Facebook-f Youtube

Tag: Military

Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Ben Steele of Billings

July 10, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today honored Ben Steele, a World War II veteran of Billings, for his exceptional service to the nation and the Billings community. During the war, Steele served in the Philippines and survived the Bataan Death March. After World War II Steele studied art at the University of Denver and later taught at Montana State University – Billings. Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. Daines’ recognition in

Daines Honors Montanans of the Week: Crow Tribe Code Talkers

June 26, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today honored Samson Birdinground, Cyril Not Afraid, Barney Old Coyote and Henry Old Coyote of the Crow Indian Nation for their exceptional service to our country during World War II. These four men were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for serving in our armed forces as “code talkers,” speaking their native Apsaalooké (Crow) language during wartime in order to transmit and receive military intelligence and successfully avoid disclosing information to enemy forces. Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official

Daines Recognizes PTSD Awareness Day on Senate Floor

June 26, 2015

To mark National Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day, this Saturday, June 27, Senator Steve Daines took to the Senate floor to raise awareness about the prevalence of mental illnesses like PTSD among service members and veterans. Below are key excerpts from Daines’ floor speech: “PTSD is a serious problem affecting too many of our country’s bravest individuals. We must do more to help our heroes. “There is no greater honor or responsibility than fighting for our veterans. We owe them our freedom. We owe them nothing but our best. Anything less is unacceptable. “We need to have the same

Daines Applauds Passage of Critical Defense Bill

June 18, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today hailed the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which provides critical support for the nation’s military and national security. “This legislation is critical to ensuring our men and women in uniform have the funding and support they need to fulfill their missions,” Daines stated. “The NDAA prioritizes the needs of our service members while protecting the important role that Montana holds in our national defense.” Daines successfully included an amendment to the NDAA that would protect military couples from abrupt reductions in their housing allowances. Under the NDAA, current dual housing

Daines Works to Ensure Due Process for Veterans Erroneously Discharged

June 15, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today announced he has helped introduce two measures to ensure due process for veterans who suffer from mental health illnesses who may have been erroneously given an administrative discharge, rather than an honorable discharge. Daines has joined Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) to introduce S. 1567 which ensures active duty members who suffer from invisible wounds, like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) aren’t incorrectly administratively discharged. An administrative discharge is often given for minor misconducts, which can be attributed to behaviors seen in those suffering from PTSD or TBI.

Daines, Senate Appropriations Committee Move Forward Critical Montana Defense Priorities

June 11, 2015

Senate defense appropriations bills approved by committee, contains key provisions to support Montana defense priorities WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today helped move forward support for important Montana defense priorities in the Senate Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2016. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the bill today with a strong bipartisan vote of 18-3. “This bill is essential to funding our military,” Daines stated. “I’m proud that this bill contains critical funding for our national security and protects the important role that Montana plays in our national defense.”  With Daines’ support, the Defense appropriations bill contains several key provisions to support Montana’s military missions and national security interests, including: Protecting

KRTV: Tester and Daines working for C-130 upgrades for the Montana Air National Guard

April 30, 2015

GREAT FALLS -U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Steve Daines (R-MT) are working to keep the Montana Air National Guard flying.  During a recent meeting of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Tester announced he was introducing legislation to make sure the C-130 fleet of the 120th Airlift Wing is upgraded.  Tester said, “My fear is we end up with a fleet of C-130s that is incapable of operating in domestic air space, and they will end up sitting on a runway somewhere until they are mothballed.”  The Federal Aviation Administration has set a deadline for the upgrades for 2020.  Tester’s

Daines Fights to Ensure Modernization of Montana’s Military Missions

April 29, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines is fighting to ensure that the C-130s of the Montana Army National Guard (MANG) are mission-ready and fully modernized by 2020. During a Defense Appropriations Committee hearing on the President’s Fiscal-Year 2016 budget request for the National Guard and Reserve, Daines pressed Guard officials to ensure MANG’s C-130 planes are Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified and flyable by 2020. Daines conveyed ongoing concerns with the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) and the lack of clear path forward for modernization by 2020. “We all have concerns with the Avionics Modernization Program that we will be FAA certified by 2020,” Daines stated. “What is

Tester, Daines, Zinke to Host Academy Days

April 7, 2015

(MONTANA) — Senator Jon Tester, Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Ryan Zinke are inviting Montana middle and high school students to Academy Days in Missoula, Great Falls and Billings.  Interested students can attend these free events to learn about pursuing careers in the U.S. military.    Representatives from Tester, Daines and Zinke’s office will be joined by officials from the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and ROTC.  Missoula Saturday, April 11, 2015 Armed Forces Center 9383 Running W Road 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Daines, Tester honor Montana Medal of Honor recipients

March 11, 2015

Montana’s Senators introduce a bill to rename Armed Forces Reserve Center in Great Falls after Montana heroes (U.S. SENATE) – To honor the service of two Montana Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester have introduced legislation to rename the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Great Falls the “Captain John E. Moran and Captain William Wylie Galt Armed Forces Reserve Center.” Captain John E. Moran served in the Philippine-American War and was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1910.  He was later elected County Clerk and Recorder of Cascade County.  Captain William Wylie Galt was born