From:
Director, RAO Baguio [[email protected]]
Sent:
Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:55 PM
Subject:
RAO Bulletin Update 1 March 2006
RAO
Bulletin Update
1 March
2006
THIS
BULLETIN UPDATE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:
�
==
Military Funeral Conduct [01] --------- (New law in WI)
== VA
GAO Findings ----------------------- (Not very good)
==
Credit Card Scam ------------------------ (Report it if called)
==
Budget Proposal Impact on Vets ------- (
== VA
Mileage Reimbursement ----------- (Bill cosponsors needed)
== VA
Budget 2006 [13] ------------------- (Not enough money)
== VA
Health Care Funding [04] ---------- (Assured funding bill)
==
E-Passport --------------------------------�
(Available end of 2006)
== HHS
2007 Budget Proposal ------------ (Programs impacted)
== Air
Force Memorial ---------------------- (Scheduled to open SEP)
==
Military Retirement System Basics ---- (No longer simple)
==
AOL/Yahoo Email Tax ------------------ (Misunderstood)
== COLA
2007 ------------------------------- (CPI up 0.7%)
== Good
Conduct Medal Elimination ----- (Air force only)
== Iowa
Home Ownership Program ------- ($5k to eligibles)
==
Tricare User Fee [07] -------------------- (AFSA comments)
== VDBR
Overview ------------------------- (Vet radiation exposure)
== Aid
& Attendance ------------------------ (Eligibility)
== Taxation
After Discharge ---------------- (What to plan for)
==
Cataracts ----------------------------- (Symptoms & treatment)
MILITARY
FUNERAL DISORDERLY CONDUCT UPDATE 01:� In
���� People with strong views on certain issues
often use/abuse their freedom of expression rights as they try to impose their
views on others. There are several groups of people who feel that everyone must
support their beliefs. Often these people are willing to use methods of
demonstration that go beyond what people with normal sensibilities would even
consider. When peaceable assembly and freedom of speech cross into the arenas
of destruction, vengefulness, and cruelty to feelings of others, it compromises
the rights of others. At that point, these people are crossing the line of the
First Amendment and are moving toward crossing the line of human decency.� Unfortunately, there is one small group of
zealots in
����� Fortunately, for the most part, mourning
families have been buffered from first-hand exposure from these demonstrators
by groups of veterans and patriotic citizens.�
One group of motorcyclists calling themselves the Patriot Guard Riders
(more than 5,000 strong) has stepped forward to help shield familiars form
protestors.� Wearing vests covered in
military patches they ride around the country from one military funeral to
another, cheering respectfully to overshadow jeers from protesters.
Unfortunately, the families have had to read the newspaper accounts and watch
the televised reports concerning the actions of such groups who use their First
amendment rights to walk the line of the law with their actions.� Laws are necessary to counter these actions
when they cross the line of decency.� In
addition to Wisconsin and Iowa similar bills are pending or are in affect in
Missouri (500 FT), Kentucky (300 ft), Indiana, Nebraska and Ohio. At last
report there are at least 14 states considering laws aimed at the funeral
protesters. This is an election year and many legislators will be trying to get
the veteran vote. When they do vets have the opportunity to ask their state
representatives where they stand on this issue and are they supporting similar
legislation. [Source: VietNow National President article Feb 06 ++]���
VA GAO
FINDINGS:� The Government Accounting
Office (GAO) submitted their report on 1 FEB 06 to the Ranking Member of the
Senate and House Committee on Veterans� Affairs. The report had been requested
by the committees because of continuing unrealistic presidential VA budget
submissions over the last four years based on assumed implementation of VA
management efficiency initiatives that would save money without reducing the
quality of service. Specifically the GAO as asked to address and report on:
(1)� VA�s methodology for projecting the health
care management efficiency savings that were assumed in the President�s budget
requests for fiscal years 2003 through 2006.
(2)� VA�s support for reported actual savings
achieved through management efficiency initiatives during fiscal years 2003 and
2004�including the methodology and documentation used to track and report
achieved savings.
(3)� A summary of prior GAO and VA Office of the
Inspector General (OIG) reports that have identified management inefficiencies
at VA.
GAO�s
findings were
(1)� VA lacked a methodology for making the health
care management efficiency savings assumptions reflected in the President�s
budget requests for fiscal years 2003 through 2006 and, therefore, was unable
to provide the GAO with any support for those estimates.� They were told by VA officials that the
management efficiency savings assumed in VA�s requests were savings goals used
to reduce requests for a higher level of annual appropriations in order to fill
the gap between the cost associated with VA�s projected demand for health care
services and the amount the President was willing to request. Specifically,
there was little consistency with respect to what VA�s regional networks
reported as management efficiency savings, how savings were calculated, and
what type of documentation was available to support the savings figures
reported. In addition, VA�s regional networks sometimes reported savings
resulting from cost-cutting measures as management efficiency savings. Although
both can achieve savings, cost-cutting measures, unlike management efficiency
initiatives, are not consistent with VA�s objective of providing the same or
higher quality and quantity of service at a lower cost.
(2)� The GAO concluded that the VA does not have a
reliable basis for determining whether it has realized the management
efficiency savings that were reflected in the President�s budget requests for
fiscal years 2003 and 2004.
(3)� In recent years, the VA OIG and GAO identified
management inefficiencies that, if unaddressed, could contribute to requests
for higher amounts of appropriations that could otherwise have been avoided. In
addition, recent GAO and VA OIG reports have identified both serious control
weaknesses in the agency�s inventory management and shortfalls in the agency�s
efforts to provide reliable cost data to accurately assess the efficiency and
effectiveness of VA�s programs and initiatives.
To
better determine whether management efficiency savings are being achieved as
planned, GAO recommended that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should direct
the Assistant Secretary for Management to establish methodologies for tracking
and reporting actual savings achieved through implementation of proposed
management efficiencies, including
����� - clear criteria for what constitutes
savings resulting from management efficiencies,
����� �-
controls to ensure that actual savings are reported on the same basis as
projected savings in the budget request, and
����� �-
documentation of such savings.
VA
concurred with GAO�s recommendations and said that VA�s Assistant Secretary for
Management will establish processes and procedures to ensure proper
documentation of savings and a methodology on how realized savings should be
tracked and reported. However, VA disagreed that it used its management
efficiency savings goals to fill the gap between the cost associated with VA�s
projected demand for health care services and the amount the President was
willing to request. It said that identifying goals, setting challenging
targets, and forecasting management efficiency savings are entirely appropriate
for a large health care organization like VA. To review a copy of the entire
GAO report GAO-06-359R go
http://veterans.house.gov/democratic/press/109th/press109th.htm and click on
Rep. Lane Evans Press Release 2 FEB 06.�
[Source: VetJobs Veteran Eagle Jan 06]
CREDIT
CARD SCAM:� By understanding how this
VISA and MasterCard telephone credit card scam works, you�ll be better prepared
to protect yourself.� Callers do not ask for
your card number. They already have it from another source. The scam works like
this:
1)
Person calling says, �This is (name), and I�m calling from the Security and
Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is (number). Your card has been
flagged for an unusual purchase pattern and I�m calling to verify. This would
be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an
Anti-Telemarketing Device (or whatever) for $497.99 from a Marketing company
based in
2) When
you say �No�, the caller continues with, �Then we will be issuing a credit to
your account. This is a company we have been watching and their charges range
from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards.
Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your
address), is that correct?�
3) If
you say �yes�, the caller continues - �I will be starting a Fraud
investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number
listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security.�� You will need to refer to this Control
Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. Do you need me to read it
again?�
4) The
caller then says, �I need to verify you are in possession of your card�. He�ll
ask you to �turn your card over and look for some numbers�. There are 7
numbers. The first 4 are part of your card number and the next 3 are the
security numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the
numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the
card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. (DO NOT DO THIS)
5) If
you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he�ll say, �That is correct, I just needed
to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have
your card. Do you have any other questions?� If none, the caller thanks you and
states, �Don�t hesitate to call back if you do.� and hangs up.�� You actually say very little, and they never
ask for or tell you the Card number.
What the
scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don�t give it
to them. Instead, tell them you�ll call VISA or Master card directly for
verification of their conversation. VISA/MasterCard would never ask for
anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the
card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you�re
receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you�ll see
charges for purchases you didn�t make, and by then it�s almost too late and/or
more difficult to actually file a fraud report. Upon calling VISA or Master
card for verification you will receive instructions on any further action
required.� [Source: VP Information
Security & Data Processing Mgr, Premier Banks (651) 855-1126 Jan 06)
BUDGET
PROPOSAL
1.)� Raises veteran out of pocket health care
costs for the fourth year in a row. Imposes�
new fees for one million veterans, costing them more than $2.6 billion
over five years and driving at least 200,000 veterans out of the system. It
would double the co-payment for prescription drugs from $8 to $15, and impose
an enrollment fee of $250 a year for category 7 and 8 veterans, who make as
little as $26,902 a
year.
2.)� Increases TRICARE health care premiums for
3.1 million military retirees under 65. Premiums will double for senior
enlisted retirees and triple for officer retirees by 2009 and drug co-payments
will increase -- costing military retirees $2.4 billion over five years. These
fee increases of more than $1,000 could drive more than 144,000 military
retirees out of the TRICARE system.
3.)� Provides $1 billion less than veteran's
service organizations specify is needed, and is $10 billion below the amount
needed to maintain services at current levels over the next five years.
4.)� Maintains VA funding inadequacies will be
offset by anticipated $1.1 billion in new VA management efficiencies.� This in spite of a Government Accounting
Office report requested by Congress that indicates this is highly
unlikely.�
5.)� Estimates fewer returning veterans from
6.)� Continues to deny VA health care funding for
new (priority 8) veterans. Lack of funding since 17 JAN 03 has prevented 1
million veterans, who make as little as $26,902 a year, from enrolling in VA
health care.
7.)� Funds 17,100 fewer Army National Guard and
5,000 fewer Army Reserves than are authorized by law.
8.)� Lacks funding that would allow repeal of the
Disabled Veterans Tax, which forces disabled military retirees to give up one
dollar of their pension for every dollar of disability pay they receive. The
budget continues to require nearly 400,000 military retirees with
service-connected disabilities to continue to pay the Tax.
9.)� Lacks funding that would allow ending the
Military Families' Tax. The Survivor Benefit Plan penalizes
survivors,
mostly widows, of those killed as a result of combat. These widows lose their
survivor benefits if they receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
benefits because their spouse has died of a service-connected injury. The
President's budget forces these 53,000 spouses to continue to pay this unfair
tax, even though these families have made the greatest sacrifice for our
country.
10.)� Increase of 14% for Mental health services is
inadequate to meet growing need for Iraqi veterans. An Army study shows that
about one in six soldiers in
11.)� Decreases by $13 million the funding of
medical and prosthetic research.� This
would set the research grant program back years, just as many troops in
[Source:
VA
MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT:� In 5 JUN 2001 a
bill was introduced in the Senate to increase the mileage payment to vets for
necessary travel to obtain special medial care. This bill died in committee
primarily because it lacked cosponsors.�
Last year Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) reintroduced this bill as S.996 under
the title, �The Veterans Road to Health Care Act of 2005�. It was read twice
and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The legislation would raise
the travel reimbursement rate for veterans who must travel to VA hospitals for
special treatment. The current reimbursement rate is 11 cents per mile. Taking
into account increases in the cost of gas in recent years 11 cents per mile is
not sufficient to cover actual expense incurred by vets. The bill would direct
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in calculating expenses of travel for
purposes of the Veterans Beneficiary Travel Program, to utilize the mileage
reimbursement rates for federal employees who use privately owned vehicles on official
business.� This rate is prescribed by the
Administrator of General Services under section 5707(b) of title 5, United
States Code and is currently 40.5 cents per mile.
���� This applies only to those veterans who
cannot receive adequate care at their VA facility and have been�� referred to a special care center by their
VA physician. Even though it would pay veterans four times more than they are
currently receiving, that amount is not out line with the expenses vets
presently incur when they travel to VA clinics.�
Many of them, besides being disabled, are aged and many require a
caretaker to come with them.� There are
very often additional expenses of hotel or motel rentals plus meals.� An increase in mileage reimbursement would
help to alleviate this financial hardship imposed on veterans in need of
critical care.�� The bill presently only
has two cosponsors, John Thune (R-SD) and Michael Enzi (R-WY) and has receive
no others since 11 May 05.� To move
forward it requires many more cosponsors.�
Vets are encouraged to communicate with their Congressional
representatives and ask them to sign on to the bill. [Source: VA Outpatient
Clinic Travel Clerk Bob Giese msg. 23 Feb 06]
VA
BUDGET 2006 UPDATE 13:� Rep. Lane Evans
(D-IL), ranking Democrat on the House Veterans� Affairs Committee (HVAC),
warned that the problem of chronic underfunding of veterans� health care is
again causing budget shortfalls at VA hospitals and clinics across the
nation.� Evans and Rep. Michael Michaud
(D-ME), ranking Democrat on the Health Subcommittee, have called upon the VA
Secretary in a joint-letter sent today, to provide a full and accurate
accounting of current shortfalls. Evans commented he is distressed by reports
of $500,000 to $18 million shortfalls the Committee is hearing from VA medical
facilities across the nation from inclusive of�
VA
HEALTH CARE FUNDING UPDATE 04:� One of
the hottest and most visible topics debated in Congress this past year was
federal funding shortages in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health
care system. From the start of the year leading veterans service organizations
warned of a serious shortfall in funding, that VA�s problems were growing, and
that a crisis was brewing. Officials of the Bush Administration and
Congressional leadership failedto heed these warnings until in JUN 05, VA was
forced to acknowledge a nearly $3 billion shortfall for fiscal year (FY)
2005/2006. The VA admitted it had miscalculated and underestimated the demand
growth and other factors straining and stressing the health care system. The
veteran organization�s (DAV/PVA/VFW/AMVET) Independent Budget (IB) was right on
target. Congress addressed the shortfall for 2005 by adding $1.5 billion in
emergency supplemental funding in late August. Later, Congress provided an
�emergency designation� supplemental budget of $1.22 billion to VA to cover
admitted fiscal year 2006 shortages.
���� Each year veteran organizations fight for
sufficient funding for veterans health care as indicated by the BI. Each year
the level of appropriated dollars falls short of what is necessary to meet the
needs. The current discretionary funding method, coupled with continued
inadequate and frequently late budgets, has created structural under-funding
that jeopardizes quality of care to
���� Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and John Thune
(R-SD) have both sponsored important bills, S. 331, the Assured Funding for
Veterans Health Care Act, and S. 963, the Veterans Health Care and Equitable
Access Act, which would assure VA health care funding.� Members of the Partnership for Veterans
Health Care Budget Reform, recently urged Chairman Larry Craig (R-ID) and
Ranking Member Daniel Akaka (D-HI) of the Senate Veterans� Affairs Committee,
to hold hearings in this session of Congress on the funding problems they
reported above and to discuss a long-term funding solution. Senators Thune and
Johnson made a similar request to the Veterans Committee. Chairman Craig left
only a small ray of hope for the potential scheduling of this topic before the
end of the year. In this regard, the same request for a hearing on health care
budget reform has been made to the Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs
Committee, Steve Buyer (R-IN), to no avail. The Ranking Member of the House
Committee, Representative Lane Evans (D-IL) introduced H.R. 515 in the House,
the Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act. DAV believes that the efforts
by Congress to date to prop up VA health care funding have only been band-aid
solutions when the VA health care system is hemorrhaging with a variety of
pent-up shortages, hiring freezes, and growing waiting lists.�
�
��� Veterans deserve to have their concerns
about the way veterans health care is funded addressed in an official forum.
Especially those have suffered catastrophic disabilities as a result of
military service and will need and depend on the VA health care system and its specialized
services for the rest of their lives.� If
you care about having adequate VA health care in the future you should contact
your elected officials to request that a hearing on veterans� health care
budget reform be scheduled in the Senate and House Veterans� Affairs Committees
as a top priority.� Also, for them to
support H.R. 515, the Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act and S. 331,
the Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act, and the budget reform
provisions in S. 963, the Veterans Health Care and Equitable Access Act.� [Source: DAV Legislative Talking Points for
2006 Mid-Winter Conference 17 Feb 06 ++]
E-PASSPORT:
The State Department announced 18 FEB it has started issuing electronic
passports on a trial basis. Diplomats received the first e-passports containing
radio frequency contactless chips and face recognition technology in late
December. The e-passport contains a chip, which is embedded into the cover of
the document and includes a digital image of the traveler, as well as their
name, date and place of birth, gender, passport number and dates of passport
issuance and expiration. Contactless chips interact intelligently via RF with a
contactless reader, allowing the chips used in the e-passports to be read at a
close distance.� Privacy advocates
including the American Civil Liberties Union have raised concerns over the
possibility of someone in close proximity to the passport-holder using a chip
reader to skim (steal) personal information from passports.
���� Low-frequency RFID chips can be read from
up to 20 feet, but the State department has maintained e-passports would
include chips that only can be read from approximately four inches away from
the source. To eschew concerns over privacy and safety the front covers of e-passports
have a built-in anti-skimming device. It is akin to wrapping them in tin foil
to prevent the radio frequency signal from getting through.� They are also equipped with an encryption
feature to prevent the interception of information by a third party (eavesdropping).� This is an improvement over the initial
e-passport proposal but the use of radio frequency technologies still creates a
potential problem of security and identity theft. Questions remain over whether
the chips can still be read without other people�s knowledge and if the
technology can be used as unique identifier even if it is encrypted.
���� The estimated cost for the government to
produce e-passports would increase from the current $2.40 to more than $10
each, according to documents obtained by the ACLU. Applicant fees for new
paper-based passports currently total $97 each. When e-passports start being
issued to everyone, the passport fees for first time applicants will remain the
same.� The
HHS 2007
BUDGET PROPOSAL:� In addition to
proposing a number of new fee assessments and increased deductibles for Tricare
users the Bush administration�s 2007 budget calls for eliminating a number of
Health & Human Services programs for a savings of $866 million plus
spending reductions of about $1 billion for additional programs. If approved,
retirees relying on or benefiting from non-Tricare related services under these
programs could be impacted. Following is a summary of programs affected:
The
proposal would eliminate spending for:
1.)
Community services block grants to Community Action Agencies that offer employment,
housing, nutrition and health care for low-income ($630 million)
2.) CDC
Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant used to fund chronic disease
prevention, immunization, injury reduction programs and sex-offense prevention
programs.� ($99 million)
3.)� Certain categories of funding under the $693
million Maternal and Child Health Small Categorical Grant program. ($39
million)
4.)
Urban Indian Health Program, which funds primary, preventive and behavioral
health care
for the
60% of American Indians and Alaska Natives that reside in urban
areas.�� ($33 million)
5.) Real
Choice System Change Grants. Alternate funding included in another
program.� ($25 million)
6.)
State grants for Alzheimer's community-based care ($12 million) plus the Maintain
Your Brain campaign ($1.6 million)
8.)
Program that provides defibrillators to rural communities and trains local
personnel to use them. ($1.5 million)
The
proposal would reduce spending for:
*����� Children's Hospital Graduate Medical
Education Payment Program which subsidizes children's hospitals from $297
million to $99 million;
*����� Health Resources and Services
Administration Health Professions Programs which direct health care
professionals to underserved communities from $295 million to $159 million;
*����� HRSA Rural Health Programs which fund
rural health care facilities, state offices of rural health and the
establishment of rural provider networks from $160 million to $27 million.
*����� Poison control centers from $23 million
to $13 million.
*����� National Cancer Institute by $39.4
million to $4.75 billion.
*����� CDC cancer prevention programs spending
by 1% to $304.7 million
*����� National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early
Detection Program for low-income women by $1.4 million
*����� CDC Office of Smoking and Health by
$2.1million.
[Source:
Congressional Quarterly HealthBeat Feb 06 www.cq.com]
AIR
FORCE MEMORIAL: The United States Air Force is the only branch of service that
does not have any memorial in the Washington DC area commemorating its service
to the nation. However, it is the second highest (53,000 plus) of any of the
four armed services in combat casualties. Recognizing the need for a memorial
Congressional Legislation in 1991 authorized the existence of the Air Force Memorial
Foundation (AFMF) for the primary purpose of building one. The Foundation was
incorporated in 1992 as a tax-exempt, charitable, historical, and educational
organization. It was granted 501 (C) (3) status by the Internal Revenue
Service, thus making contributions tax exempt.
��� Preliminary approval given by the US
Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission and the Park
Service to place an earlier design of the Memorial on a two-acre site of land
known as Arlington Ridge. It was planned to be located approximately 600 feet
south of the Iwo Jima Memorial and northeast of the Netherlands Carillon
Memorial. However, controversy continued concerning this location, and the AFMF
Board of Trustees considered it to be in the best interest of the Foundation,
the Air Force and all corporate and individual donor�s to work with Congress
and relocate to another site. The actual decision to relocate was contained in
the 2002 Defense Authorization Bill. The memorial will now be located at a promontory
point of land known as the Naval Annex. The site overlooks the Pentagon from
the southwest and is located just off Interstate 395 (a major gateway to DC).
Upon completion the Memorial will honor the millions of patriotic men and women
who have distinguished themselves in the service of the USAF and its
predecessors.
���� The redesigned Memorial is
representational of the Air Force. Central to the design are three stainless
steel spires which soar skyward. The highest of the spires will ascent 270' above
the 3-acre elevated promontory site. Other key elements of the Memorial include
a bronze Honor Guard, inscription walls, and an open glass Chamber of
Contemplation, all landscaped to create a memorial park and parade ground
overlooking the nation�s capital. To date, the AFMF has raised over $38.5
million dollars, which is only $3.2 million dollars short of its goal.� Supporters include aerospace and
defense-related corporations, charitable contributions from other corporations,
foundations, private individuals, service organizations and service
groups.� Anyone wanting to donate can
contact the Air Force Memorial Foundation, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA
22209-1109. Phone: (703) 247-5808 Email: [email protected].
���� The Memorial began to take shape last week
as the 40-foot tall, 28-ton base section of the first of three stainless steel
spires arrived at the memorial promontory overlooking the Pentagon. The
towering spires of the memorial were designed by the late James Ingo Freed,
internationally renowned architect of Pei Cobb & Partners, and are destined
to become a prominent part of the skyline of Northern Virginia and the greater
Washington DC area. Evocative of the Thunderbird bomb-burst flying formation,
the highest of the three spires will eventually reach a height of 270 feet. The
memorial project is scheduled for completion by mid-September, 2006. Additional
information about the Air Force Memorial Foundation and the Air Force Memorial
inclusive of photos can be found at www.airforcememorial.org. [Source: Air
Force Retiree News 15 Feb 06 ++]
MILITARY
RETIREMENT SYSTEM BASICS: The military retirement system used to be easy to
understand: You put in 20 years, and you got 50% of your base pay immediately
upon retirement. You put in more than 20 years and you got 2.5% more for each
year of active duty after 20 years up to 75%. Then, Congress decided military
retirement was an area that could be tweaked to reduce annual Defense
expenditures. Congress started with small changes, moving the annual COLA to 1
JAN instead of 1 OCT, but then got serious and made some major changes. Here
are some basics of the current military retirement system that you should be
aware of:
�
1.) For
Navy and Marine Corps members, you are considered to be a "retired
member" for classification purposes if you are an enlisted member with
over 30 years service, or a warrant or commissioned officer.
Those
with less than 30 years service are transferred to the Fleet Reserve/Fleet
Marine Corps Reserve and their pay is referred to as "retainer
pay".� Air Force and Army members
with over 20 years service are all classified as retired, and receive retired
pay.
2.)� When a USN or USMC member completes 30 years,
including time on the retired rolls in receipt of retainer pay, the Fleet
Reserve status is changed to retired status, and they begin receiving retired
pay.
3.) The
law treats retired pay and retainer pay exactly the same way.
4.)� There is no "vesting" in the
military retirement system. You either qualify for retirement by honorably
serving over 20years in the military, or you do not other with the exception of
a few "early retirement" programs, which were designed to reduce the
size of the armed forces.
5.) A
retired military member can be recalled to active duty without the member's
consent at any time to perform duties deemed necessary in the interests of
national defense. A retired member may not be
involuntarily
ordered to active duty solely for obtaining court-martial jurisdiction over the
member.
6.)� Retired pay amounts are determined by
multiplying your service factor by your active duty base pay at the time of
retirement for those who entered active duty or on prior to 8 SEP 80,
7.)� Base pay is the average of the highest 36
months of active duty base pay received for those who entered active duty after
8 SEP 80. Additionally, the first COLA adjustment will be reduced by 1%.
8.) If
you are a commissioned officer or an enlisted with prior commissioned service,
you must have at least 10 years of commissioned service to retire at your
commissioned rank. If you have less than 10 years of commissioned service, and
voluntarily retire, you retire at your enlisted rank, and only the highest 36
months of active duty enlisted base pay counts for retirement computation. The
Service Secretary can waive this to 8 years.
�9.) Those who joined the military on or after
1 AUG 86 are required to make a decision at the 15-year point of their career
whether or not to remain in the aforementioned retirement program or to receive
an immediate monetary bonus ($30,000), and elect the "REDUX" system.
Those who elect "REDUX" will have their annual COLA reduced by 1%
until age 62 when those percentage points are added back to
the
retired pay.
10.) For
all plans, years of service include credit for each full month of service as
one-twelfth of a year and retirement pay is rounded down to the nearest dollar.
11.) IAW
the Tower Amendment your eligibility date is usually the day prior to the
effective date of an
active
duty pay increase and� pay is computed by
utilizing the active duty pay rates in effect on that date,
your
rank/rate on that date, total service accumulated on that date, and all
applicable COLA increases.
12.) If
you have less than 20 years of service and have been found to be physically
unfit for further military service and meet certain standards specified by law,
you will be granted a disability retirement. If your disability is rated by the
DoD disability evaluation system (not VA) at 20% or lower, you can be
discharged with severance pay, unless the condition existed prior to service
and was not permanently aggravated by service or misconduct.�
13.) If
you receive a disability retirement with a rating of above 30%, and other
conditions are met, your disability retirement may be temporary or
permanent.� If temporary, your status
should be resolved within a five-year period during which you will receive a
minimum of 50% and a maximum of 75% of base pay.
14.)
Those separated for Military disability may be eligible for monthly disability
compensation from
the
Veterans Administration (VA) but not both.
15.)
Military retirement pay is taxable. VA disability pay is not. Military
disability pay is taxable unless you joined prior to 24 SEP 75 or it is combat
related.
[Source:
Guide to U.S. Military Feb 06
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalpay/a/retirementpay.htm]
AOL/YAHOO
EMAIL TAX:� Many Americans hold the
fatalistic view that we cannot long enjoy anything that is useful and inexpensive
before the �inexpensive� factor is removed through big business� raising its
price and/or the government�s taxing it. The fear that such will be the fate of
e-mail communications has been with us for several years now, as evidenced by
the continuous circulation of a 1999 hoax message warning of an imminent 5�
surcharge to be imposed by the U.S.�
Postal Service on every e-mail sent.
���� The announcement in FEB 06 that two large
e-mail providers, America Online (AOL) and Yahoo, were proposing to implement a
system for allowing senders of commercial e-mail to receive preferential
treatment by paying a per-message surcharge started a new �e-mail tax� scare,
one largely created from unfounded fears based on misunderstandings of what AOL
and Yahoo were proposing.� As described
by the New York Times, the proposed scheme would work this way:
-���� America Online and Yahoo, two of the
world�s largest providers of e-mail accounts, are about to start using a system
that gives preferential treatment to messages from companies that pay from � of
a cent to a penny each to have them delivered. The senders must promise to
contact only people who have agreed to receive their messages, or risk being
blocked entirely.
-���� AOL and Yahoo will still accept e-mail from
senders who have not paid, but the paid messages will be given special
treatment. On AOL, for example, they will go straight to users� main mailboxes,
and will not have to pass the gantlet of spam filters that could divert them to
a junk-mail folder or strip them of images and Web links.
-���� As is the case now, mail arriving from
addresses that users have added to their AOL address books will not be treated
as spam.
�A few points about some facets of this scheme
that are often misrepresented:
�
-���� Referring to the proposed system as one
which will implement an �e-mail tax� is inaccurate and misleading. No one is
proposing that end users � ordinary AOL and Yahoo subscribers � be charged for
sending or receiving e-mail.
-���� AOL and Yahoo are proposing to assess a
cost-of-business surcharge to companies who want to ensure their commercial
messages reach the inboxes of AOL and Yahoo subscribers instead of being
diverted to trash folders by filters already in place to trap unsolicited
commercial e-mail (better known as �spam�).
-���� E-mail senders who opt not to pay the
surcharge will not be prevented from sending messages to AOL and Yahoo
subscribers. Their messages will simply continue to pass through the same spam
filters both AOL and Yahoo have had in place for years.
-���� The notion that non-commercial or
non-profit on-line groups will be priced out of existence by being required to
�pay thousands of dollars for every email message sent� is unfounded. Nobody is
proposing that such groups� messages be blocked, or that they be handled any
differently that they are now. Yes, such messages will have to get past spam
filters before they�re delivered, but that�s already the case, and it has been
for a long time.
-���� As for fears that the initiative will
result in the release of torrents of spam from paying senders into the
mailboxes of AOL and Yahoo e-mail users, the cited New York Times articles
notes that �senders must promise to contact only people who have agreed to
receive their messages, or risk being blocked entirely.�
-���� Many, e-mail providers (not just AOL and
Yahoo) have long had in place filters to trap or strip e-mail sent to large
numbers of recipients or containing external web links and embedded images
(because those features are hallmarks of spam and fraud).
The best
way for AOL and Yahoo subscribers to ensure that mailings reach them is to be
sure to designate the sender�s address in their accounts as an authorized.� Even if some people�s worst fears are
realized and the proposed surcharge system is implemented and proves too
costly, cumbersome and/or restrictive to users, consumers have one obvious
recourse: there are a lot of other e-mail providers to choose from. Of the
~11,000 AOL users being dropped form this Bulletin�s directory about 500 have
chosen to take that course because of difficulty in getting their incoming
email through AOL�s filters . [Source:
www.snopes.com/politics/business/emailtax.asp 23 Feb 06 ++]
COLA
2007: In mid February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced the January
2006 monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is the metric used to calculate
the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for military retired pay, VA
disability compensation, survivor annuities, and Social Security. The CPI
reversed the first quarter of the fiscal year's downward trend and rose 0.7
percent above the year's COLA base. The bulk of the fluctuation in inflation
for the last several months - in both directions - has been due to fluctuations
in energy prices. For more information on the subject, visit http://moaaonline.org/ct/Dp1ti851Mz6C/.� [Source: MOAA Leg Up 25 Feb 06]
GOOD
CONDUCT MEDAL ELIMINATION: The Air Force is no longer awarding the Good Conduct
Medal. The director of Airman development and sustainment, Brig. Gen. Robert R.
Allardice, said �The quality of our enlisted personnel today is so high, we
expect good conduct from our Airmen.� He added, �Having a medal for good
conduct is almost to say we don�t expect Airmen to do well, but if they�re good
we will give them a medal.� One must look at the history of why the medal was
created in the 1960s, says the Air Force. The military was using the draft and
was involved in the Vietnam War. The Air Force didn�t have any other method to
recognize Airmen. Today, the Air Force Achievement Medal recognizes outstanding
Airmanship. Airmen who have previously earned the Good Conduct Medal are still
authorized to wear it. [Source: Armed Forces News 24 Feb 06]
IOWA
HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM: On 23 JAN 06, Governor Tom Vilsack signed into law
House File 2080, which provides $2M in additional funding for the State of
Iowa�s Military Servicemember Home Ownership Assistance Program, administered
through the Iowa Finance Authority. Program funds are available now for
eligible Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve servicemembers. To be
eligible for the Home Ownership Program, servicemembers must have spent at
least 90 days cumulative (other than training) on Title 10 Active Duty since
911.� The program provides matching
grants up to $5,000 toward the purchase of an Iowa home for eligible personnel.
For more information refer to www.ifahome.com�
or contact Iowa Finance Authority representatives Mickey Carlson at
(515) 281-8929 or Judy Hartman at (515) 242-4960.� [Source:
www.daviowa.org/html/__home.htm#Military article Jan 06]
TRICARE
USER FEE UPDATE 07:� Under the
administration�s proposed budget, the annual Tricare fees described in DoD�s FY
2007 budget proposal would be indexed to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
effective 1 OCT 08. The Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) says this would
gobble up COLA raises and more. For example, AFSA says by 2013 a married senior
NCO on Tricare Prime would be paying more than $1,071 per year over current
rates. A married E-6 in Tricare Standard would be paying $451 a year by
2013.� Deductibles for all enlisted
members in Tricare standard would balloon from $185 (single) and $370
(families) to $298 and $596 respectively. In a notice to its members AFSA
declares the administration plan for military health care increases would
significantly degrade the value of the current military retirement benefit by
taking an increasing amount of dollars out of the pockets of retirees with no
end in sight to the reduction of benefits. They say the Bush administration's
plan is reprehensible and the increases for military retirees under age 65,
their dependents, and survivors would change retirees� lives forever.
VDBR
OVERVIEW:� Beginning in 1978
reconstructions of radiation dose exposures have been performed for military
personnel who participated in the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons from
1945 to 1962 at the Trinity Site in New Mexico, at the Nevada Test Site, and in
the Pacific, or who were prisoners of war in Japan or were stationed from
September 1945 to July 1946 in Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan after the atomic
bombs were detonated. Because of concerns about the increased risk of cancer
and other illnesses in veterans who may have been exposed to radiation from
nuclear weapons, several laws have been passed by Congress since 1981 that
relate to the reconstruction of radiation doses received by veterans and the
compensation of veterans for adverse health effects associated with radiation
exposure. The latest legislation was enacted on 16 DEC 03, as the Veterans'
Benefits Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-183 , referred to below as the Act).
���� Following the recommendation of a National
Academy of Sciences report published in 2003 on the Dose Reconstruction
Program, this Act required the establishment of an independent Advisory Board
that will provide oversight of the dose reconstruction and claims settlement
programs for veterans. The Board, which has been named the Veterans' Advisory
Board on Dose Reconstruction (VBDR), is required by the Act to:
����� Conduct periodic, random audits of dose
reconstructions and decisions on claims for radiogenic diseases;
����� Assist the Department of Veterans Affairs
and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) in communicating to veterans
information on the mission, procedures, and evidentiary requirements of the
Dose Reconstruction Program; and
����� Carry out such other activities with
respect to the review and oversight of the Dose Reconstruction Program as the
Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs shall jointly specify.
VBDR may
also make recommendations on modifications in the mission or procedures of the
Dose Reconstruction Program if it considers these changes to be appropriate as
a result of its audits.
���� The second mandated meeting was held JAN
06 in Los Angeles at which the DTRA administrator� presented a list of improvements and
adjustments within the Dose Reconstruction network that are designed to speed
up the process of addressing radiation illness claims filed with the VA by an Atomic
Veterans. He also emphasized the need to give the Atomic Veteran the benefit of
the doubt when radiation dose issues involving tests, and post test events
cannot be adequately addressed by the current probability of causation models
and methodology. A sub-committee paper was delivered describing the apparent
exposure levels in various areas of the U. S., and with various population
groups. The thrust of the findings pointed to the fact that all causation
probabilities are not firm, nor can they be believable, and that there is no
firm base to formulate a concrete and accurate dose absorption rate for any
given event. The presentation concluded with the statement that an accurate
exposure dose is un-obtainable in all cases and only theoretical doses can be
applied to any claim for service connected radiation exposure
compensation.�� The conclusion bolsters
the comments issued along these lines by the National Association of Atomic
Veterans (NAAV) for the last 25 years.
���� A second paper was offered to the Board,
by a sub-committee contractor addressing the issues of skin cancers that may
have been precipitated by exposure to ionizing radiation. Again, final comments
related to this presentation were to suggest that any claim for radiation
induced skin cancers cannot be accurately assessed for a firm probability of
causation, therefore; all such claims should be treated as a presumptive event.
Given this, skin cancers should be added to the PRESUMPTIVE list, thus
requiring no radiation causation dose reconstruction assessment. After a long
discussion, both for and against such a measure, it was agreed to by all Board
members, that a recommendation to treat all skin cancer claims as PRESUMPTIVE
within the DTRA and the VA would be in order.�
In the opinion of the NAAV the majority of the members of the VBDR were
in agreement that radiation induced illness causation dose reconstruction is
the major roadblock in getting a service connected claim approved by the VA and
is leaning heavily towards recommending that Dose Reconstruction be absolved
altogether since Atomic Veterans are getting older and are no longer interested
in fighting the system. It appears that the next meeting will be JUN 06 in
Austin, Texas. To keep current on this and other Atomic Veteran issues refer to
www.naav.com� [Source: NM e-Veterans News
30 Jan 06]
AID
& ATTENDANCE:� Aid and Assistance
(A&A) is available to veterans in need of regular aid and attendance of
another person, or the veteran is permanently housebound.� This is a benefit paid in addition to either
disability compensation or pension.� A
veteran with 30% or more disability rating is entitled to receive a special
allowance for a spouse who is in need of A&A.� To obtain an additional VA compensation
benefits for home treatment A&A must be requested. If the veteran is
already receiving benefits a written request letter, over the veteran's
signature is usually adequate to open a claim.�
A sample A&A form for inclusion with the request can be downloaded
at www.co.pinellas.fl.us/Bcc/Veterans/pdf/aid_attendance.doc.�
���� If the veteran has never filed a claim for
disability benefits, a formal application (VA Form 21-526) would have to be
filed along with the request for A&A.�
Approval time by the VA is subject to the Regional Center's current
workload.� Generally, most regional
offices will try to expedite a claim if the veteran is terminally ill, and are
often able to give a decision in 30 days or less. Normally, the effective date
of an approved entitlement is the date the claim is received by the VA.� However, there are provisions where the
effective date can be retroactive to the date of admission to a VA hospital, or
a non-VA hospital if the veteran was maintained at VA expense.� In the event the patient dies before approval
the family may be paid (with certain restrictions) any benefits which accrued
but were not paid to the veteran before his death.� Reimbursement from accrued funds for actual
expenses paid occur only when there is no qualifying dependent and is then
limited to the amount of the accrued expenses.�
A&A will be denied if the veteran did not qualify for pension and/or
the condition(s) causing the need for A&A is not related to service.� Also, if the veteran does not actually need
the aid and attendance of another person as determined by the VA. Aid and
Attendance is also available to spouses or children drawing death pension if:
1)�� The deceased veteran was discharged from
service under other than dishonorable conditions, AND
2)�� He or she served 90 days or more of active
duty with at least 1 day during a war, AND
3)�� You are the surviving spouse or unmarried
child of the deceased veteran, AND
4)�� Your countable income is below a yearly limit
set by law.
VA aid
and attendance and housebound allowances are not income for SSI� purposes per SSA policy SI 00815.050.� Any cash from a nongovernmental medical or
social services organization is not income when it is for medical or social
services already received by the individual and approved by the organization;
or it is a payment restricted to the future purchase of a medical or social
service. Cash from any insurance policy which pays a flat rate benefit to the
recipient without regard to the actual charges or expenses incurred is income.
VA pays you the difference between your countable income and the yearly income
limit which describes your situation. This difference is generally paid in 12
equal monthly payments rounded down to the nearest dollar. Countable income
includes Social security, U.S. Civil Service retirement, U.S. Railroad
retirement, military retirement, unemployment insurance, any other retirement
income, total wages from all employers, interest and dividends, workers'
compensation, black lung benefits and any other gross income for the calendar
year prior to application for care. Also considered are assets such as the
market value of stocks, bonds, notes, individual retirement accounts, bank
deposits, savings accounts and cash.� VA
may compare income information provided by the veteran with information obtained
from the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service. Some
income is not counted toward the yearly limit.�
This includes welfare benefits, some wages earned by dependent children,
and Supplemental Security Income
���� Countable income is reduced by
unreimbursed medical expenses. Medical expenses are broadly defined, and may
include such items as eyeglasses, transportation to and from medical care
providers, prosthetic aids, and hospital and nursing home costs� It does not extend to such items as room and
board in a facility not deemed to be providing medical care at the requisite
level. For VA purposes, a nursing home means any extended care facility which
is licensed by a State to provide skilled or intermediate- level nursing care. A
listing of the facilities which meet the criteria of being approved to provide
skilled or intermediate care is kept by the each State's licensing or
certification authority.
���� The particular personal functions which an
applicant is unable to perform will be considered in connection with his or her
condition as a whole. It is only necessary to establish that applicants are so
helpless as to need regular aid and attendance, not that there be a constant
need.� The basic criteria for showing an
individual's regular aid and attendance need would include some but not all of
the following for a favorable ruling to be made:
-� Whether there is inability to dress or
undress yourself, or to keep yourself ordinarily clean and presentable;
-� Frequent need of adjustment of any special
prosthetic or orthopedic appliances which by reason of the particular
disability cannot be done without aid;
-� Inability to feed yourself through loss of
coordination of upper extremities or through extreme weakness;
-� Inability to attend to the wants of nature;
-� Incapacity, physical or mental, which
requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect you from hazards or
dangers incident to your daily environment.
����� You can apply by filling out VA Form
21-534, Application for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation or Death Pension
by Surviving Spouse or Child. If available, attach copies of dependency records
(marriage & children's birth certificates). .[Source: VA Pamphlet 80-05-01
& Pinelles County Veteran Services
www.pinellascounty.org/Veterans/default.htm Jan 06 ++]
TAXATION
AFTER DISCHARGE:� In most cases, retired
pay is fully taxable. Retired/retainer pay is not subject to FICA (Social
Security) deductions, nor is your retired pay reduced when you become entitled
to social security payments. The amount of taxable income is reduced by SBP
costs and any waiver for VA compensation or deduction for dual compensation
(federal civil service employment). The amount deducted from your pay for federal
withholding tax is based on the number of exemptions you indicate on either
your pay data form or your W-4 after retirement. To change your withholding tax
status or to request an additional withholding amount after retirement you can
use one of the following means:�
1)
Forward an IRS Form W-4 to DFAS - Cleveland Center., or
2) Use
Employee Member Self Service (See DFAS Web Site)
3) Air
Force retirees can visit their local Financial Services Office or AFB to change
their Federal Income Tax Withholding information.
4) Some
Navy Personnel Support Detachments (PSDs) and Army Retirement Service Offices
(RSOs) offer this service.
���� Disability retirement payments (Not VA
Disability) are taxable for those members with either total military service
after 24 SEP 75, or who were in the service before this date but were not on
active military service or under binding written commitment to become a member
of the armed services on 24 SEP 75. Disability retirement payments are
nontaxable for:
1)�� Those members with military service or under
binding written commitment to become a member of the armed services on 24 SEP
75, or
2)�� members whose disability retirement has been
deemed as combat-related, regardless of their active military service.
If your
disability retirement is calculated based on the second method, only that
portion of your pay which would have been received under the actual percentage
of disability calculation is nontaxable The amount of taxable income may be
further reduced by any SBP cost and deduction for dual compensation (federal
employment). If your disability retirement was combat-related, you are not
subject to the provisions of dual compensation.�
If, after retirement, you waive a portion of your pay in favor of VA
compensation, your taxable income will be reduced by the amount of VA
compensation or the amount of percentage of disability calculation, whichever
is greater.
���� State tax withholding is on a voluntary
basis and must be in whole dollar amounts.�
$10.00 is the minimum monthly amount. Before making your� request in writing, you must contact the
taxing authority in the state in which you have established residence to
determine if you are required to pay state income tax.� If you are an Air Force retiree, your local
Financial Services Office at the Air Force Base. Some Navy� Personnel Support Detachments (PSDs) and Army
Retirement Service Offices (RSOs) can adjust your state tax withholding
information.� Navy personnel should check
with their local PSD to see if this service is available. [Source: New Mexico
e-Veterans News 6 Feb 06]
CATARACTS:� A cataract is a clouding of the eye�s natural
lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like a
camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The lens
also adjusts the eye�s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and
far away. The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged
in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it. But
as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small
area of the lens. This is a cataract, and over time, it may grow larger and
cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see. Cataracts are classified as
one of three types:
1.� A nuclear cataract is most commonly seen as
it forms. This cataract forms in the nucleus, the center of the lens, and is
due to natural aging changes.
2.� A cortical cataract, which forms in the lens
cortex, gradually extends its spokes from the outside of the lens to the
center. Many diabetics develop cortical cataracts.
3.� A subcapsular cataract begins at the back of
the lens. People with diabetes, high farsightedness, retinitis pigmentosa or
those taking high doses of steroids may develop a subcapsular cataract.
���� A cataract starts out small, and at first
has little effect on your vision. You may notice that your vision is blurred a
little, like looking through a cloudy piece of glass or viewing an impressionist
painting. A cataract may make light from the sun or a lamp seems too bright or
glaring. Or you may notice when you drive at night that the oncoming headlights
cause more glare than before. Colors may not appear as bright as they once did.
Hazy or blurred vision may indicate a cataract. Cataracts affect vision by
scattering incoming light. The type of cataract you have will affect exactly
which symptoms you experience and how soon they will occur. When a nuclear
cataract first develops it can bring about a temporary improvement in your near
vision, called second sight. Unfortunately, the improved vision is short-lived
and will disappear as the cataract worsens.�
Meanwhile, a subcapsular cataract may not produce any symptoms until
it�s well-developed. No one knows for sure why the eye�s lens changes as we
age, forming cataracts.� Researchers are
gradually identifying factors that may cause cataracts and information that may
help to prevent them. Many studies suggest that exposure to ultraviolet light
is associated with cataract development, so eye care practitioners recommend
wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to lessen your exposure. Other
studies suggest people with diabetes are at risk for developing a cataract.� The same goes for users of steroids,
diuretics and major tranquilizers, but more studies are needed to distinguish
the effect of the disease from the consequences of the drugs themselves. Other
risk factors include cigarette smoke, air pollution and heavy alcohol
consumption. A small study published in 2002 found lead exposure to be a risk
factor. If you think you have a cataract, see an eye doctor for an exam to find
out for sure.
���� When symptoms begin to appear, you may be
able to improve your vision for a while using new glasses, strong bifocals,
magnification, appropriate lighting or other visual aids. An intraocular lens
(IOL) is implanted in the eye in place of the patient�s clouded natural
lens.� Think about surgery when your
cataracts have progressed enough to seriously impair your vision and affect
your daily life. Many people consider poor vision an inevitable fact of aging,
but cataract surgery is a simple, relatively painless procedure to regain
vision. Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is
the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with over 1.5
million cataract surgeries done each year. Nine out of 10 people who have
cataract surgery regain very good vision, somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40.
During surgery, the surgeon will remove your clouded lens, and in most cases
replace it with a clear, plastic intraocular lens (IOL). New IOLs are being
developed all the time to make the surgery less complicated for surgeons and
the lenses more helpful to patients. One example is a new IOL that lets
patients see at all distances, not just one. Another blocks both ultraviolet
and blue light rays, which research indicates may damage the retina.� [Source: Guide to Eye Cataracts and Cataract
Surgery Jan 06]
Lt.
James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director,
Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & VITA Baguio City RP
PSC 517
Box RCB, FPO AP 96517
Tel:
(760) 839-9003 or FAX 1(801) 760-2430; When in RP: (74) 442-7135 or FAX 1(801)
760-2430
Email:
[email protected].� When in Philippines
[email protected]
Web:
http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
AL/AMVETS/CORMV/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37
member
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