Still Serving in Korea Issue 2012-08 - August, 2012 This newsletter is published monthly by the Military Retiree Assistance Office outside Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 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. 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, PDF and Text formats on an index at the Retiree Activities Office web site at http://www.rao-osan.com/e-letter/e-letter-index.htm. The index allows direct access to each news item in each newsletter. A print version is at http://www.rao-osan.com/e-letter/pdf/2012/2012-08.pdf Contact the MRAO: in Korea 784-1441, commercial 0505-784-1441; outside Korea 82-31-661-1441;e-mail mrao@rao-osan.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Notices Korea Retirees' Schedule of Events Area I - The Retirement Services Office (RSO) for USAG-Red Cloud at Camp Casey in Maude Hall (Bldg 2440), Room 138, is open Aug 1, 3, 6-8, 10, 13, 16-17, 20-22, 24, 27 and 30-31 0900-1600. RSO Mr. Mark Wade can be contacted at 010-2660-7496. Area II - The Retirement Services Office (RSO) at USAG-Yongsan in Building 4034, Room 140, is open Aug 2-3, 6-7, 9-10, 13-14, 16-17, 20-21, 23-24, 27-28 and 30-31 0900-1600. RSO Mr. Carl Reed can be contacted at 010-2916-0578. Area III - The Retirement Services Office (RSO) at USAG-Humphreys in Building 543 is open Aug 9, 14-15, 23 and 28-29 0900-1400. RSO Mr. Mark Wade can be contacted at 010-2660-7496 . Area IV - The Retirement Services Office (RSO) at USAG-Daegu in the ASAP building is open Aug 1, 8, 15*, 22 and 29 1000-1400. Camp Carroll visits by the RSO while in USAG-Daegu can be arranged, by appointment only. RSO Mr. Carl Reed can be contacted at 010-2916-0578. * May not be open due to Korean Liberation Day holiday. Aug 15 - The Osan AB Retiree Activities Office is closed for the Korean Liberation Day holiday. EUSA Retiree Council Meeting The next meeting of the EUSA Retiree Council (ERC) will be at 1130, Thursday, September 13, 2012, in the USAG Yongsan Commander's Conference Room, building 4305. The meeting for September will be part of a test to consolidate the [Yongsan Retiree Council] YRC and ERC meetings. Officers of the Area Retiree Councils, members of the EUSA G1 Staff, and retirees of all services are always welcome at EUSA Retiree Council meetings. Also, please feel free to pass this on to any retiree in the area that you know. Rich Deppe, LTC (Ret), US Army ---------------------------------------------------------------------- In This Issue Medical Care Matters Health Care Ruling Won't Hit Tricare, VA VA Tinnitus Care 2013 TRICARE Prime Enrollment Fees Announced July 23, 2012 Try Exercising in Water DoD Wants $708M From Healthcare; Draws Fire from House Pay Matters VA Improves Online Access to Benefits Information STOP LOSS Special Pay Stopping Legislative Matters White House Bashes TRICARE Fix Veterans Bills on the Move Survivor Matters SBP-DIC Offset Community Matters Department of Defense Self-Service Logon (DS Logon) A Snapshot of the Nation's Veterans Exchange Management Class Open to Veterans Exchange Shoppers 'Fall' Into Savings with the Autumn 2012 Shopping Guide Federal Service Matters No Identity Theft Detected OPM Continues to Chip Away at Retirement Claims Backlog Student Loan Use Still Concentrated Silence on Pay Raise Could Continue Laughing Matters Discipline by Example Military Courtesy Don't Ignore the Kids Director's Corner What Happened to the July Newsletter? We Asked and You Told Us - in No Uncertain Terms! BRAC Savings are Less and Slower than Expected (Surprise!!!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Medical Care Matters Health Care Ruling Won't Hit Tricare, VA By Leo Shane III Thursday (June 28)'s Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could have far-reaching effects on American health care policy and politics over the next few years. What it won't do is affect any Tricare or Veterans Affairs health care coverage. Lawmakers specifically exempted those systems from the health care debate in 2010, in response to concerns that the new rules and regulations could upset their patient care efforts. Congress also passed the Tricare Affirmation Act that year, adding an extra layer of exemption and protection. Of course, military and veterans families still could see some changes under the new rules. Already, those health care systems have seen their policies updated to allow children under 26 to remain on their parents' plans, mirroring the larger ACA provisions. And veterans ineligible or unwilling to use VA health care options will be affected by the larger changes in private health insurance. Republican House leaders have promised to work to repeal the measure, but that's unlikely as long as Democrats hold onto power in the Senate and White House. (SOURCE: Stars and Stripes Article http://www.stripes.com/blogs/the-ruptured-duck/the-ruptured-duck-1.160117/health-care-ruling-won-t-hit-tricare-va-1.181661d) Health.mil e-mail, Jun 30 VA Tinnitus Care Dallas-based MicroTransponder Inc. reported today positive results from an early clinical trial for a wireless neurostimulation system that treats patients with tinnitus, which is commonly known as "constant ringing in the ears." The privately held company also said it raised $2 million in angel funding to continue developing the tinnitus therapy known as the Serenity System. The treatment combines an implanted device, similar to a pacemaker, that stimulates a nerve in the neck with listening to tones. The trial, which took place in Belgium, found that seven out of 10 patients reported significant decreases in tinnitus, the company said. The improvement lasted at least two months and in some cases six months to a year. Data from the initial, 10-patient trial was presented last month at the Tinnitus Research Initiative conference in Belgium. As many as 2 million Americans suffer from severe tinnitus, according to the American Tinnitus Association, with the problem especially acute among military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 850,000 former soldiers are estimated to suffer from this ailment. No cure exists for tinnitus. MicroTransponder plans to conduct a 30-person clinical trial in the United States in 2013, said company spokesman Jordan Curnes. The company continues to raise money with another $1.5 million needed to complete trials for the Serenity System, Curnes said. For more information on the clinical trial or the tinnitus treatment, check out MicroTransponder's web site http://www.microtransponder.com. [Source: Dallas News, Hanah Cho article, 5 Jul 2012] RAO (Baguio) Bulletin, Jul 15 2013 TRICARE Prime Enrollment Fees Announced July 23, 2012 The fiscal year 2013 TRICARE Prime enrollment fees for uniformed service retirees and their families go into effect Oct. 1, 2012. The Prime enrollment fees for 2013 are $269.28 for retirees, and $538.56 for retirees and their family members. Survivors of active duty deceased sponsors and uniformed services medically retired service members and their dependents are exempt from annual fee increases. Their enrollment fee is frozen at the rate in effect when they were classified and enrolled in TRICARE Prime. Their fee remains frozen as long as there is no break in their TRICARE Prime enrollment. As always, active duty service members and their families have access to TRICARE Prime with no enrollment fee. The 2013 fees are based on the cost of living adjustment retirees received in 2012. The adjustment was applied to the $260 (individual) and $520 (family) 2012 Prime enrollment fees. Because of this, most retirees who were enrolled in Prime prior to Oct. 1, 2011, will see a more significant increase since their enrollment fee remained at the 2011-levels of $230 and $460 per year. Beneficiaries can opt to pay their enrollment fee monthly, quarterly or annually. Before deciding to pay annually, beneficiaries should keep in mind that in most cases enrollment fees are non-refundable, and Congressional changes to fees in the 2013 budget could occur. For this reason, it's recommended that beneficiaries pay their enrollment fee monthly or quarterly. To learn more about TRICARE Prime enrollment fees, please visit http://www.tricare.mil/costs. More information about TRICARE Prime is available at http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/LearnAboutPlansAndCosts/TRICAREPr Health.mil e-mail, Jul 24 Try Exercising in Water Exercising in water, known as aquatic exercise, offers something for everyone. Its supportive properties can be especially benefit people with arthritis, pregnancy or sports injuries. The buoyancy of water decreases painful spinal compression (a condition that may be caused by injury or other disorder) because it can reduce how much weight our body puts on the spine by 50 percent in waist-deep water and 75 percent in chest-deep water. For people with osteoporosis, water provides a place to exercise and improve balance with less fear of injury from falls. Experts disagree about whether aquatic exercise provides enough weight bearing to strengthen bones, but it does at least help maintain bone mass. Water's resistance means running in deep water will give even more of an aerobic workout without adding impact on your joints. You can increase the muscle- and heart-training effects even further by adding more resistance with fitness equipment such as webbed gloves, foam dumbbells and noodles. Water's pressure on the body reduces leg swelling, decreases heart rate and improves circulation. People with lung disease need to be cautious, however, because the increased aerobic workout in deep water may make breathing more difficult for them. Warmer water is best for arthritis, fibromyalgia or Parkinson's disease. Cooler water minimizes multiple sclerosis symptoms and overheating in vigorous exercise, but may cause muscle cramps. Popular aquatic classes include circuit training, dance exercise and yoga for relaxation and flexibility. Reprinted on July 16, 2012, courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. For more information, please visit www.aicr.org. GEHA Health e-Report, Jul 2012 DoD Wants $708M From Healthcare; Draws Fire from House Late yesterday afternoon [Jul 26] [The Air Force Sergeants Association] AFSA received a copy of a congressional letter written in response to a DoD request that would reprogram millions away from the Defense Health Program (DHP) and TRICARE. The bi-partisan letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta asks many valid questions stemming from the $708M surplus. First of all, why is there a surplus to begin with? It indicates that in the first six months of FY12, DoD saw a downward spike in private sector costs through historically low rates of 0.6 percent for active duty and negative 2.7 percent for all other beneficiaries. Therefore, retiree costs decreased 2.7 percent! So if retiree care costs decreasing, why does DoD still maintain the need to raise fees, the letter asks. "We do not understand how DoD can justify a request to raise fees on a class of people whose cost to the department are actually decreasing. At a minimum, the reprogramming rationale raises serious questions about the department's ability to forecast future health care costs." Put simply, retirees are costing the department less but DoD wants to charge them more! Led by House Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee Chairman Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Ranking Member Susan Davis (D-CA), the letter contains the signatures from 24 members of Congress. It notes there was a similar $500 million surplus in FY 2011 and that the Subcommittee has requested a hearing on the budget estimation process that DoD and the DHP uses. AFSA would obviously be interested to see how this plays out since it affects all of our entire membership. AFSA On-Call Newsletter, Jul 27 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pay Matters VA Improves Online Access to Benefits Information Nearly 1.7 million veterans and service members have registered for the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense web portal, eBenefits [https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal], which provides online information and access to a wide variety of military and veteran benefits resources. A VA news release issued today says about 1.67 million users have signed up, and notes the strong pace of registrations for the site since its launch in October 2009 has allowed VA to exceed its fiscal year 2012 agency priority goal of 1.65 million users. That puts it on track to meet the 2013 goal of 2.5 million. "We know that three out of four veterans who use VA services want to connect online, so we must be there for them with the information they need," Allison Hickey, the VA's undersecretary for benefits, stated in the release. Hickey added that eBenefits "is clearly becoming the platform of choice for veterans seeking access." Veterans and service members new to the eBenefits web site are guided through the registration process to get a full-access account, called a premier account, which allows maximum ability to update personal information and learn about benefits without having to visit a VA facility. With the premier account, veterans can access multiple applications on the secure portion of the web site. A premier account also allows veterans to check the status of compensation and pension claims filed with VA. This feature, the most popular within the eBenefits application, had over 700,000 visits in June alone, according to the news release. Overall, visits to the site have increased 60 percent over the previous year, approaching 2 million each month. On July 1, VA introduced its 11th consecutive quarterly release of improvements to the eBenefits application, including benefits eligibility e-mail messages to service members as they reach career milestones and a new Career Center page. Another key function is a single sign-on capability for veterans to transition securely between benefits information on eBenefits and health information on VA's myHealtheVet web site without an additional log-on. VA says it has completed a record-breaking 1 million claims per year during the last two fiscal years and is on target to complete another 1 million claims in fiscal year 2012. Even so, the agency acknowledged too many veterans have to wait too long to get the benefits they have earned, and that is why VA is aggressively building a strong foundation for a paperless, digital disability claims system that it says will transform operations and eliminate the backlog. The VA says the plan will help achieve Secretary Eric K. Shinseki's goal of completing veterans' claims in less than 125 days with 98 percent accuracy by 2015. News of the Force (page 1), Jul 1 STOP LOSS Special Pay Stopping The 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act established Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP), providing $500 for each month/partial month served in stop loss status. Service members, veterans, and beneficiaries of service members whose service was involuntarily extended under Stop Loss between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009 are eligible for RSLSP. Not awarded automatically, those who served under stop loss must submit a claim to receive the special pay. Anyone eligible for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay must submit a claim by October 21, 2012. Click RSLSP for more details. AFSA On Call Newsletter, Jul 19 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Legislation Matters White House Bashes TRICARE Fix The Office of Management and Budget has issued a "statement of Administration policy" threatening to veto the FY2013 Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 5856) approved by the House Appropriations Committee for being out of line with the Administration's defense budget proposals. Among other complaints, it says, "The Administration is disappointed that the Congress did not incorporate the requested TRICARE fee initiatives into either the appropriation or authorization legislation. The Administration asks the House to reconsider the TRICARE fee proposals, which are essential for [the Department of Defense] DoD to successfully address rising personnel costs. The $1.8 billion in savings are part of a carefully balanced FY 2013 Budget request." [The Military Officers Asssociation of America] MOAA and House leaders, on the other hand, are disappointed that the Administration still insists that career service families who have sacrificed more for their country than any other Americans should be first in line to pony up a $1,000 to $2,000 annual "health care tax." Our shared view is that Defense Department leaders' first budget priority should be to address their own financial oversight responsibilities rather than just shifting costs to beneficiaries because that's the easiest way to cut costs. MOAA is pleased that the House-passed Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 4310) would take a step in this direction by requiring the Pentagon to establish a unified medical command to put all of the currently fragmented and competing health care delivery systems under a single point of responsibility. Multiple government studies have recommended this for years as a way of saving billions in health costs over the long term. But defense leaders have resisted it at every turn. MOAA Legislative Update, Jun 30 Veterans Bills on the Move Final action is expected in the next few weeks on several bills that would provide services and support to the nation's veterans. S. 3340 (Sen. Murray, D-WA) would extend eligibility for certain VA mental health services to family members of veterans; direct [the Department of Defense] DoD to create a standardized, comprehensive suicide prevention program; and require the [Department of Veterans Affairs] VA to establish accurate and reliable measures for mental health services and implement a mental health provider staffing model. S. 2320 (Sen. Ayotte, R-NH) would direct the American Battlefields Monument Commission (ABMC) to operate and maintain the veterans cemetery at the former Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. That cemetery is the final resting place of more than 8,300 servicemembers and family members, but was abandoned in 1991 after the Mt Pinatubo eruption. The Army and Air Force had maintained it continuously from 1898 until 1991. ABMC manages all other overseas military cemeteries, including two in the Philippines. S. 2259 (Sen. Tester, D-MT), the "COLA Adjustment Act," would authorize adjustments in veterans compensation, pension and other benefits for 2013, in the same percentage as any Social Security cost-of-living increase. H.R. 1627 (Rep. Miller, R-FL) would provide VA health care eligibility for certain dependents stationed at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more from 1957-1987, a period during which the water there was known to be contaminated with carcinogens. VA care would be limited to 14 specific conditions tied to the contamination. H.R. 4057 (Rep. Bilirakis, R-FL) would strengthen consumer education and transparency of information for veterans using their GI Bill benefits. H.R. 4115 (Rep. Stivers, R-OH) would require that as a condition of receiving grant funds for job counselors for disabled and other veterans, a state must take military training and consideration into account when determining eligibility for certain state licenses or credentials for registered nurses, emergency medical technicians, nursing assistants and commercial drivers' licenses. MOAA Legislative Update, Jun 30 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Survivor Matters SBP-DIC Offset The 11th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC) has recommended that the Pentagon end its opposition to allowing any deduction of [Department of Veterans Affairs] VA survivor benefits from military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities. That's the good news. Under current law, when an active duty or retired servicemember dies of a service-caused condition, the surviving spouse receives about $1,200 a month in Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the VA. If the survivor also qualifies for SBP, the DIC amount in most cases is deducted from SBP. For years, The Military Coalition (TMC) has fought to eliminate that offset, while Pentagon leaders have opposed that effort. The QRMC logic for changing that position is that retirees paid premiums for SBP coverage, and it's not right to just cancel most or all of the coverage and refund the premiums (without interest) if the survivor also qualifies for DIC. The QRMC report acknowledges that SBP is heavily subsidized by the government. But since retiree premiums cover about 50% of SBP annuity payouts overall, the QRMC report recommends that SBP widows affected by the DIC offset should be allowed to keep 50% of their SBP annuity in addition to DIC. That is, they should get to keep the half that retiree premiums paid for. The QRMC proposal would apply that rule for all SBP-DIC survivors, including those whose sponsors died on active duty and never had a chance to pay any premiums. The Military Officers Association Of America (MOAA) appreciates the QRMC's effort to make an objective assessment and its acknowledgement that the current offset is inequitable. But they believe its proposal to "divide the SBP baby" misses the point. First, there are some categories of survivors who already have been exempted from the offset. Surviving spouses of members who died on active duty after 9/11 can avoid the offset by transferring the SBP annuity to their children. Second, a court decision several years ago ruled that SBP-DIC survivors who remarry after age 57 can retain both SBP and DIC. So current law is a hodge-podge of conflicting provisions that belie almost any single rationalization, and the most recent changes have been aimed at eliminating the offset for selected categories of survivors. MOAA believes the answer is to recognize the reality that SBP is, by-and-large, a member-purchased annuity intended to replace 55% of earned retired pay in the event of the member's death (for any reason). Any caveat that members who died on active duty didn't pay premiums ignores the obvious - they paid the highest premium of all. Similarly, any argument that survivors should only get the portion of the benefit that retiree premiums funded would subvert the whole intent of SBP, which was expressly designed as a government-subsidized program to incentivize participation and maximize survivor protection. By enacting SBP, Congress acknowledged that the previous, unsubsidized survivor annuity program was inadequate. In contrast, VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation is a separate plan whose intent is to compensate survivors when uniformed service causes the member's death. That's what "indemnity" means. The law already recognizes that distinction by allowing some survivors to keep both payments. The route to consistency is to extend that logic to all SBP-DIC survivors, rather than applying tortured math to create a new class of "half-SBP-eligibles." [Source: MOAA Legislative Update, 6 Jul 2012] RAO (Baguio) Bulletin, Jul 15 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Community Matters Department of Defense Self-Service Logon (DS Logon) The Department of Defense [DoD]Self-Service Logon (DS Logon) is a secure, self-service logon ID that allows DoD and [Department of Veterans Affairs] VA beneficiaries to access several websites using a single username and password. - A DS Logon supports the Personnel Identity Protection (PIP) Directive and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) e- Authentication guidance. - A DS Logon provides a high level of authentication assurance in situations where Common Access Card (CAC) authentication is not available. There are currently two types of DS Logon accounts available and each provides varying access to information depending on the application being accessed. - Basic Account: A DS Logon Basic Account is simpler to obtain, but provides limited access to website features. You can apply for a Basic Account online without having your identity verified in person. This account allows limited access to information you enter yourself, such as your email address, state, and whether you're interested in benefits for Veterans, Service Members, or other categories of beneficiary. However, you cannot see your personal information in VA or DoD systems. The main advantage of a Basic Account is that it enables you to upgrade more quickly to a Premium Account when you go in person to a VA Regional Office or TRICARE Service Center. - Premium Account: A DS Logon Premium Account gives you the highest level of access to website features. You must verify your identity in person to get a Premium Account. This account lets you view personal data about yourself in VA and DoD systems, apply for benefits online, check the status of your claims, update your address records, and much more. Currently the following groups of people can obtain a DS Logon account: Service Members (Active Duty, Guard/Reservists, Retirees) Veterans Spouses Eligible Family Members (18 and over) NOTE: You must be enrolled in Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) to obtain a DS Logon account. The number of self service applications that are accessible with a DS Logon is growing. Below is the current list of applications: Address Update https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/address/ Beneficiary Web Enrollment (BWE) https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/bwe/ Civilian Employment Information(CEI) https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/esgr/ DMDC Reserve Component Purchased TRICARE Application (RCPTA) https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/trs/ DS Logon Self-Service website https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/identitymanagement/ eBenefits https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/fssa/ Health Net Federal Services https://www.hnfs.com/ Humana Military http://www.humana-military.com/ Joint Qualification System (JQS) https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/jqs/ MetLife https://mybenefits.metlife.com/ milConnect https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/ myTRICARE http://www.mytricare.com/ RAPIDS Self Service (RSS) https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/self_service/ Transferability of Education Benefits (TEB) https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB TRICARE Online (TOL) https://www.tricareonline.com/ TRICARE Overseas http://www.tricare-overseas.com/ TRICARE4u https://www.tricare4u.com/ NOTE: Additional websites will able to use DS Logon in the future. For more information about DS Login or logon or create an account, please visit https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/identitymanagement/authenticate.do?execution=e1s1. Click on "CONTINUE" and then click on "Create a Basic / Premium DS Logon account." Once your request is submitted, a confirmation letter will be mailed to you within 5-12 business days with your activation PIN. NOTE: If you have a DFAS MyPay account, you will be given the option of using your MyPay username and password to get an Activation PIN sent to you. For more DS Logon related information, Help Desk contact numbers, etc., please visit the following website: https://myaccess.dmdc.osd.mil/identitymanagement/footer/help.do?helpTypeValue=ABOUT#7. Health.mil@freelists.org, Jul 2 A Snapshot of the Nation's Veterans There are 21.8 million veterans in the United States, 20.2 million of which are males, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's veterans' snapshot, issued yesterday. Some 1.3 million veterans have served in more than one war, including more than 100,000 who have been in three wars, according to the data. California leads the nation with two million vets, followed by Florida and Texas with some 1.6 million vets each, states the snapshot. Killeen, Tex., is the city with the highest percentage of veterans in its population: 28.9 percent. Veterans have a median income of $35,367, nearly $10,000 higher than that of the average American, according to the Census Bureau. They own 9 percent of all U.S. businesses, states the snapshot. News of the Force (page 2), Jul 18 Exchange Management Class Open to Veterans The Army & Air Force Exchange Service, already recognized as a Top 100 Military Friendly Employer, is expanding its efforts to recruit and train veterans with its "Detail to Retail" hiring program. One aspect of "Detail to Retail," the "Retail Management Program," is a 16-week program designed to train various levels of retail management. Upon successful program completion, participants may be assigned to Exchange facilities in a variety of different roles including Store Manager, Branch Store Manager and Sales Area Managers. The program is ideal for any servicemember looking to transition to a new career. More than 4,300 veterans have already made the Exchange their next career decision. Applicants need only one year prior military experience to be considered and no retail experience is required. Resumes can be submitted year-round to www.applymyexchange.com, however, those applicants interested in attending the program in the fall must submit resumes by Aug. 9 at job posting number C1-RETAIL-2012. Training will be held in San Antonio, TX, at Fort Sam Houston from October 15, 2012 through Feb. 1, 2013. Program participants must be willing to relocate upon successful completion. AAFES News Release 12-042, Jul 20 Exchange Shoppers 'Fall' Into Savings with the Autumn 2012 Shopping Guide Money is tight these days, so Exchange buyers and vendors have bundled up great product selection and pricing to better serve shoppers' home and family needs with a new quarterly Online Shopping Guide for Autumn 2012 Available online at shopmyexchange.com and in-store at brick and mortar Exchanges, top brands and great prices abound within the Autumn 2012 Online Shopping Guide's 200 pages. After checking out a vast selection of home furnishings, appliances, apparel and more, shoppers can enter for a chance to win one of three shopping sprees in the 'Autumn 2012 Sweepstakes.' "Entries to the sweepstakes can be submitted once every 24 hours at shopmyexchange.com from now through October 2nd," said the Army & Air Force Exchange Service's Chief of Staff Col. Thomas Ockenfels. "The grand prize winner will take home a $500 Exchange shopping spree with two runners up each receiving a $200 spree." Authorized shoppers can log on and enjoy free shipping offers, daily and weekly specials, plus no sales tax. Thrifty troops, and their families, can find even more savingsthroughout the year by joining the Exchange Online Savings Club at www.shopmyexchange.com/SavingsClub to stay informed about online savings events, exclusive coupons, and automatically be entered for a chance to win great prizes. Prices in the all-services Autumn 2012 catalog are valid through October 16, 2012. Active-duty military members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, as well as military retirees, reservists, National Guardsmen, Department of Defense civilians stationed overseas, Exchange employees, and their family members are all authorized Exchange shoppers. Shoppers may order by mail, fax or phone at any time with the Exchange Catalog center. Toll-free orders from the United States, Puerto Rico or Guam are at 800-527-2345. Call toll free within these countries: Germany 0800-82-16500 Japan/Okinawa 00531-11-4132 Korea 00308-13-0664 Italy 8008-71227 Belgium 0800-7-2432 The Netherlands 0800-022-7129 United Kingdom 0800-96-8101 Spain 900-971-391 Turkey* 00800-18-488-6312 * Calls cannot be placed from phones on base. Use off-base commercial lines 'Fall' for lower prices and fresh fashions at the Exchange Online Store at shopmyexchange.com or go to your Exchange to pick up a free copy of the Autumn 2012 Online Shopping Guide. AAFES News Release 12-044, Jul 27 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Federal Service Matters No Identity Theft Detected [Thift Savings Plan] TSP have said that [it's been] a year since a contractor's computer was hacked and Social Security numbers and other personal information on some 123,000 participants was stolen. The agency has seen no sign that the information has been used for attempted identity theft. While the incident occurred last July, the TSP and contractor didn't learn of it until April when they were notified by the FBI - which isn't saying when it found out, or what tipped it off. The TSP has flagged the affected accounts to watch for suspicious activity, and is offering one year of free service from a credit monitoring term. The TSP meanwhile is making long-term budget plans that include replacing its own mainframe computer and making other upgrades that would cause administrative costs charged to investors to rise, although they still would be far below fees charged by mutual funds and investment managers. FEDweek Weekly Issue, Jul 11 OPM Continues to Chip Away at Retirement Claims Backlog [Office of Personnel Management] OPM's backlog of retirement claims is down about 20 percent on the year from 61,108 in January to 48,323 in June and for the second month in a row processed more claims than it anticipated. OPM is ahead of schedule to bring its [Civil Service Retirement System] CSRS and [Federal Employee Retirement System] FERS claims inventory (backlog + new claims - processed claims) down to about 13,000 by July of next year. It projects being able to process about 11,500 a month and by that point will be close to processing as many as come in and having the backlog effectively eliminated. It started the year receiving more claims than expected. For example it expected to get 5,000 in March but wound up getting 7,090, but in each of the last three months it has projected receiving 8,000 a month and received a little under that. OPM received 7,814 claims in June and processed 8,964. Federal Manager's Daily Report, Jul 17 Student Loan Use Still Concentrated Federal agencies made more use of the student loan repayment authority in 2010 versus 2009, with the number of employees getting the payments rising from about 8,500 to about 11,400, and the total amount increasing from about $62 million to about $86 million. However, as in the past, usage remained concentrated in some agencies and occupations. The Defense, Justice and State departments combined to account for two-thirds of the recipients and dollar value, and payments were most widely used in fields including engineering, [Information Technology] IT and intelligence, [Office of Personnel Management] OPM reported. Same is True of Telework Separately, OPM also reported on use of telework, showing that some departments - notably Treasury, [Department of Health and Human Services] HHS and Education - and many smaller entities - notably [Patent & Trademark Office] PTO and [General Services Administration] GSA - are well above the government-wide average of 25 percent of telework-eligible employees who actually telework. Departments including [Department of Defense] DoD and [Department of Homeland Security] DHS were in the low single digits, however. There was also a great deal of variance even within agency components. The nature of work - such as a concentration of jobs requiring physical presence at the worksite - accounted for part of the difference, OPM said, but traditional barriers to telework remain, including management resistance, IT issues and security concerns. The rate of telework is not comparable to figures from previous reports from OPM on the topic because of changes in the way teleworking is measured; the newest report is designed to serve as a baseline for future reports, which will use the same methodology. ... and of Child Care Subsidies In a third recent report, OPM found that usage of the child care subsidy authority for lower-income employees also varies substantially among agencies. The overall payment was down from about $5.5 million to $4.8 million over 2009-2010, reflecting a drop in the number of employees to whom the reimbursements are paid from about 3,200 to about 2,200. VA was by far the largest user of the authority, accounting for nearly half of the payments government-wide, followed by the [Federal Aviation Administration] FAA, [National Institute of Health] NIH and Labor. Only 21 agencies pay the subsidies - some of which have separate programs among their subcomponents - and the income limits for employees to be eligible vary from $40,000 to $75,000, OPM reported. When subsidies are paid, on average they cover less than half of the day care costs for a child, it said. FEDweek Weekly Issue, Jul 18 Return to Index button Silence on Pay Raise Could Continue Both the House and Senate could hold floor votes at any time on the key bill for federal employees, the financial services-general government measure, both versions of which are silent so far on the issue of a federal employee raise in January. While amendments to set a raise are possible during floor voting, they are not considered likely; typically, such amendments are offered at the committee level, and none were offered this year on either side. Several other spending bills the House has crafted contain language reflecting an assumption that no raise will be granted - although that doesn't have the force of law to prohibit a raise. The White House has objected to that aspect of each as they have been brought out for floor voting. Increasingly, the strategy for raise proponents seems to be to count on President Obama to exercise his authority to set a raise in the absence of congressional action, most likely the 0.5 percent he recommended earlier this year, and try to allow that increase to take effect through continued silence in legislation. Opponents of a raise could respond by pushing language specifically barring a raise, similar to the provision enacted in late 2010 that froze federal salary schedules for 2011 and 2012. FEDweek Weekly Issue, Jul 18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Laughing Matters Discipline by Example A former Marine sergeant took a new job as a school teacher; but just before the school year started he injured his back. He was required to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. Fortunately, the cast fit under his shirt and wasn't noticeable. On the first day of class, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in the school. The smart-alecky punks, having already heard the new teacher was a former Marine, were leery of him. They decided to see how tough he really was, before trying any pranks. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, the new teacher opened the window wide and sat down at his desk. When a strong breeze made the teacher's tie flap, he picked up a stapler and promptly stapled the tie to his chest. He had no trouble with discipline that year. http://www.MikeysFunnies.com by way of http://www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net Military Courtesy It was a dark, stormy night. The young Marine was on his first assignment, and it was guard duty. A General stepped out taking his dog for a walk. The nervous young Private snapped to attention, made a perfect salute, and snapped out "Sir, Good Evening, Sir!" The General, out for some relaxation, returned the salute and said "Good evening soldier, nice night, isn't it?" Well it wasn't a nice night, but the Private wasn't going to disagree with the General, so the he saluted again and replied "Sir, Yes Sir!" The General continued, "You know there's something about a stormy night that I find soothing, it's really relaxing. Don't you agree?" The Private didn't agree, but then the private was just a private, and responded "Sir, Yes Sir!" The General, pointing at the dog, "This is a Golden Retriever, the best type of dog to train." The Private glanced at the dog, saluted yet again and said "Sir, Yes Sir!" The General continued "I got this dog for my wife." The Private simply said "Good trade Sir!" Teddi's Humor (redactatrix@gmail.com) by way of http://www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net Don't Ignore the Kids The 12-year-old boy stood patiently beside the clock counter while the store clerk waited on all of the adult customers first. Finally he got around to the youngster, who made his purchase and hurried out to the curb, where his father was impatiently waiting in his car. "What took you so long, son?" he asked. "The man waited on everybody in the store before me," the boy replied. "But I got even." "How?" "I wound and set all the alarm clocks while I was waiting," the youngster explained happily. "It's going to be fun at eight o'clock." http://www.MikeysFunnies.com by way of http://www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Director's Corner What Happened to the July Newsletter? My primary computer up to mid-June was a Dell Precision Workstation 530MT purchased in 2002. It contained four hard drives, two using the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) and two operating in the more common, but dated, EIDE format. While working on the July newsletter, I was gathering items to put into the newsletter. The system started having some problems, minor problems I thought. However, the problems turned out to be more serious than I realized. One day I turned it on and there was nothing there. As I explored, the C: and D: drives containing the operating system and the programs, respectively, were completely inaccessible. I tried many ways to recover the data but it was gone. In addition to completely losing the operating system and programs, I found in rebuilding the two SCSI drives that the two EIDE drives were no longer accessible. Since that was where the newsletter files and all other files were located, I worked really hard to find a way to get access. It turns out that the last version of the EIDE card drivers were made for Windows 2000. A driver was not created to use under the Windows XP operating system. So for the time being, those two drives are still not accessible. I finally realized that my only option was to transfer the newsletter preparation to the newer computer that I bought last year. Now you computer experts are saying, "But Jack, why weren't you regularly backing up your primary computer?" I have a 1TB backup drive and it was connected to the primary computer. However, a recent software problem prevented me from accessing that drive, so there was no current backup to fall back to. Rest assured that the backup drive is now connected to the new primary computer and the backups take place every morning at 7am. And I'm hoping that I'll get another old computer working and I'll reinstall Windows 2000, That way I may be able to install the EIDE card to get the two disks functioning so I can retrieve the data stored there. Jack Terwiel We Asked and You Told Us - in No Uncertain Terms! Last week we [The Retired Enlisted Association] told you the Pentagon was thinking about whether to award a combat medal to the operators of drone aircraft that operate in a combat theater. While the drones are in theater, the operators are in offices in Nevada or New Mexico. We asked you whether you thought the operators should be awarded a combat medal. Well, you answered loud and clear. In fact, the response was overwhelming. It is the largest response we've ever had to a question. And the results were equally lop-sided. 94% of you said no, many emphatically no. However, many also said some other type of ribbon or badge, or even a new medal might be appropriate - just not a combat medal. 5% gave other suggestions that did not fall into a simple yes or no answer. In fact, [only] 1 of you said yes. We thank you for your response and please continue to let us hear from you when we ask for your opinion. TREA News for the Enlisted, Jul 20 BRAC Savings Are Less and Slower than Expected (Surprise!!!) The Government Accountability Office's (GAO) study of the last completed round of Base Realignment and Closure ( BRAC) concluded that implementation costs have risen from the predicted $21 billion to $35 billion by September 30th 2011 when the latest round of BRAC was formally completed. (Not that there is not still fine tuning going on today. Many projects were much more expensive than predicted. These included: Closing the original Walter Reed in DC and moving it to Bethesda (now called Walter Reed Military Medical Center) and a newly built hospital on Ft. Belvoir to provide "world-class medical care." It cost $1.7 billion more than originally budgeted. Closing Ft. Monmouth N.J. and moving its various missions to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Meade, and Fort Belvoir cost 1.1 billion more than expected. The biggest increase when the Army realized that they needed 750,000 additional square feet of space constructed for the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Center of Excellence at Aberdeen. Creating 12 joint bases across the country. Consolidating several National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) locations to one campus on Ft. Belvoir cost $1.5 billion more than the original estimate of $1.1 billion. The original estimate did not include a needed new technology center a data-storage warehouse of 200,000 square feet and information technology equipment and software, internal communication cabling, and furnishings to outfit the new buildings. according to the GAO. The complete BRAC exercise was expected to save the federal government $36 billion by 2025. However with these and other additional costs the GAO states that DoD will save less than $10 billion by 2025. And who knows what further additional costs will be discovered. When the Administration requested that Congress authorize 2 additional rounds of BRAC, there was deadly silence. With this new information it is clear that Congress will not be tempted to take up the proposal anytime in the near future. TREA News for the Enlisted, Jul 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 e-mail 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 initiate the sign up. Shortly after, you will receive an e-mail to confirm your subscription. Simply reply to the e- mail to complete your 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 e- mailed newsletter and follow the instructions. You should also check your user profile and keep it up to date. 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