Military Report - Week of February 03, 2014

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Military Report - Week of February 03, 2014

Air Force Officer RIF Board
The Air Force will convene an officer reduction in force (RIF) board June 16, 2014 to evaluate eligible officers for retention. Prior to convening the board, the Air Force will accept applications from RIF-eligible officers for the voluntary separation pay and Temporary Early Retirement Authority programs. RIF-eligible officers may apply for VSP between Feb. 6 and May 1, 2014 and those approved will receive 1.25 times the standard full separation pay. Those approved may apply for separation effective Sept. 29, 2014. Officers who meet the RIF board and are selected for separation will be entitled to full separation pay. To review VSP eligibility and application instructions, go to (https://mypers.af.mil) myPers and enter PSDM 14-08 in the search window.
For more Air Force news, visit the (http://www.military.com/daily-news) Military.com News Center.


Spouse Career Planning Tool
Military spouses who need guidance on education and careers have a new online tool at their fingertips from the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program (SECO). "My Individual Career Plan" (MyICP) on the Military OneSource's (https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/) MySECO website is available for all active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps spouses and to National Guard and Reserve spouses. Surviving spouses of military members who died while on active duty also are eligible. The website is also open to spouses for up to 180 days after their servicemember separates or retires from the military. Spouses must first register at the (https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil) MySECO website. For more information, military spouses can call (https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/) Military OneSource at 1-800-342-9647 and speak to a SECO career counselor.
For more spouse resources and tips, visit (http://spousebuzz.com/) SpouseBuzz.


Beware of Pension Scams
Do not be a victim. The Department of Veterans Affairs is warning veterans of pension poaching scams. Be cautious if someone offers to move your assets around for you to qualify for VA pension. This type of scam is often directed toward veterans and family members who do not actually qualify for VA pension. You could be required to repay these benefits to the government. Examples of possible pension poaching scams include: (1) organizations that cold call veterans, charge money for assisting with a VA pension claim, and take credit card information from veterans over the telephone; (2) people who charge as much as $6,000 upfront to represent claimants before VA. For more information about VA pension eligibility requirements -- which include special monthly pension benefits -- visit VA's Pension webpage at (http://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/) www.benefits.va.gov/pension/ or call 1-800-827-1000.
For more on military benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


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No Paybacks Required for RIF'ed Officers
Air Force officers who are not selected for retention will not have to repay unearned portions of education assistance funds, special pay, bonuses or other monetary incentives. For specifics on Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, officers should review PSDM 13-131 on the (https://mypers.af.mil) myPers website or contact the career development section at their local military personnel section. Officers with more than six years of active service may apply for voluntary separation pay. Those officers not selected for retention are also entitled to full separation pay if they have six or more but less than 20 years of active service as of the separation date. To be eligible for separation pay, officers must also sign the Individual Ready Reserve statement. Officers selected for separation are authorized transition assistance program benefits. All separating and retiring Airmen must attend a transition assistance program offered at their local Airman and Family Readiness Center.
For more on military pay benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


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AF Regional Affairs Officer Selectees
The Air Force has selected 58 line officer captains and majors for development as regional affairs strategists under the International Affairs Specialist Program. Most officers selected for the program will earn an advanced academic degree, learn a foreign language and serve a six-month immersion among several countries within their assigned region. To see the list of selectees, or for more information about the international affairs program, visit the (https://mypers.af.mil/) myPers website, select "search all components" from the drop down menu and enter "PSDM 14-06" or "International Affairs Specialist Program" in the search window.
For more Air Force news, visit the (http://www.military.com/daily-news) Military.com News Center.


Senate Hears Call to Repeal COLA Cut
MOAA Chairman of the Board Gen. John Tilelli, USA (Ret) testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday on recent cuts to retired pay COLAs for working age military retirees established in the Bipartisan Budget Act. On a broad bipartisan basis, committee members agreed the cuts must be repealed as soon as possible.
Read the story and watch the testimony from (http://www.moaa.org/MRRepealBBA/) Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).


Hunting Trips for Wounded Warriors
Naval Air Station Kingsville hosted Wounded Warriors at the Navy's Escondido Ranch located 90 miles northwest of Kingsville, near Freer, Texas, in McMullen County. The 6,800 acre hunting ranch is owned by NAS Kingsville and managed by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department. NAS Kingsville and Escondido Ranch plan on hosting Wounded Warrior hunts on a regular basis. A weekend turkey hunt for other Wounded Warriors is being planned to for March 29-30. Escondido Ranch has lodging accommodations for more than 30 guests. Please ensure you bring your Texas hunting license and hunter safety card (if born after Sept. 2, 1971) with you. Patrons will also need to bring linen/blankets and all personal hygiene items required, as well as any water/beverages and food planned for consumption. Lodging fees are $35 per day for active duty military E-6 and above, retired military and DoD civilians; $30 per day for active duty military E-5 and below. For more information, visit the U.S. Navy Escondido Ranch website at (http://www.navyescondidoranch.com/) www.navyescondidoranch.com.
For more news and updates, visit the (http://www.military.com/off-duty) Military.com Off-duty Center.


Transition Assistance for AF Officers
Air Force officers selected for separation are authorized transition assistance program benefits, including permissive temporary duty, 180 days extended medical care for themselves and their families, and an identification card for two years that grants commissary and exchange privileges. All separating and retiring Airmen must attend a transition assistance program (TAP) offered at their local Airman and Family Readiness Center. TAP includes congressionally mandated pre-separation counseling, a required five-day TAP workshop, veterans benefit briefings which include details on disability, one-on-one assistance to develop an individual transition plan and a capstone which requires commander concurrence that the member has met all career readiness standards. Other related services include employment resources, financial planning/management, spouse employment assistance, relocation assistance and general information and referral. Airmen affected by force management programs to sign up early for a TAP class.
To create a customized transition plan for yourself and see other transition tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/military-transition) Military.com Transition Center.


FAA Looking to Hire Vets
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to hire over 600 new Air Traffic Control Specialists, and wants as many of them as possible to be veterans. To be considered for a position as an air traffic controller, you must be a U.S. citizen, start the FAA Academy no later than your 31st birthday, be willing to relocate to an air traffic facility based on the FAA's highest needs at the time, and have three years of progressively responsible work experience, or a Bachelor's degree, or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years. The FAA plans on posting this opportunity around February 10 and will host a virtual career fair on the FAA website on February 12. For more detailed information about this opportunity and how to apply, visit the FAA online at (http://www.faa.gov/jobs/recruiting_kit/) www.faa.gov/jobs/recruiting_kit/.
For more veteran job news, tips and listings, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


Tax Assistance for Veterans
Tax season is here again. And while filing for tax returns can be tricky for the average family, it can get even more complicated for military families. Being a veteran or an active-duty Servicemember means you have (http://www.military.com/discounts/free- ... itary.html) options for assistance.
For more tax season guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/money/personal-finance/taxes) Military.com Tax Center.


Keep Your Family Organized During Deployments
If you're the person closest to your servicemember, he or she will probably entrust you with some important documents and designate you as his emergency contact. This is the time to become as organized and knowledgeable as possible about the details of deployment. For more details and tips, see (http://www.military.com/deployment/how- ... yment.html) this Military.com article.


Air Force FitFamily
To help people lose weight, get in shape, and eat healthier, the Air Force offers the Air Force FitFamily initiative, which encourages families to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The goal-incentive program is open to all active-duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members, Defense Department civilians and families, retired military members, honorably discharged veterans with 100 percent service-connected disability, and former or surviving military spouses and their family members. For more information about the FitFamily or Living Fit programs visit the USAF FitFamily website at (http://www.USAFFitFamily.com) www.USAFFitFamily.com. To find out about other quality of life programs, visit the USAF Services website at (http://www.usafservices.com/) www.usafservices.com or My Air Force Life at (http://www.myairforcelife.com/) www.myairforcelife.com.
For more military-level fitness tips and programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/military-fitness/) Military.com Fitness Center.


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AF Convenes Force Shaping Board
The Air Force will convene a fiscal year 2014 Force Shaping Board here July 14 to consider eligible officers within competitive categories for continued retention. Categories include line of the Air Force, LAF-judge advocate, biomedical sciences corps, dental corps, medical service corps and nurse corps. The board will evaluate active duty LAF captains and first lieutenants in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 accession year groups; LAF-J officers with a Jan. 1, 2009-Dec. 31, 2011 date of rank to captain; and lieutenant colonels and below in the medical competitive categories in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 year groups. For more information about the force shaping board, including RRF instructions and guidance on providing letters to the board, visit the (https://mypers.af.mil) myPers website and enter PSDM 13-131 in the search window.
For more Air Force news, visit the (http://www.military.com/daily-news) Military.com News Center.


Featured Deal: Take 20% off any purchase at ProFlowers
Just in time for Valentine's Day, take 20% off any purchase at ProFlowers. (https://proflowers.sheerid.com/) All military personnel are eligible.


Senators Vow to Repeal COLA Cap
Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee vowed Tuesday to clear a bill to roll back the cap on cost-of-living adjustments for military retirees under age 62, which is set to go into effect in 2016.
(http://www.military.com/benefits/2014/0 ... epeal.html) Read the full story on Military.com.


AF Captain Selectees
The 2013D Chaplains, Line of the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps, Nurse Corps, Medical Service Corps and Biomedical Sciences Corps quarterly captain selection process, conducted in September, resulted in selection of 187 first lieutenants for promotion to captain. All selectees were in the promotion zone. To see the list of selectees, visit the (https://my.af.mil/) Air Force Portal and select the promotion link, or visit (https://mypers.af.mil/) myPers and enter "captain promotions" in the search window.
For more Air Force news, visit the (http://www.military.com/daily-news) Military.com News Center.


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Navy Using E-Leave
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is transitioning from the paper leave chits to an all-electronic process called e-Leave, becoming the first east coast carrier to do so. E-Leave will be the only method for submitting leave chits from now on, allowing Sailors to electronically submit leave chits through the chain of command for approval. E-Leave requests are submitted through the electronic service record (ESR). Sailors must create an ESR account before they can submit an e-Leave request. For more information on e-Leave, contact your ship's Admin Department.
For more on military benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Military Spouses of Strength
The (http://www.milspousesofstrength.org/) Military Spouses of Strength website provides information, resources, peer-to-peer support, and a place to connect with others going through mental illness. The website can be a support system to get military spouses through the times when they feel alone and confused. For more information, visit the Military Spouses of Strength website or e-mail (mailto:info@milspousesofstrength.org) info@milspousesofstrength.org.
For more spouse resources and tips, visit (http://spousebuzz.com/) SpouseBuzz.


Senate Bill Would Improve Health Care
A new piece of legislation before the U.S. Senate would restore pensions for military retirees, among other sweeping changes designed to improve the lives of the nation's veterans. The Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014 includes provisions to improve health care, reduce the backlog of disability claims, expand access to education benefits for veterans and their survivors and provide for more job opportunities. Details of the proposed legislation are available on the (http://www.veterans.senate.gov/newsroom ... egislation) U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs website. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who wrote several of the provisions in the bill, expects the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee to report the bill out of committee within the next few weeks.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


Battleship NC 2014 Schedule
The Battleship U.S.S. North Carolina moored in Wilmington, NC has announced its programming schedule for February, 2014.The (http://www.battleshipnc.com/Programs/FirepowerProgram) Firepower Tour takes place February 15, 2014. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, $95 per person, $85 for Friends members or active military. The Statewide NC QSO Party, an Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club Event, takes place Sunday, February 23, 2014, noon to 10 pm. The Battleship U.S.S. North Carolina is self-supporting, not tax-supported. The battleship is located at the junction of Highways 17/74/76/421 on the Cape Fear River. For more information, visit the Battleship U.S.S. North Carolina website at (http://www.battleshipnc.com/) www.battleshipnc.com, or follow the Battleship on Facebook at (http://Facebook.com/ncbb55) Facebook.com/ncbb55 and Twitter at (http://Twitter.com/battleshipnc) Twitter.com/battleshipnc. Relive with the crew on the (http://seastories.battleshipnc.com) Battleship Blog.


Retirees are Fuming Mad
Military retirees and veteran service organizations are angry over the passage of a one percent cut to military retiree cost-of-living adjustments. In this week's Philpott's Forum, readers explain why they are angry and what they want to be done to fix it.
(http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... -cola-cap/) Read what they have to say on the Military Advantage Blog.


VA Offers New GI Bill Complaint System
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is applauding today's roll out of a new consolidated complaint system to help the Department of Veterans Affairs and its partner agencies weed out fraud, waste and abuse among those organizations and educational institutions that serve student veterans. The new complaint system was a cornerstone of the VFW's education reform priorities over the past two years, and is a joint effort between VA and the departments of Defense, Education and Justice, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission.
For more details, see (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... nt-system/) this Military Advantage blog article.


Free Online Tax Filing for Troops
Military OneSource is once again providing access to an online tax filing service at no cost to servicemembers and families. The following link will direct you to a toolkit containing items that will provide you and your organization with readily assessable information, messaging, and tools to ensure your network of servicemembers and military families is aware of (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/pfm/ta ... _id=274861) this tax filing option.
For more tax season guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/money/personal-finance/taxes) Military.com Tax Center.