OMAHA, Neb. – Nebraska and Iowa Army National Guard units have delayed drills this month because of a federal funding shortage that has affected thousands of units across the country.

Maj. Kevin Hynes said Tuesday that the delays affect about 20 Nebraska Army National Guard units, or about half of the state's total. The state has around 3,500 soldiers in the Army Guard, Hynes said.

Col. Greg Hapgood of the Iowa National Guard said the delays affect most of the state's 7,200 Army National Guard members.

The states' Air National Guard units are not affected.

A $101 million funding gap has led to postponed National Guard drills nationwide. Efforts are underway in Congress to get funding reallocated so drills can be held and National Guard members can get paid.

"We are waiting to hear what happens," Hapgood said. "We haven't heard anything yet today."

Among reasons for the shortfall are fewer Guard deployments overseas, which are funded separately, and higher-than-expected attendance for training paid by the Guard.

Most of the nation's 350,000 Army Guard members are part time, and many have full-time civilian jobs. They get paid for readiness training, earning hundreds of dollars for a weekend of drills depending on their rank. They also get credits that build toward retirement benefits.

Hapgood said the Iowa units have canceled most travel for September and won't be sending any of the citizen-soldiers to training schools. Hynes said the Nebraska units didn't have to employ such restrictions.

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