July August Uniformed Services Journal

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July/August 2012

Journal Uniformed Services

e Servicemember’s Voice in Government

Remembering Our Troops This Independence Day

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED National Association for Uniformed Services® 5535 Hempstead Way Springfield, VA 22151-4094

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Journal Uniformed Services

e Servicemember’s Voice in Government

July/August 2012 • Vol. 36 No. 4

Keeping the heat on Congress.

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While all indications lead us to believe that TRICARE Standard, Prime and TRICARE for Life will not be changed this year, we discuss why it is so important to keep the pressure on Congress.

More on this in the Legislative Update!

On the cover: A toddler waves a U.S. flag during the

U.S. Navy Concert band's performance on the national mall during an Independence Day

celebration. Thousands were

on hand for the free concert

sponsored by the National

Park Service.

Photo Credit: Chief Photographer's Mate Chris Desmond

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR UNIFORMED SERVICES MISSION: Promote a strong national defense and protect the benefits earned through service and sacrifice in the uniformed services.

INSIDE 2

3 5 9 9 10 20 21 23 24 27 29 30 35 36 37 38 40

President’s Message:

Some Good News, But Uncertainty Reigns

NAUS Mailbox

Key Bills in Congress

NAUS Support and Good Wishes NAUS PAC

Legislative Update

NAUS Briefs: TRICARE News

NAUS Briefs: Veterans News NAUS Briefs: NAUS News Active Duty Download

2012 NAUS Selfless Service Awards Health Today

Diet & Weight

Chapter News

2012 Chapter of the Year Application SMW News

Merchant Marine Contributors Taps

CENTER SPREAD INSERT:

2012 NAUS Annual Meeting Week Information: Candidates for NAUS 2012 Board of Directors; Registration form if you are able to attend;

Envelope/Ballot for your voting and registration.

Uniformed Services Journal is published bimonthly by the National Association for Uniformed Services®, 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151-4094; Tel. (703)750-1342, 1(800)842-3451; Fax (703)354-4380; email: naus@naus.org; website: www.NAUS.org. Postmaster: send address changes to Uniformed Services Journal • 5535 Hempstead Way Springfield, VA 22151-4094.

Subscription rates: Membership in NAUS includes a subscription to the USJ. For persons and organizations not eligible for membership: $15 per year in USA and its possessions; $30 per year to a foreign address. Single copy is $2.50.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RADM Donald P. Loren, USN (Ret), Co-Chairman MSgt Robert Larson, USAF (Ret), Co-Chairman MajGen William Bowden, USAF (Ret), 1st Vice Chairman LTG Carmen Cavezza, USA (Ret), 2nd Vice Chairman COL Janet Fraser Hale, USAR (Ret), 3rd Vice Chairman MajGen James Livingston, USMC (Ret), Member MCPO Dave Rudd, USN (Ret), Member DIRECTORS Mrs. Jessie Brundige, SMW Col James Diehl, USAF (Ret) COL Dan Dennison, USA (Ret) CAPT Thomas Doss, USPHS Col Dave Ellis, USAF (Ret) Sgt Brian Griffin, USAF (Vet) Col Jenny Holbert, USMC (Ret) MCPO Gaylord Humphries, USN Sgt Karl P. Karl, USMC (Vet) BG George Landis, USA (Ret) LCDR Nicole Manning, NOAA RADM Bob Merrilees, USCGR (Ret) Col Thomas W. Parker, USMC (Ret) Sgt Andy Plonski, USMC (Vet) CSM Brett Rankert, USA (Ret) LTC Joe Sheehan, USA (Ret) SMA Jack Tilley, USA (Ret) BOARD ADVISORS CSM Donna A. Brock, USA CSM Donald Devaney, USA (Ret) MCPO Paul Dillon, USN (Ret) LCDR Sarah L. Dunsford, NOAA MCPO James E. Greer, USN (Ret) COL Otto Grummt, USA (Ret) Col Michael Harris, USAF (Ret) Morris Harvey, USNG (Vet) BGen John A. Hurley, USAFR (Ret) CAPT Robert C. Lloyd, Jr., USPHS SgtMajMarCor Alford L. McMichael, USMC (Ret) COL Charles Partridge, USA (Ret) Sgt Maj Frank E. Pulley, USMC (Ret) LtCol Nancy L. Visser, USMCR (Ret) MCPON Rick D. West, USN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS 1 CSM Ron Buatte, USA (Ret) 2 Col Al Stewart, USAF (Ret) 3 MSgt Thomas Paolillo, USAF (Ret) 4 SMSgt “Chuck” Murphy, USAF (Ret) 5 Cpl “Bob” Lytle, USMCR (Vet) 6 LTC Dennis O. Freytes, USA (Ret) 7 MCPO Paul Dillon, USN (Ret) 8 Col Dave Ellis, USAF (Ret) NAUS STAFF President and CEO – LtGen Jack Klimp, USMC (Ret) Director of Administration – Mrs. Vicki C. Sumner CFO/Director of Membership Services – Ms. Windora Bradburn, CPA Legislative Director/PAC – Rick Jones H Deputy Legislative Director/Veterans Affairs – CTI1 Mike Plumer, USN (Ret) H Legislative Assistant – Tony Kennedy Marketing Director – LCDR Steve Hein, USCG (Ret), CME Managing Editor, USJ – Tommy Campbell Director of Mail Operations – Mrs. Nadine Vranizan Junior Accountant – Mrs. Charito Ampoyo Database Manager – Mrs. Toni Cimini H Registered Federal Lobbyists

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President’s Message From e Desk Of:

LtGen Jack Klimp, USMC (Ret)

inty Reigns Some Good News, But Uncerta

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR UNIFORMED SERVICES

TRICARE cost increases proew TRICARE enrollment fees and steep ked by the House-passed posed by the Administration would be bloc Act (NDAA), and the Senate FY2013 National Defense Authorization the NDAA follows suit. is is good ...if there had been Armed Services Committee’s version of on this line the g din hol in n itio pos ng stro news, and recognition of NAUS’ no organizations like service. ed form uni by ed earn efit ben nt orta imp NAUS fighting on the uncertainty of the huge defense However, the battle is far from over with n passed by Congress in last year’s your behalf, the new budget cuts required under the sequestratio y, nom eco gish slug ed inty is the continu TRICARE fees and Budget Control Act. Adding to the uncerta cits, and the defi get bud rd reco , cuts tax h Bus d alle pending expiration of the so-c higher costs would a dangerous place. Continued vigibe to es tinu con ld wor the that fact tal bru be a done deal. e to be your voice in government. lance is required, and NAUS will continu ations like NAUS fighting on your Just think, if there had been no organiz her costs would be a done deal. It’s why behalf, the new TRICARE fees and hig s – particularly rts to reach out and enroll new member effo ve ecti coll our and ship ber mem r you so important. With se completing their military careers – are tho and s ber mem ice serv ay’s tod ng amo ions like NAUS ing in uniform at any given time, associat serv ion ulat pop our of ent perc one than less can muster on their se who serve and have served than they tho of s cern con the to e voic r nge stro a give omes even more important. own. In these times of uncertainty, this bec members and new efforts to reach out to more service is summer, NAUS is beginning some is in their interest, bership is important, why membership mem why them ng telli are We . rees reti answers to some ctly. As a member, you already know the dire them s efit ben ship ber mem how and to you, and be ut what your NAUS membership means abo k thin to you e urg I ns. stio que se of the ember campaign. s later this year in our new member-get-a-m ber mem US NA w fello r you join to y read t’s going on in the or tell someone else you know about wha l, rna Jou this on s pas e, ntim mea the In cy, Unity and Success through your service. e News, Advoca ed earn you s efit ben the tect pro to t figh great Association is making a difference. we realize together as members of this

N

NAUS was shocked to learn of the murder of Associate Member April Kauffman, Linwood, NJ, and I must also report the unexpected passing of longtime Member and former Director, Bob ompson, MSgt, USAF (Ret), who had just begun his term as mayor of Callaway, FL. Let us also remember all of the NAUS members we have lost this period. e Taps section in each Journal pays tribute to those members who have passed, and we hope and pray for their families as they grieve.

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Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

Increased [TRICARE] fees would very definitely negatively impact us. I have chronic conditions which need medical attention and prescriptions. My son has cystic fibrosis, which according to USN BUMED, does not qualify him for the dependent child over 21 incapacitation program because medications enable him to function. I am a widow, retired, living on social security and my husband's pension (retired Navy petty officer 1st class).

Whatever NAUS can do to secure veterans' benefits at the level they are now is most definitely appreciated.

A. Haviland-Moore Ansonia, CT In response to [what Sen. Lindsey Graham called] the "myth" of free health care for retirees, when I was in boot camp in Orlando in 1975, we had a formal training course on the benefits afforded to us as veterans, and also the benefits of making of the military a career. I remember two distinct points made at that formal training. One was that we would be 38 years old when we retired and we would get 1/2 month’s basic pay for the rest of our lives...

I remember thinking that I would be an old man at age 38. The other point was that we would be taken care of for life with free medical care. This impressed me because I thought it would not be much longer than age 38 that I would be in need of medical help! Senator Graham is very misinformed. If he, or his staff, took the time to examine the formal training of troops, at least the year I went to boot camp, he would see that the syllabus did, in fact, include a statement about free medical care for life. It is a trade off for service members. We were not afforded the opportunity to accrue wealth as most Americans can. We gave up that right with the understanding that it did not matter because we would get a stipend and free medical for our service. If the government wants to save money, I can suggest several areas other than veteran's benefits.

J. Bagby Orange Park, FL Some members of Congress know very little about the dangers our men and women in the service face. We have an all volunteer force which is the best in the entire world; however I have heard some members of Congress say they volunteered for whatever benefits they choose to send their way. This is BS and NAUS knows it. But Congress is calling the shots. It is critical to maintain a military force that is experienced and proficient in combat and has the ability to recruit and train sufficient qualified men and women to defend our interests around the world. This is difficult at best, but with Congress continually messing around with pay and benefits the task becomes even more difficult. Our benefits are not gifts; we have worked and sacrificed for our country and we have earned every benefit promised.

M. Mackey LTC, USA (Ret) Chehalis, WA

We love to hear your feedback and opinions, so please keep your letters and emails coming to: NAUS Mailbox, 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151 or to tcampbell@naus.org. (Include your hometown and daytime telephone number. Due to space restrictions, not every entry can be published and those that are may be edited to fit.)

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

MAILBOX Keep fighting for us – you’re doing a great job.

F. Ruiz 1SG, USA (Ret) Tulare, CA

Any action that degrades earned and contracted compensation of retired and active duty military is despicable, morally wrong, and probably violates laws. TRICARE For Life was established after a class action suit went to the Supreme Court and now the Administration attempts to renege on that.

J. Powers MSgt, USAF (Ret) Wappapello, MO No changes should be made to the military retirement system.

Our benefits were earned by our military service.

M. Hamilton, Jr. MSgt, USAF (Ret) Saint Paul, VA Thank you for doing all you can to preserve the benefits we, and others, have earned. We must keep our current military strong and equipped to defend our country at all times.

Anonymous response to NAUS member survey

Editor’s Note:

The NAUS Staff is proud to bring you this very important issue of the July/August Uniformed Services Journal.

As you can see from the title of the Presidents Message, we have some “Good News” to report, but we have such a long way to go, and you’ll read about it in the following pages. With this news, it is plain to see why membership in NAUS is so important. Also this is why we continue to ask for your help in the continued fight to protect your earned benefits. This includes helping us sign up new members so our voice can continue to grow, writing Congress through the NAUS Capwiz site and donations to help us get your word out, whatever you can do will help!

Also, in this issue you’ll find information about your Annual Meeting and the nominees for your Board of Directors. Please take time to review and fill out the enclosed ballot. We hope you will consider joining us on October 19-20 and return your registration form with your ballot.

We hope you enjoy this issue of your July/August Uniformed Services Journal.

– Tommy Campbell, Managing Editor, USJ 3

112th Congress

Defense H.R. 1092 – (28 Cosponsors), Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC), 03/15/11 – Referred to House Committee on Armed Services.

The Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act would prohibit increases in TRICARE fees and copays for military health care.

H.R. 493 – (6 Cosponsors), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), 01/26/11 – Referred to House Armed Services Committee. To provide for forgiveness of certain overpayments of retired pay paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces following their death.

H.R. 1003 – (1 Cosponsor), Rep. Don Young (R-AK), 03/10/2011 – Referred to House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee. e Gray Area Retiree, and Surviving Spouses Space-available Travel Equity Act would authorize space-available travel on military aircra for reserve members, former members of a reserve component, and unremarried surviving spouses and dependents of such members and former members. Companion Bill: S. 542 – (9 Cosponsors), Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), 03/10/2011. Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee.

H.R. 24 – (215 Cosponsors), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), 01/15/2011 – Referred to House Committee on Armed Services. Redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.

H.R. 1263 – (No Cosponsors), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), 03/30/11 – Referred Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

roughout the 112th Congress, NAUS will identify and track certain bills that address issues important to our members. Over time the list will expand to include newly introduced bills replacing older or less comprehensive bills. We do this because of space limitations. While we support any and all bills that lead towards the achievement of our legislative goals, we place the most emphasis on the more comprehensive bills. Also appearing will be some bills for information purposes to readers interested in the issue so that they can make their position known to their congressional delegations. e Library of Congress provides online information concerning Congress and the legislative process through a website named THOMAS, located at thomas.loc.gov. is is an easy to use tool to help you track bills in which you are interested but we do not list due to space limitations. THOMAS also provides access to other congressional committees for you to do independent research. e dates in each summary generally denote when the bill was introduced.

to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide surviving spouses with certain protections relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosures. 10/13/11 passed by House and sent to Senate for further consideration.

H. R. 1935 – (7 Cosponsors), Rep. Peter King (R-NY), 05/23/11 – Referred to House Armed Services Committee. e Supply Our Soldiers Act of 2011 would provide for free mailing privileges for personal correspondence and parcels sent to members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.

H.R. 1968 – (16 Cosponsors), Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), 05/24/11 – Referred to House Armed Services Committee.

Provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War. Companion Bill: S. 402 –

H.R. 3662 – (74 Cosponsors), Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), 12/14/11 Down Payment to Protect National Security Act of 2011. Amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to modify the discretionary spending limits to take into account savings resulting from the reduction in the number of Federal employees. Referred to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and the Budget. Companion Bill: S. 2065 (9 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), 2/2/12 – Referred to Senate Committee on the Budget

(6 Cosponsors), Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), 02/17/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services.

H.R. 4115 – (21 Cosponsors), Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH), 3/12/12 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Helping Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Return to Employment at Home Act. To require, as a condition on the receipt by a State of certain funds for veterans employment and training, that the State ensures that training received by a veteran while on active duty is taken into consideration in granting certain State certifications or licenses, and for other purposes.

H.R. 4310 – (1 Cosponsor), Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA), 3/29/12 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.

Referred to House Committee on Armed Services. Authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2013, and for other purposes. Companion Bill: S. 2467 – (1 Cosponsor), Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) National Defense Authorization Act. S. 67 - (No Cosponsors), Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), 01/25/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services.

Permit former members of the armed forces who have a service-connected disability rated as total to travel on military aircra in the same manner and to the same extent, as retired members of the armed forces are entitled to travel on such aircra.

S. 68 – (No Cosponsors), Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), 01/25/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services.

Authorize certain disabled former prisoners of war to use Department of Defense commissary and exchange stores.

S. 472 – (3 Cosponsors), Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), 03/03/2011 - Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services. e Service 5

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112 Congress

Members Permanent Change of Station Relief Act would increase the mileage reimbursement rate for members of the armed services during permanent change of station and to authorize the transportation of additional motor vehicles of members on change of permanent station to or from non-foreign areas outside the continental United States.

S. 490 – (3 Cosponsors), Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), 03.03/2011 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Increase the maximum age for children eligible for medical care under the CHAMPVA program.

S. 2112 – (31 Cosponsors), Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), 02/15/12 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services.

Space Available Act. Authorize spaceavailable travel on military aircra for members of the reserve components, a member or former member of a reserve component who is eligible for retired pay but for age, widows and widowers of retired members, and dependents.

Flag Amendment

H.J. RES. 13 – (87 Cosponsors), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), 01/07/11 – Referred to House Subcommittee on the Constitution. A proposal to amend the Constitution of the United States to give Congress the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.

S.J. Res. 19 – (35 Cosponsors), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) – Referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary. A proposal to amend the Constitution of the United States to give Congress the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.

Guard & Reserve

H.R.152 – (29 Cosponsors), Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), 01/05/11 – Referred to House Armed Services Committee. e National Guard Border Enforcement Act would utilize the National Guard to provide support for the border control activities of the United States Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security H.R. 179 - (3 Cosponsors), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), 01/05/11 – Referred to 6

House Armed Services Committee.

Eliminate the requirement that certain former members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces be at least 60 years of age in order to be eligible to receive health care benefits.

H.R. 181 – (74 Cosponsors), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), 01/05/11 – Referred to House Armed Services Committee. e National Guardsmen and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act would ensure that members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who have served on active duty or performed active service since September 11, 2001, in support of a contingency operation or in other emergency situations receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

H.R. 1283 - (46 Cosponsors), Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA), 03/31/2011 – Referred to House Armed Services Committee. e Reserve Retirement Deployment Credit Correction Act would eliminate the per-fiscal year calculation of days of certain active duty or active service used to reduce the minimum age at which a member of a reserve component of the uniformed services may retire for non-regular service.

MGIB & Educational Benefits

H.R. 472 – (2 Cosponsors), Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK), 01/26/11 – Referred to House Committee on Education and the Workforce. e Impact Aid Fairness and Equity Act would reauthorize the Impact Aid Program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Coast Guard

H.R. 2838 – (1 Cosponsor), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), 9/2/11 – Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2011. 11/16/11 Passed full House and sent to Senate.

S. 1665 – (3 Cosponsors), Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), 10/6/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2012 and 2013.

Health Care & Medicare

H.R. 409 – (34 Cosponsors), Rep.

Mike Rogers (R-AL), 01/24/11 - Referred to House Armed Services Committee. e Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act requires the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan to provide chiropractic health care services and benefits for certain new beneficiaries as part of the TRICARE program.

Social Security

H.R. 149 – (3 Cosponsors), Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), 01/04/11- Referred to House Ways and Means Committee. e Social Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 increase in taxes on Social Security benefits.

S. 123 – (No Cosponsors), Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), 01/25/11 – Referred to Senate Budget Committee. e Social Security Lock-Box Act of 2011 would establish a procedure to safeguard the Social Security Trust Funds.

H.R. 456 – (34 Cosponsors), Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX), 01/26/11 – Referred to the House Ways and Means, Education and Workforce Committees. e Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act would enable the establishment of a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers to compute cost-ofliving increases for Social Security benefits.

Taxes

H.R. 238 – (10 Cosponsors), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), 01/07/11 – Referred to House Ways and Means Committee. Military Retiree Health Care Relief Act of 2011 would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refundable credit to military retirees for premiums paid for coverage under Medicare Part B. S.113 – (1 Cosponsor), Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), 01/25/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Finance. e Public Servant Retirement Protection Act seeks to repeal the windfall elimination provision and protect the retirement of public servants.

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

Veterans H.R. 23 – (85 Cosponsors), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), 01/05/11 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. e Belated ank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2011 would direct the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II. H.R. 115 – (9 Cosponsors), Rep. Bob Filner (R-CA), 01/05/11 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. e CHAMPVA Children’s Protection Act of 2011 would increase the maximum age to 26 from 23 for children eligible for medical care under the CHAMPVA program.

H.R. 329 – (40 Cosponsors), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), 01/19/11 - Referred to House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. e Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act would require the provision of chiropractic care and services to veterans at all Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and to expand access to such care and services.

H.R. 814 – (8 Cosponsors), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), 02/18/11 – Referred to House Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Veterans’ Affairs. e Medicare VA Reimbursement Act of 2011 would provide Medicare payments to Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities for items and services provided to Medicare-eligible veterans for non-service-connected conditions. (is is called Medicare Subvention) H.R. 1288 – (115 Cosponsors), Rep. G.K. Butterfield (R-NC), 03/31/11 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. e World War II Merchant Mariner Service Act would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to accept additional documentation when considering the application for veteran status of an individual who performed service in the merchant marines during World War II. H.R. 1742 – (42 Cosponsors), Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), 05/05/11 - Referred to House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial affairs. e Jamey Ensminger Act would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

to establish a presumption of service connection for illnesses associated with contaminants in the water supply at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and to provide health care to family members of veterans who lived at Camp Lejeune while the water was contaminated.

H.R. 2002 – (3 Cosponsor), Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), 05/26/11 – Referred to House Committee on Armed Services. Permit disabled or injured members of the Armed Forces to transfer Post 9/11 Educational Assistance benefits aer retirement.

H.R. 2074 – (7 Cosponsors), Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY), 6/1/11 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. e Veterans Sexual Assault Prevention and Health Care Enhancement Act. 10/5/11 Reported by Committee to full House and placed on calendar for future consideration.

H.R. 2349 – (1 Cosponsor), Rep. Jon Runyan (R-NJ), 6/24/11 – referred to House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs. Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to annually assess the skills of certain employees and managers of the Veterans Benefits Administration, and for other purposes. 10/6/11 Reported by Committee to Full House and placed on calendar for future consideration.

H.R. 2383 – (No Cosponsors), Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH), 06/24/11 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. e “Modernizing Notice to Claimants Act.” Authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use electronic communication to provide required notice to claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary.

NAUS Note: is would be optional for those veterans who choose to receive electronic communications.

H.R. 2433 – (31 Cosponsors), Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), 7/7/11 - Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011.

10/13/11 Passed by full House and sent to Senate for further consideration.

H.R. 3612 – (95 Cosponsors), Rep. Gibson (R-NY), 12/8/11 - e Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2011.

Referred to House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Clarify presumptions relating to the exposure (to Agent Orange) of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes. Companion Bill: S. 1629 (13 Cosponsors), Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY), 9/23/11 - e Agent Orange Equity Act of

2011. Clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans, who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam.

H.R. 3895 – (41 Cosponsor), Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), 2/3/12 - Protect VA Healthcare Act of 2012. Amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to clarify that all veterans programs are exempt from sequestration. Referred to House Committee on the Budget. Companion Bill: S. 2128 (3 Cosponsors), Rep. Jon Tester (D-MT), 2/17/12 – Referred to Senate Committee on the Budget H.R. 4048 – (No Cosponsors), Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH), 2/16/12 - Improving Contracting Opportunities for VeteranOwned Small Businesses Act. Clarify the contracting goals and preferences of the Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans.

H.R. 4142 – (6 Cosponsors), Rep. Jon Runyan (R-NJ), 3/5/2012- Referred to House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. To provide for annual cost-of-living adjustments to be made automatically by law each year in the rates of disability compensation for veterans with serviceconnected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans.

H.R. 4155 – (14 Cosponsor), Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA), 3/7/12 – Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Veteran Skills to Jobs Act. Direct the head of each Federal department and agency to treat relevant military training as sufficient to satisfy training or certification requirements for Federal licenses. Companion Bill: S. 2239 (3 Cosponsors), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), 3/27/12 – Referred to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

H.R. 4168 – (1 Cosponsors), Rep. Frank Giunta (R-NH), 3/8/12 – Caring for the Fallen Act. Referred to House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to provide for the ongoing maintenance of Clark Veterans Cemetery in the Philippines.

Companion Bill: S. 2320 – (11 Cosponsors), Sen. Kelly Ayottee (R-NH), 4/19/12 – 7

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112 Congress

Referred to Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Remembering America's Forgotten Veterans Cemetery Act of 2012.

S. 277 – (10 Cosponsors), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), 02/03/11 – Referred to Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. e Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act would furnish hospital care, medical services and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune.

S. 491 – (21 Cosponsors), Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), 03/04/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. e Honor America’s Guard-Reserve Retirees Act of 2011 would recognize the service in the reserve components of the Armed Forces by members who were never activated for Federal Service during their careers, by honoring them with status as veterans under law. Companion Bill: H.R. 1025 – (54 Cosponsors), Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN), 03/10/2011 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S. 1359 – (5 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), 07/13/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Honoring Service through National Park Access Act. Make the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available at a discount to members of the Armed Forces and veterans.

Survivors

H.R. 120 – (10 Cosponsors), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), 01/05/11 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. e Disabled Veterans’ Surviving Spouses Home Loans Act would provide for eligibility for housing loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the surviving spouses of certain totally disabled veterans. 10/13/11 Bill language was placed into H.R. 2433 as an amendment and passed by the House and forwarded to the Senate for further consideration.

H.R. 178 – (191 Cosponsors), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), 01/05/11 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. e Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act would repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan for military surviving 8

spouses to offset the receipt of veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.

Companion Bill: S. 260 – (50 Cosponsors), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), 2/2/11 - Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee.

S. 1852 – (1-Cosponsor), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), 11/10/11 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

“Spouses of Heroes Education Act.” Expand the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry scholarship to include spouses of members of the Armed Forces who die in the line of duty

Pay & Compensation

H.R. 186 - (29 Cosponsors), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), 01/05/11 – Referred to House Committees on Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs and Budget. Expand the eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include all members of the uniformed services who are retired under chapter 61 of such title for disability, regardless of the members' disability rating percentage.

H.R. 303 - (90 Cosponsors), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), 01/18/11 – Referred to House Veterans’ Affairs and Armed Services Committees. e Retired Pay Restoration Act would permit additional retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation and to eliminate the phase-in period under current law with respect to such concurrent receipt. Companion Bill: S. 344 – (28 Cosponsors), Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), 2/14/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services.

H.R. 4114 – (13 Cosponsors), Rep. Jon Runyan (R-NJ), 2/29/12- Referred to the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Veterans' Compensation Costof-Living Adjustment Act of 2012. To increase, effective as of December 1, 2012, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Companion Bill: S. 2259 – (13 Cospon-

sors), Sen. John Tester (D-MT), 3/29/12 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S. 696 – (5 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) – 03/31/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Treat Vet Centers as Department of Veterans Affairs facilities for purposes of payments or allowances for beneficiary travel to Department facilities.

H.R. 333 – (155 Cosponsors), Rep. Sanford Bishop (R-GA), 01/19/11 – Referred to House Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees. e Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act would permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50 percent to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation, to eliminate the phase-in period for concurrent receipt and to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service..

Miscellaneous H.R. 1775 – (52 Cosponsors), Rep. Joseph Heck (R-NV), 05/05/11 – Referred to House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. Amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a criminal offense relating to fraudulent claims about military service. Companion Bill: S. 1728 – (2 Cosponsors), Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), 10/18/11 – Referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary. “e Stolen Valor Act of 2011.” Establish a criminal offense relating to fraudulent claims about military service.

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

N A U S S U P P O R T AND GOOD WISHES NAUS is always proud to support our military families and who could be better to support than NAUS members with family serving overseas. Recently NAUS was excited to be part of an operation to bring cookies, hometown support and lots of good wishes to some 82nd Airborne Division currently serving our nation away from home.

On Monday, April 23rd, 2012 NAUS along with representatives from Girl Scout Troops 5166 and 6999 (Scouts, Mom and even a Granddad) loaded 90 boxes of assorted cookies (approximately 600 pounds) into NAUS Headquarters. Nadine Vranizan, NAUS Director of Mail Operations, then re-packed and shipped the cookies in several larger boxes to the 2-504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade 82nd Airborne Division currently overseas in harm’s way.

NAUS received notification from D Company Platoon, AT-4 (Anti-Tank Company, 4th platoon) with ‘Thanks’ for all the Girl Scout cookies and expressing how much it meant to the Troops to receive the cookies and the support from home.

TOP: NAUS member and father to a deployed service member, COL Nick Vamvakias and his family along with Girl Scouts from Troops 5166 & 6999, work with NAUS HQ staff to unload Girl Scout Cookies into the NAUS HQ building so that they can be mailed overseas to service members.

LEFT: NAUS Director of Mail Operations Nadine Vranizan and NAUS CFO Windora Bradburn pose for a picture with a representative from Girl Scout Troops 5166 and 6999 at NAUS Headquarters.

RIGHT: D Company Platoon, AT-4 (Anti-Tank Company, 4th platoon) with LTC Nick Vamvakias and the Girl Scout Cookies from Girl Scout Troops 5166 and 6999.

Y

our 2012 NAUS election survey and NAUS Political Action Committee (NAUS PAC) contribution form will be mailed in mid-June.

We hope you will respond and thank you in advance for your generous contributions.

The nonpartisan NAUS Political Action Committee provides a way for NAUS members to collectively contribute to the campaigns for members of Congress. NAUS PAC contributes to congressional members who advocate maintaining a strong national defense and support of our uniformed services personnel, our retirees and other veterans, and their families and survivors.

With DoD’s continuing verbal attacks on TRICARE costs, defense program cutbacks and deficit reduction pressures that are likely to affect servicemembers and retirees, we must use every tool we have to remind our government leaders that the promises made in return for uniformed service to our country must be kept. Your generous contributions to the NAUS PAC are another effective way to help us win.

Whether you can send $100, or just $5 or $10, or anything in between, please reply to the NAUS PAC mailing or use the coupon below to send your donation to NAUS PAC.

THANK YOU!

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

! Detach here and return with your contribution.

NAUS PAC 5535 Hempstead Way Springfield, VA 22151 Remember, ONLY NAUS MEMBERS can make donations to the PAC. Federal Election Law requires that we ask you for the following information: Name: NAUS Membership # (optional): Occupation: Place of Employment:

Make your check payable to NAUS PAC Contributions to the NAUS PAC are not tax-deductible.

9

House and Senate Advance Fiscal Year 2013 Defense Policy Measure

er three days of floor debate and amendment, the is on the list for June but could be delayed because the Senate agenda is crowded. e bill was filed, ready for House passed its version of the fiscal year 2013 consideration, June 4.

National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Levin and Ranking Member John McCain (R-AZ) realize May 18 by a recorded vote of 299 to 120. At press time, the full Senate has yet to act on the Senate Armed Services that once the bill comes to the floor it will be greeted with numerous amendments, many of which will likely be highly Committee approved version, S. 3254. e House national defense bill (H.R. 4310) would authorize controversial dealing with homosexual, religious, prisoner $554 billion for national defense, consistent with the allocation and war issues, not all related to national defense. In any event, provided by the House Budget Committee. It also authorizes they are committed, as is NAUS, to continue efforts to move the bill as soon as possible to the floor for a favorable vote. $88.5 billion over the coming year for the Afghanistan War and counterterrorism efforts. e funding level is almost $4 Importance of National Defense billion more than the White House is seeking.

Authorization Act The Senate Armed Services Committee bill (S. 3254) e importance of the authorization bill is clear. With would authorize a base Pentagon budget of $525.8 billion with contingency funding of $88.2 billion for overseas operations. the nation disengaging from war in Iraq and remaining in an Afghanistan war on terror, It would authorize about 1 the men and women of the percent less in overall spending armed forces must be assured than the House, consistent of the best equipment, with the Budget Control Act. weapons systems and training Before Congress can submit required to do their daily jobs the final measure to the President and accomplish their mission for signature into law, the full as quickly as possible.

Senate will have to debate, As NAUS reviews the two amend and vote on its version, Defense bills, our first focus sort out differences between is to support the men and the two bills in a House-Senate women serving in the Armed conference, and approve the Forces and their families. final agreement in each chamber.

Clearly, we must ensure they Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), have the equipment, training Chairman of the Armed and support they need to Services Committee, remains carry forward their assigned confident that action on his mission whether standing Committee’s measure will be guard or under threat of given priority floor time as hostile action. has been the tradition for Prior to the House Markup of the National Defense Act, NAUS President Jack Klimp e NDAA provides our the past 51 years. In recent and Legislative Director Rick Jones visited with Chairman of the Military Personnel service members not only a comments, Levin said his bill Subcommittee, Rep. Joe Wilson, (R-SC) in his Rayburn House office.

A

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Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

continuing commitment to deliver these capabilities, but also assures provisions that enhance quality of life for themselves and their families, including pay raises, benefits and related matters.

For example, the fiscal 2013 defense bill would provide authority for a 1.7 percent across-the-board pay raise for military personnel; an increase in pay bonuses and special pays to our troops to help answer the growing challenge with recruitment and retention; and a focus on childcare and family assistance to relieve some of the stress that takes place each day in military families. ere are other matters at stake, too. Other measures in the bill would extend TRICARE benefits to members of the Selected Reserve, who are involuntarily separated. ere are new regulations to extend family housing and commissary and exchange benefits to troops who are early released from service. Provisions are also in place to ensure that the Administration’s proposed troop drawdown does not cut Army and Marine Corps too rapidly.

NAUS worked hard this year, visiting many key members of the House and Senate Personal Subcommittees, to hold the line on TRICARE fee increases. What we found was a strong commitment to ensure members of the Armed Forces, retirees, survivors and their families have continued access to quality health care.

As readers know, passage last year of the fiscal 2012 NDAA allowed TRICARE Prime enrollment fees to increase 13 percent with future annual increases consistent with the cost-ofliving calculation. is occurred at a time when the cost-of-living was 3.6 percent and medical inflation at 3.9 percent. is year, the House bill and Senate Committee blocked the TRICARE fee hikes requested in the Administration proposal. Both Committees scolded DoD for continuing to rely too narrowly Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

on shiing the health cost burden to beneficiaries without aggressively pursuing internal efficiencies.

House and Senate Armed Services Committee leadership have turned aside the Pentagon call for higher health care fees, telling the Pentagon that its TRICARE proposals are outrageous. In both chambers, Committee membership rejected DoD’s neurotic impulse to break the Prior to the Markup of the National Defense Act, NAUS President Jack Klimp visited nation’s moral contract with Chairman of the Personnel Subcommittee, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) in his Russell with those who served. Senate office. Photo by Legislative Director Rick Jones.

In fact during a Senate hearing, NAUS Urges Readers To Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), Chairman of Keep The Heat On Congress the Senate Personnel Subcommittee, While the final story on TRICARE said that increasing TRICARE fees has yet to be written, at this point all would translate into a broken promise things indicate that TRICARE Standard, to military retirees.

Prime and TRICARE for Life will be “is is an obligation that’s been made untouched in this election year. for people whose military careers are now However, anything can yet happen to done. We're talking about an obligation upset the current balance. that’s made to people to ... provide their NAUS encourages readers to stay medical care for the rest of their life based in touch with your elected officials. on a compensation package that begins Let them know where you stand on the day they enlist and is amortized these matters. ank them for what over the rest of their life,” Webb said. they have done so far to defeat the And House Military Personnel Pentagon plan to make retiree benefits Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Joe the bill payer for irresponsible fiscal Wilson (R-SC) called the proposals policy. Encourage them to understand “wrongheaded.” Wilson said, “e that the sacrifices over the course of a most disturbing budget proposals are uniformed service career constitute a the increases in health care premiums significant pre-paid premium for … increases are up to 340 percent over health care aer retirement. five years for certain targeted retirees.”

Take time to write, call, tweet, visit, At NAUS, President Jack Klimp, email or otherwise give voice to your LtGen USMC, (ret), continued his issues. Keep Congress on course to keep call for Congress to hold the line on the promise made for a career in TRICARE fees. “It’s an outrage to hear uniformed service. e Administration DoD tell military retirees that the costs and Congress need to support aggressive for promised benefits are squeezing out policies to facilitate job creation and available resources for our national economic recovery. Defense remains defense,” said Klimp. “Aer a career of the number one responsibility of our defending our citizens and our freedom, elected federal officials and should these brave men and women should not not be the bill-payer for the fiscal have to fight to keep the nation’s side of challenge ahead. its obligation.”

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NAUS Deputy Legislative Director Mike Plumer at a meeting with Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT) where Representative Courtney’s support of the NAUS position on TRICARE was discussed.

Pentagon Seeks Another Round Of BRAC; Congress Rejects e Congressional NDAA bills also have strong bipartisan support to prohibit funding from being used to plan another round of BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) as requested by the Pentagon.

According to Dr. Dorothy Robyn, the department's deputy undersecretary for installations and environment, the Pentagon request for a new round of BRAC in 2013 and 2015 would “consolidate space and energy use by shiing to greener, more walkable military bases.”

Committee members rejected the DoD BRAC proposal, agreeing with Readiness Chairman Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) who said the plan is “founded on a flawed premise that assumes the administration’s proposal for a reduced force structure is correct.”

Subcommittee Ranking Member Bordallo (D-Guam) also backed Forbes and stressed the importance of maintaining readiness levels to meet future threats.

Undeterred, Dr. Robyn said the Department would still push for two more rounds of base realignments and closures despite opposition from Congress. Robyn said it is typical for Congress to reject DoD requests for a 12

BRAC on the first try. “In the past,” the deputy undersecretary for installations and environment said, “DoD has had to make repeated requests before it finally gets a BRAC round.” ere was little comment from the Armed Services Committee members on establishing a base closure plan in order to accommodate the administration’s greener energy plan.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle not only opposed the Pentagon plan for another round of BRAC, they voted 44 to 18 on an amendment by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) to refuse money for DoD to “propose, plan or execute” another round. Members made it clear that no additional round of base cuts would occur but also prohibited the Pentagon from even planning during fiscal 2013 for such an occurrence.

Start Cuts Here NAUS receives a great deal of comment from its members on ways to reduce wasteful government spending. For instance, recent reports indicate that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is regularly commuting on military aircra to his home in northern California. NAUS wants to support the Secretary, but it is important to note that to date the more than two dozen roundtrips cost taxpayers and

the Air Force as much as $860,000.

We also note reports that the General Services Administration held a lavish Las Vegas meeting for 300 employees spending more than $830,000. Congress opened more investigations on the $820,000 spent by the General Services Agency (GSA) for a blowout four-day conference in Las Vegas.

Among other GSA expenses uncovered over this single four-day extravaganza, GSA (taxpayers) paid $5,600 for in-room parties, $79,511 for light refreshments and breakfast, $44 per person for daily breakfast, $30,208 (about $95 per person) for reception and dinner, $3,749 for T-shirts, $400 for rented tuxedos for three officials.

Taxpayers also footed the bill for $7,000 on sushi at a networking reception and $3,200 for a session with a mind reader.

And readers will recall reports on the Pentagon constructing a new soccer field for the enemy detainees at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, costing nearly $800,000. Reports first out of Miami brought out that the Pentagon has spent $744,000 to build a soccer field for enemy captives.

While these are only a few questionable expenditures, they begin to mount up.

Our government has spent millions of dollars on hundreds of small projects, such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Alaskan Bridge to Nowhere, and hundreds more.

Reports continue to flow about Federal employees delinquent in tax payment and billions of dollars lost to criminals in the Medicare program year aer year.

Start adding up these $800,000 expenditures and you soon start seeing some billions of waste or fraud or abuse.

But the Administration’s budget proposals are still looking to charge massive new fees to all military retirees using TRICARE. As Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) said, “…for us (Congress and the Administration) to target them first, I think, is the wrong thing to do.”

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

NAUS President Calls On Congress: Stop The War On TRICARE “It’s an outrage to hear DoD tell military retirees that the costs for promised benefits are squeezing out available resources for our national defense,” said retired Marine Lieutenant General Jack Klimp, NAUS President and CEO. “NAUS is compelled to protect those who served to protect us,” Klimp said.

“Aer a career of defending our citizens and our freedom, these brave men and women should not have to fight to keep the nation’s side of its obligation.”

“Congress has a unique responsibility to act—indeed it has a moral obligation,” the NAUS President said. “TRICARE is … an integral part of a moral contract, a practical fulfillment of a nation's promise to those who honorably served a career in the Uniformed Services.”

Pharmacy Changes One of the significant differences between the House version of the NDAA and the Senate Committee plan is how much to increase the TRICARE pharmacy copayment.

Although both measures would raise pharmacy copays, the House NDAA version modifies the Pentagon plan

In advance of the National Defense Act, NAUS President Jack Klimp and Legislative Director Rick Jones visited with Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), a key member of the Personnel Subcommittee.

downward while the Senate Committee version allows the Pentagon to phase-in higher beneficiary cost shares. e matter will be ironed out in conference once the Senate completes final passage of its bill. e House plan would limit Pentagon authority under current law to raise drug copays effective 1 October 2012, the start of fiscal year 2013.

Under the House approved NDAA, one-month prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies would remain the same for generics, increase $5 for brand name, and run $19 higher for non-formulary.

For three-month mail-order fills generics would stay at zero cost,

Pharmacy Co-Payment Proposal FY13

Retail Rx (1 Month Fill)

Generic Brand Non-Formulary

Mail Order (3 Month Fill)

Generic Brand Non-Formulary

Current Fee

President’s Proposal

House Proposal

Current Fee

President’s Proposal

House Proposal

$5 $12 $25

Military Treatment Facilities RX Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

$0 $9 $25

$5 $26 N/A* $0 $26 $51

No Change -- Still $0 Co-Pay

$5 $17 $44 $0 $13 $43

brand name would increase $4, and non-formulary would rise $18 more.

In addition, the House plan would establish a 5-year pilot program to require beneficiaries in TRICARE for Life to use the home delivery program for maintenance drugs. e pilot program is required in the first year but has an opt-out provision if the beneficiary prefers.

On the other hand the Senate Armed Services Committee decided to accept the Pentagon plan for drug copays.

NAUS is informed by Senators on the Committee that it was not appropriate to force older retirees to try mail order and they described acceptance of the higher prescription copays in a press release as follows: “Does not prohibit the Department from instituting proposed TRICARE pharmacy copayment changes.” e Defense Department requested a five-year plan that would have raised co-payments for brand-name prescriptions to $26 in October for both retail and mail-order prescriptions, blocked most non-formulary prescriptions from being filled at retail stores, and raised the mail-order co-pay to $51 for non-formulary drugs.

Differences are outlined in the table to the le. It should be noted that the listing under the “President’s Proposal” are identical to the Senate plan.

13

Statement Of Administration On Armed Services Committee Defense Bill

In advance of the National Defense Act, NAUS Legislative Director Rick Jones visited with Rep. Allen West (R-FL), a key member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee.

Russian Helicopters NAUS joins a host of lawmakers in criticizing the single source purchase of helicopters for use in Afghanistan and is pleased to see the both chambers address the issue. e purchases began when President Obama lied a ban from Rosoboronexport, the Russian state arms exporter. e U.S. has already paid $648 million for Russian military helicopters and has $180 million more in line for the purchase of 10 more.

The Senate Armed Services Committee defense bill, S. 3254, would require the Government Accountability Office to report on U.S. purchases of Russian-built helicopters for Afghanistan’s military. e House bill, HR 4310, would halt funding for these purchases until the Pentagon can certify that Moscow is no longer supporting Syria’s suppression of its people or providing North Korea or Iran any weapon of mass destruction or missile technology.

Using the commercial lever to gain agreement from Russia to do the right thing seems to NAUS as appropriate but somehow upside down. Russia will act as it will act. But for our own Pentagon, the purchase of helicopter should be an open competition with American firms and American jobs given every possible advantage.

14

e President, disagrees with a number of provisions in the House measure and issued a statement that includes two veto threats to sections dealing with nukes and detainees. e statement also expresses deep disappointment “with the many provisions in this bill that impede the ability of the Secretary of Defense to carry out the 2012 defense strategic guidance.”

As NAUS members know, the House passed bill rejects the President’s directive to implement an enrollment on TRICARE for Life and to raise all TRICARE fees for all military retirees based on retirement pay. Under the DOD plan, rejected by the House, TRICARE retirees would see family plans jump nearly four-fold over the next five years. e House plan makes no change in TRICARE fees and substantially reduces the President’s request for steep increases in drug copayments in generics and especially in the brand and non-formulary categories. In addition, the bill strips authority from the Secretary of Defense to raise prescription drug charges.

In response to the House bill, Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta said the rejection of the Pentagon 2013 request for higher TRICARE fees poses a threat to national security.

Secretary Panetta called the Administration defense budget a “zero-sum game.” Changes, he said, would likely result in additional reductions in troop end strengths and cause heightened risk to America’s security. e official statement says, “e Administration agrees that retirees deserve a quality health care benefit.

For this very reason, the Administration strongly supports its requested TRICARE fee initiatives … DoD needs these savings to balance and maintain investments for key defense priorities.”

Further Administration Comments

on TRICARE and “Key Priorities” for Defense In relation to the recommended budget, the Defense Secretary recently expressed one of the “key defense priorities” that evidently would require retirees to pay more for earned benefits. e Secretary told a special interest

Deputy Legislative Director Mike Plumer at a reception for the Coast Guard National Retiree Council.

environmental group that “rising sea levels, severe droughts, the melting of the polar caps” and “climate change” constitute threats to national security.

Panetta said that the Administration’s defense budget would spend, this year, “more than a billion dollars” in taxpayer paid untested green-energy government-run initiatives “as the test bed to demonstrate next-generation energy technologies.” e Secretary added that his budget would continue to spend more than a billion dollars on higher cost alternative fuels next year as well.

Despite these radical disclosures of ill-spent money, Defense Department officials continue the warning that congressional efforts to hold the line on TRICARE fees would upset the “carefully balanced” budget request from the administration and undo key defense and domestic priorities. e Deputy Secretary is not the only administration official looking to tag retired servicemembers and their Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

families with the bill for deficit reduction.

Robert Hale, DoD's comptroller, warned that if Congress rejected the administration’s increase it could mean less palatable cuts elsewhere that could harm our national security.

“If, for example, Congress turned down all of our compensation proposals and we offset that hole with additional force cuts, we could have to cut roughly another 60,000 troops by 2017...ese additional cuts will surely jeopardize the new defense strategy that we have recently put in play,” Hale threatened.

And Jonathan Woodson, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs and director of TRICARE Management Activity, said that increasing TRICARE fees nearly four-fold over the next 5-years is the right way to meet the nation’s side of the promise for a 20-year or more career in uniform.”

likely would be little movement on this problem in a “lame duck.” If not taken care of as soon as possible would probably mean the sequestration could go into effect in January 2013 with disastrous results. e “threat” of sequestration is taken as very real in both the Administration and Congress. If nothing is done to avert it, the effect on the DoD is could be devastating.

NAUS Voices Action To Avert Hollow Force In a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) prior to a House vote on

our national security,” Klimp said. “e National Association for Uniformed Services views the possibility of a sequester as an unacceptable risk to our nation and our freedom.”

“Sequestration,” Klimp said, “is a terribly blunt instrument that must be avoided. ere is no credible voice in American politics that suggests the impact of the maximum sequester would be anything other than devastating.

It presents a ‘no-kidding’ disaster.”

Under sequester, the Navy active fleet would fall to near historic lows; another 200,000 Army and Marine troops would be stripped from the rolls;

Facing Automatic Sequester Cuts In National Defense When Congress last year established the Joint Select Committee to produce a savings plan of at least $1.2 trillion in additional spending reduction, it put in place a backup plan called a sequester that would automatically cut spending across-the-board should the Joint Committee fail. e automatic sequester was designed to be so unpalatable that it would force an agreement from members of the Joint Committee.

But negotiations broke down and the so-called Super Committee failed to work out a deficit reduction deal. e result of this failure is a sequester that calls for cuts in defense of nearly $600 billion over the next decade with a similar reduction in the domestic budget of an equal amount.

Many in Washington “assume” that if nothing is done on the problem before Congress takes its summer/election break, possibly as early as September, then the “lame duck” session aer the election would “handle it.”

At a recent meeting with House leadership, NAUS was told that there Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

In advance of the National Defense Act, NAUS President Jack Klimp and Legislative Director Rick Jones visited with Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), a key member of the Personnel Subcommittee.

HR 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act, NAUS President Jack Klimp called on Congress to “get down to the hard, necessary work of finding a compatible agreement” on averting sequester.

If the sequester is put into force it would slash an additional $600 billion from defense over and above the $487 billion already under consideration in fiscal year 2013.

“Cuts of this magnitude cannot be taken without seriously threatening

and the Air Force would face the smallest fighter force in our nation’s history; in addition family support programs would drop dramatically; and TRICARE could become little more than a “once upon a time” story. e Sequester Replacement bill (HR 5652) may not be perfect, but it is a start. It begins the process of averting a major national security catastrophe. e Senate needs to start as well.

NAUS will continue to press to defer or stave off the unacceptable 15

consequences of sequester cuts. Time is running short … and NAUS sees it crystal clear that without action to avoid sequester, the strongest military in the world could become a hollowed-out disaster.

Burn Pits May Pose A Greater Risk To Troops Health Than Originally Reported In October of 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released the findings of a report on the risk of longterm health problems from exposure to smoke released from open air burn pits used at bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. e VA report, conducted aer service members, veterans, and members of Congress expressed concerns about troop health from smoke inhalation, was inconclusive, stating that it was too early to determine if exposure to materials released from these burn pits posed any long-term effects.

In a related Army memo, dated April 15, 2011 and released to the public earlier this year, the Army found air samples taken at Bagram were deemed “unhealthy,” which “does not mean that service members that served on BAF [Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan] will acquire adverse longterm pulmonary or heart conditions but the risk for such is increased.”

An Air Force memo regarding the use of burn pits at Balad Air Force Base (BAFB), Iraq, dated Dec. 20, 2006, addressed these health concerns as well.

In this memo, one Air Force officials said, the use of Burn pits at BAFB poses “an acute health hazard for individuals. ere is also the possibility for chronic health hazards associated with the smoke; thus the information is being made a permanent part of each airman’s medical record.”

One medical official quoted in the Air Force memo said, “In my professional opinion, the known carcinogens and respiratory sensitizers released into the atmosphere by the burn pit 16

President Obama delivering his address during Memorial Day ceremonies at Arlington national Cemetery.

present both an acute and chronic health hazard to our troops.”

In combination, the memos suggest the risks associated with exposure to the burn pits may be greater than suggested by the VA report and previous DoD studies.

Recently, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), the sponsor of HR 3337, the Open Burn Pit Registry Act of 2011, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta that addressed his concerns about the implications of the Army memo and requested more information on the health effects of these burn pits. e Akin bill and its companion measure in the Senate, S 1798, sponsored

by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), have bipartisan support and if enacted into legislation would help inform those service personnel who face the potential health risks posed by exposure to the toxic fumes cause by open burn pits.

NAUS will continue to update its readers as more information becomes available.

Lawmakers Proposed Doc Fix As readers know, a series of short term fixes to postpone implementation of the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula has resulted in Congress digging itself into a $300 billion hole and doctors who serve

TRICARE for Life and Medicare patients facing a payment cut as steep as 30 percent.

Representatives Allyson Schwarz (D-PA) and Joe Heck (R-NV) have combined to introduce legislation in the House to reform the physicians’ reimbursement system.

As introduced, the Medicare Physician Innovation Act, HR 5707, would stabilize doctors’ payment by maintaining 2012 payments through the end of 2013. From 2014 to 2017, Medicare rates would raise by an annual 2.5 percent for primary care, preventive, and care-coordination services. Rates for all other services would increase by 0.5 percent.

NAUS is encouraged to see early attention given to finding a way to fix this broken system. Our members concerns about their health care turn into a nightmare every time the SGR timeline approaches heralding severe cuts and potential denial of access to doctors serving TRICARE. If Congress does not take favorable action, whether on the Allyson-Heck bill or another measure, doctors who treat TRICARE patients are scheduled to see a 30 percent drop to their reimbursement for treatment on Jan. 1, 2013.

House Passes “Milcon/VA” Bill e House passed its version of the spending bill for military construction and Department of Veterans Affairs programs. e appropriations bill, HR 5854, would provide $71.7 billion in discretionary funding for veterans’ health programs and military construction, matching the fiscal 2012 enacted level but $694 million less than President Obama’s request. e Senate Appropriations Committee’s companion measure, S. 3215, is nearly similar and is pending Senate consideration at press time. Both bills would allocate $10.6 billion for Military Construction projects and slight reduction due to completion of previously scheduled BRAC projects.

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

Overall, the House bill would provide $60.7 billion in discretionary spending for Veterans’ Affairs, an increase of about 4 percent from this year’s level. e department’s medical services would receive $41.4 billion in discretionary funds, including $6.2 billion for mental health services. e bill also would appropriate $5.8 billion for programs to help homeless veterans to learn job skills and find temporary and long-term housing, as well as $54.5 billion in advance funding for the agency in fiscal 2014, the same amount as the Senate dra version. e bill also would include $174 million for Arlington National Cemetery, an increase of $128 million from the fiscal 2012 level. e total would include $84 million for a 31-acre expansion of the cemetery, called the Millennium Project.

Remembering America’s Forgotten Veterans Cemetery Act And Caring For The Fallen Act NAUS has joined with members of e Military Coalition and the National Military and Veterans Alliance to support legislation introduced in the Senate and House to restore and maintain the Clark Veterans Cemetery in the Philippines. e bill S. 2320, introduced by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), is titled “Remembering America’s Forgotten Veterans Cemetery Act” in the Senate. And the House companion bill, H.R. 4168, introduced

by Rep. Frank Guinta (D-NH) and Rep. Charlie Bass (R-NH), is called “e Caring for the Fallen Act.” From 1900 until 1991, the Clark Veterans Cemetery, formerly known as Fort Stotsenburg Cemetery, was maintained by the U.S. government.

However, following a volcanic eruption in 1991, Clark Air Force Base was abandoned leaving the cemetery covered in volcanic ash. Volunteers have attempted to keep up with maintenance Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

NAUS Legislative Director Rick Jones presenting a wreath on behalf of all NAUS members at the Tomb of the Unknowns on Memorial Day.

but work has fallen behind. ough NAUS finds broad support in Congress for care of the Clark cemetery, the final resting place of more than 8,000 U.S. veterans and their families, a number of matters have yet to be sorted out. e main issue necessary to overcome is in the provision of U.S. access to undertake work at the cemetery.

When the Air Force le Clark Air Field, the base rights agreement with the Philippines expired, and the cemetery became the responsibility of the Philippine government. Prior to an agreement with the Philippine government to provide long-term access to the property, the provision of the legislation cannot be enforced.

At this point in the congressional year, NAUS is pressing to see resolution of the matter of U.S. legal standing to undertake work at Clark cemetery. Once this is cleared, the legislation that would provide a dignified and well-maintained burial ground can go forward.

Claims Backlog Continues To Grow At press time, the VA internal report for workloads indicates that the number of all claims at the VA, which include compensation, pension, adjustments, reviews, education and several other smaller categories, has grown to well over 1 million.

Despite many “pilot” programs currently being tested and many new hires joining VA ranks over the past several years, little seems to be making a dent in the disability backlog problem.

From the beginning of his tenure, Veterans Secretary Eric Shinseki stated that his goal for claims processing would be 125 days with 98 percent accuracy.

A loy goal but with over half of all current claims well over 125 days, NAUS does not see much of a chance of that goal being accomplished any time soon.

Much of the problem in gaining ground on the backlog is indicated in a new report by the VA indicating that 45 percent of the 1.6 million veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are seeking compensation for injuries they report as service connected. at rate is more than double the estimate of 21 percent who filed claims aer the first Gulf War. Also adding to the backlog of claims the new veterans are claiming as many as 11 to 14 ailments per application, dramatically higher by comparison to Vietnam veterans who claimed, on average, compensation for fewer than four and those from World War II and Korea just two.

Government officials and some veterans’ advocates say that veterans who might have been able to work with certain disabilities may be more inclined to seek benefits now because they lost jobs or can't find any. Aggressive outreach and advocacy efforts also have brought more veterans into the system, which must evaluate each claim to see if it is service connected.

More claims are coming from the Reserves and National Guard, too - 28 percent of all troops filing disability claims. Reserves and National Guard made up a greater percentage of troops in these wars than they did in previous ones. About 31 percent of Guard/ Reserve veterans who served in these conflicts have filed claims compared to 56 percent of career military veterans.

More of the new veterans are 17

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women, accounting for 12 percent of those who have sought care through the VA. Women also served in greater numbers in these wars than in the past.

A rising number of female veterans are claiming PTSD due to military sexual trauma - a new challenge from a disability rating standpoint.

Jobs For Veterans A major effort by many government and private entities is finding jobs for our returning veterans. As we have reported, the unemployability rate for all veterans is higher than the general public. Veterans of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have the highest rates of unemployability. e Administration and Congress have made finding jobs for returning veterans a priority. e VA and Department of Labor are working together to elevate veterans’ awareness of job opportunities available in government. Also many private employers are being asked to make special efforts to hire veterans. e following websites are just a few of the many sites you can search for real jobs and opportunities. www.vetjobs.com www.va.gov/jobs www.fedshirevets.gov www.hireveterans.com www.veteranemployment.com.

In addition NAUS recommends that you check the US Chamber of Commerce site. e Chamber continues to sponsor or co-sponsor job fairs called “Hiring Our Heroes” for veterans and their spouses at many locations all over the country. Check this website: http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes/events.

House Veterans’ Affairs Hearing In late May, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), held a hearing to determine the progress being made on implementation of the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program 18 Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

(VRAP), which is part of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. e VOW Act is a bill which combined both a House and Senate bill to aid veterans in their job hunting efforts. e VRAP offers 12 months of training assistance to Veterans who: • Are at least 35 but no more than 60 years old, • Are unemployed, • Received an other than dishonorable discharge, • Are not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance), • Are not in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability, and • Are not enrolled in a federal or state job training program. e program is limited to 45,000 participants from July 1, 2012,

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

through Sept. 30, 2012, and 54,000 participants from Oct. 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014. e VA opened applications for the program on May 18 and one of the panel questioned by the committee, VA Under Secretary for Benefits, Allison Hickey, reported that the program has already received over 12,000 applications for the program and approved around 1,400 to begin training on July 1, the first day of program implementation.

Under Secretary Hickey also reported that about 23 percent of the applications had been rejected. e most common reason was that the veterans still had remaining GI Bill eligibility. When discovered the VA is notifying the individual and reinstating the remaining eligibility.

It should be understood that when GI Bill eligibility expires, eligibility for the VRAP program may be available.

More details on the program are available at the VOW website http://www.benefits.va.gov/VOW/.

Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey spends considerable time in Washington and on the road explaining transformation to audiences of all types and sizes, stressing VA's obligations and commitment to excellence as well as the Nation's debt to Veterans, Servicemembers, Guard, Reserve, families, and survivors. On November 9, she shared her "Top 5 Ways to Thank a Veteran" with one of her younger audiences, students of Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School south of Alexandria, Va.

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News Briefs

TRICARE News Some Guard and Reserve Members to Pay Dental Premiums Directly On May 1, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, known as MetLife, became the new contractor for the TRICARE Dental Program and now manages dental benefits for more than 2 million TRICARE beneficiaries worldwide. As a result of this change automatic payroll deductions are not currently available for about 8,000 reserve-component service members who are on orders to active duty for more than 30 days. Defense finance officials as well as TRICARE Management Activity and MetLife representatives report they are working out a long-term solution to this payroll deduction issue.

Service members who think they may be affected should check their leave and earnings statements and contact MetLife at 855-638-8371 if they do not see a premium payment.

If you receive a direct paper bill, you will need to pay your premium by check, electronic fund transfer or credit card until the payroll deduction option again becomes available.

MetLife has said it will keep beneficiaries informed and NAUS will continue to update our readers as information becomes available.

TRICARE Offers Cancer Screenings Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the US, and many common forms of cancer are treatable if detected early. TRICARE offers a number of early detection cancer screenings at little or no cost to its beneficiaries, including breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate, skin, testicular and typhoid cancer. ese screenings can prevent some types of cancer before they develop. If diagnosed early enough you can receive greatly improved cancer treatments and survival rates go up.

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TRICARE North Offers Health Information Classes Via Telephone The TRICARE North Region contractor, Health Net Federal Services (HNFS), offers telephone-based classes as an alternative to traditional in-person classes or online programs. ese classes allow those registered to receive health information from the comfort of home.

Once registered, enrollees receive class materials and a toll-free phone number with more detailed instructions via email prior to the start of class.

HNFS’ registration website notes that those who would like to attend more than one class have to register for each class separately. ose who would like to notify a provider of their participation in these teleconference classes should complete the Provider Information section of the online registration form. For more information on the availability and schedule of these telephone-based classes go to https://www.hnfs.com/ click on “I’m a Beneficary” then the Wellness tab to Teleclass schedule.

Army Revamps Identification And Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder On April 10, the Army Medical Command released new guidance to improve the treatment of soldiers diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). e Army Surgeon General no longer accepts the American Psychiatric Association definition for PTSD as the only accepted medical definition. According to the memo, “ere is considerable evidence that certain aspects of the definition are not adequate for individuals working in the military.” is memo also addressed concerns that the services have relied too heavily on the prescription of psychiatric drugs to deal with troops’ mental health problems in the past.

Army clinicians who prescribe certain medications are now required to document their rationale that the potential benefits of these drugs outweigh the known risks associated with them.

CHCBP May Be AnOption For Some e Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) is a premium-based healthcare program offered to separating military members. CHCBP is not a TRICARE program; rather a temporary health coverage for 18 to 36 months aer TRICARE eligibility ends, under certain circumstances. ose that qualify can purchase CHCBP within 60 days of loss of eligibility for either regular TRICARE or Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) coverage. CHCBP acts as a bridge between military health benefits and your new civilian health plan. e benefits are comparable to TRICARE Standard with the same benefits, providers and program rules. e main difference is that eligible beneficiaries pay premiums to participate, currently $1,065 for individuals and $2,390 for families.

New TRICARE South Referral Policy Draws Fire from Some Network Physicians TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) allows its regional contractors to oversee referrals for its beneficiaries.

Recently, Humana Military Healthcare Services, the TRICARE South (TCS) vender sent a memo to healthcare providers in its network changing the way referral will be made. Humana wants an automated system to select future referrals for beneficiaries who need specialty care or follow-on tests and procedures. is new Humana program would direct referrals from a list of as many as five network providers based on location, quality, access and affordability. e automated list would determine the referral, unless a physician’s request is accompanied by acceptable clinician rationale, subject to approval by Humana.

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

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Annual Meeting Week October 17-20, 2012

Hilton Alexandria Old Town, 1767 King St., Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Contact hotel directly for lodging reservations

by September 16th 703-837-0454

Events:

Thursday, October 18

Wednesday, October 17

NAUS Regional Vice Presidents Workshop NAUS HQ, Springfield, VA (RVPs and NAUS Staff)

NAUS Board of Directors Meeting

(NAUS Board of Directors,RVPs, Senior Staff and invited guests only)

Friday, October 19

Hilton Old Town, Alexandria, VA (NAUS Board of Directors and Senior Staff)

NAUS "Storm the Hill" Day U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC

Potomac River Lunch Cruise Depart from Hilton at 10:45 am via Alexandria trolley to waterfront (Open registration, cost is $55 per person)

Meet the NAUS Board of Directors Reception

Hilton Old Town at 5:30pm (Open registration, cost is $10 per person, includes 2 drink tickets)

Saturday, October 20

NAUS 44th Annual Meeting and Luncheon Hilton Old Town Alexandria, VA at 11:00am (Open registration, cost is $25 per person)

Please See Registration Form On The Back Page Of This Insert

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Nominations to the NAUS Board of Directors

The following individuals have been nominated to serve on the NAUS Board of Directors for a four year period beginning January 1, 2013.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR UNIFORMED SERVICES

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR DONNA A. BROCK, USA A California native, she attended Basic Training at Ft. Leonardwood, MO and completed AIT as a Combat Medic at Ft. Sam Houston, TX. Her stateside assignments include 326th Medical Battalion, Ft. Campbell, KY; Brooke Army Medical Center; USA Meddac at Ft. McClellan, AL and at Ft. Knox, KY; 21st Combat Support Hospital and Darnall Army Community Hospital, Ft. Hood, TX; Dwight D Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Ft. Gordon, GA.; and Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical, Bethesda, MD. Overseas assignments include the 42nd Medical Company,

Fuerth, Germany; Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI; and Camp Walker, Korea. She served one combat tour in Iraq and is a graduate of the US Army Sergeants Major Academy.

She has served in every leadership position including Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant, and Command Sergeant Major. She earned her Associates Degree from Hawaii Pacific University, a Bachelors Degree from omas Edison State College and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Health Care Management. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

CAPTAIN ROBERT C. LLOYD JR., USPHS Aer receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Western Oregon State College and his Dental Degree from Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, OR, he was commissioned in 1995. A member of the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Dental Association, he completed an advanced general practice residency at the Gallup Indian Medical Center, Gallup, NM in 2002. Currently serving as the Dental Director, Fort Defiance Indian Hospital (Tse’hootsooi’ Medical Center), Fort Defiance, AZ, previous assignments include the Choctaw Nation Indian Hospital, Talihina, OK;

Claremore Indian Hospital, Claremore, OK; Gallup Indian Medical Center, Gallup, NM; and Crownpoint Healthcare Facility, Crownpoint, NM. An active member of NAUS and other military associations for several years, he has served in volunteer positions with the USPHS Commissioned Officers Association at the Branch and national levels. He was as an American Dental Association Alternate Delegate (4th District – US Public Health Branch) in 2008-2009, and has served on the Surgeon General’s Dental Professional Advisory Committee (DePAC) since 2005.

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SARAH L. DUNSFORD, NOAA Commissioned in the NOAA Corps nearly 11 years ago, she has spent several short and extended sea tours aboard NOAA’s fleet of research vessels. She began her sea duty as a Junior Officer aboard NOAA Ship Ka’Imimoana conducting oceanographic research in the equatorial pacific, and most recently completed a sea tour as the plankowner Operations Officer aboard NOAA Ship Pisces, conducting fisheries surveys in the Gulf of Mexico and eastern Atlantic.

In her first shore assignment, LCDR Dunsford served as the Science and Outreach Coordinator for the National Marine

Fisheries Service in Long Beach, CA. Currently, she is the Chief, Workforce Planning and Budget Formulation for the NOAA Corps’ Commissioned Personnel Center, focusing on the strategic planning for the future of the NOAA Corps.

LCDR Dunsford is pursuing a Masters degree in Project Management with a focus in Operations Research and is an active alumna of Florida Institute of Technology (Class of 2000), with two Bachelor’s degrees in Biological Sciences.

MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER JAMES E. GREER, USN (RET) After enlisting in the Navy in 1961, he served his first 10 years onboard the aircraft carriers USS Kittyhawk and USS Kearsarge in various aircraft squadrons, and then he flew as a P-3 Aircraft flight engineer for 7 years. He served 3 tours in Viet Nam and served tours in Brunswick, ME, the Azores Islands, and Rota, Spain. Promoted to Master Chief in 1980, and served as a Command Master Chief.

He attended the first class of the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy at the War College in Newport, RI in 1981, and was the Distinguished Graduate. He deployed to Saudi

Arabia in the Persian Gulf War and retired in 1991.

Since 1993, he has served as a County Veterans Services Representative Stanislaus County, CA where he lives with his wife Yolanda.

NO PICTURE AVAILABLE

BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN A. HURLEY, USAFR (RET) Commissioned in 1957 as an AFROTC Distinguished Military Graduate of Rutgers University, he served 3 years of active duty, earning a Senior Parachutist rating. He continued his military service in the Reserve through his career as a Federal civil servant with the Department of State, Bureau of the Budget/Office of Management and Budget and then with the U.S. Customs Service including duty in senior posts at HQ (Assistant Commissioner/Administration, Deputy Assistant Commissioner/Enforcement), Baltimore (Regional Commissioner) and as the Customs Attaché at

the American Embassy in London. He earned an MA in International Affairs and a Certificate in Law Enforcement Studies at American University and an MS in Management from National-Louis University and has served as adjunct faculty. In the private sector he has worked for DynCorp and AgustaWestland Helicopter Company. He is active in several military organizations and civic affairs in Northern Virginia, and is a certified Mediator.

SERGEANT MAJOR FRANK E. PULLEY, USMC (RET) A Springfield, TN native, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1976. His first duty assignment was as a field artilleryman with Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He served several tours on independent and special duty, both as a recruiter and drill instructor. He was meritoriously promoted to the NCO and SNCO ranks and received numerous personal and service awards throughout his career.

He earned the coveted Centurion Award while on recruiting duty and was inducted into the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara for contributions to the field artillery community. An

honor graduate of the US Army Sergeants Major Academy, his assignments as a SgtMaj included 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division; Wing Support Group-17, 1st Marine Aircra Wing; Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA; and Division Sergeant Major, 1st Marine Division. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management/Human Resources, and was president of a Transition Services Organization, and in May 2011 founded his own company, Military Veteran Solutions. He works for the Marine Corps Association and Foundation in California and serves on the Secretary of the Navy’s Retiree Council.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL NANCY L. VISSER, USMC (RET) Born in Fort Worth, she grew up in Portland, OR, and attended Lewis and Clark College before marrying Cpt Eric Visser, USMC in 1970. She graduated with high honors from Portland State University in 1972, receiving a BA in French and a teaching certificate. She taught French in Virginia, Ethiopia, and Oklahoma, before attending OCS and being commissioned in 1979. Aer e Basic School, Naval Justice School, and Administrative Officer School, she accepted a regular commission in 1980 and served on active duty for 8 years. In 1988, aer graduating from Amphibious Warfare

School, she resigned her commission to care for their critically ill daughter and was granted a reserve commission. Her daughter recovered, and she drilled in various Reserve billets until returning to active duty in 1996, serving until 1999 as the Social Officer to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

She retired from the Marine Corps Reserve in 2000. Her personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, and Navy Commendation Medal with gold star.

She is active in many military organizations and community service activities.

SERGEANT MAJOR ALFORD L. MCMICHAEL, USMC, (RET) Serving for more than 36 years, he was appointed as the 14th Sergeant Major of the United States Marine Corps on the 30th of June 1999. In 2003 he became the first Sergeant Major ever to serve as the Sergeant Major of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He has earned many honors and been inducted into the Boys and Girl Club of America Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Wall Fame for his positive influence and contributions. He is a member of several Veterans Committees and Associations including the American Veteran Steering Committee, National Military Family Association, and the

VA Advisory Committee on Cemeteries and Memorials, just to name a few. . In 2008, he served as a member of the Special Envoy to peace in the Middle East. He currently serves as Managing Director for Pinnacle Five and CEO and President for McMichael Services Group, LLC. In 2008 he still found time to become a published auther with his book Leadership Achieving Life-changing Success om Within as well as serving as a member of the Special Envoy to peace in the Middle East.

He is married to the former Miss Rita Winfree and they live in Alexandria, VA.

ETTA BROWN, SMW PRESIDENT Joining the SMW Chapter 13, Riverside, CA in 1980, she is an Air Force widow of 32 years. She is a mother of seven, active in church and community, with a positive, congenial attitude. Always active on a national level in SMW, first serving as SW/RVP, then Chair of Special Services, as National Secretary (2005/2008) and is currently President of SMW. Locally she served as President of Chapter 13 from 1992-1994. She pledges to do the best possible job to strengthen NAUS and SMW overall.

★★ ★ ★ ★★

Society of Military Widows

NAUS 44TH ANNUAL MEETING REGISTRATION FORM Register online at www.regonline.com/NAUS12AM, or by completing this form and mailing it to NAUS along with your credit card payment information or a check payable to "NAUS 2012 Annual Meeting" for the total amount owed.

Attendee Information:

Name: _____________________________________________ Member # (if any): _________________

Name: _____________________________________________ Member # (if any): _________________

Name: _____________________________________________ Member # (if any): _________________

(Note: If registering more than 3 persons, please include an additional sheet with name(s) and member #, if any.)

Event:

Friday, October 19 Potomac River Lunch Cruise - $55 per person

# of People ____

Amount ____

Meet the NAUS Board Reception - $10 per person

____

____

44th Annual Meeting Luncheon - $25 per person

____

____

(Note: NAUS Board of Directors will be meeting during this time)

Saturday, October 20

Contribution to NAUS

Payment Information:

Charge my credit card:

Visa

Total Amount enclosed or to be charged: MC

AE

Discover

____

_____

Check enclosed

Account Number: __________________________________________________ Exp Date: _____/_____

Name on Card: _____________________________________________________________________

Signature:

_____________________________________________________________________

Email address: ___________________________________ Mail completed form to:

(You may use the enclosed ballot/proxy form envelope for your convienance.)

Phone: ____________________

NAUS Annual Meeting Registration c/o Vicki Sumner 5535 Hempstead Way Springfield, VA 22151

Please note that form and payment must be received at NAUS by Friday, Oct 5, to ensure your reservation.

You may also call 1-800-842-3451, ext. 1003, to make your reservation over the phone.

If you need or want hotel reservations, you must make those directly with the Hilton Old Town Alexandria.

®

Also, selecting a provider outside the list of five providers may delay approval of a referral and new requests may not be honored.

One healthcare provider in the TCS region called the new procedure medically unethical. “I have a moral obligation to ensure my patients are seen by the most appropriate specialist,” he said. NAUS has a keen interest in this new approach to specialty care and looks forward to hearing from its members on the policy change.

TRICARE Overseas Program Extending Some Overseas Claims According to a new TRICARE update, the timely filing requirement has been extended for TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) claims. e extension allows claims to be filed up to 3 years from the date of service or 3 years from the date of discharge for an inpatient admission for facility charges billed by the facility.

Professional services billed by the facility must be submitted within 3 years from the date the services were provided. TOP claims with a date of service on or aer Dec. 31, 2008, previously denied for lack of timely filing and submitted to the TOP claims processor within 3 years of the date of service, will be reprocessed. e update also noted that not all reprocessed claims may result in payment and processing times may for (re)submitted claims may vary.

NAUS Note: is is TOP only. e filing extension applies only to services performed outside the United States and all US territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

TRICARE Smoking Cessation Support Group Online Quitting the use of tobacco products is not easy and one is more likely to succeed in quitting if they participate Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

in a tobacco cessation program that includes support. One online smoking cessation support-program, called UCANQUIT2, is open to all TRICARE eligible beneficiaries except TRICARE for Life. It is also open to veterans enrolled for care in the VA healthcare system. e UCANQUIT2 site provides the opportunity to learn more about tobacco cessation, develop a personalized plan for quitting, create a personal or public blog, and get live online help around the clock. Once registered, users can contact a coach for help on ways to quit tobacco use, join a real-time group, or chat with others who are working on quitting the habit too. For more information about this program you can go to www.ucanquit2.org. Eligible TRICARE beneficiaries can also call these TRICARE Regional Smoking Quit Lines for more information: • TRICARE North Region: 866-459-8766 • TRICARE South Region: 877-414-9949 • TRICARE West Region: 866-244-6870

Veterans News VA Agreement Signed in Alaska A recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between 14 Alaska Native tribal health programs and the VA will allow any Alaska veterans to receive health care services in tribal clinics in various parts of Alaska and not have to travel to Anchorage or Seattle to receive services. Under the agreement, the VA will reimburse the participating health care entities for the services. e following tribes and organizations have signed up: • Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium • Arctic Slope Native Association, Ltd. • Chickaloon Village Traditional Council • Chugachmiut

News Briefs (cont.)

• Copper River Native Association • Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Inc. • Ketchikan Indian Community • Kenaitze Indian Tribe • Kodiak Area Native Association • Native Village of Eklutna • SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium • Southcentral Foundation • Tanana Chiefs Conference • Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation New Form for Ordering Grave Marker Medallions e VA has introduced a new form -VA Form 40-1330M -- for use solely to order a medallion that can be affixed to grave markers at private cemeteries. e new VA Form 40-1330M, Claim for Government Medallion, can be downloaded from this website http://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/ VA40-1330M.pdf. e older form, VA Form 40-1330, remains in place to order a traditional government headstone or marker.

More information about the medallion or headstones and markers is available at the VA website. More information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from VA's Burial and Memorial Benefits website or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 1-800-827-1000.

VA Continues Long-Term Study On Gulf War Era Veterans For the third time since the 19901991 Gulf War, VA researchers will contact Gulf War-era veterans as a part of a long-term study of their health.

For the “Follow-up Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era Veterans,” researchers want to learn about how the health of these veterans has changed over time, and about the natural history of long-term conditions like unexplained multisymptom illnesses. Researchers will begin contacting participants at the end 21

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News Briefs (cont.)

of May 2012. Veterans were previously contacted for a baseline survey in 1995 and a follow-up survey in 2005. is continuing VA effort studies a group of approximately 15,000 Gulf War Veterans and 15,000 Veterans who served elsewhere during the Gulf War. Veterans will be asked about health issues that affect them, including chronic medical conditions such as cancer, neurological, respiratory and immunological conditions, as well as general health perceptions, functional status, chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness, unexplained multi-symptom illness and women’s health. Veterans will be queried about their level of physical activity and their use of alcohol and tobacco. ey also will be asked about their use of VA health care and satisfaction with their care.

VA Eliminates Co-Payment For In-Home Video Telehealth Care Since May 7, the VA has not and will no longer charge Veterans a copayment when they receive care in their homes from VA health professionals using video conferencing.

“Eliminating the copayment for this service will remove an unnecessary financial burden for Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We will continue to do everything we can to ensure that Veterans have access to the first-class care they have earned with their service to our Nation.” is change will primarily benefit Veterans with limited mobility, such as spinal cord injury patients. Whenever medically appropriate, VA will make the home the preferred place of care for Veterans to ensure timely and convenient access to VA services.

For more information about telehealth, visit this website http://www.telehealth.va.gov/.

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Veterans Win Mojave Cross Battle e state Veterans of Foreign Wars in California is preparing to take over a one-acre cross-site in the Mojave National Preserve aer a settlement was reached in a long-running lawsuit with the American Civil Liberties Union. e settlement calls for the site at Sunrise Rock to be turned over to a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Barstow, CA in exchange for five acres of donated land. at particular VFW chapter has since disbanded, so the state organization will assume control of the site. e settlement involves a lawsuit filed in 2001 by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a retired park service employee who argued that the Christian religious symbol was unconstitutionally located on government land.

VA Notice e VA has asked NAUS to pass on this notice: “In the continuing effort of ensuring a safe and secure environment, while still providing open and accessible service, the Department of Veterans Affairs would like to remind you that possession of firearms is illegal, under Federal law, at all VA facilities and properties. is applies even to those individuals who have a State-issued permit to carry a concealed firearm.

Persons found in possession of a firearm on Federal property are subject to arrest, citation, and confiscation of their firearms. So, please ensure that you leave your firearm at home, and properly stored, when you visit any of our VA facilities or properties. We thank all of you for your service to our Nation. We hope you will join us in keeping our VA safe and secure.”

IRS Reports Scam Emails are being sent to individuals, including military members, military retirees, and civilian employees, which

appear to be sent by Defense Finance and Accounting Services. Although the email appears to come from DFAS and displays a .mil email address it is actually from a non-government email account. e emails indicate that individuals who are receiving disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs may be able to obtain additional funds from the IRS. ese emails are not issued by DFAS. e email indicates that individuals receiving VA disability compensation can receive additional funds from the IRS by sending copies of VA award letters, income tax returns, 1099-Rs, Retiree Account Statements, and DD 214s, to a retired Colonel at an address in Florida. ese schemes can be quite costly for victims. Promoters may charge exorbitant upfront fees to file these claims and are oen long gone when victims discover they’ve been scammed.

Taxpayers should be careful of these scams because, regardless of who prepared their tax return, the taxpayer is legally responsible for the accuracy of their tax return and must repay any refunds received in error, plus any penalties and interest. ey may even face criminal prosecution.

To avoid becoming ensnared in these schemes, taxpayers should beware of any of the following: • Fictitious claims for refunds or rebates based on false statements of entitlement to tax credits • Emails from unfamiliar senders asking for personal information • Internet solicitations that direct individuals to toll-free numbers and then solicit Social Security numbers or other personal info.

If you receive a notice from the IRS, respond immediately. If you believe someone may have used your SSN fraudulently, please notify IRS immediately by responding to the name and Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

®

number printed on the notice or letter.

You will need to fill out the IRS Identity e Affidavit, Form 14039.

VA to Increase Mental Health Staff by 1,900 VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki recently announced that the department would add approximately 1,900 mental health clinicians and support staff to mental health operations. e staff would be in addition to its existing workforce of 20,590 mental health staff.

VA is moving quickly to address mental health as one of its top priority.

As the 1,900 clinical and clerical mental health staff increases are implemented, VA will continue an updated assessment of staffing levels.

NAUS News Members of Congress Press Pentagon on TRICARE West Region Contract Trying to get some answers the entire Colorado Congressional delegation recently wrote Defense Secretary Leon Panetta requesting an account of the Pentagon’s decision to award the latest TRICARE West Region contract to United Healthcare Services (UHS). e letter asks how the Defense Department assessed this contract competition and the potential impact that a switch in healthcare benefits managers would have. A response by Panetta to this request for information by Colorado lawmakers might shed more light on

News Briefs (cont.) the Pentagon’s decision to award this $20.6 billion contract to UHG. is contract award was roughly $200 million more than UHS’s closet competitor, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, the current West Region military healthcare benefits contractor. In July, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will decide whether the contract was awarded properly or overturn the decision. e GAO findings and analysis are independent of the original Pentagon decision. NAUS will continue to update you as more information on this contract dispute or response from the Pentagon becomes available. Our main concern is to ensure no disruption in health care to uniformed services members and families and survivors.

This July Marks the 59th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice

The Korean War Veterans Memorial is made up of more than 100 tons of highly polished "Academy Black" granite from California. More than 2,500 photographic, archival images of service members from all branches of the armed forces that fought in the war are sandblasted onto the wall. The reflection of visitors, paying their respects, can also be seen at the memorial as well. .

NAUS Legislative Assistant Tony Kennedy visited the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, this Memorial Day. Several of his uncles, on both sides of his family, are veterans of the Korean War. Tony wanted to pay his respects to those service members that did not make it home and honor his family’s tradition of military service, especially during the Korean War. The Korean War Veterans Memorial was adorned with flowers by visitors and some paying their respects can be seen in the background as well.

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

is past June 25, marked the 62nd anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War. Aer dramatic defense cuts following WW II, the US found itself unprepared to meet North Korea and later China’s belligerent aggression across the 38th Parallel. But, just as in past and recent wars, America responded to meet this challenge.

By the signing of the armistice on July 27, 1953, roughly 37,000 Americans were killed, paying the ultimate sacrifice and another 3,700 were declared missing in action. is cease-fire was not a formal peace treaty; as such, US and Republic of Korea forces remain vigilant against any aggression from the north to this day.

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Women Marines to Train as Infantry Officers, While Army Considers Ranger School for Female Soldiers

The Marines’ Infantry Officers Course will accept some female volunteers for the first time as part of the Service’s research to determine what additional The President's FY2013 jobs could be opened to women later this year. The first female Marine officers budget request included a 1.7 percent raise in basic pay to attend infantry training will face the same rigorous physical demands men do while learning how to lead ground troops into battle, says LtGen Richard Mills, for servicemembers. The the Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration. “It’s the House-passed version of same exact program of instruction a male lieutenant who’s going to go on to become the FY13 National Defense an infantry officer would get — exactly the same,” Mills said. Students spend Authorization Act (NDAA) several days — and nights — of the 10-week course based at Quantico in the includes this raise, and the field, making long marches while weighed down with weapons, ammunition and House Appropriations protective gear. The class graduating in March culminated with a 20-day field Committee advanced its Defense appropriations bill to exercise at the Marine Corps’ desert training facility in Twentynine Palms, CA, pay for it. The appropriations participating in a mountain attack with the student platoon commanders in control bill provides $519.2 billion in of the operation. They also trained alongside Afghan role players representing friendly, enemy and civilian populations. The female officers’ performance at IOC non-war funding, which is will be monitored closely and used to make a recommendation to Defense about $1 billion more than Secretary Leon Panetta in the late fall. The women volunteers who successfully 2012 spending levels, and complete IOC will not, however, receive the Corps’ 0302 infantry officer designation more than $3 billion above due to Marine Corps regulations. NAUS asks, why not?

President Obama’s budget Following suit, the Army is considering putting women soldiers through Ranger request, according to the Congressional Budget Office. School, an intense weeks-long combat training course. Women currently are not In addition, lawmakers appro- allowed to serve in infantry, armor and special operations units whose main function is to engage in front-line combat. However, since combat experience priated $35.1 billion for is a factor in promotions and job advancement, women face greater difficulty Defense health and family programs, $334 million more than men in moving up the ranks. "If we determine that we're going to allow women to go in the infantry and be successful, they are probably at some time than 2012 and $348 million going to have to go through Ranger School," Army Chief of Staff GEN Ray above the administration’s Odierno told reporters during a Pentagon briefing in May. Given that 90 percent request. That total includes of senior Army infantry officers were trained and qualified as Rangers, according $245 million for medical to Odierno, sending women to the Ranger School would allow them to better facility and equipment upcompete with their male counterparts. Odierno also said the Army is considering grades, $125 million for whether to open up infantry and armor positions to women but that no decision had traumatic brain injury and psychological health research been made and the Army was collecting data as the Service sets "a course forward."

Earlier this year rules were eased allowing women to serve as medics and and $20 million for suicide intelligence officers in the Army and Marine Corps, which put them closer to prevention outreach programs. combat. Nearly 12 percent of all U.S. forces deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan The bill also provides $2.3 billion for family support and have been women. They represent about 2 percent of U.S. military deaths in these wars. advocacy programs.

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Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

USA

USN

USAF

USMC

USCG

USPHS

NOAA

Army To Tighten Tattoo & Grooming Rules

The Army is putting final touches on its new grooming rules on hair, tattoos, and makeup as part of its comprehensive review of Army Regulation 670-1. The pending changes include: more restrictive hair grooming standards including shorter sideburns; soldiers must be clean shaven on and off duty, even during leave; women's fingernail length will not exceed a quarter of an inch; soldiers will not eat, drink, smoke, or talk on cell phones while walking; Army Combat Uniforms will not be commercially pressed; no tattoos above the neck line or beyond the wrist or on the hands; no visible body piercings will be allowed; no dental ornamentation or gold teeth will be authorized; and, men will be allowed to carry a black umbrella with the Army Service Uniform.

Troops Back From Deployment More Likely To Cause Car Accidents

Members of the U.S. military — especially enlisted troops in the Army and Marine Corps — were significantly more likely to cause auto accidents within six months of returning from deployment, according to a study by USAA Property and & Casualty Insurance Group, a major insurer for military service members, retirees and their families.

The insurance company looked at the driving record for each service member in the study for the six months prior to deployment and then at their experience after returning to the U.S. The three-year study started in January 2007 and included 158,000 troops who had 171,000 deployments to various overseas locations. USAA found a 13% increase in at-fault accidents for troops within the first six months of returning from deployment.

The increase in at-fault accidents was greatest for Army members, whose rate increased 23%, followed by Marines at 12.5%, Navy at 3% and Air Force at 2%. Officers had far lower accident rates than enlisted troops, and drivers younger than 22 were more prone to crashes than older members of the military. USAA did not detect any elevation in fatal accidents.

Army Changing How It Trains

The Army is reshaping the way soldiers are trained and deployed, with some conventional units to be placed under Special Operations commanders and others assigned to regions of the world viewed as emerging security risks, like Africa.

The pending changes reflect an effort by the Army’s top officers to institutionalize many of the successful tactics adopted in Afghanistan and Iraq. As the Army shrinks by 80,000 troops over the next five years, Army Chief of Staff GEN Ray Odierno is seeking ways to assure that the Service is prepared for a broader set of missions.

Under the new plans, conventional Army units would train alongside Special Operations units, and would deploy with them, under their command, on overseas missions. Other units would remain in the conventional force, but would be told in advance that their Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

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deployments would focus on parts of the world, like Africa, that do not currently have Army units assigned to them. This would allow soldiers to develop regional expertise before deploying. “The Army will need to preserve and enhance its relationship with joint Special Operations forces,” Odierno wrote in an essay published last month in Foreign Affairs. “The evolution of this partnership over the past decade has been extraordinary, and the ties can become even stronger as we continue to develop new operational concepts, enhance our training and invest in new capabilities.” The new training will focus on “hybrid” scenarios, in which a single battle space may require the entire continuum of military activity from support to civil authorities to training local security forces to counterinsurgency to counterterrorism raids to heavy combat

Navy’s Newest Attack Submarine Commissioned

Delivered a year early and under budget, the USS MISSISSIPPI, the ninth Virginia-class submarine of the fleet, was commissioned in June. The submarines are built by a joint effort of Electric Boat in Groton, CT, and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, at a cost of about $2.6 billion each. In a May ceremony at the Groton shipyard of Electric Boat, ADM Jonathan Greenert, USN, Chief of Naval Operations, accepted delivery of the sub. ADM Greenert described

Bill Would Increase Oversight Of Privately-Run Housing

The Services would become more aggressive overseers of privately-run military housing under legislation introduced by Rep. Scott Rigell (R-VA) – the Military Housing Oversight and Accountability Act (HR 4608) – and included in the House version of the FY2013 NDAA. Rep. Rigell said he hopes the measure can reduce the chances of widespread maintenance and health concerns like those raised by residents of Lincoln Military Housing in his district, which manages more than 4,000 rental units in southeastern Virginia. The lower ranks of the military, including seamen and thirdclass petty officers, "don't get a lot of perks in life, but we owe them clean housing, safe housing," said Rep. Rigell. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), a co-sponsor of the bill with Rigell, said the bill fixes a flaw in housing operations that resulted in the Services not having direct responsibility or authority when the families complained. Under current law, the military has oversight of construction and renovation of privately operated military housing, but "their authority drops off after that," Rigell said. If the legislation passes, the Services would be required to assess progress in maintenance and repairs, track resident satisfaction with housing units and monitor the financial health and performance of the private landlord.

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the construction of Virginia-class attack submarines as "probably our best program out there." He toured the submarine and pinned dolphins on crew members' uniforms. When asked by a reporter about the fate of the New London Submarine Base if another round of base closures happens as desired by the Administration, Greenert said, "It's hard to say when you say you're going to have a BRAC [Base Realignment and Closure Commission] round. It's a very deliberate process." He went on to say the base has value as a training center for the submarine force. "A lot of people don't talk about that piece of it," he said. “We do have the best submarine force in the world.”

Free National Parks Passes And Museum Admission

Active duty military personnel and their dependents may enter every national park for free as part of an effort to thank servicemembers and their families for the sacrifices they make. The Interior Department began offering its America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Annual Pass to members of the military free of charge on Armed Forces Day in May. The pass Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

2012 NAUS Selfless Service Awards

The Association sponsors the NAUS Selfless Service Award at several of the nation’s commissioning and other Service schools every year. The award recognizes graduates for their outstanding volunteer service to the community during their course of instruction.

This year, NAUS Selfless Service Awards were presented at ceremonies honoring graduates at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine and Graduate School of Nursing (in May), and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy in June. The NAUS awards at USUHS have been named in honor and memory of Vice Admiral James Zimble.

ENS George Glock, USCG, with NAUS NE Regional Vice President Paul Dillon, MCPO, USN (Ret) (l) and NAUS Marketing Director Steve Hein, LCDR, USCG (Ret), CGA Class of 1979 (r).

LT Samuel Fraiser, MC, USN with NAUS President Jack Klimp following the awards ceremony.

Are you socially networked?

Become a NAUS Facebook fan and follow NAUS on Twitter!

NAUS uses Facebook and Twitter to keep interested members and others up-to-speed on what we’re doing in a less formal and more interactive way than our news sections on our website or our popular NAUS Weekly Update e-newsletter.

You can find our Facebook and Twitter feeds and links on the NAUS website (Member News and the other news sections), and we include them in the Weekly Update occasionally as well.

If you haven’t checked us out online yet, here’s how: Subscribe to NAUS Weekly Update:

www.NAUS.org

NAUS Facebook Page: Search on our name or NAUS, or go to

www.facebook.com/pages/ National-Association-forUniformed-ServicesNAUS/52500848293

Follow NAUS on Twitter:

twitter.com/ NAUSHQ

Not pictured: LT John Spannuth, USN, USUHS Graduate School of Nursing

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

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ordinarily costs $80 and allows access to more than 2,000 national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands. The passes allow the owner and passengers in a single private vehicle access to sites that charge per vehicle. At sites where entrance fees are charged per-person, it covers the pass owner and three adults age 16 and older.The National Park Service estimates that giving away the passes to servicemembers and their families will result in a revenue loss between $2 million and $6 million out of the nearly $150 million in fees collected nationwide. Military personnel, including activated members of the Guard and Reserve (but not retirees or other veterans) can get the passes at any national park or wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee by showing their military ID. Each family member will also be able to obtain their own pass even if the servicemember is deployed or if they are traveling separately.

Also, more than 1,600 museums nationwide will offer free admission to active duty military personnel and their families this summer in a program that has more than doubled in size since 2010. The expanded Blue Star Museums initiative was announced just before Memorial Day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NewYork City where more than 40 of the City’s museums are participating. Sites across the country include art museums, science centers, history museums, nature centers and about 70 children's museums.

Where do Marines Eat Best?

It's official, the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base has the best chow. In addition to winning the Commander in Chief award the third straight year for being the most excellent Marine installation in the country, the Twentynine Palms combat center and its Phelps chow hall also swept the honors for best military dining in the Corps. The facility in the Mojave desert of Southern California also was recognized by the Pentagon with the 2011 Secretary of the Navy Energy and Water Management Award, the Federal Energy Management Program Award, two Secretary of the Navy Environmental Awards for Sustainability and the Marine Corps Superior Achievement in Safety Award.The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, is the Service's premier live-fire, combined arms combat training facility.

Most battalions deploying to Afghanistan spend a month at the center honing their combat skills.

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Winners of the general excellence award for the other Defense Department branches were the Army's Fort Stewart, in Hinesville, GA, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, AZ. "Excellent installations enable better mission performance and enhance the quality of life for military men and women and their families. Each winning installation succeeded in providing excellent working, housing and recreational conditions," the Defense Department said.

New Way to Share Videos While Deployed – or At Home:

NAUS Partners with Givit! Private Video Sharing Do you have videos of your kids you’d like to share with friends and family, but not with the whole world?

Say hello to Givit, the first service to make private video sharing easy.

Givit is a free software service that lets users share videos privately with only those they choose. Users may also purchase optional premium subscription services including cloudbased content storage. NAUS members will receive an additional 5GB of storage free with any premium subscription purchase.

Add a video to Givit, add recipients and a personal message, and click Send—you’re done! Friends can watch your videos and respond privately from any computer, tablet or smartphone.

Givit at a Glance • Quick and easy to use • Share large files easily • Automatically back up as you share • Anywhere, on any device • Secure and private • Free web, mobile (iOS, Android) and desktop tools Givit is private video sharing, made easy. To start sharing your memories, visit givit.com/naus today!

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

Health Today Q&A

Written by

Dr. Joyce M. Johnson,

RADM, USPHS (Ret), DO, MA

& Mr. James A. Calderwood, Jr.

Does weight really matter? Being overweight isn’t healthy - it is a risk factor for many medical problems including coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers, gall bladder disease, osteo-arthritis and other joint problems. Obesity complicates pregnancy, increases surgical and anesthesia risks, and the recovery time from various illnesses. It decreases mobility and interferes with many activities such as taking care of children and grandchildren.

How do calories affect weight gain or loss? Whether you lose or gain weight depends upon the balance of calories you take in and the calories your body uses. The food you eat has calories, and the “work” your body does burns those calories. If you eat more calories than you use, most of those calories become fat and you gain weight. If you eat less calories, you loose weight. For most people, there is a balance of calories in and calories out, and one’s weight remains relatively stable.

Can I lose weight just by exercising? Walking, jogging, or running a mile uses about 100 calories. A pound of fat has about 3000 calories. Thus, to loose a pound requires about 30 miles of motion. This is an extra mile a day to lose a pound a month. A large frosted cupcake has about 500 calories. When you first start a weight loss plan, combining diet with exercise generally works best.

What should I do first? Food provides the nutrients and energy for all of our activities. Most foods contain some combination of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. There are certain essential nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals. The important message is to eat a balanced diet. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables provide fiber and also many vitamins and minerals. Limit the amount of fat, especially animal and other saturated fat. Lean meat, seafood and skim milk products (including yogurt and cottage cheese) are good protein sources.

Some things, such as caffeine, should be limited or avoided.

How do I begin a weight loss program? Some people find it helpful to begin with a food diary.

Make a chart of what you eat and drink, the portion size, when you eat, and whether you are really hungry. After a week, review the chart to understand your eating patterns. From that you can determine how you can most easily reduce calories. That nightcap of a beer, cheese and crackers can have over 500 calories - change to glass of club soda or piece of fruit.

Eliminate desserts. Eat half portions. Fat (butter, olive oil, mayonnaise) has 100 calories per tablespoon. If you reduce caloric intake by 500 calories a day, you can lose a pound a week.

Another approach is to start with a calorie counter, plan menus, and follow them. Write down everything you eat, listing the calories. This is probably the fastest and most efficient way to begin.

Various commercial diet programs are also available - some involve purchasing prepared frozen meals, while others provide menu, meal planning, and recipes. Though you don’t “count” calories, they are low calorie programs.

Whatever the approach, losing weight will require changing your eating habits, limiting calories (to about 1200 daily for women and 1500 daily for men, with adjustments for exercise and other variables). If you don’t lose weight the first week, you are probably eating more than you realize.

If you have any medical problems, see your health care provider to make certain your diet plans are healthy for you.

What are the most important things to remember? Weight affects health. With commitment, you can lose weight with a low calorie nutritious diet and exercise. It will be difficult at first, and weight loss may seem slow at one to two pounds per week. With dedication, you will see the difference and it will have a lasting impact on your life.

Diet & Weight

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NAUS IMPORTANT MEMBER REMINDERS FOR 2012 ALL CHAPTERS and MEMBERS AT LARGE– NAUS DISTINGUISHED WARRIOR AWARD FOR 2012.

NOMINATIONS PACKAGES DUE: FRIDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2012 2012 CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINATION PACKAGES DUE: FRIDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2012 ALL CHAPTERS & MEMBERS-AT-LARGE – NAUS has an outstanding group of NAUS Regional Vice Presidents. Regional Vice Presidents are volunteers appointed by the NAUS President who assist the NAUS Chapters within their regions. Be sure to contact your RVP for ideas and other assistance – they’re here to help.

NOTE OF IMPORTANCE: Each RVP has received the new NAUS Display and NAUS Table Banner for all of your Retiree Appreciation Day needs, chapter functions or member-at-large needs. Please ensure you contact your RVP in plenty of time to have them ship the display and table banner for your event.

Region 1 – Northwest (AK, WA, OR, ID, WY, MT): Ron Buatte, CSM, USA (Ret), Boise, ID rbuatte@cableone.net Region 2 – West (HI, CA, NV): Al Stewart, Col, USAF (Ret), Los Gatos, CA agstewart@earthlink.net Region 3 – Central (UT, CO, KS, NE): Tom Paolillo, MSgt, USAF (Ret), Aurora, CO tlp3347@comcast.net Region 4 – Southwest (AZ, NM, TX, OK): Chuck Murphy, SMSgt, USAF (Ret), Oklahoma City, OK cmurphy40@cox.net Region 5 – North Central (ND, SD, MN, IA, MO, IL,IN, OH, MI, WI): Robert J. ‘Bob’ Lytle, USMCR (Vet), Grove City, OH blytle@wowway.com Region 6 – Southeast (AR, LA, MS, AL, FL, GA, SC, PR): Dennis O. Freytes, LTC, USA (Ret), Windermere, FL dennisfreytes@hotmail.com Region 7 – Northeast (ME, NH, VT, MA, NY, PA, CT, RI): Paul Dilon, MCPO, USN (Ret), Gales Ferry, CT nausct@aol.com Region 8 – Mid Atlantic (KY, TN, NC, VA, WV, MD, DE, NJ, DC): David Ellis, Col USAF (Ret), Fredericksburg, VA david_sally@verizon.net 30

Chapter Activities Sequoia Chapter Clovis / Fresno, CA – 17 e May meeting was held on the 19th at the Carrows restaurant located at 4280 Blackstone, Fresno (Blackstone & Ashland). e speakers were from the Kings County office of Mental Health and from the Veterans Service Office.

Rocky Mountain Chapter Denver/Aurora, CO – 1 e May meeting was held on the 2nd and among the discussions was an article on Colorado State Legislators adding a line item in their State Budget for $1,000,000 to be administered by State DMVA and State Veteran Advisory Board so veterans will have the say where the money is spent. It will be audited by the CO State Treasurer and Legislators to ensure proper control. is is very good news for the entire state of Colorado. A push forward by veterans in the state and Colorado’s UVC – United Veterans Committee, with NAUS as a member. An additional $375,000 was allocated for veterans housing assistance. Colorado announced that the Veteran’s Lottery did not pass this year. NAUS Region 3 Vice President, Tom Paolillo, represented NAUS at the 6th Annual Veterans’ Appreciation Breakfast on Saturday, May 5th at the Wings Over the Rockies

Air and Space Museum…What an effort from the Colorado members one and all.

Dr. John A. Sheedy Chapter Honolulu, HI – 1 Saturday, April 22nd the HI1 Chapter again sponsored the Oahu Veteran’s Center Tripler Army Medical Center 8-Week PTSD Rehabilitation Retreat Graduation BBQ. e Chapter sponsors one of these a year to promote the program for returning military veterans. ey work tirelessly to support the local veterans with this type of program along with bringing help to individuals the chapter focus on additional issues to the State Legislature.

NAUS Hawaii chapter attended and laid a flower lei, again this year.

It was the 24th annual celebration at this WW1 memorial; their

24th Annual Celebration at this WW1 Memorial attended by the Dr. John Sheedy Chapter – Honolulu, HI 1

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

SMW sisters were there too. e keynote message this year was "THE (last war) MEMORIAL" by USAF Pac AF Commanding General Gary North. USDVA Deputy Director Tom Driskill, Jr expressed his concerns for the future of this monument and announced the construction of a new clinic near NAS Barber's Point.

Many feel that this neglected memorial should be torn down and the Governor is concerned. NAUS Hawaii Chapter supports full renovation of this site.

RMCM Paul Dillon USN (Ret) CT-1(r) Chapter President presents NJROTC Cadet Adan Ramos of New London High School with the CT-1 Chapter Cadet Sailor of the Quarter award for period ending 23 May 2012.

NAUS CT-1 Chapter Members are pictured with local military recruiters who attended the 10th Annual Recruiter's Luncheon.

Groton / New London Chapter, CT – 1 e Groton / New London Chapter has been extremely busy these past two months. ey hosted the 10th Annual Recognize the Recruiter’s Luncheon held on the 14th of May immediately followed by the presentation of the NAUS Selfless Award to George Clock (now Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

Ensign Glock) by Chapter President Paul Dillon and Steve Hein, NAUS Director of Marketing on the 15th of May. A few weeks later the Chapter President presented the Cadet Sailor of the Quarter to NJROTC Cadet Adan Ramos of New London High School. Cadet Ramos was recognized for his superior performance for the period ending 23 May 2012. What will the next two months bring to this active and super chapter from Connecticut?

Wiley Post Chapter Oklahoma City, OK – 3 Wiley Post Chapter Quarterly Luncheon was held the 14th of May at the Tinker AFB, Club. e speaker was Colonel Van Kinchen, Commander of the Army National Guard 45th Infantry Brigade who just returned with 3,000 + deployed soldiers from Afghanistan.

He presented an outstanding briefing on their deployment to several sectors of the combat zone. e soldiers were involved with finding and eliminating or capturing the Taliban. Training the locals to defend themselves was a major objective. Col Kinchen presented the most up to date description of the war effort for our NAUS members. He fielded questions and expanded our understanding of why they were fighting for our freedom. 14 soldiers from the 45th Division were killed. Col Kinchen was previously deployed to Iraq and he compared and contrasted the two war efforts.

Member Col Don Beitch briefed the Tinker Retiree Appreciation Day held on 16 June at which the Wiley Post Chapter had a booth to recruit new members. Regional VP Chuck and Linda Murphy set up the newly arrived NAUS traveling display unit which RVPs have been issued.

SMW Chapter # 34 – Southern Nevada e Saturday, May 12th meeting of the SMW Chapter #34 was busy with all of their regular business plus their letter writing campaign to help bring awareness about the military surviving spouses’ legislative issues. Letters were sent to Senator John McCain’s desk starting

the end of May 2012. e letters asked Senator McCain to co-sponsor S. 260, to eliminate the SBP/DIC offset for un-remarried military surviving spouses. His support is known but he has yet to co-sponsor the bill. Keep up the good work ladies. eir June / July meeting will be Sunday the 8th of July

L to R: Janet Snyder, Chapter Pres., Jeri Flynn, & Pearl Chesnaky at May 12th meeting.

at the Palace Station Casino.

SMW Aloha Chapter # 25 – Honolulu, Hawaii e Saturday, May 19th meeting of the SMW Chapter #25 was held at Kincaids at Ward Warehouse and their speaker was Mr. Curtis Lee. Mr. Lee is retired military, president of the MOAA Aloha Chapter in Honolulu and an expert in the field of finance.

Now, as in any time, monetary wisdom is most welcomed and appreciated by all especially those finding themselves suddenly in the position of having to make all the family financial

24th Annual Celebration at this WW1 Memorial Aloha Chapter – Honolulu, HI 25 31

decisions as a recent widow. Mr. Lee helped with practical decisions in financial caring for the families of these widows. e Navy Exchange held their Annual Memorial Day Event from the 23rd of May to the 28th and many of the members attended for the fun, entertainment, demos and giveaways. e National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific held in the Punchbowl in Honolulu abound with beautiful music and elegant floral wreaths and was overseen by Mayor Peter Carlisle.

Many attended this event that honored their beloved spouses and, as always, vividly reminded our ladies and all present of the monumental sacrifices these veterans made for our nation. eir June meeting was held at P.F. Chang’s on Saturday the 16th of

June…more later on this meeting.

Pacific Gateway Chapter – Travis AFB, CA – 4 In a somewhat novel case, the featured speakers at the April 2012 meeting of the NAUS Pacific Gateway Chapter’s meeting at Travis, were 10 year-old Robert Wright and his seven year-old sister, Clairese. Robert's talk was entitled "e Right Tool for the Right Job" and Clairese' was "Does Your Cooking Measure Up?" Both were fulfilling requirements for a 4-H project and were accompanied by their mother Mrs. Janet Wright. NAUS was proud to support these two great 4-H members with their requirements.

games in which no one got to first base. He had a promising career as a professional pitcher aer being offered a contract with the Saint Louis Cardinals. But in 1941 he chose to enlist in the United States Air Force. en in 1943 he was a crew member on a B-25 Bomber which crashed in New Georgia, Solomon Islands, and he suffered a severe injury to his le leg, eliminating the possibility of that baseball career. Since that time he has been affectionately known by family and friends alike as "Ley." He has been a loyal and steadfast supporter of NAUS for many years. His birthday was celebrated on 21 April at the H. Wayne Hein Chapter monthly meeting. Ley and his lovely wife, Betty, reside in the city of Atwater, California. e guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the H. Wayne Hein Chapter on 19 May was Richard Maher, a small business owner in Merced, CA. His

Major Lloyd "Lefty" Stepp on the occasion of his 90th Birthday celebration.

L to R - NAUS Western Regional Vice President, Al Stewart; Robert Wright; Pacific Gateway Chapter President, John Lathrop: and, Clairese Wright.

H. Wayne Hein Chapter – Merced, CA – 18 The Chapter announces that Major Lloyd "Ley" Stepp, USAF (Retired), had his 90th birthday on 1 April 2012.

As a young man he loved to play baseball and once pitched 17 games out of 20 with three perfect no-hitter

Mr. Maher being presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by H. Wayne Hein Chapter President USAF SMSgt (Ret) Scotty Burns.

NAUS Upcoming Events - July / August / September

VET-NET (For community veterans’ service providers) VT-NH NG w/Ft. Drum & VT-ME & ME Army Retiree Council RAD Air Force Sergeants Association Conference Fort McCoy Military RAD and Career & Benefits Fair Military Appreciation Day at Navy Air Station Fort Sill RAD Fort Belvoir RAD Hill AFB RAD Fort Bliss RAD Fort Dix RAD 2012 SMW National Annual Convention and Cruise

19 Jul 2012 23 Jul 2012 10-16 Aug 2012 7 Sep 2012 15 Sep 2012 20 Sep 2012 21 Sep 2012 28 Sep 2012 28-29 Sep 2012 29 Sep 2012 6-13 Oct 2012

Santa Cruz, CA Colchester, VT Jacksonville, FL Fort McCoy, WI Lemoore, CA Fort Sill, OK Fort Belvoir, VA Hill Air Force Base, UT Fort Bliss, TX Fort Dix, NJ Carnival Cruise Ship “Dream

NAUS would be please to provide a speaker for your next RAD or military/veteran event at no charge to the organizing group. Please have the group leader send a letter of invitation [with details of the event and speaker requirements] to Vicki Sumner, director of administration at vsumner@naus.org or call 1-800-842-3451, ext 1003.

32

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

subject was one that's most appropriate improve quality of life in Colorado for in this era of ever-increasing costs of gas veterans. Rio was highly skilled in Civil Engineering, with Marvin and and electricity, Solar Energy. He explained how solar energy can be Rio traveling to other states to ensure highly efficient in large areas of the the Fitzsimons State Veterans Home, world and especially in western states and later the new VAMC at Fitzsisuch as California, and new technologies mons Campus in Aurora would be now allow for a more efficient energy state of the art, and a model for othproduction, even on overcast days. ers. e Home was completed early in Solar panels can be placed on rooops 2000-01, but the new VAMC on thereby eliminating the need for addi- Fitzsimons (to replace the old tional ground space. Although initial VAMC) was a state-federal struggle costs can be high, solar energy provides a from 1994 to 2011, when ground free source of electricity which will pay breaking started in November. Marvin dividends in future years, reducing depen- and Rio and leaders from other organidency on more expensive fossil fuels. zations met with local, state, federal Installation in remote areas is usually leaders, and legislators in Colorado less expensive than laying high voltage and at the Federal level to convince wires when coupled with the monthly them Central States (VISN 19) needed bills which follow. Some of the less new facilities that would meet redesirable aspects are that solar can quirements of past veterans, retirees, generate power only during daylight hours; those who are serving now and those the weather can affect its efficiency, and who will serve in future. All new industrial pollution can be a major buildings and added clinics such as concern in some cities. Mr. Maher's PTSD, Spinal Cord, and Women presentation generated a number of ques- Veteran Clinics were planned. e tions for which he had ready answers. At VAMC being replaced now is over 55 the conclusion of his presentation, Mr. year old, inefficient, landlocked, and Maher was presented a Certificate of with no way to expand to meet future Appreciation by Chapter President USAF SMSgt (Ret) Scotty Burns.

Rocky Mountain Chapter # 3 – Denver / Aurora, CO Rocky Mountain Chapter and Chapter President MSgt Frank Whitman are extremely proud to announce that NAUS lifetime members Marvin Meyers and Rio Lucas (who passed away in September 2008, following an auto accident in 2006) received Lifetime Veteran Service Marvin Meyers and Rio Lucas, lifetime NAUS members, awards in 2006 and 2012. received Lifetime Veteran Service awards in April 2012.

Certificates and plaques were presented at the annual UVC banquet needs. Rio's training and civilianheld in April and these awards were military assignments experience asgiven for near 40 years of continuous sisted in designing such a modern service to veterans and Colorado. As facility. e knowledge, experience, a team they served on committees, and the many hours put forth of these commissions, advisory panels to legislators and to state leaders, and took two will long be remembered and honored in Colorado, and especially strong leadership positions with other veteran organizations to ensure legis- in the Colorado NAUS Chapters in which they were part of establishing lators at state and federal levels to Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

chapter CO-#01 in 1991. NAUS, MSgt Whitman and the Colorado Chapter still miss Rio Lucas.

Central Missouri Chapter # 2 – Collins, Missouri This chapter, along with other groups, were successful in obtaining dedicated long-term funding for the state’s veterans home, cemeteries and several other veteran’s programs… way to go Missouri… you really know how to keep up the fight! To help keep this great work going Chapter President Wade Harris asks that any MO members who are interested in helping the chapter be more active to contact him at 417309-1460 by text or email at whcommander@yaho.com.

SMW Chapter # 6 – Lawton, Oklahoma e Lawton, Oklahoma SMW Chapter #6 would like to say congratulations to their new ‘Acting 1st Vice President Dorothea Radtke and they ask that you please plan to attend the Fort Sill Annual Retiree Open House on 20 September. e chapter would also like to welcome five new members to their ranks: Rosemary, Margarethe, Linda, Helene and Iris to this growing chapter but must also say goodbye to a dear friend and member Betty Shaffer.

NAUS SPREADS THE NAUS WORD NAUS offers ‘Congratulations’ to all those graduates from the United States University for Health Services in May 2012. NAUS was proud to have presented the newly named ADM James Zimble Selfless Service Award to the School of Medicine (May 10th) and the Graduate School of Nursing (May 14th).

May and June were very busy months for NAUS. Mike Plumer headed out west to Washington state for two important Retiree Appreciation Days. His first stop (May 18th) was the Joint Base Lewis – McChord RAD held in Hanger #9 at McChord Air Field.

NAUS did not have a speaking part for this RAD but had been requested 33

to man a table as a favorite for the many active duty and retirees that attended. With virtually no breather

Mike Plumer, Deputy Legislative Director / Veterans Affairs at Joint Base Lewis-McChord RAD

Mike then headed northward to the Everett Naval Station Retiree Seminar (May 19th) held in building 1950 on the Naval Station. Mike gave a great presentation to around 200 attendees and continued to help anyone requesting information about NAUS at the display table. anks Mike for an outstanding job out in Washington…we have not asked yet which Washington he prefers!

NAUS President, LtGen Jack Klimp, was invited to speak to at the ‘Memorial to Our Fallen Heroes’ for Memorial

NAUS President LtGen Jack Klimp delivers the Keynote Address at the ‘Memorial to Our Fallen Heroes’ ceremony on Memorial Day in Fredericksburg, VA.

Day, May 28th in Fredericksburg, VA where the monument stands at the intersection of George, Barton and Liberty streets. Our President, as the 34

keynote speaker, was preceded by U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st. Even with the oppressive heat, LtGen Klimp’s address really connected with the veterans, their families and the organizations represented at the ceremonies. All in attendance considered this a winning presentation!

Mike Plumer headed out again in early June to fly the NAUS banner for the Grand Forks AFB RAD held on June 2nd in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Exact numbers are unavailable as this goes into publication but we know that the Retiree Office was expecting a couple of hundred from the surrounding areas for this annual event.

LtGen Klimp was back up to bat as one of the speakers for the 26th Annual American Merchant Marine Veterans Conference held from June 4th to the 7th in Linthicum Heights, Maryland.

NAUS was proud to sponsor an advertisement in the conference publication and have LtGen Klimp speak on the 6th of June. e AMMV is a wonderful partner of NAUS. Board member Karl P. Karl and Region 2 NAUS Vice President Al Stewart served as NAUS representatives at the Fort Ord RAD held at the General Stillwell Community Center, Ft. Ord, CA on June 9th. We cannot thank these two enough for all that they do to support NAUS and the veterans in the Ft. Ord area and the West Region.

Region 4 NAUS Vice President Chuck Murphy along with local NAUS members handled the next big RAD for the Oklahoma area. e Tinker AFB RAD was held on June 16th and all attending had their questions answered by some of the finest members around. ank you Chuck Murphy and all of your helpers for representing NAUS is such a grand manner.

NAUS, again, was proud as Steve Hein, NAUS Director of Marketing stepped to the plate to be part of the US Public Health Services Symposium held this year from June 19th through the 21st at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. NAUS is a Bronze

Sponsor of this annual symposium and NAUS personnel attend each and every year to support this wonderful event.

LtGen Klimp was able to take time this year to attend the United Kingdom RAD being held at RAF Mildenhall.

Mike Plumer, Deputy Legislative Director / Veterans Affairs speaking at Everett Naval Station RAD

NAUS does not attend every year but with the new President in office the Director, USAFE-UK called early to request that LtGen Klimp represent NAUS and speak to all the attendees within the UK that were able to travel for the RAD held on June 22nd. We thank all who traveled the many miles to attend the RAD and meet the NAUS President. For those at RAF Mildenhall thank you for making the general’s trip so smooth.

Not to be kept still very long and due to LtGen Klimp’s attendance at the UK RAD, Mike Plumer was again flying out west to present the NAUS Selfless Service Award at the US Army Sergeants Major Academy on June 22nd at Ft. Bliss, Texas. NAUS continues to be a part of this awesome event at the USASMA. Region 3 NAUS Vice President Tom Paolillo represented NAUS at the Buckley AFB RAD held this year on the 30th of June in Aurora, Colorado.

Exact numbers are unavailable as this goes into press but this has always been a grand event and very well attended.

Hopefully we will have some pictures to share in the September / October USJ. ank you again Tom for representing NAUS so well at this annual event.

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

The National Association for Uniformed Services® Chapter of the Year Award has been established to annually recognize the outstanding performance by a NAUS Chapter in serving its members, advancing the Association’s purpose (as stated in the Bylaws) at the grassroots level and supporting NAUS membership growth.

Any NAUS Chapter in good standing is eligible for the award, and nominations may be submitted by chapters themselves, or by any NAUS member. To be considered, simply answer the three questions on the nomination form, include the nominated Chapter’s name/number, and complete the contact information for the person submitting the nomination. Answers to each of the questions are limited to 200 words or less. The form, accompanied by the answers to the questions if prepared separately, must be forwarded to Vicki Sumner, Director of

Chapter Management, at NAUS (5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151). Electronic submissions are encouraged (email to vsumner@naus.org). Deadline for the 2012 award is Friday, September 21, 2012.

The NAUS Chapter of the Year Award will be selected by an award committee consisting of the Director of Chapter Management on the NAUS Staff, and members of the Board of Directors Membership and Development Committee. Criteria for the award are successful and/or innovative chapter efforts in these three main areas:

(1) Serving its members: Activities such as conducting educational/informational programs for chapter members, social/networking activities, outreach to area servicemembers and veterans, providing volunteer opportunities for chapter members in the community, etc.

(2) Advancing the Association’s purpose at the grassroots level: Legislative advocacy efforts like meetings with elected officials and staff members, email and letter-writing campaigns, involvement with regional/state veterans councils or VA officials, participation in events honoring or serving veterans, etc.

(3) Supporting NAUS membership growth: Chapter efforts to recruit new NAUS members including participation in retiree days, adopting/ supporting military units, conducting presentations or meetings at military installations or bases, distribution of NAUS brochures or other materials, speaking engagements, recruiting drives, etc.

The NAUS Chapter of the Year award will be announced at the Annual Meeting. The winning chapter receives an award certificate, a $500 check to the Chapter treasury, and a profile in the Uniformed Services Journal. First and second runners-up will also be selected, and will receive $300 and $200 checks respectively.

NAUS CHAPTER OF THE YEAR NOMINATION FORM - 2012

NAUS Chapter Number/Name: __________________________________________________________________ 1. In the past year (since January 2012), how has your chapter served its members?

___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________ 2. In the past year, what has your chapter done to advance the Association’s purpose?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________ 3. In the past year, how has your chapter supported NAUS membership growth?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________ Note: Responses may be submitted separately, but please limit responses to 200 words or less for each question. Thank you.

Application submitted by: Name:______________________________________ Position:____________________________________ (e.g., Chapter President, NAUS Member, etc.)

Phone #: _______________________________ Email: _________________________________________ Mail completed application to: Vicki Sumner, NAUS, 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151, or email to: vsumner@naus.org Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

35

Jessie Brundige

National SMW President

SMW Election 2012 Candidates President Elect: Patricia Walker

Patricia Walker joined SMW Chapter 13 in Riverside, California in April of 1998. She has worked, raised her daughter Emily and son David, and lived in Tennessee since 1976. A high school teacher for over thirty years, teaching English, German, American History and American Government, she is now retired and very active in her community. Volunteering for many things she could not fit into her schedule while teaching, she now works with her church on several committees, is active in the Business and Professional Women of Tennessee and her local retired teachers group and serves as an officer in both. She also works and volunteers with the local Chamber of Commerce and serves as an election official during election years. Patricia is seeking your support as a candidate to become SMW’s next president-elect.

Secretary: Emma Dennard

A Florida native and widow of Air Force MSGT Jimmy L. Dennard; Emma is proud mother of 2 daughters, one son and grandmother of 6. She is employed by the State of Florida Highway Safety Motor Vehicles and an active member of First Baptist Church of College Hill - Tampa, FL., where she serves on the Senior Usher Board, member of the Drama Ministry, Sunday School Ministry, Eva Huggins Circle Ministry. She presently attends Bible Study Fellowship International. She also enjoys being a member of the Red Hatters Society and serves as financial secretary for the Community Mayberry Cemetery Organization.

Treasurer: Catherine McGraw

Cathy McGraw has been a member of SMW for 40 years and Chapter 13, Riverside, CA since it was founded in 1980. She has been a Navy widow since 1973 and served in the U.S. Navy herself as an Aviation Storekeeper. She retired as an assistant manager after 25 years with the California Employment Development Department. She has held most offices at the Chapter level and served as National Chaplain and National Treasurer. She currently serves as National and Chapter 13 Bylaws Chair.

Regional VPNorthwest: Betty Luttkus

Betty Luttkus is a native of Colorado and has been a military widow for 14years. Her husband was retired from the army. She joined SMW Chapter 22 in Jan 1999 and has been an active participant. She has served as chapter Corresponding Secretary, President (4 terms) Vice President (3 terms), Membership chairperson and is currently the NWRVP She holds monthlysewing/craft meetings at her home and hosts a SMW picnic in the summer. Betty held the Special Services position for National for 4 years including assisting with the conventions in Branson, MO and Washington DC. She is a retired nurse and a professional clown and volunteers weekly at the Buckley AFB Pharmacy.

Regional VPNorth Central: Carol Widmer

Carol currently serves as NC/RVP. She has been a member of Chapter 28 in Wichita, KS for four years where

jrb@mptelco.com www.militarywidows.org Established 1968 • Affiliated 1984

she is vice president. She prepares their quarterly newsletter, gathering information that helps her provide up-to-date news to report during regional teleconferences. She joined SMW to learn from others and has come to respect her peers as strong survivors. She finds the ladies kind and fun-loving and her goal is to encourage and enjoy their friendship while sharing information and experience.

Regional VPSouthwest: Ayako Detwiller

Ayako Detwiler joined SMW #25 in June 1998. She has served in many capacities as Publicity Chair, volunteered to deliver donated items to USO, Chaplain, Chapter VP, Chapter President and luncheon location Coordinator. While active in SMW #25, she volunteers for the Navy/Air Force Joint Base Military Fleet & Family Center to help in RAO (Retired Activity Office) Watchstand once a week. She is an active member at her local Christian church, as well as teaching and playing Japanese String Instruments. She also coordinates entertaining retiree’s community, Senior Clubs, Hospitals, Rehab and Care Centers about once a month.

Regional VP-South Central: VACANT Regional VPSoutheast: Joyce Dieckhaus

Joyce Dieckhaus is a Charter member of Chapter 35, Tampa, FL, where she has served as President, Vice President, Chaplain and Parliamentarian. She has previous experience as Southeast Regional Vice President.

She assisted with the Clearwater National Convention and the Orlando Convention. Joyce is currently serving as representative on the Sixth Medical Advisory Board at Ft. MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, FL.

SMW Official Mail-In Ballot for Election of Officers to be Installed after the Annual Banquet in 2012

Instructions: Mark your vote next to the candidates name. Except for each region shall elect its own Vice President. Cast one vote for the candidate from the region that includes your state. If there is no candidate please write your candidates name. SMW President shall have the power to appoint a Vice President.

Mail Completed Ballot To: Nadine Wilberger, Katie La Bounty or Bertha Baker at 3307 Diamond Drive, El Paso, TX 79904.

Ballots must received by September 10

Ballot: According to the previsions of SMW bylaws, the President-Elect, Regional Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by mail ballot. The Chairperson of the Nominating Committee presents the following candidates. All candidates have been nominated by petition and have submitted their written consent to serve.

Officers shall serve a term of two years. They shall assume office at the close of the Annual Banquet 2012.

36

The Nominees: President-Elect: o Patricia Walker

Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA,WY,CO): North Central (IA, IL, KS, MN, ND, SD, NE, WI): Southwest (CA, HI, AZ, NV, UT,NM): South Central (AR, LA, MO, OK, TX): Southeast (GA, NC, SC, KY, TN, MS, AL, FL):

Secretary: o Emma Dennard

Treasurer: o Catherine McGraw

o Betty Luttkus o Carol Widmer o Ayako Detwiller o _______________________________ o Joyce Dieckhaus

Name:_________________________________________________________

Address:________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Membership #:________________________________

(found on the label on the front of your USJ)

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

The American Merchant Marine Veterans (AMMV) was founded to serve the interests of Merchant Marine veterans and affiliated with NAUS in July 2008.

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

37

®

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR UNIFORMED SERVICES

Contributors

Chairman’s Club (More than $500)

Armed Forces Association Mrs. Virginia Blair SK1 Chris Keesey

President’s Club ($200 to $499)

LtCol Harold Bohn BG Robert Floyd II 2LT Robert Lee LtCol Edith Patrick COL Donald Person M.D.

Century Club ($100 to $199)

MSgt Von Ahouse SGM Edward Aja MSG Herbert Atwell SFC Bobby Austin SFC Robert Batungbacal MSG Jimmy Booker COL Robert Bradley Mrs. Doris Braswell PFC William Brown Jr. Rear Admiral James J. Carey Foundation Maj Carl Carlton SSgt Anthony Coleman RADM Maxine Conder SSgt Charles Conrick III Col Troey Daffern LTC Edmund Daley Jr. Mr. Harry Davis COL William Dillingham MMC Robert Dunks Retired Family Group AKCS William Farrell Mrs. Eloise Faust MSgt Richard Fujishige CWO-4 James Gibler LTC John Gilbert MSgt Olaf Gouchie Jr. SgtMaj Arthur Graham SGM Walter Harimoto Col Franklin Hart Jr. SGT Nicholas Harvey Jr. Mrs. Dorothy Hornefius COL Pete Houben COL John Howard COL John Howard LtCol William Hutchinson MSgt Donald Hyatt LTC Bruno Jachmann Ms. Velda Kakacek Mrs. Irmtraud Keasler SSG Earl Kellerman III CSM Lloyd Kindred MSgt Herman Kounter Col Jack Krout

SMSgt Robert Kukua MSgt Robert Larson SSG Gilbert Lawton 1SG James Lay LtCol Norma Loeser 1SG Bobby Maggard Dr. Pat Marshio Cpl Dorcas Matzkiw SFC Harold McQuaid CSM Charles McQuerry RADM Bob Merrilees SMSgt Wayne Nelson MSG Alvin Parker 1SG Homer Payne CW3 Herbert Pennington Jr. 1SG Robert Peters Maj Earl Phillips MSgt Harlan Pittelkau MCPO Donald Read MSG Keith Salyer Mr. Robert Schwarz COL Paul Schweikert Jr. Ms. Rosemarie Sherfy LTC Marvin Shiro LtCol Gerald Shrawder 1SG Gary Shwetzer LTC Robert Turkleson CPO Donald Vollmer TSgt Paul Votaw SFC Donald Weatherford 1SG Lawrence Webb Maj Louis Webb MSgt Kenneth Wilce

Booster Club ($35 to $99)

1SG Gibson Abshire LTC Raymond Acker MSG Carroll Ackerman LTC Robert Ackerson LTC omas Agnew MSgt Richard Ail MSG Louis Alberti Jr. LtCol Francis Allen MSgt David Amos MCPO James Armstrong CMSgt Robert Arnold YNCM Dennis Arnold LTC Samuel Asbury III SFC Nobuyoshi Azebu MSgt Ezra Ballard Mr. Raymond Bantz COL Frederick Barrett CAPT Lawrence Barrett COL Margaret Baskfield SSgt Ernest Bassett Mrs. Dona Baucom Mrs. Venice Beals CMSgt Kenneth Belcher

Thank You from ®

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR UNIFORMED SERVICES

38

Ms. Julie Bizzell MSgt Robert Bjornethun LtCol Bobby Blaylock COL John Bogue LTC Richard Boos CPO Donald Borgman 1SG Louis Bottini Capt Leo Boutin GySgt Billy Boyer CDR Allen Boyes PO1 James Bradley TSgt Jared Brandenburg COL Mary-Margaret Brandt M.D. TSgt William Breen Maj Richard Britner Jr. MSgt John Broome Mrs. Genevieve Brophy LtCol Edward Brown Jr. Col Charles Brown TSgt John Brunet Mrs. Catherine Brunner SFC John Buchanan CAPT Roger Buck COL George Burns MSgt Lyle Burton LTC Robert Buxton MSgt William Carr SFC William Carrington CDR Richard Carter Col Donald Cassiday Ms. Marlene Champeau Maj William Christians SFC Paul Christianson Maj William Clagett III SM1 Robert Clark SFC Robert Cooke CMSgt Cleve Cooper BGen Joseph Copenhaver Sr. GySgt Kenneth Cornwell COL Ralph Correll MSgt Karl Corser Jr. LtCol Raymond Costello LtCol George Cox LTC William Cronemeyer Mrs. Shirley Crowder MSgt Francis Cunningham BMC Adriaan Cysouw CSM Ralph Daniels SCPO Raymond Danielson MSgt Walter Daschofsky MSG Harold De Rose LTC James De Vage MSgt Herbert Dean CDR Daniel Devescovi LTC Roy Dickinson Mr. Morris Dobbs Capt B Dockery

CWO-4 William Doerrer Col John Donnelly MSgt Harley Duffy MSgt Emmett Dunsmore LTC Claire Eike Jr. LtCol Edward Eison SFC Clifford Ellis Ms. Paula Engle SFC Richard English 1SG David Esteban Mrs. Dorcase Esty LTC Jack Evans LtCol Leroy Fay YNCM Donald Filiere CMSgt Wayne Ford CAPT Phill Fossum Ms. Anna Foultz Mrs. Dorothy Frazier Mr. Henry Fricke Mr. Ryan Funkhouser LtCol Donald Gage Col John Gagen SMSgt Norman Gagne SFC Harold Gammill Maj Marvin Gardner LTC Isaac Garner Jr. CSM Victor Gelner LTC Donald Gilbeau CSM Joe Godwin LtCol Robert Goetz LtCol Elton Grapes LtCol Merle Green Jr. LtCol Lance Greve LTG omas Griffin Jr. COL Janet Hale Ph.D. LTC Blount Hall CSM Clarence Hall MAJ Robert Hampton CMSgt James Harden SFC Raymond Harrington TSgt Charlie Harris COL Jay Hartman LtCol Paul Haskell LTC John Hazlett MAJ Bill Helwig SFC Charles Henderson Jr. CPT Elton Hess Jr. Mrs. Jacqueline Hesse LtCol Robert Hicks Mr. Dale Higgins COL Joseph Hodge D.M.D. TSgt Kenneth Holland LTC Lyndon Holloman Maj Hoyt Hurt CSM James Hurtt Maj Charles Hutsler Mrs. Shirley Irvin COL Charles Isely III

SGM Maurice Jackson MSgt Romey Jackson Col Lewis Jamison CW2 Russell Johnson SSG Andrew Johnson Maj Jont Johnson Col Douglas Jones TSgt Roger Katzer MCPO George Kelly CAPT Michael Kennedy MSgt Paul Kent Mr. Clete Ketner Mrs. Clara Ketteringham CWO Frederick Killebrew MMC Harold King MSgt Delmar Kinnett LCDR Joseph Kiraly COL Richard Kitts CPO William Knight CPL Donald Knight COL William Knowles Col Edward Koechle CPT Stanley Kunitomo CAPT Ralph Laedtke LTC Donald Laffoon MSG Fletcher Larrow SFC Jack Lawrence MSG Henry Lee Mrs. Elizabeth Leischner LtCol Stephen Leisge LTC Robert Leonard Capt Sherif Lepi TSgt Larry Lindberg CMSgt Allan Lindblom CMSgt Sidney Little LTC Walter Little TSgt Daniel Long COL James Long Col Chester Lukas Seaman John Lundy Jr. MSgt Allen Mann Mr. William Manning D.D.S. SMSgt Albert Maraschino LtCol George Mark Jr. CW4 Manuel Martinez COL Roby Mauk CW4 Leonard Mayes BGen William McCulloch SMSgt Rolph McDonald Mrs. Anita McDonald Maj Michael McGuinness CAPT Roger McKee GySgt omas McMahon 1SG Elliot Meadows Jr. SSgt Ronald Medeiros CWO-4 Donald Meier CW2 Maurice Mercure Col George Mercuro

Thank you to all our contributors and each and every one of you for your faithful and generous support. While we don’t have space to list every contributor, every gift is appreciated. If you would like to contribute, please use the Contribution Coupon to the right.

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012

LtCol Jim Meredith Mrs. Lila Miller SFC Francisco Miranda MSG Erma Mishler LtCol Robert Moraski MSgt George Morgan MSG Austin Morrison Mrs. Marta Morrissey Ms. Caroline Mott Mrs. Frances Mount Ms. Iris Mouton SSG Bernard Mraz COL Brian Mulherin SSG Earl Mullins SGM Bill Murfield Capt Robert Murphy LtCol Francis Murphy MAJ Edward Nettles Jr. CW4 Herbert Newman PO1 John Newmaster MSG Aloysius Norris COL Forrest Norrod Jr. COL Raymond Nulk CWO-2 James O'Brien COL John O'Brien CW3 Yukisada Oshiro MSG Pedro Osoria CWO-4 Eugene Ostlund CPO Homer Parker SFC Geoffrey Parker Sr. PO1 James Parker Mrs. Janice Parkinson

CDR Joseph Paschal Jr. Ms. Elizabeth Pasti Col Erwin Peake Mrs. Lillian Pepple MSgt Paul Perry CAPT Ernest Petersen SMSgt Normand Picard MSgt Leslie Poff Jr. Mr. A. Poillucci CDR eodore Polgar SKCM Pat Pontzius SM2 Eugene Poole Mrs. Agnes Popovich OSCS Mary Prise SgtMaj Frank Pulley CAPT Ronald Pytel TSgt Estel Rainwater LTC Diane Ramsey CSM Wallace Rapp 1SG Lloyd Rath CMSgt Henry Ray SFC Johnnie Reed Mrs. Doris Render MSgt Donald Rennie MSG Charles Reynolds CAPT John Richardson Mrs. Grace Roberts MG George Robertson Col Leslie Robertson CW4 Harold Rodrigues TSgt Richard Romero LtCol Jack Rosenau

LtCol Garrett Runey SMSgt Frank Ruotolo MSgt Shinto Sakamoto CMSgt Gene Salisbury Mrs. Gerda Sano LTC Joseph Saul SFC Edward Saunders Mrs. Patricia Scally COL Stanley Schmucker CW4 Charles Schneck TSgt Morris Scholz MSG Freddie Sebren LtCol Foster Selman TSgt Raymond Shackle MSG B. Shaffer Col William Sherman COL John Shillingburg LTC Carl Shoemaker LTJG Brentwood Shunk CW4 John Sidonio Jr. SSG August Silvia BG Frank Simons Mrs. Gisela Sinkler MSG William Siples MSgt Robert Skinner LtCol omas Smith SMSgt Milton Smith LtCol Clarence Smith Mrs. G. Smith LtCol Billy Smith TSgt Jimmie Smith SFC Minor Smith Jr.

Help Us Do More For You! ®

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR UNIFORMED SERVICES

Col Richard Snavely LTC Elmer Soles Ms. Peggie Sonnier Mrs. Encarnacion Soriano 1SG Walter Sowell 1SG Jacqueline Spector LTC Robert Spencer Col Marion Stansell Mrs. Frances Starr Mrs. Mary Steffen Mrs. Mildred Stein Col Taylor Stem Jr. Mrs. Margaret Stephens Mr. Mcadoo Stinson SGM William Strub COL Larry Stubblefield MSG Jesse Stutts ENC William Surette Col Richard Swan MSG George Swarstad LTC George Sykes MG omas Tait TSgt omas Taylor Maj David omas Ms. Jean ompson Mr. Francis un DPCS Hal Tiffany LCDR Fred Timm MSgt Zolton Torok PO2 Edward Torres MSgt Arthur Tracey Mrs. Mary Treadwell

CMSgt Francis Trzcinski COL John Tu CWO-4 Edward Turner Ms. Alice Tyrol-Elliott CPO Albert Vallejos SFC Glenn Vealey MSG Philip Velez COL Elwin Vernon MSG Anthony Violino SSG Anthel Walden MSgt Randell Wance MCPO Stephen Watson SFC Murley Watts TSgt Donald Weaver Mrs. Barbara West LTC omas Whalen LTC Donnelly Whitehead Mrs. Peggy Whitt CMSgt Ronald Willard LtCol Kenneth Willes Col James Williamson Maj Robert Wilson Mrs. Mary Winter COL Pedar Wold LTC Clifford Wollard Col Royce Wooddell SFC Homer Wright SSG Jose Yadao Ms. Bettye Young Col Gerald Young Jr. CPO Mike Zakrzewski

Contribution Coupon

NAUS contribution $ _______

Name:________________________________________ Member #:____________

Enclosed is my total contribution

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3 Lobby Congress to ensure our national security

3 Protect the earned benefits of our military men and women 3 Fight for the rights of our retirees and veterans

3 Increase membership for an even stronger voice

Submit to: NAUS 5535 Hempstead Way Springfield, VA 22151-4094 39

TAPS

COL Paul W. Heidt, USA (RET) Maj Nevin D. Heiser, USAF (RET) Mrs. Irene L. Hendley TSgt James L. Hilt, USAF (RET) COL Peter J. Hirsch, USA (RET) Mrs. Una Huggins MAJ Richard Ingram, USA (RET) Ms. Jean M. Isbell COL Richard Jennings, USA (RET) LtCol Joel C. Jensen, USAF (RET) MSgt Karl A. Johnson, USAF (RET) SP5 William Johnson, USA (VET) Mrs. April Kauffman BGen Charles H. Keaten, USAF (RET) BT1 Verne H. Kehnemund, USN (RET) TSgt Guy D. Kriegh, USAF (RET) SGT Merlyn A. Lachausse, USA (RET) TSgt Robert LaPierre, USAF (RET) PFC William Lee, USMC (VET) Mr. George J. Lord Mrs. Elva M. Lorenz LtCol Jack A. Lowrey, USAF (RET) MSgt Francis J. MacDougall, USAF (RET) LTC Robert A. Malone, USA (RET) VADM Kleber S. Masterson, USN (RET)

Mrs. Mary T. Micelotta Col Ivan G. Mieth, USAF (RET) Col Thomas L. Miller, USAF (RET) Mr. George A. Miller LtCol Jack D. Mitchell, USAF (RET) Mrs. Notra C. Mitchell TSgt Duane L. Mitchell, USAF (RET) 1SG Robert M. Morgan, USA (RET) CW3 Jesse B. Myers, USA (RET) MAJ Kerop S. Nalbandian, USA (RET) SMSgt Gerald M. Newman, USAF (RET) SFC Joseph L. Oda, USA (RET) CMSgt Eric A. Osteraa, USAF (RET) MAJ William E. Peters, USA (RET) MSgt Claud E. Pritchard, USAF (RET) Sgt James M. Prunty, USAF (RET) CPL Lexie T. Ramsey, USA (RET) Mrs. Sarah V. Richard CMSgt John L. Richeson, USAF (RET) TSgt Andrew A. Rogers, USAF (RET) SSG Robert J. Scott, USA (RET) MSG Vincent F. Seminavage, USA (RET) SFC Robert S. Sensabaugh, USA (RET) Mrs. Betty J. Shaffer, USA SSgt Jerry L. Sharpe, USMC (RET) MSG Frank W. Shaw, USA (RET) Ms. Ema G. Shekoski MSgt Paul E. Skolaski, USAF (RET) MSG Robert A. Smith, USA (RET) COL Paul G. Spero, USA (RET)

In the recent death of April Kauffman, NAUS lost a truly wonderful and dedicated member and proponent of NAUS programs. April was part princess and part pit bull. For veterans in South Jersey whose causes she championed, April was a legend. When Atlantic County veterans were forced to travel to Wilmington for dialysis treatment, enduring an uncomfortable (with no bathroom) four hour roundtrip bus ride to Delaware three times a week, she rallied local and federal politicians in a bi-partisan effort to allow these veterans to have this treatment and emergency care covered by the VA locally. Through media attention (she was a regular broadcaster on the local AM radio stations), political activism and a trip to Washington to outline her concerns, her voice was heard.

General Eric Shinseki, a retired 4 star General, currently serving as the 7th US Secretary of Veteran Affairs, invited her to present her concerns. More importantly, he aided her action.

“We can do better as a nation,” she frankly stated. Governor Christie met with her so she could present her platform of redirecting federal dollars to the state level so that veterans can be treated at local facilities. “Those who served our nation should have timely, first-rate health care, regardless of location” she demanded.

April was in the forefront of the successful effort to secure over 10,000 signatures on a petition drive advocating the local veteran healthcare initiative. These petitions were ceremoniously given to Congressman Frank LoBiondo, who personally delivered them to the VA in Washington, D.C. “We fight for other nation’s rights. We need to be mindful of our own veteran’s rights.” And fight she did.

A formidable debater, her passionate patriotism and love for her nation were evident in the strength of her advocacy. “Intelligent Americans realize,” she professed, “that we have the best 40

Mr. Michael J. Steflovich MSgt Roy B. Stevens, Jr., USAF (RET) CPO Richard C. Stubbs, USN (RET) CPO Howard F. Sutton, USN (RET) MSgt Robert C. Thompson, USAF (RET) SMSgt Henry W. Tiller, Jr., USAF (RET) LT Jack E. Timmons, USN (RET) CAPT Harold C. Todd, USN (RET) 2ndLt Donald Trower, USAF (VET) MSgt Arden J. Tucker, USAF (RET) MSG Charles R. Turner, Sr., USA (RET) CDR Carl W. Utterback, USN (RET) Maj James A. Webb, Jr., USAF (RET) Mrs. Marie L. Williams Mrs. Alma Wise Maj Murry Witherby, USAF (RET) MSG Charles D. Woodruff, USNG (RET) SMSgt Lyman F. Worthington, USAF (RET) Col James F. Wright, USAF (RET) CPO Wade C. Young, USN (RET)

In Lieu of Flowers: NAUS wishes to thank those who have asked that “In lieu of flowers” a donation be made to the National Association for Uniformed Services®. is is a thoughtful and lasting salute to the memory of those dedicated veterans of the uniformed services. ank you for thinking of those who will follow. Donations should be sent to: NAUS, 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151

fighting force in the world and we have to be mindful to treat them right not only when they are engaged in a theatre of war but when they come home, too.” She did just that. She was a ‘boots on the ground’ civilian warrior that took to heart President Bush’s directive, following the 9-11 attacks, to “buy a map, buy a flag…support your military.”

She sat on the Board of the Southern Chapter of the American Red Cross and was involved with fundraising for the Wounded Warrior Project. She also coordinated an annual wounded warriors event with the National Corvette Museum. On Christmas and Thanksgiving she participated in “Operation Fireside” by inviting a group of Coast Guard sailors to her home for a home cooked holiday meal (she was a chef, too!). Our military should be “treated like rock stars!” she often exclaimed.

The striking blond led the walk to a Somers Point city council board meeting to protest the gross neglect and mismanagement of the city’s Gates Apartment Complex, a supposed haven for veterans. When a wounded war veteran arrived with his family of 7 to Egg Harbor Township, she helped rally an entire county , from boy scouts to decorated military officers, to provide assistance.

April’s crusade wasn't confined to the older veterans. She was also a committee member for the Department of Defense, mostly volunteer organization, EMPLOYER SUPPORT OF THE GUARD AND RESERVE (ESGR). She assisted their mission in creating a culture where all American employers value and support the military service of their employees.

At a recent recognition ceremony and dinner reception, April Kauffman received the 2012 New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Award for the Volunteer Leadership Category. She was nominated by Linda Matz, the wife of Bill Matz Jr., former President of NAUS. April’s advocacy stood out amongst the 1100 nominations that were considered.

Keynote speaker, Lieutenant Governor/Secretary of State Kim Guadagno, addressed the event’s 20 honorees on the value of volunteerism by explaining, “You have earned one night of respite.” She reminded them that “one person does and will make a difference.” Guadagno summarized, “volunteers don’t get paid because their work is priceless!”

April Kauffman was tireless and tenacious. She continued to fight the good fight. By her own admission, “If you don’t have courage, you don’t have change.”

She will be missed!

Uniformed Services Journal July/August 2012