COLA Bill Passes

On Wednesday afternoon the House passed S. 894, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011.  S. 894 passed the Senate on October 19.  The bill was sent to the White House, and the President is expected to shortly sign it into law.

By accepting the Senate version of the bill, the House action ends any requirement for a joint committee to work out differences. 

The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which takes effect on Dec. 1, 2011, will increase the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors by 3.6 percent.  Additionally Social Security and Military Retired pay will also be increased due to previous actions.

Medicare Part B

The Department of Health and Human Services announced that Medicare Part B premiums for 2012 would be lower than previously predicted.  The Part B deductible will decrease by $22 and the monthly premium will only be $99.90.  Good news for all Medicare beneficiaries.

NAUS Meets With House Minority Leader

On Wednesday, Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) held her quarterly briefing for military and veterans organizations.  NAUS joined most of the D.C. regionally based organizations to discuss with the Leader and at least 13 other minority members, areas of interest and to find where all could join in a concerted effort to boost or maintain earned veterans benefits.

Areas of concern discussed included possible increases in TRICARE charges, a $200 annual fee for TRICARE for Life, proposals to revise the military retirement and a “BRAC-like” commission to review all military benefits.  Increasing job opportunities for veterans and what the “Super Committee” might recommend was also discussed.

Joint Chiefs Testify

All members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. 

Following the lead of their boss Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, all of the officers agreed that any further cuts to defense spending could be dangerous.

Both the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jonathan Greener and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said that cuts of as much as $1 trillion would mean an “unacceptable” risk to U.S. national security.  Odierno also said steeper budget cuts, which would happen if the “Super Committee” does not reach consensus also would hit the National Guard, thereby reducing its ability to respond to domestic disasters.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James F. Amos, told the committee that steeper defense cuts would undermine the military’s ability to maintain a large presence in key parts of the world.  He argued that if the U.S. military were compelled to pull back, other countries such as China would fill the void.

Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff, made a similar argument when he said,

“If we want to be a global power, we’ve got to be out and about.”

Welcome to the NAUS Weekly Update.  Please email us any feedback, corrections or tips.  You can join NAUS online here.  

Statue to be Dedicated on Veterans Day

The first statue to be placed near ground zero in New York City, to salute the heroes of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, will not be a fireman or policeman but is a lone U.S. Commando on horseback in the Afghan mountains.

Entitled “De Opresso Liber” – “to free the oppressed,” the Green Berets’ motto, the statue is a tribute to the first organized US forces to strike back at Al Queda’s stronghold in Afghanistan.  Thirty-four U.S. commandos conducted raids, organized Afghan tribesmen to fight the insurgents and even participated in a cavalry charge. 

The statue is 18 feet tall, weighs 3 tons and has a piece of the World Trade Center imbedded in its base.  NAUS salutes those who inspired the statue and those who followed through and made sure the statue was completed.

New Afghan Campaign Star Authorized

DoD has announced an additional campaign phase has been approved for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM).  With the approval of this new campaign phase, an additional campaign star was also authorized for wear with the ACM, for a current total of five campaign periods.  The latest campaign phase for the ACM is retroactively effective from July 1, 2011 until a through date for this campaign phase is determined.  Persons authorized to wear the ACM rate one campaign star per phase or one silver campaign star in lieu of five bronze campaign stars.   NAUS NOTE: The current phase dates for the ACM are September 11, 2001 to November 30, 2001; December 1, 2001 to September 30; 2006, October 1, 2006 to November 30, 2009; December 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011; July 1, 2011 until a new end date is determined. 

Military Post Offices to Close in Iraq

With U.S. forces coming home from Iraq by the end of the year, the U.S. Postal Service will stop accepting mail addressed to military post offices in Iraq starting Nov. 17.  Military post offices in Iraq will also stop processing mail Nov. 17, and service members there should begin now to advise those who send them mail about the Nov. 17 deadline.  Mail in the system through Nov. 17 will still be processed and delivered to service members. Read more at this website.

Possible Cuts to DoD TA Concern for Many Service Members

In October the Marine Corps announced it would reduce the maximum Tuition Assistance (TA) available to its active duty members from $4,500 per year/per person to $875 per year/ per person.  It rescinded this change on October 26th and restored TA to the full DoD rate.  Although the Marine Corps reinstated the Tuition Assistance benefit its former level, total funding for TA for FY12 was reduced to approximately $28 million, compared to $53 million during FY11.

It appears that the Marine Corps may have made its decision to reduce Tuition Assistance benefits in anticipation that other DoD services were planning to make similar cuts.

In FY10 DoD spent approximately $543 million on TA.  Currently approximately 300,000 service members take advantage of this benefit in pursuit of their higher education goals.

Although DoD has not proposed any changes to its overall TA policy, if any changes to this program are to be made in the future, it will be considered as part of an overall review of any military benefits package, said DoD officials.  The fear that DoD will make drastic cuts to the TA program is a concern for many service members who cite this benefit as both a recruitment and retention incentive.  NAUS NOTE: DoD should seriously consider the impact that any proposed TA cuts may have on future recruitment and force retention.

36th Marine Corps Marathon

1st. Lt. Charles “Chad” Ware, U.S. Army Reserve, won this year’s Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) with an unofficial run time of 2 hours 19 minutes and 16 seconds, shaving 45 seconds of his previous personal best time of 2:20:01.  His blistering pace brought him within 16 seconds of an Olympic qualifying time of 2:19:00.  Tezata Dengersa, a native of Turkey and resident of Ellicott City, MD, finished first among the women, she finished with an unofficial time of 2 hours, 45 minutes and 28.  This qualified her for the B-Category of the 2012 Olympics in London.

Other notable runners include, Cara Golias, 14, of Fairfax, Va., and veteran marathoner, Col. Jonathan Mendes, USMC (Ret.), 90, of New York, NY.  Golias was the youngest participant in this year’s Marine Corps Marathon, she finished the course in 6:08:18 and Mendes was the oldest runner at this year’s Marine Corps Marathon, he finished the event in 7:02:30

SeaBees Gain College Credits

The American Council on Education (ACE) recently released updated college credits for Seabee ratings following a review of the career paths for each rating at the Center for Seabee and Facilities Engineering (CSFE).  Through ACE, sailors can receive academic credit for work experience and on-the-job training as well as formal Navy training.  To take advantage of ACE recommended credits for their specific ratings, sailors should visit their nearest Navy College Office or Educational Service Officer to review their SMART transcript and develop an education plan.

Holiday Mailing Deadlines Reminder

The United States Postal Service and Military Postal Service Agency have released deadlines to ensure packages arrive to Military and State Department post offices overseas by Dec. 25, 2011. Deadlines to ensure arrival by Dec. 25 are Nov. 12 for parcel post mail; Nov. 26 for space-available mail; Dec. 3 for parcel airlift mail; Dec. 10 for priority mail and first-class mail, letters and cards; and Dec. 17 for express mail military service.  Not all Military or State Department post offices are eligible for Express Mail Military Service.  For information on mailing deadlines and restrictions, email the Military Postal Service or visit the Military Postal Services Agency website. 

Reminder: You May Qualify for Increased Social Security 

Veterans and transitioning service members with active-duty service, between January 1st 1957 and December 31st, 2001, may qualify for increased Social Security payments.

Under certain circumstances, special extra earnings for military service from 1957 to 2001 can be credited to a current service-member or veteran’s record for Social Security purposes. These extra earnings credits may help service-members and veterans qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of their current Social Security benefits.

To apply for this benefit, eligible recipients might have to submit a copy of their DD-214 at their local Social Security office in person.  Some Social Security offices can take care of the adjustments over the phone.  Check with your local office.

For more information about these special extra earnings credits, eligibility requirements and application procedures contact the Social Security Administration.

B&Bs for Vets

American and Canadian innkeepers want to say thank you to those who have served their country by inviting veterans to wake up on Veterans' Day (November 11, 2011) in a Bed and Breakfast (B&B).  Inns and B&Bs throughout the U.S. and Canada will honor active military and veterans by offering complimentary stays on November 10, 2011, in observance of Veteran's Day.  To date nearly 500 inns and B&Bs have signed up to participate in the B&Bs for Vets program in the U.S.  For a complete list of participating inns and B&Bs, visit US websitefor participating U.S. establishments and Canada Websitefor participating Canadian B&Bs.

VA Dedicates Fifth Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center in San Antonio

The VA Recently dedicated a new Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center (PRC) at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) in San Antonio.  The state-of-the-art, $66 million inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation center will treat veterans and active duty service members with multiple, traumatic injuries.  This is VA’s fifth polytrauma center nationwide.

The cutting-edge Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center will work closely with the Department of Defense to treat Servicemembers and Veterans with physical, cognitive, psychological or psychosocial impairments and functional disabilities.  Examples of polytrauma care include traumatic brain injury (TBI), amputations, burns, fractures, hearing loss and visual impairment. 

“Families are important to us,” states Marie Weldon, South Texas Veterans

Health Care System director.  “We kept them in mind during all project stages of the PRC by not only enhancing Veteran care and expanding services, but also by providing a family-friendly environment.”

VA’s fifth PRC was designed by the architectural joint venture of Smith Group/ Marmon Mok.  The PRC will work in conjunction with Brooke Army Medical Center, The Center for the Intrepid, Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research. 

The PRC will consist of 12 acute care polytrauma rehabilitation inpatient beds; physical medicine and rehabilitation services; outpatient polytrauma rehabilitation services; and refurbished prosthetic, rehabilitation and office space. 

VA’s Polytrauma System of Care consists of five regional TBI/Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers in Richmond, Va.; Tampa, Fla.; Palo Alto, Calif.; Minneapolis, and San Antonio.

Currently, the enrollment fee for NAUS members is reduced from $395 to $130.  Excelsior College’s Student Services Fee of $440/year is waived for student enrolled in 6 credits or more credits per year and tuition is reduced to $305/credit instead of $355.  Excelsior College also provides a one time only graduation fee reduction from $495 to $130 for NAUS students who complete a minimum of 12 credits at Excelsior College before degree completion.  Some Master-level tuition and fee discounts may be available on request.  NAUS members can learn more here.   

“FALL Back”  - Remember to set your clocks back one hour Saturday night as we return to Standard Time.