Focus on future threats

Pay raise for troops

Blackburn said one of the key provisions of the bill includes a more substantial pay raise, which exceeds the typical annual cost of living adjustments.

“The 3.1% pay raise that we’ve got in there is the first of that size since 2010,” Blackburn told The Leaf-chronicle in a phone interview.

But Blackburn said that’s not the only thing in the bill for military families to applaud.

Another key provision is what’s called “military spouse professional licensure reciprocity,” which would allow military spouses to more seamlessly transfer professional licenses from one state to the next as they move.

“This is something that’s so important to our military spouses, making it easier for them to continue working when they’ve moved from one state to another,” said Blackburn.

Blackburn says the need for this legislation is pressing, particularly given the frequency of moves most military families face.

“We’re trying to take that lag time out and close that gap and allow them to utilize that license, so when they do move they can begin to work immediately,” said Blackburn, who noted this measure would require the Department of Defense to develop a process to standardize the transfer of professional licenses between all 50 states for military spouses.

Tracking National Guard deployments

Another part of the bill would require the military to track the number of times members of the National Guard are deployed, which Blackburn said came up when she met with members of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment from East Tennessee who were deployed to Poland and Ukraine.

“We are seeing extended periods where the Guard is deployed, and this is something that causes stress on their jobs and on their families,”

Blackburn said a major focus of the bill is on future threats.

“When we talk to the troops, one of the things they’ll mention is having access to technology so that they can fight future threats, and making certain they have access to 5G, making certain they have the tools necessary to guard against cyberthreats,” she said. “Those are all components that deal with emerging threats and the tools they use to fight them. It’s a way to keep our troops safer, it’s a way to be more efficient and to know what’s coming at them.”

Blackburn also stressed the importance of amendments to the bill in support of a new Space Force.

“Looking at the future of the military, we’ve got three amendments that are included that support the implementation of the Space Force as part of the Air Force. We know this is something that is important to Fort Campbell,” said Blackburn.

Blackburn said she expects a vote on the bill on the Senate floor this Thursday.

Reach Jennifer Babich at 931-245-0742 or at jbabich@gannett.com.