(Rockwall, TX) – On Friday, January 21, Senator Bob Hall met with Texas Adjutant General Tracy Norris at his Capitol office in Austin.
Sen. Hall and Gen. Norris discussed the Texas National Guard’s ongoing deployment to secure the border in support of Gov. Abbott’s Operation Lone Star. The conversation addressed a variety of topics surrounding the mission, including the Texas National Guard’s response to the state-declared disaster at the Texas-Mexico border. The pair discussed action being taken by the Texas Military Department to address pay discrepancies and hardship requests, as well as equipment and living conditions.
Gen. Norris informed Sen. Hall of the Texas Military Department’s close collaboration with the Office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to address issues with the state payroll system, and she made him aware that approximately 75 percent of pay discrepancies have been resolved, including back pay for those who have been paid inaccurate amounts.
Additionally, Sen. Hall learned that service members may utilize the 24/7 Texas Military Department pay hotline at 512-782-1234 to iron out any pay discrepancies.
Sen. Hall was also pleased to learn that out of more than 900 hardship requests received, approximately 75 percent have been granted. Further, Sen. Hall was briefed on the constantly-evolving situation on the ground, and was given an update on the equipment situation. Thousands of vehicles and heavy equipment, as well as ballistic vests and plates, and weapons & ammunition, have been deployed to the border region since the start of Operation Lone Star.
“I’m appreciative of the major undertaking at the state level to support the 10,000+ personnel working to fill the gap where the federal government has failed,” Sen. Hall said. “I’m confident in the Texas Legislature’s recent investment in border security and I vow to continue supporting efforts by the Texas Military, as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety, as they maintain a steel curtain of protection along our southern border.”
Gen. Norris briefed Sen. Hall on the status of base camp upgrades, and continued work with military vendors to improve living conditions for service members during this extended deployment.
As a military veteran, and a member of the Senate Committee on Border Security, Sen. Hall understands the unprecedented nature of the response to the declared disaster on our southern border. He fully supports Gen. Norris and the Texas Military Department’s efforts to stem the flow of cartel members, drugs, gangs, and human trafficking into our state.
The Texas Military Department reports approximately 100,000 illegal migrants have been apprehended or referred to our partner federal and state law enforcement agencies, more than 9,000 individuals attempting to enter Texas illegally have been returned to Mexico, regular drug and weapons seizures are occurring, and border barrier construction continues.
More information about the Texas Military Department’s Operation Lone Star deployment can be found here: https://tmd.texas.gov/setting-the-record-straight-on-operation-lone-star
Senator Robert “Bob” Hall represents Texas Senate District 2, which encompasses Delta, Fannin, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Rockwall, Van Zandt, and parts of Dallas.
Submitted press release.
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