Support H.B. 1338!

Support House Bill No. 1338! This bill establishes a Virginia National Guard Passport which removes entrance and parking fees to Virginia's State Parks for actively serving members of the Virginia Army and Air National Guard.

The National Guard is unique in the it is the only United States military entity with a dual mission and can serve in state or federal status. National Guard servicemembers currently fulfil operational responsibilities as the primary combat reserve of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force.

However, because the National Guard is inherently a part-time force, policies should be enacted to ensure robust physical and mental readiness of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen.

Servicemembers are required to maintain physical readiness requirements outside of the normal scope of their civilian employment. Many of which require access to venues that allow for varied physical training and exercise. Servicemembers typically only spend time with their units during monthly or annual training events and are geographically dispersed throughout Virginia which limit their access to government furnished equipment and exercise venues. These conditions create a significant gap in the effectiveness of many individual physical training and resiliency programs.

Additionally, research has shown that having access to parks, trails and natural areas reduce stress, anxiety and social isolation which tend to be unavoidable in military service.

Overall, physical fitness and resiliency continues to be incredibly important across the military and providing access to state parks directly supports the Virginia National Guard’s readiness and deployability.