RAO Bulletin

[boardman]

Page 2

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY UPDATE 01: The nation's shrine to its military dead had 6,785 funerals in the just-concluded fiscal year, an all-time record. Now, as the dying of the World War II generation peaks, the cemetery is so busy that despite careful choreography, people attending one funeral can hear the bugle and rifle salutes echoing from another. As a result, the cemetery is about to begin a $35 million expansion that would push the ordered ranks of tombstones beyond its borders for the first time since the 1960s. The Millennium Project has been in the works for years as the cemetery has grown busier, dead from the Iraq war have been laid to rest with the veterans of wars past, and visitors have flocked to the see the Tomb of the Unknowns and the graves of such figures as President John F. Kennedy. Timing at Arlington has become critical. Some of the funerals can be fairly elaborate, with a band, a procession and a horse-drawn caisson, and can take up to 2 1/2 hours. Others might last only 35 or 40 minutes. All must be meticulously scheduled to minimize distractions and avoid traffic tie-ups on the cemetery roadways.

The Millennium expansion has involved, among other things, the sensitive transfer of 12 acres within the cemetery from the National Park Service's historic Arlington House, the onetime home of Robert E. Lee. The Park Service has lamented the likely loss of woodland and the cemetery's encroachment on the majestic hilltop home, which dates to 1802. The project, which focuses on the northwest edge of the cemetery, includes expansion into about 10 acres taken from the Army's adjacent Fort Myer and four acres of cemetery maintenance property inside the boundaries, officials said. The extra space would provide room for 14,000 ground burials and 22,000 inurnments in a large columbarium complex, officials said. The project comes on the heels of extensive work underway to utilize 40 acres of unused space in the cemetery, creating room for 26,000 more graves and 5,000 inurnments. And there are plans for further outside expansion in the years ahead.

The cemetery, established in 1864, covers more than 600 acres, and more than 300,000 people are buried there. The expansions are, in part, a response to the deaths of members of the country's World War II generation, about 16 million of whom served in the armed forces. The Department of Veterans Affairs says more than 3 million World War II veterans are alive. About 1,000 die each day. The department's National Cemetery Administration says the number of veteran deaths is peaking, at about 680,000 annually, and is expected to fall gradually to 671,000 in 2010, 622,000 in 2015 and 562,000 in 2020. At Arlington, which is run by the Army, the steady death toll from Iraq and Afghanistan has added to the numbers, although the cemetery gets only about 11% of those cases. More than 400 members of the armed forces who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan have been buried there.

The initial work, to be contracted through the Army Corps of Engineers, would control drainage into the new sections. Katherine Basye Welton, cemetery project manager for the Corps of Engineers, said the first contracts were to be awarded by this month, but because of inadequate bids, the work might not be awarded until the end of the year. The project is expected to unfold over the next 10 years with funding hoped for from Congress. But it has not thrilled everyone. Although the transfer of the Arlington House land from the Park Service was decreed by law five years ago, it still rankles there. The parcel, which could lose many of its trees, has not been logged since the Civil War. The cemetery also plans to acquire the Navy Annex in 2010 and demolish it in 2013, and move underground utility lines within the next year or so, to gain more space. The projects should keep the cemetery open through about 2060. Meanwhile, the pace at Arlington remains brisk. The cemetery handles 25 to 30 funerals a day. Some, involving cremated remains, are scheduled for next year. [Source: Washington Post Michael E. Ruane article 7 Oct 07++]


VA FACILITY EXPANSION UPDATE 10: A unique health care facility combining the resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) will be named in honor of local native, Navy veteran and astronaut James A. Lovell. The new VA-DoD Federal Health Care Facility, scheduled to open in 2010, will care for nearly 100,000 veterans, sailors, retirees and family members. The new facility will result from the merger of the North Chicago VA Medical Center and the Great Lakes Naval Hospital. This joint $130 million initiative marks the first totally integrated federal health care facility in the country. Jim Lovell, a Chicago native, naval aviation veteran of the Korean War and former astronaut, was command pilot of Apollo 8, the first Apollo mission to enter lunar orbit. He also commanded Apollo 13, which suffered an explosion enroute to the Moon and was brought back safely to Earth by the efforts of its crew and mission control. Lovell is a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. [Source: VA News Release 5 Oct 07 ++]


MASSACHUSETTS DPL DATA BREACH: The Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure (DPL) last month mailed out 28 computer disks containing publicly available information such as names and addresses of state licensees to 23 individuals who requested the public records. This week, it followed up those mailings by informing 450,000 individuals that their Social Security numbers were also inadvertently included in the public data contained on those 28 disks, which were mailed out between 13 and 17 SEP. The letter urged affected individuals to contact the major credit bureaus and place fraud alerts on their credit. The agency also assured them that there has been no indication yet that the exposed information was misused. The letter also noted that all of the disks but two have already been recovered from the individuals who got them. DPL Director George K. Weber said in a letter posted on the division's Web site that none of the individuals who received the disks has indicated that they were even aware the disks contained Social Security information. The Massachusetts DPL, is an agency within the state's Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation which regulates more than 40 trades and professions.

According to a description of the incident on its site, the foul-up was the result of a programming error and the upgrading of computer hardware and software at the DPL. Several categories of licensed professionals were affected by the breach, including licensed nurses, health care professionals, certified public accountants, engineers and land surveyors. Such snafus are by no means uncommon. Earlier this year, the Chicago Board of Elections found itself facing charges that it failed to adequately protect the privacy of voters in the city after it inadvertently distributed more than 100 computer disks containing the Social Security numbers of more than 1.3 million voters to alderman and ward committee members. In FEB 06, the Boston Globe found itself having to apologize to about 240,000 subscribers after an attempt to recycle office paper ended up with the company labeling newspaper bundles with routing slips containing customer credit card information. That same month, a human error at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina allowed the Social Security numbers of more than 600 members to be printed on the mailing labels of envelopes sent to them with information about a new insurance plan. If you are concerned about your financial data being compromised it is recommended that you obtain insurance against identity theft. One such company which I use with very reasonable rates can be located at www.lifelock.com. [Source: Computerworld Security Jaikumar Vijayan article 4 Oct 07 ++]


SBP BASICS UPDATE 02: A question raised by many older retirees is, "I've been paying into SBP for decades. The government has made a lot of money on me. Why can't I get some of that money back after all these years?" On the flip side, those nearing military retirement want to know "Is SBP really worth it? It seems awfully expensive - how much bang for my buck am I going to get?" Anyone who thinks the government is making money on SBP is way off-base. As shown in the premium vs. payment chart at http://www.moaa.org/lac_issues_fully_retired_sbp.htm for the years 1985 though 2006 the government has paid out more than twice as much in SBP benefits to survivors than it collects in retiree premiums. And that difference will continue to grow, since we recently won a benefit increase for survivors age 62 and older. For members retiring after 20 or more years of active duty, the government expects that the average retiree's lifetime SBP premiums will only cover about 60% of the average benefits that will be paid to the retiree's survivor. That means three things:

• Your SBP benefit is 40% subsidized by the government to help recognize the value of your service...(much different than the negative subsidy of civilian insurance, for which premiums must cover 100% of benefit costs, as well as company overhead, salaries, commissions, and profit).
• Much like Social Security, every dollar you pay in SBP premiums goes toward paying part of the benefit for someone else’s survivor, just as other retirees' premiums will help fund your survivor's benefits in the event of your death.
• Any civilian insurance that provides cash back if you don't die is going to cost you a lot bigger premium per death benefit dollar (and we don't know of any civilian insurance that provides a fully inflation-protected annuity like SBP does).
[Source: MOAA Leg Up 5 Oct 07 ++]


TRICARE RESERVE SELECT UPDATE 08: Tricare outreach efforts are ensuring that nearly all of the 11,000 Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) members under the “tier” version of TRS will stay covered under the restructured program. As of 1 OCT approximately 90% had either switched over to the new program—or were in the process. The restructured TRS has also attracted interest from members of the Selected Reserves not previously covered under the tier program and nearly 10,000 have begun the process of qualifying for TRS. On 30 SEP, all current members in the tier program were disenrolled as the restructured TRS went into effect 1 OCT under changes mandated by the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act. Despite an instruction letter sent out in early August, less than half had transferred to the restructured program by mid-September. The few remaining Tier TRS members who still have not heard about the need to make the switch will not be left out in the cold. They have a 60-day window to qualify for the new program with coverage retroactive to 1 OCT under a new provision called continuation coverage.

The number of new TRS members represents a moving target as it climbs daily. Already, the number of Selected Reservists purchasing coverage is nearly double the average number of members in the old TRS. With the end of the complicated tier program and its many qualifications, the majority of National Guard and Reserve members in the Selected Reserve are now eligible for TRS at a monthly premium of $81 for the Service member only and $253 for the Service member and their family. Coverage is comparable to Tricare Standard and Extra. The restructured TRS also features continuously open enrollment. National Guard and Reserve members must be in the Selected Reserve to be eligible for TRS. There is an important exclusion: Selected Reserve members cannot be eligible for Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), or currently covered under FEHB (either under their own eligibility or through a family member). Members of the Selected Reserve can find out about TRS costs, what’s covered, and how to purchase coverage through the “My Benefit” portal at www.tricare.mil. Selected Reserve members who wish to see if they are qualified to purchase TRS coverage under the restructured program should go to the TRS Web application at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/trs/ and follow the instructions. If qualified, the member can print out the TRS Request Form; attest that they are not eligible for or covered by an FEHB plan; then send the form with one month’s premium to the appropriate Tricare regional MCSC. National Guard and Reserve members may also contact their Reserve Component if they have additional questions about eligibility for TRS. [Source: TMA News Release 5 Oct 07 ++]


CONNECTICUT VETERANS WARTIME SERVICE MEDAL: All Connecticut veterans with qualifying wartime military service are eligible to receive the Connecticut Veterans Wartime Service Medal. Since last fall, the Connecticut State Department of Veteran's Affairs has hosted invitation-only ceremonies during which veterans of all wars receive the Medal. It is the first of its kind that the state has minted since the end of World War I. The 270,000 veterans who will receive it are Connecticut natives or current residents who served in a war and received honorable discharges. All living war veterans from World War II to the current war in Iraq are entitled to the medal. The medal can also be mailed to the veteran's home. In order to receive the medal, the veteran must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Submit documentary proof of qualifying military wartime service (90 days wartime service, unless the war or operation lasted less than 90 days); (i.e. DD Form 214 or other documentation if DD Form 214 is unavailable)
2. Submit proof of an honorable discharge from military service (or discharge due to injuries received in the line of duty) for the qualifying wartime service.
3. Submit proof that you currently are a resident of the State of Connecticut or that you were a resident at the time of your qualifying wartime service. (e.g., photocopy of State of Connecticut driver’s license).
4. Submit a Completed and signed application form (CTMD VM-1) availabe online at http://www.ct.gov/ctva/cwp/view.asp?a=1992&q=313194

Awards will not be made posthumously. Send applications & supporting documentation to: Department of Veterans' Affairs, ATTN: Wartime Medal and Registry, 287 West Street, Rocky Hill, CT 06067 or Fax: (860) 721-5919. [Source: Military.com 1 Oct article ++]


VA CWT & IT: The Department of Veterans Affairs Compensated Work Therapy (CWT), and Incentive Therapy (IT) programs are work therapy programs intended to help veterans receiving treatment at VA Hospitals to return to employment. Veterans who have participated in these programs and received payments from VA as part of their therapy may have had their payments reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), if they received over $600 in any year. The payments from these programs may have been treated as taxable income, based on IRS regulations in place at the time. The United States Tax Court has recently determined that the payments from these VA programs are not taxable because they are tax-exempt veterans’ benefits. Veterans who reported CWT or IT work therapy program payments as taxable income may be eligible to file amended tax returns claiming refunds of the tax they paid on program payments. Veterans who reported these payments as taxable income are advised to speak with a tax advisor regarding this matter. [Source: Veterans Service Organizations Liaison, Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs notice 2 Oct 07 ++]


VDBC UPDATE 22: A presidential commission has called for an immediate 25% increase in veterans’ disability compensation while awaiting a larger overhaul of disability and transition benefits. The Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) says the current compensation system is outdated and fails to consider the complete impact that a service-connected disability has on the life of veterans and their families. The current system also is unnecessarily cumbersome to the point that it discourages veterans from getting the help they deserve, says the commission report, a copy of which was obtained 2 OCT by the Military Times. The 562-page report was released 3 OCT, although what happens next is unclear. Most of the recommendations, including the proposed 25% benefits boost, would require congressional action before they could take effect. With the Bush administration already balking at the $4 billion increase in veterans’ health care and benefits programs being pushed by Congress, it is unlikely that administration officials would support further increases. However, an overhaul of the veterans’ disability rating system, streamlined claims processing and an easier transition from military to veterans programs are all issues under consideration by Congress, and could end up included in the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act that lawmakers expect to pass later this year. An overhaul of the military’s complicated disability retirement and physical evaluation process is expected to be part of that bill.

The report by the 13-member commission, led by retired Army Lt. Gen. James Scott, caps more than two years of work, including several precedent-setting studies of disabled veterans and their compensation that looked at their total income and compared military and veterans’ benefits to those received by disabled workers who never served in the military. In calling for an overhaul of the military and Department of Veterans Affairs rating systems, the commission said a revised system needs to be fair so that people who have experienced similar losses receive similar compensation. Veterans with mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, are particularly poorly served by the current rating system, the report says. The VA ratings schedule that sets disability levels has not been changed in 62 years, and needs to be updated, the commission says, with top priority going to revising the ratings for PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other mental health and neurological body systems says. This could be done quickly, in time to help Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, while leaving a review of the rest of the ratings to roll out over five years.

The commission comes down squarely on the side of veterans on several controversial issues. For example, it supports allowing disabled retirees to receive full veterans’ disability compensation and military retired pay when they are eligible for both, and to allow survivors to receive their full veterans’ and military survivors’ benefits. On both of those issues, the Pentagon has resisted efforts in Congress to allow both payments in full, although in recent years lawmakers have been phasing out the mandatory offsets in one pay or the other that had been on the books for decades. One recommendation that may not please veterans calls for periodic reviews of case in which disability pay is based, in part, on the fact that a veteran’s disability prohibits him or her from holding a job. When former VA Secretary R. James Nicholson made a similar recommendation several years ago, veterans went wild about the government trying to cut their payments. The commission calls for periodical and comprehensive evaluations of disabled veterans’ employability status, and a way to slowly wean veterans off benefits if it is possible for them to return to work at some point. [Source: ArmyTime Rick Maze article 3 Oct 07 ++]


VDBC UPDATE 23: The House Veterans' Affairs Committee likely will not consider until next year legislation to address the recommendations of two major commissions created to study veterans' health and disability issues. A commission chaired by former Sen. Bob Dole and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala examined servicemembers' transition from military to civilian life and released its report in JUL 07, while the congressionally mandated Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission released its report 3 OCT. Committee Chairman Bob (D-CA) said that he plans to combine the recommendations of the two reports in a single piece of legislation that the panel likely would not mark up until next year. Retired Army Lt. Gen. James Terry Scott, chairman of the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission, said that his commission and the Dole-Shalala commission have parted on some issues, which could prove a challenge in drafting legislation. However, Filner suggested that the commissions' findings would give a new secretary a window of opportunity to make major changes at VA.

At the hearing Scott said, “A VA pilot program that would allow veterans to get benefits without having to prove their claim first, subject to random audits later for validity, might work if the new VA secretary works closely with Congress to ensure there are no unintended consequences. Such a proposal has been touted before by Harvard professor Linda Bilmes and more recently by former VA Secretary Jim Nicholson in his final days before leaving office." Separately, two major veterans groups expressed impatience with government delays in improving care for wounded troops. They called on President Bush to move quickly to nominate a new VA secretary who would finally make the needs of our nation's veterans a national priority. "This is no time for the president to fill such an important position with a placeholder for the remainder of his term," said David W. Gorman, an executive director of Disabled American Veterans. Testimony to Congress by Scott is the first among several commissions and task forces to weigh in on the issue of reducing intractable delays in veterans disability pay. In early OCT the 13-member commission issued a 544-page report on the ailing system that called the current 177-day wait unacceptable. It called for better technology, standardized procedures and additional staff to reduce the claims backlog to about 90 days within two years.

Under questioning Scott acknowledged that more radical efforts might be needed. "The VA as an institution has been hit about the head and shoulders so much that trying something new is sometimes resisted because they're afraid they'll be left holding the bag," Scott told the House Veterans Affairs Committee. "I wouldn't object to a pilot program. The current system is so complicated, it's a wonder to me that anyone can get a claim processed." Scott said. The comments come as the Bush administration and Congress struggle to find clear answers to some of the worst problems afflicting wounded warriors more than seven months after disclosures of shoddy outpatient treatment at the Pentagon-run Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Government Accountability Office earlier this month in particular cited Army problems in providing personalized medical care and the VA's backlogs in disability pay. Nicholson, who stepped down 1 OCT, has said his successor will have "think outside the box" to solve intractable delays in disability pay. Gordon Mansfield, the VA's deputy secretary, is serving as acting secretary pending a nomination of a successor by Bush. On 10 OCT the group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America aired a new television ad that chastises both Congress and the Bush administration for continuing problems in veterans care. [Source: AP Hope Yen and USA Today articles 11 Oct 07 ++]


MEDICARE RATES 2008: The Bush administration announced 1 OCT that the standard Medicare premium would rise to $96.40 a month next year, an increase of $2.90 a month. The 3.1% increase is the smallest since 1999-2000, when the premium was at the same level, $45.50, for two years in a row. Most of the 43 million beneficiaries pay the standard premium for Medicare Part B, which covers doctors’ services, outpatient hospital care, X-rays, laboratory services and other diagnostic tests. About 5% of beneficiaries, with annual incomes exceeding $82,000 for individuals and $164,000 for couples filing joint tax returns, will pay higher premiums on a sliding scale. The maximum will be $238.40 a month for the most affluent, individuals with annual incomes exceeding $205,000 and each member of a couple reporting combined income of more than $410,000. For an individual with annual income from $102,000 to $153,000, the premium will be $160.90 a month. Most beneficiaries pay separate premiums for Medicare coverage of prescription drugs on top of the standard premium. The drug premiums typically range from $25 to $40 a month.

The increase in the standard Part B premium was less than many experts had expected, in part because officials decided to correct an accounting error. As a result of the error, money for certain hospice benefits was inadvertently drawn from the Part B trust fund rather than a separate trust fund that pays hospital costs. The money will be paid back in the coming year. In addition, the premium for 2008 is artificially low because it assumes that Medicare payments to doctors will be cut about 10% next year, as required by law. Congress has usually stepped in to avert such cuts, and the cost is passed on to beneficiaries in subsequent years. The chief Medicare actuary, Richard S. Foster, said, “The low increase in premiums is good news for 2008,” but added that it was probably a one-time phenomenon. The annual deductible for doctors’ visits and other Part B services will be $135, up from $131. The deductible was fixed at $100 a year from 1991 to 2004. It now increases to reflect the growing average cost of Part B services for beneficiaries 65 and older. For a beneficiary admitted to a hospital, the deductible will be $1,024 next year, up from $992. [Source: the New York Times Robert Pear article 2 Oct 07 ++]


NDAA 2008 UPDATE 09: On 1 OCT the Senate finally passed their version of the National Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 1585) by a vote of 92-3. The bill now moves to conference with the House to work out differences. The bill faces a possible veto by President Bush over an expansion of federal hate-crime laws, unrelated to national defense but stuck in regardless, if that provision makes it through the conference. Among the many amendments added to the bill are several items of imminent interest to retirees and their families. They include:

• The Lautenberg amendment to prohibit increases in TRICARE fees for FY2008 and to express the sense of the Senate that military service is unique and that military members have earned their benefit by virtue of their service and sacrifices.
• The Nelson amendment to eliminate the SBP/DIC offset and accelerate 30-year paid-up Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage to 1 OCT 07.
• The Reid amendment providing full, immediate concurrent receipt to disabled retirees deemed “unemployable” by the VA retroactive to 1 JAN 05.
• An amendment by Sen. Lott concerning the Armed Forces Retirement Home. This amendment would prohibit “privatization” of the Home into a non-government charitable institution.
• The Chambliss amendment to reduce the Reserve retirement age by three months for each 90 days served on active duty since 11 NOV 01.
• The Lincoln amendment to authorize Guard or reserve members to use their mobilization GI Bill benefits up to 10 years after separating from the Selected Reserve.

One NAUS supported provision that did not make the final bill as an amendment was the Clinton sponsored Postal Bill to provide vouchers for the families and loved ones of deployed troops in order to send free mail and packages to them. It is, however, in the House passed bill. Additionally the Wounded Warrior Act was reinserted into the NDAA. This legislation addresses the care and treatment of our wounded warriors. It would:

• Authorize $50 million for improvements in diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of service members who have Traumatic Brain Injury or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• End the inconsistent ratings awarded for the same disabilities by DoD and the VA.
• Provide for seamless transition from DoD to VA care by requiring the Secretaries of the DoD and VA to develop a comprehensive plan
• Authorize medically retired (Chapter 61) with 50% disabilities and higher to receive active duty medical benefits for three years after leaving active service.
• Authorize VA and military health care providers to provide urgent and emergency medical care and counseling to family members.
• Extend eligibility for VA healthcare for combat veterans from two years to five years after discharge.
• Establish a joint DoD/VA program to develop and implement a joint electronic health record.
• Require Secretary of Defense to establish standards for housing for military outpatients and for military hospitals, clinics and specialty medical care facilities.
• Increase minimum severance pay to one year’s basic pay for those separated for disabilities incurred in a combat zone or combat related operations, and six months basic pay for all others.
• Eliminate that severance pay be deducted from disability compensation for disabilities incurred in a combat zone or combat-related operations.

The Senate has appointed its conferees for H.R.1585, the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. House conferees have not yet been announced. The conferees will meet to discuss differing provisions of the NDAA. The Senate conferees are as follows: Senators Levin; Kennedy; Byrd; Lieberman; Reed; Akaka; Nelson FL; Nelson NE; Bayh; Clinton; Pryor; Webb; McCaskill; McCain; Warner; Inhofe; Sessions; Collins; Chambliss; Graham; Dole; Cornyn; Thune; Martinez; and Corker. [Source: NAUS Special Update for 2 OCT 07 ++]


VA POLYTRAUMA CARE UPDATE 01: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced 28 SEP the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital located in San Antonio, Texas will house the Nation’s newest Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center (PRC). This Center will provide intensive medical rehabilitation for seriously injured and wounded service members and veterans who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injuries, amputations, burns, blindness, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. Care has been structured around teams of specialists. There are currently four VA PRCs in Minneapolis, MN; Richmond, VA; Tampa, FL; and Palo Alto, CA. The San Antonio project will consist of two stages. In the first, VA will construct an 84,000 square-foot, three-level building for rehabilitation, transitional living and prosthetics. This will be followed by renovation of 32,500 square feet of office and exam room spaces in the main medical center building at the VA’s medical center. The Center will eventually house one floor of polytrauma ward space (12 beds) and transitional housing (12 apartments); one floor of polytrauma rehabilitation and multi-purpose space; and one floor for physical medicine and prosthetics service. The cost of the entire project is estimated at $66 million. Construction is expected to begin next year. [Source: VA News Release 28 Sep 07 ++]


MEDICARE PART D UPDATE 16: Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) has introduced a bill - the Medicare Prescription Drug Gap Reduction Act of 2007 (S.2089) - to give the Secretary of Health and Human Services authority to negotiate prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, more than one-quarter of all Medicare Part D recipients are affected by a large gap in coverage, often referred to as the doughnut hole. After $2,400 in prescription expenses, seniors receive no prescription drug coverage but continue to pay premiums until they exceed $5,451 in expenses. Savings generated by prescription drug negotiation under S.2089 would be directed toward reducing this gap in coverage. [Source: St. John’s DC Updates 2 Oct 07 ++]


CANADIAN FORCES NATIONAL MILITARY CEMETERY: An expansion of the Canadian Forces National Military Cemetery (NMC) in Ottawa earlier this year allows veterans of British forces, along with those of France, the United States and Poland, to be buried alongside Canada's military casualties. Former members of allied merchant navies can also be laid to rest there. Eligibility criteria for internment in the NMC is:

- All former members of the Canadian Forces, both Regular and Reserve Force, including the Merchant Navy of Canada.
- Former members of Her Majesty’s Forces.
- Allied Active Service members (i.e. U.S. military veterans) who became residents of, and died while residing in Canada, and were honorably discharged.
- A family member or friend of the service member

Allied Force members, or a member of their estate must provide documents demonstrating that the applicant was honorably released. Upon determination of eligibility, the applicant or their estate will coordinate burial arrangements directly with the staff of Beechwood Cemetery. Family members and/or funeral directors will facilitate burial arrangements directly with Beechwood Cemetery, once the NMC application has been approved. Burial and most associated costs will be borne by the military for serving members of the Regular Force and Reserve Class C Service and by the estate for veterans. Charges for burial and services are based on rates approved annually by the Ontario Ministry of Corporate and Consumer Relations. Beechwood offers pre-payment options so that those wishing to be buried at the NMC can take advantage of current prices. Plots will not be pre-selected nor will they be allocated on the basis of rank, service, regiment, or personal preference. Registration applications are available online at http://www.forces.gc.ca/hr/nmc-cmn/engr ... sp?docid=2. Applications should be forwarded to: Director Casualty Support and Administration 6, National Defense Headquarters
Major-General George R. Pearkes Building, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K2. [Source: VVA Post 75 Tom O’Malley article 1 Oct 07 ++]


MILITARY RELATED JOB FAIRS UPDATE 01: The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members, and friends and supporters of VetJobs. It provides informational assistance to users in finding the job that best meets their needs. Interested vets can review data that will enable them to find a job and/or subscribe to the newsletter at www.vetjobs.com. The site also provides information to employers on the advantages of hiring vets. Following are the scheduled military related Job Fairs for 15 thru 31 OCT:

• TX, 10/16, NCOA Job Leader National Job Fair, Fort Hood Conference and Catering Center, Bldg. 5764, 24th and Wainwright Streets, Fort Hood, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• NY, 10/16, TECHEXPO Top Secret, Hilton New York, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, 12pm to 6pm
• KY, 10/17, Fort Knox Job Fair, Leaders Club, 1118 Chaffee Avenue, Fort Knox, 10 AM to 3 PM
• SC, 10/17, Career Fair, Fort Jackson, 9 AM to Noon
• AZ, 10/18, Military Stars Western Regional Career Expo, Pointe South Mountain Resort, 7777 South Pointe Parkway, Phoenix, Noon to 5 PM
• VA, 10/18, Corporate Gray Security Clearance Job Fair, Crystal City Embassy Suites Hotel, Arlington, 9 AM to 1:30 PM
• KY, 10/18, CivilianJobs.com Job Fair, visit www.civilianjobs.com for details.
• VA, 10/18, TECHEXPO Top Secret, Hyatt Regency Reston Town Center, 1800 Presidents Street, Reston, 10 AM to 4 PM
• TX, 10/21-22, Bradley-Morris, Inc. Hiring Conference for Transitioning Military, Dallas, visit www.Bradley-Morris.com for more information.
• CA, 10/21-22, Bradley-Morris, Inc. Hiring Conference for Transitioning Military, San Diego, visit www.Bradley-Morris.com for more information.
• PA, 10/21-22, Orion International Military Hiring Conference, Philadelphia, visit www.orioninternational.com for details.
• IL, 10/21-23, Orion International Military Hiring Conference, Chicago, visit www.orioninternational.com for details.
• MD, 10/23, TECHEXPO Top Secret, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Baltimore, 10 AM to 4 PM.
• OH, 10/23-24, AFCEA InfoTech Career Fair, Dayton Convention Center, 322 East Fifth Street, Dayton, 11 AM to 4 PM.
• KS, 10/24, ACAP Job Fair, Frontier Conference Center (FCC) 350 Biddle BLVD, Fort Leavenworth, 10 AM to 2 PM.
• VA, 10/25, Cleared Job Fair, The Westin Tysons Corner, 7801 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, 11 AM to 4 PM.
• AZ, 10/25, Career Fair, The Windemere Hotel & Conference Center, 2047 South Highway 92, Sierra Vista, 1 PM to 5 PM.
• VA, 10/25, Military Job Fair of Virginia, Hampton Roads Convention Center 1610 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, 9 AM to 3 PM.
• MO, 10/25, Mini Job Fair, Audie Murphy Club, Fort Leonard Wood, 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM.
• GA, 10/25, ACS Job Fair, The Commons, Bldg 650, Fort McPherson, 10 AM to 2 PM.
• GA, 10/25-26, Lucas Group Military Hiring Conference, Atlanta, visit www.lucasgroup.com/services/military.asp for more information.
• IL, 10/25-26, Lucas Group Military Hiring Conference, Chicago, visit www.lucasgroup.com/services/military.asp for more information.
• WA, 10/25-26, Lucas Group Military Hiring Conference, Seattle, visit www.lucasgroup.com/services/military.asp for more information.
• VA, 10/26, USO JETS, SOSA Community Center 9800 Belvoir Road, Bldg 200, Fort Belvoir, 10 AM to 2 PM.
• GA, 10/28-29, Bradley-Morris, Inc. Hiring Conference for Transitioning Military, Atlanta, visit www.Bradley-Morris.com for more information.
• GA, 10/29, MilitaryStars Southeast Regional Career Expo, Cobb Galleria Centre, Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, Noon to 5 PM.
• VA, 10/25-26, Lucas Group Military Hiring Conference, Norfolk, visit www.lucasgroup.com/services/military.asp for more information.
• NY, 10/30, National Veterans Job Expo, Rochester Museum & Science Center, 657 East Avenue, Rochester, 10 AM to 2 PM.
[Source: VetJobs Veteran Eagle 1 Oct 07 ++]


VETERAN LEGISLATION STATUS 13 OCT 07: For a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the veteran community that have been introduced in the 110th Congress refer to the Bulletin House & Senate attachments. By clicking on the bill number indicated you can access the actual legislative language of the bill and see if your representative has signed on as a cosponsor. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process for a floor vote to become law. A good indication on that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. A cosponsor is a member of Congress who has joined one or more other members in his/her chamber (i.e. House or Senate) to sponsor a bill or amendment. The member who introduces the bill is considered the sponsor. Members subsequently signing on are called cosponsors. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can also review a copy of each bill, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d110/sponlst.html. The key to increasing cosponsorship on veteran related bills is letting our representatives know of veteran’s feelings on issues. At the end of some listed bills is a web link that can be used to do that. Otherwise, you can locate on http://thomas.loc.gov who your representative is and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making. [Source: RAO Bulletin Attachment 13 Oct 07 ++]


Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio City RP
PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517
Tel: (760) 839-9003 when in U.S. & Cell: 0915-361-3503 when in Philippines.
Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37 member