RAO BULLETIN 15 March 2019

[boardman]

RAO
BULLETIN
15 March 2019

THIS RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES


Pg Article Subject
. * DOD * .

05 == Border Wall [11] ---- (No Military Construction Projects Will Be Canceled to Fund Wall)
06 == Pentagon Spending [02] ---- (Use-It or Lose-It | $61 Billion in A Single Month Last Year)
07 == Burn Pit Toxic Exposure [64] ---- (DoD/VA Two-Day Closed Symposium)
08 == DoD/VA EHR [04] ---- (Senior Lawmaker Pushes on Access Issue)
09 == DOD Illegal Migrant Housing ---- (Base Review to Accommodate Up to 5000 Children)
10 == DoD Budget 2020 [02] ---- ($718B | Shanahan’s “Masterpiece” Document)
11 == Navy Budget Request | 2020 ---- (Will Pass the 300 Ships Mark w/2020 Budget Submission)
12 == Army Budget Request | 2020 ---- ($182B Geared to a Modernization Renaissance)
14 == Air Force Budget Request | 2020 ---- ($165.6B for Readiness & Emerging Tech)
15 == Commissary Funding [31] ---- (21 Percent Cut In Fiscal 2020)
16 == Wargames ---- (The US Keeps Losing, Hard | $24 billion Annual Fix Needed)
18 == PFAS Toxic Exposure [03] ---- (Evidence Suggests DoD’s Awareness since 1980s)
19 == PFAS Toxic Exposure [04] ---- (Cleaning Up/Protecting U.S. Water Will Cost Billions)
20 == Kirtland AFB NM---- (Jet Fuel Seeping Into the Ground for Decades)
20 == Commissary/Exchange Merger [02] ---- (DOD Pushes Ahead to Merge)
21 == DOD Security ---- (Facial Recognition)
22 == Afghan Peace Talks [02] ---- (New Pentagon Plan)
25 == U.S. Space Command ---- (Legislative Hurdle Delays Stand-Up)
26 == U.S. Space Force [12] ---- (Five-year timeline | $2B Cost & 15,000 Personnel)
27 == DOD Fraud, Waste, & Abuse ---- (Reported 01 thru 15 Mar 2019)
30 == POW/MIA [121] ---- (Vietnam War Status as of February 26, 2019)
31 == POW/MIA Recoveries & Burials ---- (Reported 01 thru 15 MAR 2019 | Twenty Six)

. * VA * .

35 == National Vietnam War Veterans Day [01] ---- (VA Thank You!)
35 == VA Appeals [36] ---- (System Is “Ancient” and “Inefficient” and In Need of Drastic Change)
36 == VA Caregiver Program [52] ---- (Expansion Program Delayed to at least mid- to late 2020)
37 == VA Hiring [13] ---- (Financial Incentives Being Offer)
38 == VA Opioid Use [03] ---- (Higher Overdoes Risk for VA + Medicare Users)
39 == VA Private Care Access [04] ---- (No Plan to Pay for It)
40 == VA Private Care Access [05] ---- (VA Risks Repeating Mistakes of Failed Choice Program)
41 == VA PHASeR Testing Program ---- (Cancer Survivor Genetic Testing Pilot)
42 == VA Women Vet Programs [35] ---- (More Female Vets Means More Challenges for VA)
43 == VA Women Vet Programs [36] ---- (Medical Centers Struggling to Curb Harassment)
45 == VA Budget FY 2020 [02] ---- (Trump $220.2B Proposal | 9.6% Increase)
46 == VAMC Leavenworth KS [02] ---- (Lung Cancer Diagnosis Delayed 10 Months)
47 == VAMC Cleveland [03] ---- (Selected as 1 of 18 Pilot Sites for HRO Initiative)
47 == GAO High Risk List [01] ---- (VA Flagged Again)
48 == VA Vision Care [08] ---- (Technology-based Eye Care Services Program)
49 == VAMC Louisville KY [03] ---- (New Hospital Funding in 2020 Budget Proposal)
50 == VA Employment [07] ---- (Secretary Wilkie Concerned About Filling Job Vacancies)
51 == VA Individual Unemployability [06] ---- (Understanding New Verification Process)
51 == VA HRO Transition ---- (18 Medical Centers Will Lead the Way)
52 == VA EHR [14] ---- (VA Health Data to Transfer Easier than DOD’s to New EHR System)
53 == VA Facility Closures [02] ---- (Large-Scale Could Be Coming Sooner Than Expected)
54 == VA Health Care Access [65] ---- (Durham VA Medical Center Issues)

. * VETS * .

55 == Vet Groups [04] ---- (2019 Congressional Objectives & Priorities)
56 == VA Blue Water Claims [66] ---- (Veterans Groups Appeal to Trump)
58 == Vet Job Hunting [03] ---- (Six Tips)
59 == Military Records Correction [03] ---- (Should You Make One)
60 == California Veterans Home [20] ---- (Yountville Home Bible Study Issue)
61 == WWII Vets 184 ---- (Willard H. Blevens Sr. | Battle of the Bulge Participant)
62 == WWII Vets 185 ---- (Norma C. Tocci Kania | WAC)
63 == Burn Pit Toxic Exposure [63] ---- (What’s Coming Next in Battle for Benefits)
64 == Burn Pit Toxic Exposure [65] ---- (House Passes Burn Pit Accountability Act H.R. 663)
65 == RIP Medical Debt ---- (Veterans Receive Golden 'Tickets' Canceling Their Medical Debt)
66 == Veteran Service Organization Imposters ---- (HCVA Internet Bots/Trolls Investigation)
67 == Merchant Marine Fleet [01] ---- (Trump Trying To Help Sailors Become Mariners)
68 == Vet Suicide [24] ---- (White House Finalizes Plan to Stem Veteran Suicides)
69 == Texas Vet Tuition Program ---- (150 Credit Hour Exemption w/Hazlewood Act)
70 == Obit: Dorothy Holmes ---- (17 FEB 2019 | 1st Female Chief Master Sergeant)
72 == Obit: Ralph Hall ---- (7 MAR 2019 | 12 Term Congressman & WWII Navy Pilot)
73 == Vet Hiring Fairs ---- (Scheduled As of 15 MAR 2019)
73 == Military Retirees & Veterans Events Schedule ---- (As of 15 MAR 2019)
74 == Vet State Benefits ---- (Kansas 2019)

. * VET LEGISLATION * .

75 == Afghan Victory Declaration Proposal ---- (S.J. Res12 | 2019 (AFGHAN) Service Act)
75 == POW/MIA Flag [01] ---- (H.R___/S.___ | National POW/MIA Flag Act)
76 == VA Medical Marijuana [60] ---- (H.R.1647 | Authorize VA to Provide Recommendations)
76 == Vet Missing Alert System ---- (S.____ | The Green Alert Act of 2019)
77 == SSIA [06] ---- (H.R.553/S.622 | Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act)
77 == Bankruptcy [02] ---- (S.___ | Haven Act Would Prevent Vet Loss of Disability Benefits
78 == Joint Resolutions ---- (What They Are)

. * MILITARY* .

79 == Military Retirement System [32] ---- (Only 25% of Army BRS Eligible Joined)
80 == Military Pay Raise 2020 ---- (White House Proposes 3.1% Pay Raise)
81 == Military Opioid Use ---- (Preventing Painkiller Abuse)
81 == USMC Tuition [03] ---- (Minimum Time in Service Requirements Scrapped)
82 == Base Housing [05] ---- (Groton Naval Submarine Base Conditions)
82 == Base Housing [06] ----- (Non-Disclosure Agreements Revealed)
84 == PFAS Toxic Exposure [01] ---- (16 Cancer Cases in One Family)
85 == PFAS Toxic Exposure [02] ---- (New Mexico’ U.S. Air Force Lawsuit)
86 == Navy Amphibs [02] ---- (Two Cut from 2020-2024 Budget Plan)
87 == Afghan Failures [04] ---- (The Forever War | Spouse Done Waiting)
89 == Security Clearances [03] ---- (Inadequate Drug Test Reporting)
89 == Navy Carrier Fleet [01] ---- (Early Truman Decom a Non-Starter w/HASC)
90 == Navy Carrier Fleet [02] ---- (Fight against Navy Plan to Buy More Carriers)
91 == USCG Icebreakers [10] ---- (USCGC Polar Star 10 FEB Fire)
93 == Navy Terminology, Jargon & Slang --- (Bitchbox thru Blivet)
94 == Warships That Will Change the Future ---- (INS Mysore (D60)

. * MILITARY HISTORY * .

95 == China Marines ---- (Highly Coveted Tour Of Duty 1927-1941)
96 == Operation Crossroads ---- (That Time the US Dropped an Atomic Bomb an a Fleet of 95 Ships)
98 == Profile in Courage ---- (Lloyd Leslie Burke)
100 == Edgar Allen Poe Military Career ---- (How He Got Himself Kicked Out of the Army)
101 == Navy Dueling ---- (Back When Military Officers Settled Beefs by Shooting Each Other)
102 == War Memorials ---- (D.C. WWI War Memorial)
102 == Post WWII Photos ---- (Tokyo Housing Shortage Solution)
103 == Every Picture Tells A Story ---- (Pivot Point)
103 == WWII Bomber Nose Art [25] ---- (Booby Trap)
104 == Military History Anniversaries ---- (16 thru 31 MAR)
104 == Medal of Honor Citations ---- (James L. Harris | WWII)

. * HEALTH CARE * .

105 == Reproductive Medicine ---- (Post-Mortem Sperm Removal)
106 == Prescription Drug Costs [25] ---- (Will Washington Finally Do Something)
107 == TRICARE Breast Feeding Coverage [03] ---- (Revised After $16M in Over Expenditures)
108 == TRICARE Cost Survey ---- (Beneficiaries Say They Are Paying More and Receiving Less)
110 == Staff Infection ---- (Cause and Preventive Measures to Minimize)
112 == Patient Advocacy Groups ---- (Big Pharma Gave Money to Groups Opposing Medicare Changes)
114 == Irritable Bowel Syndrome [01] ---- (When to See a Doctor)
116 == Hypertension [06] ---- (What It Is and Does)
117 == TRICARE Podcast 491 ---- (Filing Claims - National Nutrition Month - Overseas Pharmacy Benefit)
118 == TRICARE Podcast 492 ---- (Qualifying Life Events - Loss of Eligibility - Updating DEERS)

. * FINANCES * .

119 == Military Retirement Pay Taxation [03] ---- (California AB 427)
120 == Military Consumers ---- (Lose Significantly More Money to Scammers than Non-Military Consumer)
121 == Elder Vet Abuse [07] ---- (Financial Exploitation)
122 == Facebook Charity Scam ---- (Watch Out for Facebook Con with a Charity Twist)
123 == Romance Scam 3 ---- (Tips on Protecting Yourself)
124 == Employment Scams ---- (The Riskiest Cons of 2018)
124 == Tax Burden for Montana Retired Vets ---- (As of MAR 2019)

. * GENERAL INTEREST * .

127 == Notes of Interest ---- (01 thru 15 MAR 2019)
128 == DACOWITS ---- (2018 Report on Women in Service Recommendations)
129 == Russia Nuclear Weapons [01] ---- (Poseidon Nuclear-Powered Torpedo)
130 == U.S. Troop Host Charge ---- (Trump’s Cost + 50 Plan)
131 == Taiwan-China Dispute [05] ---- (Fleet of New Fighters Requested From U.S.)
131 == Nuclear Submarine Lease ---- (Russia to India | $3B for 10 Years)
132 == US Immigration [01] ---- (McCarran-Walter Act)
133 == Diego Garcia Naval Base [01] ---- (Future Could Be In Jeopardy)
135 == Surviving Spouses ---- (Is Yours Prepared If You Should Die First?)
136 == Combat Obscura ---- (War Documentary the Marine Corps Doesn't Want You to See)
138 == Border Wall [11] ---- (Illegal Crossings Expected To Surge after Cold, Busy FEB at Border)
141 == Afghan Taliban [02] ---- (Leader Allegedly Lived in Walking Distance of US Forward Base)
142 == California Burger Police ---- (What’s Next)
143 == LSD ---- (Entry into World as a Hallucinogenic)
144 == Interesting Ideas ---- (Fresh Egg?)
144 == One Word Essays ---- (Companionship)
145 == Have You Heard? ---- (Firearm | Worms | I Wish You Enough)

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 – (.
3. Recipients of the Bulletin are authorized and encouraged to forward the Bulletin to other vets or veteran organizations.

. * ATTACHMENTS * .

Attachment – Kansas Vet State Benefits
Attachment – Military History Anniversaries 16 thru 31 MAR (Updated)
Attachment – Navy Dueling

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