MSG Terry Dell


12th EANGUS President

State Association:  Iowa
Term:  2002 – 2004

Organizational Achievements

In 2003, President Dell presided over the dedication of the new EANGUS Building in Alexandria, VA and the naming of key offices inside the building in honor of EANGUS and Auxiliary pioneers. USAA agreed to continue their membership initiative which started in January 2002; under this program, USAA offered to pay for the first year’s national membership dues for all National Guard members promoted to E5 or E6. In 2004, EANGUS established and presented the first “Retiree of the Year” Award to CSM (Ret) William Hollmann (SD). Terry Dell also served as the EANGUS Vice President from 1998-2002; his platform for his Presidential campaign was “Building on Teamwork”, to include aggressive marketing for membership and education, the use of sound financial practices, and organizational continuity. The Fall 2002 New Patriot reported that attendance at the 2002 National Conference in Niagara Falls, NY, was 2,000.

Organizational Challenges

The 1st anniversary of 9-11 in September 2002, was a significant event and began the mobilization of National Guard members to fight the War on Terrorism. This created many new challenges regarding the defense budget, equipment fielding and modernization, utilization of the National Guard/Reserve, as well as outdated Cold War policies, benefits and compensation issues that needed to be addressed. 2002 also began the transformation of the National Guard from individual Air and Army state area commands in each state into one joint headquarters in each state as well as changes to create a joint force at NGB.

Legislative Accomplishments

TRICARE Prime to activated National Guard servicemembers without access to a military medical facility, as well as authorize federal agencies to pay federal health-insurance premiums for federal employees, who serve in the National Guard, when activated for 30 or more days. Expanded the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act, now called the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), protections to National Guard servicemembers mobilized under Title 32 orders for more than 30 days. Secured temporary TRICARE access for National Guard and Reserve servicemembers 60 days before mobilization and 180 days after separation, as well as low-cost coverage to part-time National Guard and Reserve servicemembers without employer-provided health care. Permanent access to TRICARE 90 days prior to mobilization and 180 days after separation. Unlimited access to the commissary for National Guard and Reserve members was signed into law by President Bush in November 2003, ending the long-standing limit of 24 visits per year and use of the DD2529, Commissary Privilege Card (punch-card).