RAO BULLETIN 1 May 2016

[boardman]

RAO

BULLETIN

1 May 2016

HTML/PDF Editions

THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES

Pg---------------Article ------------------------ Subject

* DOD * .

04 == Stars and Stripes [01] -------------- (May Be Silenced by Funding Cuts)

05 == DoD Religious Expression [04] ---------- (U.S. Court of Appeals Case)

07 == Commissary Prices [04] ------- (Draft Bill Eliminates At-Cost Pricing)

08 == Selective Service System [17] --- (May be Headed for the Scrap Heap)

09 == Selective Service System [18] -------- (HASC | Women Must Register)

09 == BRAC [47] ------------ (DoD Sends Congress Excess Capacity Report)

10 == BRAC [48] -------------------- (Pentagon May Start Unilateral Closures)

11 == BRAC [49] --------------- (HASC Democrat Seeks Base Closures Law)

12 == Toxic Exposure | Wurtsmith AFB ------------------ (PFC Tainted Water)

15 == State Sponsored Terrorism ----------- (State Linked to Act can be Sued)

16 == Arlington National Cemetery [58] --- (38 Acre Expansion Assessment)

17 == POW/MIA [72] ----------------- (North Korea Hands Over 17 Remains)

18 == POW/MIA Recoveries ------------------ (Reported 16 thru 30 Apr 2016)

* VA * .

21 == VA Prosthetics [14] -------- (A Giant Step for Veteran Amputees | POP)

22 == VA Appeals [23] ------------------ (COA Rules in Favor of Staab | $48k)

24 == VA Commission on Care [04] -- (VA Leadership Updates Commission)

25 == VA Commission on Care [05] ----- (MOAA | Fix, Don’t Dismantle VA)

26 == VA Privatization [03] ---------------- (Evidence Does Not Support Need)

27 == VA Medical Marijuana [19] --------------- (DEA Approves PTSD Study)

28 == VA Women Advisory Committee [04] ----------- (5 New Appointments)

29 == VA Pain Management [07] -------------- (Patient Marijuana Use Impact)

29 == VA Claims Processing [16] - (Related Document Shredding | Systemic)

30 == VA Privatization [02] -------------------------- (Not What Veterans Want)

31 == VA Health Care Enrollment [06] --------- (Disciplinary Action Pending)

32 == Non-VA Facility Care [03] ------ (Emergency Medical Expense Claims)

33 == VA Appointments [14] -------------------- (MASS Contract Put on Hold)

34 == VA Health Care Access [37] ---- (GAO | Wait time Problem Not Fixed)

35 == VA HBPC [02] --------- (Sharing Advantages of VA Home Based Care)

37 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ------------- (Reported 16 thru 30 APR 2016)

41 == VARO Roanoke VA --------- (Claims Management Plan Not Followed)

41 == VARO San Juan PR - (Action Taken on Convicted VACHS Employee)

42 == VAH Hines --------------------------- (Cockroach Infestation Complaints)

44 == VAMC Providence RI -------------- (Long-Term Care Research Funded)

44 == VA HCS Portland --------- (Kidney Transplant Study Ethics Complaint)

* Vets * .

45 == Vet Cremains [32] ------------------------------------- (Nine Laid to Rest)

46 == Vet Fertility Treatments [02] -- (VA Appropriations Bill Amendment)

47 == Vet Toxic Exposure | Lejeune [58] - (VA Claim Documents Lawsuit)

48 == Vet Health Care [02] --------- (Government-Funded Health Insurance)

49 == Veterans in Government [02] ------------------------- (Where We Stand)

49 == Veterans' Preference [09] -------- (Many Do Not Really Understand It)

51 == Centurion Marine ----------------- (Former WMA President Turns 100)

52 == Louisiana Vet Cemeteries [06] --------- (Burial Fee Legislation | $745)

52 == Stolen Valor ----------------------------- (Reported 160415 thru 160430)

53 == Senior Vet Care ----------------------- (Caring For A Hero | Lyle Bouck)

56 == WWII Vets 106 -------------------------------------------- (Andrus~Ernest)

57 == Obit: Mayer~Frederick | Inglorious Bastard ------------ (15 APR 2016)

59 == Obit: McGrath~Luta | Oldest Female Vet --------------- (14 APR 2016)

59 == Obit: Mustin~Henry | 34-yr SWO ------------------------ (11 APR 2016)

61 == Retiree Appreciation Days -------------------------- (As of 26 Apr 2016)

61 == Vet Hiring Fairs ------------------------------------ (01 thru 31 May 2016)

62 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts ------------------------- (Alabama 2016)

* Vet Legislation * .

63 == SBP DIC Offset [45] -------- (Time to End the Military “Widows Tax”)

64 == SBP DIC Offset [46] ----- (Pivotal Legislative Year for 60K+ Widows)

65 == Vet Fraud & Abuse [01] ---------- (H.R.4676 | House Vote 411 to Zero)

66 == Vet Toxic Exposure | Marshall Islands ------- (H.R.3870 Sent to Senate)

67 == Vet Deportations [06] ------- (Bill Introduced to Waive Action on Vets)

67 == VA Medical Marijuana [18] ------- (Senate Amendment for Vet Access)

68 == Vet Legislative Issues 2016 – (AL Testifies in Support of Pending Bills)

69 == VA Bonuses [31] ---- (MilCon Bill Prohibits 2017 Senior Exec Awards)

71 == Vets First Act ------------------------------------ (SVAC VA Omnibus Bill)

71 == Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ------------ (160416 thru 160430)

* MILITARY * .

73 == POW/MIA Displays --------------------------- (WPAFB Bible Removal)

74 == Disability Separation Pay -------------------- (14k Vets Wrongly Taxed)

75 == C-130J Fatal Crash ---- (Cause | Forgotten Night-Vision Goggle Case)

76 == Army Honorary Sergeant Major ------ (Retired Gen. Gordon Sullivan)

77 == GI Bill [204] -------------------- (50% Dependent Housing Stipend Cut)

78 == Military Sexual Assault -------------------- (Pentagon Misled Congress)

81 == USCG Laser Use Prohibited ------------- (FDA vice DoD Rules Apply)

82 == Military 2017 Pay Raise ----------------------------- (HASC Backs 2.1%)

83 == TRADES ---------------------- (Transformative Design program | Radar)

83 == Trump Foreign Policy Platform ---------------- (Build-Up U.S. Military)

84 == Archive Photo of the Day --------------- (Chernobyl Ukraine May 1986)

85 == Medal of Honor Citations --------------------- (Baker~Vernon J | WWII)

* MILITARY HISTORY * .

87 == Military History Discussions ---------- (WWII 106th Infantry Division)

87 == Military History ----------------------------- (Battle of A-Shau | Vietnam)

88 == Military Trivia 120 --------------------------------- (Japan’s Coup d’Etat )

91 == M-1 Rifle ------------------------------------------------------- (Not a ‘Gun’)

91 == Military History Anniversaries --------------------------- (01thru 15 May)

92 == WWII US Automobile Industry ---------------------------- (Soup to Nuts)

* HEALTH CARE * .

93 == TRICARE Mental Health Care [03] -------------- (Day Limits Changes)

93 == Smoking ---- (TRICARE Program Unfunded for Cessation Treatment)

95 == TRICARE Urgent Care [01] ------ (Non-referral Visits Could Increase)

95 == Prescription Decoding -------- (Understanding Terms & Abbreviations)

* FINANCES * .

97 == SSIA [01] -------------- (Set to Expire Without NDAA Legislative Fix)

98 == Social Security Sign-Up [01] ------------------ (To Delay or Not Delay)

99 == IRS Audit [06] ------------------------ (What to Do if You Get a Notice)

100 == IRS Audit [07] ----------------------- (Budget Cuts Mean Fewer Audits)

100 == Phantom Discounts ------------------------------ (Death of the Price Tag)

102 == Car Insurance [12] ------------------------------ (Ticket Impact on Rates)

103 == Pentagon FCU ----------------------------- (Fifth Merger in Five Months)

103 == Saving Money ------------------------------------ (27 More Ways to do It)

105 == Macy’s Delivery Email Scam ---------------------------- (How it Works)

106 == Internet Connected Car Scam ----------------- (Scammers' Next Target)

107 == Tax Burden for Georgia Retired Vets ----------------- (As of Apr 2016)

* GENERAL INTEREST * .

109 == Notes of Interest ------------------------------------ (16 thru 30 Apr 2016)

111 == Retirement Planning [10] ---------- (Giving Back to your Community)

112 == Household Tips [04] ---------------------- (Save time and Money)

113 == Calendar Key Dates ------------------------------------------ (May & June)

114 == NATO/Russia Council --- (1st Meeting in 2-yrs | Differences Remain)

114 == Child Pornography --------- (U.S. Coast Guardsman Gets 20 Years ++)

115 == Fruit Flies ---------------------------------------------- (How to Get Rid of)

116 == Honey ---------------------------------------------------- (Unexpected Uses)

117 == Gun Control ---------------------------------------------------------- (Alaska)

118 == Buying A Better Used Car -------- (Don’t Let Life Give You a Lemon)

118 == Brain Teaser ----------------------------- (Engulfed Tire | Weighing Stuff)

119 == Have You Heard? --------------------------------------- (Senior Citizens 3)

120 == Brain Teaser Answer ------------- ----- (Engulfed Tire | Weighing Stuff)

Note:

1. The page number on which an article can be found is provided to the left of each article’s title

2. Numbers contained within brackets [ ] indicate the number of articles written on the subject. To obtain previous articles send a request to raoemo@sbcglobal.net.

* ATTACHMENTS * .

Attachment – RAO Bulletin 1 May 2016

Attachment - Veteran Legislation as of 28 Apr 2016

Attachment - Alabama Vet State Benefits & Discounts Apr 2016

Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 01 thru 15 MAY

Attachment - Battle of A-Shau | Vietnam

-o-o-O-o-o-

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*********************************

RAO Bulletin Editor/Publisher:

Lt. James (EMO) Tichacek, USN (Ret) Tel: (858) 432-1246 Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net

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SMSgt Leonard (Len) D. Harvey, USAF (Ret) PSC 517 Box 4036, FPO AP 96517-1000, Tel: 63-74-442-3468; Email: lenharvey@live.com.ph

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