Since 01-07-06
Armed Forces News Issue - Fri,
Jan. 6, 2006
Since 01-07-06
From: Armed Forces News [mailto:afn@fedweek.com]
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 11:38 AM
Subject: Armed Forces News Issue: Fri, Jan. 6, 2006
Armed Forces News Issue: Friday, January 6, 2006
FEDweek is the largest information resource in the Federal government with now
over one million weekly readers.
*********************************************************
Valuable Information for the Federal Family BRAND
NEW-You Can't Afford to Skip!
The 8 Worst TSP Planning Mistakes a Federal Employees Should Avoid Just Posted
At http://www.fedweek.com
F.R.E.E. 30-DAY Trial: Federal Retirement Institute Go to http://www.fedretirement.org
All Federal Employees Nearing Retirement Qualify For This F.R.E.E. 30-Day Trial!
FEDWEEK'S F.R.E.E. ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS Go to http://www.fedweek.com now to
Sign Up-F.R.E.E. for these newsletters!
FEDweek Weekly Electronic Newsletter Federal Manager's Daily Report Retirement &
Financial Planning Report Armed Forces News
BRAC Closing & Pre-Retirement Planning For Federal Employees
*********************************************************** http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/295172563/1588541/528/0/
***********************************************************
1. Year-end Pay Statements Scheduled
Service members and federal civilian employees paid by
the Defense Finance and Accounting Service should receive their 2005 tax
statements by mail soon, a DFAS official said. Most military retirees and
annuitants already have received theirs, as the last hard-copies were mailed
Dec. 31.
Mailing of active-duty Army, Navy and Air Force W-2 forms begins Jan. 24, but
members can access them on the "myPay" Web site starting Jan. 21. W-2 mailings
for reservists from the Army, Navy and Air Force commenced Jan. 4, but the forms
were to be online by Dec. 31.
Active-duty and Reserve Marines can check their mailboxes after Jan. 12 or
access their myPay accounts beginning Jan. 10. DoD civilians' W-2s will be
mailed beginning Jan. 10, and will be posted on myPay starting Jan. 9.
2. JCS Endorse Draconian Tricare Fees
The Joint Chiefs are joining the Defense Department in seeking to more than triple annual enrollment fees for officers in Tricare Prime and double the fees for enlisted retirees by 2008.
DoD wants Congress to jack up fees for those under-65 officer retirees from $240 a year for individual coverage to $750, and from $450 annually for family coverage to $1,500. The department wants to raise fees for enlisted retirees under age 65 to $450 for individuals and $900 for families.
The deductible for Tricare Standard also would be
raised, and an annual enrollment fee would be imposed. Medicare-eligible
retirees also would take a hit, with copayments for retail generic drugs jumping
from $3 to $5 and for brand name drugs from $9 to $15 retail and $10 by mail
order. DoD claims it needs the money from the retirees to balance the defense
budget.
3. VA Home Loan Limit Jumps 16%
Effective Jan. 1, 2006, the top limit for no-down-payment loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs went from $359,650 to $417,000.
The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 links rises in the VA guaranty to increases in the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation's conforming loan limit. So when this limit increases, VA guaranty limits go up, allowing VA to keep pace with rising home values.
VA-guaranteed home loans are made by banks and mortgage
companies to veterans, service members and reservists. With VA guaranteeing part
of the loan, veterans can get a competitive interest rate without making a down
payment. For more information, visit http://www.homeloans.va.gov or call
1-800-827-1000.
4. Navy Reserve Offers $15K for POs
The Navy Reserve is offering Naval Reserve affiliation bonuses of $15,000 to certain petty officers leaving active duty as well as to former Sailors.
Candidates must agree to serve six years in the selected reserve and cannot have completed more than 16 years of total service. They must possess one of the following skills or be trainable for one: master-at-arms, hospital corpsman, gunner's mate, intelligence specialist, builder, steelworker, construction electrician, construction mechanic, diver, explosive ordnance specialist, SEAL, or special warfare combatant crewman.
Retention is high in the Navy's active duty ranks, but
the Navy Reserve has not met its recruiting goals since January 1985. For more
information, visit www.navyreserve.com or call (800) USA-USNR (872-8767).
5. Rules Clarify USERRA
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao has announced final rules interpreting the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Act that helps ensure job security for reserve-component members returning to civilian life. This is the first time since the law's passage in 1994 that regulations have been developed to enforce it, she said.
The rules explain how the USERRA law protects against discrimination and retaliation due to military service and protects service members from job setbacks when carrying out their military obligations. The rules also explain that the law guarantees guardsmen and reservists ample time to return to their civilian jobs after completing their military duty.
But making the relationship work "is not a one-way
street," said Maj. Rob Palmer from the National Committee for Employer Support
of the Guard and Reserve. Guardsmen and reservists also have responsibilities
under USERRA, such as keeping their employers informed about their military
commitments.
6. AF Reservists Get Virtual Accounts
Air Force reservists now can create an account on the Reserve Personnel Center's Virtual Personnel Center-Guard Reserve portal. Interested reservists should go to https://arpc.afrc.af.mil/support/newaccount.asp and fill out all required blanks on the electronic form.
Reservists with no e-mail address can establish one at: www.gimail.af.mil/login.asp. Once the account is activated, the reservist can make address updates, find assignment information, review benefits and entitlements and search career opportunities at the site.
The points management section provides the number of points accumulated. Promotions help individuals prepare for promotion boards. In the retirements section, members can find out what they need for retirement and what is available to accomplish it.
People who seek alternate career fields can go to the
retraining section to determine eligibility. They also can get a reissue of the
20-year letter and/or a mortgage letter -- important documents for Reserve
Airmen.
7. DoD: Drivers Must Use Hands-Free Cell Phones
A new federal law prohibits using cell phones while driving on Defense Department installations unless the phones are hands-free. Each service is preparing its own regulations, which will be implemented by base commanders.
The law comes in response to statistics citing an
increased number of cell phones as direct and indirect contributing factors to
traffic accidents. For example, in 2002, 611 accidents in California were
charged directly to cell phone usage. It's unclear whether the new law will
apply to bases overseas.
8. Navy PMV Crashes Hit Redline
The Naval Safety Center reported Dec. 27 that the Navy had exceeded its targeted limit of 29 private motor vehicle mishaps (PVM) for the entire fiscal year - a critical statistic because that was only three months into the fiscal year. Chief of Naval Operations Adm.
Michael G. Mullen directed all leaders and commands to
instill in all Sailors the need to use operational risk management on and off
duty. He urged commands to review their programs to make sure they are
comprehensive and cover PMV and off-duty safety. Chuck Roberts, an official at
the Naval Safety Center, said: "The steps are simple: Review basic driving
principles, pay attention to the road, wear seatbelts, avoid aggressive driving,
watch speed, get adequate rest before a long drive, and don't drink and drive."
9. Defense Office Helps Sexual Assault Victims
The new Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office is the Defense Department's central point of accountability for sexual assault incidents, the office's deputy director, Dr. Kaye Whitley, said. "We focus only on (sexual) assault, not harassment, in the military," Whitley said.
The SAPR office's mission, Whitley said, is threefold:
(1) to reduce the number of sexual assaults in the armed forces, including the service academies;
(2) to help sexual assault victims obtain care; and
(3) to make offenders accountable.
Trained sexual assault response coordinators assigned at military installations worldwide are available to help victims obtain medical care, counseling and access to other support resources, Whitley said.
The chain of command is kept in the loop, since the
sexual assault response coordinators have direct access to senior installation
commanders, said Roger Kaplan, the SAPR office's director of communications.
10. Recent Military Promotions
Air Force FY06 Air Force Reserve Line and Nonline Colonel Promotion Selection
Board http://arpc.afrc.af.mil/promotions/officer/col/06_06SelectList.pdf
Marine Corps January 2006 SNCO Meritorious Promotions for Recruiters, Drill
Instructors, Marine Security Guards, and SOI Instructors http://www.usmc.mil/maradmins/maradmin2000.nsf/0872a7ac9a4c08a6852569b9000bc3f1/72cc389338fd4a50852570e6007d83a3?OpenDocument
11. FEDweek Special Announcement
2006 In-Print Retired Military Personnel Handbook
Available For Immediate Shipment! http://www.fedweek.com/rmph.htm
Distribution is Available to ALL Military Bases and we are now excepting bulk
orders for shipment. Go to http://www.fedweek.com/rmph.htm order yours or to
find out more information.
Dear Armed Forces News Reader: For 2006, The Retired Military Personnel Handbook
has been COMPLETELY REVISED AND EXPANDED AND IS STILL ONLY $9.95! The Retired
Military Personnel Handbook is now in its seventh year and has been distributed
to military installations and federal government agencies all over the world! It
is specifically written for all military personnel and retirees and their
families and is designed to guide you through every aspect of your retirement,
explaining what benefits you may qualify for and how to get them, as well as
providing a context for making many of the important decisions that lie ahead.
Here's a look at just some of what's NEW in the 2006 edition:
TRICARE Plus program --A complete, down-to-earth explanation of the eligibility
requirements and the covered benefits
Federal LTC Insurance program --Contains the eligibility, benefit choices, and
premium considerations, including how the program differs for active employees
versus retirees, tax considerations and other aspects of the program
Tax Policies--The latest information affecting your retirement accounts, estate
tax treatment and long-term care premiums
New Retirement Lifestyle Information --Including how to evaluate continuing care
communities and nursing homes Incapacity Planning--New important information on
protecting your heirs
Pay and Benefit Policies --The latest on COLAs, health and life insurance,
Medicare and Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Defense Department programs,
and a look at key legislative initiatives affecting retirees Important Points of
Contacts--Just updated points of contact, benefit rates, addresses, tax
treatment of annuities, status of important legislation and other vital material
The new SGLI family coverage option--What it will cost you and what it will
provide
Survivor Benefits --The latest information on survivor -benefit policies and
rates
Moving in Retirement--Special considerations for those moving
PLUS, COMPLETELY REVISED INFORMATION ON: Retired pay and benefits--how the
latest changes affect you and your family
Disability retirement--qualifying, compensation, implications
Medicare and Social Security benefits--eligibility and requirements
Re-employment with the Government--the veterans' advantage
Financial planning--maximizing your military retirement income
Taxes in retirement--minimizing your tax burden
A plain-English explanation of TRICARE for Life--what it does and doesn't cover,
eligibility rules and how to make in prescription drug policies
The new Senior Pharmacy Program--who is eligible, and how you can use it to save
money on your prescription drugs
Tricare dental benefits--what's covered and what's not
VA health benefits--eligibility and facilities
Survivor benefits--spouses and family members, divorce
VA retirement compensation--types and how much
Life insurance--USGLI, VSLI and other Government plans
Other VA programs--assistance with loans, income, education, etc.
And much, much more!
"The 2006 Retired Military Personnel Handbook gives you the absolute latest
information available on your military retirement and is a perfect tool to be
used as a reference guide whether you are just nearing retirement or are already
retired." Don Mace Publisher, Armed Forces News
Go to http://www.fedweek.com/rmph.htm or see Below.
The 2006 Retired Military Personnel Handbook is only $9.95
(plus s&h) and you can place your order online at http://www.fedweek.com/rmph.htm
under our Military Interest section.
You may also call our 24 hour toll-free order line at
(888) 333-9335 and place your order or send your order with payment ($14.20) to:
FEDweek,
PO Box 5519,
Glen Allen, VA 23058.
Armed Forces News
11541 Nuckols Rd. Suite D Glen Allen, VA 23059 Publisher, Don Mace
Website: http://www.armedforcesnews.com Published weekly by Armed Forces News,
LLC
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm