Since 04-09-06
Armed Forces News Issue - Fri.
April 7, 2006
Since 04-09-06
From: Armed Forces News [mailto:afn@fedweek.com]
Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 10:06 AM
Subject: Armed Forces News Issue: Fri, April 7, 2006
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Armed Forces News Weekly Newsletter To Military Personnel & Their Families
Friday, April 7, 2006
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In Today's Issue:
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1. DoD Sticks to Tricare Hike Plan
Although the Defense Department has pledged to work with Congress on its plan for steep hikes in Tricare fees for military retirees, a top DoD health official says the department has full authority to jack up the enrollment fees for Tricare Prime and raise pharmacy copayments for all Tricare users except active-duty members.
On the other hand, the plan to establish a first-time-ever enrollment fee for Tricare Standard would require a change in the law, said Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant defense secretary for health affairs.
On March 14, the Military Officers Association of
America (MOAA) proposed a list of 16 options to make Tricare more
cost-effective. MOAA's president, retired Navy Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., said
that implementing only three or four of the cost-cutting items would fully
eliminate the need to hit military retirees with a $11.2 billion fee increase.
2. Panel Inundated by Tricare Mail
Last week the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee convened a special hearing on the Defense Department's plan for increases in Tricare fees. On the scene were nearly 40,000 letters the committee had received on the issue. Chairman John McHugh, R-N.Y., advised that member offices had received a comparative volume of mail.
"Collectively these are the voices of beneficiaries that we cannot ignore," he said. McHugh said a key factor that influenced Congress to pass Tricare for Life was that the senior military leaders called it necessary for retention.
The Air Force Sergeants Association said, "It was very
clear at (the) hearing that DoD officials and senior military officials are
either unaware or have grossly underestimated the potential impact these
increases will have on the morale and retention of active military members."
3. Union Grades VA Phone Assistance "F"
In written testimony presented March 16 to the House Veterans' Affairs subcommittee on disability compensation and memorial affairs, a federal employees' union accused the VA of forcing employees to limit phone queries from veterans to three minutes. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., the ranking Democrat, said the alleged time limit and the assignment of employees to answer veterans' calls as a form of punishment are serious problems.
The American Federation of Government Employees said
that under VA policy a caller must spend no more than three minutes waiting for
someone to answer, and then the call can last no longer than three minutes. VA
official Jack McCoy denied there is a three-minute rule, but admitted that a
daily performance standard requires each VA employee to answer 64 calls.
(Dividing a seven-hour work day -- without hourly breaks -- by 64 would average
6.56 minutes per call.)
4. Navy Expands GWOT Expeditionary Locations
The Navy has added the following designated
geographical locations for eligibility for the Global War on Terrorism
Expeditionary Medal: Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chad, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo
(only specified GWOT operations not associated with operations qualifying for
the Kosovo Campaign Medal), Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Turkey, Uganda, the
Mediterranean Sea (when conducting boarding and searching vessel operations),
Colombia and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
5. AF Launches Virtual Contact Center
The Air Force's Personnel Services Delivery transformation (PSD) has instituted technology that allows Airmen to perform routine personnel transactions via Web-based services and contact centers. PSD provides convenient and secure access from any telephone or Internet-ready computer, allowing Airmen to avoid waiting in lines and to fit their personnel business into their own schedule, according to officials.
Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski, Air Force Personnel Center commander, said, "We are simplifying the process. Now Airmen can make a 90-second transaction at their convenience, instead of what normally might have taken a couple of hours by going to the MPF."
Airmen will be able to access the Web-based services
through the virtual MPF. The transformation is a four-phase program that will
continue through 2011. The first phase concerns active-duty personnel actions.
6. Safe Haven Extended for Navy Katrina Victims
Dependents of Navy personnel who were affected by Hurricane Katrina have been approved for extensions of their "Safe Haven" benefits and 100 percent per diem allowances, previously slated to expire April 17. Assistance with any issues resulting from hurricane devastation is available through the Community Support Centers (CSC) located throughout the areas affected by the 2005 hurricane season.
Case managers from the CSC are available to assist any member of the Navy family, which includes military members, Navy civilians, retirees, and dependents.
Additional information on the assistance available,
along with extension request forms, can be found on the Navy Family Disaster
Assistance Web site at
www.navy.mil/tfnf.html or via the 24-hour Hurricane relief helpline at
(877) 414-5358.
7. ACES Opens Tuition Assistance Gateway
The Army Continuing Education System (ACES) launched the new GoArmyEd portal at www.GoArmyEd.com April 1.
The virtual gateway is a one-stop location where Soldiers can process tuition assistance (TA) and sign up for college courses at any time. The portal can also link Soldiers to technical support. Previously, Soldiers had to visit an Army Education Center (AEC) to enroll in classes and process paperwork for TA.
The new system saves Soldiers' time and lets AEC personnel provide education counseling instead of processing hundreds of TA invoices each month. More than 150 schools that have historically processed TA with ACES are listed in the GoArmyEd portal.
These schools support 90 percent of the Army's
TA-funded enrollments. GoArmyEd is also the portal for eArmyU, an online
academic program developed in 2001 that offers more than 145 degree and
certificate programs from 28 colleges and universities.
8. NIC, VFW Sign Aid Memorandum
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Navy Installations Command (NIC) in March to provide assistance to Sailors and their families on military installations. The agreement formalizes relationships targeted toward enhancing quality family support services to military personnel through the VFW's Military Assistance Program (MAP).
Under the program, the VFW will offer assistance in keeping military personnel in touch through Operation Uplink, which distributes pre-paid phone cards to troops and hospitalized veterans. VFW also provides emergency financial relief funds to qualifying military families needing assistance.
In addition, the organization offers employment
assistance to military spouses and members preparing for transition from
military service to civilian careers.
9. Navy Develops Field Dental Dressing
Scientists at Great Lakes Naval Institute for Dental and Biomedical Research (NIDBR) have developed a new Forward Deployable Dental Dressing (FDDD) for deployed naval personnel to use in the field when a non-life threatening dental injury occurs. Capt. Stanton Cope, commanding officer of NIDBR, said, "The FDDD is a simple-to-use, highly effective material that will alleviate pain and thus help keep warfighters on station, doing their jobs."
The dressing will be used to treat dental injuries such as fractured teeth, loose fillings and crowns. The Food and Drug Administration approved the new dressing in February.
It is now being tested and evaluated at three Marine
Corps bases before being issued to the fleet. Once ready for use, the new dental
dressing will be issued initially to small ships and Independent Duty Corpsmen
(IDC) who are deployed to the field.
10. Recent Military Promotions Army FY06
Major, RC, Army Medical Department (AMEDD)
https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/active/select/R_MajAmed06.htm
CY06 Master Sergeant, RC/AGR
https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/active/select/R_Msg06.doc
Navy FY-07 Navy Reserve E8 and E9 Selection Board Results
http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/19B4964F-8321-421B-A99D-A49359922673/0/NAV06093.txt
11. 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
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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
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under our Military Interest section.
You may also call our 24 hour toll-free order line at
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FEDweek,
PO Box 5519,
Glen Allen, VA 23058.
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Armed Forces News
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Website: http://www.armedforcesnews.com
Published weekly by Armed Forces News, LLC
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