The families of 2,700 Kansas National Guardsmen actively deployed around the world have an assortment of needs, Dave Fehr told a group of retired military veterans Saturday morning at The New Greenery Restaurant.
Fehr, family assistance coordinator for Kansas Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, spoke primarily about health and life insurance for both active and retired military personnel. Fehr is one of four family assistance coordinators in the state. He oversees 32 counties in the eastern part of the state, including Allen. He works with families up to three months before deployment and four months after return.
“If we have a soldier deployed, I try to call each family I serve at least once a month to make sure things are going OK,” he said.
Among guardsmen overseas are 10 from Iola serving with the National Guard’s 226th Engineering Company in Augusta, now stationed in Afghanistan. Many guardsmen from Fort Scott, Chanute, Galesburg and Thayer also are with the 226th.
Fehr said he’s still researching how the recently passed federal health care legislation will affect premiums and other aspects of veterans’ TRICARE insurance coverage.
With the changes, former guardsmen who have not yet reached retirement age “should have better coverage,” Fehr said.
Fehr, who served just under 40 years in the National Guard, is in his fourth year as assistance coordinator. He was introduced by Iolan Alfred Link.
Guard benefits explained
