RAO Bulletin Update
1 February 2005
This Bulletin Update Contains the Following Articles:
CRDP Update 31
(100% Disabled w/IU chances now 50-50)
Budget Shortfalls Blamed on Retirees by Pentagon
. (Veteran groups
outraged)
Legislation of Interest Update 04
(109th Congress Vet
bills)
VA Compensation Levels Inconsistent
. (Award levels by state
differ)
BRAC 2005 Update 03
.. (Latest proposed base closings)
Depleted Uranium (DU):
... (Compensation for exposure)
SBP DIC Offset Update 1
... (Elimination proposed)
SBP Paid Up Provision Update 1
.. (2005 vice 2008 proposed)
SGLI Update 04
... (Increased coverage proposed)
Vet Cemetery Georgia
(Opening in late 2005 planned)
VA Laser Eye Surgery Update 01
.. (No longer available)
National Retired Military Golf Classic
.. (31 MAY thru 03 JUN
05)
AF Recognition Ribbon
... (Eligibility to wear expanded)
Atomic Vets Info
. (Obtaining info for claims)
Diet Slim Chance 2004 Awards
.... (Years worst diet
gimmicks)
CRDP Update 31: Despite rumors to the contrary, the Pentagon has made
no final decision on paying full concurrent receipt of military retired
and disability pay to veterans with non-combat disabilities rated at
100% solely because they are unemployable. An e-mail circulating among
military retirees claims there was a 28 JAN announcement from the Defense
Department that retirees who are rated fully disabled solely because
the Department of Veterans Affairs has determined they are unable to work
will not get full concurrent receipt that will go to other disabled
retirees who have formal 100% disability ratings. Defense personnel,
finance center and public affairs officials said 31 JAN that there was no
such announcement and that no decision has been made. Since late October,
Pentagon officials have been trying to decide how to apply a provision
of the 2005 Defense Authorization Act (now Public Law 108-375) that
promised to immediately end the offset in retired pay for all 100%
disabled military retirees, without forcing them to wait the nine remaining
years of an originally planned 10-year phase out of the offset. One clear
result, which will appear in retiree paychecks this week, is that
veterans with non-combat disabilities rated at 100% no longer have their
military retired pay reduced because they are also receiving veterans
disability compensation. About 15,000 retirees are getting extra money in
their 1 FEB retirement checks because of this change. Still to be
determined is what happens to the additional 15,000 retirees who have formal
disability ratings of less than 100% but are considered unemployable by
the VA. In December, defense officials sent a letter to the White
House saying that unless the White House objected, they intended to treat
veterans with what the VA calls individual unemployability the same as
other 100% disabled veterans. The White Houses Office of Management
and Budget, which received the notice, did not raise any objections, but
a final policy decision still has not been made and the Defense Finance
and Accounting Service, which cuts retiree paychecks, has not received
any order to make payments. In December and early January, defense
officials working on the unemployability question were optimistic that the
retirees ultimately would receive the payments. Now, as the final
decision has lagged, they are less sure. One official working on the issue
put the odds at 50-50 either way. He said that if this were a sure
thing, the pay order would already have gone out. If a decision is made to
cover the unemployable disabled retirees, they would be entitled to
payments effective 1 JAN 05, the same as other disabled retirees. There
appears to be no timetable for making a final decision. Officials said
there is some talk among policymakers about punting the issue back to
Congress because it was a lack of clarity in the 2005 Defense
Authorization Act that led to the current impasse. If Congress has to pass a new
law clarifying coverage, officials say that would likely delay payments
[Source: Navy Times Rick Maze article 31 JAN 05]
BUDGET SHORTFALLS BLAMED ON RETIREES: The 25 JAN 05 Wall Street
Journal issue carried a front-page story "As Benefits for Veterans Climb,
Military Spending Feels Freeze." The story talks about the arguments made
by Pentagon officials that military retirees are taking budget money
that military leaders want to use to help troops fighting today. It noted
the assertions of Dr. David Chu who is the Pentagon's Undersecretary
for Personnel and Readiness during their interview. He stated that the
amounts have gotten to the point where they are hurtful. They are
taking away from the nation's ability to defend itself and improving retiree
and survivor benefits does not affect active duty retention. The story
asserts that Congress, feeling the pressure by veterans groups has
boosted retiree and survivor benefits including TRICARE For Life,
concurrent receipt, and SBP. It is difficult to believe that the words of Dr.
Hue are the official position of the Pentagon or just a case of foot in
mouth disease. However, after six days the Pentagons public relations
office has not made any news releases that commented on or disputed Dr.
Chus assertions which have enraged veteran groups throughout the
country.
Issues about military benefits should be publicly aired, but
assertions that increased spending on benefits for military retirees and
widows is taking money from weapons or other active duty funding needs or
off base. Congress over the past two years has passed legislation
specifying that no money for TRICARE For Life or concurrent receipt is to
come out of the DoD budget, but is to come from elsewhere in the
Treasury. Regarding retention the Joint Chiefs of Staff fought to repeal
retirement cuts in the late 1990s after those cuts were found to be
contributing to serious retention and readiness problems. The Joint Chiefs
also told Congress at the time that they supported retiree health care
fixes, because active duty troops know that they'll be retired someday,
too. The troops are smart and can see through a "give them bonuses now
and cut their future benefits" philosophy; that's exactly what gave rise
to the retention and readiness crises of the late 1970s and late 1990s,
after years of erosion of benefits. Congress has demonstrated time and
again that it will provide funding to meet the needs of both our active
duty forces and our military retirees and survivors. If any
Administration chooses to impose internal funding limitations or budget trade-offs
that is in direct conflict with the intent of statutes passed by
Congress and signed into law that were written specifically to prevent that
from happening. The WSJ article points out why the Military Coalition of
fraternal organizations have a responsibility to help ensure that
retention lessons learned under previous administrations aren't lost as
leadership changes, independent of any particular Administration's
budget-driven proposals. VADM Ryan's (President of the MOAA) recently wrote an
article on this issue in their magazine titled Freedom Isnt Free
which addresses precisely that point. It can be read at
www.moaa.org/Magazine/CurrentEdition/presidents_page.asp. The Wall Street Journal
article can be viewed at
http://webreprints.djreprints.com/1156160669825.html . [Source: Various
JAN 05]
LEGISLATION OF INTEREST UPDATE 04: With the start of the 109th Congress
a number of bills have already been introduced in the House and Senate.
Here is a summary of those bills of interest to veterans:
S. 11 (Sen. Levin, D-MI) is an omnibus bill that would increase Army
and Marine Corps strengths, provide tax credits to employers of mobilized
Guard/Reserve members, increase the military death gratuity to
$100,000, eliminate the DIC offset to SBP, accelerate the 2008 effective date
of SBP, and provide additional health coverage options to all Selected
Reserve members, among other provisions.
S. 13 A bill to overhaul veterans health care benefits.
S. 42 (Sen. Allen, R-VA) and S. 44 (Sen. Hagel, R-NE) would both raise
the death gratuity to $100,000 for members killed on active duty since
9/11.
S. 43 (Sen. Hagel, R-NE) would end the $1200 enrollment fee for the
Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), refund the fee to MGIB-participating members on
active duty, and offer an new enrollment opportunity to all
non-participating active duty members.
S. 77 (Sen. Sessions, R-AL) would increase maximum military life
insurance coverage from $250,000 to $400,000 of which the first $150,000
would be premium-free for members serving in combat zones and raise the
military death gratuity to $100,000 for servicemembers killed in combat.
S. 121 (Sen. DeWine, R-OH) would increase the death gratuity to
$100,000 for the surviving spouse plus $25,000 for each surviving child,
authorize free TRICARE Prime eligibility for surviving children until the
age of 18 or 22 (if enrolled in school), double the education benefit for
surviving children, and increase DIC to $1500 per month for an eligible
surviving spouse plus $750 per month for each surviving child.
S. 185, the Military Retiree Survivor Equity Act, would end the
deduction of VA survivor benefits (paid when the members death is caused by a
service-connected condition) from the survivors SBP annuity. It also
would move up the 2008 effective date of 30-year paid-up SBP coverage to
a 2005 implementation.
H.R. 97 (Rep. Sam Graves, R-MO) would limit interest rates to 36
percent for consumer credit extended to a service member or a service
members dependent. If passed, the measure would authorize a fine or up to one
year imprisonment (or both) for lenders who violate the interest cap.
The legislation was introduced in response to reports that some lending
agencies target military personnel with promises of quick and easy
loans and are able to charge interest rates as high as 390 percent. By
contrast service members are able to obtain loans from credit unions with
18 percent interest.
H.R. 292 (Rep. Spencer Bauchus (Ala.) would also increase the benefit
paid to survivors to $100,000. The measure is being considered by the
House Armed Services Committee and currently has 157 cosponsors
H.R. 303 (Rep. Bilirakis, R-FL) would eliminate the disability offset
to military retired pay effective 1 JAN 06 for all members with a
service-connected disability who had sufficient service to retired
independent of any disability.
H.R. 333 (Rep. Lynch, D-MA) would protect education status and
financial interests of servicemembers called to active duty while enrolled in
college courses.
H.R. 377 (Rep. Everett, R-AL) is the House companion bill to Sen.
Sessions S. 77.
You can track cosponsorship, current status, and other information on
selected bills of interest at: http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/.
You can also send your legislators suggested messages urging their
support via this site by simply entering your ZIP code in the appropriate
block. [Source: Various JAN 05]
VA COMPENSATION LEVELS INCONSISTENT: Bushs nominee (Jim Nicholson) to
run the Department of Veterans Affairs, pledged he would work to ensure
that veterans across the country are given the same treatment,
regardless of where they live. During the Senate hearings he said it was a
"real issue" that veterans in different states are awarded different
levels of compensation. The reasons for those differences, however, are
still something of a mystery. Responding to questions Nicholson said he was
still examining the issue and was waiting for the inspector general's
assessment on the topic. He made the comments in testimony to the Senate
Veterans' Affairs Committee. Nicholson previously was chairman of the
Republican National Committee and most recently served as U.S.
ambassador to the Vatican. The issue of state-by-state variation stems from
figures compiled by the VA that show veterans in some states getting far
higher annual payments than veterans in other states. For example,
according to the VA's most recent annual the average payment for disability
compensation is $7,861 yet veterans in New Mexico receive an average of
$10,851 and veterans in Ohio only receive an average $6,710. The
regional differences have erupted as a significant issue in Illinois, which
ranks near the bottom of the average payment lists. There is an annual
difference of $5,000 between average disability compensation to veterans
in Illinois versus payments to veterans in Puerto Rico, which has the
highest average payments. Chicago media, led by the Chicago Sun-Times,
have reported extensively on the issue, and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.,
has flagged it as a major concern. The department's inspector general
also has launched an examination of the issue. Knight Ridder
Newspapers, in a report last summer, also highlighted such disparities,
particularly the percentage of veterans in each state who are part of the
disability compensation system. Across the country, their analysis of VA data
found, an estimated 572,000 U.S. veterans may not be receiving the
compensation to which they're entitled from the federal government for
disabilities suffered in the service of their country. There was also wide
variation by state in the percentage of veterans who participate in the
program. At the high end are states such as Alaska, New Mexico,
Oklahoma and Texas, where 12% to 16% of veterans receive disability
compensation payments. At the low end are Illinois, Iowa, Connecticut and
Michigan, where 6% or 7% of veterans get compensation. The national average is
9.9%. Many state governments have taken it upon themselves to find
these uncompensated veterans. After Knight Ridder's story, legislation was
introduced in July by Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., to require the VA to
educate all veterans about the benefits due them. In the last Congress,
no action was taken on Coleman's bill. But his spokesman say that the
measure will be reintroduced. Disability payments, which now go to about
2.5 million veterans, are designed to compensate veterans who suffer
physical or mental injuries while serving in the armed services.
Veterans experts say that demographic issues, over which the VA has little
control, may explain some of the variation. Another possible explanation
is that VA workers may be trained differently and therefore determine a
veteran's level of disability differently. Nicholson stated that if he
was confirmed it would be a "high priority" to better understand the
regional disparities. Congress did confirm him in a 14-0 vote. He will
replace Anthony Principi, who has served as leader of the agency since
early in Bush's first term. [Source: Knight Ridder Newspaper article 24
JAN 05]
BRAC 2005 UPDATE 03: In 1988 the Secretary of Defense recognized the
requirement to close excess bases to save money and therefore chartered
the Commission on Base Realignment and Closure in 1988 to recommend
military bases within the United States for realignment and closure.
According to a knowledgeable official who spoke to Armed Forces News on
grounds of anonymity, as of mid-December the following bases were being
considered under the Base Realignment and Closure round of 2005. It
should be empathized that the final decision on whether or not the bases on
this list will close has NOT been made:
BRAC 2005 - Air Force Bases: Altus AFB, Oklahoma; Beale AFB,
California; Brooks AFB, Texas; Cannon AFB, New Mexico; Columbus AFB, Mississippi;
Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota; Goodfellow AFB, Texas; Grand Forks AFB,
North Dakota; Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts; Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; Los
Angeles AFB, California; McConnell AFB, Kansas; Nellis AFB, Nevada (to
realign); Seymour Johnson AFB (to realign), North Carolina; Shaw AFB,
South Carolina; and Vance AFB, Oklahoma.
BRAC 2005 - Army Bases: Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania; Detroit
Arsenal, Michigan;
Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico; Fort
McPherson/Gillem, Georgia; Fort Monmouth, New Jersey; Fort Monroe, Virginia; Fort
Polk (to realign), Louisiana; Fort Richardson, Alaska; Fort Sam Houston,
Texas; Fort Shafter, Hawaii; Lima Army Tank Plant, Ohio; Natick Soldier
Center, Massachusetts; Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey; Redstone Arsenal,
Alabama; Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois; Sierra Army Depot, California;
and Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.
BRAC 2005 - Marine Bases: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California;
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia; Marine Corps Logistics
Base Barstow, California (realignment); Marine Corps Mountain Warfare
School, California; Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California
(realign or close); and Marine Reserve Support Unit, Kansas City.
BRAC 2005 - Naval Bases: Ingleside Naval Station, Texas; Naval Air
Engineering Station Lakehurst, New Jersey; Naval Air Station Meridian,
Mississippi; Naval Postgraduate School, California; Naval Recreation
Station Solomons Island; Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, Indiana; Naval
Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Virginia; Navy Supply Corps
School, Georgia; New Orleans Naval Support Activity, Louisiana;
Pascagoula Naval Station, Mississippi; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, New
Hampshire; and Saratoga Springs Naval Support Unit, New York.
[Source: Armed Forces News 21 JAN 05]
DEPLETED URANIUM (DU): DU is a radioactive by-product of uranium
enrichment used to coat ammunition such as tank shells and "bunker busting"
missiles because its density makes it ideal for piercing armor. In the
manufacture of tank and bunker busting shells/missiles depleted
uranium, non-depleted uranium, titanium and tungsten all meet the dense metal
criteria. However, titanium and tungsten are not normally used as they
are more expensive than depleted uranium which is in abundance. The
world uranium industry has over one million tons of depleted uranium to
dispose of. Tungsten is difficult to manufacture because it is 1.75
times harder than uranium and has a much higher melting point at 3422
degrees Celsius than depleted uranium at1132 degrees Celsius. Moreover,
depleted uranium is preferred because it burns fiercely in air making it
effective as an incendiary device. Uranium can be engineered to be
"self-sharpening" so that when it hits a target, it retains its punching
point as material erodes off the warhead. Titanium and tungsten will not do
this. Uraniums molecular structure can re-formed, using metallurgical
and "nano-technologies" to deliver a selected range of ballistic
features, including kinetic, thermal, pyrophoric, liquid metal and
high-pressure/high-heat, plasma effects. Uranium (whether NDU or DU) offers
unique structural features and the chemistry best suited for the defeat of
deep, bunkerized targets, multiple types of targets in area denial
munitions, and penetrating composite ceramic and metal armored targets.
Thousands of DU shells and bombs have been used in Yugoslavia,
Afghanistan, the 1990-91 Gulf war and the ongoing conflict in Iraq.
Scientists say even a tiny particle of DU can have disastrous results once
ingested, including various cancers and degenerative diseases,
paralysis, birth deformities and death. DU has a half-life of 4.5 billion
years, meaning it takes that long for just half of its atoms to decay. The
radiation released through DU use in conflicts is believed to be more
than ten times the amount dispersed by atmospheric testing. According
to Terry Jemison at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), of the
more than 592,560 discharged personnel who served in the 1990-91 Gulf
war, at least 179,310 - one third - are receiving disability compensation
and over 24,760 cases were pending by in September 2004. A sixth of
the Iraq war veterans have already sought treatment. This does not
include personnel still active and receiving care from the military, or
those who have died. And among 168,528 veterans of the current conflict in
Iraq who have left active duty, 16% (27,571) had already sought
treatment from the VA by July 2004. These figures cover a variety of service
connected medical conditions and none of this has been attributed to DU
use. However, those who have served in these areas seem to have
increased susceptibility to the symptoms of exposure. If you served in these
conflicts and are experiencing any of the symptoms of ingesting DU you
should consider submitting a disability claim to the VA and be
evaluated. [Source: New Mexico e-Veterans News 15 JAN 05 ++]
SBP DIC OFFSET UPDATE 1: Survivors of members who die of
service-connected causes are entitled to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
of $993 per month for a survivor without children from the VA. The
surviving spouses SBP annuity is reduced by the DIC amount. A pro-rated
share of SBP premiums is refunded to the widow upon the members death,
but with no interest. No survivors of civilian retirees who are also
disabled military veterans and die of a military-service-connected cause
must forfeit their purchased survivor benefits to receive DIC. For
members killed on active duty since 24 NOV 04, a surviving spouse with
children can avoid the dollar-for-dollar offset by assigning SBP to the
children. But that forces the spouse to give up any SBP claim after the
children attain their majority leaving the spouse with only $993 a month
from the VA. Currently, 53,000 widows have some level of SBP offset.
Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Henry Brown, sponsors of legislation to
eliminate reduction of SBP by the amount of VA Dependency and Indemnity
Compensation (DIC) payments for the past four years, have introduced bills
combining the issue with paid-up SBP. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 29 JAN 05]
SBP PAID UP PROVISION UPDATE 1: The Strom Thurmond National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999, signed into law as Public Law
105-261 on 17 Oct 98, authorized a paid-up provision to SBP for retirees.
The law states that, effective 1 Oct 08, no reduction may be made in the
retired pay of a participant in the Plan for any month after the later
of the 360th month of retired pay reduction and the month during which
the participant attains 70 years of age. Thus, beginning with the
retired pay entitlement and SBP coverage in effect for the month of October
2008, SBP premium reductions shall no longer be made from the retired
pay of qualified participants. The first payment affected would be the
payment normally due in NOV 08. Enrollment in the RSFPP, the earlier
annuity program sponsored by the military, will not be counted in
determining the qualifying SBP enrollment period. Only SBP participation, which
began 21 Sep 72, will be used for this purpose. Public Law 106-65,
signed into law 5 OCT 99, extended the paid-up provision to active RSFPP
participants. That law states that, effective 1 OCT 08, no reduction may
be made in the retired pay of an RSFPP participant for any month after
the later of the 360th month of retired pay reduction and the month
during which the participant attains 70 years of age.
Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ), who have
previously sponsored bills to accelerate implementation of paid-up SBP, have
agreed to join Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Henry Brown as primary
cosponsors of their respective bills in the 109th Congress to accelerate the
30 year paid up provision to a 2005 implementation date. About 135,000
retirees would benefit from an earlier effective date of paid-up SBP.
The basic statutory provisions of SBP law are in Chapter 73, Title 10,
United States Code. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 29 JAN 05]
SGLI UPDATE 04: Senator Jeff Sessions (Ala.), a member of the Senate
Armed Services Committee, has introduced legislation S. 77 that would
dramatically expand death benefits for military survivors. Senator Joseph
Lieberman (CT) is a chief co-sponsor of the bill. Senator Sessions
stated that the bill would increase the Servicemens Group Life Insurance
(SGLI) maximum benefit to $400,000 from its current maximum of
$250,000. Of that coverage $150,000 would be provided at no cost to service
members once they enter a combat zone. There is no free coverage under
current law. The legislation would also raise the death gratuity from
$12,420 for military personnel killed in combat to $100,000 and the death
gratuity increase would be retroactive to cover those killed while
deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Combined, the three increases would cost about $460 million, and it is
unclear where the money would come from. [Source: FRA News Bytes 15 JAN 05]
VET CEMETERY GEORGIA: This planned 775-acre Georgia site is located in
Cherokee County approximately 40 miles north of Atlanta. Nearly
400,000 veterans and their families live within 75 miles of the cemetery.
Currently there are no open national cemeteries in Georgia. The two
closest open VA national cemeteries are Chattanooga National Cemetery, 118
miles away in Tennessee, and Fort Mitchell National Cemetery, 130 miles
away in Alabama. The 135-acre initial construction phase calls for
29,000 full-casket gravesites, consisting of both pre-placed crypts and
traditional casket gravesites, plus a 3,000-unit columbarium and 3,000
burial sites for cremated in-ground remains. The plan also includes
construction of an administration and maintenance complex, three committal
service shelters, a public information center with electronic gravesite
locator and public restrooms, a cemetery entrance area, flag assembly
area, memorial walkway and donations area and infrastructure elements
including roadways, landscaping, utilities and irrigation. The $27.7
million contract has been awarded to a company in Marietta Georgia and
burials are expected to begin by late 2005 in an initial burial site to
allow burials while cemetery is under construction. Information on the
Georgia National Cemetery is available by calling (770) 479-9300.
[Source: Air Force Retiree News 19 JAN 05]
VA LASER EYE SURGERY UPDATE 01: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
has ended a five-month-old policy that permitted optometrists to
perform laser eye surgery at its health care facilities under the supervision
of ophthalmologists. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs decision was a
reluctant one but experts could not come up with an implementation plan
agreeable to both specialties. Traditionally, ophthalmologists perform
eye surgery, while optometrists conduct visual examinations. In VA,
health professionals can only perform services identified by professional
licenses issued by each state. Oklahoma is the only state in the
nation that licenses properly trained optometrists in their state to perform
laser eye surgery. In August, VA began permitting optometrists with
licenses authorizing laser eye surgery to perform those procedures under
the supervision of an ophthalmologist. However, a VA panel with
representatives from both professions has been unable to reach an agreement
on how this supervision would actually take place. VA currently operates
157 hospitals, 134 nursing homes, 42 residential rehabilitation
treatment programs, and 862 outpatient clinics. The new policy is effective
immediately at all facilities providing laser eye surgery. [Source: VA
News Release 18 DEC 04]
NATIONAL RETIRED MILITARY GOLF CLASSIC: The 22nd National Retired
Military Golf Classic will be held in Myrtle Beach, S.C., from 31 May to 04
June 2005. The tournament will be played on five different courses at
the Myrtle Beach National and Wildwing Golf Clubs. Only 864 men and
132 women will be accepted for this event, which NRMGC officials say is
the largest retired military golf event in the world. More than
$125,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. Applications were mailed in
December to those on the mailing list. Applications are also available at
many military golf courses around the country. Priority is given to
those who have played previously in the classic. After 1 FEB acceptance
will be on a first come first served basis. A waiting list will be
established once the tournament is full. For applications call 1 (800)
255-4763 or 1 (866) 469-7853 or write to NRMGC, PO Box 3608, Myrtle Beach
SC 29578. [Source: Air Force Retiree News 11 JAN 05]
AF RECOGNITION RIBBON: Eligibility to wear this ribbon has been
expanded. This ribbon was initially authorized by the Chief of Staff, U.S.
Air Force on 12 OCT 80. It is awarded to named individual Air Force
recipients of special trophies and awards except the 12 Outstanding Airmen
of the Year nominees. A change to AFI 36-2805, Special Trophies and
Awards, allows members of small teams participating in events such as
security forces Defender Challenge, Air Mobility Command Rodeo or the
William Tell competition at Air Combat Command to wear the Air Force
Recognition Ribbon. A small team is defined as below flight level. Examples
include a team for a specific event, an airlift or missile crew of the
year, or a weapons load crew. Although the official implementation date
for the policy change was 6 DEC 04 eligibility under the revised
criteria is retroactive to the inception date of the ribbon in 1980. [Source:
Armed Forces News 7 JAN 04]
ATOMIC VETS INFO: In the late forties, all through the fifties, and
into the early sixties the United States exploded many nuclear devices
into our atmosphere. Information regarding these tests was formerly
classified which made it difficult for many vets to pursue claims against
the government. Much has now been declassified and is available. If
you are a vet who has had even one exposure to atmospheric testing of
nuclear devices you may be eligible for a service connected disability, or
in some cases a lump sum settlement of $75,000.00 from the Department
of Justice. Macular degeneration has now been recognized as a possible
cause and effect of ionizing radiation exposure. If you are an Atomic
vet looking for advice on how to proceed with a claim Richard U. Conant
[health permitting] can get you started in the right direction. Richard
was very active in pursuing veteran entitlements related to radiation
exposure for many years and is a wealth of information on the effects of
radiation exposure to vets as a result of his extensive research over
the years to file claims. He is an Atomic vet himself, visually
challenged, and a survivor of some cancers. He can be reached at
rucon1@juno.com. The following web sites can also provide useful info
on the subject:
National Association of Atomic Veterans www.naav.com
Atomic Veterans of America www.angelfire.com/tx/atomicveteran
Atomic Veterans History Project www.aracnet.com/~pdxavets
VA Ionizing Radiation Information www.va.gov/IRAD
VA Project 112 www1.va.gov/SHAD/
[Source: New Mexico e-Veterans News25 JAN 05]
Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Assistance Office & U.S. Embassy Warden Baguio City
RP
PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517-1000
Tel: 1 (760) 839-9003 or FAX to email service 1 (801) 760-2430
Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net (U.S.) or raoemo@mozcom.com (R.P.)
Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
AL/AMVETS/CORMV/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/PRA/TROA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37
member
NOTE: To subscribe, submit email addee change, or unsubscribe:
1. To subscribe provide your full name plus either the
post/branch/chapter number of the fraternal military/government organization you are
currently affiliated with (if any) "AND/OR" the city and state/country
you reside in so your addee can be properly positioned in the directory
for future recovery.
2. To submit change of email addee provide your old and new email addee
plus full name.
3. To unsubscribe click "Reply" and add "Remove" to the subject line.
_____________________________
Unsubscribe: http://www.ymlp.com/u.php?raoemo+amlg327@yahoo.com
Hosting
by http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com