Robbins is introducing legislation to ensure that the provisions of the state veterans preference law are extended to military reservists and members of the National Guard who are federally activated for war or armed conflict--such as the Iraq conflict--then released from that active duty to serve out their remaining service obligation in the military reserves. The preferences include credits in civil service examinations.

“The dangers faced by reservists in Iraq are just as real as those faced by other servicemen and women,” said Robbins, a veteran of the Vietnam War. “The intent of the veterans preference law is to acknowledge the special contributions of military veterans, and reservists activated for combat clearly fit into that category.”

The legislation is similar to a companion piece in the House of Representatives, House Bill 2055. The Senator said it would clear up a gray area in the law that prevents the State Civil Service Commission from awarding veterans preference to a recently deactivated reservist because the reservist was “released from active duty” rather than “honorably discharged” from such military service, as is required in current state law.

“America now draws its military defense from an array of sources, and the state veterans preference law should reflect that,” said Robbins. “The men and women of the reserves make a special commitment to our country, and that commitment should be returned when they are released from active duty.”

The measure, which will be introduced as Senate Bill 1086, is supported by the Pennsylvania War Veterans Council, the Pennsylvania State Veterans’ Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.