Military Department, Wyoming

General Agency, Board or Commission Rules

Chapter 2: Wyoming Military Assistance Trust Fund

Effective Date: 03/21/2018 to 12/14/2022

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 007.0001.2.03212018

Chapter 2

Wyoming Military Assistance Trust Fund

Section 1. Authority. These rules are promulgated by authority of Wyoming Statute 19-7-402(c).

Section 2. Purpose. The Wyoming Military Assistance Trust Fund provides conditional emergency assistance to qualified military members and dependents. The plan is established to provide emergency assistance during periods of financial hardship resulting from the military member's active duty status.

Section 3. Plan Implementation.

(a) The Adjutant General is the final authority in administering the Wyoming Military Assistance Trust Fund.

(b) The Adjutant General, and his designees, are permitted to exercise discretion in administering these rules. Moreover, except for eligibility requirements, the Adjutant General, and his designees, possess discretion to waive the requirements set forth herein.

(c) Evaluative Criterion For Approval (may include but are not limited to):

(i) Nature of assistance requested;

(ii) Degree of financial hardship;

(A) Current family income;

(B) Debt and obligations; and

(C) Number of dependents;

(iii) Link and causation between financial hardship and military member's active duty status;

(A) Change in income (based on active duty);

(B) Changes in employment and income status of dependents related to military member's active duty status;

(C) Increased expenses based on military member's active duty;

(D) Military pay problems; and (E) Other issues of financial hardship related to military member's active duty status. (iv) Bankruptcy filed or pending; (v) Pending Disciplinary Action (military Member only); (vi) Length of active duty; (vii) Other aid available and/or received; and (viii) Amounts and date of any funds previously received from this fund. (d) Approval Process. (i) The level of approval authority is dictated by the amount of assistance requested. Each approval authority possesses the discretion to approve an amount lower than the amount requested, or to deny the request completely. The levels of approval authority are as follows: (A) Level 1 – Wyoming Military Department State Family Program Director (applications up to $1,500); and (B) Level 2 – Deputy Director of Wyoming Military Department (applications over $1,500 to $3,000). (ii) Requests for over $3,000 can only be approved by the Adjutant General, and only in extraordinary circumstances.

Section 4. Eligible Recipients.

(a) Any member of the Wyoming national guard or a reserve unit that is based in Wyoming who has been called to active duty or active state service; (b) Any Wyoming resident who is a member of a military reserve unit that is not based in Wyoming, if the member is called to active duty; (c) Any other Wyoming resident performing service in the uniformed services as defined in W.S. 19-11-103(a)(ix) for any branch of the military of the United States; and (d) Members of the immediate family for those personnel identified in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section. For purposes of this paragraph, “immediate family” means spouse and each child as defined by W.S. 2-1-301(a)(v) and, if they are dependents of the member of the military, the parents, grandparents, siblings, stepchildren and adult children of the member of the military.

(e) Recipients who meet the above status criteria must also need assistance as a last resort to address financial hardship resulting from the military member’s active duty status.

Section 5. Application Process.

(a) Eligible recipients may apply for funds, based upon available funds by submitting a completed application packet containing:

1. (i) Application for Wyoming Military Assistance Trust Fund;
2. (ii) Wyoming State Auditor Form (WOLFS 109);
3. (iii) Consent and authorization to release information;
4. (iv) Proof of residency (if applicable);
5. (v) Proof of military membership and member’s active duty status;
6. (vi) Proof of dependency (if applicable);
7. (vii) Military member’s most current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)(if available); and
8. (viii) Substantiating documents (if applicable, i.e. car repair estimates, rental agreement, utility bill, bank statements, employment records, etc.).

(b) Send applications to: Wyoming Military Department, ATTN: State Family Program Director, 5410 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82009.

Section 6. Assistance.

(a) Payments are subject to the availability of funds and the sole discretion and approval authority of the Adjutant General or his designees.

(b) The following are examples of acceptable reasons for assistance: food, rent, utilities, emergency transportation and vehicle repair, funeral expenses, medical/dental expenses, personal needs when pay is delayed or stolen, emergency home repairs (habitability/essential areas but not home improvements), etc., as well as other emergency needs at the discretion of the approval authority.

(c) Regardless of appropriation and availability, funds shall not be used to: (i) Help pay for nonessentials; (ii) Finance ordinary leave or vacation; (iii) Pay fines or legal expenses; (iv) Help liquidate or consolidate debt; (v) Assist with house purchase or home improvements; or (vi) Cover bad checks or pay credit card bills