Senate subcommittee reviews Oregon Military Department budget; governor’s plan funds retention bonus and armory projects

SALEM, Ore. — Senate members on the Public Safety Subcommittee heard an overview March 31 of Senate Bill 5533, the Oregon Military Department’s (OMD) primary budget for the 2025–27 biennium, with agency and fiscal staff emphasizing proposals to shore up recruitment and retention, pay debt service on armory projects and sustain youth education programs.

Legislative Fiscal Office analyst Mr. Borden told the panel the department’s current‑service level budget is $229.2 million and includes 495 positions (457.12 full‑time equivalent). He said federal funds make up the largest share of the agency’s resources and that the current service level reflects loss of previous capital construction limitations that do not carry forward into the next biennium.

The budget matters because the Oregon National Guard provides both national defense and state emergency response. The proposed investments would affect wildfire and search‑and‑rescue capacity, facilities that host training and community programs, and reimbursement‑dependent operations, the presenters said.

At the hearing, Department of Administrative Services finance lead Jonathan Bennett summarized the governor’s recommendations and budget structure. Bennett said general fund accounts for roughly one‑fifth of the department’s service‑level budget and is used primarily to match federal funding for day‑to‑day operations. He noted the department’s single largest general‑fund expense is debt service for prior construction, about $12.9 million.

Brig. Gen. Alan Gronewald, the Adjutant General and agency director, highlighted the Guard’s dual federal and state missions and touted the force’s year of deployments, training and domestic response. “We provide an exponentially greater…