named the following conferees:

• From the House Armed Services Committee: Chairman Mac Thornberry (Texas), Reps. Joe Wilson (S.C.), Frank LoBiondo (N.J.), Rob Bishop (Utah), Michael Turner (Ohio), Mike Rogers (Ala.), Bill Shuster (Pa.), Mike Conaway (Texas), Doug Lamborn (Colo.), Robert Wittman (Va.), Mike Coffman (Colo.), Vicky Hartzler (Mo.), Austin Scott (Ga.), Paul Cook (Calif.), Bradley Byrne (Ala.), Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), Don Bacon (Neb.) and Jim Banks (Ind.).

• From the Energy and Commerce Committee: Reps. Bob Latta (Ohio) and Bill Johnson (Ohio).
• From the Foreign Affairs Committee: Chairman Ed Royce (Calif.) and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.).
• From the Financial Services Committee: Chairman Jeb Hensarling (Texas) and Rep. Andy Barr (Ky.).

On the Democratic side, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) named the following conferees:

• From the Senate Armed Services Committee: Ranking member Adam Smith (Wash.), Reps. Susan Davis (Calif.), James Langevin (R.I.), Jim Cooper (Tenn.), Joe Courtney (Conn.), Niki Tsongas (Mass.), John Garamendi (Calif.), Jackie Speier (Calif.), Marc Veasey (Texas), Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), Beto O'Rourke (Texas) and Stephanie Murphy (Fla.), as well as Del. Madeleine Bordallo (Guam).
• From Energy and Commerce: Ranking member Frank Pallone (N.J.).
• From Financial Services: Ranking member Maxine Waters (Calif.).
• From Foreign Affairs: Ranking member Eliot Engel (N.Y.).

The non-Armed Services conferees from other committees are there to negotiate on a provision related to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, according to news releases.

ROA is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2018 national convention!

Click here to Register now.

This year’s national convention promises many exciting events for ROA members to include an update on TRICARE, a professional development seminar, a banquet with a congressional speaker (invited), awards presentations, speaker presentations, a State of the Association address, a detailed update on current legislation, and training on conducting grass-roots activities. All this while connecting with old friends and making new ones.

Click here for more information or to register for the event.

We hope to see you there!

The Department of Virginia is seeking volunteers to present ROA medals and certificates at JROTC award ceremonies around the state.

Ceremonies will take place from now through the first week of June in the following areas: Burke, Charles City, Fredericksburg, Goochland, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, Richmond, Smithfield, Stafford, Surry County, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and Yorktown.

If you are interested in taking part in one or more of these ceremonies, contact Amy Blumenthal, the Dept of Virginia ROTC/JROTC liaison, at trythisab@gmail.com.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to support ROA and the Department of Virginia. But more importantly, don’t miss this opportunity to support our young up-and-coming officers!