We Support The Vets   Information you can use.

Dateline; September 27,2008

Included here are some important recent developments sent to me by former classmate Lt. Col. Jim Ball.....of which,.....one of the interesting things passed by our Congress Critters is,....

- Salute: Authorizes military/vets not in uniform to salute flag during
national anthem

FYI

 Summary of FY09 Defense Authorization Act


*Active Duty Issues
*
- Pay Raise: 3.9% pay raise effective Jan 1, 2009
- End Strength: Army +7K USMC +5K Navy -2.8K USAF -12.5K (did not
restore previously proposed cut for USAF, even though SecDef has stated
that the planned USAF cut will not be imposed)
- Paternity leave: 10 days authorized for new military fathers, in
addition to normal leave
- Maximum reenlistment period: Raised to 8 years vs. 6
- Warrant Officer mandatory retirement: Change to 30 years as WO vs 30
yrs (applies to Army WOs only)
- Sabbatical Program: Authorizes 20 officers and 20 enlisted members per
service per year to take up to 3 years off from active duty to pursue
personal/professional goals (participants to be paid 2 days? basic pay
per month and keep TRICARE eligibility, but will receive no retirement
credit for sabbatical time and will owe 2 months? active duty upon
return for every month of sabbatical)
- Increase in Service Academy Enrollment: Authorizes up to 4,400/yr per
academy starting 2008/09 academic year
- Meal Charges in Hospitals: Permanently bans charging hospitalized troops
- Temporary Lodging Expense Allowance: Raises maximum daily amt per
family on CONUS PCS from $180 to $290
- Family Separation Allowance: Authorizes payment to both member spouses
with dependents if both are assigned remotely

*Military Family Issues*

- Spouse PCS Weight Allowance: Authorizes 500 lbs for professional items
- Spouse Education: Authorizes programs to help spouses with
degrees/credentials/licenses to pursue portable careers
- Impact Aid: Authorizes $35M to assist schools with high proportion of
military children, with additional $15M for schools in BRAC/unit
movement areas and $5M for schools attended by severely d isabled
military children

*Guard/Reserve Issues*

- Education: Requires honorable discharge for Guard/Reserve members to
use education benefits resulting from active duty (effective 1/28/08 for
members who haven't used any of their entitlement)
- TRICARE Reserve Select Premiums: DoD must recalculate (and presumably
reduce) premiums for 2009 and beyond and base them on actual costs for
previous year (2009 costs to be based on costs for 2006 + 2007) (GAO
previously estimated that Guard/Reserve participants were overcharged by
45%-72%)
- G/R Medical/Dental Readiness: Services may provide free health/dental
care to any SelRes/IRR (if subject to involuntary recall) they deem
appropriate and may waive dental copays for Guard/Reserve personnel to
facilitate/ensure readiness
- Transition TRICARE: DoD may temporarily continue active duty TRICARE
coverage for separatees who enter SelRes (continue for 60 days if less
than 6YOS; 120 days if 6+YOS)

*Health Care Issues*
- TRICARE Fees: Bar increases in pharmacy copays or retiree fees for FY09
- Preventive Care:
(1) Waive TRICARE copays/deductibles for beneficiaries under 65 for
colorectal/prostate/breast/cervical screening, annual physical,
vaccinations and other services authorized by SecDef (those over age 65
to be reimbursed for copays rather than waived due to budget technicality);
(2) establish TRICARE Prime pilot project in three geographic areas to
test monetary and nonmonetary incentives to encourage healthy behaviors;
(3) Establish smoking cessation program for all under-65s (refund copays
for over-65s);
(4) Test a ?preventive health services allowance? payable to up to 1500
active duty members in each service ($500/yr single, $1000 family to
purchase preventive services); (5) Authorize SecDef discretion to pursue
other innovative programs (e.g., G /R medical/dental readiness and/or
stipend for G/R families to continue employer care for families when
activated)
- ECHO Payments: Raise TRICARE payment cap for active duty children with
special needs from $2500/mo to $36K per year, allowing carryover
month-to-month
- ECHO for Retiree Children: Require Sec Def report on providing limited
temporary transition coverage upon retirement

*Retiree/Survivor Issues*
- Concurrent receipt: No provisions
- SBP: Authorize inclusion survivors of members who died on active duty
among eligibles for modest new special survivor allowance

*Wounded Warrior Issues*
- DoD/VA Senior Oversight Committee (SOC): Extend SOC authority for 1
yr, with SecDef report by Aug 31 with recommendation on continuation
- Disability Determinations: Disqualifying condition is to be deemed
service-connected unless there is "clear and unmistakable" evidence it
existed before service entry and wasn't aggravated by service
- Centers of Excellence: Establish centers for hearing loss/auditory
injuries and for traumatic extremity injuries/amputations
- Bonus Treatment: Bars recoupment of any paid amount and requires full
repayment of unpaid balance within 90 days for member who dies or is
separated/retired for combat-related injury/illness

*Other Issues
* - Decorations: Requires SecDef to replace decorations on one-time
basis upon request by recipient or next of kin
- Salute: Authorizes military/vets not in uniform to salute flag during
national anthem

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