Nondual Status Increase Plan Gets Hill Support

An Obama administration proposal to increase the number of nondual-status technicians (full-time civilian employees) in the Army National Guard has garnered bi-partisan support in the Senate. According to the National Guard Association of the United States, the list of supporters includes Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., Scott Brown, R-Mass., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Kit Bond, R.-Mo. Leahy and Bond are co-chairs of the Senate Guard Caucus. The measure, a provision of the proposed 2011 defense bill, would increase the cap to 2,520 personnel from 1,600.