American Legion Paso del Norte Post #58 | Veterans Serving ...



September 15, 2016Exchange Online Shopping Update 07 ? Late 2017 RecommendationThe Defense Department’s Executive Resale Board voted unanimously last week to recommend that military exchange services open online discount shopping to 19 million honorably discharged veterans starting in late 2017. The plan to extend shopping discounts to most American veterans has two purposes. One is to reward them for their service with product savings that, on average, should be 20 percent over commercial department stores, when military exemption from state and local sales tax part of the discount. The other goal is to increase exchange revenues to offset worrisome declines recently due to the sharp drawdown in active duty forces, base closures particularly overseas, elimination of on-base tobacco product discounts and reduced margins from selling cheaper gasoline on base. Whether exchange products are sold in base stores or through online portals, the military relies on the revenue to fund its morale, welfare and recreational activities. Given the defense budget squeeze since passage of the 2011 Budget Control Act, with its sequestration mechanism, some services have had to use exchange “dividends” for needs beyond golf courses and movie theaters. The Army has used exchange earnings of late to pay for new daycare centers, a need it used to solve with appropriated dollars. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work is expected to give final approval to the Veterans Online Shopping Benefit within 60 to 90 days. He will be urged to do so not only by the resale board, which advises defense leaders on-base store operations, but also by senior Pentagon manpower officials who finally are backing the initiative after more than two years of study, internal debate and some very detailed preparations, sources said. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service, whose chief executive officer Thomas C. Shull has led the more than two-year effort to expand online shopping, has been building out its shopper website, its customer call centers, and its warehousing and distribution systems, sources said. All the exchange services also have been working with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense Manpower Data Center to develop methods to verify that potential shoppers are honorably discharged veterans. And most recently, the exchange services have reached agreement on how to divide revenue from online purchases using zip codes of buyers to estimate service affiliation, said Patrick B. Nixon, president of the American Logistics Association. ALA lobbies on behalf of manufacturers, brokers and distributors doing business with military exchanges and commissaries. By giving honorably discharged veterans only access to exchange products and only online, proponents believe they will dampen criticism from active and reserve forces, military retirees and families, that their own hard-earned shopping benefit is being diluted or improperly shared. The more highly prized commissary shopping benefit isn’t involved. Store traffic won’t increase. Exchange officials also will emphasize to current patrons that the veterans’ benefit will increase online traffic enough to deliver deeper discounts for all. Yet discounts for exchange shopping on base are expected to remain more robust than the savings available online. All of these factors helped to persuade most major military associations to support the initiative. ALA, with its close ties to military resale executives, was first to report to its members the 9 AUG board vote in favor of online shopping for most veterans. Nixon said he agrees with plan proponents that expanding the population of online exchange shoppers will enhance the benefit for all. Exchanges acknowledge they are losing sales to popular commercial online sites such as Amazon, and as military patrons grow increasingly comfortable with using smart phones and tablets to shop. By adding veterans to the online patron base, exchange services expect total annual online sales to jump from $250 million to $1 billion in less than four years. That would produce up to $72 million in additional earnings, half of which would be dividends to support quality of life programs. If, as expected, Deputy Secretary Work approves the initiative, Congress would be notified and given 30 days to object. But department lawyers have concluded that neither congressional approval nor new legislation would be required. Work only would need to make modest changes to an instruction (DoDI 1330.21) governing exchange operation. Exchanges are eyeing a “soft launch” of the expanded online benefit to segments of veterans by mid-2017, to gauge demand and test system capabilities including the process to verify veteran status. A full launch with much fanfare and promotion is expected by Veterans Day in November 2017. One lingering concern is the need for the plan to be approved and set before the Obama administration leaves office in January. Otherwise proponents will have to argue the merits again to a new leadership team. E-commerce is the fastest growing segment of retail “inside and outside the gate,” Nixon said. “Normally the military resale system is a little bit behind the power curve. I applaud the fact that exchanges…have aggressively moved out [on] realizing brick and mortar will not sustain any resale program. Online is the future. And for them to keep pace with initiatives outside they really need to focus on their e-commerce capabilities. This is a great opportunity to bring a large shopping population into the fold.” Marine Corps Exchange already refers online shoppers to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service website. Navy Exchange Service Command has its own online portal and product selection. That would remain so that honorably discharged veterans would be able to use either online portal. Military retirees, 100-percent disabled veterans and Medal of Honor recipients would still be the only veterans allowed to shop in base exchanges. Key arguments proponents used for expanding online shopping is that it will: incentivize a deeper connection between veterans and their services; send a fresh signal that the nation values their service, and reward the many recent veterans who deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan and yet had to leave service during the drawdown short of retirement eligibility. VA estimates, however, that the median age of the veteran population is 64. So exchanges are using the online shopping behavior of military retirees to predict level of use on expanding the benefit. Retirees generate 40 percent of online revenue for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and 28 percent of online revenue for the Navy exchange system. [Source: | Tom Philpott | August 19, 2016++]*****************************Selective Service System Update 21 ? Women Registration in NDAAA group of 17 Republican senators is urging leaders of the Armed Services committees to take language out of a defense policy bill that would require women to register for the draft. “We should not hinder the brave men and women of our armed forces by entrapping them in unnecessary cultural issues,” the senators wrote to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate committees. “Our all-volunteer military is the best military the world has ever seen, and women who wish to serve in this military are free to do so.” The letter was spearheaded by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NB) who reiterated his criticism that the provision puts “culture wars” into the defense bill. “Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree that taking care of national security is more important than running up the score in unnecessary and divisive culture wars,” Sasse said in a statement accompanying the letter’s release 12 SEP. “Rather than reflexively jumping into a heated debate about drafting our nation’s mothers, sisters and daughters, we should consider the fact that the greatest fighting force in history our Armed Forces is an all-volunteer fighting force and no one is urging Congress to change that.” The letter comes as Senate and House conferees are working to reconcile each chamber’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act.The Senate-passed version would require women to register for the draft for the first time. An effort to remove the provision with an amendment on the Senate floor has gone nowhere.The House-passed version, meanwhile, would direct a study of the draft registration system, officially called the Selective Service System. In their letter, the senators call for an independent commission to study the Selective Service System. “We believe it is better to refrain from this expansion and to instead, task an independent commission to study the purpose and utility of the Selective Service System, specifically determining whether the current system is unneeded, if it is sufficient, or if it needs an expanded pool of potential draftees,” they wrote. Whether women should register has been an issue since Defense Secretary Ash Carter opened all combat jobs to women late last year. The issue has divided lawmakers from both parties, with some saying there’s no reason women shouldn’t register, others saying they should continue to be exempt and others saying the draft should be abolished altogether. In addition to Sasse, the letter was signed by Republican Sens. Orrin Hatch (Utah), John Thune (S.D.), Pat Roberts (Kan.), James Inhofe (Okla.), Johnny Isakson (Ga.), John Boozman (Ark.), Ted Cruz (Texas), Steve Daines (Mont.), John Hoeven (N.D.), James Lankford (Okla.), Mike Lee (Utah), Jerry Moran (Kan.), David Perdue (Ga.), James Risch (Idaho), Tim Scott (S.C.) and Roger Wicker (Miss.). [Source: The Hill | Rebecca Kheel | September 12, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Secretary Update 48 ? Letter to House/Senate LeadershipVeterans Affairs officials are pleading with Capitol Hill leaders to pass their department’s fiscal 2017 budget, reform the benefit appeals process and tackle a host of other top legislative priorities before time runs out on the current congressional session at the end of the year. In a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees on 30 AUG, VA Secretary Bob McDonald called adopting the veterans measures “a moral imperative” and added that lawmakers’ lack of progress on the issues so far this year is hurting department reform efforts. “Continued inaction on these critically important initiatives not only negatively impacts VA’s transformation, but more importantly, is exceptionally damaging to VA’s ability to provide necessary services to our nation’s veterans,” the letter stated. “Simply put, the time for legislative action is overdue.” None of the issues outlined in the letter are new, but few of the proposals have made any significant progress in Congress since McDonald first outlined them earlier this year. Lawmakers were scheduled to return to Capitol Hill on 6 SEP for a few weeks of legislative work before the November elections, then have just a few more weeks in session before the year ends. “Let me be clear. We have work to do, but we cannot do it alone,” McDonald wrote. “We need action from Congress now. We are at a critical tipping point in (VA) transformation where, without action from Congress, the problems and difficulties we are facing in areas that require legislative change are only going to worsen over time. “It will be veterans and their families and survivors who will suffer the negative impact.” Budget bills have been stalled in Congress for months, and congressional leaders have begun discussing both short-term and long-term continuing resolutions to keep funding flowing through the next few months. But McDonald said such a move could delay or cut off health access to many veterans relying on program expansions in fiscal 2017, and would halt plans to launch new reform efforts dependent on new funding lines. He urged lawmakers to find a way to pass a full fiscal 2017 budget, and to adopt new rules simplifying benefits appeals rules. That process averages three years for cases decided by the Veterans Benefits Administration, and five years for cases decided by the Board of Veterans Appeals. VA officials have said streamlining that system will require congressional permission, and so far no legislation including those ideas has made serious progress in Congress. In the letter, McDonald also asks for simplification of outside care programs for veterans and updated employment rules for VA workers. That includes an end to rules limiting the federal pay period to 80 hours every two weeks, a cap that frequently causes staffing and scheduling problems at VA medical facilities. He also asks for help with rules regarding remote medical care options for veterans and assistance on initiatives to help homeless veterans. Much of the conversation on Capitol Hill in recent months has focused not on those issues but instead on accountability, and whether VA officials have done enough to punish problematic employees. [Source: Military Times | Leo Shane | August 31, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Health Care Enrollment Update 08 ? Telephone ApplicationVeterans can now apply for Veterans Affairs health benefits over the phone. The VA published a final regulation on 12 SEP that allows former service members to complete VA health care applications by calling 877-222-8387. The line is manned by VA employees who walk the veterans through the process, including providing them information on copayment requirements and third party insurance. Previously, VA required veterans to apply in person at a VA medical center or submitting a paper application to the department. But the system was beset with problems, creating a backlog of 847,882 applications that stretched back nearly 15 years and included submissions from more than 300,000 deceased veterans. After the VA inspector general released a report on the backlog a year ago, VA took steps to change the application process, to include removing a requirement that veterans physically sign the necessary paperwork. It also embarked on an effort to clear the backlog, starting with 30,000 combat veterans who should have automatically qualified for the benefit but were placed in the system by mistake. Veterans can continue to apply for benefits in person as well, according to the department. [Source: Military Times | Patricia Kime, September 12, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Rural Access Update 24 ? Redesigned Website w/All New contentIn an effort to increase rural Veterans’ access to care and services, VA’s Office of Rural Health (ORH) launched a redesigned website with all new content. This redesigned website offers Veterans, providers, partners and media easy access to the information they need to improve the health and well-being of rural Veterans. The site was developed to help ORH achieve its vision that Veterans thrive in rural communities, and is supported by a mobile-friendly platform to enable customers to access information when, where and how they choose. VA’s rural health website concentrates on providing content specifically for providers, researchers, and program and facility administrators. The rural medical community can read about and download implementation information for ORH Rural Promising Practices on a variety of health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, cardiac care, geriatrics and HIV. Community providers can learn how to enroll in the Veterans Choice Program and students can learn about a career at VA. Researchers will have access to the latest published innovations in rural health care. The redesigned website, ruralhealth. , aims to be a conduit for community collaborations that support the integration of local, state and federal programs and services that support rural Veterans. The site offers centralized information on rural Veterans, and the programs and services VA offers in coordination with strategic national partners. The new partnership section of the website features a list of collaborating organizations, partnership efforts and outreach toolkit. To improve ease of use, the mobile-friendly site features information segmented by user-type, simplified navigation to reduce the number of clicks required to find information, resource libraries and a news feed. The ORH website strives to disseminate knowledge about rural Veterans and their unique needs, including:Research e-libraryThe award-winning ORH newsletter, The Rural ConnectionVirtual training, including recorded webinarsRural Promising Practices implementation informationVeterans Choice Program information Rural providers, researchers and partners are encouraged to visit and link to VA’s restructured rural Veterans health website at ruralhealth. . You can email ORHcomms@ on any suggestions for additional content to be included. [Source: VAntage Point | September 8, 2016 ++]*****************************Fixing The VA ? Easier Said Than DoneThe focus on improving veterans’ lives and their access to health care during the 7 SEP Wednesday night’s live commander-in-chief forum underscored the importance of reforming and effectively managing the Veterans Affairs Department – and the difficulty presidential candidates have articulating their plans to accomplish that. Service members and vets questioned the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees on their strategies to deal with issues like sexual assault in the military, suicide among vets, and proposals to privatize VA health care, but the candidates – who appeared separately on stage with moderator Matt Lauer – didn’t offer much beyond generalities during the one-hour event hosted by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and NBC. “Look, I was outraged by the stories that came out about the VA,” Democrat Hillary Clinton said when Lauer asked her to explain her comment during an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow last fall, when Clinton said the wait-times scandal engulfing the department was not “as widespread” as it’s been made out to be. “And I have been very clear about the necessity for doing whatever is required to move the VA into the 21st century, to provide the kind of treatment options that our veterans today desperately need and deserve. And that’s what I will do as president.” She also reiterated her pledge not to privatize the Veterans Health Administration. Then there was Republican Donald Trump. He said he would never “take the Veterans Administration private” because he has “too much respect for our people.” But then he also said vets were “dying on line” waiting “five” and “six” days for appointments. The wait-times scandal, which erupted at the Phoenix VA medical center in 2014, involved employees at hospitals falsifying medical appointment data for vets to comply with the department’s 14-day target for scheduling appointments. Many vets waited months and years to get an appointment, and some vets died while on a waiting list. “Under a part of my plan, if they have that long wait, they walk outside, they go to the local doctor, they choose the doctor, they choose the hospital, whether it’s public or private, they get themselves better,” Trump said. “In many cases, it’s a minor procedure or a pill or just a prescription. And they end up dying because they can’t get to see the doctor. We will pay the bill. They go outside, they get a doctor, they get a prescription, they do what they have to do, and we pay the bill.”The average wait time now varies across the VA health system, but as of 15 AUG, 93 percent of appointments nationwide were scheduled within 30 days, and under the 2014 Choice Act, vets who wait longer than a month to see a doctor can get care in the private sector on the VA’s dime. The Republican nominee fielded a question from a female vet wondering what he would do to stop “20 veterans a day from killing themselves.” Trump said he’d “speed up the process” when it comes to mental health care access and “create a great mental health division.” That was after he erroneously “corrected” her by citing an outdated statistic that 22 veterans a day take their own lives. The VA released a study in July that examined more than 55 million veteran records from 1979 to 2014 from all 50 states, and showed on average 20 veterans a day kill themselves. He followed up that answer with this: “The VA is really almost, you could say, a corrupt enterprise. If you look at what’s going on, as an example, Matt, in Arizona, where they caught people stealing, and they can’t even do anything about it, they can’t even fire the people. So we are going to make it efficient and good. And if it’s not good, you’re going out to private hospitals, public hospitals, and doctors.” Of course, both Trump and Clinton have outlined their plans for improving vets’ access to health care and reforming the VA in greater detail on their websites and during other public appearances. And Clinton has a track record on veterans’ issues based on her years in the Senate. But the fact that a forum devoted to issues facing vets and service members happened at all during a presidential campaign was unprecedented and a “great moment” for the veterans’ community, said Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of IAVA. Rieckhoff, who spoke with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow after the forum, said he’d like to see the candidates elaborate more on specific vets’ issues and how they would fix the VA. For example, do they plan to keep current Secretary Bob McDonald, who has been leading a major transition at the department, in his job after January? Or how would they deal with the major technology challenges the VA faces, challenges that have affected everything from veterans’ electronic health records to the appointment scheduling system? And what about adapting health care services and benefits to the unique needs of female vets? “Problems in the VA are extremely complicated,” Rieckhoff said. “It’s almost as complicated as ISIS.” Clinton on Wednesday mentioned the problems VA and the Defense Department have had creating joint electronic health records for vets and making the transition out of the military services easier for them. “I’m going to have a meeting every week in the Oval Office. We’re going to bring the VA people, we’re going to bring the DoD people, because we’ve got to have a better fit between getting mustered out and getting into the VA system,” she said. “We’re living in a technological world. You cannot tell me we can’t do a better job getting that information. And so I’m going to focus on this. I’m going to work with everybody. I’m going to make them work together.” Well, easier said than done. “Every president says, ‘I’m gonna clean up the VA,’ " said Rieckhoff. “Every one has failed.” [Source: | Kellie Lunney | September 8, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Board of Directors ? Creation OpposedA proposal to establish a board of directors for the Department of Veterans Affairs drew opposition Wednesday from a House committee intent on changing the VA’s culture. The recommendation was part of an 18-point final report from the Commission on Care, created to roadmap a transformation for the beleaguered VA. While the commission decided with near-unanimity to create a board of directors, President Barack Obama, VA Secretary Bob McDonald, and many members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee expressed their opposition to the suggestion. About a dozen veterans service organizations also weighed in on the proposal, with most opposing it. The Vietnam Veterans of America referred to the board as a “paper tiger” that would have no real authority because it wouldn’t have “power of the purse.” “Given the crisis that seems to erupt anew on an almost daily basis where the VA is concerned, any effort to shield the VA healthcare system from executive and legislative branch oversight is a non-starter,” said Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), chairman of the committee. The Commission on Care report, about two years in the making, calls for an 11-member board to oversee the VA. Nancy Schlichting, who chaired the commission, said the recommendation was intended “not to usurp Congress, but to get performance up.” “The commission saw the VA governance structure as ill-equipped to carry out a transformation,” Schlichting said. “There’s frequent turnover in senior leadership. We recommend establishing a board of directors with the authority to direct focus and long-term strategy.” In Obama’s response to the report last week, the president cited concerns with the board idea, saying the Department of Justice advised that creation of a board would be unconstitutional. McDonald also voiced his opposition to the idea, saying in a response last week that a board would be “neither feasible nor advisable for both constitutional and practical reasons.” Schlichting on 7 SEP said there “may be ways around” the constitutional issue, but gave no specific changes to the recommendation. Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) said the proposal “tied me in knots.” He asked Schlichting if it was important enough to “fight this fight” about its constitutionality. “Giving away that authority is very, very hard to do,” Walz said. “But I absolutely hear where you’re coming from.” In its testimony Wednesday, Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) expressed support for a board, saying Obama’s opposition amounted to “defense of the VA status quo.” Darin Selnick, who is part of CVA and participated in the Commission on Care, said the recommendation to establish a board was critical to reforming the VA. “There was 100 percent agreement that if any reform is actually going to happen you have to have that board of directors,” Selnick said. The commission’s recommendation also sets a five-year appointment for the VA under secretary of health – a position that carries out the day-to-day operation of the veterans’ health administration. That idea gained support Wednesday, and in his response last week, Obama said it would remove the position “from the turmoil and turnover of the political cycle.” Committee members were also supportive of ideas to invest in the VA’s information technology, modernize its human resources department and better manage its facilities. Some committee members and veterans service organizations balked at an idea to expand options for veterans to receive outside health care at the VA’s expense, pushing back against any more moves toward privatized care. The report recommends the VA do away with its temporary, $6 billion Choice Program and replace it with community-based health care networks. Schlichting said what’s suggested is a “balance” between over-broadening what the VA would pay for in private health care and existing limitations that are “causing really undue problems for veterans.” Schlichting was referring to a rule that veterans had to live at least 40 miles from a VA facility, or had waited more than 30 days for treatment before the VA would pay for private care. In his response, Obama said he favored a VA initiative, the “Plan to Consolidate Community Care,” which McDonald has said would consolidate the VA’s community health care programs and address gaps in how and when private care is administered. Schlichting and Toby Cosgrove, vice chairman for the Commission on Care, were the only two people testifying at the 7 SEP hearing. Ranking minority member Mark Takano (D-CA) said he was “disappointed” that an official of the VA was not invited to attend. The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee announced it would hold a hearing on the report 14 SEP. “We’ve identified areas Congress does need to take action,” Schlichting said. “This is a bipartisan issue. These are our vets, and it’s critically important we find a way to deliver better health care.” [Source: Stars And Stripes | Nikki Wentling | September 7, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Appointments Update 15 ? Ear & Eye Direct Scheduling InitiativeVeterans receiving care at Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Medical Centers will now be able to schedule routine ear and eye appointments at local VA Audiology and Optometry clinics without a primary care referral – a move that eliminates multiple steps and gets Veterans into appointments quicker. Before now, Veterans seeking appointments with audiologists or optometrists had to first make an appointment with a primary care physician for a referral for a routine clinic consult visit. A clinic representative would contact the patient to set up the consult appointment, which could result in a several weeks’-long lag between the appointment and when the Veteran was actually seen. The new process, the Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative, which began as a successful pilot at three sites in 2015, is being expanded to all VA Medical Centers. “The Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative allows Veterans who need eye and ear care to be seen sooner,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. “It also has the benefit of freeing up primary care physicians so access to primary care improves for other Veterans as well. This kind of process improvement is exactly the type of innovation we expected when we launched MyVA in 2014. In the end, we changed a VA process by considering the needs of our Veterans, a change that allows for more timely care and an improved Veteran experience.” The Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative is one of a number of efforts underway at VA to improve Veterans’ access to care and wait times. Recent accomplishments include:VA and Choice contractors created more than 3.1 million authorizations for Veterans to receive care in the private sector from May 1, 2015 through Apr. 30, 2016. This represents an 8-percent increase in authorizations when compared to the same period in 2014/2015.In FY 2015, 12 percent of all Veterans enrolled for VA care received telehealth-based care. This includes more than 2 million telehealth visits touching 677,000 Veterans; 45 percent of these Veterans live in rural areas.In FY 2015, more than 6,300 Veterans accessed VA care through live interactive video telehealth from home.VA has activated over 3.9 million square feet of space in the past two years.We’ve increased authorizations for care in the community 46% in the past two years.Clinic production is up 10 percent as measured by the same productivity standard used by many private-sector healthcare systems. This increase translates into roughly 20 million additional hours of care for Veterans.As we improve access to care, more and more Veterans are choosing VA care — for the quality, for the convenience, or for the cost-savings so even though we’re completing millions more appointments, we continue to have more work to do.VA has increased salaries for physicians and dentists to close the pay gap with the private sector and to make VA an employer of choice. With more competitive salaries, VA will be better positioned to retain and hire more health care providers to care for Veterans. “We want our Veterans and those who care for them to know that we are doing everything that we can to improve their experience with VA and to provide the care our Veterans deserve in a thoughtful and timely way,” said VA Under Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin.“We have made progress, but know there is more work to be done. This Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative is one of many initiatives underway to improve Veterans access to care.” The Audiology and Optometry Direct Scheduling Initiative is expected to be fully operational within all VA Medical Centers by the end of 2016. [Source: VA News Release | September 8, 2016 ++] *****************************VA Hepatitis C Care Update 14 ? 107,000 Untreated or UndiagnosedWith more than $2 billion appropriated for new hepatitis C drugs during the past two years, the Department of Veterans Affairs treated 65,000 veterans for the virus, but about 87,000 remain untreated and an additional 20,000 are undiagnosed. VA officials are seeking $1.5 billion in the 2017 fiscal year to treat more veterans, a group in which hepatitis C is especially prevalent. Funding for the latest drugs, which have a high cure rate, is not the biggest problem, said David Ross, director of the VA’s HIV, Hepatitis and Public Health Pathogens Programs. Instead, its challenge is finding ways to help veterans who are unwilling or unable to be screened or treated for the contagious virus, which lives in liver cells and is the most common blood-borne disease in the U.S. Until two years ago, the disease was considered incurable. “In some ways, the veterans already treated were the easiest to treat,” Ross said. Ross and Tom Berger, a leader within Vietnam Veterans of America, said there are several reasons that some veterans don’t volunteer to be screened or decline treatment. Some distrust the VA, are concerned with the stigma of hepatitis C and drug use, and fear traditional drug treatment with severe side effects, they said. Some veterans who test positive for hepatitis C suffer from mental illness or substance abuse — issues that “affect their ability to come in and take treatments reliably,” Ross said. For those veterans, he said, the VA needs to boost its psychological or psychosocial care. “We’re running into issues of veterans more frequently having these other issues,” Ross said. “If someone has alcohol or substance abuse issues, we want to integrate care for those conditions as well to get better outcomes. We need those support systems.” The VA and Vietnam Veterans of America are specifically targeting Vietnam War-era veterans born between 1945 and 1965. In that group, 8 percent of veterans screened have tested positive for the virus. In comparison, about 1.6 percent of the general U.S. population is estimated to have it. The VA has screened 73 percent of Vietnam War-era veterans enrolled in the VA system. There are about 700,000 veterans born between 1945 and 1965 who still must be screened, and the department is estimating about 20,000 of them have undiagnosed hepatitis C. Some blame the virus on unsterilized medical syringes used by the military during the Vietnam War to inject vaccines. While that is “possible,” Ross said, there hasn’t been a documented case. Blood exposure during combat is another concern, since transfusions were used in great number during the war. The virus also can be sexually transmitted or through intravenous drug use, which was common in Vietnam. The VA has started to reach out to veterans with hepatitis C to inform them that they have the resources to test and treat them, Ross said. “Facilities have for months now been taking lists and just calling people and saying, ‘Would you like to come in?’?” he said. “We’re trying to let people know we’re very committed to doing this, and we have the resources to do it.” At one point, hepatitis C care was about money. When a new drug called Sovaldi came on the scene in 2013, it was called a “miracle” said to work nearly 90 percent of the time with few side effects. But it came at a cost: $1,000 a pill. Insurance companies balked at the price; doctors were encouraged to reserve the drug for the most dire hepatitis C patients. Until last spring, only VA patients with a progressed stage of hepatitis C were prescribed the drug. People who didn’t meet the criteria were redirected to Veterans Choice, an often-criticized program in which veterans see non-VA health care providers at the VA’s expense. At the time, Berger faulted the VA for choosing which veterans received treatments, saying it was rationing care. “The VA claimed it was not prepared financially to start wholesale treatments,” said Berger, who leads the Vietnam Veterans of America heath council. “When I found out that they were prioritizing the treatments, that’s when I said they were death panels.” In March, the VA announced it would start treating all hepatitis C patients with Sovaldi, regardless of a veteran’s age or the progression of the virus, because of increased funding from Congress and discounted drug prices. The average cost per patient to receive the 12-week treatment now is $41,460, a discount of 47 percent from the wholesale price, VA spokeswoman Sabrina Owen said. “I know that’s been a very, very controversial topic,” Ross said. “Because of funding Congress provided, we said we want to treat everybody in-house.” About 92 percent of veterans treated since 2014 have been cured. In order to continue treatments, continued funding is essential, Ross said. According to the VA’s budget request, $1.5 billion in fiscal 2017 would provide treatments to approximately 35,000 veterans. But at the current price per treatment, it would cost more than $4.4 billion in taxpayer dollars to treat the 107,000 veterans who are untreated or undiagnosed. Funding was the “third ingredient” needed to boost the number of treatments behind the new drug and new, regional systems that Ross helped put in place to treat patients in an organized way, he said. “These things don’t happen by themselves, so that really was the third ingredient that was needed,” Ross said. “I think we’re very proud so far. But we have a lot more work to do.” Vietnam Veterans of America has lobbied since 1998 for the VA to provide more hepatitis C treatments. The group plans to advocate for more funding for 2017 and in subsequent years. “If we get funds for 2018 and 2019, that will make a big dent,” Berger said. “Provided that we can get folks to go in and get treated.” [Source: Stars And Stripes | Nikki Wentling | September 6, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Geriatrics & Extended Care Update 01 ? An Aging Society In 1960, just over 500,000 American veterans were 65 years old or older — 2.3 percent of our veteran population. In 2020, over 9.4 million are projected to be 65 or older — almost 47 percent of veterans. Aging veterans are a harbinger of our nation’s aging population; between now and 2050, Americans aged 65 and over will grow from 15 percent to 22 percent of the population. Those 85 and older will grow from about 6 million to near 19 million. Longer lives and advances in medicine are accompanied by increased needs for the treatment for chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, hypertension and dementia. Three-fourths of U.S. health care expenditures are for chronic disease. Fortunately, we have a health care system with unparalleled expertise in geriatric care; it’s called the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA leads the nation in addressing the care of an aging society because one out of every two VA patients is a senior citizen. Of 22 million living American veterans, over 6 million seek VA care in a given year; over 52 percent of these are age 65 and over. Though most of these veterans are eligible for other care systems and insurance, most of them choose VA. VA has a visionary system of geriatric research, education and clinical centers (“GRECCs”) created by Congress in 1975 to guide VA in meeting its mandate to care for America’s surviving warriors as they aged into their 70s, 80s and beyond. There are now 20 GRECCs in the 150 VA medical centers in the U.S. devoted to training health care professionals in assessing and managing health needs of elderly clients. They perform pioneering work on the impacts of diet and exercise and investigate diseases of aging, rehabilitation of stroke victims, the genetics and neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease and on the cellular mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease, among many other accomplishments. VA pioneered and broadly implemented home-based primary care in which clinicians make house calls to veterans with serious, disabling diseases, and we established teams of clinicians in every medical center to provide end-of-life care that provide comfort and dignity for veterans and their families when it is most needed. Since the late 1940s, VA has maintained close working relationships with most U.S. medical schools. Over 70 percent of U.S. physicians receive some clinical instruction in VA settings. Though there is an acute shortage of health personnel with advanced training in geriatrics, VA has many initiatives to educate and train future clinical leaders in geriatrics. This country owes its freedom to veterans, men and women who have “borne the battle” for us all. VA is setting the bar in optimizing the well-being and independence of an increasingly elderly veteran-patient population. America would do well to follow VA’s lead as it prepares to address its looming geriatric challenges. [Source: Reno Gazette-Journal | Robert A. McDonald & Richard C. Veith | September 6, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Commission on Care Update 08 ? Obama's Reform ResponsePresident Obama has committed to more Veterans Affairs Department reforms, though he rejected several of the core principles of change that a congressionally-chartered commission proposed to better deliver private sector health options to VA care recipients. Overall, Obama told congressional leadership he agreed with 15 of the Commission on Care’s 18 recommendations. He rejected a proposal to restructure the Veterans Health Administration governance, including the creation of an 11-member board of directors to set the agency’s long-term strategy. Obama said the Justice Department has told him the reform would violate the appointments clause of the Constitution. “The proposal would undermine the authority of the secretary and the under secretary for health, weaken the integration of the VA health care system with the other services and programs provided by the VA and make it harder -- not easier -- for VA to implement transformative change,” Obama wrote in a letter to House and Senate leaders. The Commission on Care, created by a 2014 VA reform law to provide suggestions for the health care component that houses 90 percent of VA’s employees, issued its recommendations in July. Even before the commission wrapped up its work, alternative proposals emerged in Congress, the veteran community, from representatives of the VA workforce and even within the panel itself. Only 12 of the 15 commissioners signed their name on the report, with the remaining members issuing a dissenting view the commission’s chairwoman declined to include in the final document. The commission proposed a new VHA Care system, made up of government-owned, VA and Defense Department facilities, as well as “VHA-credentialed community providers.” Those partners would be “fully credentialed with appropriate education, training and experience, provide veteran access that meets VHA standards, demonstrate high-quality clinical and utilization outcomes, demonstrate military cultural competency, and have capability for interoperable data exchange,” the commission said. Obama said the plan was similar to one he sent to Congress last year, but maintained his approach was preferable to the one laid out by the commission. “Of particular note, I strongly support the commission's principle that creating a high-performing, integrated health care system that encompasses both VA and private care is critical to serving the needs of veterans,” Obama said. He stressed, however, the importance of preserving the VA’s health care system and its “multidisciplinary” and “comprehensive” approach that provides veterans with not just mental and physical care, but also other benefits and other services. The commission’s plan, Obama said, would force “untenable resource tradeoffs that would limit the ability of VA to carry out other parts of its mission on behalf of veterans.” The president said many of the other recommendations are already under way at VA, including through Secretary Bob McDonald’s MyVA initiative. Obama noted VA is already “enhancing clinical operations, establishing a more consistent policy for appealing clinical decisions, eliminating disparities in how health care is delivered to veterans from different backgrounds, modernizing IT systems and establishing new processes for leadership development and performance management,” as the commission proposed. On the personnel side, the commission called for a new performance management system that could benchmark VHA leaders to the private sector and create performance measures that reward top performers with awards. The panel suggested Congress empower VA with more direct hiring authority and temporary rotations to allow more health experts to cycle through the department. The final report included a proposal to shift all 300,000 VHA employees away from Title Five and onto Title 38 to provide the department with more flexibility in pay, benefits and recruiting. While the change would be designed to ease hiring and firing at the agency, the panel said the new system should maintain due process appeal rights and merit system principles. It suggested, however, removing the Office of Personnel Management’s oversight of the new system. Overall, the president praised the work of the commission and said he “strongly” supported the vast majority of its suggestions. “These recommendations underscore the fundamental challenges that face the VA health care system, and the reforms needed to provide America's veterans with the high quality health care they need and deserve -- both now and in the future,” Obama wrote. He directed VA to “develop plans” to implement the recommendations he agreed with that are not already under way, and said he would work with McDonald to send Congress legislative proposals to enact the proposals that require new laws. For his part, McDonald said VA “stands firmly behind” Obama’s assessment of the commission’s report. The secretary also noted the administration’s plan to reform access to private sector care “would provide veterans with the full spectrum of health care services and more choice without sacrificing VA’s foundational health services on which many Veterans depend.” The House Veterans' Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the commission’s report in mid-Septemeber. [Source: | Eric Katz } September 2, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Commission on Care Update 09 ? McDonald's Reform ResponseDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert A. McDonald is defending the agency once again, restating its commitment to improve patient care access and timely appointment scheduling for veterans. Following President Obama’s final review of the Commission on Care report, McDonald issued a statement asserting that the VA agrees with 15 out of the 18 suggestions in the report, and believes that it is feasible to implement their proposals. The report, published at the end of June, summarized a number of shortcomings and potential threats to VA’s success, such as inconsistency between facilities, insufficient patient access to care, and staffing and financial needs. The Commission’s 18 recommendations sought to alleviate these problems and help keep the VA on an upward trajectory toward better veteran care. These recommendations ran the gamut of improving VA healthcare networks and boosting clinical operations. Another recommendation urged VA to address healthcare equity by allocating resources and personnel to identifying and addressing the root of care equity problems. The Commission also suggested VA create a VHA Health Equity Action Plan. Although McDonald stated that the agency agreed with a majority of the Commission’s recommendations, he did site specific issue with their suggestion that the VA establish a VHA Board of Directors.The Commission explained that a VHA Board of Directors could “provide overall VHA Care System governance, set a long-term strategy, and direct and oversee the transformation process.” Ultimately, the Commission sought to address governance issues which indirectly caused VHA shortcomings such as the appointment availability problems at many of the agency’s facilities. However, McDonald asserted that an agency board of directors would be inappropriate for “constitutional and practical reasons.” “Most problematically, this proposal would seem to establish VHA as an independent agency, which would frustrate ongoing efforts to improve the Veteran’s experience by integrating Veterans health care and services across VA, making it more difficult for Veterans to receive the quality care where, when, and how they need it,” McDonald added. Despite these sentiments, McDonald did say that the VA has established a party of external advice, primarily to counsel the agency’s MyVA initiative, which seeks to improve patient access to care. The council is comprised of individuals who are both experts in the medical field and in military and veteran life. “These are innovative, resourceful, respected leaders who are advising us on transformation. They know business. They know customer service. And, they know Veterans,” McDonald said. The secretary reiterated the agency’s commitment to improving care access for veterans, but underscored the imperative for the VA to remain an independent agency free from privatization. Citing Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) viewpoints, McDonald stated that the VA is the best place for veterans to access healthcare to meet their unique physical and mental health needs. “Many VSOs fear that the Commission’s vision would compromise VA’s ability to provide specialized care for spinal cord injury, prosthetics, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health needs, which the private sector is not as equipped to provide,” McDonald explained. “We share their concern and therefore do not support any policies or legislation that will lead to privatization, which I am pleased the Commission did not recommend outright. Privatization is not transformational. It’s more along the lines of dereliction of duty.” Ultimately, McDonald concluded, VA requires guidance from Congress, which he says is its “board of directors.” “If Veterans are to receive the care and services they deserve, Congress must do its job as our board. Abdicating leadership and constitutional responsibilities by creating more bureaucracy hurts Veterans and slows the progress of our MyVA transformation,” McDonald said. “We, along with VSOs, have worked hard with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to develop these critical pieces of legislation,” he continued. “I call on leadership from both parties to put political expediency aside and do what is best for our Veterans and for taxpayers. Only then will we be able to truly transform VA into the 21st century organization Veterans deserve.” The agency has repeatedly been called into question regarding the availability of doctor’s appointments for veterans. In response to those critiques, McDonald cited some of the VA’s progress, stating that between 2014 and 2015 the agency had increased community care appointments by 20 percent. Just recently, the agency proposed a rule allowing advanced practice nurse practitioners to practice at the top of their licenses. VA intended this proposal to increase access to care by empowering more qualified caregivers. However, problems still persist. Average appointment wait times are five days for primary care, six days for specialty care, and two days for mental health care. Through the initiatives McDonald has proposed, this wait times may decrease, ideally so that veterans can access all types of care in a timely fashion. [Source: Patient Engagement HIT | Sara Heath | September 02, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Accountability Update 37 ? Still Lacking in Helman CaseHere’s the latest confounding twist in Congress’ continuing efforts to force more accountability from top employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs: The disgraced former head of the Phoenix (Ariz.) Veterans Hospital is appealing her dismissal by Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald, even though she was fired in part for accepting expensive illegal gifts while in office. Sharon Helman claims that Secretary McDonald used an unconstitutional law to get rid of her. And the Justice Department, astonishingly, agrees. That continues a convoluted pattern of VA officials evading responsibility for assorted misdeeds — including falsifying hospital records to hide their failure to provide prompt treatment to veterans. Rather than waiting for the courts to render a decision on the Helman suit, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced in June that her department will not defend it. And Secretary McDonald said he will not use the expedited firing authority provided him in 2014 by Congress. The crux of the problem? The 2014 law required Helman to appeal her firing to an administrative law judge, a normal procedure in federal personnel actions. But Helman’s attorney argues that she has a constitutional right to appeal to a presidential appointee or a duly appointed federal court. Of course, if that right were afforded every federal official fired for non-performance, the appeals process could take years. And regardless of which administration is in charge, getting rid of the large and lingering ranks of non-performers in federal agencies, including the VA, would clog the courts. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) correctly denounced the decisions by the Justice Department and Secretary McDonald. He said the Obama administration’s position suggests “the sanctity of a federal bureaucrat’s job is far more important than the health and well-being of our veterans.” In a letter to Secretary McDonald, Sen. McCain added: “You are unilaterally refusing to enforce key elements of this very law. This decision is unconscionable and outrageous.” A coalition of a dozen veterans organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, has rushed to the rescue of reason. It has appealed to the court hearing the Helman case to let it argue for upholding the accountability provision of the 2014 law. The veterans coalition’s brief says the court should not allow the 2014 law to be simply “struck down without any adversarial presentation of the issues, analysis of the substantial arguments and authorities supporting the statute’s constitutionality, or even considering less extreme remedies.” The veterans groups rightly claim standing to intervene on behalf of the nation’s active duty military personnel and all veterans. Naturally, the Department of Veterans Affairs objects, in effect welcoming a court ruling overturning its decision to fire Ms. Helman. In other words, the VA can’t make up its mind. The best hope now is that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which is considering Ms. Helman’s appeal, will restore logic to this legal mess. And in the overdue process, the judges should give Congress and future administrations some practical means of holding VA officials accountable for their actions. America’s veterans have sacrificed so much to serve our nation so well. They must not continue to suffer from incompetence — in many cases extended by outright deceit — from the agency assigned to serve their needs. [Source: Charleston South Carolina's The Post & Courier | August 31, 2016 ++]*****************************VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ? Reported 1 thru 15 SEP 2016Washington, DC — Demanding explanations for a $1 ?billion cost overrun, a House panel 7 SEP issued a subpoena to the Department of Veterans Affairs for documents on how the cost of a Denver-area VA ballooned to almost $1.7 billion. That figure was nearly triple earlier estimates. The subpoena approved by the House Veterans Affairs Committee also seeks documents related to millions of dollars spent on artwork and ornamental furnishings at VA offices nationwide, including more than $6.4 million spent on the Palo Alto, Calif., health care system. The chairman of the veterans panel, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) said it was "unfortunate that VA's continued lack of transparency has led us to this decision" to issue the subpoena, but said lawmakers had little choice. "We will not accept VA trying to pull the wool over the eyes of this committee and the American people for poor decision-making and waste of funds," Miller said. hospital The GOP-led panel approved the subpoena by voice vote. Democrats objected, saying they worried that documents related to the Aurora, Colo. hospital could jeopardize agency whistleblowers who have helped officials learn the true scope of the cost overruns at the facility, considered one of the biggest boondoggles in the agency's history. Miller and other Republicans said the committee has a track record of protecting whistleblowers and the subpoena will not lead to the release of personally identifiable information. The committee has been seeking documents related to the Denver hospital for months. The VA gave Congress a summary of an internal inquiry, but not the supporting documents, despite repeated requests from lawmakers. The summary hasn't been made public, and the VA has not responded to an open records request from The Associated Press to release it. Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson has said making the documents public could have a chilling effect on future internal investigations. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) called approval of the subpoena a win for taxpayers and veterans alike. "Veterans and the American people deserve answers on what drove over $1 billion in cost overruns and years of delay" in completing the Aurora hospital, said Coffman, whose district includes Aurora. As chairman of a subcommittee on oversight and investigation, Coffman pushed a bill through Congress that transferred control of the Aurora project to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Panel chairman Miller said he has been seeking documents related to art contracts for more than year, following reports that the VA's Palo Alto Health Care System spent more than $6.4 million on artwork and other furnishings, including two sculptures that cost nearly $500,000. The subpoena seeks information on purchases of artwork and ornamental furnishings nationwide since 2010. [Source: The Associated Press| September 7, 2016 ++]-o-o-O-o-o-Independence, MO — A Missouri man who admits he passed himself off as a Navy veteran and fraudulently received more than $234,000 in benefits has been sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison. Sixty-three-year-old Eric D. Smith of Independence also was ordered 8 SEP in federal court in Kansas City, Missouri, to repay $234,461. That restitution includes payments to additional agencies victimized by Smith when he engaged in similar fraud in Maryland, Georgia and Florida. Smith pleaded guilty in February in Missouri to one count each of violating the False Claims Act and of student loan fraud. He admitted that he assumed the identity of a Navy veteran from October 2012 through April 2014, along the way fraudulently obtaining a Veterans Affairs identification card and VA health care benefits. [Source: Associated Press - Thursday, September 8, 2016 ++]-o-o-O-o-o-Milan, IA —?A Milan man will spend a year in prison for the theft of veteran's benefits over a period of 13 years. U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow on Thursday ordered Peter W. Cooper, 59, of Milan, to serve the time in prison and to pay $178,789 in restitution to the Veterans Administration. He will report to a designated federal prison on 17 OCT to begin his sentence. On 5 MAY, Cooper pled guilty to information that charged him with one count of theft of veterans benefits. He admitted that he continued to receive benefit payments that were paid to his adoptive mother, after her death in 2003. At the time, Cooper's mother had been receiving payments from the VA under the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation program, based on the previous active duty on the part of her late husband. Those benefits are paid to a surviving spouse until the spouse dies or remarries. In 2014, the Office of the Inspector General at the VA matched its records with Social Security death records, and noticed that while Cooper's mother had died in 2003, the payments had continued. These payments were being deposited monthly in a bank account, in the name of Cooper and his late mother. Cooper, an employee of the Army Corps of Engineers at the Rock Island Arsenal, had been withdrawing the payment monthly and spending it, or transferring it to other accounts. [Source: Quad-City Times | Deirdre Cox Baker | September 9, 2016 ++]Wisconsin Veterans Homes Update 04: ? Concerns | Audit ApprovedConcerns about treatment of veterans at Wisconsin's largest veterans home will be investigated. The co-chairs of the Legislature's Audit Committee said 31 AUG they support approving an audit for the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King. The push to look into King has intensified since the Cap Times published a story on 29 AUG raising questions about dismal care, medical errors and prolonged staffing shortages. Gov. Scott Walker's spokesman Tom Evenson says that the claims will be investigated as part of a review by the state Department of Health Services' Division of Quality Assurance. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs issued a statement noting that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has not cited a single health care deficiency in reviews done this year or last at King. [Source: Associated Press | August31, 2016 ++]*****************************Vet Toxic Exposure | Lejeune Update 63 ? Proposed RegsThe Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has published proposed regulations to establish presumptions for the service connection of eight diseases affecting military members exposed to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The presumptive illnesses apply to active duty, reserve and National Guard members who served for no less than 30 days at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987, and are diagnosed with the following conditions:Adult leukemiaAplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromesBladder cancerKidney cancerLiver cancerMultiple myelomaNon-hodgkin’s lymphomaParkinson’s disease “We have a responsibility to take care of those who have served our Nation and have been exposed to harm as a result of that service,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald. “Establishing a presumption for service at Camp Lejeune will make it easier for those Veterans to receive the care and benefits they deserve.” Environmental health experts on VA’s Technical Workgroup conducted comprehensive reviews of scientific evidence, which included analysis and research done by the Department of Health and Human Service’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Environmental Protection Agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the National Toxicology Program, and the National Academies of Science. Military members with records of service showing no less than 30 days of service, either concurrent or cumulative, at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period can already be granted Veteran status for medical benefits, following passage of the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. In the early 1980s, volatile organic compounds, trichloroethylene (TCE), a metal degreaser, and perchloroethylene, a dry cleaning agent (PCE), as well as benzene, and vinyl chloride were discovered in two on-base water supply systems at Camp Lejeune. These systems served the housing, administrative, and recreational facilities, as well as the base hospital. The contaminated wells supplying the water systems were shut down in February 1985. VA acknowledges that current science establishes a link between exposure to certain chemicals found in the water supply at Camp Lejeune and later development of one of the proposed presumptive conditions. However, VA experts agree that there is no scientific underpinning to support a specific minimum exposure level for any of the conditions. Therefore, VA welcomes comments on the 30-day minimum exposure requirement and will consider other practical alternatives when drafting the final rule. VA also notes that the proposed 30-day requirement serves to establish eligibility for service connection on a presumptive basis; nothing in this proposed regulation prohibits consideration of service connection on a non-presumptive basis. The 30-day public comment period on the proposed rule is open until Oct.10, 2016. [Source: VA News Release | September 9, 2016 ++]*****************************Vet Toxic Exposure | Qarmat Al ? Medical Surveillance ProgramDuring the spring and summer of 2003, approximately one thousand U.S. Servicemembers, including National Guard, Reserve, and active duty soldiers, guarded the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Facility in the Basrah oil fields in Iraq. Those Servicemembers may have been exposed to toxic hexavalent chromium from exposure to sodium dichromate dust. Hexavalent chromium is a chemical known to cause lung cancer and other medical conditions, including nasal and skin irritations and respiratory problems. It is only produced through industrial processes for specific purposes. At the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Facility, the chromium was used as an anti-corrosive for the water pipes, and was found on the ground after bags of the chemical were opened at the site. In an effort to monitor the health of Veterans who may have been exposed to hexavalent chromium at the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Facility, VA established the Qarmat Ali Medical Surveillance Program. Under the program, VA provides medical screenings free of any charge or copay. Veterans who participate in the program may receive an exam including:Complete physical exam with emphasis on the ears, nose and throat, lungs, and skinPulmonary function tests VA does not expect to find many serious Qarmat Ali-related illnesses. If any abnormalities are found, participants will be referred to the proper medical specialist. If you served at the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Facility, contact your local Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) Program Manager to make an appointment to enroll in the VA Qarmat Ali Medical Surveillance Program or to schedule your follow-up exam. To find your local OEF/OIF/OND program office visit oefoif.map.asp. Eligible Veterans may also be contacted directly by VA regarding their participation.To learn more visit publichealth.exposures/qarmat-ali. [Source: Post 9/11 Vet Newsletter | Fall 2016 ++]*****************************Vet Toxic Exposure | CWAs ? VA/DoD Documentation EffortServicemembers who handled or demolished explosive ordnances during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) may have been exposed to toxic chemical warfare agents (CWAs), such as mustard agents or sarin, and may experience related health effects. VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) are working to identify and contact active duty Servicemembers and Veterans who may have been exposed to CWAs. If you believe you may have been exposed to CWAs and have not already been contacted, please call the DoD hotline at 1-800-497-6261. VA and DoD would like to ensure that your exposures are documented, and that you are aware of any related health care benefits. Visit publichealth.exposures/chemical-warfare-agents-oif for more information on exposure to CWAs. [Source: Post 9/11 Vet Newsletter | Fall 2016 ++]*****************************Vet Fraud & Abuse ? Reported 1 thru 15 SEP 2016Highland Falls, CA -- Two men pleaded guilty in Orange County Court to felonies in separate cases involving elder abuse to veterans, the Orange County District Attorney's Office says. On 1 SEP, Perry Coniglio, 43, of Highland Falls, pleaded guilty to first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, and Dennis Mahoney, 68, of Walden, pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny. In July, Town of Highlands police said Coniglio held an 81-year-old Marine veteran prisoner for five years, forcing him to hand over the proceeds of his Social Security and other benefits checks. Police arrested Coniglio in a night raid in his room adjoining the victim’s at the U.S. Academy Motel on Main Street, next door to town police headquarters. A Highlands detective said at the time that Coniglio used “brute force and intimidation” to get the elderly and mentally diminished veteran to cooperate. At the time, Coniglio was charged with a felony, several misdemeanors and a violation, none of which is the same charge to which he pleaded guilty. Prosecutors say Coniglio admitted that between July 19, 2014, and July 19, 2016, he knew the victim was unable to take care of himself because of dementia but failed to get him to a doctor despite knowing it would hurt the veteran's mental and physical welfare. Prosecutors said Coniglio prepared all of the veteran's meals, gave him clothes, cleaned him, trimmed his beard and hair, drove him to the bank to withdraw money several times a month, but that he also used the man's money, much of it from the Veteran's Administration, to pay for his own rent at the hotel. Prosecutors are seeking a maximum sentence of 1 1/3 to to four years in state prison when Coniglio returns to court Oct. 7. In the second case, Mahoney pleaded guilty on 30 AUG to defrauding an elderly disabled veteran out of $5,800 and a New Windsor hotel out of $2,376. Prosecutors say Mahoney worked for a veteran's service organization when he first met the victim but later left the organization. In 2015, Mahoney pretended he was still with the organization and promised the victim that the organization could get him an apartment in the state of Florida. In the process, Mahoney convinced the veteran to give him $5,800 to pay for furniture for the place. Instead the victim moved to a New Windsor hotel where Mahoney promised the hotel that the organization would pay for the room as well. That did not happen. Prosecutors are recommending a maximum sentence of 2 1/3 to seven years in state prison when goes back to court 4 OCT. [Source: Times Herald-Record | James Nani | September 1, 2016 ++]-o-o-O-o-o-Chicago, IL -- A man has admitted guilt in a plot that scammed a Trenton senior citizen out of nearly $40,000.Walter Samuel Hall Jr., 61, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Butler County Common Pleas Court to felony theft and made the first restitution payment of $6,500 to the 92-year-old victim. Hall was arrested in July following an investigation by the Butler County prosecutor’s office. The victim, a WWII Navy veteran and Armco retiree, was first told by police that likely noting could be done about the scam, according to Prosecutor Mike Gmoser. The man was manipulated by callers who falsely informed the 90-year-old that he won $7.5 million in a sweepstakes he never entered. In order to collect his winnings, the man was instructed to send multiple payments to an address in Chicago to cover taxes and insurance on the winnings. The investigative team gathered evidence necessary for the indictment against Hall, who was actually located in the country, according to Gmoser. “I love it when a plan comes together,” Gmoser said. Hall was an employee of the city of Chicago utility department and the scam operation was “a cottage industry” for him, Gmoser said. Sentencing for Hall is scheduled for 1 NOV by Judge Charles Pater. He faces a maximum of 36 months in prison. Anyone who has a tip about a scam or crimes against the elderly can call the prosecutor’s hotline at 1-888 662-3673. [Source: Journal-News | Lauren Pack | September 13, 2016 ++]*****************************Vet Jobs Update 196 ? 10 Places to Look IntoVeterans searching for jobs after the military don't tend to want just any old job. The hard-chargers who love a challenge want the best of the best. They have something to offer and want to leverage their experience and work ethic toward a successful career. One place to start looking for such a career is the Forbes list of "The World's Biggest Public Companies" at . Jobs that veterans might want to consider in these companies include such categories as management, logistics, sales, banking and finance. For example, a search on for Citibank shows such jobs as personal banker, branch manager, area director and plenty more. Apple, Verizon and Walmart will have more sales jobs, but also managerial and other roles. What follows are the top 10 U.S. companies from the list. Also included are employee reviews of the companies, courtesy of the website . If you have an interest in working for the biggest public companies, check out.1. Berkshire Hathaway - Number 4 on the overall world list, Berkshire Hathaway is an American conglomerate holding company. It wholly owns such companies as GEICO, Dairy Queen and Fruit of the Loom, and is controlled and led by Warren Buffett. Jobs for veterans range from network administrator, economics, marketing, accounting and many more. Kununu Rating: 4 out of 5.2. JPMorgan Chase - Number 5 on the overall list, JPMorgan Chase is known for its consumer business and commercial banking. Jobs can include investment banker, bank teller, wealth management and more. Kununu Rating: 3.9 out of 5.3. Wells Fargo - Third on this list is Wells Fargo, which came in at number 7 on the overall world list. This is another financial institution, so veterans interested in banking and finance would do well here. As with JPMorgan Chase, jobs include banking and wealth management, as well as those of most companies such as project managers. Kununu Rating: 3.8 out of 5.4. Apple - Came in at number 8 on the overall list, and is probably the most well-known of the companies listed here (to the younger generation of veterans, at least). Jobs can include working at Apple stores or corporate headquarters, where positions include standard ones such as project managers -- but also creative roles on the design side, as well as software engineering, marketing, operations, finance, and even real estate and development. Kununu Rating: 3.9 out of 5.5. ExxonMobil - Number 9 overall, ExxonMobil is well known for its work in oil and natural gas. Jobs that veterans might want to consider here are much broader than that, however, and include such roles as banking analysts, machinery engineers, chemists and more. Kununu Rating: 4.4 out of 5.6. Bank of America - Coming in at number 11 on the overall list, this is another financial institution. Jobs will be similar to ones listed for the previously mentioned banks, including tellers, project managers, and various roles in management. Kununu Rating: 3.3 out of 5.7. AT&T - The first telecommunications corporation on the list, AT&T came in at 12 on the overall list. As you might have noticed, most large companies will have the same corporate jobs, such as project managers and network administrators. More specific to AT&T are such jobs as retail at its cell phone stores, call centers, and jobs related to the government. Kununu Rating: 3.2 out of 5.8. Citigroup - Another financial institution on the list that came in at number 13 on the overall list. Veterans might want to work for Citigroup if they have aspirations to work in investment or commercial banking. The career page of Citigroup often lists a relatively large number of retail banking and branch manager positions. Kununu Rating: 2.1 out of 5.9. Verizon Communications - Another telecommunications company on the list, Verizon came in at 15 on the overall list. Like AT&T, Verizon has retail positions, data analytics, security analysts and IT specialists. Kununu Rating: 3.7 out of 510. Walmart - The multinational retail corporation that we're all surely familiar with made number 15 on the overall list. There are security jobs, checkout clerks, communications and corporate affairs, business analytics and intelligence, engineering, supply chain management, and many other positions similar to what you will find at other top companies. Kununu Rating: 3.4 out of 5.[Source: | Justin Sloan | August 17, 2016 ++]*****************************Retiree Appreciation Days ? As of 14 SEP 2016Retiree Appreciation Days (RADs) are designed with all veterans in mind. They're a great source of the latest information for retirees and Family members in your area. RADs vary from installation to installation, but, in general, they provide an opportunity to renew acquaintances, listen to guest speakers, renew ID Cards, get medical checkups, and various other services. Some RADs include special events such as dinners or golf tournaments. Due to budget constraints, some RADs may be cancelled or rescheduled. Also, scheduled appearances of DFAS representatives may not be possible. If you plan to travel long distances to attend a RAD, before traveling, you should call the sponsoring RSO to ensure the RAD will held as scheduled and, if applicable, whether or not DFAS reps will be available. The current updated schedule for 2016 is available at:== HTML: PDF: Word: that this schedule has been expanded to include dates for retiree\veterans related events such as town hall meetings, resource fairs, stand downs, etc. To get more info about a particular event, mouseover or click on the event under Event Location. (NOTE: Attendance at some events may require military ID, VA enrollment or DD214. "@" indicates event requires registration\RSVP.)For more information call the phone numbers indicated on the schedule of the Retirement Services Officer (RSO) sponsoring the RAD.Vet Credit Scores Update 01 ? H.R.5693 | VA Slow Payment FalloutSen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) is pushing legislation to protect the credit ratings of military veterans with unpaid medical bills. Donnelly said 7 SEP that veterans can be "wrongly penalized" when the Department of Veterans Affairs is slow to pay for health care they receive from non-VA physicians. Such delays "can create a financial hardship for some veterans and even damage credit scores," Donnelly, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters in a conference call. Donnelly is the Senate sponsor of the Protecting Veterans Credit Act, which would impose a 1-year delay on the reporting of medical debt to credit agencies for veterans who access health care through the Veterans Choice Program. The delay would begin when a debt collector contacts the veteran. Under the Veterans Choice Program, VA is to reimburse non-VA physicians to care for veterans who must wait at least 30 days for a VA appointment or who live more than 40 miles from a VA clinic or hospital. The American Legion, the nation's largest veterans advocacy group, supports the Protecting Veterans Credit Act, which was introduced in the Senate by Donnelly and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and in the House by Rep. John Delaney (D-MD). House co-sponsors include Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) Roscoe Butler, deputy director for health care for the American Legion, said during Wednesday's conference call that veterans should "not have to worry about whether VA has paid the bill timely." Veterans' credit ratings can be "destroyed," Butler said, "because of VA's slow payment process. That is wrong." Donnelly said he does not know how many veterans have been adversely affected by tardy reimbursements from the Veterans Choice Program, although he said "one is too many." "The VA should take care of this, and it shouldn't ever even get to the point where this act, that we hope will become law, has to even be needed," Donnelly told reporters. "It's clearly something the VA should be handling, and we're going to stay after them to get it right," he said. [Source: The Journal Gazette | Brian Francisco | September 8, 2016 ++]*****************************Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ? 160901 thru 160915Refer to this Bulletin’s “House & Senate Veteran Legislation” attachment for a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the veteran community introduced in the 114th Congress. The list contains the bill’s number, name, and what it is intended to do, it’s sponsor, any related bills, and the committees it has been assigned to. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process for a floor vote to become law. A good indication of that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At you can review a copy of each bill’s content, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor/cosponsor of it by entering its number in the site’s search engine. To determine what your Congressman has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on go to: , Select the ‘Sponsor’ tab, and click on your congress person’s name. Grassroots lobbying is the most effective way to let your Congressional representatives know your wants and dislikes. If you are not sure who is your Congressman go to . Members of Congress are receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents. The key to increasing cosponsorship support on veteran related bills and subsequent passage into law is letting legislators know of veteran’s feelings on issues. You can reach their Washington office via the Capital Operator direct at (866) 272-6622, (800) 828-0498, or (866) 340-9281 to express your views. Otherwise, you can locate their phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making at either: or IS THE ONE VETERAN RELATED BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE SINCE THE LAST BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHEDH.R.5932 : Veterans Preventive Health Coverage Fairness Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate copayments by the Department of Veterans Affairs for medicines relating to preventive health services, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL-8] (Introduced 09/06/2016) H.R.5936 : Veterans Care Agreement and West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into agreements with certain health care providers to furnish health care to veterans, to authorize the Secretary to enter into certain leases at the Department of Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Campus in Los Angeles, California, to make certain improvements to the enhanced-use lease authority of the Department, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. Miller, Jeff [R-FL-1]? (Introduced 09/06/2016) H.R.5980 : Enewetak Atoll Vet Radiation Treatment. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the presumption of service-connection of certain disabilities by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]? (Introduced 09/09/2016) (24)H.R.5985 : Extend Expiring VA Law Provision. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. Miller, Jeff [R-FL-1]? (Introduced 09/09/2016) H.R.5990 : WWII Bataan Vet Congressional Gold Medal. A bill to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the troops who defended Bataan during World War II. Sponsor: Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3] (Introduced 09/09/2016) FOLLOWING ARE THE 2 VETERAN RELATED BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE SINCE THE LAST BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHEDS.3304 : Improve Veteran Crisis Line. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the Veterans Crisis Line. Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (Introduced 09/08/2016) [Source: [Legislation] & http: //track.us/congress/bills | September 15, 2016 ++]Military 2017 Pay Raise Update 02 ? Confirmed | Capped at 1.6%President Obama on 31 AUG confirmed plans to cap the military pay raise at 1.6 percent next year, a move which lawmakers and military y advocates have already warned will hurt military families’ personal finances. In a letter to Congress, Obama invoked his executive powers to set the pay level at 0.5 percent points below the expected increase in private sector wages, which would mark the fourth year in a row troops’ pay hikes failed to keep pace with their civilian peers. The president called the move unfortunate but necessary. “I am strongly committed to supporting our uniformed service members, who have made such great contributions to our nation over more than a decade of war,” Obama wrote. “As our country continues to recover from serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare, however, we must maintain efforts to keep our nation on a sustainable fiscal course. “This effort requires tough choices, especially in light of budget constraints.” The language is identical to the letter Obama sent to Congress in summer 2015, when he set the military pay raise for this year at 1.3 percent. If it stands, 2017 will mark the seventh consecutive year of military pay hikes below 2 percent. The president’s move is not a surprise, since the White House and Pentagon have been advocating for the 1.6 percent mark since February to preserve funding for other modernization and training priorities. The lower-than expected raise will save more than $300 million in fiscal 2017 alone, and more than $2.2 billion over the next five years. And Obama’s move does not fully settle the issue of what military pay will be next year. Lawmakers are still fighting over defense funding and authorizations, and could find ways to override his decision. But that appears increasingly unlikely, with the House and Senate defense panels divided over where the extra spending would come from and what other programs would see resulting cuts. House Republicans have advocated using temporary war funds to pay for a larger, 2.1 percent pay raise, but Senate leaders have all but rejected that idea. A 1.6 percent pay increase amounts to a $400 yearly pay boost for most junior enlisted troops and up to $1,500 more in annual pay for mid-career officers. The larger 2.1 percent pay raise would add about $150 a year more than the 1.5 percent amount for most junior enlisted and about $350 annually for mid-career officers. Outside advocates have argued that years of lower-than-expected pay hikes are slowly harming troops’ finances, giving them less purchasing power and a smaller spending safety net. But Pentagon officials note that troops are still seeing consistent growth in their pay, and would be harmed by significant equipment and training shortfalls. The new pay raise will go into effect on 1 JAN. Congress was scheduled to return to Capitol Hill and resume debate on the defense funding measures on 6 SEP. [Source: Army Times | Leo Shane | September 12, 2016 ++]*********************************Less-Than-Honorable Discharge Update 01 ? NDAA Senate ProvisionA bipartisan group of nine lawmakers joined with leading veterans groups 13 SEP to call for the final version of a defense policy bill to include language aimed at making it easier for veterans who were discharged for behavior related to mental health issues to upgrade their discharges. “We are very close to making sure that these service men and women get the help that they need, and we’re going to make it a reality in the next weeks,” said Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) whose Fairness for Veterans Act was included in the Senate-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The provision in the Senate version would require discharge review boards to provide “liberal consideration” to the diagnosis of a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) or military sexual assault when considering whether to upgrade a less-than-honorable discharge. The House-passed version does not include that provision. Conferees are in the process of reconciling the two versions of the bill. Advocates say thousands of veterans have received “bad discharge papers” as a result of behavior associated with PTSD, TBI or sexual trauma. Such discharges haunt veterans for the rest of their lives, advocates say, denying them veterans benefits and casting a stigma that can affect aspects of civilian life, such as finding employment. “Why are our veterans, who have done so much for our country, being denied these vital services simply because they had to endure a psychological trauma?” asked Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY.) a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “We have to ensure that this provision is included in the final version of the defense authorization so they can get access to the care that they need.” At Tuesday’s press conference, a handful of veterans shared their experiences being discharged after PTSD-related behavior. Tyson Manker, a Marine veteran who served in Iraq, said he was discharged after smoking marijuana once to treat his PTSD symptoms. Kristofer Goldsmith, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, said he was discharged after attempting suicide by overdosing on Percocet and vodka. “Thankfully, I didn’t die that night, but when I woke up the next morning, I was treated like a criminal,” said Goldsmith, now ?assistant director for policy and government relations at Vietnam Veterans of America. “Just a few weeks later, I was expeditiously administratively discharged from the Army, and I was stripped of my GI Bill.” The press conference was organized by Vietnam Veterans for America and also attended by representatives from Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Swords to Plowshares, Student Veterans of America, Wounded Warrior Project, United Soldiers and Sailors of America, High Ground Veterans Advocacy, Military-Veterans Advocacy, VetsFirst, Association of the United States Navy, Fleet Reserve Association, and Military Order of the Purple Heart. In addition to Peters and Gillibrand, seven House members spoke: Reps. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Tim Walz (D-MN), Lee Zeldin (D-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA) Walter Jones (R-SC), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). All aside from Zeldin are members of the House Armed Services Committee. “We’re here today to say to those of you who got less than an honorable discharge, you will not be forgotten,” Jones said. “You have earned the right to have reconsideration.” While the defense bill is pending, Walz said, President Obama can also act to help such veterans. “I’m somewhat loath of executive orders, but I would encourage President Obama to make the move on this while we codify this into law,” he said. “The president can fix this now, can move something forward now to help folks. We can get it done, get it in the NDAA, make sure this can’t be reversed.” [Source: The Hill | Rebecca Kheel | September 13, 2016 ++]*********************************Military 2017 Pay Raise Update 02 ? Confirmed | Capped at 1.6%President Obama on 31 AUG confirmed plans to cap the military pay raise at 1.6 percent next year, a move which lawmakers and military y advocates have already warned will hurt military families’ personal finances. In a letter to Congress, Obama invoked his executive powers to set the pay level at 0.5 percent points below the expected increase in private sector wages, which would mark the fourth year in a row troops’ pay hikes failed to keep pace with their civilian peers. The president called the move unfortunate but necessary. “I am strongly committed to supporting our uniformed service members, who have made such great contributions to our nation over more than a decade of war,” Obama wrote. “As our country continues to recover from serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare, however, we must maintain efforts to keep our nation on a sustainable fiscal course. “This effort requires tough choices, especially in light of budget constraints.” The language is identical to the letter Obama sent to Congress in summer 2015, when he set the military pay raise for this year at 1.3 percent. If it stands, 2017 will mark the seventh consecutive year of military pay hikes below 2 percent. The president’s move is not a surprise, since the White House and Pentagon have been advocating for the 1.6 percent mark since February to preserve funding for other modernization and training priorities. The lower-than expected raise will save more than $300 million in fiscal 2017 alone, and more than $2.2 billion over the next five years. And Obama’s move does not fully settle the issue of what military pay will be next year. Lawmakers are still fighting over defense funding and authorizations, and could find ways to override his decision. But that appears increasingly unlikely, with the House and Senate defense panels divided over where the extra spending would come from and what other programs would see resulting cuts. House Republicans have advocated using temporary war funds to pay for a larger, 2.1 percent pay raise, but Senate leaders have all but rejected that idea. A 1.6 percent pay increase amounts to a $400 yearly pay boost for most junior enlisted troops and up to $1,500 more in annual pay for mid-career officers. The larger 2.1 percent pay raise would add about $150 a year more than the 1.5 percent amount for most junior enlisted and about $350 annually for mid-career officers. Outside advocates have argued that years of lower-than-expected pay hikes are slowly harming troops’ finances, giving them less purchasing power and a smaller spending safety net. But Pentagon officials note that troops are still seeing consistent growth in their pay, and would be harmed by significant equipment and training shortfalls. The new pay raise will go into effect on 1 JAN. Congress was scheduled to return to Capitol Hill and resume debate on the defense funding measures on 6 SEP. [Source: Army Times | Leo Shane | September 12, 2016 ++]*********************************Less-Than-Honorable Discharge Update 01 ? NDAA Senate ProvisionA bipartisan group of nine lawmakers joined with leading veterans groups 13 SEP to call for the final version of a defense policy bill to include language aimed at making it easier for veterans who were discharged for behavior related to mental health issues to upgrade their discharges. “We are very close to making sure that these service men and women get the help that they need, and we’re going to make it a reality in the next weeks,” said Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) whose Fairness for Veterans Act was included in the Senate-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The provision in the Senate version would require discharge review boards to provide “liberal consideration” to the diagnosis of a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) or military sexual assault when considering whether to upgrade a less-than-honorable discharge. The House-passed version does not include that provision. Conferees are in the process of reconciling the two versions of the bill. Advocates say thousands of veterans have received “bad discharge papers” as a result of behavior associated with PTSD, TBI or sexual trauma. Such discharges haunt veterans for the rest of their lives, advocates say, denying them veterans benefits and casting a stigma that can affect aspects of civilian life, such as finding employment. “Why are our veterans, who have done so much for our country, being denied these vital services simply because they had to endure a psychological trauma?” asked Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY.) a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “We have to ensure that this provision is included in the final version of the defense authorization so they can get access to the care that they need.” At Tuesday’s press conference, a handful of veterans shared their experiences being discharged after PTSD-related behavior. Tyson Manker, a Marine veteran who served in Iraq, said he was discharged after smoking marijuana once to treat his PTSD symptoms. Kristofer Goldsmith, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, said he was discharged after attempting suicide by overdosing on Percocet and vodka. “Thankfully, I didn’t die that night, but when I woke up the next morning, I was treated like a criminal,” said Goldsmith, now ?assistant director for policy and government relations at Vietnam Veterans of America. “Just a few weeks later, I was expeditiously administratively discharged from the Army, and I was stripped of my GI Bill.” The press conference was organized by Vietnam Veterans for America and also attended by representatives from Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Swords to Plowshares, Student Veterans of America, Wounded Warrior Project, United Soldiers and Sailors of America, High Ground Veterans Advocacy, Military-Veterans Advocacy, VetsFirst, Association of the United States Navy, Fleet Reserve Association, and Military Order of the Purple Heart. In addition to Peters and Gillibrand, seven House members spoke: Reps. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Tim Walz (D-MN), Lee Zeldin (D-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA) Walter Jones (R-SC), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). All aside from Zeldin are members of the House Armed Services Committee. “We’re here today to say to those of you who got less than an honorable discharge, you will not be forgotten,” Jones said. “You have earned the right to have reconsideration.” While the defense bill is pending, Walz said, President Obama can also act to help such veterans. “I’m somewhat loath of executive orders, but I would encourage President Obama to make the move on this while we codify this into law,” he said. “The president can fix this now, can move something forward now to help folks. We can get it done, get it in the NDAA, make sure this can’t be reversed.” [Source: The Hill | Rebecca Kheel | September 13, 2016 ++]*********************************Military Separation Policy ? Trauma Related BehaviorA bipartisan group of nine senators is urging Defense Secretary Ash Carter to update the military’s separation policy to address behavior that results from trauma, such as sexual assault or post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. “Clear guidance will ensure that all service members who are impacted by combat or military sexual assault-related trauma receive fair consideration of their medical conditions prior to their separation from the military and will ensure that fair, consistent and transparent standards are applied across the services," the senators wrote in a letter to Carter on 8 SEP. The letter was signed by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.). In June, the Department of the Navy updated its administrative separation policy to ensure a diagnosed mental health condition takes precedence over misconduct when a sailor or Marine is being involuntarily separated. In such cases, the service member will be referred for evaluation for a medical discharge. The senators commended Navy Secretary Ray Mabus’s decision. But the other branches of the military have not made similar changes to their policies, they said. “We urge you to issue similar discharge guidance and instructions across the Armed Forces that indicates that diagnosed mental health conditions should take precedence over minor misconduct when a service member is being administratively separated,” they wrote to Carter. In their letter, the senators highlight a May 2015 inspector general report that found sexual assault survivors who engage in trauma-related misconduct, such as taking unauthorized leave to flee their assailant, are at higher risk of being involuntarily discharged under less than honorable conditions than the general military population. The issue also extends to combat veterans with PTSD or traumatic brain injury, who may act irregularly or suffer from substance abuse, the senators said. “Their chain of command may not understand that these disciplinary infractions can be symptoms of mental health conditions,” they wrote. Involuntary discharges have a number of negative consequences, the senators said, including a higher rate of suicide, a higher homelessness rate and the possibility of employment discrimination. While changes have been made in recent years, they said, more needs to be done. [Source: The Hill | Rebecca Kheel | September 8, 2016 ++]*********************************MWR Budget Cuts ? 23% in FY 2017Soldiers and families around the world will soon see the results of budget cuts in morale, welfare and recreation programs, including closures of some facilities, reduced operating hours and increased fees. The MWR cuts are separate from a 23 percent cut in staff at Army Community Service Centers over the next two years. Officials are implementing a $105 million cut -- about 23 percent -- in taxpayer funding for MWR for fiscal 2017, which starts 1 OCT. “We’re going to begin to feel some of that impact at the installation,” said Lt. Gen. Kenneth R. Dahl, commanding general of the Army Installation Management Command, in a video message to the force. It’s up to the garrison commanders and senior commanders to determine how they carry out the reductions at their installations, Dahl said. “The problem with leaving all the decisions up to the garrison commanders is that there don’t seem to be good standards on what the basic level of support services should be,” said Joyce Raezer, executive director of the National Military Family Association. That organization expects to meet later this month with Army officials to get more information about the guidelines for the cuts, she said. Installation leaders have until next 15 SEP to report on how they will make the cuts, said an Army official, who added that IMCOM officials will be watching the situation closely. The Army must divert some of its limited MWR funds for critical post operating services, such as contracts for security, firefighting and airfields, Dahl said. Separate from the MWR cuts, the Army expects to eliminate 339 positions in Army Community Services across 75 installations and headquarters over the next two fiscal years, reducing the number of personnel from 1,479 to 1,140, according to one official who spoke on background. ACS provides programs and services in areas that include relocation and financial assistance and spouse employment. Troops and families may start to see some of the effects in 2017, he said. Dahl said officials will continue “100 percent support” to child development centers and child and youth services. “To the greatest extent possible we’re going to sustain those at their current levels,” he said. Officials also plan to maintain the current level of MWR programs at remote and isolated installations. “We’re not looking at scaling back any of the services we provide there because there are no alternatives” outside the installation, he said. Information was not available from Marine Corps or Air Force officials about whether their installations are facing impending cuts in MWR or family programs. But some of these Army cuts may affect troops and families of other service branches, especially those stationed on joint bases where the Army is the lead service. For example, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Air Force’s previous MWR was taken over by Army MWR. “We have to keep in mind what the requirement is for service delivery in terms of the memorandum (between the services), or let the Air Force know we’re not going to meet the terms and here’s why,” the official said. Navy officials don’t anticipate additional cuts to MWR programs in 2017, but they have been making adjustments and cuts to programs, especially since fiscal 2013 when budget constraints forced everyone to look for ways to be more efficient, said James Baker, Navy MWR program director. Since then, some programs have been closed, such as golf courses that were not being used, he said. Golf courses must be self-sustaining, and receive no taxpayer funds. The Navy has also eliminated most arts and crafts centers, auto skills centers and wood hobby shops, except in remote locations where there are no options outside the gate. There have also been some other adjustments to Navy MWR programs, such as hours of operation, based on customer use. “We continue to look at the right mix. We adapt to customers’ needs, rather than forcing constraints due to budgetary demands,” Baker said. “That’s the ideal state. We have been fortunate to stay ahead of that.” Officials continue to evaluate programs such as fitness, community recreation, entertainment, travel and outdoor recreation, he said. Some Army posts have also been making reductions over the last five years. At Fort Drum, New York, the new reduction in funding should have a “mild impact” on immediate operations, said spokeswoman Julie Halpin. “That is only possible because we saw the writing on the wall with regard to [Family and MWR] funding early after sequestration hit.” She said they’ve worked to properly invest in services that are partially funded by taxpayer dollars, and services that receive no taxpayer funding to ensure that they are either nearly self-sustaining, breaking even or making money to offset other losses. “Those programs that weren’t hitting those marks were either revamped, like our bowling center last year, or discontinued, like arts and crafts in fiscal 2012,” Halpin said. [Source: Military Times | Karen Jowers | September 8, 2016 ++]*********************************MWR Budget Cuts Update 01 ? Areas ImpactedLt. Gen. Kenneth R. Dahl, commanding general of the Army Installation Management Command, said the impact of upcoming cuts is more likely to be felt in areas like outdoor recreation, arts and crafts, and auto skills. For example, a service might have to reduce its hours, or increase its fees. If there are volunteers who are willing to help, and if the program or service is conducive to allowing volunteers, there might be no impact, he said. Here are some upcoming Army cuts in MWR programs: Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Officials are cutting $750,000 from MWR, according to a news release. A fitness center will be closed and the operating hours at the installation’s three remaining gyms will be cut to 90 hours a week. The library will be open five days a week, rather than seven. The auto crafts center will be open four days a week, rather than five. Recreation trips and delivery services will be reduced or eliminated. One of the two pools will be closed. Fort Huachuca, Arizona. $500,000 will be cut from the post's MWR, according to a news release. The Sportsman’s Center will no longer sell ammunition or rent weapons. The skeet and trap ranges and the Saturday Range 3 operation will be open for customers who bring their own weapons and ammunition. Fort Carson, Colorado. The post “will continue to rely significantly on borrowed military manpower from the 4th Infantry Division to sustain hours of operation and reduced pricing in our fitness centers and aquatics programs,” said spokeswoman Dani Johnson. There’s a substantially reduced workforce as a result of the reduction in overhead costs for MWR support services. A small number of programs with low patronage and/or high-cost per participant have been reduced, Johnson said. The Youth Services Center will be closed on Sundays; and there will be a reduction of Caring Saturdays and Friday Date Nights programs. Some programs' fees will increases by $1 or less, starting Oct. 1. Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Because of a 25 percent reduction in taxpayer funding, the library's hours are being cut, said Brenda Spencer-Ragland, Fort Sill Family and MWR director. Fees will be implemented for services such as pools, outdoor recreation areas and special events and programs. Here's how some of the $105 million will be used on Army posts: Special staff contracts and critical requirements -- $33.7 millionAirfield contracts and critical requirements -- $13.3 millionFirefighter contracts -- $13.1 millionStorm damage reserve -- $5 million Special staff pay -- $4.8 millionSecurity contracts and critical requirements -- $1 million “You can help by understanding this is something that has to be done in order for us to remain combat ready and to invest in our readiness,” Dahl said in his message. “When we have fewer resources, the cuts have to be taken from somewhere.” [Source: Military Times | Karen Jowers | September 8, 2016 ++]*********************************Civilian Military Knowledge ? Military/Civilian Cultural GapMost Americans greatly admire the military -- but they actually know almost nothing about it. “Most people know nobody in the military,” said retired Marine Corps Gen. Jim Mattis, who spent 44 years in uniform. “There are many people who do not know if the U.S. Army has 60,000 men or 6 million. They do not have a clue about that,” he said. Mattis, the revered four-star general who headed U.S. Central Command before retiring in 2013, is the co-author of a new book, "Warriors & Citizens," that reveals ground-breaking research about the cultural gap between the military and the civilian population it serves. Mattis, now a fellow at the Hoover Institution in California, launched a sweeping research project that surveyed thousands of Americans on their views about the military. The results revealed a surprising level of ignorance and unfamiliarity. One in three people confessed that they had little or no familiarity with the military and simply declined to answer many questions about it. Half of all Americans cannot recall socializing with a military service member or military spouse within the past year. When asked how many people are in the military, Americans on average guess about 6.4 million. The actual number is about 1.3 million. Experts say that reflects the shrinking size of the military, military recruiters' heavy reliance on specific regions like the South, and the closure of many military bases during the past 20 years, which has isolated today’s troops in fewer locations. Yet most civilians admire the military and its service members, regardless of their lack of knowledge. About 70 percent of Americans said most members of civilian society have “a great deal of respect for the military.” And 85 percent said they are personally “proud of the men and women who serve in the military.” “It looks like that connection [between military and civilians] is very broad but very shallow. That was a surprise to us,” said Kori Schake, who co-authored the book with Mattis. She’s a former Pentagon official who studies military issues at the Hoover Institution. Mattis said he believes today’s civil-military relations are healthy. But he’s wary of the future, as the military continues to shrink and the gap potentially intensifies. “I think the gap can be tolerated so long as we maintain a fundamental friendliness in America toward one another and a respect for each other,” Mattis said in a recent Military Times interview. “America is quite right to be proud of their military, but at the same time there has got to be a sense of common purpose between these two elements. If, in fact, this gap grows and we lose the sense of common purpose, then I think we have a problem,” he said. Mattis said he was concerned that “policy makers who have never served in the military” will “continue to use the military to lead social change in this country,” pointing to the decision earlier this year to open all combat jobs to women. “We are liable to find ourselves paying the cost on a battlefield that we do not want to pay. There is no God-given right to victory on the battlefield. You win that through the skill and the devotion, the valor and the ferocity of your troops. You have to be very, very careful, I think, if this gap grows, and it surely will. We have to be very careful that we do not undercut the military battlefield effectiveness with shortsighted social programs," Mattis said. [Source: Military Times | Andrew Tilghman | September 7, 2016 ++]*********************************Military Retirement System Update 24 ? BRS Opt-In EstimatesMore than 740,000 currently serving active duty members and 176,000 drilling Reserve and National Guard personnel are expected to opt in to the new BRS, or Blended Retirement System, when the choice becomes available in 2018 to military members with fewer than 12 years’ service. The opt-in estimates are the product of a “dynamic retention” computer model developed by RAND Corporation and used to predict how personnel will react to a new retirement choice. The BRS was designed by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission and approved by Congress last year after lawmakers tweaked a few features. The number of current members who will opt to leave their “High-3” retirement plan, with its higher lifetime value for the near-term rewards and flexible features of the BRS, is important to Department of Defense Board of Actuaries. The three-member board is responsible for ensuring the Defense Department’s Military Retirement Fund is properly valued and actuarially sound. It held its annual meeting 15 JUL and accepted RAND’s estimate that a total of 916,754 active and reserve component members will opt into the BRS starting 16 months from now. That estimate is roughly half of the 1.8 million active duty, Guard and Reserve members eligible to make the choice. A transcript of that July meeting, however, shows the board and department actuaries embraced RAND’s numbers only reluctantly, as flawed approximations but also the best available. To understand why the number experts grumbled, we first need to review major features of the BRS.The new plan is called blended because it combines an immediate but also smaller annuity after 20 or more years of service with a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) enhanced by government matching of member contributions of up to four percent of basic pay plus an automatic one percent government contribution for all BRS participants, whether they contribute or not to TSP.This 401(k)-like nest egg toward retirement is a portable benefit on leaving service. Veterans can roll the account into an employer 401(k) or continue to make contributions whether they served two years or 40 years in the military. Because this feature will benefit the great majority of members who leave service short of retirement eligibility at 20 years, the blended plan is expected to be a popular option, particularly with younger folks on their first or second enlistment and officers completing initial service mitted careerists, however, are likely to stick with High-3 retirement, which will pay 20 percent more in lifetime annuities if full careers are a realistic goal. The blended plan has two other features High-3 doesn’t.By current law, BRS participants are to receive a one-time “continuation payment” at the 12-year mark that, at a minimum, must equal two-and-half months of basic for active duty members who agree to serve four more years or one-half month of active pay for reserve component personnel who make the same deal.Defense pay officials wanted the continuation payment to be used solely as a retention tool. So they asked Congress this year to lift all restrictions on amounts paid, when paid and to whom. Both the House and Senate declined to grant such flexibility in their separate versions of the fiscal 2017 defense authorization bill. But both chambers did vote to relax the timing of this feature so continuation pay can be offered from the 8th to 12th year of service in exchange for serving a minimum of three more years.The last key feature of BRS allows those who reach retirement to receive in a lump sum 25 percent or 50 percent of their pre-old-age retirement annuities. In other words, here would be cash to help buy a home, start a business or pay off debts in return for reducing military annuities by one quarter or one half until age 67. What bothered the Board of Actuaries about the RAND forecasts for number of members who will opt for BRS is that no one has calculated yet how attractive the lump sum feature will be. Another term for the missing ingredient is “personal discount rate.” Without that rate, which the board characterizes as a policy decision, RAND was forced to assume that no BRS member would elect the lump-sum distribution. Because many will, however, the actuaries know the BRS opt-in estimates and, therefore, projected costs to properly fund the new military retirement option, are not precise enough to be acceptable. The board so advised Defense Secretary Ash Carter in a mid-July letter providing the board’s annual status report on the Military Retirement Fund.“Although we are unable to opine on the analytical model used to produce RAND’s opt-in assumptions, we have approved [the Office of Actuary’s] reliance on these assumptions, produced by that model, because we have no better basis for projecting opt-in behavior,” the board advised.“However, the significant uncertainty surrounding the opt-in process (for example with respect to the financial training to be provided to service members) and other aspects of BRS means the opt-in and other assumptions are likely to change as more experience and information about the new system (e.g., the discount rate to be used for lump sums) become available.” Members who enter service on or after Jan. 1, 2018, have no choice; BRS will be their retirement plan. Another group with no choice are members with 12 or more years of service by Dec. 31, 2017. They will be grandfathered under current High-3 retirement. Congress rejected not only the department’s idea to eliminate the minimum continuation payment but three other changes sought to the BRS to save an estimated $5.4 billion on retirement through fiscal 2021. Defense officials wanted TSP matching to start in the fifth year of service rather than the third year. That would have dampened the value of the plan substantially for participants after their first enlistment. Officials also wanted TSP matching to continue until retirement rather end at 26 years of service, as the law now requires. Lawmakers decided this change would have benefitted primarily senior officers, and rejected it. DoD also asked to raise maximum government contributions to TSP under the blended plan from five percent basic pay to six. Congress balked at the added cost and also reasoned the match should stay at five percent for parity with federal civilian TSP participants. Defense officials argued it’s not parity to match five percent of federal salaries against five percent of basic pay, ignoring that military folks get a large portion of pay as allowances. [Source: | Tom Philpott | September 1, 2016 ++]*********************************Military Surplus Hardware ? Online AuctionsNineties-era Humvees can be had for $7,000. Dump trucks and tractors that once trudged through warzones start at $15,000. And construction cranes that helped build military outposts bear price tags from $20,000 to $23,000. Most are in good working order and many of the trucks have surprisingly low mileage. These are some of the 1,300 pieces of surplus military hardware that went up for auction 7 SEP. “Every Wednesday we sell 350 to 400 items,” says Jeffrey L. Holmes, senior vice president of government solutions and auction management at GovPlanet. . GovPlanet, based in Pleasanton, California, is the government-focused arm of used-equipment marketplace IronPlanet. The company won a six-year contract from the Defense Logistics Agency to help offload surplus inventory that has accumulated over decades. Holmes, a former Army officer and long-time defense industry executive, is insistent that the military should sell off aging forklifts, cranes, trucks and trailers sooner, rather than later. Iron mountains of surplus inventory sit all over the United States. If it’s not needed by the military, why not sell it? “They bought a lot, and not all the equipment got used as often as they had anticipated,” Holmes tells National Defense. “This isn’t junk. There is some junk, but some good value. And every piece of equipment comes with a full inspection report.” GovPlanet’s contract with DLA covers only rolling stock. Construction equipment is the easiest to sell because it is no different from what commercial companies use. By virtue of their prestige as wartime workhorses, the Humvees and five-ton trucks are among the most sought-after items at GovPlanet’s weekly online auctions. There are 1990s-vintage Stewart & Stevenson trucks with as little as 1,400 miles. The first Humvee auction the company held in December 2014 drew early 200,000 visitors. A typical Humvee sale attracts from 100,000 to 200,000 viewers. An all-Humvee auction of 250 vehicles is scheduled for September 13. The auctioning of surplus military equipment can be highly profitable for the vendor, which retains 25 percent of the proceeds. The most recent DLA contract was fiercely contested, with GovPlanet beating the previous contractor Liquidity Services. Other auction houses like Ritchie Brothers also play in this market, and companies often compete against the government’s own General Services Administration, which oversees sales of many agencies’ excess inventory. The sale of unused military equipment is turning into an increasingly lucrative opportunity as U.S. forces downsize and close down overseas bases. GovPlanet now operates 283 sites under the DLA contract, including four in Europe, and a couple more due to open up in the Pacific Rim. “We have personnel and inventory at all 283 sites,” says Holmes. The surplus military vehicle market creates a culture clash of sorts. Whereas the Defense Department tends to want to hold on to things indefinitely and has little financial incentive to sell its aging stock, private contractors like GovPlanet are all about moving the equipment to the largest bid as quickly as possible. Repairs and upgrades sometimes are recommended to make vehicle more palatable to potential buyers, Holmes says. Some of these “make ready” fixes are done in a cost-sharing arrangement with DLA. They could be simple improvements like adding batteries or fluids. “If we do that we’ve shown we can get 40 percent more for the item, even for some cosmetic changes.” The price of an item is determined based on its original acquisition value. Typically military vehicles auctioned by GovPlanet sell for about 8 percent to 10 percent of their original purchase cost. “It varies by equipment,” says Holmes. “A Humvee that fell out of an airplane without a parachute is not going to get 8 or 10 percent of its original acquisition value. Some equipment is relatively new. Some equipment is old but hasn’t had much use. We see construction equipment with less than 24 hours of operation.” One of the challenges for GovPlanet is to convince the Defense Department to get rid of things. “The military hangs on to stuff for a long time assuming they might need it one day,” says Holmes. “So you have acres and acres of stuff sitting there, aging.” Company executives have worked with the Army and DLA to “encourage them to sell the equipment sooner, because we can get a higher price point. We encourage the military services to get rid of surplus stock, to get money back into their budgets.” There are restrictions on who can buy this equipment. Nothing can be sold offshore. Buyers must be U.S. citizens based in the United States. Some items are sold to brokers and dealers who may do their own upgrades before they resell. Other companies buy vehicles and modify them, install radios and tweak them for collectors. Occasionally purchasers are actual consumers, such as farmers or hunters who need rugged vehicles to get around. The equipment auctioned by GovPlanet comes with a “condition certification” that is issued after it’s been inspected. Inspectors’ reports are available to bidders two weeks ahead of auction dates. With the exception of Humvees and other specialty trucks, the majority of the equipment DLA gets rid of is commercial gear that has been beefed up a little bit and painted in camouflage. GovPlanet demilitarizes the trucks — removing armor or other sensitive components — before they are auctioned. This is a business that is poised for growth, Holmes says. “With the downsizing of the Army there’s more equipment coming in.” The company is eyeing future DLA contracts to auction generators and commercial pickup trucks. Working with the Defense Department presents unique difficulties for auction houses that rarely are encountered with other, more cash-strapped clients. “We have about 200 state and local municipalities that have used us to dispose of surplus equipment,” says Holmes. “They are trying to get maximum value from the equipment to get funds to buy new stuff.” The military is not as motivated. “Culture is one of the most difficult things I wrestle with,” says Holmes. “They are very reluctant to try something new. They’re comfortable with what they are doing, and they are skeptical.” Commercial customers, by contrast, are more eager to try new approaches. “If you propose something to the commercial sector, they’re probably going to give you a shot to let you show them that what you promised is true.” In the government, they presume upfront that there’s no value in surplus equipment, he says. “As a taxpayer when you see equipment going to a crusher and being sold for pennies on the dollar as scrap metal, I see that as wasteful. Instead, you can get money that you can reutilize. The commercial sector gets it. The defense sector is slower to grasp.” Parent company IronPlanet was founded in 1999 and was an early exploiter of the Internet as a medium to sell construction equipment. It later moved into the transportation, oil, gas and government sectors. It has sold about $5 billion worth of equipment. The company won’t disclose specific sales numbers for the DLA auctions other than claiming it sells 400 vehicles a week on average over 48 auctions conducted each year. The DLA contract GovPlanet won in 2014 is based on a “proceeds share model.” Typically sellers pay auctioneers upfront to offload their equipment. After it is sold, the auctioneers collects a fee from the buyer, then gives the net to the seller. Under the DLA deal, the agency is in charge of disposing used equipment, and GovPlanet agrees to a 75/25 proceeds split. “When we sell an asset, DLA gets 75 percent of the proceeds. We have skin in the game. So we leverage our marketing to get a higher price point.” [Source: NDIA | Sandra I. Erwin | September 7, 2016 ++]*********************************Military Ranks Quiz 1 ? Do You Know1. What is the order of generals, junior to senior?General, Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier GeneralBrigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, GeneralGeneral, Brigadier General, Lieutenant General, Major General2. What are the three groups Army ranks are broken down into?enlisted, specialists, commissioned officersjunior enlisted, noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and senior NCOswings, groups and squadrons3. Who are the brass?All commissioned officersHigh-ranking officersCongress4. What is a mustang?An officer promoted from enlistedAn officer charged with the operation of a shipNickname for a Marine Corps gunnery sergeant5. Who is a plebe?Incoming class at a military academyNew recruits in basic trainingUpperclassmen at Officer Candidate School6. True or false: The rank of private in the Marines does not wear a uniform insignia.truefalse7. Which Army rank is only used in time of war?GeneralGeneral of the ArmyVice general8. How do you address a lieutenant general?GeneralLieutenantCaptain! My captain!9. What were captains called in the Roman army ranks?MunifexsCenturionsQuaestors10. If you're a lance corporal in the Marine Corps, what is the equivalent rank in the Army?Apprentice first classLance corporalPrivate first class11. Which rank is higher in the Marine Corps, sergeant major or master gunnery sergeant?Sergeant majorMaster gunnery sergeantThey're the same.12. Which is NOT a difference of insignia between a seaman recruit in the Navy and one in the Coast Guard?A seaman recruit in the Coast Guard wears an insignia.Coast Guard rank insignia is a different color.Both of theseNeither of these13. What is the difference between a commissioned and noncommissioned officer?AgeSecurity clearanceEducation14. True or false: Commissioned officers outrank all noncommissioned officers.truefalse15. Who is the only airman ever to hold rank of five-star general, as the general of the Air Force?Henry H. ArnoldDwight D. EisenhowerChester W. Nimitz *****************************Military Ranks Quiz 1 ? Did You Answer Correctly?1. What is the order of generals, junior to senior?Brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general, general is the order, from most junior to most senior rank.2. What are the three groups Army ranks are broken down into?Army ranks fall into three groups: junior enlisted, NCOs and senior NCOs.3. Who are the brass?Military "brass" are its high-ranking officers.4. What is a mustang?A mustang is an officer who was promoted from within the enlisted ranks.5. Who is a plebe?Freshman (the lowest class) are called plebes at the Naval Academy and at West Point.6. True or false: The rank of private in the Marines does not wear a uniform insignia.Neither privates in the Marine Corps or in the Army, seamen recruits in the Navy nor airmen recruits in the Air Force have a rank insignia.7. Which Army rank is only used in time of war?The rank of general of the Army is equal to or higher than those who command armies from other nations and hasn't been used since World War II.8. How do you address a lieutenant general?All generals are addressed as "general," whether brigadier, lieutenant, major or simply general.9. What were captains called in the Roman army ranks?Captains in the Roman army were called centurions, each commanding up to 100 men10. If you're a lance corporal in the Marine Corps, what is the equivalent rank in the Army?A lance corporal is the equivalent to a private first class in the Army. In the Marines, private first class comes before lance corporal.11. Which rank is higher in the Marine Corps, sergeant major or master gunnery sergeant?While they're the same pay grade (E-9), sergeant major is the higher rank.12. Which is NOT a difference of insignia between a seaman recruit in the Navy and one in the Coast Guard?In the Coast Guard, a seaman recruit has an insignia with one stripe, and Coast Guard insignia colors are different than Navy colors.13. What is the difference between a commissioned and noncommissioned officer?Commissioned officers have extra education (a minimum of a bachelor's degree and officer training), whereas NCOs do not.14. True or false: Commissioned officers outrank all noncommissioned missioned officers outrank NCOs, but NCOs do command lower-ranking enlisted personnel.15. Who is the only airman ever to hold rank of five-star general, as the general of the Air Force?Henry H. Arnold who also became general of the Army in 1944.Cockroach Milk ? A Protein PowerhouseGot milk? How about cockroach milk? Yeah. You read that correctly. Cockroach milk is apparently a thing now, and regardless of how vile it may seem, it turns out the insect milk packs a powerful punch when it comes to nutrition. That’s according to a new report from researchers at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine in India. The scientists found that cockroach milk is a protein powerhouse and has the potential to become the next superfood. You probably don’t associate cockroaches with producing milk — and in fact, most don’t. The Pacific Beetle Cockroach (Diploptera punctate) is the only known cockroach that not only gives birth to live infant bugs, but also produces a “milk” containing protein crystals to feed its young. “The crystals are like a complete food — they have proteins, fats and sugars. If you look into the protein sequences, they have all the essential amino acids,” said Sanchari Banerjee, one of the main researchers, said in an interview with The Times of India. The report was recently published in the journal of the International Union of Crystallography. “The fact that an insect produces milk is pretty fascinating — but what fascinated researchers is the fact that a single one of these protein crystals contains more than three times the amount of energy found in an equivalent amount of buffalo milk (which is also higher in calories than dairy milk),” says Science Alert. Cockroach milk has another big advantage. As the protein is used up and digested, the crystal continues to release protein at a similar rate. “It’s time-released food,” explained Subramanian Ramaswamy, a biochemist at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine in Bangalore, India, adding “if you need food that is calorifically high, that is time released and food that is complete. This is it.” So how do you get the milk from the cockroach mothers? You don’t milk a cockroach, if that’s what you’re thinking. “The crystals are currently extracted from the midgut of cockroach embryos — perhaps not the most efficient way of feeding a growing world population,” says CNN. The researchers are hoping to find a way to reverse bioengineer the cockroach milk so it can potentially be consumed as a protein supplement. If you think cockroach milk sounds disgusting, what about crickets? Bugs are increasingly looked at as a way to address growing global food demands. Read more about eating crickets at . [Source: MoneyTalksNews | Krystal Steinmetz | July 28, 2016 ++]*****************************Make your Morning Healthier ? Seven WaysRise and shine! Here’s how to make the first hour the best part of your daySkip the newsStarting your day already stressed? Blame the bad news. In a 2014 poll, 40 percent of those who said they were under a great deal of stress pinpointed this top reason: watching or listening to the news. The negativity may make you worried and anxious before you have to tackle the stressors in your own life. Stay informed, but consider listening to a book on tape or podcast during your commute to keep you on an even keel.Pump up your breakfastIt’s easy to get protein at lunch (turkey sandwich) and dinner (salmon and veggies), but people often skimp at breakfast (toast and fruit). Eating more protein during the day, including breakfast, is linked to less body fat, better muscle function and better blood sugar control, research shows. A few higher protein morning options: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and hardboiled eggs.Throw open the shadesNow this is a reason to love a good sunrise. A 2014 PLOS One study found that more early morning light exposure is associated with lower body fat, possibly because it resets your circadian rhythm, which could boost your metabolism. Heading outdoors is best, but at the very least open your shades to stream in lots of light.Prep coffeeYour daily java packs big health perks. The latest: drinking at least four cups a day slashes your risk of melanoma by 20 percent, compared to the noncaffeinated set, per research in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Program your coffee maker to brew in the a.m. or premake a big batch of iced Joe so it’s ready to go when you are.Focus on your showerMorning meditation is helpful, but if you’re pressed for time, even getting in short bursts — called mindful meditation — can help brain areas responsible for memory and stress, say Harvard researchers. “Mindfulness” means being aware of sensations in the moment, like focusing in the shower on the feel of the warm water on your skin and the smell of your body wash.Turn up the tunesAdd energy to your morning routine with upbeat music. People who listened to positive tunes while trying to be happier and improve their mood reported more happiness after two weeks compared with a control group. It turns out being cheerful is a decision you can make — and music can help reinforce that sunshiny mentality.Take a 10-minute walkWhether you do it outdoors or on a treadmill when the weather turns icky, commit to a short stint of activity. Overweight postmenopausal women who walked at a modest pace for only 74 minutes a week improved their quality of life (like mood and energy) compared with a sedentary group — whether they lost weight or not. So get out there!.[Source: AARP | Jessica Migala | September 8, 2015 ++]*****************************Military Drug Take Back Program ? Safe Drug DisposalExcess prescription and over-the-counter drugs can pose a serious risk in your home. The Military Health System (MHS) is helping the military community fight back against the dangers of unneeded, unused and expired drugs by offering Drug Take Back at military pharmacies in the U.S. “Proper disposal of unneeded, unused and expired drugs lowers the risk of misuse and environmental contamination,” said Dr. George Jones, chief of Pharmacy Operations at the DHA. “The MHS Drug Take Back program accepts both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, so this is the time to clean out your medicine cabinet.” Military pharmacies in the U.S. offer two Drug Take Back options. Most pharmacies have fixed containers in place where you can drop off your excess drugs. Others offer envelopes you can take home, fill with your drugs, and then mail in. Some have both. You can’t dispose of illegal drugs at MHS Drug Take Back locations. Check to see if your local military pharmacy offers drug takeback at tricare.mil/mtf . “Holding onto drugs past their useful life is a bad idea,” said Jones. “It could be a child accidently ingesting an over-the-counter sleep aid, or an addict finding expired pain killers. Don’t take the risk of having these drugs in your home once you don’t need them anymore.” For more information on the Military Health System’s Drug Take Back efforts, visit the Drug Take Back Spotlight at . [Source: TRICARE Communications | September 12, 2016 ++] *****************************TRICARE Assisted Living Options ? Benefits Available As you or your loved ones age, you may find that getting to doctors’ offices is more difficult or more frequent. TRICARE offers several options to help you get the care you need. First, decide which services you need, like whether you need a skilled nursing facility or nursing home. Then you can find out if TRICARE covers those services. SNF Care: Skilled nursing care is covered by TRICARE in the U.S. and U.S. Territories within skilled nursing facilities (SNF) if you have a hospital stay of three or more days. Remember, you are an outpatient until the doctor formally admits you into the hospital. You become inpatient on the day you’re formally admitted to a hospital with a doctor’s order. The day of discharge also doesn’t count as an inpatient day. Services covered in a skilled nursing facility include: semi-private rooms (a room you share with other patients), meals, skilled nursing care, physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology services, medical social services, medications, medical supplies and equipment used in the facility, ambulance transportation (when other transportation is dangerous to your health) to the nearest care not available at the facility, and dietary counseling. Nursing home Care: Skilled nursing facility care is different from nursing home care, which is not covered by TRICARE. Nursing homes provide custodial care. i.e. Non-skilled, personal care for basic day-to-day tasks. This includes help with eating, dressing, getting in or out of a bed or chair, moving around, and using the bathroom., which is care that helps you with activities such as: bathing, dressing, walking, eating and sleeping. Learn more about this at . DME: In either situation, you may need durable medical equipment (DME). This is equipment that can hold up to repeated use and serves a medical purpose, like oxygen equipment or insulin pumps. TRICARE covers DME when prescribed by a physician to increase your quality of life. If you can stay home, but still need assistance, you may decide home health care is best for you . Home health care is provided by nurses, nurses’ aides, or therapists who come into your home to help you with medication or other services. Physical, speech and occupational therapists can visit to help you function better. Medical social service workers can visit to make sure you receive proper care. Coverage is the same as Medicare for these services. Hospice Care: is care for those who are terminally ill. It emphasizes supportive services such as pain control and home care. TRICARE does not cover room and board?unless the patient is receiving inpatient or respite care. When you choose hospice care, you've decided that you no longer want care to cure your terminal illness and/or your doctor has determined that efforts to cure your illness aren't working. Hospice care is provided in three benefit periods, and each benefit?period requires?prior authorization.? The first two periods are each 90 days.? The final period comprises an unlimited number of 60-day periods, each of which requires recertification of the terminal illness. If a beneficiary revokes a hospice election, any remaining days in that period are forfeited. To learn more about TRICARE coverage go to . ALF/Long Term Care: TRICARE and Medicare do not cover assisted living facilities or long term care. The Department of Veterans Affairs pays for long-term care services for service-related disabilities and certain other eligible veterans. They also offer nursing home care and at home care for aging veterans who need long term care. Remember, long term care is care that you need if you can no longer perform everyday tasks by yourself due to a chronic illness, injury, disability or the aging process. Plan ahead and research long-term care insurance, like the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program () before you need it.[Source: TRICARE Communications | September 12, 2016 ++]*****************************COLA 2017 Update 03 ? Projecting What to ExpectAs we get down to the last few months of the fiscal year, a frequent inquiry from MOAA members is, “What do you think the COLA will be?” Anybody can make a guess, and say it's probably not going to be much. MOAA's reaction is, “Let's make as scientific a guess as we can.” The best indicator (and about the only indicator) we have for inflation in the next few months is what happened in the last few months of previous years. And what happened wasn't too good. Here's the average monthly change for July, August, and September for the last three years (these are raw changes in the consumer price index (CPI), not percentage changes): zero, -.2, and -.1. What does that mean? If the CPI follows the recent August-September average this year, your COLA will be: .2 percent. In that case, you'd get an extra $1.66 per month for every $10,000 in annual retired pay, Social Security, VA disability compensation, or SBP annuity - before taxes. Don't spend it all in one place. And that's the good news. If you're a pessimist, you'll remember the last time we had a year with no COLA, we ended up having a second consecutive year without a COLA (2010-11). Further, this year's actual July change wasn't zero (the average for the last three Julys); it was -.5. If that worse-deflation-than-average continues in August and September, we'll have another year with no COLA. The August CPI number, which comes out next week, will be critical in determining your 2017 COLA. [Source: MOAA Legislative Update | September 9, 2016 ++]*****************************Insurance Coverage ? Its All in the Fine PrintYou know you need insurance for your home and car, and you may be spending a lot of money on coverage each month. But in all that fine print there are exceptions and exclusions, as well as some surprising things included in standard coverage. Is your insurance company going to come through when you need it? Do you really know what is covered by your policies? Here’s a little quiz to test your knowledge:What if your $50,000 stamp collection goes up in flames with your house? The collection is not covered unless your homeowners policy has a rider specifically for it. Even then, it may not pay the whole amount. Insurance company Travelers notes that standard homeowners policies may restrict payouts for valuable items. For example, these are common limits for popular personal possession categories:Jewelry or furs — $1,000.Firearms — $2,000.Silverware — $2,500. Policies may also limit coverage for home contents to a certain percentage of the home’s value. Either way, it may be tough to get the insurance company to cough up $50,000 for your lost stamps. However, you should be able to buy a rider for high-value items. Unfortunately, even these riders can have limitations. Travelers says a typical rider might only cover up to $10,000 per item. If you can’t get enough coverage through your homeowners plan, you may want to take out a separate policy specifically for your valuables.What if terrorists bomb your house? Your loss will be covered — so long as it’s just a standard explosion, and we aren’t at war. The Insurance Information Institute told Business Insider that nuclear, biological, chemical or radioactive weapon attacks probably won’t be insured losses. However, if it is your run-of-the-mill explosion or damage caused by resulting fire or smoke, you should be all set. Most homeowners policies also typically exclude acts of war. You may think it’s a good thing we haven’t actually declared war since 1942, but your insurance company may define war a little more broadly and include insurrection and rebellion, among other things. Other common exclusions on homeowners policies include:Earth movementFlooding or water damageMoldLosses related to government ordinances or action (i.e., condemnation or seizure)Faulty workmanshipPest removalOrdinary wear and tear or losses that are the result of neglected maintenanceWhat if your kid’s computer is stolen from their college dorm room? Your student’s belongings should not require a renter’s insurance policy — that is, your homeowners insurance should cover them. Here’s what Wells Fargo has to say on the subject:If your child lives in a dorm, your homeowners or renters insurance policy may extend to cover their belongings. Most policies limit a student’s coverage to 10 percent of the parent’s coverage. In other words, if your homeowners policy has a personal property limit of $300,000, your child’s belongings will be covered up to $30,000, after the deductible.However, that generally applies only to full-time students living in a dorm. Part-time students or those who are staying in off-campus housing may need to get their own coverage. Check with your insurance company to find out the particulars of your policy.What if some *&$#!@ person put sugar in your gas tank and ruined the engine? They will pay out the claim … if you have comprehensive coverage. Just as your insurance company will pay out for a stolen car, most comprehensive policies also cover vandalism such as graffiti, key damage and, yes, even sugar in the gas tank. Esurance suggests you take these steps if you’ve been the victim of a vandal.Call the police to file a report.Take photos of the damage, if possible.Contact your insurance company.Wait to clean up or make repairs until the police have given the OK.Don’t forget that your deductible will still apply to vandalism claims.-o-o-O-o-o-The moral of the story is to always read the fine print on your insurance policies before assuming something is — or is not — covered. When in doubt, call the company or your broker for help in deciphering the legalese. [Source: MoneyTalksNews | Maryalene LaPonsie | September 8, 2016 ++]*****************************Long Term Care FLTCIP Update 10 ? Reduced Premium OptionsMOAA Transition Center Deputy Director is offering offer some helpful insights to assist in your federal Long Term Care (LTC) insurance decision. He spoke to the federal LTC insurance customer service people and they told him they are willing to run new quotes for policy holders who want to change their program options; even options beyond those listed on their letters. When you call customer service just ask for a new quote and they will send you the new premium rates based on your changed options. What are the options? Inflation Protection option. The historical national average inflation rate for long term care costs is a bit over 3%. Inflation adjustments increase the daily benefit and maximum lifetime benefits amounts in your policy. If you have a fixed-rate inflation adjustment, as most of you do, you pay the appropriate fixed premium associated with the inflation rate as your letter explains. This is an expensive option. Future Purchase Offer (FPO) option. The FPO puts future inflation adjustments in your control and is less costly. Every 2 years, you receive a FPO letter stating an inflation rate adjustment amount as determined by the insurance company and the new premium to activate the new inflated benefit amount. Yes, the premium for this option is flexible unlike your current inflation option. You choose whether you accept the inflation rate adjustment and the new premium amount. If you choose not to accept, your plan stays as is. You can decline the inflation adjustment three times before your policy is permanently fixed at your daily benefit amount. The FPO is less costly than the fixed inflation options because the inflation rate is fluid as are the future premiums. Daily Benefit Amount option. Adjusting your daily benefit amount. Choose a lesser amount and you lower your premium. You have to decide whether you want your LTC insurance to cover all, most, or some of your potential long term care cost. Consider this… Most people’s long term care issues are handled in their home or at an assisted living facility; not a nursing home. Many people plan LTC for nursing home costs but it is not likely this is where they will be. Nursing homes are medical treatment facilities (an extension of a hospital) for people requiring a medical staff which makes them very expensive. Most people’s long term care situations are recovery issues that will not be in a nursing home. Think broken hip and temporary recovery not constant medical staff treatment for an illness. There are numerous web sites to estimate LTC costs. To learn what the average costs are for your area suggest use to determine if your daily benefit amount is more than you need. Waiting Period option. This is how long you are willing to wait in a long term care situation before the insurance kicks in. This is like the deductible on your auto or home insurance. The longer you wait for the insurance to start, the cheaper your premium. The average is 90 days. It can be just about whatever you want from no waiting period (expensive) to however long you can wait and cover the costs yourself. Have a number of months in mind when you call customer service. Benefit Period option. This is how long your coverage lasts. The shorter the period, the lower the premium. The average long term care need is 3 years. Most people recover within the 3 years or they pass away. Of course, many plan for extended situations like a dementia issue which could drag on for years. -o-o-O-o-o- Figure out what you need given the options above and ask the customer service rep to run you the numbers. Hopefully you can find a workable solution. [Source: MOAA | Lt. Col. Shane Ostrom, USAF (Ret) | August 31, 2016 ++]*****************************Social Security Fund Depletion Update 12 ? New Publication The Social Security Administration recently released a new publication, “Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security, 2016 () .” Here are a few highlights:Number of people receiving Social Security benefits: 60 millionPercentage of Social Security recipients who get at least half their income from Social Security: 61 percentPercentage of Social Security disability recipients younger than age 65: 28 percentPercentage of Social Security recipients who are women: 55 percentMaximum current Social Security Benefit for a worker retiring at full retirement age in 2016: $2,639 per monthCurrent size of the Social Security trust fund: $2.83 trillionPercentage of Social Security revenues that come from taxation of Social Security benefits as income: 3.4 percentRatio of current workers to current Social Security recipients: 2.4 workers for every recipient In the next Congress (2017-18), entitlement (including Social Security) reform almost certainly will be a hot item, and we expect a range of old and some new ideas will be put on the table by various politicians, interest groups, and appointed panels. To date, almost all of the proposed changes have gone nowhere, but the issue isn't likely to go away based on projections the trust fund will be exhausted in 20 years or so. While changes likely will happen at some point, MOAA will be weighing in with analysis of their positive and negative effects. In the end, nobody wants the system to go bankrupt, nobody wants to impose disproportional changes on elderly and disabled beneficiaries and survivors, and nobody wants our children and grandchildren to have to bear a disproportional tax burden. MOAA believes the country can and must avoid those kinds of scenarios. [Source: MOAA Legislative Update | September 1, 2016 ++]*****************************Government Benefits Scam ? Elderly VictimizedInvestigators say a woman behind a ponzi scheme is now in prison after she collected millions of dollars in exchange for the promise to help people get government benefits. Many of those victims included military veterans. "I fell in. Hook, line and sinker." Mack Gurley is still angry with himself for getting lured into the scheme run by Gina Palasini. "I did one of the most stupid things I ever did in my life," he says. "I wrote her a check for $100,000." Palasini approached Gurley, and other elderly victims, offering to help them obtain goverment benefits. "I thought she was representing the VA (Veterans Affairs). I was even more so convinced when she freely invited me to her house and introduced me to her family," says Gurley. He says he truly believed he was getting benefits available to him because he was a veteran. "So what she would do was convince them to reallocate, diversify their assets into an annuity for the family trust," says U.S. Postal Inspector Kyle Parker. Eventually, Palasini's plan unraveled. "Once the victims started asking questions, that's when the excuses started coming out," says Parker. In all, 13 victims lost $2 million. "It's heartbreaking. They worked their entire lives, from anywhere from being a firefighter to a pastor to being in the military," says Parker. "She tarted those that were elderly, but also those that were veterans." Gina Palasini was sentenced to more than six years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $2 million in restitution. [Source: News 4 San Antonio | September 5, 2016 ++]*****************************Zika Cure Scam ? How it WorksScammers make their living preying on our fears. With the Zika outbreak in Miami, scammers are cashing in on our anxiety about the disease. Don't fall for cons that claim to repel the mosquitos that spread it. How the Scam Works: You hear about a product that can prevent your contacting Zika; you may have seen a friend's post on social media, gotten an email or found a website through search. The promoted products range from wristbands to patches to stickers, and they all claim to repel the mosquitos that carry Zika. The product's website may look completely legitimate and have a lot of information, including convincing testimonials. But don't fall for it! The Federal Trade Commission already issued warnings to online sellers, urging them to remove unsubstantiated claims about the products. When purchasing, be skeptical of any too-good-to-be-true claims and look for EPA-approved products. This is also unlikely to be the end of Zika-related cons. Judging from past experience, fake cures and other cons preying on health fears are sure to pop up again... if not about Zika than about another disease. How to Spot a Quack Cure: Spot a fraudulent health product by watching out for these red flags:One product does it all... instantly. Be suspicious of products that claim to immediately cure a wide range of diseases. No one product could be effective against a long, varied list of conditions or diseases.Personal testimonials instead of scientific evidence. Success stories are easy to make up and are not a substitute for scientific evidence.It's "all natural." Just because it's natural does not mean it's good for you. All natural does not mean the same thing as safe. The medicine is a "miracle cure." If a real cure for a serious disease were discovered, it would be widely reported through the news media and prescribed by health professionals - not buried in print ads, social media ads, or on websites.Conspiracy theories. These statements are used to distract consumers from the obvious, common-sense questions about the so-called miracle cure.Check with your doctor: If you're tempted to buy an unproven product or one with questionable claims, check with your doctor or other health care professional first. Learn more about finding a legitimate option to protect yourself against Zika and mosquitoes in the article at . Also, check out this piece from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at HYPERLINK "" For advice on protecting your family from mosquitoes. To learn more about scams or to report a scam, go to BBB Scam Tracker at scamtracker/us. [Source: BBB Scam alert | September 9, 2016 ++] *****************************SSA Retirement Age Update 03 ? 62-65 or LaterFinancial advisors say that one of the biggest mistakes that most people make is retiring too early. If you claim at age 62, your benefit will be permanently reduced by 25% and may leave you at risk of having an inadequate income in retirement. But there are a few times when it makes sense to start benefits early. Here are steps to take to help you make the right decision:Calculate all available retirement income and assess adequacy. You and your spouse need to determine income from all sources, Social Security, pensions, IRA(s), 401(k)s, real estate, other assets, and jobs, and work up a realistic retirement budget. Don’t be tempted to assume your household budget will stay the same or go down in retirement, even if you pay off your mortgage. If you own your own home, you will still need to budget for real estate taxes, homeowners insurance, maintenance, and over time, big expenses like painting or replacing the roof. In addition, you need to budget a growing portion of your budget to medical expenses, which tend to grow several times faster than inflation and the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Your medical costs alone are likely to take from one-third to one-half of your Social Security benefits when you retire, and can require as much as $245,000 for married couples age 65 and over, according to Fidelity Investments research on healthcare costs.Do the math. In addition to reducing your Social Security benefit, by retiring before your full retirement age, you also lose several years to build up retirement savings and instead increase the length of time you will be drawing down savings. And if you start benefits before you and your spouse are at full retirement age (66), earnings from work could reduce some or even all of your benefit. To add insult to injury, up to 85% of your benefits may be subject to taxation.Evaluate your health. Many people worry they will die before they get back what they would receive if they start benefits at 62. But if you start benefits at 62, it will take about 13 years — until you are age 74 — for your monthly benefit to reach the amount you would start with at age 66 and that assumes a more typical rate of inflation than we actually had over the past seven years. On the other hand you may find that health problems force you to stop working. You may want to consider working part-time. A 65-year old man can expect to live to 84, while a 65 year old woman can expect to live to 86.6, according to the Social Security AdministrationHow much longer can you work? Among the best reasons to start Social Security benefits prior to turning full retirement age, are the loss of a job, problems finding new employment, and the need for the money to pay for food, shelter and the basic necessities. Plan carefully before starting benefits by basing your decisions on facts — thinking through how you would go about spending down your savings. You can find plenty of retirement calculators online. Here is one easy one to use:. [Source: TSCL Advisor | July 2016 ++]*****************************Wills Update 04 ? Do Your Own As any financial adviser worth their salt will tell you, having a will is mandatory, no matter your age or net worth. The instant you die, your estate is born. The person in charge of your estate, known as the executor or administrator, will be given the authority to dispose of your remains according to your wishes, distribute your money and possessions, and provide for the care of any minor children you leave behind. How does the executor get named and know what to do with your body, possessions and children? It’s all spelled out in your will. If you die without one, these decisions will still be made. They’ll just be made by a court instead of you. A will doesn’t have to cost a lot. There are several ways to get a will. The traditional way is to visit a lawyer and pay them from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on your situation and their rates. A less expensive option to create a will is by using software and/or online forms and doing it yourself for $100 or less. The final, and free, option is to write your own will from scratch. This is known as a holographic will. Here’s a list from of the 26 states where holographic wills are recognized by courts: AK, AZ, CA, CO. HI, ID, KY, ME, MI, MS, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NC (if found after death in a place intended for safekeeping), ND, OK, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WV, and WY. There are a few additional states that accept holographic wills from soldiers at war or sailors at sea, but those wills become invalid after discharge from the military or returning to shore. It’s understandable that you wouldn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars to create a will, especially if your estate is small. But scratching it out yourself on a piece of paper is the epitome of penny-wise and pound-foolish. If you want to create your own will, at least use professionally prepared and approved online forms or software to do it. Potential sources are:Nolo: . Online wills and software from $34.95.LegalZoom: Basic, $69; Deluxe, $79.Rocket Lawyer: . Free one-week trial, membership for $39.95 a month As you can see, prices aren’t astronomical. And because these solutions do the vast majority of the work for you, there’s no reason to attempt a holographic will. [Source: MoneyTalksNews | Stacy Johnson | September 9, 2016++]*****************************Power of Attorney Update 01 ? Everyone Needs OneNicholas Reister, a lawyer and counselor specializing in estate planning with Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge in Grand Rapids, Mich has shared everything you need to know about this important legal document. When asked to describe a power of attorney (POA) Reister offers this definition. It is a document where a person, who’s called a principal, appoints an agent. [The agent] can do almost everything you could do for yourself. In other words a POA is a blank check. It’s handing someone the ability to do just about anything they want in your name. Your agent can do all of the following and more on your behalf:Lend money.Borrow money.File taxes.Make business transactions.Open bank accounts.Close bank accounts.Apply for credit cards. With very few limitations, such as making medical decisions, a POA lets your agent do practically anything in your name. You’re probably wondering why on earth you would want to hand over that much power to someone else and who needs one? You, that’s who. Reister is of the opinion everyone needs a POA, from a college freshman.And don’t make the mistake of thinking being married is the same thing. Reister related the story of a married couple with separate estate planning. A document needed to be signed by the husband in short order or they would be out a significant amount of cash. However, he was traveling and hadn’t given his wife POA, so she couldn’t sign on his behalf. That ended up being a costly mistake. While you need a POA, you need to be careful about who you designate as your agent. Although criminal charges can be brought against someone abusing their power, you don’t need that headache. “Only choose someone you trust implicitly,” Reister said. “Maybe hold on to the POA [document] and let the agent know where the papers are.” That second bit of advice could be sage wisdom. It ensures you to have a POA designated in case of an emergency but provides protection from your agent turning to the dark side and draining your bank account. Reister said there are several special types of POAs you can use:Durable power of attorney. This POA continues to be in effect in the event someone becomes incapacitated. Regular POAs end when the principal is no longer able to make legal decisions, such as if they were to slip into a coma or develop dementia.Limited power of attorney. A document that gives an agent POA abilities for a limited time or only for certain purposes.Medical power of attorney. This is the POA that allows others to make medical decisions on your behalf. You don’t need to have the same agent for your medical and financial POAs. You can even name multiple agents on your durable POA or use several limited POAs to split up control of various parts of your finances so no one person has power over everything. That said, multiple POAs or a POA with shared agents can make your finances more confusing and complex. If you plan to go that route, you may want to consult with a professional first and carefully weigh the pros and cons. Agents need to be aware of an IRS regulation that could cost them a huge amount of money. The government is requiring POA agents to report whether their principal has money in a foreign bank account. The scary thing is this provision applies even if you don’t know that someone has appointed you their POA agent, and failure to report foreign assets comes with stiff penalties. “The penalties for that are pretty frightening,” Reister said. “It’s 50 percent of the amount in the account per year plus criminal penalties.” Reister knows of one case in which an agent was fined for failing to report for three years, meaning he owed 150 percent of the total amount in the account – and it wasn’t even his money. The courts are currently deciding whether this is a case of government overreach, but for now Reister is drawing up POAs for his clients that exclude signature authority for foreign accounts. That seems to take care of the problem and eliminates the need to file an annual report with the IRS. Although it may be scary to think a POA gives someone control over your finances, they remain an essential part of sound money management. In the event you are in accident or become ill, you’ll want a durable POA so someone can step in and man the ship while you are out of commission. “It’s important for both the agent and principal to know how powerful these documents are,” said Reister. The fact that they are so powerful is also the reason everyone with a job and money in the bank should have one. Without a POA, your family will need to go to court to get control of your assets, a long and stressful process, for sure. Just remember that quote from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” when picking your agent: “Choose wisely.” [Source: MoneyTalksNews | Stacy Johnson | September 9, 2016 ++]*****************************Notes of Interest ? 1 thru 14 SEP 2016Congress. Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) The embattled?ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee lost her re-election bid on 6 SEP, guaranteeing a dramatic shake-up for the veterans’ policy panel in 2017.GTMO. Commanders have shut down operations at a 100-cell maximum-security lockup called Camp 5 and plan to convert it to a new prison clinic and psychiatric ward, the military disclosed 7 SEP, as part of its continuing operations to comply with President Barack Obama’s order to close the detention center.Congress. On 6 SEP Congress returned to resume work on bills to ensure the government does not run out of money on October 1.? Additionally, Congress is working toward a Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded through Oct. 1, 2016.?Sex. Aging men (57 and Over) who have sex once a week or more — and enjoy it — are at nearly double the risk for cardiovascular problems?than their male peers who don’t have an active bedroom life. Such health problems?include heart attacks and hypertension. The same can’t be said for older women.911 Boatlift. The 9/11 boat evacuation was larger than the evacuation at Dunkirk during World War Two Check out the video on this event at War Cost. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost U.S. taxpayers nearly $5 trillion so far, and that total could rise even higher in the years to come, according to new calculations released by independent researchers late last week.911 Lawsuit. A group of six Gulf Arab countries expressed "deep concern" 12 SEP over a bill passed by the U.S. Congress that would allow families of Sept. 11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia over the attacks.?Saudi Arabia says if signed into law they will sell all U.S. holdings.*****************************Retirement Planning Update 11 ? Consider the Possible Pitfalls For millions of people, the shimmering dream of retirement is the primary goal of work. Retirement holds the promise that, finally, you’ll have time to pursue what matters most. However, retirement is under siege. Here are nine reasons why retirement might not be what you dreamed — and tips for turning things around so you can put a little shine on your golden years.1. You might have to retire before you’re ready: Forty-nine percent of retirees quit working sooner than they planned, usually because of health problems, according to LIMRA, a worldwide research firm focused on the insurance and financial services industries. Job loss, burnout and negative work conditions also can force people to retire earlier than expected, reports Mark Miller, publisher of Retirement Revised in his article on How to Cope with Early Retirement at HYPERLINK "" 2. It’s no fun hanging out with your spouse 24/7: Financial planners say many couples have trouble getting used to spending more time together. Writes : “Everyone gets excited about retirement — they think they’re going to walk out the door and never look back and spend their days relaxing and traveling with their spouse, but then they get home and they find they can’t actually stand the person they’ve been married to for the last 30 years,” says Deana Arnett, senior planning consultant at Rosenthal Wealth Management Group. “I’ve seen it happen more times than I care to tell you.” To be sure, many couples love 24/7 togetherness. But not everyone. A financial planner I know sees the toll retirement can take on marriages. He observes that husbands who have been extremely focused on their jobs are particularly likely to struggle to adjust. Relationships can endure this transition. Finding retirement pursuits that give life meaning — philanthropy or volunteering, and not just a life built around golf and travel — will give both spouses a sense of renewal. For some ideas, check out “12 Ways to Connect and Contribute in Your Community After Retiring” at .3. It’s boring: When you hate your boss and feel overwhelmed by work, retirement sounds ideal. But although it may be hard to imagine, retirees often long for the camaraderie, structure and sense of purpose work delivers. Not to mention the money. In the blog "Retirement: A Full-Time Job" at HYPERLINK "" is tracked the evolution of former CPA Sydney Lagier, who retired in 2008 at age 44. After two months of retirement, she sounded a little surprised to find that retirement hadn’t changed her much: What will you spend your time doing after you retire? Whatever you spent your time doing before you retired, minus the job. While I’m sure my interests will evolve over the years (just as they did while I was working), I now spend my time doing exactly what I did before I retired, only more of it. In the Wall Street Journal article "The Experts: How to Avoid Retirement Boredom" a panel of experts advises taking on new challenges by learning, working, advising, volunteering and experimenting. One aging expert says she learned that saying, “yes” to new experiences opens doors to much-needed variety. 4. Working until age 70 may not be an option: Nearly 75 percent of preretirees surveyed by LIMRA said they expect to work in retirement. But life’s realities often intrude on such plans. Today, three-quarters of retirees are not working, LIMRA says. In recently published research, the AARP Public Policy Institute says: Extended unemployment, coupled with age discrimination and other barriers, can add to the challenges older workers face in finding a job. Even older jobseekers who do find work may have trouble recovering financially. Many end up accepting jobs at lower pay, with fewer hours, and with limited benefits. Depending on your profession, it might be wise to invest in disability insurance. 5. Money’s tight — really tight: Social Security pays only $1,290 a month on average, according to October 2015 figures from the Social Security Administration. In addition, most retirees have very little money in savings. In its annual Retirement Confidence Survey, the Employment Benefit Research Institute looked at the savings of current retirees, not including the value of a primary residence or a defined-benefit pension, reporting that:26 percent have less than $1,000 in savings10 percent have between $25,000 and $49,99910 percent have between $50,000 and $99,99912 percent have between $100,000 and $249,99914 percent have $250,000 or more Such meager savings puts many retirees at risk. According to a report to Congress by the Kaiser Foundation: With the decline in employer-sponsored pensions and retiree health coverage, fewer retirees in the future will have benefits that have helped keep seniors from falling into poverty.6. It’s hard to get used to growing old: Growing old is a lot like being a teenager. Your body and your looks change rapidly, and that can be surprising and discomforting. Lagier captures this with humor: The first phase is where you feel young because you actually are young. The third phase is where you feel old because you actually are old. And the phase in between is where you feel young but everyone thinks you need to sit down. The inevitability of aging can be tough to deal with, especially if you’ve made plans only for your finances. Before you receive that gold watch for retirement, do some thinking about what you want your retirement life to look like. This website provides a reading list to help you think about the process of aging, finding meaning in retirement and coping with mortality.7. You might spend a lot of it caring for elderly parents: Taking on the care of elderly parents forces many workers into retirement. Eldercare consultant Carol Bradley Bursack got an earful when she wrote “Should You Quit Your Job to Care for Your Elderly Parent?” . More than 100 readers commented, many describing their anguish at having to choose between their financial security and caring full-time for parents. One, “Caregiveryes,” tells of managing her own aging and health problems along with those of her parents: It was sad when Mom passed away, but I was physically and emotionally spent and had to take early retirement. My marriage also suffered. Weekend evenings out with friends dwindled to none. My husband and I have already made arrangements so our children do not even have to consider taking on this responsibility. And, it has nothing to do with love or commitment, for me it was more than I could handle physically and emotionally.8. You could pick up an STD: Seniors, including 72 percent of men and 45 percent of women ages 57 to 72, are sexually active, says this study from the Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Well, good for them, you might say. But STDs are growing fast among the older set. When you think about retirement communities, think about sex, writes The New York Times: Combine retirement communities, longer life, unfamiliarity with condoms and Viagra — and what do you get? You get an S.T.D. epidemic among the Social Security generation that rivals what we imagine is happening in those “Animal House” fraternities. For example the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a rise in cases of chlamydia, syphilis and HIV infection among Americans 55 and older. If you’re going to have sex, make sure it’s safe sex.9. You may outlive your money: Longer lifespans today put the nest eggs of even the most scrupulous retirement savers at risk of being exhausted in their owners’ lifetimes. Six in 10 financial advisers predict their clients could outlive income, LIMRA finds. What’s worse, just one-quarter of preretirees believe they’re at risk to outlive their income, LIMRA says. In fact, only one-third of people near or in retirement have even tried to calculate how long their assets will last.[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Marilyn Lewis | September 13, 2016 ++]*****************************National Anthem Update 03 ? Star-Spangled Banner OriginOn 13 SEP in 1814, Francis Scott Key penned a poem which is later set to music and in 1931 becomes America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The poem, originally titled “The Defence of Fort McHenry,” was written after Key witnessed the Maryland fort being bombarded by the British during the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the sight of a lone U.S. flag still flying over Fort McHenry at daybreak, as reflected in the now-famous words of the “Star-Spangled Banner”: “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.” Francis Scott Key was born on August 1, 1779, at Terra Rubra, his family’s estate in Frederick County (now Carroll County), Maryland. He became a successful lawyer in Maryland and Washington, D.C., and was later appointed U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. On June 18, 1812, America declared war on Great Britain after a series of trade disagreements. In August 1814, British troops invaded Washington, D.C., and burned the White House, Capitol Building and Library of Congress. Their next target was Baltimore. After one of Key’s friends, Dr. William Beanes, was taken prisoner by the British, Key went to Baltimore, located the ship where Beanes was being held and negotiated his release. However, Key and Beanes weren’t allowed to leave until after the British bombardment of Fort McHenry. Key watched the bombing campaign unfold from aboard a ship located about eight miles away. After a day, the British were unable to destroy the fort and gave up. Key was relieved to see the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry and quickly penned a few lines in tribute to what he had witnessed. The poem was printed in newspapers and eventually set to the music of a popular English drinking tune called “To Anacreon in Heaven” by composer John Stafford Smith. People began referring to the song as “The Star-Spangled Banner” and in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson announced that it should be played at all official events. It was adopted as the national anthem on March 3, 1931. Francis Scott Key died of pleurisy on January 11, 1843. Today, the flag that flew over Fort McHenry in 1914 is housed at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.Star-Spangled Banner LyricsO! say can you see, by the dawn's early light,What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;O! say does that star-spangled banner yet waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.And where is that band who so vauntingly sworeThat the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,A home and a country, should leave us no more?Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.No refuge could save the hireling and slaveFrom the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall standBetween their loved homes and the war's desolation.Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued landPraise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave![19] [Source: This Day in History | September 13, 2016 ++]********************************Batteries ? Which to BuyWhen it comes to powering our toys, cameras and flashlights, we face an array of battery choices — and ring up quite a bill. In trying to cut those costs, we appear to face an endless array of questions:Do we choose alkaline or nonalkaline?Will a name-brand battery outlast a cheaper generic or house brand?When does it make sense to depart from disposables and put money down on rechargeables?Here’s the skinny:1. Decide on nonalkaline versus alkaline.Many stores carry only alkaline, or mostly alkaline batteries, although discount stores still have a lot of nonalkaline products on the shelves, usually at a lower price. Which choice makes more sense? Rhett Allain, physics professor from Southeastern Louisiana University, says that tests show name-brand, disposable alkaline batteries beat cheap, dollar-store nonalkalines. “If you buy the cheaper (nonalkaline) batteries, you’re paying a little bit now, and then you’ll pay a little bit later,” Allain says. “It’s thinking more short-term. If you buy the more expensive batteries, you pay more upfront but they last longer. In the end there’s not that big a difference, it’s the same amount of energy per price.” But if you opt for the alkaline product, you will save on the hassle of swapping out batteries frequently and on trips to the store for new batteries.2. Choose between generic versus name brand. Generics are proven ways to save 20 percent to 50 percent on many of the things we buy, from groceries to medicine, says Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson. So suppose you decide to buy alkaline batteries, and you are at the store facing a shelf of similar products — some sold under brand names and others with generic packaging. Turns out that when choosing between generic and name-brand batteries, there’s no significant difference in performance, according to bargain-spotting website DealNews at . DealNews found one notable exception: The Energizer Advanced Lithium battery pushed out far more initial voltage than the others in a test — and when it finally corrected down to the expected 1.5 volts, it kept going and going and going.3.Weigh options to expand battery lifespan. Some battery makers say their products have a shelf life of 10 years — although it never seems that way when you dig out a stored flashlight or battery-powered toy to find it has a dead battery. It turns out that there’s no need to store batteries in the fridge, like your grandparents did, in an effort to extend their life: It won’t make any difference. But a new product, Batteriser, claims it can make your disposable battery last eight times longer by tapping into unused power, even when the battery appears to be dead.4.Choose the most suitable disposable battery.What type of battery is best for you? It depends on how you plan to use it. Battery makers, Consumer Reports and retailers such as REI offer these suggestions:Lithium: For high-drain devices such as cameras, wireless gaming accessories and hand-held games.Alkaline: For low-drain devices such as remote controls, flashlights, calculators, clocks and radios, LED headlamps, portable electronics, and wireless mice and keyboards.Zinc chloride (heavy-duty) or zinc carbon (general purpose): For clocks and other low-drain devices.5. Decide whether to buy rechargeables. If you’re going through a lot of disposable batteries, you may want to consider rechargeables. They cost more upfront, but depending on the device, they can pay for themselves over time:Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH): Good for high-drain devices such as digital cameras and flash units, or devices that experience prolonged use, such as GPS receivers.Nickel cadmium (NiCd): Recommended for power tools, two-way radios and high-temperature situations.[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Jim Gold | June 14, 2016 ++]*****************************114th Congress Update 03 ? Can It Do what it Couldn't in Last 11 MonthsNow that August is over, along with Congress’ annual August recess, they have a massive amount of work to try and get done in the 17 days they will be in session before they once again recess to run for re-election. The biggest item facing them is to pass legislation to keep the federal government running after Sept. 30, which is the end of the 2016 fiscal year. Both parties have pledged that there will be no shutdown of the government this year, but no agreement on what to do has been reached. Unless Congress can agree on all 12 spending measures before the end of this month, which no one believes will happen, they must pass a “continuing resolution” or “CR,” which will keep the government open for a specified length of time with funding at the same levels as FY2016. The purpose of the CR is to give them more time to come up with a final spending bill(s) for FY2017. Some members of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives have said they’ll agree to a three-month CR, which would keep the government open through the end of the year, during which time Congress would presumably be able to agree on full funding for the rest of the 2017 fiscal year. However a significant minority of the Republican caucus wants a six-month CR, giving the next Congress the power to determine what spending will be for the rest of FY2017. On the Senate side, the Democratic minority have said they will only agree to a three-month CR. Although Republicans control the majorities in both the House and the Senate, Senate rules give great power to all Senators, regardless of whether they belong to the majority or minority party. And without the agreement of the Democrats, no CR can move through the Senate. The second item thought by many to be must-pass legislation is funding to fight the Zika virus. However that, too, is caught up in election year politics and if it does not pass by the end of September, you can bet it will be a campaign issue. As far as defense bills go, the Defense Appropriations bill is in the same boat as the rest of the funding bills for the federal government and some observers believe it must pass first before Congress can pass the Defense Authorization (NDAA) bill. What is not known is whether the Republican majorities want to try to push through the authorization bill and risk a presidential veto, or it they also want to hold off on it until after the election. The most controversial parts of the legislation have not been resolved despite meetings by congressional staff members during the summer and the President has threatened to veto the measure if it contains the funding mechanism that is in the House bill. [Source: TREA Update | September 6, 2016 ++]*****************************Have You Heard? ? The Haircut || Peeing On My FlowersA teenage boy had just passed his driving test and inquired of his father as to when they could discuss his use of the car. His father said he'd make a deal with his son, "You bring your grades up from a C to a B average, study your Bible a little, and get your haircut. Then we'll talk about the car." The boy thought about that for a moment, decided he'd settle for the offer, and they agreed on it. After about six weeks his father said, "Son, you've brought your grades up and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible, but I'm disappointed you haven't had your hair cut." The boy said, "You know, Dad, I've been thinking about that, and I've noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair, and there's even strong evidence ) that Jesus had long hair." (You're going to love the Dad's reply!) "Did you also notice they all walked everywhere they went?"-o-o-O-o-o-A little old lady was walking down the street dragging two large plastic garbage bags behind her. One of the bags was ripped and every once in awhile a $20 bill fell out onto the sidewalk. Noticing this, a policeman stopped her, and said,"Ma'am, there are $20 bills falling out of that bag." "Oh, really? Darn it!" said the little old lady."I'd better go back and see if I can find them. Thanks for telling me, Officer." "Well, now, not so fast," said the cop.” Where did you get all that money? You didn't steal it, did you?" "Oh, no, no", said the old lady."You see, my back yard is right next to a golf course. A lot of golfers come and pee through a knot hole in my fence, right into my flower garden. It used to really tick me off. Kills the flowers, you know. Then I thought, 'why not make the best of it?' So, now, I stand behind the fence by the knot hole, real quiet, with my hedge clippers. Every time some guy sticks his thing through my fence, I surprise him, grab hold of it and say, ‘O.K., buddy! Give me $20 or off it comes!' "Well, that seems only fair," said the cop, laughing."OK. Good luck! Oh, by the way, what's in the other bag?" "Not everybody pays."*****************************FAIR USE NOTICE: This newsletter may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Editor/Publisher of the Bulletin at times includes such material in an effort to advance reader’s understanding of veterans' issues. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this newsletter is distributed without profit to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the included information for educating themselves on veteran issues so they can better communicate with their legislators on issues affecting them. To obtain more information on Fair Use refer to: http: //law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this newsletter for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. ................
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