RAO BULLETIN 15 May 2017

[boardman]

RAO
BULLETIN
15 May 2017

HTML/PDF Editions


THIS RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES


Pg Article Subject
. * DOD * .

04 == DFAS Address Change ------------- (Shift From Kentucky to Indiana)
05 == DFAS myPay System [18] ---------- (Beware Bogus email Messages)
05 == USFSPA & DFAS ------------------------ (Notice Of Statutory Change)
06 == DoD Pro Sports Policy ---------------------- (Revised | No Deferments)
07 == DoD Procurement - (Update How Equipment/Technology is Bought)
08 == Commissary Prices [09] ----- (Changes Effect On Shoppers' Savings)
09 == DoD Fraud, Waste, & Abuse ------- (Reported 1 thru 15 MAY 2017)
10 == POW/MIA [84] ------------------ (Capt. Roger Helwig Final Farewell)
11 == POW/MIA Recoveries ------ (Reported 1thru 15 MAY 2017 | Seven)

. * VA * .

14 == VA Disabilities Overlooked --------- (Top 10 Compensatable Ones)
15 == VA Budget 2018 --------- (Big Changes On Tight Budget Promised)
16 == VA Caregiver Program [41] - (Strategic Review 6-Week Extension)
17 == VA Whistleblowers [51] --- (Retaliation Continues After 4 Months)
18 == VA Facility Closures - (Secretary Shulkin Wants 1100 Nationwide)
19 == VA Services [02] ------- (Shulkin Mental Health & Caregiver Plans)
19 == VA EHR [07] ---- (Shulkin Exploring All Options for New System)
20 == VA Accountability [44] ------------------------ (Vet Recourse Limited)
20 == VA Appeals Backlog [07] -------------- (Process Overhaul in Works)
21 == VA Million Veteran Program [08] --- (ID'ing Genetic Risk Factors)
23 == VA/DOE ------------------------------ (New Big Data Science Initiative)
23 == VA Suicide Prevention [40] --------------- (Suicide Line Outsourced)
24 == VA Pain Management [08] -------------- (Opioid Research Findings)
25 == VA Claim Denial ---------- (Galloway~Robert VN | Back Problems)
26 == VA Health Care Access [51] --------- ( FBI Director Firing Impact)
27 == VA Health Care Access [52] -------- (Ascertaining Your Wait Time)
27 == VA Telehealth [11] --- (Plans Technically Illegal | Licensing Rqmts)
29 == VA Vet Choice Program [53] - (Vet Threatens DIY | VA Pays Up)
30 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ------ (Reported 1 thru 15 MAY 2017)
32 == VAMC Nashville TN [02] -- (Sterilizer Problem Reduce Surgeries)
33 == VAMC Shreveport LA [03] ---------------- ( Director Mathew Fired)
34 == VAMC West Haven CT [05] -------------- (Battlefield Acupuncture)
35 == VAMC Washington DC [03] ------------------- (Vets Air Grievances)
36 == VAMC Jefferson Barracks MO ------- (Whistleblower Complaints)
36 == VA-HCS Boston ------------- (Failed to Identify Vet's Brain Tumor)
38 == VA-HCS Black Hills SD [05] ------- (Reconfiguration Put on Hold)

. * Vets * .

40 == Memorial Day 2017 -------- (Flowers to Honor Fallen Servicemen)
40 == Vet Transitional Homes - (Montana Willis Cruse Facility Closure)
41 == Vet Jobs [219] --------------------- (Hilton/Starbucks to Hire 45,000)
42 == Vet Jobs [220] -------------- (Military Retiree Foreign Employment)
43 == Stolen Valor [104] ------------------ (Reported 170501 thru 170515)
43 == Obit: Hamblet~Julia ----- (1 May 2017 | Former Women Marine Dir)
44 == Obit: Yamasaki~Eddie ---------- (27 April 2017 | WWII Vet Author)
45 == Obit: Thorsness~Leo -- (2 May 2017 | Hanoi Hilton/MOH Recipient)
47 == Obit: Ross~Wilburn K ------- (9 MAY 2017 | WWI MOH Recipient)
48 == Retiree Appreciation Days ----------------------- (As of 14 May, 2017)
48 == Vet Hiring Fairs ---------------------------- (16 May thru 15 JUN 2017)
51 == Vet Unemployment [12] ------------------- (Dropped to 3/7% in April)
52 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts -------------------- (Idaho MAY 2017)


* Vet Legislation * .

53 == VA Telemedicine - (H.R.2123/S-926 to Expand Use/Cut Wait times)
53 == VA Accountability [45] -- (H.R.1259 | Removal/Appeals Authority)
54 == VA Accountability [46] - (S.1094 | Bill Includes Sweeping Reforms)
55 == Vet Service Dogs [20] - (S.1014 PAWS Act | Provide to PTSD Vets)
55 == Vet Health Care [06] --------- (H.R.1628 | AHCA Impact on Access)
56 == GI Bill [227] -------------------- (H.R.758 | GI Internship Program Act)
57 == Vet Deportations [11] - (Assembly Bill Passed to Provide Legal Help)


. * MILITARY * .

57 == Military Bases Block Access to RAO Bulletin -- (Security Concerns)
58 == TRANSCOM ------ (Not Enough C-17s/Tankers/Ships for Hot War)
59 == Military Retirement System [26] ------------------ (New System Flaws)
60 == Military Pregnancy ----------------- (New Air Force Separation Policy)
61 == Navy Submarine Design ------- (Changing to Accommodate Women)
62 == Navy Dolphins ---------------------------------------------- (Mine Locators)
63 == Military Logistics ----------------------------- (Army Need to Streamline)
65 == USS Tripoli (LHA-7) ----------------------- (Launched 13 Weeks Early)
65 == Household Goods [01] ------------------------------- (Unclaimed Storage)
67 == Military Appreciation Month -------------------------------------- (Quotes)
68 == Security Force Assistance Brigades --- ($5K Bonus for Participants)
69 == Navy LCS Program [02] ---------------- (HASC Praises Frigate Delay)
71 == GBU-38 GPS-guided Bomb ----- (Added to the Reaper Drone Force)
72 == National Anthem [04] ----------------- (Refusal to Stand When Played)
73 == USMC Recruitment [01] ------ (Targeting Highly Motivated Women)

. * MILITARY HISTORY * .

73 == WWII Dresden Bombing ----------- (8,000 Tons of Bombs in 8 Raids)
75 == Operation Union II --------------- (Vietnam Search & Destroy Mission)
77 == Battle of Los Angeles -------------------------------- (February 25, 1942)
79 == Battle of Cowpens -------------------------------------- (January 17, 1781)
80 == U.S. Invasion of Britain ------------- (John Paul Jones | Didn't Go Well)
81 == Military History Anniversaries ------------------------- (16 thru 31 MAY)
81 == Medal Of Honor Story -------------------- (Kettles~Charles | Vietnam)
82 == Medal of Honor Citations --------------- (Finn~John William | WWII)

. * HEALTH CARE * .

84 == TRICARE Nexium Coverage --------------------- (Will Cease 29 JUN)
84 == TRICARE Preventive Health Program [06] --- (Expanded Services)
85 == Healthy Mouth Movement ----------------- (Free Vet Dental 24 JUN)
86 == Pericarditis ------------------------------ (Smallpox Vaccine Side Effect)
87 == Hepatitis C [01] ------------ (Over 80,000 Patients – 90% Cure Rate)
87 == New Smiles for Vets ------------ (Dental Care for Vets Organization)
88 == Medical Devices ------------------------------------ (Cybersecurity Risks)
89 == TRICARE Podcast 396 ------------ (Nexium | Babies & DEERS | NAL)
90 == TRICARE Podcast 397 --- (Urgent Care | Webiner | Medical Devices)

. * FINANCES * .

91 == FBI IC3 --------------------- (How to File an Internet Crime Complaint)
92 == Homeowners Insurance [02] ----------- (Credit Score Impact Growing)
93 == Dumb Insurance ----- (Identity Theft, Credit Life, Cellphone & Travel)
95 == Federal Reserve --------------- (Rates Remain | What It Means For You)
97 == VA Loan Limits -------------------------------------------------------- (2017)
98 == Gasoline Savings [03] ----------------- (U.S. Gas Tax Potential Increase)
99 == Credit Reports [07] ----------- (How to Make Delinquencies Go Away)
100 == Military Appreciation Month ---------------------------------- (Discounts )
101 == Festival Scam ------------------------------------------------- (How It works)
102 == Tax Burden for Oklahoma Retired Vets ------------ (As of MAY 2017)

. * GENERAL INTEREST * .

103 == Notes of Interest ------------------------------------- (1 thru 15 MAY 2017)
105 == Nuclear Waste ----------- (Largely Forgotten Decaying Infrastructure)
106 == China Island Building [02] -------------------- (New Yulin Installations)
107 == Presidential Trip Expense ----------------------- (Mar-a-Lago Price Tag)
107 == President's Secret Air Force - (Ensuring CINC's Ability to Retaliate)
107 == Fisher House [04] -- (Founder Added to Philanthropy Hall of Fame)
108 == US-Philippines Relations [01] ----------- (Trump-Duterte Phone Call)
109 == Loyalty Day ---------------------------------------------------------- (1 MAY)
110 == Passwords [02] -------------------------------------------------------- (Q & A)
112 == RP Armaments ------------------------------------ ($100 Warship Purchase)
113 == My Son The Marine -------------------------- (Essay: A Line to My Heart)
115 == Vicks Vaporub ----------------------------------------------- (Alternate Uses)
116 == Garage Doors --------------------------------- (Making Yours Stand Out (2)
117 == Aging ------------------------------------------------- (Language Advantages)
117 == Have You Heard? ------ (Happy Birthday | Bruce & Jenny's Love Story)
]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 May 15, 2017
Attachment - Idaho Vet State Benefits & Discounts MAY 2017
Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 16 thru 31 MAY
Attachment - President's Secret Air Force

-o-o-O-o-o-

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

RAO Bulletin Editor/Publisher:
Lt. James (EMO) Tichacek, USN (Ret) Tel: (858) 432-1214 Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net
Bulletin Web Access: http://www.nhc-ul.org/rao.html, http://www.veteransresources.org, http://frabr245.org, and
http://veteraninformationlinksasa.com/emos-rao.html [PDF & HTML Editions w/ATTACHMENTS]

RAO Baguio Director:
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

RAO Baguio Office: Mountain Lodge, 27 Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City, 2600 Philippines
FPO Mail Pickup: TUE & THUR 09-1100 --- Outgoing Mail Closeout: THUR 1100