Johnson Fights to Secure Payments for National Guard Members

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) urged National Guard Bureau Chief Daniel R. Hokanson to ensure the availability of incentive programs for National Guard members.

“Missing or delayed bonus payments for our soldiers has become a troubling trend—one that cannot continue,” said Johnson. “Our servicemembers are counting on bonuses they were promised to pay their bills. We must uphold our word to the men and women serving our country.”

On March 1 of this year, the Army National Guard suspended reenlistment bonuses. While the incentives program was restarted on March 8, this is not the first time incentives programs were suspended or delayed. In October 2023, more than 9,000 soldiers experienced delays in receiving their enlistment bonus, some by up to five years. A similar scenario occurred in 2021. Further, the National Guard suspended student loan repayments for soldiers in July of 2023.

The Armed Services significantly missed its recruitment goals for 2023 by over 40,000 people. This leaves our military with the smallest active-duty force since 1940. Johnson’s letter asks if the Armed Services are short of their recruiting goal, why the incentive programs are not funded properly.

Read Johnson’s letter to Hokanson here.