There aren't a lot of things that bring the state's lone Republican representative, Greg Walden, in line with his Democratic colleagues, but protecting the National Guard is one of them. Walden, along with Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Reps. Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici and Kurt Schrader are troubled about the Pentagon's direction on streamlining the pay of National Guard members and Reservists.

NG Pay Letter - Final.doc -- Click the link to the left to see the letter the delegation sent to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Tuesday.

At issue are the recommendations in the Pentagon's Quadrennial Review of Defense Compensation, which would change the formulas by which Guard members and Reservists are paid. Here's the key detail from the letter, which was signed by every member of the delegation:

The proposal to reduce National Guard drill pay by 50 percent and to compensate by providing an "end of year incentive payment" equal to 50 percent of annual drill pay seems untenable. Other proposals in the QRMC need to be defined. Vague QRMC statements such as "In particular, consider compensating reservists with a day’s pay for a day’s work, including entitlements" need be clarified before there can be any consideration of the proposed changes.

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