Accessibility menu
State Representative John Lesch
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4224
For more information contact: Nick Halter 651-297-1934
Press/News Releases
State Representative John Lesch calls for a unit of the Minnesota National Guard to receive delayed bonus pay
St. Paul- State Rep. John Lesch (DFL- 66A) is standing by his fellow Minnesota National Guard members who haven’t been paid. Recent news reports revealed that 2,500 Minnesota Guardsmen who were part of a unit that served the longest tour in Iraq haven’t received promised bonuses from the military.
In 2007 members of Minnesota’s “Red Bull" 34th Infantry Brigade were told that after 16 months of active duty in Iraq, they would be rewarded with bonus pay.
“When the U.S. is slow to honor the commitments it made to those who fought for this country, it fails to live up to the country’s ideals. It is up to Defense Secretary Robert Gates to cut through the bureaucratic tape and see to it that the sacrifices that the Red Bulls made will be honored.”
Lesch is currently serving with the Minnesota National Guard as an SPC Specialist but will return before February 15. He was disappointed that this promise wasn’t kept. He will join State Rep. Phil Sterner of Rosemount, where the Red Bulls have their headquarters, by sending a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates asking to honor the military’s commitment.
“I joined the National Guard because I saw the hard work of units like the Red Bulls. These troops perform remarkably wherever they serve and make us proud at home and abroad,” said Lesch. “By enduring one of the longest tours of the Iraq conflict they provide a model of public service we can all admire.”
-30-
News Items
- Rep. Lesch, Senator John Marty and Revenue Commissioner Frans to talk tax reform with area residents at St. Paul town hall meeting - (Posted: 2012-12-12 00:00:00)
- Rep. Lesch Named Chair of the House Civil Law Committee - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- EARTH DAY A CHANCE FOR REFLECTION, ACTION - (Posted: 2012-04-17 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.