Brewer recognized for legislative efforts by National Guard Association

Stephen M. Brewer State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre) will receive the Charles Dick Medal of Merit award from the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) at the 130th General Conference in Baltimore on September 22.

The award is to recognize Brewer for his outstanding support for members of the Massachusetts National Guard and their families, and for the example he has shown to other State Legislatures.

"I am truly honored to be chosen to receive this award," Brewer said. "I continue to be humbled by the hard work and sacrifices made by our service men and women. It has been an honor to advocate for their needs through my position as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee of Veterans and Federal Affairs and I will continue to work hard for them as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means."

One of the accomplishments Brewer is pleased with is that the Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee passed comprehensive state benefits legislation, known as the Welcome Home Bill.

The award was established in 1988 to recognize elected officials for their support of the National Guard and is one of the highest awards that can be bestowed by the NGAUS. It was named after Major General Charles Dick, a member of the Ohio National Guard and each a United States representative and senator who authored the law that created the Modern National Guard.

The bill provides for a Welcome Home $1,000 bonus for Guardsmen called up to active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, establishes a Military Family Relief Fund; provides all members of the Guard with education and fee waivers at all state colleges; increased daily pay for Guard members; and increases death benefits for families of Guard members from $5,000 to $100,000. There is also provisions that provide all members of the Massachusetts National Guard with life insurance policies with values up to $400,000 and allows Massachusetts public employees who are members of a neighboring state's National Guard unit to apply their creditable service toward pension credits.

The Welcome Home Bill continues to help the families of Massachusetts Guardsmen and has become an example for other State Legislatures as they continue to use it as a model of strong support for their state's guard today, according to Brewer.

Brewer was also a co-author of the Massachusetts MERIT (Military Enhanced Relief Individual Tax) Plan, designed to relieve the financial burden of members of the Guard, Reserve and active military families, especially during times of war.