Nixon Visits the Troops

Gov. Jay Nixon and Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner will visit Missouri National Guard soldiers at Camp Clark Tuesday as they prepare to deploy to Afghanistan.

Nixon and Danner are expected to view training exercises of the 203rd Engineer Battalion during their 1 p.m. visit near Nevada.
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EARLIER IN THE DAY: The Governor plans an 11 a.m. stop in Springfield at Missouri State University to tout an announcement regarding "graduating more health professionals in Missouri."

Nixon Spent 2 Days in Afghanistan; Will Return to Missouri Wednesday

The Governor's office announced Tuesday that Gov. Jay Nixon has spent the last two days in Afghanistan visiting Missouri troops and will return to the state Wednesday night.

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Nixon, along with Governors from four other states, were in Germany late Tuesday to tour the U.S. military hospital at Landstuhl. That is expected to be the final stop on the tour that began in Iraq and Kuwait.

"I am extremely proud of the dedication, professionalism and tenacity I saw in every Missourian I met during my visit, and I have every confidence these tireless heroes will accomplish their mission and bring security and stability to Afghanistan and the region," Nixon said in a statement.

Missouri currently has an Agricultural Development Team and a Military Police Company stationed in Afghanistan. Nixon visited with the approximately 60 National Guard soldiers currently deployed with the Agricultural team. Missouri's National Guard was the first in the nation to deploy such an agricultural team in 2007. The team's goal is to ensure a safe and reliable food supply to aid Afghanistan's recovery, according to Nixon. The team also works to improve irrigation, fertilizing, planting, harvesting and storing agricultural products throughout the Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan.

"These Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are helping local farmers and producers with projects that include planting and harvesting grain and other projects; implementing modern agricultural methods to increase crop yields; canning and juicing fruits and vegetables in a safe and reliable manner; developing and constructing irrigation systems; and enhancing sanitation and storage of meats. These efforts help demonstrate that Afghan farmers can produce successful crops without growing poppies used in opium production," reads a release from the Governor's office.

Blunt's Chrismer: Where Was Zweifel on Guard Pay?

Governor Matt Blunt's top communication staffer swung back at State Rep. Clint Zweifel Tuesday for claims he made about a delay in pay for National Guard members.

On Monday, Zweifel, the Democratic nominee for State Treasurer, claimed that some National Guard members wait as long as 30-days to get paid for emergencies because the Blunt administration puts "bureaucratic convenience before financial security of guard members."

Blunt's Rich Chrismer called those assertions "false."

"The state of Missouri makes certain that members of the National Guard are paid in full in the shortest possible time allowed by law which is typically ten to eleven business days after the end of the pay cycle," Chrismer said in a statement. "State law dictates semi-monthly pay and the state pays for actual time worked at the end of the pay period. It is a matter of law, not convenience," he added.

Chrismer also said that changes to the payment cycle would require legislation and "cannot be done by Executive Order" and questioned why Zweifel didn't try to change the law when he could have.

"Zweifel did not take steps to make changes to the pay cycle in the state legislature and now he is attempting to make it a political issue," Chrismer said. "Where was he?"

Gov. Blunt Visits Troops in Kosovo

Gov. Matt Blunt was in Pristina, Kosovo Monday to meet with Missouri troops stationed overseas.


"Missouri’s patriots are doing tremendous work and representing our state with honor," Gov. Blunt said. "We can all take great pride in everything they do to keep our state and nation safe. It is inspiring to witness the roles these fine young men and women are filling, the selflessness of their sacrifices and their dedication to service," he added in a statement.

Blunt met with members of the Missouri National Guard at the Kosovo Force (KFOR) Headquarters in Pristina. According to the Governor's office, more than 1,000 citizen soldiers of the Missouri National Guard are currently working in Kosovo. Since September 11, 2001, almost 8,000 citizen Soldiers and Airmen have been mobilized. This is the third time Blunt has visited Missouri troops overseas.

Also, Monday, the Governor announced he is sending 141 Missouri Department of Social Services’ (DSS) employees to Louisiana to assist with disaster relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.

Zweifel To Blunt: Pay The Guard Faster

The Democratic candidate for State Treasurer is calling on the Blunt administration to fix the 30-day pay lag for activated National Guard members when the respond to emergencies.

The Associated Press reported on the problem last week.

"The Blunt Administration needs to stop putting bureaucratic convenience before the financial security of guard members," Rep. Clint Zweifel said in a statement Monday. "There is no reason with our current technology that a system cannot be created to pay activated guard members in a timely manner," Zweifel added.

"The men and women of the guard are willing to leave their families and civilian jobs at a moments notice when called upon to assist their neighbors in state emergencies," Zweifel said. "The least the state can do is ensure that guard members and their families do not suffer financially because of their sacrifice," he added.
According to the A.P.:

When the governor activates the Guard to help with disasters in Missouri, those soldiers are paid through the state payroll system. The state payroll is done in two-week increments with the paycheck covering one cycle behind for accounting purposes. So work done for the first two weeks of the month is paid at the end of that month. And work done in the second half of the month is paid in the middle of the following month.