Guam Delegate James Moylan is co-leading bipartisan legislation that would require the federal government to reimburse reservists for certain out-of-pocket travel expenses incurred while attending mandatory military training.
The measure, H.R. 7593, known as the Reserve Forces Travel Fairness Act, would mandate reimbursement for rental car expenses when reservists must travel more than 150 miles from their permanent residence to fulfill required training obligations.
According to a release issued Tuesday, the legislation would apply reimbursement for the full period of required training, as well as for a travel day immediately before or after the duty period. The bill also directs the Department of Defense to update its travel policies within 180 days of enactment to implement the change.
The proposal carries particular significance for reservists in Guam, where geographic isolation and limited transportation options near some training locations can require service members to rent vehicles at their own expense.
“Due to Guam’s geographic isolation and limited transportation options near certain training locations, service members may have no practical alternative but to rent a vehicle—paying out of pocket simply to report for duty,” the release states.
The added costs, the delegate's office said, place financial strain on reservists who are balancing civilian careers, family responsibilities and military service.
“We expect our reservists to maintain the same standards of readiness as active-duty forces,” Moylan said in a statement. “When they are ordered to travel long distances for mandatory training, the system should fully support that requirement. This bill ensures policy aligns with the operational demands we place on our service members.”
He indicated the legislation is part of broader efforts to address readiness and quality-of-life issues for reserve components, particularly in strategically significant regions such as Guam, which plays a key role in U.S. defense posture in the Indo-Pacific.