May/June 2014
ALSO INSIDE: LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Testimony Review ACTIVE DUTY DOWNLOAD: Lower Pay Raises for the Next Few Years?
Journal Uniformed Services
The Service Member’s Voice in Government
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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 NAUS Mailbox
3 President’s Message: 4 Legislative Update
Time To Sound Off
May/June 2014 • Vol. 38 No. 3
20 Active Duty Download 25 NAUS Exhibits at the
Marine Corps Half Marathon
26 NAUS Book Review:
28 NAUS USDR Chapter #1981 29 Health Today:
Terrible Terry: Just A Marine
UPD LEGISLATIVE aises Lower Pay R DOWNLOAD: for the Next Few Years? ACTIVE DUTY
30 NAUS in the Field 35 Merchant Marine Poison Ivy
Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) stands with Legislative Director Rick Jones (r) at a recent Capitol Hill event. e Virginia Republican has introduced a bill in Congress that would prohibit funding reductions for the defense commissary system. "Our national defense and the men and women who volunteer to serve are not the cause of our current fiscal crisis. Proposals that ask them to carry the weight of solving it are unacceptable," Forbes said.
May/June 2014
15 NAUS Briefs: Healthcare News 17 NAUS Briefs: Veterans News
4 ALSO INSIDE:ATE: Testimony Review
12 Key Bills In Congress
Journa
l
es ed Servic Uniform
The Service
Member’s Voice
in Governme
Y BENEF MILITAR ETED TARG
nt
ITS
36 SMW News
39 Seniors’ Corner 40 Contributors 41 Taps
42 NAUS visits Senate Staffers:
Campaign to Save Social Security
43 NAUS PAC
44 NAUS 46th Annual Meeting
FRONT COVER: The assault on earned benefits continues, with proposals that take shots at retirement, TRICARE, pay and other allowances.
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.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
RADM Donald P. Loren, USN (Ret), Co-Chair MCPO David Rudd, USN (Ret), Co-Chair Col Michael F. Harris, USAF (Ret), 1st Vice Chair Treasurer & Chair – Finance Committee Karl P. Karl, USMC (Vet), 2nd Vice Chair - NAUS Secretary LtCol Nanci L. Visser, USMCR (Ret), 3rd Vice Chair Chair-Bylaws & Governance LTC Joe Sheehan, USA (Ret), EXCOM Member Chair-Legislative Affairs Col Thomas Warren Parker, USMC (Ret), EXCOM MemberChair-Membership & Development
DIRECTORS LCDR Francis Bertulfo, USPHS CSM Donna A. Brock, USA Mrs. Etta Brown - President, SMW COL Dan Dennison, USA (Ret) Col James F. Diehl, USAF (Ret) MCPO Paul Dillon, USN (Ret) LCDR Sarah L. Dunsford, NOAA MajGen Timothy F. Ghormley, USMC (Ret) CMDCM (SS) Riccardo Giberti, USN MCPO James E. Greer, USN (Ret) Sgt Brian J. Griffin, USAF (Ret) BGen John A. Hurley, USAFR (Ret) CMDCM (SS) Glen Kline, USN MajGen James Livingston, USMC (Ret) CAPT Robert C. Lloyd, Jr., USPHS LCDR Nicole M. Manning, NOAA CCMSgt Christopher E. Muncy, USAF (Ret) Andy Plonski, USMC (Veteran) SgtMaj Frank E. Pulley, USMC (Ret) CSM Brett Rankert, USA (Ret)
BOARD ADVISORS MajGen William P. Bowden, USAF (Ret) SGM Russell Cain, USA (Ret) - Historian, USDR Chapter LTG Carmen J. Cavezza, USA (Ret) MSG Howard J. Day, III, USA CSM Donald Devaney, USA (Ret) CAPT Thomas L. Doss, USPHS Col David A. Ellis, USAF (Ret) COL Otto Grummt, USA (Ret) - Co-Chair – Membership & Development Committee COL Janet Fraser Hale, PhD, USAR (Ret) Morris Harvey, USNG (Vet) - President, AMMV BG George Landis, USA (Ret) LT Wendy Lewis, NOAA MCPO Mark Lilly, USN (Ret) SgtMajMarCorps Alford L. McMichael, USMC (Ret) RADM Robert Merrilees, USCGR (Ret) SGM Anthony Nathe, USA (Ret) - President, USDR COL Charles Partridge, USA (Ret) CSM Sylvester L. Smith, USA (Ret) SMA Jack L. Tilley, USA (Ret) CWO-4 Gerald Walters, USA (Ret)
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS CSM Ron Buatte, USA (Ret) – Region 1 - Northwest Col Al Stewart, USAF (Ret) – Region 2 - West MSgt Thomas Paolillo, USAF (Ret) – Region 3 - Central SMSgt Chuck Murphy, USAF (Ret) – Region 4 - Southwest LtCol Dick I. Brubaker, USAF (Ret) – Region 5 - North Central LTC Dennis Freytes, USA (Ret) – Region 6 - Southeast MCPO Paul Dillon, USN (Ret) – Region 7 - Northeast Col David A. Ellis, USAF (Ret) – Region 8 - Mid-Atlantic
Thank you for helping vets. I really appreciate everything you do for us. W. Brehm
MAILBOX
The NAUS Weekly Update is simply outstanding. It is always interesting and it is "must reading" for me every week. As a long time Life Member of both MOAA and NAUS, I'm in a position to evaluate both weekly updates. The NAUS update is the one I look forward to reading -- and I always learn something of value. Thank you. F. Schrader Col, USA (Ret) Alexandria, VA Thanks NAUS for all your efforts in getting the latest COLA problem rectified in Congress. I hope it tells our Congressional reps that our military personnel (active & retired) are watching and are concerned how they vote! R. Urie CMSgt, USAF (Ret) Lexington, KY We need congressmen like him...so the military doesn't keep getting screwed over. S. Durrani Comment on NAUS Facebook page post about Dakota Meyer, MOH recipient, considering running for Congress
Editor’s Note:
The NAUS Staff is proud to bring you this edition of your 2014 May/June Uniformed Services Journal. In this issue we discuss items being “targeted” as possible changes to many of YOUR hard earned benefits by Congress. In the following pages you will see the NAUS staff is fighting the hard fight. Our Legislative Director Rick Jones recently testified before the House Armed Services Military Subcommittee (page 4) and Mr. Jones and NAUS President Jack Klimp met with MCRMC (see President’s Message) to discuss these issues and make sure YOU, our member’s, voice is heard! But as always we need YOUR help. Please contact your representatives, on both the local and national levels, and make sure to support NAUS! Our Annual Meeting is coming up and this year we are doing things a little different. This years Annual meeting week will be in El Paso, TX, September 24-26. Look inside for more information and in the next issue you will find the nominees for the next NAUS Board of Directors, we will need your vote! Keep those letters, emails and calls coming to NAUS. Send your feedback and opinions to NAUS at: NAUS Mailbox, 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151 or to tcampbell@naus.org.* – Tommy Campbell, Managing Editor, USJ *(Include your hometown and daytime phone number. Due to space restrictions, not every entry can be published and those that are may be edited to fit.)
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Your March-April edition of the Journal is . . . EXCELLENT! I am writing with a question about the Spring name and address labels. Why is there a comma following CAPT? J. Allis CAPT, USPHS (Ret) Cheyenne, WY
NAUS Note: Since the rank and Service is printed on the labels on a line below the member’s name, a comma is appropriate to separate the rank from the Service per Robert Hickey’s Honor & Respect: The Official Guide to Names, Titles and Forms of Address. There would of course be no punctuation between rank and your name if rank, name, and Service were printed on the same line.
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 Marketing Director – LCDR Steve Hein, USCG (Ret), CME Managing Editor, USJ – Tommy Campbell
Director of Development – Mrs. Maggie Nayyar
Director of Mail Operations – Mrs. Nadine Vranizan Membership Manager – Mrs. Toni Cimini
Accounting Associate – Mrs. Marina Pflieger H Registered Federal Lobbyists
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
President’s Message From e Desk Of:
L
LtGen Jack Klimp, USMC (Ret)
TIME TO SOUND OFF
changes? itary pay and retirement system What do YOU think about mil met with senior staff members egislative Director Rick Jones and I met with ent Modernization Commission from the Military Compensation and Retirem er the National Defense Authorization ...pleased to hear (MCRMC) in April. As established und ew the revi to s gres Con by d date man is sion commission members Act for Fiscal Year 2013, the Commis ns atio end mm reco e mak and s gram talk about how military compensation and retirement pro 5. 201 of ing Spr the in s gres Con and important they for their modernization to the President C information, RM MC d vide pro US NA n, atio vers con believe it is to ensure In this off-the-record pay and y itar mil of ion” izat dern “mo ut abo s our uniformed insights, and members’ concern nces in erie exp My em. syst ent rem reti r yea 20service members benefit programs, including the ons less that ed not I as t van rele larly remain adequately Marine Corps recruiting were particu uld not be repeated. sho rm refo ical rad and , ned lear be uld compensated for from the past sho important they how ut abo talk staff ior sen r hea to sed Rick and I were plea their volunteer adequately ain rem s ber mem ice serv ed form uni believe it is to ensure our Service... and that they intend to ensure that ice, serv r ntee volu r thei for d sate pen com uiting and retention are carefully impacts of any potential changes on recr have yet talk, but of course no specific proposals considered. So they are at least talking the to be put forward. service they still want to receive comments from Commission members also reminded us in this important ortunity for you to have your voice heard members and retirees. is is a great opp Retirement ments to the Military Compensation and com r you mit sub to how e’s Her on. ussi disc Modernization Commission: hp/public-comments Online at: http://www.mcrmc.gov/index.p v By email, send to: response@mcrmc.go
On paper, mail to: ent Modernization Commission e Military Compensation and Retirem Post Office Box 13170 Arlington, Virginia 22209
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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NAUS Brings Voice to Capitol Hill
A
s co-chairman of the National Military and Veterans Alliance, NAUS testified April 9 before the House Armed Services Military Subcommittee on the various proposals of the President’s budget plan for the Defense Department and on our legislative priorities for fiscal year 2015. In testimony we told the Subcommittee that our main concern is the assurance of a generous pay and benefits package for those who serve in uniform to defend this Nation and its citizens. And we cited our top priority as an end to sequestration with a continuing commitment to the men and women, past and present, in the uniformed services. NAUS also spoke on a number of the following issues.
Defense Spending is Not the Driver of Deficit Spending Year aer year, the glide path for defense spending has been downward as a proportion of overall federal government spending. Under sequestration, the constant and disproportional squeeze on defense spending seriously challenges our ability to meet national security needs and to carry through on promises made to the brave men and women who serve. For those who serve and have served, we owe our respect and commitment. It is an obligation the nation has made to those who currently serve and those whose military careers are now done.
Defense Reductions and Sequestration e national security environment we face today is as perilous as any in memory. Over the past several years, our defense budget has been struck time aer time with reductions. e Budget Control Act started a $487 billion loss in the defense budget and now we are at even greater risk threatened by a sequestration edict cutting another $500 billion over the next decade. We were told sequestration would never happen. But here we are in year two facing the blunt and irresponsible approach to taming our annual deficits and reining in the enormous debt we and future generations face. Under sequestration, defense, which accounts for less than 15 percent of the budget, is forced to take 50 percent of sequester cuts. It is disproportional by any measure of understanding and incredibly detrimental to our national security.
Administration Budget Plan In testimony, we told the military personnel panel that we cannot support the Pentagon plan for compensation changes, the foundation of which is steep reductions in force structure, pay, housing, commissary and health care benefits. Under the current sequestration environment, the plan also places unwarranted and disproportional cuts on national security without any meaningful reform to general government entitlement spending, the true source of the growing and threatening national debt. While progress must be made against the deficit and national debt, we call on Congress to end sequestration of our military. Something must be done to change this irresponsible and dangerous course that suggests we can gut our defense and still defend our nation and our interests. 4
As cochairman of the National Military and Veterans Alliance, NAUS Legislative Director Rick Jones delivers testimony before the congressional members of the House Subcommittee on Military Personnel regarding the President’s recommendations for the fiscal 2015 Defense budget. Chairman Joe Wilson (R-SC) told Jones, “The Subcommittee remains committed to ensuring that the men and women of our Armed Forces, military families and the retirees who have served before them receive the benefits and entitlements they deserve.”
Individuals Join and Remain for a Wide Variety of Reasons In testimony we reminded the panel that one of the many lessons we learned during the more than 20 years of rebuilding Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
aer the war in Vietnam was that individuals join and remain for a wide variety of reasons. e current, carefully balanced package of incentives and earned benefits address those many recruiting and retention needs. Included are: Health Care, Retirement, Commissaries & Exchanges, GI Bill, Pay, Social Security, Medicare, COLA, Tuition Assistance and Special pays and allowances. Virtually all of these benefits, NAUS said, are now targets of the Pentagon plan for cuts, reductions or elimination.
defense spending would fall to a mere 2.3 percent of our GDP. If our nation should choose wrongly on how to approach the Federal debt, we will endanger our national security and put our citizens at risk. Lessons from the past should be understood. ere is a clear danger of unintentionally creating a “Hollow Force.”
Uniformed Service Benefit Plans: Health Care
e provision of health care for the retiree and his family is the most important non-cash benefit provided in exchange for a career in It must be recognized that the defense uniformed service. Generations of recruits budget is not the cause of this country’s for military service may have joined for the fiscal woes. In historic terms, our federal pay and experience, but they stay in the service government spends only a small portion on the promises by their own government on defense. e base budget for fiscal 2015 that if they serve a career of 20-years in uniform, they and their dependents would provides $496 billion, a bare 3 percent of receive health care upon retirement. our nation’s total economy, also known as It is inconceivable that the healthcare the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). During the Cold War defense spending benefit earned by career service members would be considered as a means to help meet was 7.5 percent of our national economy as expressed by GDP. And at the height of readiness, training and equipment needs of the Reagan buildup in 1986, defense was America’s national security. If such a plan were enacted, it would demonstrate that 6.3 percent. Even in the peacetime years, the promised earned benefits of a military between 1940 and 2000, national security career are not viewed as a priority. It is imperative that the Administration and Congress do the right thing. To renege on the commitment to provide adequate funding for benefits earned through a career in armed service would send the wrong signal to those who serve and have served in America’s Armed Forces, especially in a time of war. Approving such a message would Doug McBroom, TRICARE Policy and Benefits, addresses concerns of military and veterans represenlikely not be tatives regarding major changes underway at the newly organized Defense Health Agency (DHA). well received Legislative Director Rick Jones attended the Coalition and Alliance executive directors meeting by the military recently held at the new DHA management facility in Falls Church, Virginia. community. spending averaged 5.7 percent of the nation’s Uniformed Service Benefit Plans: total economy. Commissaries If we go forward with the President’s Under the Pentagon budget plan tworecommendations for defense, by 2024, thirds of the support for the commissary
Defense Spending as Federal Government Priority
system would be phased out over the next three years. Last year, the Department spent $1.4 billion on the commissary system to pay overhead and employee wage expenses. e Pentagon plan is to cut its support by $1 billion over a three year period. e commissary strangulation plan would result in higher prices for family food costs making commissaries less attractive to the military community. Over time the revenue loss would cause certain commissaries to close, impacting not only customers but also young military families who in many cases are employees who badly need the extra income to get by. In testimony, we asked Congress to reject any proposal that would end the appropriation for the commissary and exchange system.
Reform the Survivor Benefit Plan and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Offset e April 9 testimony also strongly supports action that would end the dollarfor-dollar offset that is applied to the military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) due to receipt of veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). SBP and DIC payments are paid for different reasons. SBP is provided through the Department of Defense to active-duty and retirement-eligible individuals with a spouse or children. In the case of a retiree, it is coverage elected and purchased by the retiree to provide a portion of retired pay to the survivor. DIC payments are provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs as a special compensation to a survivor when the service member’s death comes as a result of or due to injuries received during military service. Under current law, there is a dollar-fordollar reduction in the payment of the SBP annuity for each dollar of DIC compensation. Survivors, upon eligibility for DIC, lose a majority -- or all too oen -- the entire amount of their monthly SBP annuity. For survivors with a rank below E-6, this effectively negates most, if not all, of the SBP payment. Fixing the Survivor Benefit Plan to restore its full coverage, as the servicemember intended, is our goal.
Concurrent Receipt of Military Retired Pay and Veterans Disability Compensation A grateful nation must keep faith with
– Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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newest plan would shi costs of earned New legislation, named ADAPT, would take the next benefits onto the backs of those who earned step. It has bipartisan support, the benefit. Its aim is to consolidate TRICARE Prime, Standard and Extra but, like any legislation whether in DoD or Veterans’ into one system with higher fees. It would introduce fees for retirees Affairs, the measure requires who use military treatment facilities, add heavy liing to enact. e enrollment fees for future TRICARE for Life Antibiotic Development to Advance Patient Treatment beneficiaries and increase prescription drug co-pays for nearly everyone who uses TRICARE’s (ADAPT) Act, HR 3742, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks to veterans at meeting held in the House advances drug development retail or mail order pharmacy benefits. Veterans’ Affairs Committee main room. The Connecticut Democrat is the author of in order to combat the It is, once again, an example of how DoD the NAUS endorsed the Generating Antibiotics Incentives Now (GAIN) Act, legislation growing public health threat continually looks to cut programs and to support research for new antibiotics that would treat the new “super bugs” that of “super bugs,” which the benefits that have been promised and earned threaten the recover of our wounded warriors in hospitals and on the battlefield. by those retired military members who Center for Disease Control New legislation, named ADAPT, would take the next step. have keep their end of the “moral contract” (CDC) warned of earlier our nation holds for their career service. this year. its military retirees. If a retiree has the Frankly, NAUS is tired of seeing these Please take time to urge your Repremisfortune of becoming disabled as a result sentative to cosponsor ADAPT. Congressional programs taken as the “low-hanging fruit” of service, VA disability compensation is that DoD continually goes to since 2005 support would help move this legislation available. To receive this compensation, for program cuts. We oppose the plan. to enactment. Passage will save the lives however, the disabled retiree must waive, of service men and women, who currently dollar-for-dollar, an equal amount of Let’s Take a Quick Look at the will die without treatment. retied pay. No other federal employee is TRICARE Proposal treated similarly, only the military. Under the plan to consolidate Standard, Congress has advanced concurrent receipt Defense Budget Would Prime and Extra, the Pentagon plan also would to include benefits to most military retirees Balance Budget on Backs establish a new cost share system. Cost shares with combat related disabilities and to would be lowest at MTFs, with a higher share personnel with service-connected VA of Service Members in a network system, and the highest for disability ratings of 50 percent or higher. e Pentagon’s fiscal 2015 budget plan delivery of health care out of non-network. Tens of thousands of disabled retirees would cap basic pay below the rate of inflation DoD says this type of approach would with disabilities rating below 50 percent at 1 percent, which is exactly the await their inclusion. Full and complete same as service members received concurrent receipt for all disabled retirees in fiscal 2014 when the President is the right thing to do. called for an annual across-theADAPT Act Can Save Lives board pay rate of 1 percent As you know, NAUS and its partners in even though inflation called the National Military and Veterans Alliance for an increase of 1.8 percent. e proposal would also were very supportive of the GAIN Act a year or two ago, and we won that battle to seek to balance the budget on the backs of our service members support research for new antibiotics that with reduction in support for would treat the new “super bugs” that are the fiscal 2015 basic housing killing our soldiers, sailors and Marines. e Generating Antibiotics Incentives allowance. e BAH plan begins a phased reduction in the growth Now (GAIN) Act gave innovative new NAUS Legislative Director Rick Jones stands with Rep. Phil Roe at the AMVETS Silver companies the incentive to find drug therapies of the housing allowance that Helmet Award ceremony held on Capitol Hill. The Tennessee Republican is a physician to combat the rising numbers of antibiotic- would result in servicemembers and serves on the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health to ensure veterans paying 5 percent out-of-pocket receive the quality care they deserve. resistant bugs that threaten Americans in for housing. hospitals, on the battlefield, in their homes, and in our schools. push (“incentivize”) beneficiaries to obtain Unfortunately, there are still regulatory Pentagon TRICARE Plan Sticks health care at the lowest cost venue, barriers to getting promising new antibiotics thereby saving money. Retirees with Higher Fees approved. e clinical trials necessary to To “save” more money, DoD proposes e President’s fiscal year 2015 budget that all retirees under age 65 pay an annual get a drug approved can be difficult and recommendation for the Defense Department “participation fee” or forfeit coverage for expensive, but sometimes only a limited TRICARE program recommends beneficiaries the plan they earned in career service. subset of the population really needs the take up more than $9 billion in costs of drug. Studying drugs for the limited popIf enacted by Congress, the “participation the program over the next ten years. ulation that needs them most would make fee” would be set at $286 for an individual e main piece of the Pentagon’s clinical testing more feasible and affordable. and $572 for a family. is is the present 6
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
beneficiaries at MTFs, according to DoD. In addition, the proposal requires that all prescriptions for long-term maintenance medications (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol) must be filled through the MTFs or the TRICARE mail order pharmacy. NAUS is reminded of the more than seven years of calls from Pentagon Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) stands with NAUS Legislative Director Rick Jones prior to receiving leadership for increased the prestigious Silver Helmet Award from AMVETS at a ceremony on Capitol Hill. The TRICARE fees under the Florida Republican is author of the NAUS endorsed bill H.R. 303, called the Retired Pay false mantra that “the costs Restoration Act, legislation to end the ban on concurrent receipt for certain military retirees. of health care have gotten to billion of the current $1.4 billion budget the point where they are taking away from over three years. Under the proposal, the the nations’ ability to defend itself.” ey remaining $400 million in annual taxpayer would say TRICARE is unsustainable and subsidies would fund overseas commissaries its costs are “eating us alive.” Pentagon Leadership Also and those in remote locations. NAUS discovered, however, that these Has a Plan to Shift Higher While Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel claims were false. Any budget shortfalls emphasized in testimony that no stores Pharmaceutical Costs were unrelated to the costs of TRICARE. In would be directed to close, it is clear that to Beneficiaries. fact, NAUS found that during this period of beneficiaries would face higher prices as e pharmacy plan would increase misdirection, Pentagon leadership raided commissaries savings would be squeezed co-pays for pharmaceuticals (excludes billions of dollars from the TRICARE account and items could no longer be sold at cost. active duty service members). to pay for cost overruns in other programs. To counter the Pentagon attack on While a TRICARE pharmacy pilot Billions of dollars were stripped from the commissaries, Congressman J. Randy Forbes program was initiated to use mail order Defense Health Program and, as stated (VA-04) introduced the Military Commissary to refill maintenance medications for by Pentagon Comptroller Sustainment Act (H.R. 4217) to prohibit Robert Hale, “used for higher funding reductions for the defense commissary priority items.” system in FY 2015, pending a report of the NAUS strongly suggests Military Compensation and Retirement the Comptroller and DoD Modernization Commission. leadership turn its focus on “e President’s budget request proposes reducing wasteful spending to eliminate support for our defense commissaries, within numerous other accounts. one of the military family’s most valued For example, the military benefits. Such a cut would raise prices and reportedly spent $567 million reduce the savings to our military families,” on 21 of the C-27J Spartan Congressman Forbes said. aircra. A majority of these e bill is identical to one introduced in NAUS Legislative Director Rick Jones took a moment to speak with Rep. John Kline brand new cargo planes are the Senate by another Virginia lawmaker — and AMVETS Commander John Mitchell regarding TRICARE benefits. AMVETS and being sent directly to the Democrat Sen. Mark Warner — and Sen. Mitchell oppose TRICARE fee increases, and Kline is the author of legislation, called “boneyard” in the Arizona Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. Both House and the Keep Faith with TRICARE Prime Act, that overturned previous law to provide military desert, because the Air Force Senate proposals have been referred to their beneficiaries the opportunity to continue enrollment in TRICARE Prime or move to has no use for them—built respective Armed Services committees. TRICARE Standard, depending upon which plan best fits their needs. and delivered directly to desert “storage.” TRICARE-for-Life (TFL) beneficiaries, the (For more see charts on pages 11-13.) Enlisted Voice on Department wants to enact similar adjustCommissaries Heard ments in the remainder of the pharmacy Legislation Introduced Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps program “to incentivize” more beneficiaries Micheal Barrett, the Marine Corps’ senior to Protect to use mail order and generic drugs. enlisted adviser, obviously agrees with e proposed pharmacy changes in Military Commissaries Forbes, Warner and Chambliss. the fiscal 2015 budget would phase-in e President’s fiscal 2015 budget During a recent hearing Barrett told over a 10-year period, and prescriptions includes a proposal to reduce funding for lawmakers that focusing on the commissary would continue to be filled at no cost to commissaries by two-thirds — cutting $1 benefit as a potential source of defense charge for participation in TRICARE Prime, which makes the entire plan look like TRICARE Standard with a steep premium. And, by the way, the new enrollment fee would no longer count toward the catastrophic cap, which also would increase under the Pentagon plan. In addition to consolidating TRICARE Standard, Prime and Extra, the Pentagon plan would implement, for the first time, an enrollment fee for new TRICARE for Life beneficiaries. Currently there is no fee charged for TFL other than the requirement that beneficiaries enroll in Medicare Part B for wrap-around coverage. e proposal for an annual fee would grandfather existing TFL participants prior to enactment and phase in the new fee over a 4-year period, based on a percentage of the beneficiary’s military gross retired pay.
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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budget savings is a mistake. “I personally think it’s ridiculous that we’re going aer something that saves a young lance corporal $4,500 a year,” said Barrett, who testified alongside the senior enlisted advisers of the other services. When asked whether he supported full commissary privileges for retired officers. e senior enlisted adviser said, “You’ve served your nation honorably. You’ve worn the cloth. You’re part of the 0.4 percent [of Americans] willing to put it on the line. Hell yeah.”
Beneficiaries may call the TRICARE pharmacy contractor, Express Scripts, at 1-877-882-3335 or visit the Express Scripts website to switch to Home Delivery or with questions about their medications. Under the TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery program, beneficiaries would receive a 90-day supply of their medication with no copays for generic drugs and $13 for brand-name drugs. According to DHA officials, switching from a retail pharmacy to Home Delivery can save beneficiaries as much as $152 every year for each prescription.
NAUS is firmly committed to assure, as stated by Congress and the President, that “keeping our promises about grandfathering any changes to military retirement will remain a central principle in the process.”
NAUS Raises Military Retirement Issue to MCRMC
Among the issues NAUS raised with MCRMC was our concern about a rising chorus of calls for major changes in the military retirement system. ese proposals suggest an end to the Pentagon’s 20-year TRICARE for Life Pharmacy retirement system and the establishment MCRMC Staff Visit Pilot Program Underway of a corporate-style benefit program that NAUS recently received an invitation Many TRICARE for Life beneficiaries have provides matching contributions rather than to meet with senior staff members from already started the mandatory pilot program the Military Compensation and Retirement payment of a future monthly retirement. for delivery of certain pharmaceuticals. In recent congressional testimony, Dr. Modernization Commission (MCRMC) to As readers know, the plan started March Jo Ann Rooney, at the time the principle discuss issues about how members of the 15 and was devised last year as a compromise deputy secretary of defense for personnel and Uniformed Services are compensated for to avert enactment of the President’s request readiness, rebutted critics for steeply higher when she told members TRICARE fees, copays of Congress that the curand deductibles. rent system is “neither In sum, the pilot unaffordable nor spiraling program requires out of control.” beneficiaries who To critics, Dr. use TRICARE for Rooney said the system Life to get certain appears expensive, but medications through it is neither unaffordHome Delivery or at able nor out of control a military pharmacy. as has been suggested. e program applies “It generally takes 15 to refills of mainteto 20 years to generate nance medications the next generation of taken regularly for infantry battalion comchronic conditions. manders and submarine TRICARE will captains,” Rooney said. stop paying for these “is need for greater medications from a longevity and continuity retail pharmacy. suggests there are valid e program applies Rep. David Loebsack (D-IA) stands with Deputy Legislative Director Mike Plumer (l) at a recent Capitol Hill event. Rep. Loebsack reasons why mirroring a to brand name drugs is a member of the House Committee on Armed Services. private sector compensaand does not apply tion package might not be a proper aptheir service. to generic drugs. As established under the National Defense proach for the military.” e pilot program will last for five years. Prior experience with radical reform Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, the However, beneficiaries may choose to opt out of the retirement system is not an unknown. Military Compensation and Retirement aer filling an affected prescription under Modernization Commission is mandated by In 1986, the Military Retirement Reform the pilot program through Home Delivery Congress to review the military compensation Act (known as the REDUX system) was for one year. enacted. Mid-level leadership le in and retirement programs and make recomBeneficiaries will be allowed two “courtesy droves. Ultimately, Congress repealed the mendations for their modernization to the fills” available through a retail pharmacy. President and Congress in the Spring of 2015. program, 12-years aer its enactment to And be aware: Unless the home delivery restore retention and readiness. NAUS took the opportunity with program is begun prior to a “third” retail NAUS encouraged the MCRMC to MCRMC staff to provide information pharmacy, TFL will not pay for the “third.” take care not to greatly upset the proven and concerns about modernization of Beneficiaries would be responsible for the military retirement system. military pay and benefit programs. entire cost of that medication. 8
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
FY15 President’s Budget – TRICARE Proposals/Beneficiary Out-of-Pocket Costs
Cost Sharing by Beneficiary Tier Tier 1 is comprised of the following beneficiaries just as it is today (who would also continue to have priority MTF access as they do now):
% %
Service members on active duty (greater than 30 days) Reserve Component (RC) members for the treatment of a line of duty (LOD) condition
Tier 2 Beneficiaries No participation fee
Tier 3 Participants Pay participation fee
eligible active duty family members retirees (medically retired) and their eligible family members (new)
retirees (not medically retired) and their eligible family members
members of the US Family Health Plan (USFHP) with an active duty or Tier 2 sponsor
members of USFHP with a Tier 3 sponsor !
survivors of service members who died on active duty (improved)
survivors of retirees
individuals covered under the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) Note. Tier 3 participants eligible for premium -free Medicare Part A would be required to pay Part B premiums to Medicare as they do now, in addition to the TRICARE participation fee.
Annual TRICARE Participation Fee Rates (Calendar Year 2016) TRICARE Participation Fee (inflated annually by cost of living ad djustment (COLA) percentage) T ie r 1
$0
T ie r 2
$0
Tier 3, non-Medicare eligible
$286 individual/ $572 family
Tier 3, Medicare eligible
1% of gross retired pay/individual, max $300 ($400 for sponsor O7 or above)
Note. Individuals (other than ADFMs) eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A would be required to pay Part B premiums to Medicare as they do now.
Annual Deductible and Catastrophic Cap (Calendar Year 2016) General Deductible (out-of-network care) T ie r 1
$0
Tier 2, E1 E4 sponsor
$150 individual/$300 family
all other Tier 2 and Tier 3
$300 individual/$600 family Catastrophic Cap (per fiscal year)
T ie r 1
$0
Tier 2 family
$1,500 network/$2,500 combined
Tier 3 family
$3,000 network/$5,000 combined
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
9
FY15 President’s Budget – TRICARE Proposals/Beneficiary Out-of-Pocket Costs
Outpatient Cost Sharing (Calendar Year 2016) TRICARE Network and Military Treatment Facility Services
T ie r 2 with sponsor E 4 & b e lo w / E5 & above
T ie r 3
$0
$0
Clinical preventive a s e r v ic e s
O u t-o f-N e tw o rk T ie r 2
T ie r 3
$0
$0
20%
b
25%
b
$20 MTF visit or network BH group visit $30 n e t w o r k v is it
20%
b
25%
b
$0/0 MTF visit $25/40 network visit
$30 $50
MTF visit network visit
20%
Emergency department
$0/0 MTF visit $30/50 network visit
$50 $75
MTF visit network visit
20%
Ambulance
$0/0 MTF trip, $10/15 network trip
$20
per trip, MTF or network
20%
DME, prosthetics, orthotics, & supplies
10%
20% of MTF cost or network negotiated fee
20%
b
25%
b
Ambulatory surgery
$0/0 MTF $25/50 network
$50 $100
20%
b
25%
b
P r im a r y c a r e v is it
$0/0 MTF visit $10/15 network visit
$10 $20
Specialty care visit (including behavioral health, PT, OT, speech)
$0/0 MTF visit or network BH group visit $20/25 network visit
Urgent care facility
of negotiated network fee
MTF visit n e t w o r k v is it
MTF network
25% b
25%
b
25%
a. No cost for clinical preventive services as selected by the Affordable Care Act b. Percentage of TRICARE maximum allowable charge after deductible is met Note: MTF – military treatment facility; BH – behavioral health, PT – physical therapy; OT – occupational therapy; DME – durable medical equipment
Inpatient Cost Sharing (Calendar Year 2016) TRICARE Network and Military Treatment Facility Services
T ie r 2 with sponsor E 4 & b e lo w / E5 & above
T ie r 3
Hospitalization
$17.35 MTF per day $50/80 network per admission
$17.35 $200
MTF per day network per admission
Inpatient skilled nursing/ rehabilitation b
$17/25 network per day
$25
day
Out-of-Network T ie r 2 with sponsor E 4 & b e lo w / E5 & above 20%
a
$25/35 day
T ie r 3
25%
a
$250 per day or a 20% of billed charges for institutional services, whichever is less, plus 20% for separately billed services
a. Percentage of TRICARE maximum allowable charge after deductible is met b. Inpatient skilled nursing / rehabilitation is generally not offered in MTFs for anyone other than service members
10
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
FY15 President’s Budget – TRICARE Proposals/Beneficiary Out-of-Pocket Costs
Costt-Sharing Shar Impact on Beneficiary Families (Calendar Year 2016) Current T R IC A R E T r ip le O p t io n
Consolidated TRICARE Health Plan
Annually
Annually
Monthly
Monthly
a
Tier 2 Family (3 ADFMs not including service member)
D oD cost
$ 11,301
Family cost sharing (no fee)
$
T o ta l
$ 11,549
$ 10,952
1 .4 %
3 .3 %
D oD cost
$ 13,435
$ 12,626
Family cost sharing & fee
$ 1,378
T o ta l
$ 14,813
$ 14,152
9 .3 %
10.8%
% borne by family
158
$ 10,588 $
13.17
$
364
$ 30.33
a
Tier 3 Family (3 members, all under age 65)
% borne by family
$ 114.83
$ 1,526
$ 127.17
a. Not Medicare eligible Note. The analysis assumes an average mix of MTF and civilian care within each beneficiary tier, and a weighted average of Prime and Non-Prime users for the current TRICARE triple option.
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
11
KEY BILLS IN CONGRESS 113th Congress
Defense H.R. 32 – (196 Cosponsors), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), 01/03/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Military Personnel. e Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act. Repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan for military surviving spouses to offset the receipt of veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Companion Bill S. 734 – (32 Cosponsors), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), 4/16/13 – Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee. H.R. 42 – (No Cosponsors), Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN), 1/3/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Military Personnel. e Military Health Care Affordability Act. Prohibit certain increases in fees for military health care before fiscal year 2016. H.R. 124 – (33 Cosponsors), Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC), 01/03/13 – Referred to House Committee on Armed Services. Redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. H.R. 833 – (130 Cosponsors), Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), 2/26/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Require that the Purple Heart Medal occupy a position of precedence above the new Distinguished Warfare Medal. Companion Bill: S. 470 – (32 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Tester, (D-MT), 3/6/12 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services. H.R. 975 – (50 Cosponsors), Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN), 3/5/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Extend the duration of the Physical Disability Board of Review and to expand the authority of such Board to review the separation of members of the Armed Forces on the basis of a mental condition not amounting to disability, including separation on the basis of a personality or adjustment disorder. Companion Bill S. 628 – (5 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), 12
roughout the 113th Congress, NAUS will identify and track certain bills that address issues important to our members. 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.
3/20/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services. H.R.1971 – (39 Cosponsors), Rep. John Kline (R-MN), 5/14/13 – Referred to House Committee on Armed Services. Direct the Secretary of Defense to provide certain TRICARE beneficiaries with the opportunity to retain access to TRICARE Prime. Companion Bill S. 1078 – (5 Cosponsors), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), 5/23/13. Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services. H.R. 671 – (39 Cosponsors), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), 2/13/13 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Ruth Moore Act of 2013. Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress an annual report on claims for disabilities incurred or aggravated by military sexual trauma, and for other purposes. Companion Bill: S. 294 – (28 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), 2/13/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. 6/6/13 Senate received House version of bill. H.R.1996 – (5 Cosponsors), Rep. Peter King (R-NY), 5/15/13 – Referred to House Committee on Armed Services. Supply Our Soldiers Act of 2013. 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. S. 735 – (No Cosponsors), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), 4/16/13 – Referred to Senate
H.R. 4217 – (16 Cosponsors), Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA), 3/12/14 – Referred to House Armed Services Committee. Military Commissary Sustainment Act. Prohibit a reduction in funding for the defense commissary system in fiscal year 2015 pending the report of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission.
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2013. Change the remarriage age for reinstatement of benefits to 55 from 57 to conform with other federal programs and other issues. S.871 – (38 Cosponsors), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), 5/7/13 – Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee. Combating Military Sexual Assault Act of 2013. Companion Bill: H.R. 2002 – (31 Cosponsors), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), 5/15/13 – Referred to House Armed Services Committee. S.6 – (25 Cosponsors), Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), 1/22/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veteran’s Affairs. Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2013. Reauthorize the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, to provide assistance to small businesses owned by veterans, to improve enforcement of employment and reemployment rights of members of the uniformed services.
NDAA
H.R. 3304 - (83 Cosponsors), Rep. Deutch, eodore (D-FL),10/22/2013), National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. 12/26/2013 Became Public Law No: 113-66. H.R. 3547 – (3 Cosponsors), Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX), 11/20/2013). Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2014. 01/17/2014 Became Public Law No: 113-76.
Guard & Reserve
S. 240 - (15 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), 2/7/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services. Reserve Retirement Deployment Credit Correction Act. Modify 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. Companion Bill: H.R. 690 - (35 Cosponsors), Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA), 2/14/13 – Referred to House
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
Subcommittee on Military personnel. H.R. 679 – (60 Cosponsors), Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN), 2/13/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Honor America’s Guard-Reserve Retirees Act. Recognize the service in the reserve components of certain persons by honoring them with status as veterans under law. Companion Bill: S. 629 – (25 Cosponsors), Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), 3/20/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
MGIB & Educational Benefits
H.R. 357 – (50 Cosponsors), Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), 1/23/13 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Require courses of education provided by public institutions of higher education that are approved for purposes of the educational assistance programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to charge veterans tuition and fees at the in-State tuition rate. Companion Bill: S. 257 – (5 Cosponsors), Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), 2/7/13. Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Social Security & Medicare
S. 110 – (No Cosponsors), Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), 1/23/13 - Referred to Senate Committee on the Budget. Establish a procedure to safeguard the Social Security Trust Funds. (Social Security Lockbox) H.R.1030 – (20 Cosponsors), Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), 3/7/13, Referred to the House Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce. Consumer Price Index for Elderly (CPI-E) Consumers Act of 2013.
Veterans
H.R. 241 – (24 Cosponsor), Rep Dennis Ross (R-FL), 1/14/13 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish standards of access to care for veterans seeking health care from Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities. H.R. 288 – (16 Cosponsors), Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME), 1/15/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Health. CHAMPVA Children’s Protection Act of 2013. Increase the maximum age for children eligible for medical
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
care under the CHAMPVA program. Companion Bill: S. 325 – (12 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), 2/14/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. H.R. 369 – (No Cosponsors), Rep. Dan Benishek (R-MI), 1/23/13 – Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Establish a presumption of service connection for certain veterans with tinnitus or hearing loss. H.R. 1726 – (298 Cosponsors), Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL), 4/25/13 - Referred to House Committees on Financial Services and House administration. Award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers. Companion Bill S.1174 (44 Cosponsors, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), 6/18/23 - Referred to Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. H.R.1770 – (10 Cosponsors), Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), 4/26/13 – Referred to House Military Personnel Subcommittee. Eliminate the different treatment under the Survivor Benefit Plan accorded members of the reserve components who die from an injury or illness incurred or aggravated in the line of duty during inactive-duty training compared to members of the Armed Forces who die in the line of duty while on active duty. H.R.1936 – (2 Cosponsor), Rep. Janice Hahn (D-CA), 5/9/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Disability, Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2013. H.R.1987 – (2 Cosponsors), Rep. Kirsten Sinema (D-AZ), 5/15/13 – Referred to House subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Veterans’ Dignity and Honor Act. Increase the amount of benefits payable for the burial and funeral expenses of certain veterans. H.R. 4095 – (1 Cosponsor), Rep Jon Runyan (R-NJ), 2/26/14 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2014. To increase, effective as of December 1, 2014, 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. S.131 – (4 Cosponsors), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), 1/24/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act of 2013. Companion Bill: H.R. 958 – (53 Cosponsors), Rep Rick Larsen (D-WA), 3/5/13 Referred to House
H.R. 4096 – (1 Cosponsor), Rep. Jon Runyan (R-NJ), 2/26/14 – Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. American Heroes COLA Act of 2014 - Requires that, whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts payable under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall increase by the same percentage the amounts payable as veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Subcommittee on Military Personnel. S.140 – (3 Cosponsors), Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), 1/24/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Finance. Amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the work opportunity credit to certain recently discharged veterans, to improve the coordination of veteran job training services between the Department of Labor, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense, to require transparency for Executive departments in meeting the Government-wide goals for contracting with small business concerns owned and controlled by servicedisabled veterans.Companion Bill: H.R. 2056 – (73 Cosponsors), Rep. Allyson Schwarz (D-PA), 5/31/13, Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.* S.346 – (18 Cosponsors), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), 2/14/13 - Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services. Permit veterans who have a service-connected, permanent 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 entitled to such travel. Companion Bill: H.R. 164 (219 Cosponsors), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), 1/4/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Readiness. S. 529 – (3 Cosponsors), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), 3/12/13 – referred to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Modify the commencement date of the period of service at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to August 1, 1953, for eligibility for hospital care and medical services in connection with exposure to contaminated water. 13
KEY BILLS IN CONGRESS 113th Congress
H.R. 543 – (183 Cosponsors), Rep. Christopher Gibson (R-NY), 2/15/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2013. Clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam. S.1039 – (6 Cosponsors), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), 5/23/13 - Referred to Senate 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. S. 1982 – (28 Cosponsors), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), 2/4/13 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. e Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014. S.1993 – (1 Cosponsor), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), 2/4/14 - Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Veterans Care Financial Protection Act of 2014. Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) work with federal agencies, states, and such experts as the Secretary considers appropriate to develop and implement federal and state standards that protect individuals who are eligible for increased pension for a nonservice-connected disability or death or for service on the basis of need for regular aid and attendance from dishonest, predatory, or otherwise unlawful practices; and (2) submit such standards to specified congressional committees not later than 180 days aer the date of the enactment of this Act.
NOAA
S.1068 – (8 Cosponsors), Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), 5/23/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Amendments Act of 2013. To reauthorize and amend the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002.
Pay & Compensation
H.R. 303 – (84 Cosponsors), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), 1/15/13 – Referred to House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel and House Veterans’ Affairs 14
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Retired Pay Restoration Act. 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. 234 – (20 Cosponsors), Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), 2/7/13 – Referred to Senate Armed Forces Committee. H.R. 333 – (114 Cosponsors), Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA), 1/22/13 – Referred to House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act. 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, to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service. H.R. 342 – (36 Cosponsors), Rep. Duncan Hunter (D-CA), 1/22/13 – Referred to House Committees on Way and Means and Appropriations. Guarantee Paychecks for America’s Military Families Act. To prioritize certain Government obligations for continued payment in the event that the statutory debt limit is reached, to appropriate funds for the pay and allowances of all members of the Armed Forces, and for those civilian employees of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard serving in a combat zone. H.R.570 – (39 Cosponsors), Rep. Jon Runyan (R-NJ), 2/6/13 – Referred to House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. American Heroes COLA Act. Provide for annual cost-ofliving 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. 5/21/13 - Passed the House and sent to Senate for action. H.R.1360 – (1 Cosponsor), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), 3/21/13 – Referred to House Committee on Armed Services. Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act. Provide for
forgiveness of certain overpayments of retired pay paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces following their death. S. 171 – (3 Cosponsors), Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO), 1/29/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Appropriations. A bill to appropriate such funds as may be necessary to ensure that members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components thereof, and supporting civilian and contractor personnel continue to receive pay and allowances for active service performed when a Government-wide shutdown occurs.
Flag Amendment
H.J. RES.47 – (27 Cosponsors), Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), 5/22/13 – Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary. Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States giving Congress power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States. Companion Bill: S.J.RES 19 – (23 Cosponsors), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), 6/13/13 – Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Miscellaneous
H.R. 258 – Rep. Joseph Heck (R-NV) – Companion Bill: S. 210 – Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) Amend title 18, US Code, with respect to fraudulent representations about having received military declarations or medals. Signed by the President on 6/3/13 and became Public Law 113-12. H.R.2168 – (No Cosponsors), Rep. Joseph Heck (R-NV), 5/23/13 – Referred to House Committee on House Administration. Helping Heroes Vote Act of 2013. Amend the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to promote the efficient delivery and receipt of absentee ballots and other voting materials to absent uniformed services voters. S.1500 – (14 Cosponsors), Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), 9/23/13 – Referred to Senate Committee on Armed Services. Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act. To declare the November 5, 2009, attack at Fort Hood, Texas, a terrorist attack, and to ensure that the victims of the attack and their families receive the same honors and benefits as those Americans who have been killed or wounded in a combat zone overseas and their families. Companion Bill: H.R. 3111 – (225 Cosponsors), Rep. John Carter (R-TX). Referred to House Committees on Armed Services and Oversight & Government Reform.
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
News Briefs
Healthcare News “Doc Fix” Passes On March 31, aer long debates and an initial vote that did not look good, the Senate voted 64-35 to pass H.R. 4302, which once again postpones the scheduled reduction in Social Security payments to doctors who participate in Medicare. e bill is good through March of 2015. is was the 16th time, since the initialization of the Sustained Growth Rate (SGR), that payment cuts have been suspended. e SGR is a plan that Congress put into place which provides for cuts in Medicare payments which most now agree is a very bad solution to inflation costs. e early vote was more of a protest by some Senators who want a permanent solution rather than another temporary one. NAUS is pleased that a possible mass exodus of doctors that take Medicare and TRICARE patients has once again been averted. We thank our members for taking time to use the NAUS CapWiz alert system to urge their Representative and Senators to fix the “Doc Fix.” Congress now has a full year to find a permanent solution to this problem. e President signed the Bill on April 1.
DoD Proposes Complete Revision of TRICARE Just when you thought things could not get worse, the 2015 Budget rolled out and the DoD portion is a huge slap in the face to those who served and are serving. Once again DoD is attacking and proposing to drastically change TRICARE. Once again proposals take aim at the benefits earned through career military service, in what seems all too oen to be the “low hanging fruit” in Pentagon cost cutting. Military retirees and their families are the most oen and most severely affected by these types of changes. e proposals also take a whack at increasing costs for families of active duty troops, which is just plain wrong. In part, DoD wants to have TRICARE Prime, Standard and Extra replaced by a single TRICARE plan with a fee structure adjusted due to where beneficiaries get medical care. e proposed $47.4 billion healthcare budget would consolidate TRICARE Prime, Standard and Extra into a fee system that changes depending on where treatment is received whether in a Military Treatment Facility, in-network or out-of-network. Pentagon officials say the plan to consolidate TRICARE is aimed at encouraging beneficiaries to seek care from military facilities or network providers—or pay more out of pocket. e Pentagon proposal would also introduce enrollment fees for future TRICARE for Life beneficiaries and increase prescription drug co-pays for nearly everyone who uses TRICARE’s retail or mail order pharmacy benefits.
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
e plan calls for increased “participation fees” — currently called enrollment fees — for retirees and their family members, higher catastrophic caps and cost-shares determined by where the care is received. Active-duty service members would continue to get care from military physicians or facilities at no charge. eir families also would see no change in their costs as long as they go to a military clinic or hospital for treatment. But co-payments for primary care would rise for activeduty family members who get care from network providers, from zero now to $10 for family members of sponsors in paygrades E-4 and below, and to $15 for family members of sponsors in grades E-5 and above. Fees also would be created or increased for specialty care, urgent care and emergency room visits, ranging from $20 to $50 depending on the sponsor’s rank and the type of visit. e cost of out-of-network visits for active-duty family members would rise to 20 percent of the TRICARE allowable charge, up from the current 15 percent. Visits to a network provider for family members would range from a $20 co-payment for primary care to $100 for a network ambulatory surgery visit. For all out-of-network care, retiree cost-shares would remain at 25 percent of the TRICARE allowable amount. Deductibles for out-of-network care would rise for E-4 and below, to $100 for an individual from $50, and to $300 for a family from $150. For all others, the deductibles would rise to $300 for an individual from $150, and to $600 for a family from $300. Catastrophic caps for active-duty families would rise to $1,500 for network or $2,500 for combined network and non-network visits, and for all others, to $3,000 for network and $5,000 combined. And, reprising an idea it unsuccessfully floated last year, the Pentagon also wants to create new annual enrollment fees for TRICARE for Life retirees. Current TFL beneficiaries would not have to pay the fee, but new beneficiaries would pay enrollment fees based on a percentage of gross retired pay — 0.5 percent in 2015 — capped at $150 a year for a family and $200 for retired flag and general officers. ey changed the name from last year to participation fees and thought we would not notice. By 2019, TFL enrollees would pay a fee amounting to 2 percent of gross retired pay, up to a maximum of $614. Flag officers would pay up to $818 by 2019. Retirees in TFL also pay monthly Medicare Part B premiums.
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News Briefs (cont.) Pharmacy costs would rise One proposal that would touch all TRICARE users would be future hikes in co-pays for generic prescriptions purchased through retail pharmacies and increases in brand name drugs, both at retail pharmacies and by mail. Prescriptions would continue to be filled free for everyone at military treatment facilities and generic drugs also would be available at no charge through TRICARE’s mail order system. Generics would continue to cost $5 at a retail pharmacy in 2015 but would rise to $6 in 2016. Brand names would jump in 2015 to $26 per prescription, up from the current $17. Medications not on the TRICARE formulary also would be tightly restricted; they currently cost $44 but would be available only on a limited basis starting in 2015. Costs for mail order prescriptions would rise, to $16 from $13 for brand name medications. Unlike retail pharmacy prescriptions, medications filled by mail are for 90 days. Nonformulary medications would still be available by mail, with co-pays rising to $54 from the current $43. According to Pentagon estimates, the average active-duty family of three accrues $11,459 in medical costs per year, with the military bearing $11,301 of the expense while the family picks up $158, or about 1.4 percent. Under the new plan, families would bear 3.3 percent of the overall cost, which would drop to $10,952, accounting for flat health care costs and savings under consolidation. A working-age retiree’s family of three accrues $14,813 in medical costs per year, according to DoD, and pays $1,378, or 9.3 percent of the cost. Under the plan, they would pay $1,526, or 10.8 percent, of the estimated $12,626 cost. Pentagon comptroller Robert Hale said Tuesday if Congress does not approve the changes to compensation proposed in the budget plan — not only the TRICARE changes, but also changes to housing allowances, basic pay raises, the commissary benefit and more — the Defense Department would see a $2.1 billion budget shortfall in fiscal 2015 that could grow to as much as $30 billion by 2024. NAUS Note: ere’s much more but we’ve given a taste of the damage. ese are the official Administration proposals for health care. NAUS and the majority of veteran and military service organizations have successfully fought these types of plans for more than eight years. To reject them this time, we need your help. Let your elected officials hear your opposition. (See more in the Legislative Update starting on page 4 of this Journal.)
Senators Seek Explanation from VA Secretary Two U.S. Senators, Bob Corker (R-TN) and Tom Udall (D-NM) have demanded that Veterans Affairs Secretary Erik Shinseki reveal why his agency is nearly three months late in creating a legally mandated registry of Iraq 16
and Afghanistan veterans potentially poisoned — some lethally — by exposure to burn-pits of toxic trash. e "burn pits," scattered throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, spewed acrid smoke while breaking down damaged Humvees, ordnance, mattresses, rocket launchers, and even amputated body parts. Some were ignited by jet fuel. Perhaps the largest such dump was in Balad, Iraq, spanning the length of 10 football fields. e plumes produced have been dubbed "this generation's Agent Orange." On Jan. 10, 2013, President Obama signed a law giving the VA one year to create and maintain the Open Air Burn Pit Registry, meant to identify and monitor veterans who were exposed to the pollutants. e VA also was directed to report its findings to Congress. "While the necessity for some delay is understandable, the VA has failed to adequately explain why the delay has occurred, which steps remain to be completed before the registry is available for the use of our veterans, and provide specific information on when the registry is expected to be completed. is delay is deeply concerning ... e lack of urgency and communication from the VA is even more troubling," the Senators wrote. e registry's launch has been postponed to "spring 2014" to allow "adequate time" to develop and test the system's soware and hardware as well as to ensure data security and accessibility, said VA spokeswoman Victoria Dillon. Once the index goes live, veterans can join without being enrolled in VA health care, Dillon said, adding the agency "encourages all veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, and the Gulf War to participate." ey can sign up now for personal log-ons. Meanwhile, veterans groups are unsure how many troops were exposed or have fallen ill due to inhaling the vapors. A private, veteran-run website, BurnPits360.org, lists 16 Iraq and Afghanistan vets who served near the dumps and later died from a variety of cancers and lung ailments.
TRICARE Closes Walk-in Service Centers is is a reminder that all stateside TRICARE walk-in service centers closed April 1. e closure of the 189 facilities is expected to save the Defense Department about $50 million a year, officials said. Overseas offices remain open. e TRICARE Service Centers, which handle about 137,000 visitors a month, are staffed by contractors and handle issues ranging from processing provider changes to billing problems. Patients with questions and concerns about their TRICARE services can visit www.tricare.mil or call the toll free number at 1-877-TRICARE.
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Veterans News CFPB Sues College on Alleged Abuse Recently the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against ITT Educational Services, accusing the college chain of predatory student lending. The CFPB alleges that ITT exploited its students and pushed them into high-cost private student loans that were very likely to end in default. e CFPB is seeking restitution for victims, a civil fine, and an injunction against the company. Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the CFPB has the authority to take action against institutions engaging in unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices. Specifically, in the lawsuit, the Bureau alleges the following conduct by ITT: • Pressured into predatory loans: ITT used its financial aid staff to rush students through an automated application process without affording them a fair opportunity to understand the loan obligations involved. In some cases, students did not even know they had a private student loan until they started getting collection calls. e loans were high-cost. For borrowers with credit scores under 600, for example, the costs of the private student loans included 10 percent origination fees and interest rates as high as 16.25 percent. • Credits not transferable: ITT was accredited by a national organization that accredits many for-profit schools, but the credits that students earned typically did not transfer to local community colleges or other nonprofit schools such as public or private colleges. ITT used the prospect of expulsion and the loss of the money already spent during the student’s first year to coerce students into taking out the private loans. • Misleading future job prospects: e Bureau believes that ITT’s representations led students to think that when they graduated they were likely to land good jobs and enough salary to repay their private student loans. In this way, ITT exploited student expectations while it knew that a majority of students would default. • Loans likely to fail: ITT knew that most of its students would ultimately default on their private student loans; it projected a default rate for its students of 64 percent. Defaulting on private student loans can have grave consequences for consumers. It can make it difficult to get any kind of loan for years and even affect a borrower’s job prospects. And, because private student loans are difficult to discharge in bankruptcy, the debt can be very difficult to recover from. NAUS Note: ITT has many veterans enrolled in its programs. If any of the above has happened to you please contact the CFPB and submit your complaint at this student Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
News Briefs (cont.)
loan complaint website http://www.consumerfinance. gov/complaint/#student-loan. If you have been thinking about using your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to enroll in ITT, NAUS recommends you rethink your options and ask at a local base education office for assistance in finding a college university or other program that is suitable for your needs
New VA ID Cards e VA has begun a phased rollout of a more secure Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC). e cards, first introduced in 2004, are getting improved security features and will be personalized to display the emblem of the veteran’s service branch. ey will include VA phone numbers, emergency care instructions and the “VA” in Braille to help visually impaired veterans. e rollout began in March, starting with newly enrolled veterans and those without the current VIC cards. In April, the VA will begin a three-month effort to get replacements to current VIC cardholders, who will be asked to cut up or shred their old cards to safeguard their personal information. “VA is committed to providing high-quality health care while ensuring the personal security of Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. “ese new identification cards are an important step forward in protecting our nation’s heroes from identity the and other personal crimes.” e new cards will function like a typical health insurance card. ey will include the veteran’s member ID, a new unique identifier, as well as a plan ID, reflecting the veteran’s enrollment in VA health care, the statement said. e cards are not required to receive VA health care but are recommended. For more information, enrolled veterans can visit their VA medical facility enrollment coordinator, call 1-877-222VETS (8387).
New Study Confirms Exposure to Agent Orange Military veterans who say they were sickened by lingering amounts of the herbicide Agent Orange aboard repurposed airplanes aer the Vietnam War now have some strong scientific support for their claims. A new study has found that veterans who were exposed to aircra that had previously sprayed Agent Orange over Vietnam during the war may have been exposed to dioxin levels above DoD standards for maximum permissible exposure to poisonous chemicals. U.S. Air Force and VA policies do not currently recognize "dried residues" of herbicide and dioxin as harmful. e study, "Post-Vietnam Military Herbicide Exposures in UC-123 Agent Orange Spray Aircra," was published Feb. 21 in the scientific journal Environmental Research.
VA Caregiver Support Line Update e VA's Caregiver Support Line facilitates monthly telephone education groups for family caregivers of Veterans with a theme of "Care for the Caregiver." A different topic is presented every month with the goal 17
News Briefs (cont.) of helping caregivers develop tools and strategies to help balance the demands of care giving, while also focusing on the importance of self-care. ese groups are available to any family caregiver currently caring for a Veteran enrolled in VA healthcare. Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare that are caring for a loved one at home are also eligible to participate. For more information or to register for a group, please contact your local Caregiver Support Coordinator. To find your local Caregiver Support Coordinator or for more information, tips, and tools to support you in your role as the family caregiver of a Veteran, visit VA's Caregivers website http://www.caregiver.va.gov/.
24 Medals of Honor Presented On March 18, President Obama presented the Medal of Honor to 24 Army veterans in recognition of their valor during major combat operations in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Each of these soldiers’ bravery was previously recognized by award of the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second highest military award. at award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in recognition of their gallantry, intrepidity and heroism above and beyond the call of duty. In 2002, Congress, through the Defense Authorization Act, called for a review of Jewish American and Hispanic American veteran war records from WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, to ensure those deserving the Medal of Honor were not denied because of prejudice. During the review, records of several soldiers of neither Jewish nor Hispanic descent were also found to display criteria worthy of the Medal of Honor. e 2002 Act was amended to allow these soldiers to be honored with the upgrade in addition to the Jewish and Hispanic American soldiers. At the ceremony, the President awarded the Medal of Honor to three living veterans and posthumously to 21 other veterans. NAUS salutes those honored with this long overdue recognition. Well done!
Social Security Launches New Expedited Disability Process for Veterans -Fast-tracking Disability Decisions for Vets with 100% Permanent and Total Rating Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, Tuesday announced the launch of a new disability process to expedite disability claims filed by veterans with a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation rating of 100 percent Permanent & Total (P&T). Under the new process, Social Security will treat these veterans’ applications as high priority and issue expedited decisions, similar to the way the agency currently handles disability claims from Wounded Warriors.
VA Eliminates Annual Income Report e VA is eliminating the annual requirement for most veterans enrolled in VA's health care system to report income 18
information beginning in March 2014. Instead, VA will automatically match income information obtained from the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration. "Eliminating the requirement for annual income reporting makes our health care benefits easier for veterans to obtain," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "is change will reduce the burden on Veterans, improve customer service and make it much easier for veterans to keep their health care eligibility up-to-date." Some veterans applying for enrollment for the first time are still required to submit income information. ere is no change in VA's long-standing policy to provide no-cost care to indigent veterans, veterans with catastrophic medical conditions, veterans with a disability rating of 50 percent or higher, or for conditions that are officially rated as "service-connected." VA encourages veterans to continue to use the health benefits renewal form to report changes in their personal information, such as address, phone numbers, dependents, next of kin, income and health insurance. For more information call VA toll-free at 1-877-222VETS (8387).
VA Claims Reduction in Claims Pending VA Press Release - One year aer the backlog of pending disability compensation claims peaked at over 611,000 in March 2013, the VA has reduced that number by approximately 44 percent to 344,000 claims – a reduction of more than 267,000 – while at the same time improving the accuracy of the decisions being made on veterans’ disability claims. Additionally, on average, veterans are waiting 119 days less for a decision than they were at this time last year. “No veteran should have to wait to receive earned benefits. rough a combination of transformation initiatives and the hard work of our employees, we are making significant progress toward our goal of eliminating the claims backlog in 2015,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. “We still have more work to do, and no one is more committed than our Veterans Benefits Administration employees, over half of whom are veterans themselves.” e current backlog, defined as claims pending more than 125 days, is at its lowest point since March 2011, when the backlog spiked in part because of the need to readjudicate 150,000 previously decided cases involving exposure to the Vietnam-era defoliant, Agent Orange. e readjudication of these claims was mandated under the Nehmer court decision and followed the Secretary’s decision to add ischemic heart disease, certain leukemias, and Parkinson's disease to the list of conditions presumed to be related to exposure to Agent Orange. During this same time period, VA also received and processed over 100,000 new claims for these three conditions from Vietnam veterans and survivors newly eligible for VA benefits as a result of this decision. Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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ACTIVE DUTY
DOWNLOAD Lower Pay Raises for the Next Few Years?
The President’s 2015 budget proposes just a 1 percent raise for next year, well below the 1.8 percent increase in the employment-cost index, to which military pay is traditionally tied. The budget also calls for such lower raises for the next several years. Five-year budget plans suggest service members will continue to get 1 percent pay increases in 2016 and 2017, followed by a 1.5 percent increase in 2018 and a 1.8 percent raise in 2019. Defense officials say that will help curb long-term growth in personnel costs.
Proposed TRICARE Changes Would Affect Active Duty Members - Not Just Retirees
The FY2015 budget includes proposed changes to TRICARE, including consolidating the three TRICARE options (Standard, Extra & Prime) and new (and higher) fees for retirees. But family members of active duty service members would also pay more for their health care treatments or services in higher co-payments and higher cost shares for some types of care at both in-network and non-network facilities. According to the Pentagon, the average active duty family’s annual out-of-pocket costs would more than double (to $364), increasing the family’s share of its overall health costs from 1.4 percent to 3.3 percent.
Coast Guard Leadership Changes
VADM Paul F. Zukunft, USCG, has been nominated to be the 25th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, to relieve ADM Robert Papp, Jr. A 37-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Zukunft coordinated the Federal response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. During the response, he directed more than 47,000 responders, 6,500 vessels and 120 aircraft as the Coast Guard worked to respond to and recover from the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Vice Admiral Zukunft currently commands the Coast Guard Pacific Area, and is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and holds advanced degrees from the U.S. Naval War College and Webster University. BMCM Steven W. Cantrell, USCG, has been selected as the next Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, succeeding MCPOCG Michael P. Leavitt in a ceremony at Cape May, NJ later in May. The Master Chief hails from Memphis, TN, and joined the Coast Guard in 1983. His ashore assignments included Command Master Chief to the Commander of the 8th District in New Orleans, LA, Command Master Chief to the Commander of the 1st District in Boston, MA, Officer in Charge of Station Panama City, FL, Station Wrightsville Beach, NC, Station Alexandria Bay, NY, and Station Harbor Beach, MI. Afloat assignments included Officer in Charge of the Coast Guard Cutters Ridley and Point Wells in Montauk, NY. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Business Administration. VADM Peter V. Neffenger, USCG, currently the Coast Guard’s Deputy Commandant for Operations, has been nominated to be the next Vice Commandant. A native of Elyria, OH, he was commissioned in 1982 at Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in Yorktown,VA. His 32-year Coast Guard career includes overseeing Coast Guard operations throughout the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway region as the Ninth Coast Guard District commander, and serving as deputy national incident commander for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. RADM Daniel B. Abel, USCG, switches coasts as he heads to Alaska to lead the Coast Guard’s 17th District following his assignment as Commander of the Coast Guard’s 1st District in the northeast. In a statement congratulating Admiral Abel on his nomination, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said, “Once again the Coast Guard challenges in Alaska have attracted one of the service's best and brightest,” and. “I look forward to working with Rear Admiral Abel as we increase our focus on Arctic strategic priorities.” 20
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ONE Strike and You’re Out? Coasties Face Tough New Reenlistment Standards
Coast Guardsmen who’ve been convicted at court-martial, charged with drunk driving or have one of a number of other offenses on their record — even if they’ve yet to enter a courtroom — will no longer be eligible to reenlist. “To ensure the Coast Guard retains a disciplined, high-performing workforce, reenlistments and/or extensions should only be offered to those members (active and reserve) who maintain high professional standards and adhere to the Coast Guard’s core values,” RADM Daniel Neptun, Assistant Commandant for Human Resources, wrote in ALCOAST 093/14, released in March. The new standards go into effect in September when members wanting to reenlist will need to receive a favorable recommendation from their commanding officers and earn an average of 3.5 or more on their enlisted performance evaluations. Additionally, Coasties with the following “strikes” against them won’t be able to re-up: ■ More than one unsatisfactory conduct mark. ■ A conviction at special or general court-martial. ■ A civilian felony conviction. ■ Documented incident of sexual assault. ■ Documented incident of DUI. ■ Documented incident that, with a conviction, could result in a punitive discharge. ■ Permanently revoked travel card because of misuse or delinquency. ■ More than three weight probationary periods. In cases of serious criminal offenses that could result in discharge — DUI and sexual assault, for example — a conviction is not necessary to deny reenlistment. A conviction is not required if the offense is established by a preponderance of the evidence, and documented, according to the Coast Guard. Police reports, Coast Guard Investigative Service reports of investigation, etc., may be used to make the determination that a member committed the offense and is ineligible to reenlist. Members denied the chance to reenlist will be notified six months before their terms expire in a regular pre-discharge interview. Coast Guardsmen with less than eight years of active and/or reserve duty who are denied re-enlistment may appeal. Coasties with more than eight years active and/or reserve duty who are denied reenlistment may request a re-up board.
New Invention Seals A Gunshot Wound In 15 Seconds
When a soldier is shot on the battlefield, the emergency treatment sometimes seems almost as brutal as the injury itself - a medic must pack gauze directly into the wound cavity, sometimes as deep as 5 inches into the body to stop bleeding from an artery. It’s an agonizing process that doesn't always work--if bleeding hasn't stopped after three minutes of applying direct pressure, the medic must pull out all the gauze and start over again. It’s so painful, “you take the guy’s gun away first,” says former U.S. Army Special Operations medic John Steinbaugh, who tended to injured soldiers during more than a dozen deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. When Steinbaugh retired in April 2012, he joined an Oregon-based startup called RevMedx, a small group of veterans, scientists, and engineers who were working on a better way to stop bleeding – and they think they’ve found it. RevMedx recently asked the FDA to approve a pocket-size invention: a modified syringe that injects specially coated sponges into wounds. Called XStat, the device could boost survival and spare injured soldiers from additional pain by plugging wounds faster and more efficiently than gauze.The team’s early efforts were inspired by Fix-a-Flat foam for repairing tires. But foam didn’t work because blood pressure washed it out before it could work. So the team tried sponges, cut into one centimeter circles, Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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a size and shape they chose on a whim but later would discover were ideal for filling wounds. Then, they injected the bits of sponge into an animal injury and the bleeding stopped. After seeing early prototypes, the Army gave the team $5 million to develop a finished product. XStat uses a sponge made from wood pulp and coated with chitosan, a blood-clotting, antimicrobial substance that comes from shrimp shells, delivered into wounds by a 30- or narrower 20-millimeter diameter polycarbonate syringe. To ensure that no sponges are left inside the body accidentally, X-shaped markers make each sponge visible on an x-ray image. The sponges work fast: in just 15 seconds, they expand to fill the entire wound cavity, creating enough pressure to stop heavy bleeding. If the FDA approves XStat, it will be the first battlefield dressing created specifically for deep, narrow wounds. Gauze, the standard treatment for gunshot and shrapnel injuries, is only approved by the FDA for external use, but “everyone knows that if you get shot, you have to pack gauze into the wound,” says Steinbaugh. When RevMedx submitted its application to the FDA, the Army attached a cover letter requesting expedited approval.
Electric Brain Stimulation Instead of Coffee or Red Bull?
Sometimes caffeine is not enough, especially for those service members who spend hours monitoring drone videos and other streams of surveillance data. So the Pentagon is exploring a novel way to extend attention spans and sharpen reaction times: stimulate the brain with low levels of electricity. Electric brain stimulation is a medical treatment designed to treat brain disorders (like depression), so the Pentagon is testing this to determine whether the treatments can also improve the attentiveness of sleep-deprived but otherwise healthy service members. Early experiments using “noninvasive” brain stimulation have been performed on several dozen volunteers at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. The results show the technique improves both alertness and acuity, researchers say. The research effort is described as one of the most in-depth studies of electric stimulation on healthy individuals and is focused on two primary goals: increasing alertness and improving overall cognitive performance. Two different techniques are being studied: transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation. The first has been more widely used in the medical community and relies on a magnetic field to pass the electrical current into the brain. The second technique passes electrical current directly into the brain. For example, in one of the tests, one milliampere is applied for 10 minutes (by comparison, the amount of electrical current needed to power a car’s instrument panel is on average about 150 milliamperes). The study, which also relied on control groups that drank coffee or nothing at all, found that those who did not receive one of several types of brain stimulation “performed significantly worse than any of the stimulation groups,” according to the findings. The Air Force Research Laboratory has conducted five separate studies, each costing about $200,000, shared by the Air Force, Army, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Army's Top Enlistee: New Camo Delayed By Congress
The Army's top enlisted leader said the service would have already adopted a replacement for its ineffective Universal Camouflage Pattern had Congress not moved to halt costly service-specific camouflage patterns. The Army was poised to announce the results of its multi-year camouflage improvement effort nearly a year ago, but congressional language in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2014 called on the Pentagon to put an end to the services branding their ranks with unique camouflage uniforms. “The cost-cutting directive is understandable given the current budget pressures, but it's also a major setback for the Army's effort to provide soldiers with effective individual camouflage”, said Sgt. Major of the Army Raymond Chandler III in a recent interview with Military.com. As a result, the Army is now considering adopting the Marine Corps desert and woodland patterns as one option for the new camouflage strategy, but it is by no means a done deal, Chandler said. The Army has been considering replacing UCP with Crye Precision's MultiCam – a pattern that has demonstrated consistent performance in test after test and was selected in 2010 for soldiers to wear in Afghanistan. The pattern has been a favorite 22
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of U.S. Special Operations Command for almost a decade. The Army selected the MultiCam in 2010 as the clear winner over several other patterns to issue to soldiers deploying to Afghanistan.
Official Army Sneakers?
The Defense Department has issued a formal notice asking American manufacturers who want to make an athletic shoe for service members to come forward and be counted. The pre-solicitation notice, issued Jan. 31 by the Defense Logistics Agency, is being hailed by American shoemakers and lawmakers as a step toward the military issuing a 100 percent U.S.-made athletic shoe to new recruits, as it does with other military clothing. Under a 2002 exemption from the Berry Amendment, which mandates clothes for troops must be U.S.-made, the Army, Navy, and Air Force issue a cash allowance that allows recruits to select sneakers based their own comfort and injury-prevention needs. Despite pressure from Congress and American shoe makers, DoD has for several years resisted ending the exemption, framing it as an issue of choice and safety for troops. There was a provision in the House version of the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act that would have forced DoD to purchase U.S.-made shoes, but it did not come to a vote in the Senate. Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-MA), whose State is the headquarters for the American shoe making company New Balance, has pressed DoD and supported legislation on the issue. “I’m grateful that the DLA has issued the sources sought, which I think is in recognition that this is not going away,” Tsongas said. “There is strong support for it, and there are several American companies that can produce these shoes.”
Catching Z’s at Sea
For sailors aboard deployed Navy ships, little sleep has long come with the territory. It's partly a function of the job: a ship at sea is an around-the-clock operation. On top of drills, meetings and day work, most sailors must also stand watch - on the bridge, in engine rooms, in front of screens in darkened operations centers - on schedules that give little regard to the body's circadian rhythm. One day a sailor might be on watch all morning, and the next all night. It's partly culture, too: among sailors, the ability to push on for months at a time with little sleep and no days off is seen as a badge of honor. Aboard more and more ships, though, that is changing. Rather than seeing it as a point of pride, Navy officials are working to recast fatigue as an unnecessary risk that causes costly mistakes, and some commanding officers are taking significant steps to help their sailors get more and better sleep. Most notably, an increasing number are scheduling watch shifts that align with the body's 24hour clock and allow sailors to sleep at the same time each day - a big change from the way the Service has long operated. The destroyer USS Truxton, which left Norfolk on deployment with the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bus in the spring, tried a circadian-based schedule while training last summer and decided to keep it for the deployment. The ship's senior watch officer said it was noticeable that people were more alert and less tired. The key difference is that traditional watch schedules ignore the body's circadian rhythm.Among the most common rotations, for example, is the "five and dime." Watch standers are on duty for five hours, then have 10 hours to sleep, exercise and take care of other work.Their watch shifts always begin at different times. One day, their chance to sleep might start at 5 in the morning, and the next at 8 at night. That keeps the body constantly confused, which makes it harder to fall asleep and lessens sleep quality, according to Nita Shattuck, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, who has studied crew rest aboard ship. Shattuck spent a month aboard the Norfolk-based destroyer Jason Dunham while it was deployed in 2012.A portion of the crew used a traditional schedule while others used an alternative three-hour watches Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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before nine hours off - that gave them a long block for rest at the same time each day. Sailors used wrist monitors and smart phones to track their sleep and reaction times. An analysis showed that those on the alternative rotation were more alert. Shattuck considers the three-on, nine-off schedule to be the best for crew rest. It's the same one the USS Truxtun is using. Critics of the change have knocked it as another example of the military “going soft,” but proponents disagree and say it's all about enhancing crew endurance and making them stronger. Aviators after all have long-standing rest and sleep requirements and so do civilian truck drivers even – so why not sailors at sea? A recent article in the Naval Institute magazine Proceedings noted that too little rest was cited as a factor in nearly 80% of Navy mishaps. Perhaps that’s why changing watch schedules has the endorsement of Naval Surface Forces commanders and appears to be winning over skeptics in the fleet.
Army Women: Better Chopper Pilots than the Guys?
Ten out of every 100 Army helicopter pilots are women — but they account for only 3 out of every 100 accidents. That’s the bottom line in an Army report that, in an effort to study the impact of women on the front lines, compares accident rates of men and women flying Army helicopters from 2002 to 2013. The revelation is included in Army Major Seneca Peña-Collazo’s report, Women in Combat Arms: A Study of the Global War on Terror, which he published in May while a student at the School of Advanced Military Studies at the Army’s Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. This research shows that in general, women are involved in fewer aircraft accidents than all male crews — comprising only 3% of incidents. As women comprise roughly 10% of all aviators, the evidence suggests that women may operate aircraft more safely. As it pertains to just AH-64 aircraft, 100% of all accidents, both in garrison and in theater, involve all-male crews, at least suggesting that female attack pilots may be even more safe in the performance of flight duties. The report doesn’t hypothesize what might account for the different accident histories of the Army’s female and male pilots. The samples could be too small to make valid comparisons, or the female pilots may be less aggressive in the air, perhaps because they have less flying time. There are also no details on whether or not commanders found female pilots as good as — or better — than their male comrades when it came to accomplishing their assigned missions. COL Elspeth Ritchie, USA (Ret), formerly the Army’s top psychiatrist, doesn’t believe AH-64 crews with women at the controls are being cut any slack that could lead to fewer accidents. “Pilots do not choose which missions to fly,” she says. “Their bosses choose the missions.” The key question is why flight crews with at least one woman on board have fewer crashes. “The obvious conclusion is that mixed [gender] crews are safer,” she says. “Why is the question. Less ‘cowboying’? More safety checks? More thoughtful behavior in the air? Or is this apparent pattern random variation?” “The performance of women in combat is not a problem,” Peña-Collazo writes in his report. “Both historically and more recently during the war on SgtMaj Lanette Wright, USMC, became terror, anecdotal and statistical input conclude that women can and will continue the Corps’ first female sergeant major to perform admirably in combat across a wide variety of jobs.”
Marine Corps Names First Woman to Serve as MEU Sergeant Major
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of a Marine Expeditionary Unit in March when she took over as the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s sergeant major the first female Marine to serve in that capacity since women began deploying with the units in the 1990s. Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
NAUS will send staff members Steve Hein, LCDR, USCG (Ret) and
Tommy Campbell, USJ Editor, to the 2014 Marine Corps Historic Half
Marathon and Healthy Living Expo from the 16th through the 17th
of May at the Fredericksburg Expo Center in Fredericksburg, VA.
NAUS Member and Marine veteran Jacien Carr is also expected to
join Tommy and Steve to recruit new members and help
strengthen NAUS’ voice on Capitol Hill. This year, the new free
membership for active duty personnel will be offered for the first
time at this expo.
Like last year, Steve and his daughter, Jen Fournelle, will don NAUS
T-shirts and run in the Historic 10K on Sunday. Steve’s goal is to
beat his time from 2013, but Hospital Hill is still part of the course…
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
25
Book Review
“Terrible Terry: Just a Marine” by LtGen Jack W. Klimp, USMC (Ret) - NAUS President
by Howard Terry This is NAUS member Howard Terry’s story told in his own words. Virtually abandoned, as a child, by his mother and family, shuttled between multiple orphanages, which were often controlled by sadistic overseers, Howard grew up hard and tough. There was no one accessible during these developmental years to teach him the difference between right and wrong. Through hard knocks and a lot of trial and error, he taught himself. He was young and did not grasp much about anything except his dream of becoming a Marine. Just fifteen years old when he enlisted in the Marines, Howard fought with the 6th Marine Division on Okinawa experiencing the entire horrific trauma associated with that terrible battle. As the war ended, he served in China where his “adventures” continued. Returning to the United States well after the end of hostilities, Howard’s story does not end there. He encountered a country that appeared to have put the war behind it, and Scan this no longer valued the service that he had rendered. His memoir continues with his life’s code to visit Amazon.com experience and his description of what we today would call Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to purchase this book. (PTSD). Moving from job to job, migrating from town to town, trying desperately to cope with the staggering and haunting images of the war that disturbed him both in his sleep and in his daily pursuits, he eventually overcame tremendous hardships and became the proud patriarch of a strong and loving family. In the words of my friend and fellow Marine, Colonel Billy Steed, USMC (Retired), “This book provides a great service as a guide for the reader to evaluate and define more clearly his or her responsibility to family and country. I think this book should be required reading for all High School and College Students.This book delivers sage advice for young adults that desperately need it. Certainly, the book teaches truths that are valid in any age but that warrant special attention in today’s society. Unlike many of our youth today, Howard pulled himself up by his bootstraps-- and has been a model citizen throughout his life, truly an example for all to emulate. The Battle of Okinawa is where Howard faced the most difficult challenge of his young life. But it was the hard life he endured as a child and Marine training that enabled him to kill the enemy and survive.” Terrible Terry: Just a Marine reminds readers to revere the most vital things in one’s life and be appreciative of the recollections.
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Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
Member Benefits
w w w. N A U S . o r g a n d c l i c k o n M e m b e r B e n e f i t s
AUTO/HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE
USAA – 1-855-865-6287 • www.usaa.com/naus
HEALTH/LIFE INSURANCE
1-866-694-6287 • www.nebenefit.com/naus
TRICARE/CHAMPVA Supplement Plans • Long Term Care Insurance • Cancer Protection Plan Dental Insurance • Term & Senior Term Life Insurance Medicare Supplement Plans – 1-800-247-1771
Life Line Screening – 1-800-778-6009 • www.LifeLineScreening.com/NAUS
TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION
Military Historical Tours, Inc. – 1-800-722-9501 • www.miltours.com NAUS Members receive a discount on tours.
WYNDHAM Hotel Discounts – 1-877-670-7088
AmeriHost Inn • Baymont Inns • Days Inn • Hawthorn Suites • Howard Johnson • Knights Inn Microtel Inns • Ramada • Super 8 • Travelodge • Wingate Inn
Mention Corporate ID #1000007736 when calling or make reservations online from the Member Benefits section of the NAUS website. Plus, sign up for the FREE Wyndham Rewards program.
BUDGET Car Rental Discount – 1-800-455-2848 (Mention Code R198117) AVIS Car Rental Discount – 1-800-331-1212 (Mention Code B291017) HERTZ Car Rental Discount – 1-800-654-6511 (Mention Code
50163)
TNT – 1-800-282-0276 • www.funjet.com/naus - powered by
Funjet Vacations now has over 900 destinations including the Caribbean, Hawaii, Bermuda, Mexico, Las Vegas and even Europe. NAUS Members receive a 5% discount off of already reasonable prices. You can book flights, hotels, activities and more in just one stop. (Mention Code NAUS)
FINANCIAL SERVICES
USAA – 1-855-865-6287 • www.usaa.com/naus Credit Card
OTHER BENEFITS
FOR MEMBERS! Go to www.NAUS.org and Click On the Member Benefits Tab to see all the exciting benefits available to NAUS Members only!
®
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
27
THEN I REALIZED…I AM SOMEBODY!
During my previous forty years of experience working with nonprofit organizations, it has never been as hard to sit down with pen & paper, word processor, computer, or tablet to write an article for a military/ veteran publication as it has this past three weeks. There are so many issues facing our military and our nation that it is hard to address just one. In my last article, “Let Us send the “Best and Brightest” I tried to relay my CONCERN about our country and its future. Part of that concern is based on watching the earned benefits and entitlement we were promised slowly erode because of many self-serving, “non-veteran” bureaucrats. As a result of that article, I received a call from a USJ reader by the name of Roland (Bud) Weisser, MD. He told me he liked what I had to say and agreed with many points, and then asked “How can NAUS members help organize the massive potential voting blocs consisting of military families, disabled military retiree families, and all veteran families to join together and get involved in actively seeking out those who still believe in the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States of America?” It was with a heavy heart I had to tell Bud that I did not have the answer to his question! We discussed programs like CAPWIZ which is a great way to communicate with our elected officials in Congress. Blocking software as well as significant increases in cost is potential roadblocks to this very successful way of communicating with our elected officials. We also discussed The Military Coalition which has the potential of combining forces to have more numbers when talking to Congress, but they have apparently leveled off at only 33 organizations representing only 5.5 million individuals. Article Submission from Although a good start, it will take a lot more military retirees, veterans, and military & veteran family members to have any real impact on the current Congress and Administration. We will need to recruit hundreds of individuals like Dan Pettigrew to continuously walk the halls of Congress during every session, thousands visiting their elected officials in their local district offices, and millions faxing, calling, emailing, and working Chapter President social media to even get the attention of Congress. Finally, our message must all be the same…so how do we do that as only two members of NAUS? When our telephone conversation ended, we had more questions than answers. But this conversation reminded me of a quote I have heard many times credited to Mahatma Gandhi, “A small body of determined spirits, fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission, can alter the course of history.” With that, I leave you the NAUS members, with five of our questions. 1) How can NAUS help The Military Coalition grow to 100 organizations representing 50 million like-minded veterans, military retirees, military & veteran families? 2) How can NAUS help build an old fashioned “Telephone Contact Tree” that has the potential to become a more cost effective force in every Congressional District of the United States? 3) Does a Congressional Charter held by many veteran and military organizations actually place limitations on the organizations ability to act freely against bad legislation, or prevent the organization from actively supporting good legislation for fear of intimidation and reprisal from the government? 4) How can NAUS help the members of Congress and the Administration protect the earned entitlements of military retirees, and strengthen the effectiveness of earned entitlements of veterans? 5) How can NAUS spread the word that the current backlog of VA claims is a way to balance the VA budget by rationing veteran’s healthcare? A fact that many Americans deny will ever happen in the USA that has been happening many for years! I want to thank Bud for giving me the opportunity to talk with him on the phone this morning, as well as thank God for giving me the honor to serve as the NAUS-USDR Chapter 1981 President. I want to close with a quote from an unknown author…“I wondered why somebody didn't do something. Then I realized…I am somebody.”
Uniformed Services Disabled Retirees Chapter – USDR 1981
Anthony R. (Tony) Nathe, SGM, USA (Ret)
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Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
Health Today Q&A
Written by
Dr. Joyce M. Johnson,
RADM, USPHS (Ret), DO, MA
& James A. Calderwood, Jr, BSN, RN
Poison Ivy
What is Poison Ivy and Urushiol? Poison ivy is a vine growing wild in much of the United States. It is recognized by its shiny three-leaf cluster that may grow close to the ground or may climb high into trees. e rash many people get aer contact with the plant is also called “poison ivy,” aer the plant’s name. e rash is caused by urushiol, a resin in the leaves, stems, and roots. Urushiol is also in poison oak and poison sumac, which cause a similar rash. How do I recognize the Poison Ivy rash? e rash looks like clusters of small oozing vesicles or blisters, and is very itchy. e rash occurs on areas of the body that come in contact with urushiol. ough the rash can be on any part of the body, it is most common on sensitive areas of skin such as the trunk, neck, face, back of the legs, and inner arms. e rash lasts a couple of weeks, and can be very uncomfortable because of the itching. How do I get the Poison Ivy rash? e poison ivy rash is a contact dermatitis, or a skin problem that comes from contact with the urushiol in the plant. It is a delayed hypersensitivity type of contact dermatitis. e first exposure oen “sensitizes” one to the plant. At the next exposure, when the toxic resin from the plant touches the skin, the body “remembers” the resin, and the allergic response results in the rash. It oen takes a day or two from the time of exposure until the rash appears. Also, urushiol stays active for many years – so even touching a dead root in the ground or a dead vine on a tree can cause the rash. e reaction can happen from touching the plant itself or from touching something that touched the plant, such as clothing or a pet dog. However, the “oozing” from the skin rash does not contain urushiol, and thus cannot transmit a poison ivy rash from one person to another. How is the Poison Ivy rash treated? Mild cases of poison ivy don’t require any treatment, though they can be very uncomfortable. Warm compresses and frequent bathing can help to relieve the itch. Some people find over-the-counter anti-histamines helpful. Others find some relieve from over-the-counter steroid creams. If the poison ivy is severe, see your health care provider who may prescribe oral steroids for a couple of weeks, and/or a topical ointment. If the rash gets infected, oral antibiotics may be indicated. How can I prevent Poison Ivy? Preventing contact with the plant resin urushiol is the best prevention. e poison ivy plant can be found in your backyard – it is a common weed in many areas. When young, it is small and oen goes unnoticed. As it matures, it can climb trees and be 20 or more feet high, with a vine stem of an inch or more in diameter. When doing yard work, wear gloves, long sleeves, long pants, and socks. Be extra careful in wooded areas. Always be vigilant, and avoid the poison ivy plant. If you happen to touch a poison ivy plant, as soon as possible, ideally within an hour or two, gently wash the area with soap and water. Wash enough to remove any resin, but be careful not to abrade the skin since injured skin is even more susceptible to it. Bathe children and pets who may have contacted the plant. Since the poison ivy rash can be transmitted by urushiol on clothing, be sure to wash all clothing that may have touched the plant. Wash with detergent, as a separate load of clothes. How do I rid my yard of Poison Ivy? Poison ivy is a weed in many backyards. Know how to recognize the plant, and be alert for the vine, both on the ground and climbing up trees. When found, rid the yard of it. Small plants can be pulled out – but be very careful to wear disposable gloves and use a plastic bag over the gloves to pull out the plant. Always keep all parts of the plant contained in the bag. Don’t let any parts of the plant touch your clothing or shoes. Instead of pulling out the plant, consider an herbicide spray that will kill poison ivy. Remember, though, that even dead leaves, stems and roots contain the urushiol, the active allergen, and can cause a rash. e chemical causing a rash is potent for many years. If there is a lot of poison ivy, or if the plants are mature, you may want to contract with a yard care professional for its removal. Never burn poison ivy. e smoke from burning poison ivy can also spread the allergic reaction deep into the lungs. is can be very dangerous and difficult to treat.
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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IN THE FIELD We want your input! Let us know what you’re doing, what other NAUS members you know are doing, or what your chapter is involved with “In the Field” so we can publish it in your Journal. Please submit any articles and photos for consideration in accordance with the following editorial schedule: Last week of March - for May/June 2014 USJ Last week of May - for July/August 2014 USJ Last week of July - for September/October 2014 USJ Last week of September - for November/December 2014 USJ (Email submissions to vsumner@naus.org are encouraged. Please do not send photocopies, and if you are taking photos of your events or activities, be sure to take several shots and send along a few of the best quality ones. Captions identifying the photos and people in them are greatly appreciated.)
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, GUAM): 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 mileview@yahoo.com 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): Dick Brubaker, LtCol, USAF (Ret), Dayton, OH dickbrub@aol.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 Dillon, 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
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NOTICE TO MEMBERS NAUS & SMW CHAPTERS & STAFF NEED YOUR HELP Recently NAUS Headquarters in Virginia has begun to contact some NAUS members (via telephone calls and US mail letters) to update their membership profile with their Dates of Service information. is will help you and other members by ensuring NAUS’ membership records meet the requirements of the IRS for us to begin accepting donations on a tax deductible basis. If your NAUS membership information is missing the dates of your uniformed service and you have not already received a call or letter from NAUS, you get a call from one of the NAUS staff or our volunteers asking for this information. Even easier, you may log on to the NAUS website, check your membership profile, and add your Dates of Service yourself. You may also ensure your address and other contact information is correct, and manage your Weekly Update subscription preference. Please help and make sure your member profile is correct and up-to-date. You may also use the special form printed in the last issue of the USJ (March/April 2014) on page 34 for updating your dates of service! Member Profile Contact Information & Service Date Updates: ➢ Online changes at: http://www.naus.org/ Click on Blue ‘Log-In’ button First time logging in? Your default login and password is your member number followed by your first and last initials in caps. ➢ Mail changes to: Attn: Membership Services 5535 Hempstead Way Springfield, VA 22151 ➢ Email changes to: membership@naus.org – Attn: Membership Services ➢ Call changes into: (703) 750-1342 or (800) 842-3451, ext. 1013 ➢ Fax changes to: (703) 354-4380 or (703) 642-1076 CALL NOW WITH ANY MEMBER INFORMATION CHANGES & UPDATES!
Bill Ryerson Chapter El Paso, TX – 16 Saturday, March 8th, 2014, the El Paso Chapter joined with members of the local SMW, MOAA and MOWW El Paso Chapters for their popular annual ‘Day at the Races’ event at the Mt. Cristo Rey Room, Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. On Saturday, May 10th, 2014, the chapter Quarterly Membership Luncheon/Meeting was held at the Underwood Golden Tee Club House. Information about the chapter and chapter events are published on the chapter’s recently redesigned website: www.naus-elpaso.org. e chapter is also proud to serve as the hosting chapter for the 2014 NAUS Annual Membership Meeting which will be held at Fort Bliss, TX on Friday, 26 September 2014. NAUS expects over 150 members from all over the nation visiting the area. is will be the very first Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
time NAUS has held its Annual Meeting outside the Washington, DC area. Additional details and registration information are found on page 44 in this edition of the Journal, and will also be published in future El Paso Chapter Newsletters. Also look for information in the local media. TX-16 encourages all NAUS members to rally behind the NAUS President and its Board of Directors to make this visit to El Paso enjoyable; and the annual meeting a truly successful event! On the heels of the NAUS Annual Meeting, the Fort Bliss Military Retiree Appreciation Day (RAD) has been scheduled for Saturday, 27 September 2014, by the Commanding General of the First Armored Division and Fort Bliss. NAUS President Jack Klimp will be the keynote speaker. e RAD will be held at the Army Sergeants Major Academy, East Fort Bliss from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. e Commanding General and several other speakers will participate informing the attendees of all issues of importance to our military retirees and their families. Additional information will be published in future Chapters newsletters and the Fort Bliss Retiree Newsletter to be published in the month of August 2014. MWO Edward C. Ney, USA Retired, El Paso TX-16 Chapter President would like to invite ALL NAUS members to join the chapter and NAUS HQ in El Paso for the 2014 Annual Membership Meeting on the 26th and to stay for the RAD on the 27th. Great speakers are planned for both of these annual events.
table. It was a great opportunity to gain awareness of NAUS and our mission among other organizations and the Hawaiian state legislators and military veterans who attended. In addition to the several State Legislators, US Senator Brian Schatz and US Rep Tulsi Gabbard sent staff members. e award-winning NAUS USJs flew off the table when the team of Dennis and Vera suggested it was "the best US Congress Uniformed Service Bill analysis they will ever read.” Several potential members came out of this first ever military/veterans expo. Many thanks to the Egge team…what a one-two punch!.
Fredericksburg Chapter VA – 5 VA-5 chapter in Fredericksburg, VA, held its annual joint meeting with members of the Air Force Association Richmond Chapter in March. e guest speakers were NAUS President Jack Klimp and State Delegate Mark Cole. Mark gave an update to attendees regarding the Virginia General Assembly’s current endeavors. While many bills and resolutions were passed during the session, a State budget has yet to be passed. e House passed a resolution to extend the session to continue work on the budget; however the Senate and Governor McAuliffe declined to do so. e Virginia General Assembly was scheduled to be back in special session to restart budget negotiations as the Journal went to press. NAUS mid-Atlantic Regional Vice President and Chapter President Dave Ellis, Col, USAF (Ret) help organized the day’s events and speakers and special thanks to NAUS member “Chip” Moran, LtCol, USAF (Ret), who was a great host.
Dr. John A. Sheedy Chapter, Honolulu, HI – 1
Groton / New London Chapter Groton, CT – 1
Back in February, the Hawaii State Legislature hosted its first ever military/veterans expo. Senator Will Espero and Representative Mark Takai sponsored the event. NAUS Chapter President CPO Dennis Egge, USN (Ret) and his wife, Vera had a great time talking to attendees about NAUS while at the chapter’s "Service Members’ Voice in Government"
RMCM Paul Dillon, USN (Ret) CT-1 Chapter President presented Naval Sea Cadet John Stevens with a NAUS Certificate of Recognition. Cadet Stevens was recognized for attaining the pinnacle rank of Chief Petty Officer in the Naval Sea Cadet Corps. e advancement ceremony was held at the Submarine Museum in Groton, CT March 8th.
Dennis Egge (HI-1 Chapter President) (l), his wife Vera Egge (HI-1 Chapter member) in the center and Arthur Tulak (HI-1 Chapter member) (r). These members gathered to promote NAUS at the first ever Hawaii State Legislature military/veterans expo on 2/20/14.
RMCM Paul Dillon USN (Ret) CT-1 Chapter President (l) presents Naval Sea Cadet John Stevens with a NAUS certificate of recognition. Stevens was recognized for attaining the pinnacle rank of Chief Petty Officer in the Naval Sea Cadet Corps at the Submarine Museum in Groton, Ct. on 3/8/14.
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
31
IN THE FIELD King / Tulare Chapter, CA We want you for this newest NAUS chapter – NAUS Members are still being recruited to serve as officers of this new chapter. With three chapter meetings under their belts, and a new Chapter Treasurer, omas Switajewski, PO1, USN (Ret), the chapter is off to a great start. e March meeting speaker was Erin Rodriguez from the Kings County Veterans Service Office. Chapter meetings are being held at the Marie Callenders restaurant, 350 S. Mooney Blvd, in Visalia. In April, the chapter had an information booth at the West Hills College veterans’ information event. May’s meeting speaker will be a representative from United Health Care (the new contractor providing TRICARE services in the Western Region). In September, the chapter is planning to have a representative from the National Cemeteries speak to members. Chapter officers plan to keep everyone informed of other activities that are scheduled. Chapter President Mike Lamb reported that there was an emergency meeting at the Kings County Government Center in Hanford in March concerning the continued use of the Veterans Building by veterans groups. Many veterans may not know that the County sold the Veterans Building to the City! NAUS does not currently use this facility but many other veterans groups do. e fate of the Veterans and the building is still being discussed.
Pacific Gateway Chapter, Travis AFB, CA – 4 CA-4 chapter would like to let everyone know that there will be an Open House on Travis Air Force Base on May 3 and 4, 2014. Gates open for the event at 09:30 a.m. e US Air Force underbird aerial demonstration team, the US Army Golden Knights parachute team, and a number of notable civilian performers will perform on both days from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ere will also be numerous aircra on display. Go to www.travis.com/openhouse or www.facebook.com/TravisOpenHouse for additional info plus a whole lot of info about previous Open Houses. For those of you who have never been to the Open House on Travis Air Force Base, this event is definitely a must for your bucket list.
Sequoia Chapter, Clovis/Fresno, CA – 17 On 10 April MSgt Michael Lamb, USMC (Ret) set up and
staffed a NAUS table at the ‘Veteran’s Resource Fair’ held at the Golden Eagle Arena on the campus of West Hills College, Lemoore, CA. MSgt Lamb recruited several members and let many of those attending know the ‘what’ and ‘why’ NAUS is so important. Many thanks MSgt Lamb for you constant support for NAUS and ALL the military family. MSgt Lamb was Chapter President for this outstanding NAUS ‘Chapter of the Year’ for 2013.
NAUS Headquarters Announcements Military Appreciation Month – May Congress designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999 to ensure the nation was given the opportunity to publically demonstrate their appreciation for the sacrifices and successes made by our service members - past and present. Each year the President makes a proclamation, reminding Americans of the important role the U.S. Armed Forces have played in the history and development of our country. May was selected because it has most days set aside for celebrating and commemorating our military's achievements. ese days include Loyalty Day, which was established in 1921, Victory in Europe (VE) Day commemorating the end of WWII in Europe on May 8, 1945, Armed Forces Day created in 1949, Military Spouse Appreciation Day established in 1984, and of course, Memorial Day. Memorial Day is the only Federal holiday in May and is celebrated on the last Monday of the month. e day, dating from the Civil War era, traditionally has marked recognition of those who have died in service to the nation. Each year on Memorial Day, the White House Commission on Remembrance promotes one minute of silence at 3 p.m. local time to honor the military's fallen comrades and to pay tribute to the sacrifices by the nation's service members and veterans.
2014 Spring Board of Directors EXCOM Meeting – NAUS HQ, VA On Wednesday, April 30th , 2014, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM the NAUS Board of Directors Executive Committee members along with the NAUS Finance Committee members joined with LtGen Jack Klimp, President and CEO; Windora Bradburn, Director of Membership Services and CFO, Rick Jones, NAUS Legislative Director and Steve Hein, Director of Marketing for the Bylaws required 2nd quarter meeting.
Please send any and all information on upcoming 2014 Veteran events that you would like to see in the USJ to NAUS HQ. Please have all details of the event to include any speaker requests. Please send this information & these requests in writing to Vicki Sumner, Director of Administration via her email: vsumner@naus.org or via Upcoming Events - 2014 snail mail: NAUS HQ, 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151
Marine South Expo Veterans Resource Fair Watervliet Arsenal RAD West Point RAD Fort Wainwright RAD USMC Historic Half
9 thru 10 Apr 2014 10 Apr 2014 3 May 2014 3 May 2014 17 May 2014 16 thru 17 May 2014
West Hills College New York Police Academy USMA
Camp Lejeune, NC Lemoore, CA Albany, NY West Point, New York Fort Wainwright, AK Fredericksburg, VA
PLEASE NOTE: For 2014 NAUS will sponsor a drawing at any RAD where a senior staffer from NAUS will be speaking. NAUS no longer sponsors a drawing at every RAD.
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Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
is meeting is held during the second quarter of the year to review budget items, any needed bylaws changes, and the current status of the Strategic Plan. EXCOM Board members attending constituted a quorum as required. Most committee members attend via teleconference and others, based locally, via their presence at the NAUS headquarters in Springfield, VA. LtGen Klimp hosted this event. e meeting included a review of the upcoming Annual Membership Meeting details, a legislative update, financial update (including a review of the status of the 2014 budget,) marketing update, fundraising update, LtGen Klimp’s 3rd year assessment, follow-up on 2013 Board action items and miscellaneous new business.
spouses/guests in the Mount Vernon Inn from 2:30 - 3:30 pm. Recipients of the Purple Heart Medal will be allowed to tour Mount Vernon Estates for free on 7 August, 2014 by showing proof of award or membership with MOPH. Dress is casual for summer. To receive more information and RSVP for the event/ reception, please go online to the following website: www.purpleheartvirginia.org or contact Dr. Gordon Sumner, PhD, NAUS Member and Commander Greater Washington DC Chapter 353, MOPH at: gordon.sumner53@gmail.com.
2014 American Merchant Marine Veterans Convention – Las Vegas, Nevada LtGen Klimp will attend the 28th Annual Conference of our affiliate, the American Merchant Marine Veterans (AMMV) in Las Vegas, Nevada being held May 14th and 15th, 2014. NAUS was proud to sponsor an advertisement in the National Convention Memory Book again this year, promoting NAUS membership and our work on behalf of our WWII Merchant Marine veterans. Liaison between NAUS and AMMV was again wonderfully handled by Morris Harvey, National President American Merchant Marine Veterans, Inc. and NAUS Board Advisor.
Marine South Exposition NAUS Marketing Director Steve Hein, LCDR, USCG (Ret) recruited new members at the NAUS Booth at the Marine South Exposition 9-10 April at Camp Lejeune, NC.
National Purple Heart Recognition Day As part of the National Purple Heart Recognition Day ceremonies, the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) Department of Virginia, in concert with the MOPH National HQ, invites all members of NAUS who are recipients of the Purple Heart Medal to celebrate the establishment of America's oldest military award, the Purple Heart Medal, on 7 August, 2014 in the Robert H. & Clarice Smith Auditorium at George Washington’s beloved Mount Vernon Estate. is event is open to the Public; therefore we encourage everyone that is interested to learn about the Purple Heart Medal to attend. e ceremony will begin the event at 1:00 pm. e event will honor General Washington and our nation’s Purple Heart Medal recipients from America's wars. e ceremony will include special music by the Brass Quintet from the Military District of Washington as well as very special guests from Mount Vernon Ladies Association and even General Washington himself. Captain Paul Bucha, USA, Retired, Medal of Honor and Purple Heart recipient has been invited to be our Keynote Speaker. Following the ceremony inside the Smith Auditorium, a wreath laying ceremony will be conducted at the Purple Heart Memorial located at the entrance to Mt. Vernon followed by an "invitation only" reception for recipients of the Purple Heart Medal and their Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signs bill Hb14-1059 along with the United Veterans Committee (UVC) Colorado's largest veterans group along with our own RVP Tom Paolillo (2nd from right) RVP Region 3– Central. Bill Hb14-1059 covers No disorderly conduct for blanks fired at funerals. A few local Colorado communities did not like the sound but this bill clears up the right to the use of rifle volleys during funerals
NAUS 2014 ANNUAL MEETING WEEK September 24-27, El Paso, TX! Make Your Reservation Now for the NAUS Annual Membership Meeting! Regional Vice Presidents’ Workshop NAUS HQ, Main Conf. Room, Springfield, VA (RVPs Only via web conference & teleconference)
24 Sep 2014
New Board Directors Orientation Session NAUS HQ, Main Conf. Room, Springfield, VA (2015 Board Directors Only)
24 Sep 2014
2014 Board of Directors Annual Meeting NAUS HQ, Main Conf. Room, Springfield, VA (Board Directors, RVPs & Advisors Only)
25 Sep 2014
46th Annual Membership Meeting Centennial Banquet & Conference Center, Fort Bliss, TX (Open to ALL NAUS members & supporters)
26 Sep 2014
Ft Bliss Military Retiree Appreciation Day (RAD) Sergeant Majors Academy, East Fort Bliss, TX
27 Sep 2014
SEE PAGE 44 FOR FURTHER DETAILS! 33
IN THE FIELD ALL CHAPTERS & REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS – Its time again to start working your ‘2014 CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD’ packages. Submit what your chapter or a chapter in your region has or will accomplish this year and begin to put your packages together for submission later in 2014. e award is given out at the NAUS Annual Membership Meeting on 26 September 2014 and includes cash awards for the top three winning chapters. Start your write-up now! GO TO: www.NAUS.org/chapters FOR MORE INFORMATION.
ALL CHAPTERS, BOARD, RVP s AND MEMBERS – It is also time to start working your submissions for the ‘NAUS DISTINGUISHED WARRIOR AWARD FOR 2014.’ ese warriors for our cause, through their personal commitment, initiative and hard work make a real difference in the lives of those our association represents. Submit someone you know is a true warrior for our members. e award is given out at the NAUS Annual Membership Meeting on 26 September 2014. Start your write-up now!
Members Dates of Service
You may have already received or will be receiving a letter or call from NAUS asking for your dates of service if we do not have them already. In order to enable future contributions to NAUS to be tax deductible, several membership eligibility changes were recently approved by a vote of the NAUS membership. In addition, long-standing IRS regulations for such veterans organizations require that NAUS also maintain a record of your dates of service (in years, e.g., 1990 to 1996) along with your other uniformed service and contact information that we already have in your member profile. A review of our records shows that we do not have all of the dates of service for all of our members, and we are asking you to please provide NAUS with your dates of service to complete your profile. There are a couple of easy ways to do this: (1) Complete the form below and return to NAUS. (2) Log in to the NAUS website, and add your dates of service (found under the My Account menu). If you have not logged in before, the default logon and password are both set as your membership number followed by your first and last initial in caps (e.g., 352952MS). (3) Call NAUS at 1-800-842-3451, ext. 1013. If after hours or our membership department staff is unable to answer please leave a message – just be sure to leave your first and last names, and membership number or city and State, along with your dates of service (e.g., 1978 to 2003). That’s it. It will only take a couple moments of your time, and will help you and other members by helping your Association meet the requirements for tax deductibility of contributions faster. Thank you for your membership and continued support. Please complete this Dates of Service form.
NAUS DATES OF SERVICE FORM
May 2014
Member #: ______________________________ (Located just above your name on your Journal mailing label.) First Name: _________________________________
Last Name: _________________________________
City: ______________________________________________ Dates of Service (in years):
State: _________
Zip Code: ___________
From __________ to ___________ From __________ to ___________ From __________ to ___________
Return to: NAUS, 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151 or call 1-800-842-3451, ext. 1013 with this information. 34
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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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 May/June 2014
35
Etta Brown National SMW President ettabrown47@yahoo.com www.militarywidows.org Established 1968 • Affiliated 1984
ello again fellow members - It’s election time and I though you might like to have some background about SMW elections before you are introduced to the slate of candidates that will be posted in the July/ August issue of NAUS Journal. During the 2013 convention in Nashville, a nominating committee of three persons were chosen. Their job was to poll the Chapters for qualified candidates, dedicated to the purpose of SMW/NAUS and willing to serve on the National Executive Board. SMW elected officers serve for two years. However, a president-elect ’s term is really a 4 year commitment as during the first term she is actively “on the job training.” Currently we have five (5) Regional Vice Presidents who may serve in place of the National President for special occasions held at the Chapter level in her area. Of course the Secretary and Treasurer position are most important for record keeping. The treasurer may serve more terms if she is voted into the position by the membership. This is done to keep consistency with the finances. And yes, we do have an audit committee which is done each year.
A member in good standing must have served at least one term in an elected office in a Chapter in order to be eligible for a national elected position. An active appointed member in a Chapter may be accepted as an appointed National Board member, such as the Legislative Chair or Chaplain. During the convention in October, the final votes will be counted, and persons chosen will be formally installed as National officers. Will you be there ? Its not to late to register for Hawaii Convention, Oct 18-25,2014. Hope you appreciated the review of the election process we use and to continue according to the by-laws, its important that all of you take the time to cast your vote for the slate of candidates as directed. Some of you have been called already by a member of the nominating team and have responded positively. This is an encouraging sign that the election process set into motion by previous SMW Executive Board members is still useful and workable.
2014 ANNUAL SMW CONVENTION CRUISE - Sunny skies, clear blue waters & floral scented warm evening breezes await you. e Society of Military Widows - Aloha Chapter 25 is pleased to invite family, friends, members and supporters to experience Hawaii aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Pride of America: October 18-25, 2014. e eight day seven night sailing will include private group activities, a banquet as well as time to relax, explore and reflect. is amazing cruise will enable participants to experience the islands at their own pace amongst friends while being pampered by the excellent service that the Norwegian Cruise Lines are known for. All the information you will need to secure your spot can now be found on the SMW website under ‘Conventions’ using the link listed on the web page. You can contact Seawind Tours & Travel, Inc. directly at (808) 949-4144 or at their website at: info@seawindtours.com. Cruise and activities are ONLY available for bookings made through Seawind Tours & Travel. Cabin type selections & handicap access rooms are limited – please book early. ere are installment plans available. SMW hopes to SEE YOU THERE! Aloha Chapter, SMW – 25 - It is that time of year again, CHINESE NEW YEAR 2014 - 4712. Although technically the specific date for this year’s Chinese New Year was in January, the celebration for
this year and the Aloha Chapter goes on and on. A great place to celebrate was at the SMW-25 February General Membership Meeting held at HEE HING RESTAURANT at 449 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, February 22, 2014. e chapter ladies remind us that it is the Year of the HORSE. e program introduced those attending to Mr. William C. S. (Clay) Park, the Director of Papaolalokahi, with the most recent of dependent benefits covering a myriad of subjects such as health advice and burial benefits. Mr. Park’s extensive an interesting background (including the fact that he is on the Governor’s Advisory Board) gives you a hint as to his timely and accurate knowledge. He also introduced the ladies to a fascinating program he refers to as the "Uncles and Aunties". e chapter found out what Papaolalokahi means and who the “Uncles and Aunties” are. e March General Membership Meeting was held at the Enlisted Men’s Club (nice, roomy with lots of great parking) at Hickam AFB, HI. It happened on Saturday March 22, 2014 at 10:30 AM. e program’s speaker was the Family Readiness Program Coordinator for the 154th Wing of the Hawaii National Guard, Mrs. Lorna Souza. is program was established to better support Soldiers/Airmen and families. e main goal is to offer services in support of family readiness and to empower service members, retirees, veterans and their families to support their resettling and growth by providing education, resources and assistance for the unique environment of today’s military way of life. Its objective is to create the family support system to assist members during separation providing information, referral, returning and enhancing Guard retention. Members of Aloha Chapter 25, SMW invite you to join them to experience Hawaii aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Pride of America, October 18-25, 2014. Don’t delay any longer...an exciting SMW preview of our islands as never offered before Desert Sun SMW – 30, El Paso, TX - e Desert Sun Chapter met for their General/Business luncheon in January with Guest Speaker Mr. Doug Pullen who delighted the ladies with information about the upcoming El Paso Classic Film Festival planned for this August. e monthly meetings for February 6th and March
H
(L to R) Mary Gabrielson, SMW Chapter 25 in Honolulu, Hawaii along with Janet Snyder, Alberta Elliott, & Kay Milzer, SMW Chapter 34 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo was taken in Caesarea, Israel. 36
Etta Brown, SMW National President
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
6th were held at the Centennial Club on Fort Bliss also. For the February luncheon Master Gardener Jim Hastings spoke about how to prepare your garden for spring planting. For March the program had Ms. Patricia Kiddney from the Shady Lady Storytellers and Concordia Cemetery Heritage Association present her topic - ‘Sweethearts of Concordia Cemetery.’ Saturday, March 8th the chapter ladies joined other local organizational chapters for their annual joint ‘Day at the Races.’ ey joined the other organizations’ members at 10:45 AM at the Mt. Cristo Rey Room. Lunch started at 11:00 AM for those with reservations and was served at a cost of $21.00 per person. is annual joint event with MOAA, EPAC-NAUS, MOWW and SMW-30 meets at the Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino to honor Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve Personnel. Everyone assembled for lunch also received the Race Briefing and participated in the drawings. e race 1st Post Time was scheduled for 12:45 PM. e casino opened at 09:30 AM and closed at 2:00 AM. is event has been proven to be a very fun filled day for all the attendees. Also, many thanks to the chapter ladies for their donations of money and time (for shopping & serving) to the VA Hosting Day events. December 11th, January 8th, February 12th & March 12th proved to be fun filled for the many veterans who attend and they conveyed their complements to the chapter ladies for the food, fruits and eggs purchased and/or prepared for consumption. Southern Nevada Chapter, SMW – 34 - At the March 9th meeting of the SMW-34 chapter, eresa ‘Tess’ Alexander, who founded SMW in 1968, was honored. Tess was born on February 20, 1901 and she passed at her home on March 23, 1989 and is buried in Ft. Rosecrans
SMW Call to Action on Repeal of the SBP/DIC Offset Too many people think the political system is stacked against them The simple fact is that if you don't vote it's not protest - it's surrender! Do you ever wonder why, after 13 years, the SBP/DIC offset has still not been eliminated? In order to get legislation passed in Washington, D.C., there must be a lot of support for the bill. Numbers count! The COLA cuts for retirees under 62 years old had passed Congress and been signes into law by the President, and then the House of Representatives voted 326 to 90 to change the law and provide full COLAs for all members who retire. Why
S OCIETy
OF
National Cemetery near San Diego, Ca. Aer her husband, LCDR Hugh R. Alexander died aboard the USS. Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Tess received a $38 VA pension and $10 for her daughter Gloria (then age 7.) In order to make ends meet, Tess secured employment with the federal government. en she began to work to increase the welfare of military widows. It is said that both the DIC and SBP benefits available to military widows today (authorized in 1972) are attributed to her tireless and relentless efforts. eresa ‘Tess’ Alexander was recognized in the Congressional Record on September 26, 1989 as a champion on behalf of military widows for more that forty (40) years. e March 9th meeting continued with the announcement that the chapter is planning a 10-day trip to Taiwan in 2015 lead by chapter member Su Phelps. Su plans to tour her country with visits to many of the sites like the Hot Springs, the Mountains, Taipei, and some of the Temples. e first and last days will be travel days with eight (8) full days of touring in Taiwan. Su also plans to arrange a meeting with military widows in Taiwan. Chapter President Janet Snyder is putting together a list of interested participants right now. e chapter would like to remind members that the May chapter meeting will be held on Sunday, May 18th at 12:30 PM at the Palace Station Casino, 2411 W. Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89102 in the Feast Buffet – Private Room on the 2nd floor. Please make sure you RSVP early. is meeting was moved to later in the month of May due to ‘Mother’s Day’ being on the second Sunday (May 11th.). Chapter President Janet Snyder would also like to remind members that the Nevada Humane Society will hold their ‘Walk for Animals’ on Saturday, May 24th…see Janet Snyder for additional details.
Don't sit back and wait for someone else to fight your did this happen? Hundreds of thousands of retired service members called, sent e-mails, and actively protested thesepro- battles. Each one of us is capable of standing up and making posed COLA cuts. Thousands visited their legislators both at our voices heard. their Washington, D.C., offices and their local offices. Do it now, and keep doing it. Do not get discouraged. Be This is what it takes to get action on Capitol Hill. persistent. These are benefits our spouses worked hard for, You can't expect others to do political advocacy on your and wanted us to have. Honor them. Honor all of us. behalf. Only you can tell your individual story. We need numbers to prove that this is an important issue to all And let me know about your local meetings military surviving spouses. with your elected representatives. Send e-mails to your legislators. Call their D.C. Please call me, or send an e-mail. offices and speak to their Military Legislative Assistants Janet Snyder - SMW Legislative Chair (MLAs). Ask them to take action onH.R. 32 and S. 734, to (702) 227-6566 • groundhog71@gmail.com eliminate the SBP/DIC offsetfor military surviving spouses.
M ILITARy W IDOWS ®
w w w. M i li tar yWi dows.o rg
SMWUSJ14
Recruited by
Name
Date of Birth
Address Email Address
DUES: o 1 Yr
City
$19
o 3 Yrs
$49
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$69
Society of Military Widows 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151 www.MilitaryWidows.org • 1-800-842-3451
As a benefit of membership, you receive a subscription to the NAUS Weekly Update e-newsletter. If you do not wish to subscribe, please check here: o Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
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Name: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________________________________ State: _____________ Zip: __________________ Phone #: ______________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________ Branch of Service: _____________________ Rank/Grade: ___________________ Date of Birth: _______/_______/_______ mm
Dates of Service:
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As a benefit of membership you receive a subscription to the NAUS Weekly Update E-newsletter. If you do not wish to subscribe please check here: o
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Contributions or membership dues are not refundable or transferable and are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.
Or Join Online At: www.NAUS.org
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO SOMEONE YOU KNOW!
Seniors’ Corner “Aid and Attendance” an Under-Used and Little-Known Benefit ough NAUS has highlighted this benefit before, it remains one of the lesser-known benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Known as A&A, the Aid and Attendance and Housebound Improved Pension benefit, can cover the costs of caregivers in the home (including sons and daughters who are paid to be caregivers, though not spouses) or be used for assisted living or a nursing home. e benefit can range in payments of up to $2,019 monthly for a veteran and spouse, and up to $1,094 for the widow of a veteran. To qualify, a veteran need not have suffered a servicerelated injury and only had to have served at least one day of a 90-day minimum military service during a time of war and need caregiving for activities of daily living. e maximum income to qualify a veteran or surviving spouse for the benefit is in the range of $20,000 to $23,000 with assets of around $80,000 (the house and a car are exempt from this total) or lower. However, there are allowable exceptions. Many elderly veterans and surviving spouses whose incomes are above the legal limit for a VA pension may still be eligible for the special monthly Aid and Attendance benefit if they have large medical expenses, including nursing home expenses, for which they do not receive reimbursement.
Beware “Aid and Attendance” Scams e Aid and Attendance benefit reflects our nation’s commitment to helping those who have served in uniform. Unfortunately, scam artists have been exploiting the A&A program and hurting veterans in the process. For example, scammers have charged veterans exorbitant Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
by Rick Jones
fees for help applying for the program’s benefits, even though the application is free and straightforward. Even worse, scammers have “helped” veterans satisfy the asset threshold for benefits by moving assets into irrevocable trusts or annuities that cannot be accessed for years, worsening the veterans financial situation. NAUS has joined with a number of service organizations to support legislation, S. 1993, the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act, that would take decisive action to stamp out these scammers’ actions. e bill, introduced by Senators Marc Rubio (R-FL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), would help crack down on the scam artists who are preying on our most vulnerable veterans and diverting federal taxpayer dollars for their own benefit. It would direct VA to work with other federal agencies and the States to implement standards that would protect veterans from predatory practices related to the A&A program. While we work to broadcast information about the A&A program, we urge Congress to take action in protecting those who served our country from those who would serve themselves.
Getting a Good Night’s Sleep For a variety of reasons, sound sleep can be elusive for seniors. Here are some tips from the National Institute on Aging to help you sleep better. • Try to follow as close to a regular sleep schedule as possible by going to bed and getting up at the same time each day — even on weekends. Also, try to avoid napping in the late aernoon or evening. •Develop a bedtime routine, taking time to wind down before bed. And avoid screen time for at least an hour or two before you go to sleep. •Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and at a comfortable temperature. •Exercise regularly — but not within three hours before you go to bed. •Get outside into the sunlight each day. •Avoid eating large meals close to bedtime. •Avoid caffeine (not just coffee and tea but also soda, hot chocolate, etc.) and alcohol before bed, both of which will hinder sleep. 39
Contributors
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 coupon on page 42 or go online to www.NAUS.org or
call 1-800-842-3451.
Chairman’s Club (More than $500) Armed Forces Retirees Association CWO5 Kim T. Adamson, USMCR (RET)
President’s Club ($200 to $499) ACC H. H. Berryhill, Jr., USN (RET) • CSM Donald E. Devaney, USA (RET) • CAPT Robert C. Lloyd, Jr., USPHS SMSgt William A. Miller, USAF (RET) • Mrs. Kayoko Parker • Mrs. Carole L. Sheldon MSgt William C. Wylie, USMC (RET) • PFC William L. Brown, Jr., USA (RET) • SGM Venis D. Knight, USA (RET)
Century Club ($100 to $199) MG Albert B. Akers, USA (RET) Ms. Julie A. Bizzell Col Jack P. Bujalski, USAF (RET) SGT Andrew Connelly, USA (VET) MSgt Karl W. Corser, Jr., USAF (RET) COL Dan Dennison, USA (RET) RMCM Paul F. Dillon, USN (RET) Mr. Richard J. Essex Ms. Joan L. Farmer Sgt Brian J. Griffin, USAF (VET) SSgt Kenneth M. Hornady, USAF (RET) BGen John A. Hurley, USAFR (RET) SFC William M. James, USA (RET) SSG omas N. Johnson, USA (RET) Mrs. Irmtraud B. Keasler LtGen Jack W. Klimp, USMC (RET) CAPT Ralph H. Laedtke, USN (RET) LTC Henry Lee, USA (RET) MCPO Richard C. Merrill, USCG (RET) MAJ Lucien A. Morin, USA (RET) SGM Anthony R. Nathe, USA (RET) CMSgt Ralph L. Ramsey, USAF (RET) MCPO David J. Rudd, USN (RET) Mrs. Ruth M. Rutherford MSG Keith Salyer, USA (RET) COL Brooke I. Serpe-Ingold, USA (RET) CSM Vernon G. Snyder, USA (RET) 1SG John P. Stannard, Jr., USA (RET) SSgt Albert A. Stephenson, USMC (RET) MSG Jim B. Storey, USA (RET) SGM Lee D. Taylor, USA (RET) SGM Donald O. ompson, AUS (RET) LtCol Nanci Visser, USMCR (RET) MSG James E. Weaver, USA (RET)
40
1SG Lawrence C. Webb, USA (RET) SFC Robert T. Tanaka, Jr., USA (RET) LTC Mark T. Pilgrim, USA (RET)
Booster Club ($35 to $99) CW4 Al J. Acunto, USA (RET) LtCol Gerald D. Alborn, USAF (RET) MSgt Al J. Ali, USAF (RET) Ms. Sarah Barnard SFC Carroll D. Bartholomew, Jr., USA (RET) Mrs. Marcella Bass MSG Larry Belton, USA COL Wilbur C. Bishof, USA (RET) LTC Laszlo J. Boesze, USA (RET) LTC Charles A. Bove, USA (RET) COL Reese L. Boyd, USA (RET) BG Albert Bryant, Sr., USA (RET) COL Orville N. Butts, USA (RET) MSG Clarence J. Carney, USA (RET) MSgt John B. Carr, USAF (RET) STCM (SS) Ken L. Caye, USN (RET) SFC Jesus P. Cepeda, USA (RET) LtCol Bob A. Chaffee, USAF (RET) LTC Robert E. Chisolm, USA (RET) PSG Joseph H. Chitwood, USA (RET) CPO Larry Clapp, USN (RET) MSgt Zane L. Conrad, USAF (RET) COL Roger R. Copinger, Jr., USA (RET) CSM Manuel G. Corregedore, Jr., USA (RET) QMCM Douglas A. Damron, USN (RET) SFC Raymond A. Depp, USA (RET) CW3 William C. Drennan, USA (RET) LTC Robert D. Duncan, USA (RET) SGM Vincente Duran, USA (RET) LCpl David Eichner
MSG Clarence E. Ellis, USA (RET) LTC Mary A. Emmons, USA (RET) MGySgt Norman K. Estelle, USMC (RET) COL Walter C. Evans, USA (RET) CDR Daniel H. Evans, USN (RET) MSG Robert T. Fay, Sr., USA (RET) COL John F. Fitzsimons, USA (RET) LtCol William H. Follmer, USAF (RET) Ms. Jane C. Ford SFC Timothy R. Franklin, USA (RET) Mrs. Constance Gallant LtCol Paul Glaab, USAF (RET) COL Richard J. Glasgow, USA (RET) Mrs. Jeannine Gross CSM Gilbert T. Hancock, USA (RET) Col Dolores J. Haritos, USAF (RET) MSG Edwin C. Helwig, USA (RET) Mrs. Jayne A. Henley Davis Col Charles B. Hennessey, USAF (RET) Col Eugene W. Henry, USAF (RET) CSM Richard D. Hesse, USA 1SG Charles E. Hickey, Jr., USA (RET) TSgt Gary L. Hinkle, USAF (RET) LTC James G. Hoffmann, USA (RET) SGT Jacob Howard, USA (RET) COL Frank M. Hungerford, USA (RET) TSgt James W. Island, USAF (RET) LtCol Ralph Jaeger, USAF (RET) 1stSgt Alfred Jainnini, Sr., USMC (RET) RM2 Terrence J. Jelinek, USNR (VET) TSgt William Jones, Jr., USAF (RET) MSG Wheeler Jones, Jr., USA (RET) Mr. Ronald Kam MSG Tokuo Kanda, USAR (RET)
SFC Keri Karsten, USA (RET) COL William H. Kastner, USA (RET) MSgt Josh Kendrick, Jr., USAF (RET) MAJ Quitman L. Kirby, Jr., USA (RET) LTG John A. Kjellstrom, USA (RET) Maj Suzanne P. La Fontaine, USAF (RET) MSG Richard A. Labrecque, USAR (RET) SSG Anthony N. Lazzaro, USA (RET) Mrs. Eleanor U. Leonguerrero SFC Edward M. Levene, USA (RET) LTC Fred S. Lindsey, USA (RET) CAPT Roger W. Lloyd, USN (RET) PO1 James F. Long, USN (RET) COL Richard E. Lorix, USA (RET) Mrs. Anne R. Loy CW2 Juan S. Mafnas, USA (RET) Mrs. Majorie E. Main Mrs. Patricia D. Mancuso 1SG Ronald J. Martin, USA (RET) SFC Debra McClure, USA (RET) SFC Leon E. McKay, USA (RET) MSgt Henry McKinnon, Jr., USAF (RET) MAJ Edward G. McLaughlin, USA (RET) SGM Robert H. Miller, USA (RET) Mrs. Janet Minella-Didier CPT William P. Moore, USA (RET) Maj Arvel R. Morgan, USAF (RET) 1SG Todd T. Muraoka, USA (RET) LCDR omas J. Murray, USN (RET) SCPO Marilyn Neal, USNR PO1 Russell E. Newman, USN (RET) LTC Amos M. Newsome, Jr., USA (RET) LtCol Richard E. Novak, USMCR (RET) Col Richard S. Numbers, USAF (RET)
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
LTC James B. O'Dowd, USAR (RET) SSG Michael E. O'Hare, USA (RET) PFC Elden H. Okimura, USA (RET) MSG David E. Osgood, USA (RET) Col Clyde W. Owen, USAF (RET) MSG Willard E. Owens, USA (RET) 1SG R. L. Pace, USA (RET) Mrs. Dorothy M. Pankratz MAJ James D. Parks, Jr., USA (RET) SCPO Edward J. Parnell, USN (RET) SFC Melvin Partido, USA (RET) SFC Hillman Paschal, USA (RET) SFC William Perry, Sr., USA (RET) MSG Gregory J. Peters, ARNG (RET) CAPT Joseph Pica, NOAA COL Everett C. Pickerill, USA (RET) LtCol Joe E. Poe, USAF (RET) COL Arthur F. Pottle, Jr., USA (RET) SFC Glenn V. Powell, USA (RET) CAPT Milton S. Price, USNR (RET) LTC Courtney M. Rittgers, USA (RET) PFC Alejandro Rivera, USA (RET) LTC Sterling M. Rodgers, USA (RET) SFC Jerry J. Russell, USA (RET) MCPO Marion W. Sanders, USN (RET) CW4 Ronald Scheirer, USA (RET) MGySgt Ronald A. Schindler, USMC (RET) LtCol Larry L. Schuler, USAF (RET) CW4 Denney M. Seamster, USA (RET) COL Walter L. Shepard, USA (RET) Mrs. Joanna Yolanda Shimek Mrs. Dorothy Simington PSG George B. Simpson, USA (RET)
TAPS
Col James R. Slay, USAF (RET) Mr. Russell Slover Mrs. Vivian J. Smallwood LtCol Clarence R. Smith, USAF (RET) Mrs. Bobbie Stamps MGySgt John R. Statz, USMC (RET) ENC Frederick Stevens, USCG (RET) Maj Carl G. Stolberg, USAF (RET) Col Markus K. Straume, USAF (RET) Maj R. Manning Stroup, USAF (RET) LtCol Joyce A. Tatanus, USAF (RET) MAJ Hubert L. Toupin, USA (RET) PO2 James J. Tracy, USN (RET) LTC Perry D. Tripp, Jr., USA (RET) CSM Jon E. Tripp, Sr., USA (RET) CW4 Rudolph J. Triviz, USA (RET) TSgt Cletis W. Turner, USAF (RET) LTC Charles B. Varnado, Sr., USA (RET) SFC Van B. Vaughn, USA (RET) MSgt Alfred Verville, USAF (RET) MSG Van W. Waldrop, USA (RET) Mrs. Bobby Jo Walker ATC Robert E. Warrior, USCG (RET) LtCol Jack D. Waterfield, USAF (RET) LtCol Warren H. Webster, USAF (RET) Ms. Mary L. Wesner SFC Vernon C. Wheeler, USA (RET) Col Robert Joe Wicke, USAF (RET) MSgt William D. Wolford, Jr., USAF (RET) Mrs. Marjorie G. Woodard TSgt Herman A. Worrell, USAF (RET) MAJ Robert L. Wright, USA (RET) HM2 Hugh M. Wurmle, USN (VET)
CW4 Kenneth Yamada, AUS (RET) CMSgt Donald A. Harada, USAF (RET) LTC Harry A. Heiney, USA (RET) MSG Louis R. Luther, USA (RET) Mrs. Kathleen M. Mason 1SG Lee O. Smith, USA (RET) CMSgt Lawrence C. Hall, USAF (RET) SFC Ronald G. Hill, USA (RET) COL Donald C. Betzler, USA (RET) LTC Juan J. Lins-Morstadt, USA (RET) COL Paul D. Anderson, USA (RET) ENC William Appling, USCG (RET) 1SG G. Allen Arthur, USA (RET) SGM John P. Benavente, USA (RET) MSgt omas Bowen, USAF (RET) Mrs. Lucille Boytin MSgt Raymond J. Bradley, USAF (RET) TSgt John A. Brunet, USAF (RET) SGM Russell Cain, USA (RET) SCPO Macy Follander, USN (RET) Col John A. Gagen, USMC (RET) LtCol Joseph F. Garlett, USAF (RET) Mrs. Patricia L. Grimm Mrs. Norma J. Grotnes Col Michael F. Harris, USAF (RET) CDR Marie Herold, USPHS (RET) MCPO Douglas R. Horsfall, USN (RET) Mr. Jim A. Huber LTC Frank K. Inami, USA (RET) Maj omas W. Ittig, USAF (RET) LCDR Julian Kaplan, USNR (RET) SP4 Charlie J. Kuipers, USA (VET) BG George A. Landis, USA (RET) MAJ Robert B. Layman, USA (RET)
Mrs. Shirley G. MacLachlan 1SG Hibbert J. Manley, USA (RET) Col omas J. McCarron, USAF (RET) SSG Charles W. Menz, USA (RET) LtCol Wilfred E. Moran, USAF (RET) LtCol Wilfred E. Moran, USAF (RET) CMSgt John E. Nelson, USAF (RET) Mrs. Agnes M. Popovich Col Robert E. Pulfrey, USAF (RET) Mrs. Kathryn N. Ramsey Mrs. Grace L. Roberts LtCol Jerome I. Saubers, USAF (RET) LtCol Jerome I. Saubers, USAF (RET) MSG Basil R. Shaffer, USA (RET) OSCS Paul A. Smurawski, USNR (VET) SFC John T. Soica, USA (RET) Mr. Neil E. Stacy SGM William L. Stewart, USA (RET) TSgt omas L. Taylor, USAF (RET) COL William E. ompson, Jr., USAR (VET) MAJ Mary B. Treadwell, USA (RET) LtCol Samuel L. Wehn, USA (RET) TSgt Robert A. Wekke, Sr., USAF (RET) LTC Nina West, USA (RET) LTC William B. Willard, Jr., USA (RET) Maj Barbara B. Zarate, USAF (RET) SMSgt Michael J. Ziegler, USAF (RET) Mrs. Betty W. Mullen MSgt Edward A. Conyers, USAF (RET) LtCol Janene B. Dawson, USAFR (RET) MSG Loren W. Hoercher, Sr., USA (RET) CPT Patrick Ulep, USA (RET) SSG William H. Rowswell, USA (RET)
In Lieu of Flowers: NAUS wishes to thank those who have asked that “In lieu of flowers” a donation be made to the NAUS. 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
SFC Max T. Armijo, Jr., USA (RET) 1LT Carrell E. Atkinson, USA (RET) MSgt Ennis J. Blanton, USAF (RET) CW4 George B. Callahan, USA (RET) SMSgt James D. Carroll, USAF (RET) LTC Laurence L. Dantzer, USA (RET) CW3 George A. Drager, USA (RET) LtCol George F. Gobin, USAF (RET) Mrs. Marian M. Greenberg Mr. Bob G. Hesser SFC Richard E. Irvin, USA (RET) COL Russell G. Jones, USA (RET) Mrs. Lydia R. Lawson LtCol Arthur R. Linn, USAF (RET) Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
PO3 Robert F. Martratt, USN (VET) Col Edwin T. Mattson, USAF (RET) MSG Charles W. Meibeyer, USA (RET) LtCol William R. Moore, USAF (RET) 1SG Frank W. Nelson, USA (RET) CSM William A. Nestor, USA (RET) MSgt James C. Norris, USAF (RET) Mrs. Ada B. Panebianco Mrs. Esther Mae Peel TSgt Martin Renteria, USAF (RET) CW4 Robert J. Versaw, USA (RET) CMSgt John D. Walker, USAF (RET) Maj B. L. Williamson, Jr., USAF (RET) SSG James E. Zearley, USA (RET) 41
NAUS visits with Senate Staffers to deliver our members replies to the
NAUS Campaign to Save Social Security
On April 3, NAUS President LtGen Jack W. Klimp, USMC (Ret) and NAUS Director of Development Maggie Nayyar visited with the staff of Senators Marco Rubio and John McCain to deliver petitions and survey results received in response to the NAUS Campaign to Save Social Security and Medicare. This grassroots campaign allows NAUS to have a strong voice regarding Social Security and Medicare issues. We thank you for providing these responses and hope you continue to do so. We already have meetings scheduled with other Senate staff and will continue to get our member’s opinions in front of key decision makers. YOUR OPINION MATTERS and NAUS makes sure your voice is heard!
Maggie Nayyar, Scott Parkinson from Sen. Marco Rubio’s office and LtGen Jack Klimp
Maggie Nayyar, Mark A. Delich from Sen. John McCain’s’s office and LtGen Jack Klimp 42
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
T
he National Association for Uniformed Services is the only military service organization that has an active Political Action Committee (PAC). The NAUS PAC allows our organization to stand out from other associations and through your contributions allows us important one-on-one access to members of Congress. NAUS PAC is a non-partisan, voluntary, non-profit organization that allows NAUS members to participate in the political process by supporting federal candidates seeking re-election, who by virtue of their voting records, have supported military and veterans issues. Candidates seeking PAC support are assessed on their past support and current positions and their willingness to work with the NAUS legislative team. We also entertain requests from our chapters who wish to support a candidate in their local areas. NAUS PAC has traditionally asked our members for support every other year during the major election cycles. The next major fund drive for NAUS-PAC will be in this year, so you will be seeing the NAUS-PAC Fundraising packet in your mailbox in the coming months.You can also contribute now by returning this form with your donation. If you are NOT a NAUS member we ! cannot accept your PAC donation and it will be returned to you. Detach here and return with your contribution. WHY SUPPORT NAUS-PAC? - Financial Remember, ONLY NAUS MEMBERS can make donations to support of the PAC allows your NAUS Legislative the PAC. Federal Election Law requires that we ask you for the Team the access to meet with Representatives and following information: Senators face to face in order to present our positions on various issues or to thank them for their previous Name: and current support of our legislative goals. It allows NAUS Membership # (optional): Occupation: all NAUS members the opportunity to participate in the political process. Along with the many emails, Place of Employment: letters and phone calls your voluntary contributions Make your check payable to NAUS PAC and mail to make a difference and we appreciate your help. NAUS PAC, 5535 Hempstead Way, Springfield, VA 22151 Together we are doing very good things and Contributions to the NAUS PAC are not tax-deductible. supporting your PAC helps tremendously.
Uniformed Services Journal May/June 2014
43
Plan Now To Join Us At The 46th Annual
Membership Meeting Friday, September 26, 2014 Fort Bliss - El Paso, Texas Register Now for this year’s Annual Membership Meeting & Luncheon at the Centennial Banquet & Conference Center, Fort Bliss, TX on September 26th! Invited Speaker: Hon. Eric Shinseki, GEN, USA (Ret), Secretary of Veterans Affairs NAUS 2014 ANNUAL MEETING REGISTRATION FORM
Attendee Information: (Note: If registering more than 2 people, include an additional sheet with name(s) & member #, if any)
Name_____________________________Member #__________
HURRY!
SEATING IS LIMITED FOR THIS EVENT!
JUST $25
REGISTER TODAY!
NAUS Member (+ guest) Price Non-member Price: $30
Note: Any active duty service member attending in uniform may attend FREE of charge, but advance registration is still required – use code AM14VIP online, on the printed form, or over the phone to register for free.
HOW TO REGISTER: 1. Online at: www.regonline.com/NAUS14AM 2. Mail form to: NAUS Attn: 2014 Annual Membership Meeting 5535 Hempstead Way Springfield, VA 22151 [Please enclose your payment information]
3. Call: 1-800 842-3451 – extension 1003 [Please ensure you let staff know your payment method]
4. Fax form to: NAUS Attn: 2014 Annual Membership Meeting (703) 354-4380 or (703) 642-1076 REGISTRATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY SEPTEMBER 12
Name_____________________________Member #__________
MEMBERSHIP EVENT:
NAUS Annual Meeting - Friday, September 26
Member Price & Guest: $25 per person
Non-Member Price: $30 per person
# of People
$_______
________
$_______
________
$_0.00___
Active Duty Attending in Uniform:
FREE
Additional Contribution Total Number of Attendees and Amount
Payment Information: Charge my credit card: Visa
MC
Amount
________
________ AE
Discover
$_______
$_______
Exp Date: ___/____
Account #: __________________________________________ Name: ____________________________________________
Signature: __________________________________________ Check enclosed
(Make check payable to “NAUS 2014 Annual Meeting”)
Email: _____________________________________________ Phone: ____________________________________________ Please note that form and payment must be received at NAUS by Friday, September 12, to ensure your reservation. You may also call 1-800-842-3451, ext. 1003, to register over the phone. If you need hotel reservations, contact the Marriott Hotel, 1600 Airway Blvd, El Paso, TX 79925, (915) 779-3300.
Go online to www.NAUS.org for more details as this event gets closer!
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