April 13, 2020
The Honorable Matthew P. Donovan
Under Secretary of Defense
Personnel and Readiness
4000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301
Dear Secretary Donovan,
On behalf of the 450,000 members of the National Guard, we ask for your preemptive determination on
Transitional TRICARE (TAMP) eligibility for Guardsmen being placed on active service in excess of 30
days under title 32 USC §502(f), in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
National Guard Soldiers and Airmen deserve full federal support and benefits as the primary uniformed
military first responders to homeland emergencies, such as the current crisis. As of April 9, all 54 states
and territories have declared emergencies in response to COVID-19 and more than 28,000 members of
the National Guard across all 54 states and territories have been activated by their individual governors.
It is our understanding of title 10 USC §1145 and more specifically title 10 USC §101(a)(13)(b) that 6month transitional TRICARE coverage is granted to any servicemember serving in a contingency
operation. Title 10 USC §101(a)(13)(b) specifically outlines this as a series of title 10 deployment
statuses and “…any other provision of law during a war or during a national emergency declared by the
President or Congress.”
As President Trump declared a national emergency on March 13, we contend that these title 32 USC
§502(f) orders qualify for TAMP protections. Additionally, given the fact that these servicemembers are
being deployed to a health emergency, with the risk of contracting the COVID virus, providing
transitional health care as they demobilize is prudent. Soldiers and Airmen exposed to this virus deserve
healthcare coverage for themselves and their families to ensure continuous protections in the event that
they contract the illness.
We greatly appreciate the continued support you have provided National Guard servicemembers and their
families. In these trying times, we must ensure that they are protected, both during and immediately
following their deployment in response to this pandemic. We hope that the Department will expeditiously
issue a determination of qualification under this national emergency so that we are prepared to provide
healthcare without any break in coverage.
Sincerely,

J. Roy Robinson
Brigadier General (Ret.), U.S. Army
President, NGAUS