ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER EXPLAINS NDAA AND ITS IMPACT

Military survivors across the country who have lost a spouse to military service are trying to understand Section 644 of the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which modifies the Survivor Benefit Plan/Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (SBP/DIC) offset. This legislation affects survivors who have their DIC annuity deducted dollar for dollar from their SBP annuity, causing many of them to lose as much as $12,804 a year. The 2008 NDAA would help correct this by providing survivors an allowance of $50 a month beginning in October. Then, for the following five years, that $50 would be raised $10 a month each year, ending at $100 a month.

Though I personally am not affected by the DIC offset, I know many who have lived with this inequity for years. Losing a spouse because of military service is painful beyond imagination. When that loss is compounded by such an unfair and severe financial loss, it can become unbearable. Most of the survivors I have spoken with in the past few weeks view this “solution” as too little, too late. I empathize with their anger and despair. I share those feelings and have to ask, “What can we do about this?” continue reading

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TASK FORCE: MILITARY BENEFITS “UNFAIR TO TAXPAYERS”

The DoD Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care released its final report on December 20, and the results were pretty much as expected.

The report said the relatively low health fees paid by military retirees vs. the growing cost of military health benefits are “out of step with overall trends in the U.S. health care system” and “unfair to the U.S. taxpayer.”

The task force, co-chaired by Gen. John D.W. Corley, USAF, Commander of Air Combat Command, and economist Dr. Gail Wilensky, recommended retiree fee increases that were patterned generally after those recommended by the Department of Defense for the past two years.

Under the task force’s plan, fees would be stratified in three tiers, based on the amount of the member’s military retired pay. Most retired officers with families covered under TRICARE Prime would pay an annual enrollment fee of $780 for 2008, with the fee rising steeply to $1,800 a year by 2011. continue reading

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QUICK ACTION NEEDED NOW ON HR 3997

Dear Commanders, Presidents, Legislative Officers and Concerned Veterans:

We have a problem that needs your immediate attention! When HR 3997 was passed unanimously by the U.S. House of Representatives, it contained a provision to make Qualified Veterans Mortgage bonds used by the CalVet Home loan program available to younger veterans who entered the service after December 31, 1977. As you know, we have all been working on this issue for many years, and we thought we had made it.

However, on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 the U.S. Senate passed HR 3997, but the QVMB provision was pulled from the bill by an amendment before they voted.

They have voted, but it is not over! We need to encourage the Senate Finance Committee leadership to reconsider HR 3997 - and to include the QVMB provision.

So, we desperately need your help! We are asking each of you and your national commanders, as applicable, to send, BY FAX, a letter to the leaders of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee urging them to reconsider HR 3997, AND TO INCLUDE THE QUALIFIED VETERANS MORTGAGE BONDS PROVISION! continue reading

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Dear Cal-MOAA Member,

Here is MOAA’s latest Legislative Alert. Please copy and paste either of these URLs in your browser address blank.

http://moaaonline.org/ct/r1zbisK1PXnz/

http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/alert/?alertid=10421191&type=CO

to send a prepared message to both California Senators and your Congressional Representatives. Note in the second paragraph of the prepared message I needed to delete the 2nd “would”.

continue reading

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