Still Serving in Korea Issue 2006-11 - November, 2006 This newsletter is published monthly by the Retirement Services Office at Yongsan Army Garrison, Seoul, Korea. It is provided primarily for the information of retirees of all services and their families living in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The information contained herein may not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Department of Defense, the U.S. military services and their component commands, or the Eighth US Army. If you are receiving this newsletter directly by e-mail, it is because you have subscribed to it and confirmed the subscription. To subscribe or unsubscribe, please follow the instructions contained at the end of the newsletter. All issues of the newsletter are maintained in HTML format on an index at the Retirement Services Officer web site. The index allows direct access to each news item in each newsletter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Notices Korea Retirees' Schedule of Events * Nov 6-11 - Area I has declared Retiree Appreciation Week. All retirees and their dependents will be allowed for walk-ins at CP Casey TMC. They are also giving flu shots for retirees and dependents. Take advantage of this offer and be sure to thank the medical staff for their support to retirees. * Nov 10 - Area IV Retiree Appreciation Day with medical care appointments 0800-1700 (by appointment) and booths opening at 1000. Free BBQ lunch. * Dec 12 - The December USFK Retiree Council meeting will be held at the Main Street (formerly Townhouse) Cafeteria starting at 0730. Non-members wishing to attend must arrange in advance with Al Chellis at DSN 723-6193. NOTE TO ALL RETIREES: YOU ARE NOT ON ACTIVE DUTY What does that mean? It means that you are in Korea at the pleasure of the Korean government. And the pleasure of the Korean government can quickly turn to displeasure if you don't maintain your travel documents up to date. What are your travel documents? First is your passport. As an American citizen, the passport allows you to travel abroad and entitles you to the protection of the U.S. government. Second is your visa. It is the acknowledgement of the Korean government that you are allowed to be in their country and entitled to be here as long as the visa they issued you is valid. It doesn't matter what category you fall into - civil service, contractor, teacher, retiree, volunteer, diplomat - you have a visa for that category. If you let either of those travel documents expire, you are in Korea illegally and nothing can protect you or help you avoid the punishment that the Korean government is entitled to take against you. Normally, this would be a fine - a very large fine depending on the length of time you've been in Korea illegally - and the illegality of your stay would not die with you if you die in Korea. The punishment is passed on to your next of kin and you remain "in storage" until the fine is paid. When you were on active duty, you stayed in Korea and simply flashed your ID card to anyone who asked. If an Immigration officer asked for your travel document, you showed your ID card (and maybe a copy of your orders). If a policeman asked for your travel document, you flashed your ID card and your SOFA card. But guess what? You're not on active duty anymore and your ID card is just that, an ID card. It's no longer a travel document. Only a valid passport and a valid visa entitle you to be in Korea, because you're no longer an active duty soldier, sailor, airman or marine. CHECK THEM NOW! If one or both are not valid, you need to do something NOW. The longer you wait, the worse it gets, so do something NOW. And don't feel shy to remind other retirees to CHECK THEM NOW! Korea Retirement Services Office Warrior Retiree Council The Warrior Retiree Council in Area I (Camp Casey, Dongducheon), held its second meeting on Oct 28. It was a breakfast meeting starting at 0800, and the free food resulted in a very good turnout. One item of note to retirees is that the Garrison Commander, LTC Hodges, and the hospital were trying to arrange priority appointment for retirees the week of Nov 6-11. It worked as evidenced in the Schedule of Events above. Korea Retirement Services Office RSO Location The Retirement Services Office is located temporarily in Bldg 4034 (Solder Support Center), Room 128. Phone number is 723-5530, e-mail address is rso@korea.army.mil. It's best to call for an appointment if you want to meet with the RSO. Dropping in, you may find an empty office. Korea Retirement Services Office ---------------------------------------------------------------------- In This Issue * Medical Care Matters o Command Support for Retiree Health Needs o Wal-Mart Expands Drug Program Early o Drug Discounts Blocked o Elderly Cold Prevention o OPM Issues Guidance on FEDVIP o Get in Touch With Your Eating Habits * Pay Matters o 2007 COLA Increase o Score: Troops 2.2 Percent, Generals 8.7 o Comparing COLAs o Army Expands $2,000 Enlistment Referrals o Pay for Performance Link Questionable o VA Claims Processing Crunch Looms * Legislative Matters o President Signs Defense Authorization * Survivor Matters o Congress Rejects SBP Fixes o Casualty Checklist * Community Matters o DVDs Wanted o VA Urges Veterans to Wear Medals on Veterans Day o AAFES OCONUS Fuel Pricing Policy - Customer Feedback Questionnaire * Laughing Matters o Kids!!! o Punctuation o Thoughts on Exercise o Perfect Dress * Director's Corner o Area Retiree Councils o Sneak Peek o When They Won't Ship to APO/FPO ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Medical Care Matters Command Support for Retiree Health Needs In October, LTG Valcourt signed two letters, one as Commander of Eighth U.S. Army and the second as Chief of Staff of United States Forces Korea. Both address health care issues that, if implemented, will significantly improve the way retiree health care in Korea is administered and funded. The first letter (PDF file) requests that the "German-model" of providing TRICARE Prime coverage to retirees and other groups be considered for Korea. The second letter (PDF file) requests that TRICARE Retiree Dental Program be extended to Korea. LTG Valcourt is a staunch supporter of retirees, and the most visible aspect of this was with the Korea-wide Retiree Appreciation Day at Yongsan on Oct 14. Planning for it was initiated at the urging of LTG Valcourt, and its success was directly tied to the enthusiastic support provided by his G-1 staff. Korea Retirement Services Office Wal-Mart Expands Drug Program Early This week Wal-Mart announced that due to demand they are expanding their $4 generic drug pricing for over 300 medicines from Tampa, Florida only, to the entire State of Florida starting today, October 6. They also announced that they will be expanding this pricing nationwide as soon as possible but there was no timetable given. A spokesman said that the overwhelming success of the program and the thousands of requests including one from Florida Governor Jeb Bush, to expand the program more quickly had lead to their decision. Wal-Mart also raised the number of generic prescription drugs offered under the $4 price for a month's supply plan to 314 from 291. The new number comprises 143 drugs in a variety of dosages and solid or liquid forms that together make up the total, up from about 125 drugs when the program started. NAUS Weekly Update, Oct 6 Drug Discounts Blocked Pressured by the White House and drug industry lobbyists, Congress has killed a Senate-passed provision that would have forced pharmaceutical manufacturers to grant the Department of Defense deep discounts on drugs dispensed through the TRICARE retail pharmacy network. House Republicans were under enormous pressure last month to sideline a provision inserted in the 2007 defense authorization bill that would cut 40 percent or more off the cost of many drugs available to TRICARE beneficiaries through retail network pharmacies and stores. DoD officials contend that the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 requires drug makers to include TRICARE retail drugs in Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) discount agreements negotiated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The discounts already apply to drugs dispensed through base pharmacies, the TRICARE mail order program and VA pharmacies. To avoid having to grant more discounts, drug manufacturers have filed a lawsuit challenging DoD's contention. The Senate Armed Services Committee voted to make that lawsuit moot with clarifying language in its defense bill that federal discounts are to apply to TRICARE retail drugs, too. After the Senate passed its bill, White House politicos began to pressure House Republicans to fight the Senate provision in final negotiations over the defense bill, in effect, undercutting their own Defense Department as it strives to curb soaring drug costs. "Tremendous forces" targeted conferees from the armed services committees as they began to negotiate over the bill, said a staff member. "Pharmacies, drug manufacturers - the politics went right through the roof." Given that pressure, Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) introduced a "motion to instruct" House conferees to accept the Senate's drug discount provision when negotiating behind closed doors. Edwards, joined by several Democratic colleagues, argued that applying FSS discounts for TRICARE retail drugs would save $251 million in 2007 alone. It also would suck the wind out of plans to hold down TRICARE costs by raising co-payments on military retirees and others who use the more costly retail network. Opposing Edwards' motion was Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), chairman of House Veterans Affairs Committee and a friend to drug manufacturers. Eli Lilly & Co. has its headquarters within miles of Buyer's district. The company this year is his second largest campaign contributor, providing $10,000. While no member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee had objected to squeezing the drug companies, in the House, Buyer alone vigorously attacked the Senate plan, calling it "a very bad idea" that would lead to higher drug costs for disabled vets. "I have come to the floor, as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, appalled, appalled," Buyer exclaimed. "I am just dumbfounded that we are - what? - going to vote on a motion to instruct that we should accept what the Senate does? It seems that some people in this body are possessed in their fight against drug companies." Buyer's re-election campaign, as of Sep 11, had received more than $45,000 from drug manufacturers through political action committee contributions. Only 13 House members, all of them Republicans, had received more in pharmaceutical dollars, according to data gathered by the Center for Responsive Politics. During floor debate, Buyer said that as chairman of the House armed services personnel subcommittee several years ago he had created the TRICARE retail program. "If I ever intended for FSS pricing to be included, I would have included it in the bill," he said. "But please, my colleagues, do not, just before an election, open up the Federal Supply Schedule. Do not do this," Buyer said. "We do this to protect very important members of our society, (veterans) who have been injured and the disabled." Drug manufacturers worry that expanding FSS discounts to all TRICARE drug sources will lead to them having to negotiate discounts with other federal programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Buyer echoed that concern in his remarks but emphasized always the impact on disabled vets. "A discount for everyone is a discount for no one," he said later in a written statement. In the end, Buyer lost the battle but won the war. Edwards' motion passed Sept. 7, on a lopsided vote of 370 to 30, with Buyer and 29 other Republicans in opposition. The motion wasn't binding, however. A few weeks later a compromise defense bill emerged with the Senate's drug discount provision removed. Critics of the conference can argue that tax dollars are being sacrificed to drug industry profits. But they can't argue that TRICARE beneficiaries have been harmed, at least not for 2007. That's because, in a surprise move, conferees also shelved a House plan to raise TRICARE co-payments on generic and military formulary drugs obtained through retail outlets. Congress wants no change in TRICARE fees or co-pays for at least a year. Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.), current chairman of the personnel subcommittee and a conferee on the defense bill, said that "the administration, the VA committee and others weighed in strongly against" the Senate provision. Though Buyer wasn't a conferee his words as VA committee chairman had an impact, McHugh said. Not on him, however. McHugh said he favored the Senate provision and doesn't believe that applying discounts to the retail network will have "a cataclysmic" impact on veterans. "If there are savings, I'm for finding them," he said. That will have to wait for at least another year - and another Congress. News of the Force, Oct 14 (page 2) Elderly Cold Prevention Want to protect yourself from colds this winter? Try taking vitamin E. A study published by JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, shows the vitamin can help fight upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds, in the elderly. The study adds to the scientific evidence that vitamin E is beneficial for improved immune function in the elderly. The study, conducted at Tufts University, included 617 elderly long term care facility patients, who were given a multivitamin and either additional vitamin E or a placebo. Fewer people in the vitamin E group suffered one or more upper respiratory infections. Those given the vitamin E supplement also had a 20-percent lower risk of catching a cold than participants given the placebo. Researchers say the results are promising, especially given the preponderance of respiratory infections in the elderly and the potential for colds to lead to more severe illness. [Source: MOAA News Notes Nov 04] RAO Baguio Bulletin Update, Oct 15 OPM Issues Guidance on FEDVIP [The Office of Personnel Management] OPM has put out guidance on the upcoming Federal and Dental Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), which will have its initial open season running concurrent with the upcoming [Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan] FEHB[P] open season starting Nov 13. The guidance notes that while both are insurance plans with generally the same persons eligible for enrollment, FEDVIP will differ from FEHB in several important ways. For example, while by law FEHB can offer only either self-only or self-and-family coverage, FEDVIP in addition will offer a self-plus-one option (the "one" would have to be someone who would be eligible for FEHB family coverage and excludes domestic partners, for example). Individuals eligible to enroll in both programs will be allowed to choose to enroll in FEHB only, FEDVIP only, both, or neither - and within FEDVIP, vision care, dental care, or both. Enrolles can also choose different enrollment types for each program - enrolling, for example, in self-and-family coverage under FEHB, but self-only coverage under FEDVIP. FEDweek Weekly Newsletter, Oct 25 Get in Touch With Your Eating Habits If you eat only when you feel hungry, chances are you'll have less trouble reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. Most people are not in touch with their hunger signals, though, and instead eat in response to triggers such as stress, anxiety and boredom. To successfully lose weight, you've got to get in touch with the powerful forces that shape your eating habits - how you think and feel about food and why you eat when you're not hungry. Here are four steps that can help. Step 1: Know your habits To become aware of your eating habits, keep track of situations in which you find yourself craving unhealthy foods. Write them down in a notebook or on your weekly menus. Keep a list of what, when and why you eat for a few days. See if any relationships or patterns emerge. Ask yourself if you tend to eat when you're bored, angry, tired, anxious, stressed, depressed or socially pressured. If you do, try these tips: * Before eating anything, ask yourself if you're really hungry. If the answer is no, consider having a glass of water. You may find that you're just thirsty. * Learn to refuse gracefully when people offer food that doesn't fit into your menu plan such as treats at coffee breaks. * Do something to distract yourself from your desire to eat - call a friend or run an errand. * Direct emotional energy from stress or anger outward. Think about taking a walk, sorting through files, or cleaning out a cluttered drawer or closet. The urge to eat will pass. * If you find that you absolutely can't find an alternative strategy, don't try to restrain yourself too much - that may lead to bingeing. In that case, eat some vegetables or a piece of fruit. You won't have to feel guilty, and it may satisfy your craving. Step 2: Change gradually When you've identified an eating habit that you'd like to change, remember that gradual changes work best. Consider this example. Marty works as a customer service manager for a retail department store. Her job is often stressful. She prides herself on meeting the needs of customers and sometimes finds herself juggling the needs of customers with the needs of management. When she feels overwhelmed by stress, she walks to the vending machine for a high-fat, high-calorie snack. Marty recognized that this was one eating habit preventing her from reaching a healthy weight. She decided to start dealing with on-the- job stress by taking a brisk, 10-minute walk at break time and by eating fruit for snacks. Like Marty, you, too, can prevent thoughts and feelings about food from standing in the way of your weight-loss program. Choose one area at a time and be specific about how you're going to change. When you feel you've successfully changed one eating habit, work on another. Step 3: Plan ahead Your old eating habits may be so ingrained that you're not aware of them. Mentally rehearsing healthier habits can help. Imagine this: You're at a graduation party. The buffet table is packed with all of your favorite treats. Now imagine this: You take a small portion of a few items from the buffet table, leaving space between them on your plate, or you take only fresh fruits and vegetables. Mentally rehearse this plan until you're more likely to remember it - and do it - the next time you need it most. Step 4: Think positively Don't dwell on what you're giving up to reach a healthy weight. Concentrate instead on what you're gaining. Instead of thinking, "I really miss eating a doughnut at breakfast," tell yourself, "I feel a lot better when I eat oatmeal and fresh fruit in the morning." Believe it or not, the process of making changes to your eating habits can be enjoyable and the health benefits will soon become evident. By Mayo Clinic Staff, Oct 4, 2006 Used with permission of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pay Matters 2007 COLA Increase The annual Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) increase was announced on Oct 18. This year Social Security, Military Retired Pay, VA Disability Pay and DIC will increase by 3.3 percent. The increase in all these benefits will go into effect Dec 1 and will be reflected in your Jan pay. NAUS Weekly Update, Oct 20 Score: Troops 2.2 percent, Generals 8.7 While the fiscal 2007 defense authorization act has decreed the lowest basic pay raise in 12 years for the troops, at 2.2 percent, it will hike the pay of three- and four-star generals and admirals by 8.7 percent. Their top limit will go from that equal to Executive Level III for federal civilians, at $12,667 per month, to Executive Level II, at $13,767 monthly. Their retired pay also will skyrocket because: (1) the act will allow increases of retired pay beyond the current top level of 75 percent if they serve beyond 30 years; and (2) effective Oct. 1, 2006, their retired pay will no longer be capped, but will be based upon actual pay levels in the O-9 and O-10 pay chart. All other officers and all enlisted members also may retire at more than 75 percent if they serve more than 30 years. Armed Forces News, Oct 13 Comparing COLAs This week brought an annual event that's always highly anticipated: the announcement of cost-of-living increases for federal retirees, including those in both the Civil Service Retirement System and the newer Federal Employees Retirement System. Here's how the COLAs will play out next year: 2007 COLA 3.3% 2.3% 3% CSRS retirees (retired for at least 12months), including CSRS Offset retirees and those receiving the CSRS component of a transFERS annuity X Children's survivor annuity (both CSRS and FERS) X CSRS surviving spouses and former spouses X FERS Retirees (retired for at least 12 months) X FERS survivor annuitants X Military retirees and survivors X TSP annuitants and survivors who elected an increasing payment annuity option X Social Security retirees, disability retirees and dependents X Government Executive Newsletter, Oct 20 Army Expands $2,000 Enlistment Referrals The fiscal 2007 defense authorization act has expanded and clarified who within the Department of the Army (DA) is eligible for a $2,000 bonus for referring a recruit to the Army. Now eligible for the bonuses are retirees, gray area reserve retirees, DA civilians, in addition to active members of the Army, National Guard and Reserve. JROTC administrators and instructors are not eligible. In order for a referer to receive the bonus, the recruit must complete basic training and individual advanced training. The bonuses do not apply to any other military department or service. Armed Forces News, Oct 13 Pay for Performance Link Questionable [The Merit System Protection Board] MSPB said the results "do not inspire confidence that the five-level rating systems currently in place in federal agencies are up to the challenges of supporting new pay for performance compensation systems." It said "there is apparently substantial room for improvement in the performance appraisal process - regardless of whether an employee works under a pass/fail or five-level performance appraisal system. One implication of these results may be that simply moving from a pass/fail system to a five-level system is not enough to ensure that employees will have confidence in the distinctions made in performance ratings and subsequent pay for performance compensation adjustments." Such ratings are the basis for a pay for performance system such as those being implemented at [the Department of Homeland Security] DHS and [Department of Defense] DoD and that the Bush administration wants to expand government-wide. MSPB said that agencies will have to make "a substantial investment in terms of time, money, and effort" to ensure that performance goals are relevant, reasonable and usable, that employees understand and participate in the process, and that performance is evaluated fairly. FEDweek Weekly Newsletter, Oct 11 VA Claims Processing Crunch Looms The National Security Archive, a nonpartisan research organization affiliated with George Washington University, has obtained figures about claims made by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan that portend an inundation of the VA claims system. According to the figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, less that 32 percent of veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War have filed disability claims over 15 years, while five years into the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns, 27 percent of newly discharged veterans already have filed nearly 153,000 claims. The current deluge of claims is adding to a large existing backlog. To counter this, Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, proposed earlier this year to hire 200 more claims adjudicators and provide $400,000 for training. The VA has reduced its average processing time for initial benefits to 174 days, but the two wars continue to increase claims. Visit www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/index.html. Armed Forces News, Oct 27 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Legislation Matters President Signs Defense Authorization On Tuesday [Oct 17], President Bush signed into law H.R. 5122, the "John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007." The annual authorization act contains a number of [the National Association for Uniformed Services] NAUS priorities, including some very good and long needed provisions. * TRICARE Fees Rejected. The conference report prohibits DoD from increasing any premiums, deductibles, copayment, or other charges under TRICARE medical care for retirees, dependents, survivors or members of the Selected Reserve until Sep 30, 2007. * TRICARE Pharmacy Copay Increases Rejected. The conference report rejects the Pentagon Plan to double current pharmaceutical copays. * Reserve Health Coverage Expanded. The conference report makes all drilling reserve members eligible for TRICARE coverage at the lowest current premium (28 percent of cost). * Military Pay Raise Increased. The bill adopted the minimum 2.2 percent military pay raise as requested in the administration's budget. * Equipment Reset Provided. The conference report authorizes $23.8 billion immediate replacement of Army and Marine Corps supplies and equipment. * Payday Lender Restrictions. The bill contains a number of NAUS- supported provisions to end predatory payday lending practices that trap servicemembers in uncontrollable debt. Now, the Lowlights - provisions not adopted. * NDAA Rejects Changes in the Survivor Benefit Plan. No action on ending the dollar-for-dollar offset in the military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) against the Department of Veterans Affairs Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), which provides survivors a flat monthly payment after a service-connected death. * NDAA Declines to Advance Date on Paid-Up Premiums. No action to accelerate the date for termination of the paid-up plan. Military retirees age 70 and older, who have paid into the plan for more than 30-years, are required to continue to pay until October 2008. * NDAA Refuses Accelerated Phase-In of Concurrent Receipt. Conferees also did not accelerate the phase-in of concurrent receipt for retirees rated 100 percent disabled and unemployable by the VA. * NDAA Dismisses Postal Benefits Program. The conference dismissed provision of a new postal benefit program for members of the Armed Forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan or hospitalized as a result of such service. * NDAA Drops Provision to Lower Reservist Retirement Age. The conference also dropped a NAUS-supported provision to lower the age reservists can start drawing retired pay by 3 months for every 90 days deployed since 9/11. One of the provisions of the NDAA directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a task force on the future of military health care. He is supposed to establish the task force within 90 days after the bill was enacted (signed) and to report no later than May 31, 2007. NAUS applauds the establishment of this task force as one of the best solutions that could make DoD really look at the overall picture of health care. One of the major items it is to consider is the "utility" of a universal enrollment fee. The military and veterans community will be represented, as at least one of the members will be an MSO/VSO representative who has experience in health care. Providing that DoD completes the study in time as directed, the timing could be excellent as many of the budget appropriations and authorization hearings should still be ongoing and maybe they can be positively influenced by the report. NAUS will watch for the report and let you know about it when it is released. NAUS Weekly Update, Oct 20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Survivor Matters Congress Rejects SBP Fixes Surviving spouses of service members who died from service-connected causes will continue to see their Dependents Indemnity Compensation (DIC) deleted from their Survivor Benefits Plan (SBP) payments because the issue was dropped during a joint House-Senate conference committee considering the fiscal 2007 authorization bill. Veterans' organizations have pointed out that SBP, paid by the Defense Department (DoD), is an insurance/annuity program for which military members paid premiums, while DIC, paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs, is compensation for veterans who died because of serving their country. The conference committee also rejected a proposal to eliminate further premium payments for military retirees age 70 or over who have paid into the SBP program for at least 30 years. The action would have accelerated the paid-up date from Oct 1, 2008, to Oct 1, 2006. The administration and DoD had weighed in against both fixes. Armed Forces News, Oct 6 Casualty Checklist The Air Force Retiree Programs Branch sent a casualty checklist to all Retiree Activities Offices. It's available on-line at http://www.rao-osan.com/e-letter/sup-docs/casualty-checklist.doc. The checklist is valuable for each retiree to determine what information is important and what needs to be organized and safely stored. Each retiree who doesn't already have such as checklist should download, print and complete it. And - don't forget to update it at least annually. Korea Retirement Services Office ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Community Matters DVDs Wanted We are passing this on for our friends at AMVETS: "AMVETS, Operation DVD" is an appeal to patriotic Americans to donate their new and used DVDs, which will then be shipped to our fighting men and women overseas. DVDs will be distributed to troops in audiences of USO tours and ultimately "Children Titles" will be provided to Boys & Girls Clubs located on military bases around the world. For more information on donating, visit the 'AMVETS, Operation DVD Website' http://www.operationdvd.us/. NAUS Weekly Update, Oct 6 VA Urges Veterans to Wear Medals on Veterans Day The Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and leaders of major veterans organizations today called on America's veterans to help kindle a new spark of patriotism on Veterans Day by wearing the medals they earned during military service. "We are announcing a Veterans Pride Initiative to remind Americans of the pride and honor in the hearts of those who have served," Nicholson said. "We expect Americans will see our decorated heroes unite in spirit at ceremonies, in parades and elsewhere as a compelling symbol of courage and sacrifice on Veterans Day, the day we set aside to thank those who served and safeguarded our national security." The campaign is modeled after a tradition in Australia and New Zealand, countries who honor the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) on April 25. ANZAC Day sees veterans wearing their military decorations whatever they are doing on that day. Nicholson said he hopes a U. S. tradition will ensue to emulate this pride in being a veteran and in honoring our veterans. VA is offering information about the campaign on its Web page, http://www.va.gov/veteranspride/, where veterans also can obtain information about how to replace mislaid medals and learn how to confirm the decorations to which they are entitled. VA News Release, Oct 18 AAFES OCONUS Fuel Pricing Policy - Customer Feedback Questionnaire AAFES is considering amending the frequency in which it adjusts prices at OCONUS gas stations. Currently, we set OCONUS pump prices at the beginning of each month. To ensure future policy changes are inline with customer expectations, AAFES leadership would like to solicit your opinion. Please provide your feedback to Ron Daugherty, AAFES General Manager, whose contact numbers and e-mail address are at the end of the article. * Are you: o Active duty (if so, include rank and branch of service) o Spouse of an active duty member o Retired o Civilian * Where do you buy a majority of your fuel? o Pump o Coupon o Both * Would you like to see AAFES change the frequency of pump price adjustments? o Yes o No * If yes, what frequency would you prefer? o Weekly o Bi-Monthly o Monthly o Annually o Unspecified Ronald E. Daugherty AAFES General Manager Korea Osan Exchange DSN 784-4293 / CELL 011-710-1559 Daugherty@aafes.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Laughing Matters Kids!!! My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "62." He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?" After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. At last she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?" A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments. They were ready to discuss the last one. The teacher asked if anyone could tell her what it was. Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall not take the covers off thy neighbor's wife." A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool even though she was worried what the child may have been told. "That's interesting," she said, "How do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. "It means carrying a child." Christian Voices, Oct 6 Punctuation An English professor wrote the words, "woman without her man is nothing" on the blackboard and directed the students to punctuate it correctly. The men wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing." The women wrote: "Woman! Without her, man is nothing." Mikey's Funnies by way of Christian Voices Thoughts on Exercise I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 dollars. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently, you have to show up. If God meant us to touch our toes, he would have put them further up our body. I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them. I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing. If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country. Mikey's Funnies by way of Christian Voices Perfect Dress Shortly after the birth of their second child, a husband offered to take his wife shopping for a new dress. He endured more than two hours of listening to her complaints about which figure flaw each dress accentuated. As she emerged from the dressing room, having tried on the last selection, she asked for her husband's opinion. By this time he had learned just the right things to say. "It's perfect!" he exclaimed. "It makes your waist look smaller, your legs look longer, and slenderizes your hips." Just then another lady in the dressing room spoke out. "If there is a dress here that will do that, I'll buy them all!" Doc's Daily Chuckle (pkaine@woh.rr.com) by way of Christian Voices ---------------------------------------------------------------------- RSO's Corner Area Retiree Councils As I mentioned in the Notices at the top, the Warrior Retiree Council in Area I met on Oct 28. I attended along with the Garrison Commander, LTC Hodges and CSM Rose. It was a very dynamic meeting and I was really pleased to see so many retirees interested in more than just the delicious breakfast that the ladies of the VFW prepared for us. And it was free, too. We discussed the need to convert the Warrior Retiree Council to the Area I Retiree Council and apply for official sponsorship per Army Regulation 600-8-7. They're off to a great start and I hope we can keep it going that way. At the Korea-wide Retiree Appreciation Day on Oct 14, I was contacted by several Area II retirees who expressed interest in organizing an Area II Retiree Council. I also received a call from an Area III retiree who wants to get the Area III Retiree Council revived. I hope that the establishment of the Retirement Services Office has served as a catalyst to stir up some action. This was the first task I was given - to get retiree councils active in all four areas. Of course, a discussion of retiree councils in Korea would be incomplete without acknowledging the very, very dynamic council in Area IV. Will Plumley, the Chairman, and the other council members deserve a hearty salute for their involvement in the community in Tae Daegu (old habits are hard to break). I'll be there on Nov 10 for their Retiree Appreciation Day and will take the opportunity to thank them personally. I will be getting together with Area II and Area III folks in the near future to start working towards getting those councils up and running. Watch for the announcements and "come on down!" Jack Terwiel Sneak Peek I'm currently working on developing a web site for the Retirement Services Office. It's not quite ready for prime time, but I'd like to give you a sneak peek into one area highlighting retiree events and activities. I've included a slide show of some of the activities at the Oct 14 Korea-wide Retiree Appreciation Day, and there's also a slide show of the Oct 28 Warrior Retiree Council meeting. Jack Terwiel When They Won't Ship to APO/FPO When I prepared to move my job to the Retirement Services Officer position at Yongsan, and I decided to open a private office in Songtan, I realized I needed a multifunction printer. I found a Hewlett-Packard model I liked and ordered from the mail-order company with the best price. Unfortunately, they wouldn't ship to APO/FPO. Going back to the HP web site, they had a comment about companies that don't ship to APO/FPO, and suggested a workaround. There's a company called ShipItAPO that will receive your order then send it to your APO or FPO address. The cost is reasonable and the only extra charge is that the California sales tax is added. Even with the extra charges, the printer was still cheaper than the second best mail order company's price plus shipping directly to my APO address. If you're interested, go to http://www.shipitapo.com and check it out. If you sign up, you're given an individual mailing address (based on your account number) for your items to be sent to at ShipItAPO so the company knows where to send them. I opted for this site because it was recommended by a company that I trust, and it proved to be safe and reliable. The only complaint I had was the amount of time it took, because the printer was shipped via surface from the East Coast to the West Coast and then sent via Priority Mail to my APO address. Jack Terwiel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribing and Unsubscribing If you received this newsletter from a source other than by direct e- mail, you can subscribe to receive it directly to your e-mail inbox by selecting "Subscribe" at the bottom of the newsletter below these instructions. You can also subcribe at the RAO web site home page. The subscription form requires as mandatory information your e-mail address, name, and desired format (HTML or Plain Text). Click on the subscribe button to complete the sign up. If you are already a subscriber and wish to cancel your subscription, you can click on the "Unsubscribe" option at the bottom of the page and follow the instructions. You should also check your user profile and keep it up to date. 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