Office of Adjutant General Officials Prepare to Defend 2011 Budget

Adjutant General Renaldo Rivera and OTAG Financial Analyst Frederica Graneau will present to the 28th Legislature Tuesday the fiscal year 2011 budget needed to keep the V.I. National Guard prepared to take action when called on by federal or territorial leaders.

The Office of the Territorial Adjutant General manages a joint Federal-Territorial program responsible for keeping in readiness a trained and equipped military organization for the governor in the event of a territorial emergency, and for the United States President in a national emergency. 

The primary mission of the Office is to support the V.I. National Guard in its preparation for territorial and federal activation. The cost of activating National Guard troops, however, is not represented in OTAG’s budget. Activation costs, when ordered by the federal government, are directly paid for by the United States, and when ordered by the V.I. Governor, are borne by the territory’s government.

At times, the Virgin Islands National Guard is asked to assist the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Virgin Islands Department of Justice to help maintain law and order in the community. In those circumstances, the Adjutant General’s office is responsible for processing payrolls for activated Guardsmen. OTAG works with the agencies that requested assistance to make sure timely payments are made to the troops. 

The Adjutant General’s office is requesting local funding for its budget in the amount of $1,425,286—a decrease of 2.74 percent from its fiscal year 2010. That money goes to many uses, including contributions to the National Guard Pension Fund. About $185,000 is projected to replace the roof over the assembly hall at Lionel A. Jackson Armory on St. Croix. Another $10,000 will be used to install a fire alarm at the Leonard B. Francis Armory on St. Thomas. Those amounts, along with some specific allotments in the budget, are required to receive matched federal funds for the projects.

The federal government provides the predominant share of financing needed by the V.I. National Guard. For most programs, the United States pays 75 percent of costs, with the remainder reflected in the current budget request. The funding scheme is outlined in the Master Cooperative Agreement, a contract worked out by local and federal governments.

The territory receives federal funds as reimbursements for federally-required programs and as federal matching funds under the Agreement, which also benefits the Virgin Islands Government through creation of additional Territorial employees.

Based on the Agreement, the federal projected allocation for 2011 will be $4,828,182. That provides the Adjutant General’s office with a total operating budget of $6,253,468.

OTAG also contracts with the United States Property and Fiscal Office through the Master Cooperative Agreement to provide services to the V.I. National Guard. 

Every American state and territory operates its National Guard under a similar agreement with the federal government, reflecting that state's unique priorities and its National Guard mission. 

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