From: Director, RAO Baguio [raoemo@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 12:13 PM
Subject: RAO Bulletin Update 15 July 2007
Attachments: Veteran Legislation Update 07-07-13.doc
RAO Bulletin Update
15 July 2007
THIS BULLETIN UPDATE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE= S:
-- Shad [04] ................................. (Stu= dies Flawed)
-- DoD Mental Health TF [05] ... (Mental Health Shortfalls)
-- DoD Disability Evaluation System [02] . (Pro Bono Effort)
-- DoD Disability Evaluation System [03] .... (NDAA Includes S.1606)
-- Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (SVAC) .. (Wh= at it Does)
-- SVAC [01] ....................... (5 Bills Clear= ed)
-- NDAA 2008 [06] ......... (Senate Debate Begins)<= /p>
-- Wounded Warrior Assistance [02] ........ (
-- Reserve Retirement Age [11] ................. (N= DAA amendment)
-- VA Cemetery
-- VA Cemetery
-- BRAVE & GIVE Acts ........................ (= SSA Rating Acceleration)
-- VA Homeless Vets [05] ............ (Homeless Gra= nts)
-- Tuition Aid for RC .................. (Summary by State)
--
-- Vet Initiatives [02] ...........................= . (4 New Laws)
-- LCD Screen Cleaning .................... (Magic Eraser)
-- Silver Star .................. (3rdh Highest Val= or Award)
--
-- Identity Theft [08] ...... (Prevention, Identifi= cation & Mitigation)
-- TSGLI [01] ......................... (Pay Out Retroactive)
-- CBO Military Compensation Report [01] ... (Pay R= aise Questioned)
-- Concurrent Receipt Status .... (570,000 Not Yet Eligible)
-- SSA Retirement Application ....... (Applying Onl= ine)
-- VA 2007 Survey ............................ (Sta= rts 8 July)
-- Navy Body Modification Policy ........... (Clari= fied)
--
-- Cell Phone Payment Suspension... (90+ Day Deploy= ments)
-- Vet Benefits
-- Funeral Honors [02] ............. (Bugler Ranks Thinning)
-- Psoriasis ....................................... (What it Is)
-- Travel Immunizations ................... (What t= o Get)
-- SSA Future Benefit Estimate ........... (Where y= ou stand)
-- Vietnam War Facts ......................... (Sta= ts)
-- Veteran Legislation Status 13 JUL 07 -------- (W= here We Stand)
Editor’s Note 1: The article on “Manila DEERS/RAPIDS Workstation” was sent in error 13 JUL to some of the non-Philippine subscribers. I= t only applies to veterans residing in the PI and should be disregarded by all oth= ers.
Editor’s Note 2: Attached is a listing of veteran legislation with current cosponsor status that has been introduced in the 1= 10th Congress. To see any of these= bills passed into law representatives need input from their veteran constituents = to instruct them on how to vote.
SHAD UPDATE 04:&nb=
sp;
A group of Navy veterans says that findings from a study of the heal=
th
effects of at-sea biological and chemical weapons testing on thousands of
sailors 40 years ago are flawed because the study ignored those with the
highest levels of exposure. The $3 million study, paid for by the Departmen=
t of
Veterans Affairs but conducted by the
= However, retired Cmdr. John Alderson, who served as a commanding off= icer of the five Army light tugs (numbered 2080, 2081, 2085, 2086 and 2087) that were a central part of the tests, said the study was incomplete because it failed to include many of the sailors who served on the tugs, at a test laboratory on Johnston Island ( a small island about 700 miles west of Pearl Harbor) and at a base near Pearl Harbor where the weapons were mixed. The study’s director William Page confirmed Alderson’s claims but s= aid he could not be sure what effect the omission had on the findings because he did not know how many people were excluded or the severity of the illnesses they reported. Page said, = 220;We got as many people on the light tugs as possible. They didn’t have complete ro= sters. We would have loved to have included the light tug personnel, but we just couldn’t find all of them”. Alderson estimated that more than 5= 00 sailors served on the tugs during the experiments. Neither he nor Page coul= d say how many were included in the study, but Page admitted that the majority of= tug sailors were never contacted. The IOM report says tug crew members were exposed to a nerve agent, staph bacte= ria and bacterial agents that could cause rabbit fever and Q fever. Alderson sa= id tug crew members were exposed to at least four other biological weapons not mentioned in the findings, but he said he could not name them because they = are still classified. A second veteran confirmed Alderson’s account, but asked not to be identified. Although the tugs’ crews were required to stay inside during the tests, and state-of-the-art paper filters and specia= lly designed air conditioning systems were used to protect the crews, the filte= rs sometimes failed after they were soaked with sea water. Sensors in the boats’ interior spaces periodically detected trace amounts of biologi= cal and chemical agents.
= According to Navy officials the SHAD tests, which were classified un= til a few years ago, were conducted between 1962 and 1973 to determine whether = Navy crews could be protected from chemical or biological attacks. Alderson said= he thinks the study had a more nefarious purpose: to determine how effective American chemical and biological weapons could be against enemy navies. The five tugs were sent to sail in a line formation that could be as long as 100 miles. Two Marine A-4 Skyhawks would then drop substances close to the first ship. Scientists would measure readings on each ship to determine how far weapons clouds would travel before they dispersed to levels that were ineffective. The larger ships had simulants blown aft from their bows by gi= ant fans or had them dropped from passing aircraft which were later found to be toxic. Alderson said, “One reason they say it took so long to notice problems, is that most of the skippers are dead from cancer or respiratory illnesses.” Bernard Edelman, deputy director for policy and government affairs for the Vietnam Veterans of America, said sailors were given inoculations but that they were not entered on the sailor’s medical records, meaning the sailors don’t know what they received. We are st= ill trying to uncover the facts, he said As Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over til it’s over.&= #8221; [Source: NavyTimes Chris Amos article 6 Jul 07 ++]
DOD MENTAL HEALTH TF UPDATE 05: The Co-chairs of a recent DoD
mental health task force pulled no punches at a hearing before the House Ar=
med
Services Committee on 12 JUL. Navy Surgeon General VADM Donald Arthur told =
the panel
that military mental health programs and awareness had become deemphasized =
and
atrophied over the last three decades in which the services experienced no
sustained combat, and that urgent action is essential to meet spiraling men=
tal
health needs caused by repeated wartime deployments. "We must give equal attention=
to
mental and physical health as we train for war," he said. He also stressed the important rol=
e of
leadership emphasis and sensitivity to mental health issues in building
members' resilience in the face of stress. Co-chair Dr. Shelley MacDermid, a
Purdue University professor and Director of the Military Family Research
Institute, said the primary need is increased and permanent funding. The real key is to increase the nu=
mber
of military mental health professionals and increase Tricare reimbursement =
to
providers to expand participation by civilian providers. She pointed out that payments to m=
ental
health providers were recently reduced, and that Tricare pays proportionally
even less for mental health than for other conditions. In many cases, Tricare coverage is
limited - not covering intensive outpatient therapy, for example. She highlighted that coverage for =
Guard
and Reserve families is a particular problem, and that DoD needs to improve=
its
coverage to ‘hometown
DOD DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM UPDATE 02: Wounded service personnel who alle=
ge
that the government is downplaying their injuries and cheating them out of
benefits have some new legal ammunition: three major law firms offering free
legal services. Concerned that
injured soldiers are getting a raw deal upon returning home, three firms
— Foley & Lardner; Atlanta's King & Spalding; and New York's
LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae — have offered to do pro bono work=
on
behalf of veterans who are appealing low disability ratings made by the
government. Those ratings dic=
tate
how much money injured veterans are entitled to, along with any medical and
retirement benefits. Accordin=
g to
attorneys, numerous veterans at
= Walter Reed, U.S. Army and U.S. Department of Defense officials were unavailable for comment.
Discrepancies in the disability rating system came =
to
light about a year ago, when the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), a nonpro=
fit
organization that guides injured veterans through the medical evaluation
process, started spotting low ratings.&nbs=
p;
The DAV investigation coincided with recent media reports that expos=
ed
poor conditions at Walter Reed, sparking a congressional investigation. Ronald Smith, deputy general couns=
el for
DAV who has handled several disability claims on behalf soldiers said the
demand for DAV services has been very high. To date, he knows of at least 30
cases at Walter Reed in which injured soldiers received substantially low
ratings and are appealing their medical evaluations. Among those is Fred Ball, an explo=
sion
victim with two children who had a substantial part of his skull blown off =
in
=
Participating attorneys will focus much of their energies on helping
injured soldiers appeal their low disability rankings. They'll appear with =
the
veterans at formal hearings before what is known as the Physical Evaluation
Board. This is the panel that
actually gives out the ratings based on a medical evaluation by military
doctors. If veterans disagree with the rating, they then request a formal
hearing before the board. Some
lawyers also plan to appeal the soldiers' cases directly to the U.S. Court =
of
Federal Claims in
DOD DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM UPDATE 03: A package of improvements in treat= ment and benefits for wounded service members — including some precedent-setting changes in DoD disability policies — was attached 12 JUL to the Senate’s $648 billion NDAA defense policy bill, approved b= y a 94-0 vote. The bill S.1606 initially introduced by Sen. Carl Levin (MI) cal= led the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act, would make a variety of changes in current policies, especially in helping troops whose injuries ar= e so severe that they are unable to continue serving in the military and cannot = get post-service treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill or= ders a review of all recent disability discharges where a service member receive= d a lump-sum severance payment instead of the lifetime disability retired pay t= hat would come from being rated with a disability of 30% or more. It would also radically change the entire military review process by assuming that anyone= who has served in the military was physically and mentally fit before entering service.
= The assumption of fitness, which would apply to anyone who has serve= d at least six months, would prevent the services from deciding that a service member’s post-deployment problems, especially mental health issues, w= ere the result of a pre-service condition that does not warrant severance or disability pay. Anyone medically retired from the military for combat-relat= ed reasons would be eligible for three years of military health care after discharge, a move aimed at reducing problems getting post-service treatment. The bill would address concerns that the military’s process for evaluating service members seems adversarial, and that the services — especially the Army — seem to consistently assign lower disability ratings than would be assigned by the VA by ordering the military to use the VA’s disability ratings schedule unless the military’s ratings = are higher. The House of Representatives also included a wounded warrior packag= e as part of its version of the defense authorization bill passed earlier this year, which me= ans congressional negotiators who meet later this year to work out a compromise bill will face questions about treatment, medical retirement and other issu= es. [Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze article 12 Jul 07 ++]
SENATE VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (SVAC): The Senate Veterans' Affairs Commi= ttee (SVAC) was created in 1970 to transfer responsibilities for veterans from t= he Finance and Labor committees to a single panel. From 1947 to 1970, matters relating to veterans compensation and veterans generally were referred to t= he Committee on Finance, while matters relating to the vocational rehabilitati= on, education, medical care, civil relief, and civilian readjustment of veterans were referred to the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. Congressional legislation affecting veterans changed over the years. For the members of t= he armed forces and their families in the nation's early wars -- the Revolutio= nary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War and the Spanish-Americ= an War -- the response of the federal government had been essentially financia= l. This was clearly the legislative mission of the Senate Committee on Pensions which was created as one of the Senate's original standing committees in 18= 16 and continued until its termination in the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946.
=
During World War I the nature of the congressional response to veter=
ans'
needs changed towards a more diversified set of programs. A war risk insura=
nce
program, which was referred to the Senate Finance Committee, changed the
consideration of veterans benefits in the Senate. The Finance Committee was=
the
Senate standing committee most responsible for veterans programs from 1917 =
to
1946. After World War II, the Finance Committee handled the Servicemen's
Readjustment Act of 1944, the "GI Bill of Rights," which extended=
to
servicemen and their families, a number of benefits including unemployment
assistance, education, vocational training, housing and business loan
guarantees, as well as the traditional medical and pension benefits of prev=
ious
times. Many experts believe this law was one of the most important elements=
in
the expansion of the middle class following World War II. The Veterans Affa=
irs
Committee had nine members in its initial congress, the 92nd Congress
(1971-73). It now has a total of 14 members inclusive of its Chairman. At present Daniel K. Akaka from
= The Standing Rules of the Senate direct that to this committee shall= be referred all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects:
- Comp= ensation of veterans.
- Life insurance issued by the Government on account of service in the Armed Force= s.
- Nati= onal cemeteries.
- Pens=
ions of
all wars of the
- Read= justment of servicemen to civil life.
- Sold= iers' and sailors' civil relief.
- Vete= rans' hospitals, medical care and treatment of veterans.
- Vete= rans' measures generally.
- Voca= tional rehabilitation and education of veterans.
The SVAC is an oversight, investigative, and legisl= ative committee. It solicits and appreciates learning of problems, concerns, and areas of success that can be applied nationally to help all veterans. Input can be made at http://veterans.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?pageid=3D1. However, if you have a specific pr= oblem or need specific help with the VA or other federal agencies, the Senators f= rom your home state can best assist you in that regard. Contact either one of y= our state's two Senators by referring to http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.
[Source: http://veterans.senate.gov/public/ Jul 07 = ++]
SVAC UPDATE 01:&nb= sp; The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) cleared five bills duri= ng a Senate mark-up. The bills now= move to the full Senate for a vote. Three of them should clear easily within a week, while the other two= may require some debate. They are= :
- S. 1= 233 which would open enrollment to new Category 8 veterans who have been preven= ted from enrolling since JAN 03. Opponents of the measure argue that there is not sufficient funding = to pay for the numbers of veterans who would have access to the VA. The DAV, PVA, VFW, and AMVET veter= an organization’s Independent Budget has asked for an additional $1.3 billion to fund their care.
- S. 1=
315
which is a large omnibus benefits bill that would improve and expand VA
insurance programs, adaptive housing grants and automobile assistance, among
other enhancements. Critics,
however, expressed concern that the benefits awarded to Filipino veterans w=
ould
be too generous with respect to the lower cost-of-living in the
- S. 4= 23 which would provide an annual cost-of-living adjustment for veterans’ benef= its should pass easily;
- S. 1= 163 which would provide benefits to veterans with partial sight in their second= eye should pass easily; and
- S. 4= 79 which would expand programs to deal with suicide prevention and other mental heal= th problems among veterans should pass easily.
[Source: VFW Washington Weekly 13 Jul 07 ++]
NDAA 2008 UPDATE 06: When the Senate returned from = its Independence Day on 9 JUL, it immediately began deliberations on the 2008 NDAA. So far several very imp= ortant amendments have been offered to the bill.&= nbsp; These include:
- Amen= dment 2000 by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), which would end the deduction of VA surviv= or benefits from SBP annuities and would start the “paid-up” provi= sion of SBP premiums this October instead of next year.
- Amen= dment 2046 by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) which is based on her bill S. 1444 know= n as the Supply Our Soldiers Act. = The amendment would give deployed and wounded troops a voucher every other mont= h to allow families and loved ones to be able to send a letter or small package = free of postage.
- Amen= dment 2018 by Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) to provide .5% pay increase over the Employ= ment Cost Index (ECI) for the military in each of the next five years.
- Amen= dment 2049 by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) to lower retirement age for reservists = who have served since 9/11.
- An a= mendment by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) which would improve the capacity of VA to care = for veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries, extend the time from two years to f= ive that a veteran would have to receive care from the VA upon their release fr= om active duty, address potential homelessness among newly discharged servicem= embers, ensure access to VA mental health and dental programs and recognize the importance of the National Guard and Reserve forces in VA’s outreach programs. It also orders a re= view of all recent disability discharges where a service member received a lump-= sum severance payment instead of the lifetime disability retired pay that would come from being rated with a disability of 30% or more, and calls for a rev= iew of DOD’s entire disability ratings system, to include the use of VA standards to make disability determinations. The Senate has already accepted this amendment and incorporated it into the bill.
- A jo= int amendment by Senators Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Hagel (R-NE) would specify that= the percentage increase in retiree TRICARE fees in any year can't exceed the percentage increase in retired pay.
- An a= mendment by Sen. Lincoln (D-AR) would authorize 10 years of post-service benefit use= by mobilized Guard and Reserve members (who now lose all benefits upon separation).
- Amen= dment 2006 by Sen. Sessions (R-AL) would reimburse up to $300 for drill-related travel expenses for drill periods conducted outside commuting distance.
- An a= mendment by Sen. Landrieu (D-LA) would authorize tax credits for employers to help offset impacts of mobilizations on their businesses.
Other proposed amendments are:
2014 Hagel: Allow designation of portion of death gratuity
2015 Hagel: Expand family readiness council to incl= ude servicemembers and spouses
2016 Hagel: $25K accession bonus for mental health = professionals
2017 Hagel: G/R retirement age reduction proportion= al to longer service
2019 Levin: Wounded warrior bill passed by SASC
2026 Klobuchar: Allow unlimited sites for family assistance program (delete max of 6)
2027 Pryor: Authorize R&R for members whose
2029 Gregg: Protect child custody for deployees (li= ke House)
2030 Gregg: Ban deployment of both member spouses (= like House)
2031 Gregg: Support for children of deployed member= s
2032 Hagel: Limit to 12-month deployment
2034
2035
2036
2037 Coleman: Authorize 3% end strength variance (v= ice 2%) (like House)
2039 Coleman: Reserves eligible for assignment ince= ntive pay
2040 Coleman: 3% end strength variance (dupe?)
2043 Durbin: Incentive programs for nurses
2047
2050 Chambliss: Report on patient satisfaction surv= ey
2051 Coleman: G/R licensure
2054 Lieberman: Female mental health
2055 Lieberman: Info requirements for separatees
2056 Harkin: Family support for deployed members
2057 Feingold: Cell phone contract termination prot= ection
2059 Cornyn: Cut fed funds to schools denying JROTC access
2060 Sanders: Gulf War Illness
The White House released its Statement of Administr=
ation
Policy on the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. The document outlines the
President’s position on several components of the bill and stipulates=
his
intention to veto potential amendments.&nb=
sp;
Among the provisions that are not supported by the White House are t=
hose
relating to the Insurrection Act and reduced retirement age. Amendments that would likely draw =
a veto
of the NDAA if passed include those relating to WOUNDED WARRIOR ASSISTANCE UPDATE 02: The Wounded Soldier and RESERVE RETIREMENT AGE UPDATE 11: Senator Chambliss introduced S. 648
earlier in this session of the 110th Congress to reduce age 60 as the age in
which members of the Reserve Component are eligible to receive retirement
pay. S.648 as originally intr=
oduced
would have amended Title 10 to reduce the eligible age for receipt of
non-regular military service retired pay for members of the Ready Reserve in
active federal status or on active duty for significant periods on or after
September 11, 2001 (i.e. age to be reduced by three months for each 90 days=
of
being called to active duty for Title 10 wartime duty or Title 32 response =
for
a national emergency declared by the President). Under this provision, the =
age
may not be reduced below 50 years of age. The Senate Armed Services Committ=
ee
in its markup of the National Defense Authorization Act, S. 1547, incorpora=
ted
most of S. 648 but would credit only qualifying service after the legislati=
on
is enacted, not any active duty service retroactive to September 11, 2001. =
To
correct this inequity Senator Chambliss has offered a Senate floor amendmen=
t to
the Fiscal year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, SA 2049, to restore
the key omitted language of S. 648 by crediting all qualifying active duty
service on or after 9/11. The
National guard Association of the VA CEMETERY IOWA:&=
nbsp;
Ensuring that Iowa veterans have a final resting place to honor their
service to the nation, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the
award of a $7.6 million grant to establish a new state veterans’ ceme=
tery
in Van Meter. The VA CEMETERY BRAVE & GIVE ACTS: Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD-03) intro=
duced
legislation on 29 JUN that if approved will streamline the process in which
disabled war veterans receive government benefits. The Benefit Rating
Acceleration for Veterans Entitlement Act (H.R.2953), or BRAVE Act will all=
ow a
veteran who receives a 100% disability rating from the VA to receive Social
Security benefits quicker than the prolonged waiting period now in place. T=
he
legislation, currently has 37 cosponsors and has been referred to the House
Committee on Ways and Means..
“If you’re a veteran and you’re deemed 100% disabl=
ed
... the Social Security Administration still makes you go through a lengthy
process,” said Pia Carusone, a spokeswoman for Sarbanes. “If th=
e VA
says you’re 100% disabled, the Social Security needs to agree with th=
at,
and expedite the process.” =
Additionally, Sarbanes offered an amendment to the Generations
Invigorating Volunteering and Education Act (H.R.2857) or GIVE Act, that se=
eks
to support our nations veterans and veterans service organizations. The
National Conversation on Veterans and Community Service amendment was accep=
ted
by a unanimous vote in the final mark up of the GIVE Act and passed by the
Education and Labor Committee. The Sarbanes’ amendment would require:=
1.) The
Corporation for National and Community Service, in conjunction with Veterans
Service Organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, State Veterans
Agencies, the Department of Defense and other organizations deemed appropri=
ate
by the Corporation, to initiate a “National Conversation”. It w=
ould
identify: - spec=
ific
areas of need for veterans. - how =
existing
volunteer corps and programs could better serve veterans. - gaps=
in
service to veterans. - pros=
pects
for better coordination of services. - pros=
pects
for better utilization of veterans as resources and volunteers. 2.) A
report on the results of the conversation, together with a plan for a pilot
program using promising strategies and approaches for better serving and
utilizing the talents of veterans, which would be transmitted to Congress n=
ot
later than one year following the date of enactment of this Act. 3.)
Implementation of the pilot program based on the findings of the rep=
ort
above. The GIVE Act was voted out of the Education and Lab=
or
Committee on 27 JUN by a vote of 46-0 and will reach the House floor for
passage in the coming weeks. [Source: Rep. John Sarbanes Press Release 11 J=
ul
07 ++] VA HOMELESS VETS UPDATE 05: Homeless veterans in 37 stat=
es
will get more assistance, thanks to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
selection of 92 community organizations to receive funds for transitional
housing this year. VA has identified the public and community non-profit gr=
oups
eligible to receive payments for housing and supportive services to homeless
veterans through three VA programs: *
Fifty-three organizations will receive $10 million to provide about
1,000 transitional housing beds under VA’s per diem program; * Thir=
ty-six
groups will receive $12 million for programs for homeless veterans who are
seriously mentally, women, including women with children, frail elderly or
terminally ill; *
Three
organizations will receive about $2 million for various technical assistance
projects. The
grants are part of VA’s continuing efforts to reduce homelessness amo=
ng
veterans. VA has the largest
integrated network of homeless assistance programs in the country. In many cities and rural areas, VA
social workers and other clinicians working with community and faith-based
partners conduct extensive outreach programs, clinical assessments, medical=
treatments,
alcohol and drug abuse counseling and employment assistance. Much work rema=
ins
to be done, but the partnership effort is making significant progress. Today, it is estimated that fewer =
than
200,000 veterans may be homeless on an average night, which represents a 20%
reduction during the past six years. For more info about VA’s homeless
programs refer to http://www.va.gov/homeless. [Source: VA News Release 11 Jul 07 ++] TUITION AID FOR RC:
The federal GI Bill has provided education benefits to veterans since
1944. Under the current program full-time servicemembers get up to $37,500 =
(not
including $1,200 they must pay in). It can be used for up to 10 years after
they leave the military. The Reserve contingent (RC) National Guard and Res=
erve
get $11,124 (with increases for consecutive service of 90 days or more). It=
can
be used only while in the Guard and Reserve. A growing number of states are
cutting college tuition for recent veterans in a show of gratitude, but als=
o in
some cases to fill gaps in the federal GI Bill. Though most of the state la=
ws
honor veterans for their sacrifices, some also address disparities between =
the
treatment of members of the regular military (Army, Navy, Marines and Air
Force) and of RC troops, over whom states have jurisdiction. Today, every s=
tate
offers some sort of tuition benefit for members of its National Guard units.
With about 240,000 more Guard members (many of them college students) deplo=
yed
to combat zones since 9/11, many state legislators are looking for ways to =
help
them and other recent veterans. State benefits typically are available only=
to
those attending state-supported institutions and who meet certain academic
requirements. Following are highlights of recent developments for the RC:
[Source:
- Exte= nd need-based emergency financial assistance to service members and dependents= for up to 120 days after members leave active duty, to help with housing and ot= her living expenses as they return to civilian life.
- Prov= ide a permanent hiring preference for veterans seeking jobs with state government. Previously, the veterans' preference could be used only once.
- Prov=
ide
greater property tax relief for wounded veterans. Under the new law, a vete=
ran
with a combat-related disability would get a tax reduction in proportion to
their disability classification. Rep. Stan Jordan, R-Jacksonville, said that
under his bill, a veteran with a 75% disability would get a 75% cut in prop=
erty
taxes. The exemption applies only to veterans over age 65 who were
[Source:
= A number of other measures that benefit past and present members of = the Hoosier military will be enacted into law on 1 JUL that will:
- Give National Guard members priority placement in any employment or training pro= gram administered by the Indiana Department of Workforce Management.
- Enab=
le all
males aged 16-26 to register for the Selective Service at any branch of the
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). Registering for the Selective Servi=
ce
entitles young men to various benefits, including access to student loans a=
nd
eligibility for state or federal jobs.&nbs=
p;
- Exte= nd the six year time frame that a National Guard member has to use their scholarsh= ip benefits if he or she is deployed into active duty.
- Esta= blish employment qualifications for the Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
- Exte=
nd
eligibility for resident tuition rates at a state college or university to =
all
active duty soldiers stationed in
- Prov=
ide for
honorary diplomas being awarded to
[Source:
LCD SCREEN CLEANING: Last week I woke up from a nap to find my 3 year old grandson had fo= und a Sharpie Permanent Marker pen on my desk and with it used my laptop LCD sc= reen for a drawing board. I went to several places that sell computers and they could not tell me how to remove these black marks without damaging the screen. I subsequently mentioned the probl= em at the doctor’ office and the receptionist told me to try a Magic Eraser made by Mr. Clean and sold at WalMart.&nbs= p; Following the instructions I wet a small part of the sponge like era= ser and using single straight gentle stokes found to my surprise the black marks disappeared. I do not recomme= nd this for general LCD cleaning for which there are many products available.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> I tried a couple of these more exp= ensive products and they would not remove the marks. If you experience a particular dif= ficult mark/stain to remove on your computer or TV LCD screen you might try a Magic Eraser. [Source: Editor, RAO Bulletin 10 July 07]
SILVER STAR: =
The Silver Star is the is the fourth highest military decoration that
can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces =
and
the third highest award given for valor (in the face of the enemy). Well-kn=
own
recipients include: Lt. Col. Oliver North, Generals George S. Patton and
Douglas MacArthur, Senators John Kerry and John McCain. The Silver Star hon=
ors
service personnel who display exceptional valor while engaged in military
combat operations against an enemy force. Personnel can also be honored for
their service with friendly foreign troops in combat situations, even if the
opposing force is one that the
=
The Silver Star was first awarded in 1932 to replace the Citation St=
ar,
which had been pinned on the ribbon of a service medal and given for gallan=
try
from the Spanish-American War to World War I. The
OKINAWA AGENT ORANGE USE: According to a board ruling
uncovered by Kyodo News the U.S. Board of Veterans’ Appeals found in =
1998
that the hazardous chemical defoliant Agent Orange was most likely used in
Okinawa, and ruled in favor of a former U.S. service member who sought
compensation for prostate cancer he blamed on his work there in the early 1=
960s. The discovery comes as the Defense
Department has still to confirm whether Agent Orange was stored or used in =
=
Agent Orange, a herbicide mixture containing the highly toxic substa=
nce
dioxin, was sprayed by
=
As recently as NOV 04, DoD stated that it has been unable to find any
records of Agent Orange being used or stored on
Hundreds more former U.S. service members who were stationed in Okin=
awa
during the Vietnam War have lodged medical compensation claims with the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs, citing Agent Orange exposure, according to
information viewable online in the archives of the Board of Veterans’
Appeals. But most cases have either been denied or sent for review on the
grounds of insufficient evidence linking their illnesses to Agent Orange
exposure. The various documents surface at a time when
IDENTITY THEFT UPDATE 08: Are you as safe as you think you a= re? Take the identity fraud safety test at www.idsafety.net. In 2006 identity theft affected 8.4 million Americans, resulted in $49.3 billion in losses, and cost victims an average of $587 in out-of-pocket costs plus 40 hours of their time to resolve. Of identified thieve= s 53% were known by their victims. Obtaining your personal information without your permission is considered identity theft. Us= e of that data to commit fraud or theft is considered identity fraud. Months or years and thousands of dollars are spent each year cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of good names and credit records. Identity theft results = in lose of job opportunities, loans for education and weddings, housing, cars,= or even arrests for crimes people didn’t commit. Despite the best effort= s of many victims, skilled identity thieves gain access to their data through: <= /p>
- Stol= en wallets and purses.
- Stea= ling your mail or diverting your mail to another location.
- Rumm= aging through your trash, or the trash of businesses, for personal data in a prac= tice known as “dumpster diving.”
- Frau= dulently obtaining your credit report.
- Obta= ining information from the businesses in a practice known as “business reco= rd theft” (customer, employee, patient or student; bribing an employee w= ho has access to your files; or “hacking” into electronic files). =
ATM use can expose users to a practice known as ski= mming through equipage designed to obtain your card information. Equipage typical= ly used is:
• False fronts on terminals with built in magnetic stripe readers.
• Hidden cameras to capture you entering your PIN with the information being transmi= tted to a nearby crook. Recent cases have Bluetooth transmission to a remote receiver
• Sniffing devices installed in ATMs that can capture the credit or debit card PIN and magnetic stripe information before encryption. These devices are small enough to = fit in the palm of your hand and can capture over 2500 credit card account numbers, expiration dates and CVV codes. The units which cost about $500 can operate continuously for 40 hours on a sing= le 3V battery (6000 swipes) and are designed to erase all info with the press = of a button by the user to avoid prosecution. .
Phishing is another instrument of identity theft. T= hey scam you, often through email, by posing as legitimate companies or governm= ent agencies you do business with. Last year 73 million adult email users repor= ted receiving more than 50 phishing emails during the year. Of these, 11 million reported clic= king on the links provided in the messages and 2.42 million reported losing money because of phishing attacks ($929 million). Pay Pal and E bay are the top spoofed sites. Citibank is the primary bank target for phishing scams. The following guidance can be used= to determine if a message is a phishing action:
1.) Does the email ask you to go to a website and verify personal information?<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Banks won’t ask you to verif= y your personal information in response to an email.
2.) What is the tone of the mail? Most= phish emails convey a sense of urgency by threatening discontinued service or information loss if you don’t take immediate action.
3.) What is the quality of the email? Many phish emails have misspellings, bad gramm= ar, or poor punctuation.
4.) Are the links in the email valid? Deceptive links in phishing emails look like = they are to a valid site, but deliver you to a fraudulent one. Many times you can see if the link= is legitimate by just moving your mouse over the link.
5.) Is the email personalized with your name and applicable account information? M= any phish emails use generic salutations and generic information (e.g. Dear Customer or Dear Account Holder) instead of your name.
6.) What is the sender’s email address? Many phish emails come from an email address not from the company represented in the email.
7.) When in doubt type the valid web address of the alleged sender directly into your web browser. If you suspect an email to be phishing, don’t click= on any links in the email. .
With Your Personal Information, Identity Thieves ca= n Counterfeit checks or credit/debit= cards on open accounts, Change the mailing address on your accounts, Open a new credit card, checking or wireless account, file for bankruptcy under your n= ame, buy cars by taking out auto loans in your name, use your identity during an arrest, etc. Risk cannot be eliminated but it can be minimized by:
- Plac= ing passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts.
- Usin= g a Firewall and Virus Protection and Anti-Spyware Software.
- Secu= ring personal information in your home.
- Aski= ng about information security procedures in your workplace.
- Rout= inely ordering a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. This can be done by phone at 1-877-322-8228 or online at www.annualcreditreport.com.
- Know= ing when your bills should arrive and following up if they do not.
- Not = giving out personal information on the phone, mail or over the Internet.
- Guar= ding your mail and trash from theft.
- Carr= ying only the identification information and credit and debit cards that you’ll actually need.
- Givi= ng your SSN only when absolutely necessary.
- Bein= g wary of promotional scams and keeping your purse or wallet in a safe place at wo= rk.
If you are a victim you can receive free and confid= ential assistance from trained counselors at 1-866-ID-HOTLINE. Your first 5 steps should be:
1.) Notify Credit Bureaus and review your credit reports.
2.) File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place.
3.) Contact the Fraud Department of Creditors.
4.) File a complaint with the FTC.
5.) Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
[Source: NCMA World Congress Briefing 22 Apr 07 ++]=
TSGLI UPDATE 01:&n= bsp; Service members who have suffered serious injuries resulting from th= eir wartime service are reminded they can get financial help thanks to two congressionally legislated programs. Congress established the Traumatic Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (TSGLI) program in 2005 in response to = the experiences of some former and current military members who found themselves financially strapped after they suffered severe injuries during the war on terrorism. Coverage applies to active-component and reserve-component members. This program provides up to $100,000 per event, depending on [the type of] injury. All service members covered under = the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance program, whether active duty, reserve or National Guard, were enrolled for TSGLI coverage on 1 DEC 05. To date, the = Army has paid out a total of more than $126 million under TSGLI, The TSGLI benef= it has both retroactive and prospective aspects. The benefit is provided retroactively for service members who suffered severe combat-zone-related injuries between 7 OCT 01, and 1 DEC 05. The prospective aspect applies to service members with injuries received “any time, anywhere” from Dec. 1, 2005, forward. [Sourc= e: TSGLI Army Human Resources Command Chief Col. John Sackett 6 Jul 07 ++]
CBO MILITARY COMPENSATION REPORT UPDATE 01: The House and Senate Armed Services Committees have both endorsed a small improvement over the Pentagon proposed 3% military pay raise for 2008.&n= bsp; Both agreed with The Military Coalition (TMC) that Congress hasn't y= et eliminated the pay gap caused by decades of capping military raises below private sector pay growth, and bumped the 2008 raise to 3.5%. The House of Representatives went = a step further, approving a plan to reduce the current 3.9% shortfall by one-half percentage point a year for the next five years. The Congressional Budget Office (C= BO) reported to the Senate Budget Committee on 29 JUN that the full compensatio= n package for active-duty enlisted personnel increased by 21% between 2000 and 2006 a= nd that the military-civilian pay gap is dwindling. This conclusion may be used by DoD= to argue for increases in TRICARE costs, etc. The report also addressed the possibility of substituting cash for non-cash benefits like tax-free grocery allowances (while consolidating commissaries and exchanges), giving a tuiti= on grant of $8,600 a year per student (while closing domestic schools) and “cafeteria style” health plans for active duty members’ dependents.
=
The CBO report questions whether there's any shortfall to fix. They say their pay comparisons put=
the
average enlisted member in the top 25-30% of equivalent civilian workers'
earnings. CBO also cites vari=
ous
studies that claim average enlisted pay actually amounts to $90,000 to $138=
,000
a year, once the cost of all military and veterans' benefits is added in.
- The = fact that large numbers of civilians can't meet mental or moral or other standar= ds for military entrance?
- The military's up-or-out system that winnows out the less capable performers ov= er the span of a two or three decade career?&= nbsp;
- Comp= arison of military people to their true equivalents - people who spend their entire careers with a single company - or does it include the income-depressing effects of layoffs and other career interruptions among private sector work= ers?
If comparisons are going to be made by CBO they sho= uld use the transparency, clarity, and independence provided by the same measur= e of private sector pay growth that the government sees fit to use for every oth= er purpose - the Employment Cost Index (ECI) measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. MOAA tracked mili= tary pay basic pay raises vs. ECI growth year-by-year since 1982, when military = pay was last generally recognized as "reasonably comparable" with the private sector. And by that objective measure - even giving credit for extra raises "targeted"= ; at specific grade and years-of-service combinations - cumulative military rais= es still lag cumulative ECI growth by 3.9%. As for trying to claim military pay comparisons should include the cost to the government of every military benefit, that's pure hogwash. The budgeters like to:
- Add = up every nickel of the cost of military and VA health care and disability compensati= on, while completely ignoring the cost of those disabilities to wounded servicemembers and their families. <= /span>
- Add = up the cost of every PCS move, and refuse to recognize that those reimbursements o= nly cover about 70% of the costs members incur in complying with government-ord= ered moves.
- Add = up the cost of child care facilities and omit any reference to the overtime and deployment requirements that forced the troops to use that care.
Military retirement, health, disability, and other benefits have nothing whatsoever to do with pay comparability. They're essential offsets to all o= f the unquantifiable but extraordinarily arduous demands and sacrifices inherent = in a multi-decade service career. = They ought to be pretty clear to anyone who reads the front page of the morning paper or the lead story on the evening news. At least most members of 110th Congress seem to get it, even if the budget analysts don't. [Source: MOAA L= eg Up 6 Jul 07 ++]
CONCURRENT RECEIPT STATUS: Last month, the Army recogni=
zed
its 100,000th Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) applicant at an Ar=
my
Personnel Command ceremony in
SSA RETIREMENT APPLICATION: In a few short months, the f=
irst
of
- Appl= y for Retirement/Disability/Spouse’s Benefits
- Rest= art your incomplete application.
- Chec= k your claim status.
You cannot use this Internet application to:
- Appl= y for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. However, you can begin the process of apply= ing for SSI disability benefits for an adult or child by completing an online disability report at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/
- Appl= y for benefits for children.
- Appl= y for benefits as a surviving spouse.
- Appl= y for the Lump Sum Death Payment.
- Appl= y for Medicare coverage only (e.g., you are working and do not intend to file for monthly retirement or spouse's benefits at this time).
For these non-Internet actions call 1(800) 772-1213= M-F 07-1900. If you are deaf or hard of hearing call the TTY number 1(800) 325-0778. If you have previously filed for Social Security disability and h= ave been denied those benefits within the last 60 days, do not use the Internet application to file an appeal. If you are not sure whether you are still wi= thin your appeal period, call the 800 number for assistance before proceeding wi= th your Internet application. If= you want to use your local SSA office to apply at you can choose to have a representative help you when you do business with Social Security. SSA will work with your representative, just as they would work with you. If you are acting as someone's authorized representative to do business with the Social Security Administration, you must first complete Form SSA-1696-U4 (Appointment of Representative). This can be downloaded at www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ssa-1696.html. To review a comprehensive explanation of the 'Representative' process, refer to www.socialsecurity.go= v/representation. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 6 Jul = 07 ++]
VA 2007 SURVEY:&nb= sp; The VA has asked VSOs and MSOs to pass the word that the VHA’s Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health (ADUSH) for Policy and Planning will soon be conducting the 2007 update of their national VHA Survey of Enrollees. The purp= ose of the survey is to provide information for its annual projections of enrollme= nt, utilization, and expenditures. The 15-30 minute telephone survey provides information on veteran use of health services and is used in projecting the resources and services needed in developing the healthcare budget. The surv= ey collects information on a random sample of 42,000 veterans enrolled in the = VA system. Each Veterans Integra= ted Service Network (VISN) will have approximately 2,000 enrollees surveyed. The survey will begin on 8 JUL and= will continue for 8 weeks. Your support in this survey will help ensure that VA provides its best care, where it is needed, when it is needed, and to those= who need it. This is NOT a fishing expedition to get information on specific veterans. Your participation will benefit ALL veterans. If there is a need to discuss the survey or there are any questio= ns, contact Anita Taylor or Crystal Elliott at 1(866) 922-7173. Previous survey reports are available at http://www.va.gov/vhareorg. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 6 Jul = 07 ++]
NAVY BODY MODIFICATION POLICY: The Navy Uniform Matters Off= ice has clarified what is acceptable