National Guard Lobbyists Meet With Hegseth as Pentagon Scrambles to Contain Damage From Controversial Nominee

Retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, president of the National Guard Association of the United States, participated in a roundtable meeting with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on April 7 at the Pentagon, according to the association's latest advocacy update.

The meeting brought together veterans service organizations and military service organizations with Hegseth, whose nomination faced intense opposition over allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement at veterans nonprofits, and inflammatory statements about women in combat roles. Hegseth narrowly secured Senate confirmation in January after Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote.

The National Guard Association did not disclose details of what was discussed during the roundtable. The organization represents more than 45,000 current and former Guard officers and advocates for Guard funding and policy priorities on Capitol Hill.

Lobbying Push Continues on Guard Priorities

While McGinn met with Pentagon leadership, NGAUS staff fanned out across Washington to lobby lawmakers on the association's legislative agenda. Jon Eisberg, the group's vice president for government affairs, and Julian Plamann, deputy director of government affairs, met April 7 with staff for Rep. Gilbert Cisneros, D-Calif., who sponsors the Duty Status Reform Act -- the association's top legislative priority.

The bill would expand benefits for Guard members injured during certain training activities. Current law creates gaps in coverage depending on the specific duty status under which a Guard member is serving when injured.

Staff also met with offices of senators from Colorado, Arkansas, Texas, and Nebraska, as well as Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., to discuss NGAUS priorities for the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. Those conversations focused on equipment modernization, including recapitalization of the Army Guard's aging UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter fleet and avionics upgrades for the Air Guard's C-130H cargo planes.

Equipment Concerns Mount

The association's Army Aviation Task Force met remotely last week to discuss the Black Hawk fleet, which includes aircraft dating back decades. The Army Guard relies heavily on hand-me-down helicopters from the active-duty Army, creating maintenance and readiness challenges.

Peter Boone, the Air programs manager, separately met with RTX officials about modernizing cockpit systems on C-130H aircraft. The Air Guard operates dozens of the cargo planes, many of which entered service in the 1970s and 1980s. Without avionics upgrades, the planes risk becoming unable to operate in increasingly congested and regulated airspace.

The association also staffed a booth at the Louisiana National Guard Emergency Response Workshop in New Orleans last week, which drew more than 200 Guard leaders, emergency management officials, and industry partners. The Guard plays a central role in disaster response, from hurricanes to wildfires, but has faced criticism over equipment shortages that hamper those missions.

Veteran Transition Focus

Eisberg attended a workshop last week hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars aimed at improving support for service members transitioning to civilian life. Alex Scaffo, a HillVets fellow on the NGAUS government affairs staff, met with Department of Veterans Affairs officials and staff for Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., on veteran issues affecting Guard members.

Guard members often face unique challenges navigating VA benefits because they typically serve part-time and may not qualify for the same programs as active-duty veterans. Advocates have pushed for years to close those gaps.

The association will host its first Capitol Summit of 2026 next week at the National Guard Memorial in Washington, bringing company-grade officers from all 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia to learn about the legislative process. Staff will also attend the Army Aviation Association of America's annual conference in Nashville later this month.