Tester’s three-point plan focuses on fortifying National Guard and Reserve, equipping troops and enacting a new Military Bill of Rights
Montana Senate President and U.S. Senate candidate Jon Tester released his Plan to Strengthen the U.S. Military alongside four-star Army General Wes Clark to a crowd of veterans and supporters at Lions Park in Great Falls.
General Clark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and candidate President, endorsed Tester last week.
“Jon Tester knows that we need a strong military equipped with every tool necessary to be safe and successful,” said Clark. “He also realizes how important it is that we keep our promise to the young men and women returning home, many injured, from Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Tester and Clark emphasized the importance of taking care of U.S. troops and maintaining a well-equipped U.S. military. Tester’s plan centers around the following action points:
Restoring the Strength of the U.S. Military: Jon Tester is committed to rebuilding a state-of the art military by making the needed investments in equipment and manpower in order to keep Americans safe wherever and whenever necessary. He will fight to strengthen the National Guard and Reserve, in partnership with the nation’s governors, to ensure that they are fully manned, fully equipped and available to meet missions at home and abroad.
Providing Troops with the Tools They Need to be Safe and Successful: Jon Tester will make sure our troops have the protective armor, equipment and training they need are never sent to war without accurate intelligence and a strategy for success.
Enacting a New Military Bill of Rights: Jon Tester will fight to enact a new Military Bill of Rights that guarantees our troops, our veterans and their families receive the pay, health care, services and educational benefits they have earned and deserve.
Tester stressed that the U.S. military is currently overstretched. So many troops are deployed or recently returned from combat duty that only two or three combat brigades — perhaps 7,000 to 10,000 troops — are fully ready to respond in case of a crisis. More than half of the Montana Air and Army National Guard have been deployed since 9/11.
“American troops are asked to protect our country, yet under poor leadership in Washington, D.C. they are being stretched too thin. They aren’t getting the tools and training they need,” Tester said.
Tester also emphasized the importance of keeping our commitment to veterans, citing a broken VA health care system.
“It’s time to get our priorities straight and start keeping the promise to our vets. We need a guarantee that ALL our vets get affordable, accessible and quality health care. I will fight to make sure we have permanent, mandatory funding for VA budgets so we never again face VA hospital closings, reduction in quality of health care or increased fees and premiums charged to our veterans,” Tester said.
In his final military command, General Clark commanded Operation Allied Force, NATO’s first major combat action, which saved 1.5 million Albanians from ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, and he was responsible for the peacekeeping operation in Bosnia.
Clark is a four-star general who has been awarded the Silver Star, five Defense Distinguished Service Medals, four Legion of Merit Awards, two Army Distinguished Service Medals, two Bronze Star Medals and the Purple Heart.
