Bulletin 181201 (PDF Edition)
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RAO BULLETIN 1 December 2018 PDF Edition THIS RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES Pg Article Subject . * DOD * . 04 == DoD Audits [03] ---- (First Ever Audit Results) 05 == PTSD [249] ---- (Judge Allows Class-Action Lawsuit Over Discharges) 06 == Arlington National Cemetery [79] ---- (Xmas Wreaths | Volunteers Needed) 07 == Transgender Lawsuits [11] ---- (Trump Again Asks Supreme Court to Intervene) 08 == China’s Island Building [03] ---- (Great Wall of SAMS Now Exists) 09 == China’s Pacific Expansion ---- (U.S./Australia Counter at Manus Island) 10 == DoD Lawsuit | Bad Paper Discharges [01 ---- (Federal Court Ruling | Proceed) 11 == U.S. Space Force [06] ---- (Air Force Clarifies Their Cost Estimate Figures) 12 == U.S. Space Force [07] ---- (More On Air Force Cost Estimate) 13 == DoD Fraud, Waste, & Abuse ---- (Reported 16 thru 30 NOV 2018) 16 == POW/MIA Recoveries & Burials ---- (Reported 16 thru 30 NOV 2018 | Nineteen) . * VA * . 19 == VA Secretary [85] ---- (Q&A With MOAA | 15 NOV 2018) 21 == VA BDD Program [02] ---- (DoD to VA Transition | FY 2018 Improvements) 21 == VA Accountability [55] ---- (4300 Workers Fired/Demoted/Suspended Under Trump) 22 == VA Blue Water Claims [55] ---- (Procopio v. Wilke Could Make Previous Haas Ruling Invalid) 1 23 == ALS [14] ---- (Many Vets with ALS Were Underpaid By VA in 2017) 24 == VA Nursing Homes [11] ---- (The Truth about the Homes) 25 == Trump VA Accomplishments ---- (VA secretary: President Trump Has Kept His Promises) 26 == VA Presumptive AO Diseases [26] ---- (Hypertension Recommended) 27 == GI Bill [267] ---- (House Hearing on Delayed/Wrong Housing Stipend Payments) 28 == GI Bill [268] ---- (GI Bill Payments Fact Sheet on Current Delay) 30 == GI Bill [269] ---- (Housing Payment Rates Update | Key Changes) 31 == VA Nursing Homes [10] ---- (Brockton MA Patient Neglect) 33 == VA EHR (16) ---- ($16B Project Already Has $350M Cost Overrun) 34 == VA Medical Marijuana [54] ---- (PTSD Impact Study on Track | Results in 2019) 35 == VA Medical Marijuana [55] ---- (Can Benefits Be Taken Away If You Test Positive?) 36 == VA Unions [05] ---- (Official Time Elimination Lawsuit) 37 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ---- (Reported 16 thru 30 NOV 2018) 40 == VAMC Washington DC [12] ---- (ER Expansion Needed to Meet Increased Volume) 41 == VA HCS San Diego [01] ---- (Dangerous Human Research Alleged) . * VETS * . 42 == Vet Student Loan [04] ---- (Many Disabled Vets Eligible for Loan Forgiveness) 43 == Vet Student Loans [05] ---- (Lack of Info, Fear Causing Thousands of Vets To Default) 45 == Vet Drunk Driving ---- (Up Nearly 60% Since 2014) 46 == Veterans in Congress [10] ---- (116th Congress Will Seat 95) 47 == Vet Toxic Exposure | Water [16] ---- (Cannon AFB Update) 48 == PTSD Vet Stereotyping ---- (Debunking Trump’s Insinuation about Vet Gunman) 49 == SNAP [07] ---- (Proposed House Bill Cuts Could Impact Vets) 50 == Purple Hearts Reunited [02] ---- (600 Returned Over Last Six Years) 51 == WWI Vets 03 ---- (Pvt. Clifford T. Ryan) 52 == WWII Vets [177] ---- (Jim Leavelle | Dallas Police Detective) 54 == WWII Vets [178] ---- (Donald L. Seesenguth | Bomber Pilot) 54 == War on Terrorism Memorial [02] ---- (Making Progress) 55 == USS Thresher Memorial ---- (Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Project) 56 == Battle Born Memorial ---- (Vandalized Three Days after Dedication) 57 == Vet Toxic Exposure | Palomares Spain [02] ---- (VA Lawsuit A Step Closer) 58 == POW/MIA [119] ---- (WWII B-24 Liberator Pilot Remains Identified & Repatriated) 59 == POW/MIA [120] ---- (Army Sgt. Eugene G. McBride's Return Home) 60 == Obit: Ray Chavez ---- (16 NOV 2018 | Oldest Pearl Harbor Vet at 106) 61 == Obit: Oliva Hooker ---- (21 NOV 2018 | 1st Coast Guard Black Woman) 63 == Vet Hiring Fairs ---- (Scheduled As of 1 DEC 2018) 63 == Military Retirees & Veterans Events Schedule ---- (As of 1 DEC 2018) 64 == State Veteran's Benefits ---- (Florida 2018) . * VET LEGISLATION * . 64 == GI Bill [266] ---- (S.0000 | Veteran Education and Transfer Extension Act) . * MILITARY* . 65 == Army Deploy-Or-Out Policy [01] ---- (New Policy Rules Released) 66 == USS Zumwalt [09] ---- (Close to Losing 155mm Guns) 68 == Nuclear Weapons Arsenal [04] ---- (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty) 2 68== ALTA Balloon Program ---- (Overcoming Position Shifting by Wind) 69 == Military JSC Salary ---- (Trump Suggests It Should be Increased) 70 == DPRK~US War [06] ---- (Bomber Missions Suspended) 71 == Army Medical Readiness ---- (84.7% of Generals Deployable | Up From 80% in 2016) 72 == Submarine Maintenance ---- (GAO Reports $1.5B Idle Time Cost Over Last Decade) 73 == Submarine Batteries ---- (Korean Lithium-Ion Batteries Could Double Operational Time) 74 == War On Terror ---- (Price Tag Will Likely Top $6 Trillion Next Year) 75 == Medicaid Family Care [02] ---- (Cutback Impact on Military Families) 76 == Army Grooming & Dress [01] ---- (New Army Greens) 77 == Navy Terminology, Jargon & Slang ---- (A.F.R.T.S thru Aldis) 78 == Warships That Will Change the Future ---- (INS Makar (J-31) . * MILITARY HISTORY * . 79 == Bells of Balangiga [02] ---- (Officially Returned to their Philippine Origin) 80 == Project Medication ---- (CIA Truth Serum Use) 82 == Navy 1st Carrier Takeoff ---- (Civilian Eugene Ely’s Flight 108 Years Ago) 83 == Manila Massacred ---- (Remembering One of the Pacific War’s Nastiest Battles) 84 == Norden Bombsight Development ---- (Mary Babnik Brown’s Contribution) 86 == Every Picture Tells A Story ---- (Nose Gunner) 86 == Post WWII Photos ---- (Hitler's Former Retreat at Berchtesgaden, Germany) 86 == Military History Anniversaries ---- (16 thru 30 NOV) 87 == WWII Bomber Nose Art [19] ---- (Coconut Queen) 87== Medal of Honor Citations ---- (Pierpont M Hamilton | WWII) . * HEALTH CARE * . 89 == TRICARE Pharmacy Policy [27] ---- (Weight Loss Drugs Now Authorized) 90 == Skin Cancer ---- (Non-Melanoma) 92 == Medicare Advantage [09] ---- (Places Where It Now Costs $7,000+ a Year) 93 == Aging [04] ---- (Health Problems That Strike After Age 50) 94 == Prescription Drug Costs [13] ---- (Prospects for Lower Cost Legislation Looking Up) 96 == Prescription Drug Costs [14] ---- (Pfizer to Raise Prices on 41 Drugs in JAN 2019) 96 == Prescription Drug Costs [15] ---- (Government Role In Regulating Drug Prices) 97 == Prescription Drug Costs [16] ---- (Trump’s Latest Proposal to Reduce Costs) 99 == Flu Shots [12] ---- (Where to Obtain Free or at Reduced Cost) 100 == PTSD Treatment | Meditation ---- (DoD Experiment Results) 101 == Croup ---- (Symptoms & Treatment) 102 == TRICARE Podcast 476 ---- (TRICARE Open Season Q&A) 103 == TRICARE Podcast 477 ---- (Open Season Enrollment & Options) . * FINANCES * . 104 == Retirement Plan Contribution Limits ---- (2019 Changes) 105 == Tax Changes 2018 ---- (Itemized Deductions, Exemptions, & Child/Dependent Credits) 106 == Tax Changes 2018 [01] ---- (Deductible Interest) 107 == Home Renting [01] ---- (Reasons You Should Rent One in Retirement) 108 == Supermarkets [01] ---- (Tricks of the Trade to Make You Spend More) 109 == SSIA [05] ---- (1 JAN Increase to $318 Monthly) 109 == Social Security Q & A ---- (181116 thru 181130) 3 110 == Military Targeted Scam ---- (Riskiest for the Military Community) 112 == Credit Score Scam ---- (How It works) 113 == Sweepstakes Scam [01] ---- (Publishers Clearing House) 113 == Tax Burden for Maryland Retired Vets ---- (As of NOV 2018) . * GENERAL INTEREST * . 116 == Notes of Interest ---- (16 thru 30 NOV 2018) 117 == Iranian Navy [02] ---- (Submarine Fleet Growing) 118 == Drones | Aerial [05] ---- (Ion Engines Power Silent Drone Into First Solid State Flight) 119 == China’s Offensive Capability [05] ---- (3rd Carrier Announced) 119 == Japan Wartime Brothels ---- (Smoldering Dispute with Korea Revived) 121 == Jordon Lawsuit ---- (Fathers of 3 Troops Killed File Suit) 123 == Car Smell Fixes ---- (Seven to Make it Smell Swell) 124 == Household Tips [05] ---- (Baking Soda Uses) 126 == Retiree Moving [01] ---- (Great Reasons Not To) 127 == Solar Storms ---- (AUG 1972 Event Exploded Sea Mines) 128 == Housecleaning Tips ---- (12 That Will Save You Time and Money) 130 == One Word Essays ---- (Awe) 130 == Interesting Ideas ---- (Bookshelf) 131 == Military Word Find Game ---- (Veteran Disabilities) 131 == Have You Heard? ---- (Subtle Truths | Snake Model | Prostitutes) NOTE 1. The page number on which an article can be found is provided to the left of each article’s title 2. Numbers contained within brackets [ ] indicate the number of articles written on the subject. To obtain previous articles send a request to [email protected]. * ATTACHMENTS * . Attachment – Florida Vet State Benefits Attachment – Military History Anniversaries 01 thru 15 DEC Attachment – Veterans in the 116th Congress * DoD * DoD Audits Update 03 ► First Ever Audit Results The first-ever audit of the of the $2.7 trillion enterprise that is the Defense Department identified widespread problems in cybersecurity, but found little in the way of savings that could offset potential budget cuts next year, according to Pentagon and Congressional officials. Without going into detail, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, in a 4 statement on the report, said the audit identified "multiple material weaknesses" across the department but also provided "invaluable information that will help us target and prioritize corrective actions." David Norquist, the Pentagon's comptroller and prime mover behind the audit, said no glaring instances of fraud were found but the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Special