628Th TDB and 1-103D Armor Reunion Association

628th TDB and 1-103d Armor Reunion Association NEWSLETTER

President – Francis Matten TRICARE for ‘Gray Area’ Reserve

Vice President – Donald (Pinky) Edwards Retirees FALLS CHURCH, VA — TRICARE Retired Reserve, a Secretary – Chris Morningstar program that was launched in the fall of 2012, will allow certain “gray area” retired National Guard and Reserve Treasurer – Wally Wieczorek personnel, who are not yet age 60, the opportunity to Chaplain - purchase TRICARE health coverage. Under TRICARE Retired Reserve, TRICARE Standard and Extra coverage Trustee – Dave Hetzlein will be available for purchase to “gray area” retirees. Other details involving specific eligibility rules, coverage Trustee – and costs are still being coordinated and finalized. Trustee – Potential beneficiaries who would like to be among the first to know about final details for TRICARE Retired Reserve are encouraged to sign up for e-mail updates from TRICARE. Visit www.tricare. mil/subscriptions and The next meeting will be on May 29, 2014 at the VFW sign up for “Benefit Changes” for “Retired National Post 155 Geistown Guard and Reserve Member.”

Chaplain’s Report WASHINGTON, DC — The VA is reducing the Comrades in distress – None paperwork and expediting the process for Veterans seeking compensation for disabilities related Deaths – to their military service as part of an effort to break the back of the backlog by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

VA has shortened application forms to reduce paperwork for Veterans. The new forms, available at From the Editor’s Desk www.va.gov/vaforms, include: By John Pietron A shortened VA Form 21-526 for Veterans applying Welcome to the 2nd Edition of the newsletter. I hope for the first time to VA for disability compensation or everyone had a nice holiday and you all survived the pension benefits. This form has been cut in half — from cold winter. “In the present circumstances, no one can 23 to 10 pages. It is available to Veterans via Web afford to assume that someone else will solve their download, and through VA’s online claim-filing process problems. Every individual has a responsibility to help at www.vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp. guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes are not sufficient; we must become actively VA Form 21-526b for Veterans seeking increased engaged.” — Dalai Lama benefits for conditions already determined by VA to be Call with News 814 241-3311 Visit our website at: https://1stbn103darmorreunionassociation.com 628th TDB and 1-103d Armor Reunion Association NEWSLETTER service-connected. This new form more clearly Reserve Component Soldiers in the describes the information needed to support claims for Gray Area need to promptly notify the Reserve increased benefits. Component Retirement Branch of the Army Human Resources Command (HRC) of changes to their To make the claims process faster, VA correspondence addresses and Reserve Component has also introduced two forms for Veterans Survivor Benefits Program (RCSBP) beneficiaries. HRC participating in their new Fully Developed Claim (FDC) uses the correspondence address to send Gray Area program, one of the fastest means to receive a claims Soldiers their retirement applications on their 59th decision. Gathering the information needed to support birthdays. Soldiers who don’t update their addresses a Veteran’s disability claim often takes the largest may not receive timely applications and their retired portion of the processing time. If VA receives all of the pay may be delayed. Retirement is not automatic; HRC available evidence when the claim is submitted, the periodically receives calls from Retirees well after their remaining steps in the claims-decision process can be 60th birthdays asking why their retired pay hasn’t expedited without compromising quality. started. The Reserve Component Retirement Branch To participate in the FDC program, Veterans should also requests that any Soldier who is eligible to retire at complete and submit an FDC Certification and VA Form a reduced age, as permitted by the National Defense 21-526EZ, “Fully Developed Claim (Compensation),” for Authorization Act of 2008, write “90 Day Drop” in red a compensation claim, or a VA Form 21-527EZ, “Fully letters at the top of his or her retirement application to Developed Claim (Pension),” for a pension claim. ensure proper handling. These Soldiers should request their retirement applications early because HRC does The forms were designed specifically for the FDC not know which Soldiers are entitled to a reduced program. These six-page application forms include retirement age. When Reserve Component Soldiers notification to applicants of all information and receive a Notice of Eligibility to retire or “20-Year evidence necessary to “fully develop” and substantiate Letter,” they are required to make an RCSBP election. If their claims. With this notification, Veterans and their they elect RCSBP coverage (Options B or C), they must representatives can “fully develop” their claims before notify HRC within one year of a beneficiary change that submission to VA for processing. affects their RCSBP election. Beneficiary changes include marriage, divorce, death, or gaining an eligible Along with the application and certification, Veterans beneficiary. Not updating beneficiary information may must also submit all relevant and pertinent evidence to result in the loss of coverage for a beneficiary or delay “fully develop” their claims. A claim submitted as “fully in processing a survivor’s annuity. Soldiers who elected developed” may still require some additional evidence Option A and had RCSBP-eligible dependents deferred to be obtained by VA, to include certain federal records their SBP decisions until they reached non-regular and a VA medical examination. retirement age. Soldiers who elected Option A because For additional information, go to www.va.gov or call they were unmarried and had no eligible beneficiaries- VA’s toll free benefits number at 1-800-827-1000. can participate in RCSBP by contacting HRC within one year of their first marriage or gaining an eligible beneficiary. Soldiers who fail to request RCSBP coverage within one year will have no RCSBP coverage Call with News 814 241-3311 Visit our website at: https://1stbn103darmorreunionassociation.com 628th TDB and 1-103d Armor Reunion Association NEWSLETTER and must make a SBP election at non-regular confusion, ID cards now have the same expiration date retirement. For additional information or for answers to on the front and back. DOD is also replacing retirees’ your questions about maintaining your RCSBP election, social security numbers on the front of the ID card with please contact the Human Resource Service Center at their new DOD ID numbers and adding the retirees’ (888) 276-9472 or the HRC Reserve Component DOD Benefits ID numbers on the back. Retirees are not Retirement Branch at (502) 613-8950. required to update their ID cards until the expiration date. However, they may choose to do so when it is convenient for them. Spouse ID cards must still be Retirees can now access their Defense updated every four years until the 75th birthday. When spouse ID cards are renewed, the retiree’s DOD ID Enrollment Eligibility Reporting number will replace the SSN on the front and the System (DEERS) records online through spouse’s DOD Benefits ID number will be added to the DS Logon. DS Logon is the new, secure Department of back. For more information about ID cards, please visit Defense logon ID that allows service members, retirees https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/appj/site? and family members to access the DEERS Self Service execution=e1s1 or call (800) 538-9552. Application. Retirees can use this application to update their addresses or beneficiary’s enrollment information; to request an ID card; or to complete other actions. The ability to request a dependent ID card online is especially helpful for retirees with children in college or away from home. The retiree does not have to be present when the child goes to the closest ID Card facility to obtain the new ID card. To obtain a DS Logon account, go to Retirees can obtain medical/dental https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/identitymanagement and records through the VA or NARA follow the prompts to create an account or you can register in person at an ID card facility, VA Regional WASHINGTON — Retirees who retired after Sept. 1, Office or Tricare Service Center. 1992 may obtain one free copy of their original medical/dental records from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Records Management Center (RMC). Retirees may request their records through their Before Nov. 1, 2012, a military local VA office, online through eVetRecs at retiree’s ID card had two expiration http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service- dates. The date on the front was usually indefinite. records, or by contacting VA RMC directly via written The date on the back was the date the retiree’s DOD request or telephone to: medical benefits expired -- the last day of the month VA Records Management Center P.O. Box prior to the retiree’s 65th birthday. This date was 5020 St. Louis, MO 63115 Phone: (888) 533- necessary to ensure the retiree enrolled in Medicare 4558 and provided that information to DEERS. To eliminate

Call with News 814 241-3311 Visit our website at: https://1stbn103darmorreunionassociation.com 628th TDB and 1-103d Armor Reunion Association NEWSLETTER

Retirees who retired prior to Sept. 1, 1992 must their retired pay starts on time. Soldiers whose complete a Military Record Request Standard Form (SF) deployments have earned them the right to retire -180 to obtain their medical/dental records. These before age 60 must alert HRC to that fact and request records are stored at the National Archives & Records their retired pay applications early. Soldiers who apply Administration’s (NARA) National Personnel Records for retired pay after the age of 60 may receive back pay, Center (NPRC). Retirees can obtain the SF-180 from but only for a maximum of six years. The Barring Act NPRC and return it via U.S. mail, fax, or online to: prevents paying older claims. “Gray area” Soldiers should update their retired records at HRC every time National Personnel Records Center they move by calling (888) 276-9472 between 7:00 a.m. Military Personnel Records 1 Archives Drive St. and 5:00 p.m. EST or by sending an email to Louis, MO 63138 Fax: (314) 801-9195 URL: [email protected]. http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service- records/ How to access or request your official military personnel file By Dean Hiza, Chief, Army Soldier Records Branch, U.S. Army Human Resources Command

If your retirement date is after Apr. 1, 1996, you can electronically access your Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). Electronic access is an easy, fast, 24/7 way to view your OMPF. You have the flexibility to print specific documents or download your entire OMPF. To Thousands of “gray area” Soldiers are access your OMPF, go to the U.S. Army Human missing their retired pay By Mark Overberg, Resources Command’s home page at Deputy Chief, Army Retirement Services and Sheila http://www.hrc.army.mil/. Under Soldier Services, click Dorsey, Chief, Reserve Retirements Branch, HRC Each the “My Records” button and logon with your AKO user month, about half of all retired pay applications the name and password. Then click on the appropriate Reserve Retirements Branch at U. S. Army Human component icon (Retirees are included in Reserve Resources Command (HRC) mails to “gray area” Soldiers Component). On the left side of the web page, under are returned unopened. This causes a delay in receiving the heading "Navigation”, click on the word retired pay or no retired pay at all for 400 to 600 "Documents" to view your OMPF. Records will be Soldiers each month because they did not update their available using DS Logon in 2014. You can obtain free addresses at HRC when they moved. As with active copies of a DD Form 214 and/or OMPF by submitting a duty Soldiers, Reserve Component Soldiers must apply signed Standard Form 180 (Request Pertaining to for retired pay to receive it. A month before their 59th Military Records) if: your retirement date is before birthday, HRC sends all “gray area” Soldiers the forms Apr.1, 1996, you are unable to access your OMPF they need to apply for retired pay at age 60. These electronically, or you are the next of kin of a deceased forms should be completed and returned to HRC no less retiree For more information, including where to submit than 90 days before the Soldiers turns 60 to ensure your request for records, refer to the U.S. Army Human Resources Command’s web article at Call with News 814 241-3311 Visit our website at: https://1stbn103darmorreunionassociation.com 628th TDB and 1-103d Armor Reunion Association NEWSLETTER https://www.hrc.army.mil/TAGD/Accessing%20or %20Rrequesting%20Your%20Official%20 Military %20Personnel%20File%20Documents or call 1-888- ARMYHRC (1-888-276-9472).

Call with News 814 241-3311 Visit our website at: https://1stbn103darmorreunionassociation.com