Supportthevets republishes the BULLETIN by Lt. Jim Tichacek of the Baguio City RP RAO office. We consider Jim's synopsis of what's news and what's not as 4.0 as far as we are concerned.
We'll try to republish these as we get them under the heading of "EMO Bulletin" link from our front page.
Stay tuned.--Editor
Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
> Director, Retiree Assistance Office & U.S. Embassy Warden Baguio City RP
> PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517-1000
> Tel: 1 (760) 839-9003 or FAX to email service 1 (801) 760-2430
> Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.com (U.S.)
or raoemo@mozcom.com (R.P.)
> Web:
http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
> AL/AMVETS/CORMV/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/PRA/TROA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37
> member
Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005
7:19 AM
Subject: RAO Bulletin Update 1 January 2005
> RAO Bulletin Update
> 1 January
2005
>
>
> This Bulletin Contains the Following Articles:
> . Bulletin Back Online ........................(Relocation Completed)
> . CRDP Update 28 ............................ (Payment Increases)
> . CRDP Update 29 ..............................(Accelerated CR For IU
> Mulled)
> . CRSC Update 27 ..............................(CRSC Backlog Resolution)
> . DFAS 1099-R, RAS & W2 for 2004.......(Availability dates promulgated)
> . VA Insurance Dividends 2005 ............(Not applicable to SGLI)
> . VA DIC Rates 2005 ...........................(Effective 1 DEC 04)
> . Military Exchange Credit Card ............(Interest Rate Increase)
> . Telemarketing Call Elimination #03......(Cell Phones not applicable)
> . Discharge & Examination Processing....(VA & DoD Cooperating)
> . Veterans Benefits Act 2004 ...............(VA Benefit Upgrades)
> . SSBP Update 01.................................(Pmts end/Coverage
> remains)
> . VIC (Veterans Identity Card) .............(New Card now Available)
> . Commissary Coupon Use Update 02....(Home Printed Coupons Reinstated)
>
>
> Bulletin Back Online: Resumption of the Bulletin Updates took a little
> longer than anticipated. Upon arrival in San Diego I discovered that use
> of stateside servers were not practical because of restrictions they
> placed on their address book usage and the inordinate time it took to
> enter new or changed email addees into them. I have subscribed to the
> services of a Newsletter Mailing List Provider located in Europe and
> initial test transmissions indicate it will do the job. There remain a lot
> of unanswered questions on exactly how it will automatically make address
> book changes but at least it seems to be able to handle the Bulletin's
> size and distribution. A major advantage in this provider's use is that
> many recipients whose servers [i.e. Airmail.net - Angelfire.com -
> Army.mil - Bellatlantic.net - Core.com - Email.com - Erols.net -
> Execpc.com - Go.com - Gte.net - Knology.net - Netscape.net - Qwest.net -
> Rcn.com - Sover.net - USwest.net - Wmconnect.com - Verizon.net -
> Voyager.net and many af.mil & navy.mil - Aol.com - CS.com - etc] who were
> blocking the Bulletin because of its transmission from the Philippines
> are now, at least initially, allowing their users to receive it. The only
> major drawback I have found in its use is that this service will
> automatically delete you from the Bulletin directory if the Bulletin sent
> to you is returned by your server as spam or if your server is offline at
> the time it is sent. You will only know this has happened to you if you
> do not receive your Bulletin on the 1st or 15th of the month. If this
> occurs you will need to send me an email requesting reinstatement to the
> directory and to contact your server requesting the Bulletin removed from
> their spam filtering process. To avoid this, advise you verify that both
> the email addees raoemo@sbcglobal.net
[my U.S. addee] and
> raoemo@mozcom.net [my R.P. addee] are
entered into your address book and
> these addees have been removed from your Bulk/Spam/Trash mail folders.
> This is to ensure you will be able to receive the Bulletin regardless of
> where I am when I transmit it. I anticipate I will be shifting locations
> every six months because of Department of Homeland Security rules in
> regards to sponsorship of my wife to the states. Anyone who no longer
> desires to receive the Bulletin should click Reply, enter the word
> "Remove" on the subject line, and send this message back so I can take
> action. Anyone who needs to change their email addee should forward BOTH
> the new and old addee plus their full name. [Source: James "EMO"
> Tichacek, Editor 1 JAN 05]
>
> CRDP Update 28: In January, retirees receiving Concurrent Retirement and
> Disability Payments (CRDP) became eligible for the second step of a
> multi-year phase-out of the disability offset to military retired pay. The
> additional money will come in their February checks. The FY2004 Defense
> Authorization Act authorized a ten-year phase-in of CRDP to eliminate the
> offset of retired pay for VA disability compensation for retirees with 50%
> or higher disabilities. These payments started with flat-rate amounts in
> January 2004 and will increase every year until the retiree's disability
> offset is eliminated in 2014. Because the phasing plan is relatively
> front-loaded, 94% of the retired pay offset will be recovered within the
> next five years. Under the FY2005 Defense Authorization Act passed last
> October, retirees with disabilities rated at 100% will be removed from the
> phase-in plan and their full, service-based retired pay will be restored
> as of January 2005 (to be reflected in the February check). If you already
> received a preliminary projection of your 2005 retired pay from the
> Finance Center that did not fully reflect a change in your concurrent
> retirement and disability payments, you should receive an updated 2005
> retired pay statement within a month or two. It may or may not come before
> you receive the money.
>
> The increases in retired pay will depend on the amount of retired pay
> waived for VA disability compensation. Amounts already restored in January
> 2004 were $750 per month for 100% VA disability ratings; $500 for 90%;
> $350 for 80%; $250 for 70%; $125 for 60%; and $100 for 50%. Subsequent
> annual increases each January will be based on a percentage of the
> remaining offset. The payment for January 2005 will restore another 10%
> of the retiree's remaining disability offset. In January 2006, eligibles
> will get back 20% of the remaining offset; then 30% of the remaining
> offset in January 2007, and so on until January 2014, when eligible
> members will achieve full restoration of the retired pay they earned by
> service. For eligible retirees who were retired for medical reasons
> (so-called "Chapter 61" disability retirees) with twenty years or more in
> service, the retired pay restoration amount will be based solely on the
> amount of retired pay they earned by service as if they had retired
> without any disability. To see examples of 2005 payment calculations,
> visit MOAA's Web site at
>
www.moaa.org/Legislative/Retirement/CRDP_Charts.asp. [Source: MOAA Leg Up
> 23 DEC 04]
>
>
> CRDP Update 29: It appears that disabled retirees who are being paid at
> the 100% disability level by the VA because of Individual Unemployability
> (IU) may not benefit from the change in law that will award those with
> 100% without IU the full Concurrent Receipt of their retired pay.
> Apparently there was resistance in the Senate on including the IU and the
> big association/VSO issue was SBP, not CRDP. Lawyers at the Defense
> Department are reviewing the fiscal 2005 National Defense Authorization
> Act to determine if the provision to restore full concurrent receipt might
> apply to those retirees who have less than 100-percent disabilities but
> are rated as unemployable. Source indicate that the preponderance of legal
> opinions favor those with IU receiving the full 100%. A decision at DoD is
> expected within three weeks. Meanwhile January checks will exclude the
> 28,000 unemployables who have less than 100 percent disability. [Source:
> Armed Forces News 24 Dec 04 ++]
>
>
> CRSC Update 27: After being briefed by service officials on the status of
> their Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) programs, it was reported
> that the Air Force and Navy had pretty much eliminated their backlogs of
> CRSC applications. The Army still reported a backlog of about 8,000 cases
> at that time, but expected to be able to dramatically reduce the backlog
> sometime after the first of the year. However, Army responses to
> applications indicated this would not happen until APR 05. Follow up with
> the Army CRSC office for an explanation disclosed the information in the
> letters was out of date and the wording is being updated to properly
> reflect the Army's plan to expedite claim processing. A written response
> provided by the Army CRSC office stated, "The Army's Combat Related
> Special Compensation (CRSC) office expects to complete processing of all
> pending applications by February 2005. At that point, we expect to be
> able to provide a decision within 30 days of the time a new application is
> received. These quicker adjudication decisions will be based on the
> documentation provided by the applicant. If necessary, decisions will be
> returned with instructions on how to obtain additional supporting
> documentation and resubmit for reconsideration. To better handle all
> inquiries, the CRSC Service Center hours have also been extended from 8AM
> to 8PM EST." To provide quicker feedback, the Army is now rendering
> decisions based on the documents the retiree provides with the
> application. Most applicants already provide their own copies of relevant
> documents or have obtained VA rating determinations and other relevant
> documents from the local VA field office. In essence, this puts the
> burden on the applicant to obtain necessary documentation from the VA. The
> Army CRSC staff believes most members would rather get immediate feedback
> and act on that as necessary, rather than waiting months for a decision
> that still may require more legwork. The Army CRSC office has received
> over 34,000 original and reconsideration applications, with approximately
> 1,400 new applications coming in each month. To view the weekly progress
> made on processing applications, go to
>
www.crsc.army.mil/utilities/stats.htm. To obtain an application or get
> further information on the CRSC program, visit the Army's official CRSC
> web site at www.crsc.army.mil.
Applicants may also reach the CRSC Service
> Center by phone at (866) 281-3254, by e-mail at
crsc.info@us.army.mil, by
> fax at (703) 325-0144, or by mail at: Department of the Army, U.S. Army
> Physical Disability Agency/Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC)
> Division, 200 Stovall Street, Alexandria, VA 22332-0470. [Source: MOAA
> Leg Up 5 NOV 05]
>
> Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) officials have announced
> that DFAS has completed processing the backlog of more than 9,000
> Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) retroactive payments that had
> been approved for more than 60 days. The backlog was created when
> legislation passed in June 2003 and January 2004 changed entitlements and
> required additional policy and coordination between the military services,
> the Department of Veterans Affairs and DFAS. CRSC applications will
> normally be paid within 60 days of military service approval. Military
> retirees whose applications have been approved but who have not been paid
> for more than 60 days since the approval may call 1 (800) 472-7098 between
> 08-1630 EST. Officials emphasize that only those retired members whose
> eligibility has been verified and whose payments are overdue should use
> this number. [Source: Fort Gordon Retiree E-Notes DEC 04]
>
>
> DFAS 1099-R, RAS & W2 for 2004: The Defense Finance and Accounting Service
> (DFAS) has scheduled dates when Military members, retirees/annuitants and
> Department of Defense civilian employees can access their tax statements
> through myPay and when they can anticipate to receive the hardcopy
> delivery by mail. Personnel will once again have access to review, save
> and print their tax statements from myPay at
https://mypay.dfas.mil. DFAS
> delivers personal pay information and provides the ability to process
> pay-related transactions timely, safely and securely to all its members
> through myPay. The Web-based system eliminates the risks associated with
> postal delivery by allowing members to access electronic tax statements
> and other financial information online. DFAS officials noted that myPay
> matches existing industry standards for the highest level of encryption
> and security. This prevents customer information from being accessed by
> others on the Internet. Tax statements will be available as follows with
> the first date being that when the statement is available for myPay access
> and the subsequent dates are when statements will be mailed:
> . Retired Annual Statement - 12/04/04 (myPay) and 12/17/04 through
> 12/29/04 (mail);
> . Retired 1099R - 12/13/04 (myPay) and 12/17 through 12/29/04;
> . Annuitant Annual Statements - 12/13/04 (myPay) and 12/28 to 12/29/04;
> . Annuitant 1099R - 12/14/04 (myPay) and 12/27 through 12/29/04.
> . Air Force, Army, & Navy Reserve W2s - 12/27/04 (myPay) and 01/04/05
> through 01/05/05
> . Civilian W2s - 01/06/05 (myPay) and 01/10/05 through 01/14/05
> . Marine Corps Active & Reserve W2s - 01/10/05 (myPay) and 01/18/05
> . Air Force, Army, & Navy Active W2 - 01/14/05 (myPay) and 01/18/05
> through 01/24/05
> Statements that are available by mail only are:
> . Special Compensation for Severely Disabled 1099Rs: 12/17/04
> . VSI/SSB W2s - 01/04/05 through 01/05/05
> . Travel W2s - 01/10/05 through 01/11/05
> . Savings Deposit 1099INTs - 01/10/05 trough 01/11/05
>
> Those individuals who have in the past received a myPay personal
> identification number and accessed myPay will not receive printed
> documents unless they notified DFAS by Oct. 31 that they wanted printed
> versions. [Source: DFAS Press Release 0442 Nov. 29, 2004]
>
>
> VA Insurance Dividend 2005: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has
> announced its distribution of more than $449 million in dividends to 1.4
> million active policyholders of veterans' life insurance. Over the next
> year, veterans will receive payments on the anniversary date of their
> policies, with the specific dividend amount varying according to age,
> type of insurance, and length of time the policy has been in force.
> Veterans will automatically receive their annual dividend through one of
> the nine payment options available to them. Dividends cover only veterans
> with government life insurance policies who served between 1917 and 1956.
> Veterans of subsequent eras are covered by VA life insurance programs that
> do not pay dividends. The dividends represent a return of trust fund
> earnings on the premiums paid by policyholders throughout the years. They
> reflect the fact that veterans are living longer than originally
> predicted. Dividends are also attributable to the higher than expected
> yields earned by the trust funds from investments in U.S. government
> securities. Only those with policies that have been kept in force are
> eligible for the payout. Inaccurate notices periodically surface in the
> veterans community suggesting that those who have not maintained insurance
> are eligible for a special dividend if they contact VA, but this is false.
> Dividends will be automatically sent to eligible policyholders as follows:
> . Total payments are expected to reach $354.1 million for the 1.1 million
> veterans of World War II with National Service Life Insurance ("V")
> policies.
> . Dividends totaling $1.45 million will be paid to nearly 10,000 veterans
> holding U.S. Government Life Insurance ("K") policies.
> . More than 190,000 Korean War era veterans who maintained Veterans
> Special Life Insurance ("RS" and "W") policies can expect to receive
> dividends totaling $80.7 million.
> . Veterans from the World War II era who hold Veterans Reopened Insurance
> ("J," "JR" and "JS") policies, currently numbering about 49,000, will
> share a $12.9 million dividend.
>
> Although VA administers a special life insurance program for disabled
> veterans and a program offering mortgage life insurance coverage, neither
> pays dividends. For current active-duty service members and reservists, VA
> supervises a contract with a private carrier to underwrite Servicemembers'
> Group Life Insurance. No dividends are paid on Servicemembers' Group Life
> Insurance, or the version for veterans after military separation,
> Veterans' Group Life Insurance. Veterans who have questions about their
> policy can call the VA Insurance toll-free number at 1-(800) 669-8477,
> send an e-mail to
VAinsurance@vba.va.gov , or visit the web site at
> www.insurance.va.gov. [Source: VA
News Release 21 DEC 04]
>
> VA DIC Rates 2005: Effective 12/1/04
> 10 percent . . . $108 60 percent . . . . $839
> 20 percent . . . $210 70 percent . . . . $1,056
> 30 percent . . . $324 80 percent . . . . $1,227
> 40 percent . . . $466 90 percent . . . . $1,380
> 50 percent . . . $663 100 percent . . . $2,299
>
> Additional Payments for Dependents: Veterans whose service-connected
> disabilities are rated at 30 percent or more are entitled to additional
> allowances for dependents. Depending upon the disability rating of the
> veteran, monthly allowances for a spouse range from $39 to $94 and for a
> dependent child, $26 to $88. Additional amounts are provided for each
> additional child and there is a higher scale for children in school after
> age 18.
>
> Other Major Factors Affecting Payment Levels: Adjustments to rates are
> based on a number of factors in addition to dependents. Among factors that
> can have a significant effect on amounts are:
> . Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities may receive
> compensation at a basic rate as high as $6,576 per month. Various special
> monthly compensation rates apply when a veteran experiences loss or loss
> of use of one or more limbs; loses one or more of the senses of sight,
> hearing or speech; or experiences loss of a reproductive organ or its use,
> or loss of breast tissue by a female veteran.
> . Allowances may be made for veterans requiring aides, such as bedridden
> individuals who need assistance with eating, bathing or certain other
> activities of daily living. This adjustment is referred to as "aid and
> attendance."
> . Veterans whose service-connected disability leaves them unable to
> maintain gainful employment may meet criteria for allowances at the 100
> percent compensation rate under a benefit called "individual
> unemployability." A veteran with a single service-connected disability may
> be eligible if the veteran's disability is rated at 60 percent or more. A
> veteran with multiple disabilities may be eligible if the veteran has a
> combined rating of 70 percent or more and at least one of the disabilities
> is individually rated 40 percent or higher.
> [Source: VFW Post 3822 Panama City msg 23 DEC 04]
>
>
> Military Exchange Credit Card: The Exchange Credit Program is raising the
> interest rate for the Military STAR card to 10 percent, an increase of .25
> percent. Officials explained that the increase is based on the Nov. 10
> announcement by the Federal Reserve raising the prime rate to 5 percent.
> Military STAR card terms and conditions state that the interest charged
> will be based upon the current prime rate plus 5 percent. The interest
> rate will become effective after the JAN billing statement. Also, any new
> purchases after the JAN billing statement will constitute acceptance of
> the revised interest rate, according to officials. Customers will receive
> notification of the rate change in their DEC billing statement. The rate
> increase dose not apply to the zero-interest Military Clothing Plans,
> special promotions already in existence or to deployed customers whose
> balances are treated under special conditions or have balances at reduced
> rates. [Source: Air Force Retiree News Release No. 12-07-04]
>
>
> Telemarketing Call Elimination Update 03: E-mails circulating on the
> Internet and this newsletter recently warned that telemarketers would have
> the right to call "cell phone" numbers Jan. 1 unless people listed with
> the federal do-not-call site by Dec. 15. Also, that cell phone 411
> directories would be established in 2005 that telemarketers could use.
> The do-not-call site got 9.5 million listings in the week to Dec. 15, up
> from the usual 200,000. The e-mails as related to cell phones were
> erronous. A Federal Communications Commission rule bars telemarketers from
> calling cell exchanges. That rule remains in effect. "Landline" phones
> are a different matter. You can get off the telemarketers' lists by
> signing up with the FTC. That site is:
>
https://www.donotcall.gov/register/Reg.aspx . There is no December 15,
> 2004 deadline or any deadline at all for adding phone numbers to the list.
> It is true that the major wireless phone providers (with the exception of
> Verizon) have announced their intention to establish a 411 directory of
> customers' cell phone numbers beginning in late 2005. It is not true that
> they plan to "publish" said directory for any and all to read.
> Participating companies say the numbers will be made available only with
> customer consent and only via telephone to users who dial directory
> assistance and pay a fee. [Source:
>
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/internet/a/top_10_uls.htm DEC 04]
>
>
> Discharge & Examination Processing: The Departments of Defense (DoD) and
> Veterans Affairs (VA) have signed an agreement to implement cooperative
> separation processes and physical examinations for service members at
> discharge sites. This initiative builds upon the 26 individual benefits
> delivery at discharge sites that have existing agreements, many of which
> date from the mid-1990s. In a memorandum of agreement (MOA) under
> secretary for defense, personnel and readiness, and the veterans affairs
> deputy secretary agreed on several key issues for separation and
> disability evaluations. The examination process includes providing
> adequate medical resources (examining physicians, laboratory facilities,
> examination rooms, and support staff) and additional testing and/or
> screening. The departments also agree to begin exploring the technical
> feasibility, schedule, and cost requirements for the implementation of an
> electronic physical exam, through a single, consistent electronic physical
> examination record, which will meet military service and VA requirements.
> To fulfill such requirements in the past, service members underwent two
> physical examinations within months of each other when service members
> filed for VA disability compensation. Neither of the examinations fully
> satisfied the needs of both VA and DoD. These redundant examinations
> inconvenienced service members, delayed claims processing and access to VA
> healthcare, and created an added cost to the federal government. This MOA
> helps to streamline the process without compromising the gathering of
> information critical to both departments. This memorandum of agreement is
> one of many initiatives undertaken by the two departments to create a more
> seamless process for service members to access benefits. [Source: DoD
> News Release No. 1198-04 dtd 22 NOV 04]
>
>
> Veterans Benefits Act 2004: On 16 NOV 04 the House passed the Veterans
> Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 which contains significant upgrades in VA
> health care access for wounded veterans, education, home loans, survivor
> benefits, and a range of other programs. The bill (S. 2486) now goes to
> the President who is expected to approve it. Major elements of the bill
> are:
>
> * Education and Training. Among other things extends eligibility of
> survivors' and dependents' educational benefits for survivors of
> servicemembers who died on active duty to 20 years following death (vs.
> previous 10) and permits Selected Reserve members activated for two years
> to enroll in the Montgomery GI bill and have a year to pay the $1,200
> premium after deactivating.
>
> * Veterans Compensation and Survivor Benefits. Provides an additional
> transition allowance of $250 per month in Dependency and Indemnity
> Compensation (DIC) for the first two years after a servicemember's
> service-connected death to any surviving spouse who has at least one child
> under age 18; excludes life insurance proceeds paid upon the death of a
> veteran from consideration as income for death pension benefits; codifies
> VA regulations establishing cancer of the bone, brain, colon, lung and
> ovary as diseases presumed to have been caused by exposure to ionizing
> radiation; permits a veteran or survivor who received compensation under
> the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to be eligible for VA
> compensation or DIC.
>
> * Rights and Protections under the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
> and Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
> Increases from 18 to 24 months the maximum period of employer-sponsored
> health coverage that an employee covered by the USERRA may elect to
> continue; reinstates Dept. of Labor reporting requirements to Congress on
> USERRA reemployment cases; requires employers to provide notice of rights,
> benefits, and obligations under the USERRA; clarifies that waivers of
> servicemembers' rights and protections under the SCRA must be in writing;
> protects dependents as well as servicemembers under the SCRA for
> residential and motor vehicle lease termination provisions on joint
> leases.
>
> * VA Home Loans and Housing. Increases the maximum VA home loan guaranty
> amount to $333,700; reinstates VA-backed adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs)
> and extends the authority for hybrid ARMs through 2008; expands
> eligibility for specially adapted housing grants to veterans with
> permanent and total service-connected disabilities due to the loss, or
> loss of use, of both arms at or above the elbows.
> [Source: MOAA Leg Up 11/19/04]
>
>
> SSBP Update 01: Some military retired members will see more money in their
> Dec. 1 paychecks. They're the ones who, beginning with the 1992-93 special
> Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) open enrollment period, signed up for the
> Supplemental SBP coverage (SSBP). Retired members who took the SSBP
> coverage at that time and members retiring later who elected the coverage
> have been paying a higher premium than those who remained with the
> standard SBP. Originally, at age 62, the SBP annuity is reduced from 55
> percent to approximately 35 percent. Beginning with the 92-93 open season,
> retired members could ensure the annuity remained at 55 percent or a
> lesser annuity in 5 percent increments down to 40 percent with a variable
> SSBP cost. On 28 OCT 04, President Bush signed Public Law 108-375, the
> Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year
> 2005. Section 644 of this Act terminates costs for the SSBP elections
> effective 1 NOV 04. For those with the SSBP, this means:
> . Your current level of SSBP coverage will continue but you will no longer
> be charged any SSBP costs.
> . Your basic Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage and costs (generally 6.5
> percent of gross retired pay) remain unchanged.
> . Your 1 DEC 04 retired pay will be increased by the amount you were
> paying for the SSBP coverage, less federal income tax.
> The same law will gradually eliminate the age 62 offset for surviving
> spouses of retired members who have not elected SSBP. The phase in to
> full SBP 55 percent payments start 1 OCT 05 when it will increase to 40
> percent; then on 1 APR 06, it will become 45 percent; 50 percent on 1 APR
> 07 and 55 percent on 1 APR 08. Retired members affected by the change will
> receive a Retiree Account Statement soon which shows new SBP costs, the
> new adjusted taxable income, adjusted Federal Income Tax Withholding and
> increased net retired pay. Information will be available through the
> Internet at www.dfas.mil. You can also
contact DFAS by phone at 1
> (800)321-1080 or write to Defense Finance and Accounting Service, US
> Military Retirement Pay, PO Box 7130, London, KY 40742-7120. [Source: Air
> Force Retiree News 1 DEC 04]
>
>
> VIC (Veterans Identity Card): The Department of Veterans Affairs has
> designed a new identity card for veterans that will safeguard confidential
> information while combating identity theft. The card, formally known as
> the Veterans Identity Card (VIC), will have veterans' photos on the front
> and identify them as enrollees in the VA's health-care system. Encrypted
> on a magnetic tape on the back of the card will be the veteran's Social
> Security number, date of birth and a control number. The magnetic strip
> also records whether the veteran has a service-connected disability.
> Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the nation. The
> Federal Trade Commission listed identity theft as the No. 1 fraud reported
> by consumers in 2003. Requests from veterans and their congressional
> representatives were instrumental in bringing about these latest changes.
> Veterans should request the new card at their local medical center.
> Processing will take five to seven days once eligibility is verified. VA
> officials hope to complete the conversion to the new, safer card by
> mid-November. The existing cards will remain valid until veterans receive
> their new cards. [Source: Department of Veterans Affairs
www.va.gov/ Nov
> 04]
>
>
> Commissary Coupon Use Update 02: The Defense Commissary Agency (DECA) is
> making Internet coupon links available under a new section on the links
> page at www.commissaries.com. Along
with Web sites for military grocery
> coupons, the new section has a link for customers who prefer more
> traditional coupons. Another link offers commissary shoppers the
> opportunity to sign up for coupons by mail. The most common coupons
> offered are free-standing inserts (FSIs) typically inserted in newspapers
> or available at the commissary. But the use of Internet coupons has grown
> substantially, with redemption rates rivaling FSIs. Commissaries and other
> grocery retailers had stopped accepting home-printed coupons in Sept. 2003
> due to instances of fraud, but, despite the industry ban, consumer use of
> Internet coupons flourished in general. All 273 commissaries worldwide now
> accept computer-generated Internet coupons as long as they have a bar code
> for scanning purposes, and do not offer a free product. [Source: Armed
> Forces News 22 OCT 04]