Military Report - Week of January 02, 2012

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Military Report - Week of January 02, 2012

Military Star Dining Discounts Shoppers using their MILITARY STAR(R) Card at participating Exchange restaurants will now receive 10 percent off their entire purchase. MILITARY STAR Card holders receive exclusive savings at the pump with a five cents a gallon discount every time they fuel up at Army and Air Force fuel stations. On top of the everyday savings, steeper discounts are offered periodically throughout the year. Dec. 30-Jan. 4, the Exchange will provide a 20 cents per gallon discount at Army and Air Force fuel stations when using a MILITARY STAR? Card. For more information, contact your local Exchange.

For discounts for servicemembers, veterans and military families, visit the (http://www.military.com/discounts) Military.com Discount Center.

Dover Mortuary Process Changed As soon as officials at the Air Force Port Mortuary in Dover, Del., realized cremated and incinerated servicemember remains were being disposed of in a landfill, they changed the process. A retirement--at-sea option has been available since 2008 for subsequently-identified remains. The remains are cremated and placed in a sea-salt urn. The mortuary arranges with the Navy to have the retirement at sea. The Air Force has set up a hotline for families who have questions about the processes the mortuary used. It is 1-855-637-2583. Or families with questions can e-mail officials at (mailto:dover.pm@pentagon.af.mil) dover.pm@pentagon.af.mil. For more on burial and memorial benefits, see the (http://www.military.com/benefits/burial-and-memorial) Military.com Benefits Center.

Corps' New Backpack and Bracelet Policy Marines may now officially wear civilian backpacks while in uniform. Backpacks may be black, brown, olive drab, tan or a combination of these colors. MARPAT- printed commercial and organizational bags are still authorized as well. Bags must be conservative and will be worn over both shoulders. Logos must be no larger than five-by-two inches big. Marine may also now wear honor bracelets, meant to remember those killed, missing or captured in action, must be either black or silver and no more than half an inch wide. For more details, see this (http://www.military.com/news/article/ma ... iform.html) Military.com article.

Free SAT/ACT Prep Software eKnowledge continues to donate their world-class SAT and ACT College Test Preparation Programs to military servicemembers and their families. Eligible recipients include Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Service Members from all branches of the military, Military Retirees, Veterans, in addition to all DoD employees and civilians performing military support and relatives and dependants of anyone who otherwise qualifies from the prior list. There is a nominal charge of $13.84 per standard program for the cost of materials, processing, distribution and customer service. eKnowledge does not profit from this venture. To order online visit (http://www.eknowledge.com/MIL) www.eknowledge.com/MIL or call 951-256-4076. Be sure to reference Military.com 2012 Test Dates: SAT: January 28, March 10, May 5, June 2 ACT: February 11, April 14, June 9 For more on military education programs and benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/education) Military.com Education Center.

Report Says Country Not Prepared A recent Joint House and Senate Homeland Security committee hearing was held on "Homegrown Terrorism: The Threat to Military Communities Inside the United States." The session focused on a 14-page House Homeland Security Committee report that states that there are "serious gaps" in the "military's preparedness for attacks against its personnel, dependents and facilities." The 14-page U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee report on domestic threats to military interests can be viewed (http://homeland.house.gov/sites/homelan ... litary.pdf) online. For more military news, visit the (http://www.military.com/news) Military.com News Center.

AF Astronaut Applications Due Air Force members interested in astronaut duty can submit an application to NASA, via the USAJobs website, through Jan. 27. Applicants must also do a separate application for the Air Force nomination board. To be eligible, members must be active duty officers or enlisted, be U.S. Citizens, and have earned a bachelor's degree or graduated from an accredited institution in engineering, mathematics, biological science, or physical science. For information on the NASA program and openings, visit (http://www.usajobs.gov/) www.usajobs.gov and search for NASA. For more information about the Air Force Astronaut Nomination program, visit the (https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil/) Air Force Personnel Services website. For job listings across the nation and civilian job guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.

AF Alcohol-Abuse Prevention Program A program called "0-0-1-3" is an alcohol-abuse prevention program that promotes making responsible choices with regard to alcohol use. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming developed the 0-0-1-3 program in 2004. The numbers 0-0-1-3 stand for: (1) 0 - zero drinks, if you're under the age of 21; (2) 0 - zero DUIs (driving while under the influence); (3) 1 - one drink per hour (amount of alcohol that the liver can process in one hour); and (4) 3 - no more than three drinks of alcohol per outing. 0-0-1-3 is based on science and is defined as "responsible, periodic drinking" by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Academy of Sciences. For more information, visit the (http://www.holloman.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123024532) Holloman Air Force Base website. For more military family resources, visit the (http://www.military.com/spouse) Military.com Spouse Center.

AF Marathon Registration Registration for the Air Force Marathon opened Jan. 1, 2012. Prices will rise again on April 2 and June 2 -- if spots are still available at all by that time. For more information, visit the (http://www.usafmarathon.com/) U.S. Air Force Marathon website.

For military fitness training tips and programs from the experts, visit the (http://military-fitness.military.com/) Daily PT.

Free SAT and ACT Prep Software eKnowledge continues to donate their world-class SAT and ACT College Test Preparation Programs to military servicemembers and their families. Eligible recipients include Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Service Members from all branches of the military, Military Retirees, Veterans, in addition to all DoD employees and civilians performing military support and relatives and dependants of anyone who otherwise qualifies from the prior list. There is a nominal charge of $13.84 per standard program for the cost of materials, processing, distribution and customer service. eKnowledge does not profit from this venture. To order online visit (http://www.eknowledge.com/MIL) www.eknowledge.com/MIL or call 951-256-4076. Be sure to reference Military.com 2012 Test Dates: SAT: January 28, March 10, May 5, June 2 ACT: February 11, April 14, June 9 For more on military education programs and benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/education) Military.com Education Center.

9 Hot Jobs for 2012 What will be the hottest occupations in the New Year? Careerbuilder.com has put together a list of " () Best Bets for Jobs in 2012": nine jobs that are expected to see growth. Below are profiles of these nine jobs from the Department of Labor Statistics, plus the average salary for each. The number one job is a Biomedical engineer with an average salary of $82,421. Get the full list on Military.com. (http://jobsforveterans.military.com/424 ... -for-2012/) http://jobsforveterans.military.com/424 ... -for-2012/ Search military friendly jobs listed on Military.com. (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs

TRICARE Pharmacy Options Changing? Despite questions about whether the Walgreens pharmacy chain will continue as a TRICARE provider, beneficiaries will have several options for filling prescriptions, according to the DoD. The retail pharmacy contract between Express Scripts Inc., or ESI, and the Walgreens pharmacy chain is set to expire on Dec. 31. If the contract is not renewed, Walgreens will no longer be a pharmacy network provider, but beneficiaries will be able to find a nearby network pharmacy using the "find a pharmacy" feature at the ESI website, (http://www.express-scripts.com/tricare) www.express-scripts.com/tricare. For more details, see this (http://www.military.com/benefits/conten ... tions.html) Military.com Benefits article.

Warrior Games in 2012 The annual Warrior Games, featuring wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and veterans competing in several sporting events, will return to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2012. The U.S. Olympic Committee-hosted games will take place April 30 to May 5. The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, the USO, the Fisher House Foundation, the Bob Woodruff Foundation and Deloitte also support the event. The Warrior Games event was created in 2010 as an introduction to paralympic sports for injured servicemembers and veterans. For more information, visit the (http://www.defense.gov/home/features/20 ... riorgames/) 2011 Warrior Games website and the (http://usparalympics.org/) U.S. Paralympic Team website. For more military-related sports news, visit the (http://www.military.com/entertainment) Military.com Entertainment Center.

$200k Protection for $14.52 a Month Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Give your family $200k worth of financial security for as little as $14.52 a month by purchasing affordable life insurance through ASMBA. (http://www.military.com/insurance/asmba/?ESRC=mr.nl) Get more information.

Veterans Benefit Calculator The benefits calculator is designed to quickly and easily connect you with your benefits based on your service and duty status. (http://benefits.military.com/reg/Vetera ... ESRC=mr.nl) Get started finding your Federal and State benefits and Special Military Discounts.

Websites for Overseas Voters Stars and Stripes reports that the Pentagon's (http://www.fvap.gov/) Federal Voting Assistance Program website offers a range of resources and easily guides voters through the absentee ballot process. The Military Postal Service Agency and the U.S. Postal Service will again offer free express mail for completed absentee ballots in 2012. Troops serving overseas can express mail their ballots from any military post office, U.S. Consulate or embassy by asking for Express Mail Label 11-DOD, and can then track their ballot via usps.com. The website of the Overseas Vote Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group for Americans voting overseas, offers easy-to-use tools, and also has a (https://military.overseasvotefoundation ... s/home.htm) website for the military. To keep up with political issues that affect the military and to contact your local government representatives on hot-button topics, visit the (http://capwiz.com/military/home/) Military.com Legislative Center.

Deal of the Week: Discounts on Travel Find exclusive military discounts for air fares on your next trip. Search flights now to find great deals for the military. (http://www.military.com/Travel/Home/) http://www.military.com/Travel/Home/ See all military discounts (http://www.military.com/discounts/) http://www.military.com/discounts/

Navy FITREP System Reminder The Navy Personnel Command is reminding the fleet of interim changes to the Navy Performance Evaluation and Counseling System instruction as commands prepare annual fitness reports (FITREPs) for more than 18,000 lieutenants due in January. The Navy changed summary group totals permitted in O-3 periodic FITREPs beginning with FITREPs due Jan. 31, 2012. Commands must manually calculate summary group distribution totals. Using the outdated figures listed in the Navy Performance Evaluation and Counseling System instruction will result in invalid FITREPs that will be returned for corrections. For more information, call the NPC Customer Service Center at 1-866-U-ASK-NPC (1-866-827-5672).

For military fitness training tips and programs from the experts, visit the (http://military-fitness.military.com/) Daily PT.

Shipmates to Workmates The Shipmates to Workmates program was created to provide guidance to Sailors who are transitioning out of the Navy and into the civilian work force. For more information on the "Shipmates to Workmates" program as well as a full schedule of upcoming career forums, visit the (http://jobs.navair.navy.mil/sm2wm/) Shipmates to Workmates website. The "Shipmates to Workmates" program is just one of many transition benefits available to Sailors including those affected by the enlisted retention board. Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) offer several employment services to help Sailors who are leaving the Navy. For more information about ERB and other transition benefits, visit the (http://www.npc.navy.mil/boards/ERB/) NPC ERB Web Page, contact the NPC customer service center at 1-866-U-ASK-NPC (1-866-827-5672). For job listings across the nation and civilian job guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.

Yellow Ribbon Program Explained The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. The program is designed to help students avoid up to 100 percent of their out-of-pocket tuition and fees associated with education programs that may exceed the Post 9/11 GI Bill tuition benefit. The Yellow Ribbon program allows institutions of higher learning (degree granting colleges and universities) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. Participating schools can waive up to 50% of those expenses and VA will match the same amount as the institution. Get more information today. It's important to find a school that meets your specific requirements. (http://edu.military.com/gibill/?ESRC=mrvr.nl) Compare schools now.

AF Officer Promotion List The Air Force has announced that the 2011A Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel and Major Medical Corps and Dental Corps Central Selection Boards selected 87 lieutenant colonels, 151 majors and 311 captains for promotion to the next higher rank. The entire list of promotees for each rank can be found by clicking on each of the following links: (1) for colonel - click (http://www.afpc.af.mil/shared/media/doc ... 19-031.pdf) here; (2) for lieutenant colonel - click (http://www.afpc.af.mil/shared/media/doc ... 19-032.pdf) here; and for major - click (http://www.afpc.af.mil/shared/media/doc ... 19-033.pdf) here. For more information, visit the (https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil/) Air Force Personnel Services website. To find out how much pay you would make with a promotion, see (http://www.military.com/benefits/conten ... harts.html) updated pay charts on Military.com.

TRICARE Home Delivery Pharmacy The TRICARE pharmacy home delivery program already fills over 1 million prescriptions a month, and a recent reduction on copays for generic prescriptions gives many beneficiaries an even greater incentive to receive their regular medications by mail. TRICARE beneficiaries can now get generic prescriptions without a copay. Ideal candidates for the pharmacy home delivery program include those with several regular maintenance medications for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes who already fill their 90-day generic prescriptions at a local pharmacy. For more information, visit the (http://www.tricare.com/pharmacy) TRICARE website. For more details on TRICARE benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare) Military.com TRICARE section.

AF Professional Development Courses The Ira C. Eaker Center for Professional Development at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. is offering five new blended e-learning courses. Using a combination of online webinars and self-paced curriculum, the e-learning courses allow students the benefits of the classroom anywhere with an Internet connection. The blended e-learning format is available for the Air Force supervisor, civilian personnel management, military personnel management, basic civilian training force development specialist and basic employee management relations courses. Three advanced courses are in development. For more information, call the Ira C. Eaker Center at (334) 953-2864 or DSN 493-2864.

For more on military education programs and benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/education) Military.com Education Center.