ROA urges Congress to reform TAP, pass GI Bill parity, and expand benefits for Reserve and Guard members at a congressional hearing.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- On Wednesday, June 11, the Reserve Organization of America testified before the U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. With nearly twenty bills on the docket, ROA submitted statements for the record addressing close to a dozen proposals.

ROA’s primary focus, however, was H.R. 3387, the Enhancing the Transitioning Servicemember’s Experience Act. Introduced by Subcommittee Chairman Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin’s third congressional district, the bill would significantly improve the Transition Assistance Program for all servicemembers, especially those in the Reserve and National Guard.

Representing ROA at the hearing was Matthew Schwartzman, director of legislation and military policy. Schwartzman emphasized the need to tailor TAP to meet the unique needs of reserve component members, who often face repeated transitions between military and civilian life.

“Unlike their active-duty counterparts, members of the Reserve and National Guard don’t transition just once; they navigate that shift repeatedly throughout their careers,” said Schwartzman. “But you don’t have to take my word for it.”

Schwartzman shared the story of a Marine Corps reservist who told ROA that TAP instructors had “zero understanding” of the reserve components. When the reservist asked whether any of the content applied to him, he received only a “blank stare” in response.

The ETS Act includes several provisions supported by ROA that aim to close these gaps and better support transitioning reserve component members. These include:

• Establishing a tailored TAP track for reserve component members.
• Providing flexibility for reservists to waive requirements when appropriate.
• Authorizing repeat participation in TAP preseparation counseling.
• Fully integrating spouses into the transition process.
• Aligning TAP more closely with the VA’s Solid Start program.
• Creating a centralized online hub for transition-related resources.

While Schwartzman’s testimony focused almost exclusively on ROA’s desired reforms for TAP, he also reiterated the organization’s highest education priority: the GI Bill Parity Act. At the hearing, Schwartzman referred the committee to a statement submitted by ROA policy fellows Peter Donlon and Jake Fales to the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in support of GI Bill parity.

A broader statement was authored by Fales and policy and communications fellow Hannah Miller, offering support and technical assistance on legislation that would expand access to housing and education benefits, modernize VA communications, and extend key services by broadening the definition of “veteran” to fully include reserve component members.

“The Delivering Digitally to Our Veterans Act enables streamlined electronic communication regarding a service member's well-earned education benefits,” said Miller. “This technology has the potential to revolutionize how veterans receive vital information.”

“The Every Veteran Housed Act expands the definition of ‘veteran’ within homelessness benefits to include Reserve and National Guard members,” added Fales. “ROA believes that every veteran deserves a safe place to call home after a life of service.”

“ROA is urging Congress to pass the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act and to work with the Office of Management and Budget to complete long-overdue duty status reform,” said Donlon. “Reservists can perform the same missions as their active-duty counterparts, yet they often do not receive the same benefits. This is an injustice that must be addressed.”

Together, these statements reflect ROA’s comprehensive and coordinated advocacy for citizen-warriors and their families. From transition assistance and education to housing and benefit parity, ROA continues to lead the charge on Capitol Hill to ensure that those who serve in the Reserve and National Guard are never treated as second-class servicemembers.

ROA's Director of Legislation, Matthew Schwartzman, testifies before Congress June 11, fighting to reform TAP for citizen-warriors and their families. 

Maj. Gen. Joe Marsiglia met with cadets in Ann Arbor, Mich. to share his leadership experiences.

ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- The new Reserve Organization of America and Reserve Officer Training Corps "Working Together Program" is something special.  No other program like this exists in the state of Michigan.  The program was created to provide ROTC cadets with leadership skills to help them succeed as officers; and presents officers with opportunities to share their leadership experiences with a new generation of officers and to enjoy continued involvement with old and new military friends.  

The idea for the program started in April 2024.  Retired Lt. Col. Louis Wilson attended the University of Michigan (UM) Tri-Service Awards Ceremony and met cadets and cadre. 

The UM Army ROTC Wolverine Battalion had a new professor of military science (PMS) assigned, Capt. Louis Goldstein.  Informal discussions sparked an idea to bring experienced officers into contact with students. 

If it was to succeed, the cadets had to have input and ownership of the program. 

Two cadets, Jonathan Li and Ethan Wilmot, volunteered as points of contact to gather cadet input.  They suggested monthly meetings at a day and time that fit the students’ class schedules.  To allow time to organize, the first meeting was set to take place in January 2025.

Wilson recruited officers to participate.  He was greatly helped by retired Brig. Gen. Mark Montjar, who contacted several friends, who were also generals.  An initial group of six generals and six field grade officers comprised the group.  Maj. Gen. U.S. Army Joseph Marsiglia and several other officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force attended in person. 

ROA-MI Executive Committee members and Naval officers Capt. Ventz Potochik and Cmdr. Jim Semerad took part.  As several of the officers lived far from Ann Arbor, they were linked to the meetings via Zoom.  The officers provided copies of their military bios.  Goldstein provided the UM meeting rooms, Zoom meeting administration, and coordination with the cadets.

The program agendas were flexible and consisted of introductions and cadet questions.  The cadets were asked to contact one or two officers outside of the meeting times, where the officers could serve as career mentors and information resources.  The officers provided informal guidance and wrote reference letters for admission to civilian graduate and military programs. 

The ROTC curriculum provides a solid base of technical skills.  The Working Together Program provides an additional level of leadership skills in working with people, real world experience, and military careers.  

Many positive outcomes resulted for both the cadets and officers.  The cadets gained leadership skills and created connections with officers to assist their careers.  The officers enjoyed involvement with military friends and shared their experiences to develop future leaders. 

The hope is that ROA may benefit from increased involvement in ROA events with the retention and recruitment of ROA members.  The program was beneficial and fun for all who participated, and may lead to long term friendships.  Many of the junior and senior cadets have joined ROA as Associate Members. 

With the enthusiastic cadet support, Goldstein and Wilson are planning to offer the Working Together Program at the UM ROTC Program in Sept 2025. 

For more information, interested officers of all service branches can contact Wilson at louis-wilson@sbcglobal.net.

Pictured above are Capt. Louis Goldstein (left) and retired Lt. Col. Louis Wilson.

Pictured in first row from left to right: Retired Maj. Gen. Adolph McQueen, retired Maj. Gen. Arthur Bartell.  Second row: cadets in conference room and retired Brig. Gen. Mark Montjar.

From left to right: Trey Criner, Tracee Millard, Dr. Carol Hassett and Glennie Millard of the Brooklyn, NY Chapter; Stacey Lauren Director of Operations, Veterans Miracle Center, and Ed Downey, DONY President. ROA members and DONY presented donations of more than $500 to the Veterans Miracle Center.

Front row L to R: Retired Army Lt. Col. Glennie Millard; President Brooklyn/NYC Chapter; Nancy Langlie; Jane Downey; Dr. Carol Hassett, Brooklyn/NYC Treasurer; Delores Palmer, Southwestern NY Chapter Secretary and retired Army Master Sgt. Roger Palmer, Treasurer Southwestern NY Chapter.

Back rows L to R: USAFR Maj. Vince Leone, Secretary/ROTC coordinator Genesee Valley Chapter; retired Army Col. Konrad Langlie, Capital District Chapter; retired Maj. Harvey Snyder, Capital District Chapter VP and Membership; Army Sgt. Ryan Downey (event IT coordinator), retired Army Lt. Col. Carmen Gentile, Buffalo Chapter and DONY National Council Representative, Trey Criner ROA National Director of Operations; retired Army Col. John Hassett, Brooklyn/NYC Treasurer; retired Army Maj. Tracee Millard, Brooklyn/NYC Chapter; retired Army Capt. Laurie Clarke, DONY and Capital District Chapter Secretary; USAF Col. Robin Pfeil, DONY Treasurer; retired Army Col. Ed Downey, DONY and Capital District President.

Thousands of American lives were saved during the war in Iraq and Afghanistan due to improvements in military battlefield care based on research by military physicians and nurses that is now threatened by budget cuts. 

Projections of zero funding for a proven Department of Defense research program in Fiscal Year 2026 and the outyears will be catastrophic not only to military nursing, but also to civilian nursing and the care that nurses provide to all Americans.

Our warfighters have gone into battle since 9/11, confident that, if wounded or injured, their survivability was the highest in history, with a survivability rate greater than 90 percent. They knew they would receive the best in medical and nursing care from the battlefield to home. That survivability rate was achieved by the science that undergirds evidenced-based care.

Since 1992, the TriService Nursing Research Program (TSRNP) has funded research conducted by military nurse scientists to improve the care provided to our warfighters. This program was created by the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye, who credited his life to the nurses who cared for him following his wounds suffered in WWII. 

This program is housed at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), in Bethesda, Md. The science that has come from TSRNP has led to improvements in resuscitation following severe injury and bleeding, musculoskeletal studies that have improved servicemember readiness, PTSD treatments using alternative therapies, and care for families during and after deployment. Military families have also benefited from the funding provided to military nurse scientists from this program.

Financial support for TSNRP began as an earmark, followed by contributions from the services, and finally as Operations and Management monies through USUHS. The amounts have been essentially flat for 30 years, with occasional dollars directed by Congress to be added to the “pass-through” funds from the USUHS budget. Despite flat budgets, military nurses have conducted over 500 studies. 

Not funding TSNRP now and in the outyears will have serious second-, third-, and fourth-order effects. The morale of military and civilian nurses in military hospitals will fall as they realize they cannot provide the best in evidence-based care. They will fear harming those entrusted to them. Servicemembers could be harmed, further reducing their readiness. 

Military leaders, aware that care delivered on the battlefield is outdated, will question whether their servicemembers will be able to deliver the lethality they have in the past. Family members will worry more about deployments and what might happen if their loved one cannot get the best science-based care. Wounded and injured servicemembers will worry about survival or if they will have the latest in equipment, such as prostheses. 

Evidence garnered through military nursing research defines care for our service members and eventually these best practices find their way into civilian nursing as well. To stop research that directly improves the lives of those who volunteer to serve in our armed forces will mean that care no longer based on research could result in outdated practices and harm. It could also erode recruiting and retention. Who would want to serve if they are not confident of the best in medical and nursing care, especially in war? 

We urge Congress to direct funding to TSNRP with a budget line item of $13M. This funding will allow TSNRP to continue to advance the science and research needed to produce new, cutting-edge evidence-based nursing practices that will directly lead to improving the care provided to our warfighters on the battlefield.  

This funding will continue to improve the health and wellbeing of our deserving military servicemembers and their families, a community of volunteers who continue to provide selfless service to our nation day in and day out. After all, they are the 1 percent who volunteer to wear the uniforms of our nation. Don’t they deserve the best nursing care America can provide?

Article contributors include: 

Margaret C. Wilmoth, PhD, MSS, RN, FAAN, a retired U.S. Army major general, professor of nursing and president-elect, ROA.

Patricia A. Patrician, PhD, RN, FAAN, a retired U.S. Army colonel, recipient of TriService Nursing Research funds and retired professor of nursing.

Deborah Kenny, PhD, RN, FAAN, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, is a past director of the TriService Nursing Research Program (TSNRP) and a professor of nursing.  

Jeffrey E. Phillips, a retired U.S. Army major general, is the executive director of the Reserve Organization of America.

Members of the Department of Texas participated in a USAR Yellow Ribbon event in San Antonio, Texas.  The event was hosted by the 63rd Readiness Division and had 273 deployers and family members. 

ROA members gave out 22 STARs in School kits as well as handouts on ROA's legislative priorities and info on the Service Members Law Center. Pictured above are Scott Russell (left), Marc Marin (right), and George Rippel (center).