Military Report - Week of September 16, 2013

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Military Report - Week of September 16, 2013

Final Toast for Doolittle Raiders
The Air Force will host the famed Doolittle Tokyo Raiders' final toast to their fallen comrades during an invitation-only ceremony on Nov. 9 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Eighty men led by Lt. Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle achieved the unimaginable April 18, 1942, when they took off from an aircraft carrier on a top secret mission to bomb Japan. At this time, all four remaining Raiders are planning to attend the event. The Air Force Museum Theatre is planning to show Doolittle Raider and World War II-themed films. More details will be announced as the event nears at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force website's Doolittle Raiders Final Toast webpage at (http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/doolittle.asp) www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/doolittle.asp . For more information on the Doolittle Raiders, visit the Doolittle Raid Fact Sheet webpage at (http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsh ... sp?id=1514) www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/fa ... sp?id=1514, the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders website at (http://www.doolittleraider.com/) www.doolittleraider.com, and the Naval History and Heritage Command website at (http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/even ... dooltl.htm) www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii ... dooltl.htm.


Calling the Military Crisis Line
When someone is in crisis and feeling despondent, reaching out for help is a stronger step to take than doing nothing, which can lead to a worsening state, says a Military Crisis Line responder. To reach skilled responders who are knowledgeable of military culture, dial 1-800-273-8255 and press No. 1. The crisis line also is available by cell-phone text by dialing 838255, or through online chat at (http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ActiveDuty.aspx) www.veteranscrisisline.net/ActiveDuty.aspx . People contact the crisis line to discuss a variety of issues, from feeling suicidal, depressed or anxious to feeling pressure from finances or relationships. The Military Crisis Line, also known as the Veterans Crisis Line at the same phone and text numbers, is a joint effort between the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments.
For more military family support resources, visit the (http://www.military.com/spouse) Military.com Family Center.


Johnson Controls Committed to Hiring Veterans
Start your civilian career with a company that can provide endless opportunity and a career path that lets you choose where you want to be. (http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employe ... rvr0916.nl) Read More.


Navy RAD Team Moves to Phase III
The Chief of Naval Operations' Reducing Administrative Distractions (RAD) initiative recently moved from Phase II (Propose Changes) to Phase III (Take Action), marking the final phase of the RAD effort. In Phase III, the RAD team will continue and solicit the Fleet's vision of where the Navy should be in three to five years should tablets and Wi-Fi be incorporated on Navy bases and ships. RAD is an effort to get direct input from Sailors on how the Fleet can streamline or eliminate administrative processes to allow more time to focus on mission readiness. Since its inception in early July, RAD has received over 1,300 ideas and over 7,000 comments posted on these ideas. For more information, or to provide feedback, visit the (http://navyrad.ideascale.com/) RAD website.


CFC Adds MyPay Option
The annual Combined Federal Campaign adds a new feature for donors this year: an online pledge option available through the (https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx) Defense Finance and Accounting Service's (DFAS) MyPay website, which most servicemembers and civilians already use to view their leave and earnings statements. The ease of use is potentially much greater since donors using the online pledge option can search local, national or international charities. Use of the system, like participation in CFC, is strictly voluntary. The new option will also be available to eligible donors outside of the Defense Department, he noted, as the departments of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs and Energy, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, also are DFAS clients.
For more military benefit news, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage Blog.


Commissaries Offer Specials
Commissaries continue to offer special savings such as sidewalk events and "door buster" sales with discounts up to 50 percent on certain items to help fill the void from cancelled case lot sales. One event in particular is the second in a series of DeCA Door Buster sales available Sept. 16-18 for commissaries in the continental United States, which will offer discounts ranging from 40 to 50 percent off on several popular products. Look for the third and final Door Buster event Sept. 23-25. Contact your local commissary to find out about special events scheduled at your store. To find out what promotional savings are available at your store, click on the "Shopping" tab on the Commissaries.com website at (http://www.commissaries.com/) www.commissaries.com , then click on the "Savings Aisle" link.
For more discounts for military families and veterans, visit the (http://www.military.com/discount) Military.com Discount Center.


$400k Coverage = Financial Security as Low as $26 a Month
Protect your family's future. Get $400,000 life insurance from only $26 a month. Prepare for the unthinkable. (http://www.military.com/insurance/?lpid ... =mr0916.nl) Get protection today.


Planning For Retirement
You've spent your life earning your retirement nest egg, but how do you protect it once you're retired? Follow these simple tips. (http://www.military.com/money/retirement?ESRC=mr0916.nl) Read More.


Navy's 2014 Faculty Research Program
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is seeking applications from college and university professors for its 2014 Summer Faculty Research and Sabbatical Leave programs. The Summer Faculty Research Program connects researchers from colleges and universities with scientists and engineers at Department of the Navy (DoN) laboratories for 10 weeks during the summer. The Sabbatical Leave Program bestows fellowship appointments on science and engineering faculty to work at DoN laboratories for between one semester and one year. Applications are due no later than noon Dec. 6. For more information, visit the (https://onroutreach-summer-faculty-rese ... tical.com/) Office of Naval Research Summer Faculty Research and Sabbatical Leave programs website.
For more on military education benefits and programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/education) Military.com Education Center.


FPO/APO Require a Nine-Digit Zip
Sailors not receiving mail as expected should remind senders about the United States Postal Service (USPS) requirement to use the nine-digit ZIP code on all mail sent to FPO and APO addresses. Every mobile unit - ships, squadrons, detachments, et cetera, and OCONUS Shore installations - has a unique nine-digit ZIP code. In January 2013, all FPO and APO mail began routing through USPS automated mail sorting equipment at a consolidated mail processing operation in Chicago, Ill., which reads mail for the nine-digit ZIP code, rejecting mail not addressed with the nine-digit ZIP code. Units or commands unsure of their proper nine-digit ZIP code should contact their local Military Postal Service Representative. USPS addressing tips, guidelines, and restrictions for FPO and APO mail are available at the (https://www.usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-guidelines.htm) United States Postal Service website.


New 2013-14 Montgomery GI Bill Rates
Each year in October, the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) payment rates increase to meet the growing cost of education. In October, 2013, the Montgomery GI Bill full-time payment rate will increase for the 2014 fiscal year. (http://www.military.com/education/gi-bi ... rates.html) Read the full story at Military.com.


Search over 40,000 Units on Military.com
Connect with your past or present Military Unit on Military.com. Post Messages, find old friends, see Unit History & Photos and more. (http://www.military.com/HomePage/UnitPa ... rvr0916.nl) Search over 40,000 Units.


Happy Birthday Air Force
The official date of the founding of the US Air Force is 18 September 1947. It was a momentous event that over six decades later has demonstrated the achievement of an Air Force second-to-none. Yet the Air Force's history and heritage goes back a lot further. (http://www.military.com/air-force-birth ... rvr0916.nl) Read More.


Military Skills Translator Civilian Jobs You Qualify For
Translate your military skills, experience and training to find career opportunities that best align with your capabilities. Enter in your MOS, MOSC, Rating, or Designator and we'll give you a list of civilian skills and equivalent job openings. (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/sk ... rvr0916.nl) Translate Your Skills and Apply for Jobs Now.


Football Frenzy at AF Clubs
The annual Air Force Football Frenzy promotion kicked off Sept. 5 and runs through the championship game. Participants could win tickets to National Football League games including the Feb. 2 championship game. Football Frenzy events held at installation clubs are open to everybody, but only club members in good standing can win the major prizes. To enter the contest, club members must attend a Football Frenzy event at any participating club and fill out an entry form. To find an event date, visit or contact your local club. The first Football Frenzy drawing is scheduled for Oct. 15. For more information about Football Frenzy and other Air Force club member benefits, stop by a local Air Force club or visit the Air Force Clubs website at (http://www.afclubs.net) www.afclubs.net.
For more football news, including Military.com's Fantasy Football forecasts, visit the (http://www.military.com/off-duty/games) Military.com Off-duty section.


29 Palms Opens New Ed Center
The Marine Corps Air Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, Calif. recently celebrated the official opening of a new home for education and higher learning. The facility will house classes from National University, Copper Mountain College, and Devry University. The 13 classrooms within the center are equipped with smart boards, loud-speaker systems, desks with electrical plug-in capabilities and space for up to 24 students. The center will also host weekly Transition Readiness Seminar workshops dedicated to educating servicemembers on benefits, education and employment opportunities and advice for writing a resume. For more information on the types of schooling the Lifelong Learning Education Center offers, visit the 29 Palms Marine Corps Community Services Education webpage at (http://www.mccs29palms.com/pages/mfamse ... ation.html) www.mccs29palms.com/pages/mfamservices/education.html.


Same-Sex Spouses Eligible for Benefits
Same-sex spouses of military members and retirees are now be eligible for Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage. Effective from June 26, 2013, a servicemember who becomes eligible to participate in the SBP under 10 U.S.C. 1448(a)(1) and is married to a same-sex spouse shall have the SBP program applied as for any other married couple under U.S.C. 1448. A servicemember who was married to a same-sex partner upon becoming eligible to participate in the SBP prior to June 26, and who was married prior to the date, will have until June 25, 2014 to make a spouse election under 10 U.S.C. 1448(a)(3). Enrollment in the SBP is not automatic. Individuals must take action to confirm each servicemember and spouse is receiving the benefits to which he or she is entitled. For the latest information about the DADT Post Repeal and the subsequent effects on benefits, visit the (http://www.public.navy.mil/BUPERS-NPC/S ... fault.aspx) Naval Personnel Command DADT Post Repeal webpage.


Exchanges Offer PCS Resources
The Exchange's "PCS Headquarters" website, located at ShopMyExchange.com at (http://www.shopmyexchange.com/) www.shopmyexchange.com, features several resources to help Soldiers and Airmen make a move as stress-free as possible. The website's Get Connected function gives families a preview of local TV, Internet and telephone services available at their new installations. PCS Headquarters also connects families with Military OneSource at (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/) www.militaryonesource.mil. Also, (http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/pls/psgprod/f?p ... 0114788182) Military Homefront's "Plan My Move" at (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/moving) www.militaryonesource.mil/moving provides families with information on entitlements and benefits, checklists and planning tools. PCS Headquarters at (http://www.shopmyexchange.com/) www.shopmyexchange.com also offers downloadable, region-specific coupon books including discounts.
For more PCS guides and tips, visit (http://www.military.com/money/pcs-dity-move) Military.com's PCS section.


American Legion PTSD Report
The American Legion released a report on Sept. 11 that is the culmination of a study the wartime veterans' organization did on current treatments and best practices for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The report, entitled "The War Within," includes findings and recommendations based on comprehensive research, conducted from January 2011 to February 2013, by an American Legion ad hoc committee. The "War Within" report is being distributed to members of Congress, the Obama Administration, VA officials, and the American Legion's membership. The report is available on the (http://legion.org/documents/legion/pdf/ ... within.pdf) American Legion website.
For more resources on PTSD, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... rview.html) Military.com PTSD section.


Get Your Personalized Transition Plan
The (http://www.military.com/military-transi ... RC=mrvr.nl) Military.com Transition Center now features a personalized Transition Action Plan for those leaving the military, those retiring from a career in the military and National Guard and Reserve personnel.


Get a VA Loan Benefit Guide
Understand the VA Loan benefit you've earned by downloading the free Miliary.com VA Loan Guide. The PDF guide walks you through the benefits of a VA Loan, eligibility, how to refinance, what forms you'll need, and more. (http://www.military.com/va-loan-guide/i ... rvr0916.nl) Download your free PDF now.
Your VA Loan is worth $417,000 and doesn't require a full 20% down to buy. You can also use it to streamline refinance. (https://secure.military.com/leads/VALoa ... rvr0916.nl) Find lenders ready to help your benefit.


Proposed Pay Charts for 2014
Currently two proposed military active duty pay charts are being considered for 2014 -- one supported by President Obama and the Senate Defense Authorization Bill with a 1 percent raise in pay, and one by the House of Representatives with a 1.8 percent raise in pay. For more on this issue and to see both proposed pay charts, see (http://www.military.com/benefits/2013/0 ... harts.html) this Military.com article.


AAFES to Offer New RABU Uniform
As the Air Force transitions from the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) to the Rip-Stop Airman Battle Uniform (RABU), the Army & Air Force Exchange Service will no longer be able to order the ABU once the Defense Logistics Agency's stock is depleted and will sell only the RABU. The RABU is a lighter, cooler blend of nylon and cotton that has been available for Airmen at Military Clothing Stores since June, 2012. Military members can access the Exchange's Military Clothing Store at ShopMyExchange.com at (http://www.shopmyexchange.com) www.shopmyexchange.com by clicking "Military Clothing Store" under the Store Locator link at the bottom of the page. Or, locate the nearest Military Clothing brick and mortar location through the Store Locator link at (http://www.shopmyexchange.com/ExchangeStores/) www.shopmyexchange.com/ExchangeStores/.


New GI Bill Housing Rates Now in Effect
The (http://www.military.com/education/gi-bi ... ew.html#hs) Post 9/11 GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) payments for the 2013-14 academic year are now in effect. If the BAH increased for your area, you will see an increase in your September payment for training pursued in August. (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... in-effect/) Read more on the Military Advantage Blog.


Current Troops Shielded from Pay Changes
The President has instructed the (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013 ... lines.html) Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission to ensure they do nothing to alter the current retirement system for those already serving, retired or in the process of retiring. In addition to looking at pay and retirement benefits, the president told the commission to look at every aspect of compensation, from healthcare to the current military promotion system. (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013 ... lines.html) Read the full article on Military.com.


Spouse Survey About Your Employment Journey
Beginning September 16, all military spouses (active duty, National Guard, Reserve, retired, veteran, and survivors) will have the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive survey on military spouse employment. Add your voice to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) Military Spouse Employment Survey. (http://www.moaa.org/MRmilspousesurvey/) Click here to take the survey.


Operation Supplement Safety
In the quest to gain an "edge," many servicemembers resort to dietary supplements. (http://hprc-online.org/dietary-supplements/opss) Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) is a Defense Department educational campaign that educates the warfighter and healthcare provider on responsible dietary supplement use. While some supplements, such as multivitamins, are generally safe, other supplements can pose a hazard to health and jeopardize careers from adulterants that cause a positive urine drug screen. Body building and weight loss supplements, as well as sexual enhancement and diabetes supplements, are in high-risk categories and should be used with caution if at all. The OPSS website contains videos, fact sheets, FAQs and briefings to help servicemembers make informed, responsible decisions on supplement use, as well as an "Ask the Expert" feature in which servicemembers can directly pose a question to a supplement expert.
For more fitness tips and programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/military-fitness/) Military.com Fitness Center.


AF "Fitness on Request" Kiosks
The Air Force is installing "Fitness on Request" kiosks at 66 locations by the end of September, 2013. Part of the Operational Fitness Program, the kiosks are available to all Airmen, including retirees and family members, at base fitness and sports centers. Each "Fitness on Request" kiosk comes with 30 pre-loaded workout videos, which will be updated quarterly. Workout routines include kinetics, technical knockout kickboxing, step aerobics, cycling and fusion, which will run for 20-, 30-, 45- and 60-minute increments. For more information about the "Fitness on Request" kiosk and other quality of life programs visit (http://www.usafservices.com) www.usafservices.com or (http://www.myairforcelife.com) www.myairforcelife.com. To set up a class, contact your local fitness and sports center or unit physical training leader.
For military-level fitness plans and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/military-fitness/) Military.com Fitness Center.