Oklahoma National Guard Member Benefits and Protections

Injury and illness on duty. Title 44, section 75: members who are injured or contract disease "in line of duty, while on duty or in active service, shall receive hospitalization and medical treatment, and the pay and allowances of their grade during the period that they are unable to resume their civilian occupation", except that an officer is paid no more than a second lieutenant after the duty ends. The state pays only the balance where federal compensation covers part. Life insurance. Section 77 lets the Adjutant General pay or reimburse premiums for coverage "up to the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) under Serviceman's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) or State Sponsored Life Insurance (SSLI)". Federal SGLI coverage now goes to $500,000; the state figure has not moved since 2005, so the premium on the top half is the member's. Financial hardship. Section 237 creates the Oklahoma National Guard Relief Program, run by a board of current and former members and spouses, to help members in financial hardship. Title 68, section 2368.14 puts a check-off for it on the income tax return. Civil relief on state duty. Section 208.1 applies the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act's civil protections as state law to members on state active duty or Title 32 duty, which the federal act otherwise does not fully reach. Employment. Section 208 makes it a misdemeanor to discharge anyone because of Guard membership or to keep a member from duty. Title 72, section 48 gives public employees paid leave for the first 30 working days or 240 hours of duty in a federal fiscal year, and the difference between civilian and military base pay after that. Section 48.1 protects private sector employees in reserve components on federal orders "without loss of status or seniority", and applies the Oklahoma Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act to Guard members on state duty. Taxes and plates. Federal Guard pay is deducted from Oklahoma taxable income; see the military pay entry. Active and retired members can have National Guard or Air National Guard plates.