Military benefits are on the agenda!

[Kirk W]

A very interesting article from the Military Times.....

Panel will propose new military retirement system

The story if accurate has some really interesting ideas as well as some sacred cows in serious danger. I highly suspect that most veteran's organizations will be up in arms, but budgets are a hot issue and no question that something is going to have to change. There is a lot in there but here are a few quotes just to spur interest in the story. It does sound as though change is coming but that current veterans and those on active duty will probably keep at least some of the present benefit system.

 

The long-awaited report on military compensation set to drop Thursday will propose fundamental changes to military retirement and health care benefits, according to several people familiar with the report.

 

Specifically, the proposal calls for automatically enrolling each service member in the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan, or TSP, an investment account that accrues savings. Individual troops will be responsible for managing their accounts, and the money is typically not available for withdrawal without penalty until age 59.5.

 

That's a big potential change from a system that now offers retirement benefits to about only 17 percent of the force — many of them officers — who serve 20 years.

 

Top military officials increasingly make the argument that the current military compensation system is unsustainable, and personnel costs, if not reined in, will threaten the military's ability to pay for weapons modernization and high-tech research.

 

The plan also calls for the Pentagon to create a new four-star medical command to oversee the Pentagon's sprawling health care system. Consolidation of the military system has been discussed for many years and would mark a significant break from the tradition of allowing each individual service to operate its own health care command.

 

[Jim & Alice]

Just a matter of time, Kirk.

 

If one looks at our nation's 'Big Picture', we have been steadily heading into a huge accumulative debt structure for several years, and undertaking obligations that will only serve to increase our committed future cash outflow. If/when government borrowing rates go up... servicing that debt will 'really' hurt. The pressure on the big expenditure items, ie 'military', will be intense.

 

And with fewer veterans as a percentage of our population... support for things military will decline when compared to other perceived needs.

 

Thanks for the heads-up on this.

Jim

[skp51443]

Well we need to do something, how many times since 1970 have we forced service men and women out of the service due to a political desire to shrink the force?

 

Sometimes there is a stop-gap measure in place that gives them something but all too often it is just the boot with nothing. With that history a young person is a darned fool to invest more than a single four year term of service since the odds of making it to 20 years is not good and the odds of a reasonable compensation for that service later in life is worse.

 

I don't know what they will come up with but if it doesn't fix the lack of vesting in the system the folks that can add up the numbers are going to think twice. I got lucky, missed two big RIFs by the skin of my teeth, don't even want to suggest a kid take that route / risk today when things are looking worse, not better.

 

Actually if you look at the options for someone looking for a career of service the options for police, firefighter and the like are much better ones. Not even factoring in that they have no VA to battle to get their health care. Better pay, better working conditions, better medical, better retirement all weigh against a armed service career.

[RV_]

Yep Stan, in 1974/5 the post Vietnam drawdown found too many Medics and I was given a choice of three or the boot as you put it.. I took then Small Arms Marksmanship Training Program (SAMTU) and later the name was changed to Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM). Then the Redux and Clinton drawdowns after the fall of the wall and we were unmanning the Fulda Gap and closing bases worldwide were the ones that affected my fellow enlisted the most but usually it was the officers that got the brunt of drawdowns. Some with ten years took a lower enlisted rank and then got a retirement. If they at that time had 11 years I think it was or more of commissioned service then when they retired they retired at the higher grade. I only saw that in the post-Vietnam drawdown. I did not see the option to become enlisted offered during the second big drawdown. There were several severance offers made during my career to folks with around ten years to leave with a lump sum and many took that.

 

In the article it also says that :

 

"A grandfather clause would shield today's service members from any retirement changes; a new retirement system would apply only to future recruits."

 

That is the honorable way to go for sure. Then they can look at the plan offered and decide if the military was for them or not.

 

I agree that a vesting at each level combined with a yet to be determined self retirement 401k like savings and matching plan would be a noble experiment.

 

If it doesn't work we can always go back to the draft. I sure would not have considered a career in any branch of the service had I not enlisted in the AF to have some choice in what my job would be before signing on the line and taking the oath.

 

I think all of us born in 1954 and earlier all had the draft board to contend with. I'm 62, born in 1952, and had a draft number for 1971. All of us here today survived the draft, but some of our peers not the service.

 

Stan I think you might have mistyped as anyone who chooses a "Career" in the military, and retires under the current system, does not have to fight the VA at all. Unless they choose to and some do. I prefer my civilian doctors and hospitals, but that is just me. One size does not fit all. YMMV, With Tricare Standard I don't need to be near a base. I choose to live near a base for the Commissary and the pharmacy. I don't use express scripts because as of yet, I have no permanently recurring medications that meet the "must use" criteria. Once we are finished with our mission here we are selling and moving to the land of the grassy mountains, Colorado! Our son and his wife are both Nurses in Denver. We will choose to live in the Springs with an Army post and three AF bases in the local area. We loved it there when I taught at the AF Academy 78-81. We need four seasons and ski slopes. We choose that, we are not forced.

[skp51443]

RV, If you have never had to fight the VA that is wonderful for you. If you never have to use the VA that is even better. I congratulate you on your good fortune. I can't argue with your word choice either, you don't have to fight the VA, you can just give up and walk away from what you deserve based on your service. Go away, die quietly and don't be a burden on the VA system on their bonuses for excellent service.

 

 

Not all of us have taken that option, as I have said here before I spent five long years fighting the VA and finally ended up at the DC appeals board, that found in my favor. Now that sounds bad for the VA as I wrote it here but it really gives you no insight into how awful the VA is.

 

The details of my battle over a piddly 10% disability on my knee give a minor glimpse of the depths of the VA mess. The retirement physical had noted the knee problem and recommended the 10%. My hand written retirement form signed by me and the doctor had it listed. The COPY tat the VA typed up and certified as accurate left that line out. BOTH copies were side by side on my microfiche which the VA had in hand and it took only seconds to flip back and forth between the original and flawed copy and see that the typist had dropped a line. FIVE years of lawyers, Arizona state veterans' assistance, multiple VA doctor (mandated by the VA) visits, Xrays and scans... All over a typo that was right there to be seen and corrected with the stroke of a pen.

 

My issue was minor, my inconvenience level was a bit higher but all in all I survived the process with no more than frustration and all was made right once it was out of the hands of the VA.

 

 

I know of many other veterans who served honorably that have gone to their graves fighting the VA. I know ones so ill or mentally damaged that they were not able to fight, I know families that despaired of receiving justice and abandoned their cause and buried their veteran. The 40 veterans they got caught red handed letting die here in Phoenix is a tiny tip of a massive iceberg. An iceberg that does not start in 2014 or in Phoenix but spreads long, deep and wide. As folks find the gumption to come forward and have their lives ruined in retaliation more and more wrongdoing is coming to light.

 

 

Having a "I got mine" attitude does a grave disservice to the huge number of veterans living and dead, too soon dead in many cases, that have been failed by the VA bureaucrats.

 

Sure, I got mine now and haven't crossed the doors of a VA facility since 1997 and don't ever plan to either. That doesn't mean I can't see the injustice done to other veterans and try to right it.

 

 

Google up the latest big VA drug scandal, Milwaukee I think?

[RV_]

Stan I was talking about fighting them for an appointment not the fights for disability ratings. You've read a lot into a simple reply. I was referring to the fact that retirees don't have to use the VA for routine health care because in your earlier post you said that:

 

"Actually if you look at the options for someone looking for a career of service the options for police, firefighter and the like are much better ones. Not even factoring in that they have no VA to battle to get their health care. Better pay, better working conditions, better medical, better retirement all weigh against a armed service career."

 

There was nothing clever in my answer to your posit that the options for those examples having better medical and retirement. And the post was about the vesting of shorter than 20 years of tenure. The topic was changes to retirements for those folks in the future. I was simply commenting that the retirees did not have to use the VA and that in that respect, when the topic is changes to retirement, only those under retirement TIS will have to fight the VA for care.

 

Please don't put ugly words in my mouth like I was even implying a GI should give up on fighting for disabilities, but that was not the topic. I nowhere said anything about I got mine, you did. You sure must know the years I fought here to educate our fellow vets, show them how and where to start the filing process. And to never quit fighting. If you'd said anywhere you were changing the subject from medical care for vets, to disability ratings fights which all of us have done, you'd have heard my agreement.

 

I am pretty clear in my posts. I am not going to walk around you on eggshells because you choose to portray things I never implied, never mind ever wrote or said. And my years of helping vets get what they earned here in writing does not go out the window because you felt slight where none existed.

 

You want to help vets, the first step is solidarity.

 

And I still believe the point that civilians and non retirees would misunderstand is, if you, a retiree, says in a discussion about vesting, retirements, and changes in the system that "we" all have to fight the VA for retirement care. We automatically get VA care, all vets. We all get ratings, and some have to fight over and over for their earned benefits as they should, and I'll help them anyway I can. You can think what you want, but all of the old timers here remember that I asked Mark for this forum to be created with the express purpose of helping our RVr vets to get the latest info to get what they earned.

 

I said:

 

"Stan I think you might have mistyped as anyone who chooses a "Career" in the military, and retires under the current system, does not have to fight the VA at all. Unless they choose to and some do. I prefer my civilian doctors and hospitals, but that is just me. One size does not fit all. YMMV, With Tricare Standard I don't need to be near a base."

 

Would you mind telling me where I was talking about anything other than primary care choice? Choosing civilian doctors for retirees has zero to do with disability determinations. How much clearer can that be? You do not have to wait months for an appointment, you can use your Tricare, as you well know, to choose a civilian primary care provider.

[bigjim]

IMo Rv you should cut him a break. He doesn't usually go off like that but if you have followed this thread you can tell he is pretty upset with dealing with the VA, especially the Phoenix system. I am certain he will remember the times you advocated actions. I think you guys are mostly on the same team but both of you know how easy it is to get crossways here in print on a hot topic. Among all the things that PO me is the fact our leaders seem hell bent to generate more disabled vets that will need care at great expense to them and all the other taxpayers. I think they are paying attention to this va healtcare issue "somewhat" but they are so busy bashing each other for political points it is fairly lame and they will duck out as quick as they can.

[RV_]

Jim,

The following is written as a calm somewhat surprised answer. Not an angry retort. So please take it as intended. The nice thing about the written word is we have the opportunity to read twice, post once. And edit before posting. I served honorably, did my duty, and adhere to an honor code to this day. I give respect first then expect it in return. If peer pressure like I won't like you if you don't do what I want comes into play I have two choices. To ask to be respected or to drop mutual respect in the glare of emotional blackmail. Given that choice, between respect and like, I'll choose respect every time. Like can come from respect. Respect cannot come from succumbing to bullying. That said as the RET and reality trained counselor I was for a bit. I am having another good day, and wish that for you too.

 

I agree with you about the current situation being frustrating to all of us. My post was a response to not getting a sprout and a fair read. Jim, I didn't say anything bud. I clarified something that could be read as saying the VA is also the primary care required for retirees and 100% medically retired with benefits during service. On topic saying that the negative to service careers today includes having to fight the VA for care was mistyped or misspoken, as he's retired and knows that too was That did not deserve the response I got.

 

Did you miss that I addressed exactly what was said with no baseless character slurs.

 

The assertion was I was doing . . . "a grave disservice to the huge number of veterans living and dead, too soon dead in many cases, that have been failed by the VA bureaucrats."

 

Then:

"Sure, I got mine now and haven't crossed the doors of a VA facility since 1997 and don't ever plan to either. That doesn't mean I can't see the injustice done to other veterans and try to right it."

 

That was not a misread by me, in that one I can't see the suffering and don't try to right wrongs.

 

All of that was uncalled for.

 

Are you suggesting it is not OK to point out that I wasn't as stated attacking the honor of all veterans living and dead!

 

I did cut him a sprout by not responding in kind.

[bigjim]

realisticly speaking we don't always proof read especially if we are a little fired up. If you note some I post I do have to edit alot. I didn't necessarily think it was right for Stan to come off that way but given past history I might have done my response a little differently. I don't know what will happen here but I have seen Stan apolgize for errors in the past and yourself also which is a credit to both of you. I think I am just trying to head it off at the pass so it doesn't go on and we can continue to March. It is not really any of my business to butt in. That has never stopped me before and I am almost too old to learn new tricks. Heck you guys can holler at me if you need to but I warn you I will probably just ignore it, maybe.

[skp51443]

Stan I think you might have mistyped as anyone who chooses a "Career" in the military, and retires under the current system, does not have to fight the VA at all.

 

 

You may have meant something else but that is not what I read from your post or how I understood it.

 

Veterans, retired at 20 or more, medically retired early or folks who completed their enlistment but with lingering damage all have to deal with the VA. All too often the VA does not serve them without a long and hard fought battle or sometimes ever.

 

Yes, if you made it to 20 with no service connected medical issues that the VA refuses to acknowledge and retired then you do not have to fight the VA today.

[Cyberdave]

Once again it's the easy target in play. We're the easy one's because we're in the minority and as long as the politicians aren't touching their slice why worry.

 

Meantime, you want to force a POS unproven cost overrun next gen fighter / bomber costing a trillion $$$ down our throats. Latest costs per plane are Air Force $138 B

MILLION Each. Navy $337 MILLION Each Marines $251 MILLION Each. Program support cost per year? $20 BILLION at minimum!! Not one is operational and closest estimate of the Inital Operation Capability or (IOC) is the Marine version at 200+ days. The Air Force version is not even close in nearly 1.75 years. And the Navy? Not currently listed..

 

 

Or how about the M1 tanks being rebuilt even though the Army doesn't want them?

 

It's bad enough when the political hacks are slicing and dicing. But when the DOD is all for shafting it's own to save a doomed POS like the F-35.. and willing to junk the A-10 when our ground troops are in harms way and it is needed??

[RV_]

Jim,

Good answer and good effort. We'll just leave it there shall we?

[DJW]

I wonder why the VA system has become what it has become? I wonder how many years it took good caring VA employees hearts to harden from underserving vets gaming the system (by this I mean vets who have made really bad personnel decisions but yet expect the VA to cover their ass as a result of those decisions) and it changed from a caring agency to one of " they are getting theirs so I will get mine" and the truly deserving vets get screwed?

 

Dennis

[RV_]

I hear ya Dave. That has been getting worse by the year.

 

Dennis,

Every vet that served honorably earned their benefits. Just as we earned ours. The vets that are playing the system, and we've all seen some, have nothing to do with the problems of the VA today. No matter what part of serving and dealing with the public you are in, Medical, retail, government, etc. we all have to deal with conflict resolution. In some cases folks wouldn't be happy if you hung them with a new rope. If the VA folks could not handle their customer frustrations they need to find another job. Conflict is normal in any group larger than one. What defines an organization or leader is not whether they have conflict or not, because having conflict is a given. Every person/group is great when everything is going their way. What defines them as good or bad is how they handle the inevitable conflict. Even if every vet were a PITA, the staff knows the score when they hired on.

 

What got them was believing that it is OK to scam the system for undeserved bonuses. Greed and corruption pure and simple. Corruption starts at the top down, not from the bottom up. If the bottom is corrupt the top wasn't paying attention and it is still a leadership failure.

[bigjim]

OK, RV now your turn to keep me on the straight and narrow because what Dennis said and how he said it has me as PO's as I am at politicians. If I say anything at this point it will not be good and will just fan the flames. The most I will say is Dennis you don't know what you are talking about IMO.

 

BTW great reply RV

[skp51443]

I wonder why the VA system has become what it has become? I wonder how many years it took good caring VA employees hearts to harden from underserving vets gaming the system (by this I mean vets who have made really bad personnel decisions but yet expect the VA to cover their ass as a result of those decisions) and it changed from a caring agency to one of " they are getting theirs so I will get mine" and the truly deserving vets get screwed?

 

Dennis

 

Why the system has become what it has become is a long ugly story, something better discussed in a forum for veterans rather than here.

 

One should never let the past or current issues overshadow the fact that most of the VA doctors, nurses and workers are good folks trying their best to do as good a job as they can given the limits set by the pencil pushers and the politicians over them. Even among the pencil pushers you will find good folks doing the best they can. There are bad doctors, ones that need a VA job because nobody else will hire them, ones just filling a position to make a little money and kill time once their practices sold and I'm sure other bad ones for other reasons. There are probably bad nurses and workers too but if you talk to folks that have had to use the VA system most of the finger pointing is at the VA's senior administration levels and above.

 

I agree that there are veterans trying to scam the system too, they should be identified and dealt with but the paper pushers find it far less effort and risk to ignore them and not make any attempt to fix the issue. No paperwork about bad vets means there is no bad vet problem, one less item on your to-do list if you push paper for a living in an organization with a culture like the VA has. Blame complicated rules that have to be followed perfectly and minimal penalties for the scammers for a big part of the problem too.

 

Targeting the minority actually guilty of corruption and other abuses, rooting out the causes of the uncaring attitudes and actions would provide good information to reform things. All too often the staff answer will be something like "For my first few years I kept doing X, never got any results other than my boss mentioning that making waves about X was no route to continued employment." When you get to the senior level and ask why they covered up, lied and hid records while vets died just so they could get a bonus to their already very nice paycheck, well I'd like to hear that answer and be on their jury. We know why the junior folks kept quiet, look at the unjustified firings, the disciplinary actions and other actions taken against the folks that did speak up.

 

This is an old festering wound and so far nothing being discussed about VA reforms or reforms to the retirement system is making any inroads on the problems that must be solved if things are to continue.

[AprilWhine]

Common sense would dictate doing away with the VA and folding eligible vets into the military health care system.

[bigjim]

Integrating to the military system sounds good at first look and I have considered that but think now that wouldn't be a good way either. I lean towards being able to go to any outside Dr but there are problems with that also. There could be fraud there but I think overall it would end up with better care for most veterans.

[RV_]

I think the VA is necessary, and when realized by those with vision, acting today, proves out with results.

 

The VA, at its best, and we have an excellent facility here locally in the Overton Brooks VA regional facility, can be better for our vets than many civilian docs if only because they seem to realize more so that we have issues that are specific to that participation in war. Being exposed to the business end of weapons, using ours, and losing friends sometimes right next to us can be debilitating both with the easy to see physical wounds, and the not easy to see, except in extreme psychotic cases, emotional one. It is compounded by the just suck it up and stop whining mentality of some vets. If one here has that attitude I understand that too. There are "sheep," "wolves" and "sheepdogs." If you have never read "On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs" - By LTC (RET) Dave Grossman, author of "On Killing," take a moment to read it now or my comments will make no sense. http://www.mwkworks.com/onsheepwolvesandsheepdogs.html

 

Some folks want to appear like Sheepdogs, but are sheep. Sheepdogs know them for what they are soon after getting to know them, not at first meeting. Sheepdogs that attack the sheep or go bad and become wolves must be taken care of by the Sheepdogs themselves, no matter the uniform, police or military, because they are one of their own.

 

The military has created a training system to enable as many sheepdogs as they can. And to get some sheep to act, even temporarily as expendable sheepdogs. A sheep is not capable of violence, directed or not. The draft forced sheep into the role of sheepdogs and today with the all volunteer force you would think that those emotional square pegs in round holes would be gone but they aren't. Many military go a whole career without engaging in conflict in person. It takes a sheepdog to train sheepdogs. Some have to stay back and that can cause its own situational damage when friends don't return with the unit.

 

Some Sheepdogs view the sheep with disdain. Feeling superior is a drive it seems within any group. Thus our codes of honor. When one derives pleasure in harming another, be that physical, emotional, or from a distance via the Internet, that is how I define evil. Sheepdogs guard the sheep. We love them. Just like hybrid wolves, are not to be trusted as pets, an evil person cannot last long among the sheepdogs. They will group with other "damaged sheepdogs." The primary rule is that the sheep must never be harmed. Never. Policing and war have rules.

 

The VA system provides a place for us to be treated with the respect of our ranks, and even an Airman or private has "Earned" the respect to be called by their rank, and at every stage of the ranks they deserve their pride and title of address. And respect.

 

More importantly, in waiting rooms, wards and hospital rooms, we understand and can help each other, despite those who misunderstand it, the camaraderie is there. From the guy at the door who volunteers and does nothing but act as greeter and doorman, we are among friends and comrades. We experience that camaraderie again. I think that is as important to healing as the docs having special training to deal with the physical injuries and after effects of being exposed to war zones.

 

Sheepdogs help, with pride. After all we are sheepdogs. The sheep are afraid of us, and the wolves are protected by our honor code until they cross that line we all know. We only have ourselves to understand, and quietly say Huah or OOrah, or Hoorah, to the brotherhood.

 

At its best, you will find that at VA medical facilities. At its worst nothing better or worse than a civilian treatment facility.

 

It isn't one politician, one president, one party at all that has caused it to decline to where the vets are delayed and treatment is not timely. Or emergent care given non emergent scheduling. Pogo said it best. "I have seen the enemy and it is us."

 

Sheepdogs know the first step. Wars were never won by words. Propaganda only works within our own areas. Being the victim asking for help or being the aggressor running over people for no good reason other than their religion, color or culture.

 

Sheepdogs know the first step. We don't fix the blame, we fix the problem.

 

We just need a few more honorable sheepdogs put in place. But first, we need to treat each other. That was not an incomplete sentence for those who missed it. The respect is already there when we treat another's wounds, or remember that we all earned the respect to have been at one time, on the point, on watch. Our watch may be over, and younger minds and bodies taken over. But we trained their leaders of today. Or were one of the trained.

 

Huah.

[DJW]

Stan

 

I agree but I still wonder what made it change. The VA has had problems for the last 40-50 years. Do you think that the Last Retired Army 4 Star who ran the VA ended his meetings and conferences with anything other than words of encouragement to do what was right but our vets? I knew the guy when he only had 2 stars and he was a stand up guy. Do you think every SEC or GS15 sold out for the money? Have they been paying bonus to the top folks for that long? It seems to me that today what we do for our vets is put them on the benefits escalator to the top floor of life dependency. It just seems like a lot of folks think they have hit the lottery of life once they get on that escalator and they lose the motivation to get off and rejoin society as a productive member.

 

Big Jim No problem man, I respect your opinion and I honor you for it.

 

RV I agree with almost everything you said except the last sentence. If you take that line of reasoning that they knew that when they hired on then the same line of reasoning can be said for every vet since 1975 when the draft ended. They knew the risk when they hired on? So would that make it ok?

 

Dennis

[skp51443]

Dennis, The roots of the problem are in politics, something best avoided here. You can find lots of good information on the VA's ongoing problems elsewhere and there are many good discussion forums available. Google is the place to start looking if you want more.

[RV_]

Dennis,

Thanks bud, but you lost me. Please clarify the last sentence was Huah. (Just kidding) The next to last sentence said :

 

"We just need a few more honorable sheepdogs put in place. But first, we need to treat each other. That was not an incomplete sentence for those who missed it. The respect is already there when we treat another's wounds, or remember that we all earned the respect to have been at one time, on the point, on watch. Our watch may be over, and younger minds and bodies taken over. But we trained their leaders of today. Or were one of the trained."

 

I have no idea what you are talking about so ask you to please be specific then I can respond. Maybe cut and paste the sentence? Then what you mean? Sorry I may be slow but I sometimes get there.

[RV_]

Back on topic, this just in:

 

Source AFSA.

 

"MCRMC Releases Report

 

Jan. 29, 2015 -- The Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (MCRMC) released its final report Jan. 29. AFSA now begins the arduous process of evaluating their recommendations so we can advise lawmakers and the Administration of their potential impact on the All-Volunteer Force.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 established the commission to review military compensation and retirement programs and make recommendations for their modernization to the President and Congress. The commission’s stated purpose were to ensure the long-term health of the all-volunteer force, provide for a high quality-of-life for the members of the Uniformed Forces and their families, and make sure that the compensation and retirement programs are financially sustainable.

 

15 Recommendations

The Commission made a total of 15 recommendations which we have summarized as follows:
1. Replace the existing pay and retirement system for future service members with a blended plan consisting of direct pay, thrift savings and continuation pays. Current service members would be allowed to opt-in but participation is not mandatory.
2. Offer an additional way for military members to provide for their survivors (self-funded).
3. Provide financial literacy training for service members at various points throughout their careers.
4. Consolidate 30 Reserve component statuses in to six broader areas.
5. Create a new, joint readiness command which would, among other things, oversee military healthcare programs.
6. Eliminate TRICARE and replace with a Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan Program for active duty family members, military retirees under age 65, their dependents and survivors. TRICARE for Life would remain unchanged.
7. Improve support for service members with special needs family members by aligning services offered through Extended Care Health Option to match Medicare waiver options.
8. Improve cooperation between DoD and VA.
9. Consolidate base exchanges and commissaries into a single retail entity.
10. Improve access to Child Care on military installations.
11. Eliminate the Active Duty MGIB and Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP), restrict Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability of benefit options to members with at least 10 years of service, apply an active duty service commitment if they do and eliminate the housing stipend for family members.
12. Improve transition counseling, job hunting assistance for separating service members.
13. Ensure service members can receive financial assistance to meet their families’ nutritional needs.
14. Expand Space A travel to dependents when a service member is deployed for 30 or more days.
15. Implement a national military student identifier to help track the impact of military life on military children."

[RV_]

AFSA, The Air Force Sergeants Association does not require you to be a member to get their legislative alerts. They are as non-partisan as you can find as far as being right or left politics. If one sees all through those filters don't bother. It IS partisan to military issues and veteran's benefits erosion. I believe it is my duty as a citizen to stay informed. They will not send you spam or give or sell your name and email. Just give brief synopsis of the legislation coming up that affects the active duty and retired AF Sergeants, which might be the same for all active and retired enlisted troops. I am sure that the officers already get theirs from MOAA as can others not officers.

We can republish their reports too with attribution. you can sign up here: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/register

[DJW]

RV

 

The one before the sheepdog post. You posted the sheepdog post as I was writing my response.

 

Dennis