MILITARY OFFICERS CALL Sun City Center Chapter Military Officers Association of America P. O. Box 5693, Sun City Center, FL. 33571 Website: www.sccmoaa.org
Volume 36 Number 8 August 2020
AUGUST LUNCHEON CANCELLED
President’s Message VA Secretary: Hdroxychloroquine Is Safe - And James Haney, MAJ. USMC (Ret) We'll Keep Giving It to Veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs Secre- tary Robert Wilkie pushed back against critics of the VA’s use of the antimalarial Members, Prospects & Friends, drug hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID- 19 patients. Here is hoping everyone had a safe Independence Day, and was During an appearance on a Fox News show. First,” Wilkie was able to “celebrate” in some manner the awesome freedom & liber- asked about media reports claiming that taking the drug can kill ties we have in this great Country. patients instead of effecting a cure. Even though the pandemic response / restrictions continue to “Well I think it’s nonsense,” Wilkie said. curtail gatherings, the Chapter Board has agreed to plan for a “And I’ll echo what the president said the other day. I think it’s Wednesday, 2 September 2020, luncheon meeting at the Ruskin more aimed at President Trump than it is against the science be- Firehouse Cultural Center. The Board will continue to monitor and cause as we speak, Dr. Fauci and his institute are conducting evaluate this plan until the 12 August Board Zoom meeting, and very dailed clinical trials if this and I would also underline the fact make a determination at that time as to whether to continue with that it is the 128th most-used drug in this country,” Wilkie said, the planned meeting. Let’s hope to meet safely again soon. referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Retired Army COL Gary Bridges continues to be on the speaker “We have seen it work in many settings across America and our schedule for a 2 September meeting to share his experiences as goal at VA is to do everything we can to preserve and prolong a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, and Dr Susan MacManus will bring life,” he said. the Chapter up to date on the ever important Florida election cli- Wilkie slammed a study he said “the press has been touting” as mate on 7 October. Contact Program Chair Eunice Patxot with showing that the drug could be dangerous. speaker suggestions that you have for November and beyond. “That was something that researchers took and used VA num- Also, if you have any nearby Chapter field trip thoughts please let bers — didn’t even look at underlying medical conditions — and Eunice and I know as soon as possible. really misrepresented what was going on at VA,” he said. When you might be out & about be aware of others that have Wilkie added that VA hospitals gave the drug to veterans for served and quickly offer them an MOAA Chapter contact infor- whom there was no other option. mation cut out (Officers & Directors list) from this newsletter or a “We used it with veterans who were in the last hours of life in the complete, always handy, award winning Chapter newsletter. I hopes that it would prolong that life and we will continue to do that know Chapter Membership Chair Walt Cawein will greatly appre- under FDA guidelines, which we have been following religiously,” ciate your assistance during this “slow” recruiting pandemic period he said. and throughout the year. “We started using this in the military in 1955,” Wilkie continued. “I’ve taken it. Everyone who’s served in the military since the Ei- If you haven’t already, you should visit the Chapter Web site at senhower administration has taken this regularly. We know its www.sccmoaa.org, especially to participate in the TAKE ACTION side effects, we know what it does and if we can offer hope to item for maintaining active duty medical personnel manning lev- people, we’re going to continue to do that.” els. Wilkie also noted that the study the media has been citing was You can also reach the TAKE ACTION MOAA site by clicking on not clinically reviewed or peer-reviewed. the one in the left hand Box on pg 2. These letters have been “It was gone over by three ophthalmologists,” he said. “Now, I shown to be very effective,. like ophthalmology, but I’m not going to turn to an ophthalmologist to review studies on infectious diseases. So I think this was more aimed at taking a hit at the president than it was science.” Stay safe, Editor’s Note: Hydroxychloroquine is an FDA-approved medica- tion with a long-proven track record for safety. It has been used Jim for many years without significant side effects. This appears to be a partisan political criticism. North and South mark 70th anniversary of Tampa Officers Ambushed by Mob, Attacked Korean War with Glass While Trying To Respond to Shooting Call Seoul (AFP) - North and South Korea on separately marked the Tampa Police Department 70th anniversary of the start of the Chief Brian Dugan told the me- Korean War, a conflict that killed dia his force was running on millions of people and has techni- empty. cally yet to end. “The police, we always have Communist North Korea invaded the US-backed South everybody’s back and nobody on June 25, 1950, as it sought to reunify by force the penin- has our back,” he said, accord- sula Moscow and Washington had divided at the end of the ing to the Tampa Bay Times. Second World War. “Right now the officers feel like they can’t win. And I The fighting ended with an armistice that was never re- would have to agree with them.” placed by a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula and millions There were several reasons the Florida police chief gave of families split by the Demilitarized Zone. for the depleted morale, including the difficulty of walking Up to three million Koreans died in the conflict, the vast the fine line between giving protesters space and having a majority of them civilians. presence at events that can turn volatile. Nearly 37,000 Americans were among the more than And then there was the assault on Saturday. 40,000 UN soldiers killed, and Western estimates say Chi- Tampa police were called out to an intersection at 1 a.m. na, which backed the North, saw 400,000 fatalities, while Saturday morning on a report of shots fired and a victim Chinese sources put it at about 180,000. down, according to WFTS-TV. Police say there weren’t any gunshots and there wasn’t Army leaders want to talk to soldiers about any victim down. Instead, there was, by all accounts, a race issues, but won’t immediately change massive crowd waiting to ambush them, throwing bottles and glass at the officers and jumping on police vehicles. Confederate-named bases “There were hundreds of them,” Dugan said, Fox News reported. “Hundreds. We actually ended up having to call The Army’s top leaders want to every single police officer that was available that night to hear directly from soldiers amid a respond there, from New Tampa to South Tampa.” national conversation on racial is- “It’s an ambush. I have no other way to describe it,” sues and a renewed effort to strip Dugan said. “When there are that many people out there military institutions of Confederate- and clearly no one had been shot. It was just a set-up to linked names, which has pushed the get the cops there.” military into the forefront of the debate. The Army’s senior leaders plan to spend the coming months visiting with groups of soldiers at posts around the MEMBERSHIP CORNER globe for candid conversations on race and diversity meant MEMBERSHIP CORNER to help them improve life for minorities in its ranks, top lead- The Membership Committee Chair is providing the fol- ers said Wednesday. The effort, dubbed Project Inclusion, Thelowing Membership to update theCommittee Chapter Chairmembership is providing regarding the fol- our was announced Thursday by Army Secretary Ryan McCar- lowingChapter to LOE update & MOAA the Chapter rewards. membership Also, this articleregarding will listour thy, who vowed his leaders would have “hard, uncomforta- Chapternew Chapter LOE members& MOAA rewards. Also, this article will list ble conversations” that would lead to improvement. new Chapter members The Army will take some immediate steps aimed at im- — 185 Chapter members proving race issues within its ranks, said Martin and James —- 171 93 RegularChapter LIFEmembers members McPherson, the Army undersecretary. Those steps — at — 8532 Regular LIFEANNUAL members members least for now — will not include a ban on Confederate im- — 2927 Regular ANNUALBASIC members members agery on Army posts or name changes for the service’s 10 — 3320 RegularSurviving BASIC Spouses members southern installations named for Confederate generals from — 18 5 SurvivingHonorary Spousesmembers the Civil War, they said. Click here for Full story — 64 HonoraryNon-MOAA members members — 0 Non-MOAA members New Chapter member(s) We welcome them aboard. MOAA ACTION SITE William Scudder, COL, USA (Ret) NewTom ChapterLutes, Maj, member(s) USA (Ret) I have created this box to direct members to the online BillBob Hodges Smith, Maj— voted USA as(Ret). the 6th Honorary Member MOAA ‘Take Action’ site in order to assist MOAA in Edgar Smart-Homer, CW3, USA (Ret) achieving their legislative goals. REMINDER: The Chapter reimburses $100 to members upgradingREMINDER: to LIFEThe Chapter when LIFE reimburses certificate $100 is presented to members to Click here and select the issue(s) you would like to theupgrading Treasurer. to LIFE when LIFE certificate is presented to the Treasurer. have MOAA discuss with your representatives. Fill in The Sun City Center MOAA Chapter is an IRS 501(c) the form and click submit. MOAA will send it to your (19)The Sundesignated City Center non- profitMOAA Charitable Chapter isorganization an IRS 501(c) and representatives. You can add your own comments if therefore(19) designated all donations non-profit are Charitableeligible for organizationdeduction on and your you wish. federaltherefore income all donations tax form are eligible for deduction on your federal income tax form
2 In bid for more female pilots, Air Force that do not include the Nazi swastika and German text." removes height requirement VA to Restart In-Person Disability Exams at The Air Force has removed the Some Facilities initial height requirements for offic- ers who wish to become aviators, Department of Veterans Affairs facilities which it feared was discouraging will resume in-person disability and com- women from even applying to be- pensation exams at 20 locations in the come pilots. coming weeks, an effort to address a As of May 13, the Air Force said backlog that has nearly doubled since the in a Thursday release, initial appli- start of the year. cants who want to become aviators no longer require waiv- VA officials announced Friday that select facilities will ers if they are shorter than 5′4″ or taller than 6′5″ when begin contacting veterans to schedule their exam appoint- standing, or 34 inches to 40 inches while sitting. ments, which are needed as part of the disability claims pro- “We’re really focused on identifying and eliminating barriers cess to determine eligibility and ratings. to serve in the Air Force,” Gwendolyn DeFilippi, assistant A list of the medical centers can be found at the VA's deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, website. Tampa is not currently listed. said in the release. DeFilippi is chairwoman of the Air Veterans outside of these service areas will continue to be Force’s Barrier Analysis Working Group. “This is a huge win, served through telehealth appointments or the acceptable especially for women and minorities of smaller stature who clinical evidence process, which includes a review of existing previously may have assumed they weren’t qualified to join medical records to provide information needed to complete our team.” the claim, whenever possible. The old initial height requirements ensured applicants No final action will be taken on a claim while a required in- would be able to fly all aircraft in the Air Force’s fleet. person exam is pending. But people who were a little shorter or a little taller than VA expects to expand the list of available locations as con- that range, though they may not have been able to fit in eve- ditions allow, with guidance from various agencies driving ry air frame, could still fly some aircraft. For example, former decision making. Dallas Cowboy and Air Force Academy football star Chad As of last week, the backlog of exams had grown from Hennings’ six-foot-six frame fit in the A-10 Warthog’s domed 64,000 last November to 114,000. Paul Lawrence, VA under canopy, which he flew over Iraq during Operation Provide secretary for benefits, told the House Military Construction, Comfort. Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations sub- committee that the growth is related to work disruptions VA Reverses Course, Will Remove Headstones caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. with Nazi Symbols "We know how to drive it down. We are not proud of this. Our team is embarrassed. We want to open up, get the In a reversal, the Department of [compensation and person] exams done and get back to that Veterans Affairs announced late very low number," Lawrence said. Monday that it had begun the pro- The VA continued to require in-person exams through cess removing the headstones of March but stopped conducting them April 3, about the time three German POWs from World several veterans filed lawsuits over the requirement that they War II bearing Nazi symbols from attend, and as the department moved to telemedicine for two VA national cemeteries. routine health appointments. The VA had initially said it could not remove the head- stones under the National Historic Preservation Act, but VA Retired SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher sues Navy Secretary Robert Wilkie acknowledged the unusual circum- secretary and New York Times stances in this case. "It is understandably upsetting to our veterans and their fam- Attorneys for retired Navy SEAL Chief ilies to see Nazi inscriptions near those who gave their lives Eddie Gallagher filed a lawsuit against a for this nation," he said in a statement. "That's why VA will New York Times reporter and newly sworn initiate the process required to replace these POW head- in Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite, stones." alleging that the service unlawfully leaked Two of the German POW headstones are at Fort Sam information and that the reporter defamed Gallagher in news Houston National Cemetery in Texas, and one is at Fort articles. Douglas Post Cemetery in Utah. Both cemeteries were used The lawsuit alleges that journalist David Philipps “willfully, to inter the unclaimed remains of enemy troops following intentionally, and maliciously published numerous false World War II. statements about Chief Gallagher to the public.” Most of the headstones of foreign troops list only names It also alleges that Navy members leaked information and dates of death, but the three in question have a swasti- about Gallagher’s case protected under the Privacy Act, in- ka in the center of an iron cross, and an inscription in Ger- cluding “dozens of witness interview summaries and hun- man stating, "He died far from his home for the Führer, peo- dreds of seized text messages between Chief Gallagher and ple and fatherland." other Navy SEALs.” In Monday's release VA said a section of the National His- A military jury only found him guilty of taking a photo with toric Preservation Act allowed a process to begin on "how to the dead fighter’s body and acquitted him on the other replace these headstones with historically accurate markers charges.
3 Chapter Officers 2020
PRESIDENT Major James Haney, USMC (Ret)………...….220-8758
1st VP COL Eunice Patxot, USA (Ret)……..… (301) 529-4301
[email protected] Program chair
2nd VP Lt Col Walter Cawein, USAF (Ret)……...….. 340-0533
Membership Chair
TREASURER
1Lt Bob Cochran USA (Fmr)…………....…..773-7925
SECRETARY LTC Ed Mooney, USA (Ret)…….…………….751-6844
DIRECTOR
Jane Foppe (Aux) ……………………….….....541-2618 [email protected] Surviving Spouse Liaison
DIRECTOR CAPT Frank Kepley, USN (Ret) ……………..642-0801 Public Affairs Officer Legislative Affairs Publisher/Editor Officers Call Newsletter Webmaster [email protected]
DIRECTOR LTC Charlie, Conover, USA (Ret)…..……...... 260-3257 [email protected]
DIRECTOR LT Dave Floyd, USN (Fmr)... ……….… …....334-7797 [email protected]
DIRECTOR Lt Col Ferrris Garrett, USAF (Ret)……….….841-0532 [email protected]
DIRECTOR Lt Col Samuel Rorer, USAF (Ret)…..……..... 260-3882 Chaplain / Personal Affairs Officer [email protected]
PAST PRESIDENT LTC Benny Blackshire, USA (Ret)……………260-3105 [email protected]
JROTC Coordinator Lt Col James Warchol, USAF (Ret)………..…633-2612 [email protected]
4
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5 tens of thousands came from across the globe to pay their re- spects to the dead and laud the surviving soldiers. Editor’s note: I cannot remember any D-Day remembrance being less celebrated than this one. I hope I never see another one as invisible as this one was. Chapter Recruitment Plan Walt Cawein, chairman of the new Membership Commit- tee, has developed a comprehensive plan for recruiting new members and maintaining our current roster. Our continued success as a chapter depends on our ability to maintain and expand our growth. The plan, Click here, is on our web site and is an ambi- tious one that depends on all of our current members, not just the committee, to become involved in this important, if not critical, endeavor. You are encouraged to read the plan and hopefully assist the committee in achieving their goals. Volunteers to serve on the committee are welcome. Now and Always On sad anniversary, few to mourn the We’ll be There. D-Day dead in Normandy H
SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-MER, France — At least the dead will always be there. All too many have been, for 76 years 90228 since that fateful June 6 on France's Nor- mandy beaches, where allied troops in 1-800-247-2192 • www.moaainsurance.com 1944 turned the course of World War II and went on to defeat fascism in Europe Sun City Center MOAA Website in one of the most remarkable feats in military history. Forgotten they will never be. Revered, yes. But the anniversary Don’t forget to visit our new 5-star website. Here is was one of the loneliest remembrances ever, as the coronavirus the link to the website: www.sccmoaa.org pandemic is keeping almost everyone away — from government You will find much membership information, pho- leaders to frail veterans who might not get another chance for a tos, calendar of events, past newsletters and more. If final farewell to their unlucky comrades. you would like to suggest topics for inclusion contact Rain and wind also prevailed after weeks of warm, sunny weath- er. the editor: [email protected] A new The eerie atmosphere touched the French as well as Americans. improved version is here. "The sadness is almost too much, because there is no one," said local guide Adeline James. "Plus you have their stories. The histo- ry is sad and it's even more overwhelming now between the Publisher/Editor weather, the (virus) situation." The locals in this northwestern part of France have come out CAPT Frank Kepley, USN (Ret) year after year to show their gratitude for the soldiers from the Unit- ed States, Britain, Canada and other countries who liberated them We need your input about member activities associat- from Adolf Hitler's Nazi forces. ed with MOAA and articles of interest to the military "We have to recognize that they came to die in a foreign land," community. Contact Frank at: Pottier said. "We miss the GIs," he said of the U.S. soldiers. [email protected] or 813-642-0801 The pandemic has wreaked havoc across the world, infecting
6.6 million people, killing over 391,000 and devastating econo- MOAA mies. It poses a particular threat to the elderly — like the surviving D-Day veterans who are in their late nineties or older. 5 Star "I miss the others," said Charles Shay, who as a U.S. Army med- Newsletter ic was in the first wave of soldiers to wade ashore at Omaha Beach under relentless fire on D-Day. Shay, 95, lives in France Communication close to the beach where he and so many others landed in 1944. Award He knows of no U.S. veterans making the trip overseas to observe 2015 — 2019 D-Day this year. Last year, all across the beaches of Normandy,
6 sonnel who staff MTFs sometimes spend half or more of their time contributing to other military work activities. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS • The plan assumes no change to TRICARE reimbursement rates, even though future increases likely will be required to Frank Kepley, CAPT USN attract new, quality network providers as reliance on pur- (Ret) chased care for beneficiaries increases. The plan focused on MTFs’ support to combat casualty and phy- sicians’ readiness, and only conducted limited assessments on the readiness impact to military primary care physicians and non- physician medical providers including nurses, physician assis- tants, and enlisted medical and surgical specialists. Click here for “Legislative Advocacy: This is MOAA’s “main Full article battery.” Editor’s note: These concerns are real; especially regarding the (FCOC new president Mike Borders ) number of new patients the local providers can take on. See next article. Some see this area as boring or not the most fun thing they do. Some people enjoy doing the dishes. But legislative advocacy is New Findings Confirm Predictions on Physician the single most important thing we do as MOAA members. Shortage Our benefits are under constant attack. We all remember the promise of “free medical and dental for life if you do 20.” MOAA is The United States will see a shortage of up to nearly 122,000 the organization that does and has done the most to maintain and physicians by 2032 as demand for physicians continues to grow claw back the earned benefits of our service men and women and faster than supply, according to new data published today by the their families. AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges). The projected TRICARE for LIFE, the Widow’s Tax, higher retired pay, shortfall is similar to past projections and ranges from 46,900 to “forever” GI bill, the VA Mission Act. These are just a few of the 121,900 physicians. MAJOR legislative victories MOAA is directly responsible for. And “The nation’s population is growing and aging, and as we con- these could not have been achieved without the engagement of tinue to address population health goals like reducing obesity and MOAA members around the country. tobacco use, more Americans will live longer lives. These factors The role of councils and chapters in encouraging folks to and others mean we will need more doctors,” said AAMC Presi- TAKE ACTION is key. Don’t lose an earned benefit and wish you dent and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, MD. “Even with new ways of deliv- had taken action . The benefit you save may be your own.“ ering care, America’s doctor shortage continues to remain real and significant.” After reviewing the GAO report, MOAA has the following concerns about MTF restructuring: Big Changes to Military Health System Will Be Delayed, Top Health Official Says • DoD’s analysis of civilian health care availability was limited and The COVID-19 pandemic is having a sig- based on potentially faulty assump- nificant impact on reforms of the Pentagon's tions. This could lead to problems for health system, delaying plans to reduce ser- beneficiaries moved out of MTFs who vices at 48 hospitals and clinics by months must find care elsewhere. Among the and forcing additional reviews of civilian care issues highlighted in the report: in locations affected by the changes. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Thomas • Significant problems with determining civilian care availability. McCaffery told reporters Thursday that efforts to alter operations The plan based this availability only on the presence of pro- at some military treatment facilities was scheduled to begin in viders in the local market – it did not look at whether those September, but now may start "more toward the end of the year" providers were accepting new patients and/or new TRICARE or later. patients. The accuracy of the provider directory was not veri- The changes, designed to focus the facilities on providing medi- fied, and the plan assumed all civilian providers are of suffi- cal care to active-duty personnel only as well as training military cient quality. medical personnel, thereby shedding non-uniformed beneficiaries • Inaccurate information in drive-time access-to-care assess- to the Tricare network, will result in outsourcing health care for at ments. These assessments did not account for traffic, includ- least 200,000 patients. ing bridges and tunnels that create traffic chokepoints. The changes originally were expected to take two to four years. • Flawed logic predicting provider growth. The plan assumes McCaffery said implementation at each MTF will largely depend the supply of providers in impacted markets will increase over on the ability of local providers to absorb new patients. But with time, but recent research suggests there will be a nationwide both military and civilian health care workers engaged in pandem- shortfall of physicians by 2032. ic response, local networks "may not be able to engage with us at The plan’s analysis of cost effectiveness is limited and possibly this moment," he said. flawed. This means MTF restructuring could result in higher-than- "The key driver here is whatever change we make, we want to expected costs to DoD and subsequent calls for higher TRICARE maintain access to care for our beneficiaries, and obviously that fees for beneficiaries. Among the issues: only works if that private-sector network is available," McCaffery said. • When calculating cost of MTF care, DoD included full cost of Editor’s note: This may create some time for the Veteran’s or- military medical personnel salaries even though military per- ganization’s and MOAA to defeat this thing. See item on page 8.
7 Hundreds of Doctors Sign Letter to Trump It’s unclear if the protests themselves will trigger large Warning of Consequences of Shutdown as new outbreaks. 'Mass Casualty Incident' More than 210 Army personnel test positive A coalition of more than 500 physi- for coronavirus at two training bases cians has insisted that lockdowns are hurting the health of everyday Ameri- More than 140 Army soldiers and train- cans and wrote a letter to President ees at Fort Benning, Ga., and more than Donald Trump to urge action to end 70 at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., tested shutdowns across the nation. positive for the coronavirus, the Army “We write to you today to express our alarm over the ex- said this week. ponentially growing negative health consequences of the At Fort Benning, 142 soldiers and train- national shutdown,” the physicians wrote, according to a ees with the 30th AG Battalion and 2nd Battalion, 29th In- copy of the letter. fantry Regiment, tested positive for the virus, out of more “In medical terms, the shutdown was a mass casualty than 600 who were tested, the base said in a statement. incident,” they continued, adding that millions of Americans Nearly all of the 640 total personnel had previously test- face critical health care issues. ed negative during a 14-day monitoring phase at the begin- “These include 150,000 Americans per month who would ning of training last month. Four who tested positive at that have had a new cancer detected through routine screening time underwent 14 days of isolation and tested negative that hasn’t happened, millions who have missed routine before being allowed to join the others, officials said in the dental care to fix problems strongly linked to heart disease/ statement. death, and preventable cases of stroke, heart attack, and Over a week later, another trainee developed symptoms child abuse. Suicide hotline phone calls have increased and all 640 were tested again. Gary Brito, the base’s com- 600%.” manding general, said in a Facebook video update. The physicians noted that other Americans are at less A similar situation occurred at Fort Leonard Wood, where serious levels, but have still been impacted by lockdowns one trainee reported symptoms days after a 14-day moni- as they have increased unhealthy behaviors. toring period had ended, leading to the re-testing of 500 “Liquor sales have increased 300-600%, cigarettes members of the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment over sales have increased, rent has gone unpaid, family rela- the weekend, the base said in a separate statement. tionships have become frayed, and millions of well-child All of the soldiers and trainees in the battalion had previ- check-ups have been missed,” the letter said. ously tested negative for the virus when their training start- They continued on to say that “hundreds of millions” of ed, the base said. This time 70 trainees tested positive. Americans are suffering because economic hardships are impacting their lives and health. The following links will provide you with just about all of the information on COVID-19 that Mass gatherings, erosion of trust upend is available coronavirus control COVID-19 Prevention Recommendations: www.cdc.gov/ Protests erupting across the nation coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html and law enforcement's response to COVID-19 Symptoms: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- them — are threatening to upend efforts ncov/about/symptoms.html by health officials to track and contain What To Do If You Think You Are Sick: www.cdc.gov/ the spread of coronavirus just as those coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/sick-with-2019- efforts were finally getting underway. nCoV-fact-sheet.pdf Health experts need newly infected people to remember and recount everyone they've interacted with over several House DOD panel proposes delaying medical days in order to alert others who may have been exposed billet cuts and prevent them from spreading the disease further. But that process, known as contact tracing, relies on people The House Armed Service Person- knowing who they’ve been in contact with — a daunting nel Subcommittee included language task if they’ve been to a mass gathering. in a 2021 DOD reauthorization bill pro- And the process relies on something that may suddenly hibiting the military from moving be in especially short supply: Trust in government. ahead on medical billet cuts and mili- “These events that are happening now are further threats tary treatment facility realignment. to the trust we need,” said Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of the Subcommittee members and aides expressed concern Boston University School of Public Health. “If we do not that the proposed actions were based on incomplete data have that, I worry our capacity to control new outbreaks and would undermine the military health system's capacity becomes more limited,” he said. to respond to pandemic influenza and homeland defense Protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black missions. man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pinned a knee to his neck, have involved thousands of people gathered tightly together in large crowds in more Full Story: Federal News Network/WFED-AM than 20 cities nationwide. (Washington, D.C.) (6/22), Military online
8 In his fight to change the Corps, America’s Trump signs order to extend federal top Marine takes friendly fire deployments for National Guard on coronavirus missions As the new commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps seeks to make radical President Donald Trump signed an changes to how the service operates, order Tuesday night to extend the au- there are signs some of the old-guard thorization for National Guard troops to Marines are dubious of aligning too deploy through Aug. 21 with federal closely with the Navy. funding in support of coronavirus mis- In a scathing op-ed in The National Interest, former sena- sions. tor and Navy Secretary Jim Webb, who served as a Marine The extension, which Trump said he would approve in a in Vietnam, blasted Gen. David Berger’s plan — described tweet last week, allows for states to continue to receive in his planning guidance issued last summer — as too nar- funding to employ National Guard troops for missions ap- rowly focused on a single mission: raids on islands in the proved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency South China and East China seas. beyond the previously approved deadline of June 24. To be sure, cuts such as the reduction from 24 infantry About 45,000 National Guard members are deployed in the battalions to 21 slightly smaller infantry battalions, elimina- fight against coronavirus in all 50 states, three territories tion of nearly all artillery batteries in exchange for a boom and Washington D.C., according to the National Guard in rocket and missile batteries, and the complete elimina- Bureau. tion of tanks from the Marine Corps would fundamentally Nearly all of those troops are working within a federal reshape the force. status known as Title 32, which keeps troops under the In his editorial, Webb called out proposed cuts to field command of their state’s governor but with funding from artillery and tanks, as well as cuts to infantry and reserve the federal government. Service members receive greater strength, and corresponding cuts to aviation, as permanent benefits and pay under federal status, and those benefits and potentially dangerous. increase the longer troops are deployed. But Berger vehemently disagreed with Webb’s conclu- Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bu- sion that his guidance would leave the force too narrowly reau, said “Initially there was a thought that this is a state focused. issue and we don’t want to use training funds or federal dollars,” he said. “We can clearly look at this event [now] Senators introduce bill to help veterans with and say it has national implications.” toxic exposure facing coronavirus diagnosis “Fast-Tracking” a Coronavirus Vaccine The Pandemic Care for Burn Pits Sounds Great. It’s Not That Simple. Exposure Act, introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Mike Pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop a coro- Rounds, R-S.D., is designed to en- navirus vaccine, with the most ambitious timelines ever sure that service members and vet- attempted in history. When announcing Operation Warp erans with exposure to burn pits, Speed, the government’s effort to develop a vaccine, Pres- which often impacts the respiratory ident Donald Trump said in May, “We’re looking to get it by system, receive the care they need if they contract the the end of the year if we can, maybe before.” coronavirus. Vaccine development under normal circumstances typi- If passed into law, the bill would require the Defense De- cally takes about 10 to 15 years. Now, developers are partment and Department of Veterans Affairs to ask ser- compressing the traditional timeline with both technological vice members and veterans who have tested positive for innovation and by putting vast amounts of money at risk. the virus if they were exposed to burn pits to ensure they But one stage, the phase 3 clinical trial, which is the key receive proper care, according to a release from Klobucha- to proving a vaccine’s safety and efficacy, is frustratingly r’s office. hard to predict in terms of its timeline. It’s dependent on Those who answer yes will be enrolled in the VA’s Air- the rate of infection in the locations where the study is be- borne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, unless they ing conducted, because the goal is to compare how many choose to opt out. That registry collects names of veterans people get sick in the vaccine arm of the trial versus the who voluntarily provide their information and details about placebo arm. If public health measures, like social distanc- personal exposure to burn pits on deployment. ing, are working very well, and there are low rates of trans- “Many of our service members and veterans are particu- mission, that’s good for the general public, but it could take larly vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic, especially a long time for enough trial participants to get sick and for those who were stationed near burn pits,” Klobuchar said the study to come to a conclusion. in a statement. “As a result of being exposed to toxic sub- stances from burn pits during their military service, many suffer from significant respiratory illnesses, and now they JOIN TODAY may face heightened health risks during the pandemic due Not a member of MOAA? When you join MOAA, you to previous toxic exposure. Thirty veterans organizations, including Iraq and Afghani- become part of the strongest advocate for our mili- stan Veterans of American and Wounded Warrior Project, tary's personnel and their families. The stronger our support this legislation. membership is, the stronger our voice becomes. Consider joining today because every voice counts.
9 VA to place gender-exclusive motto in 142 Tricare eliminates patients’ fees for telehealth cemeteries in midst of coronavirus, and adds another option The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to install plaques Tricare now covers telehealth inscribed with its motto, using visits by telephone, and has elimi- male-only pronouns, in 142 ceme- nated the patient co-pays and cost teries nationwide — drawing ire shares for telehealth options during from female veterans and advo- the COVID-19 pandemic, a Tricare cates who have pushed for official announced during a virtual a gender-neutral version for town hall meeting Tuesday. years. The changes are effective now, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie announced on Memorial Day through the pandemic, said Navy Capt. Edward Simmer, chief his intention to install the plaques, the first of which are ex- clinical officer of the Tricare Health Plan. pected to be in place by the end of the year. A cost estimate Officials have also temporarily relaxed licensure require- for the project has not been completed, VA Press Secretary ments across state lines for health care providers, which will Christina Noel said. give military families access to more providers. This is in line Since 1959, the VA motto has been a quote from former with many states that have relaxed licensure requirements to President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address in allow providers to practice across state lines, Simmer said. 1865, the same year he created the first government institu- Previously, providers had to have a license to practice in their tion for volunteer soldiers: “To care for him who shall have own state, as well as in the state where the patient was locat- borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” ed. This will especially help families in more rural areas with In 2017, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America urged limited numbers of health care providers. the VA to alter the motto, which the group claimed was sexist, These changes will save money for patients and encourage outdated and exclusionary. Reps. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., and them to use telehealth during this pandemic, but also allows Brian Mast, R-Fla., previously introduced legislation to make them “to have access to health care without having to expose the motto gender-neutral, but the measure was never taken themselves unnecessarily” to the coronavirus. into serious consideration by Congress. The addition of audio telehealth for Tricare patients is in line The VA argued that the motto is a direct quote from Lincoln with recently expanded Medicare coverage to include tele- and emblazoned on stone in the Lincoln Memorial. phone-based telehealth. For several years, Tricare has covered the use of secure Museum exhibit focuses on Wyoming women video conferencing to provide medically necessary services, during WWII allowing patients to connect with a provider using a computer or smartphone. Tricare has also expanded the medical ser- The Rockpile Museum's women serv- vices that are eligible for telehealth. But Tricare didn’t cover ing in World War II exhibit is more than these telephone-based telehealth services. a glimpse back to a time when the Not every family or every health care provider has access "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "I'll Be to these secure video links, Simmer said. Adding the audio Home for Christmas" were popular on telehealth option “helps make sure families get care when the radio as American soldiers were and where they need it,” he said. fighting for democracy across the Editor’s Note: The addition of audio to telehealth is a major globe. step forward. "We are now in this war. We are in it all the way," states an exhibit poster from the era. "Every single man, woman and Mayor Freaks Out Over 'Nooses' in Park, Black child is a partner in the most tremendous undertaking of our Man Who Put Them There Responds American history. We must share together the bad news and the good news, the defeats and the victories — the changing In a major city, a series of five ropes attached to trees fortunes of war." sounds the alarm that a hate crime may be afoot. While many men were off fighting the Nazis, fascist Italy The police department conducts an all-out search for the and the Japanese, women on the home front were changing suspect. He turns himself in with commendable rapidity, actu- the fortunes of World War II by playing pivotal roles. More ally. That’s because he’s a black man who helped put those than 30 women from the Campbell County area served in all ropes there as part of a fitness course in the park. branches of the military stationed at home and abroad. Their The man assumes he’s going to be cleared, given his in- roles ranged from being supply clerks and pharmacist mates tention was never to intimidate people — and anyway, he to yeoman and flight nurses. would be one of the people he would purport to intimidate. Rockpile visitors also will have an opportunity to see a trav- The white mayor of the city has different intentions. Not eling display from the National WASP WWII Museum of only does she declare his intentions didn’t matter, she says Sweetwater, Texas. Only 1,830 women pilots ages 18-35 with he was still “terrorizing the public.” a private or commercial pilot's license and more than 500 She lectures the man about how he doesn’t understand the hours of cockpit time joined the WASP from fall 1942-44. historical impact of what he did, and one gets the feeling she The idea to focus on Campbell County women who served might be angling toward something more. in World War II came from last year's celebration of the 150th Schaaf announced that a hate crime investigation was un- anniversary of women's suffrage in the Cowboy State. derway. Editor”s note: Hmmmm. See previous article. Editor’s note: No nooses—-just fitness ropes. Geez!! PC at its worst!! The ropes had grip handles on the end of them.
10 Navy receives first Super Hornet with special worst days of the coronavirus out- modifications for Blue Angels demo team break. The unusual simultaneous ap- Boeing delivered the first of a planned pearance of the three warships, ac- fleet of 11 modified F/A-18E Super Hor- companied by Navy cruisers, de- nets to the Navy’s Blue Angels demon- stroyers, fighter jets and other air- stration team on Wednesday, according craft, comes as the U.S. escalates criticism of Beijing’s response to the company. to the coronavirus outbreak, its moves to impose greater control The Blue Angels now fly the F/A-18 over Hong Kong and its campaign to militarize human-made is- Hornet. The Super Hornet the team is lands in the South China Sea. moving to has major modifications, including an oil tank for the “There have been some indications in Chinese writings that the smoke-generation system, fuel systems that enable the aircraft to United States was hit hard by COVID-19, that military prepared- fly inverted for extended periods of time, civilian-compatible navi- ness was low, so perhaps there is an effort by the United States to gation equipment, cameras and adjustments for the aircraft’s cen- signal China that it should not miscalculate,” said Bonnie Glaser, ter of gravity. director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and The Super Hornet can fly at speeds up to Mach 1.6 (about International Studies. “The Chinese will definitely portray this as an 1,200 mph at sea level), weighs 16 tons empty and each of its example of U.S. provocations, and as evidence that the U.S. is a twin engines generates 17,000 pounds of thrust, according to a source of instability in the region.” Boeing factsheet. The Blue Angels during their performances fly at speeds ranging from 120 mph to 700 mph (just below Mach 1). This Air Force pilot is the first woman to fly the The Blue Angels and their Air Force counterparts, the Thunder- F-35 in combat birds, are recruiting tools for their respective services. The teams paired up in late April for a series of flyovers at cities across the Air Force Capt. Emily “Banzai” United States hard hit by the coronavirus. The flyovers were Thompson had never conducted a com- meant as a tribute to essential workers, first responders and bat sortie before deploying to Al Dhafra health care workers in the front lines of the pandemic. Air Force base in the United Arab Emir- ates. Now, she is the first woman to ever US judge dismisses USS Fitzgerald collision fly the F-35A Lightning II in combat. lawsuits for lack of jurisdiction “This is my first deployment … so for me it was a pretty big deal, the first combat sortie for me. … Of course being the first female, U.S. courts have no jurisdiction over it’s a pretty big honor," Thompson, who is assigned to the 388th two cases involving the shipping com- Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, said in an Air Force news re- pany whose container vessel collided lease. with a U.S. warship three years ago, "There’s a lot of females who have come before me and there’s killing seven sailors, a federal judge a lot of females already flying combat sorties in other platforms,” ruled Thursday in dismissing lawsuits Thompson said. “So just to be the person who gets that honor, brought by Navy survivors and the sail- that first, it just meant a lot.” ors’ families. Two lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Louisiana Arlington National Cemetery loosens some sought more than $287 million from Japan-based NYK Line, restrictions on military funerals which chartered the ACX Crystal, the ship that collided with the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald off the coast of Japan on More people will be allowed to attend June 17, 2017. funerals at Arlington National Cemetery U.S. District Judge Lance Africk in New Orleans granted NYK starting Monday as the site moves to the Line’s motion to dismiss, filed in March. next step of its phased reopening. Seven sailors were killed and dozens were injured in the crash Up to 50 people will be allowed at about 60 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, where the guided gravesites during military funerals, up from -missile destroyer was based at the time. Official reports have not the 10-person limit that went into effect in assigned liability for the crash to either ship. March. The cemetery will also begin offer- Schloss plans to appeal the decision and said his clients were ing more honors at funerals – such as gun “disappointed by the judge’s decision.” salutes, body bearers, buglers and drummers – after curtailing “It simply cannot be the case that the United States has no inter- them for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic. est in providing a forum for the seven families who lost their loved “Arlington National Cemetery will continue to balance activities ones and the more than 40 Fitzgerald sailors who suffer debilitat- to protect our workforce, funeral attendees and family pass hold- ing physical and psychological injuries, all in the name of serving ers while we work to accomplish our most sacred mission in this their country,” Schloss said. [coronavirus] environment,” said Karen Durham- Aguilera, execu- tive director of the cemetery. US naval buildup in Indo-Pacific seen as warning The change was made because coronavirus cases in the to China Washington area are trending down, the cemetery said in a state- ment. In Washington, Maryland and Virginia, hospitalizations were For the first time in nearly three years, three American aircraft trending down as of Friday. Virginia is preparing to enter phase carriers are patrolling the Indo-Pacific waters, a massive show of three of its reopening plan. naval force in a region roiled by spiking tensions between the U.S. Arlington National Cemetery remains in phase two of its four- and China and a sign that the Navy has bounced back from the phase plan. Phase three is expected to include opening the cem- etery to the public, with some restrictions in place.
11 VA to Lift Pandemic Restrictions on Interments Exclusive: Bottlenecks? Glass vial makers and Memorial Services prepare for COVID-19 vaccine
The Department of Veterans Affairs has Schott AG, the world’s largest maker of resumed regular funeral services and inter- speciality glass for vaccine vials, says it has ments, along with military honors, at all but turned down requests to reserve output two of its cemeteries. Restrictions have from major pharmaceutical firms because it been in place for two months in an effort to does not want to commit resources before it stop the spread of the novel coronavirus is clear which vaccines will work. pandemic. “We have to keep the door open to give capacity to those who VA officials announced the resumption of services taking effect really are successful in the end. We don’t want to be portrayed in June 9 for all cemeteries except Calverton and Long Island Na- the press as the ones who were unable to package the best vac- tional Cemeteries, both on Long Island, New York, which contin- cine,” Chief Executive Frank Heinricht told Reuters. ues to see roughly 150 new COVID-19 cases a day. With thousands dying from COVID-19 every day and attempts Families who could not schedule or hold a committal service to contain the virus plunging the world into recession, drugmakers due to restrictions on burials and memorial services, in place from and healthcare groups including Pfizer, AstraZeneca and the GA- March 23 to June 8, will be contacted by cemetery officials to VI vaccines alliance are pushing to mass produce vaccines even schedule their veterans' ceremonies beginning in July. before they are shown to work in trials. Interments have continued at VA cemeteries throughout the They want to be sure a successful jab can be rolled out as pandemic. Visitors have been allowed, but no graveside services quickly as possible to billions of people across the world. or military funeral honors have been rendered since March 23. “The day a vaccine nears approval we will be ready and I am Witnesses to burials were limited to 10 people. certain that not only we but also our competitors will deliver,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said the department believes it has Heinricht. "a robust set of measures in place" to resume the activities safely. Editor’s note: This is an interesting concern. According to the VA, military funeral honors, which usually are provided by the Defense Department and volunteers, will be Accuracy still unknown for many coronavirus based on local availability. tests rushed out Under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, the number of individuals allowed to attend may be limited by How accurate are the coronavirus tests local restrictions. Individuals not attending from the same house- used in the U.S.? hold will be required to socially distance themselves from other Months into the outbreak, no one really guests. knows how well many of the screening All attendees and employees will be required to wear face tests work, and experts at top medical masks. Families may continue to choose direct interment and opt centers say it is time to do the studies to for a memorial service later, when all restrictions have been lifted. find out. When the new virus began spreading, the Food and Drug Ad- Researchers estimate shutdowns prevented 60 ministration used its emergency powers to OK scores of quickly million coronavirus infections in the US devised tests, based mainly on a small number of lab studies showing they could detect the virus successfully. Shutdown orders prevented about 60 mil- That’s very different from the large patient studies that can take lion novel coronavirus infections in the Unit- weeks or months, which experts say are needed to provide a true ed States and 285 million in China, accord- sense of testing accuracy. ing to a research study published Monday. The FDA’s speedy response came after it initially was criticized for The study from the University of Califor- delaying the launch of new tests during a crisis and after the Cen- nia at Berkeley examined how stay-at- ters for Disease Control and Prevention stumbled in getting its home orders and other restrictions limited the spread of the conta- own test out to states. gion. But with the U.S. outbreak nearly certain to stretch on for A separate study from epidemiologists at Imperial College Lon- months or even years, some experts want the FDA to demand don estimated the shutdowns saved about 3.1 million lives in 11 better evidence of the tests’ accuracy so doctors know how many European countries, including 500,000 in the United Kingdom, infections might be missed. and dropped infection rates by an average of 82%, sufficient to In recent weeks, preliminary findings have flagged potential drive the contagion well below epidemic levels. problems with some COVID-19 tests, including one used daily at The studies suggest that the aggressive and unprecedented the White House. Faulty tests could leave many thousands of shutdowns, which caused massive economic disruptions and job Americans with the incorrect assumption that they are virus-free, losses, were effective at halting the exponential spread of the nov- contributing to new flare-ups of the disease as communities reo- el coronavirus. pen. The overwhelming majority of people remain susceptible to the “You’re testing people in parking lots, the patients themselves virus. Only about 3% to 4% of people in the countries being stud- are extremely anxious and often unable to follow instructions,” ied have been infected to date, said Samir Bhatt, senior author of said Kaplan, a former associate director of the National Institutes the Imperial College London study. of Health. "This is just the beginning of the epidemic: we're very far from Kaplan and others say those differences could explain why some herd immunity," Bhatt said Monday in an email. "The risk of a sec- tests are not performing as expected. ond wave happening if all interventions and precautions are aban- Experts say larger patient studies patients are needed to assess doned is very real." a test’s true performance.
12 Trump opposes changing bases named for to remove statues of Confederate generals and leaders from the Confederate generals U.S. Capitol.
President Donald Trump said that he WWII monument in North Carolina vandalized “will not even consider” renaming U.S. with praise for communism military bases currently honoring Confed- erate leaders, calling them “part of a A World War II monument in Charlotte, great American heritage.” North Carolina, was targeted by vandals The White House announcement who spray-painted a hammer and sickle came just one day after Pentagon offi- over the names of soldiers who died while cials said that Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Defense Sec- fighting overseas. retary Mark Esper were open to the possibility of changing the The vandals carried out their crime on the names, noting they would want bi-partisan consensus before any memorial at Evergreen Cemetery some- changes. time between Sunday night and Monday morning. They also In a social media post, Trump said that the bases with contro- painted the quote: "Glory to the day of heroism June 19, 1986.” versial names — including Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood The quote references a Communist Party uprising in Peruvian in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia — have a history of “winning, prisons. victory and freedom” that should be left unaltered. Wayne White, a U.S. Air Force veteran, gathered a group of “The United States of America trained and deployed our HE- volunteers and began scrubbing the monument clean on Monday ROES on these hallowed grounds, and won two World Wars,” he morning. He told Fox 46 that he was upset by the vandalism be- stated. “Therefore, my administration will not even consider the cause it covered up the 507 names of people from Mecklenburg renaming of these magnificent and fabled military installations. County who were "veterans and deserve the honor, respect, and “Our history as the greatest nation in the World will not be tam- dignity.” pered with. Respect our military!” Army officials said they had no comment on the president’s an- Hydroxychloroquine lowers COVID-19 death rate, nouncement. study finds Marine Corps officials announced it would ban the display of the Confederate flag by service members, and Navy officials followed A Henry Ford Health System study shows the anti-malaria drug suit on Tuesday. hydroxychloroquine helps lower the death rate of COVID-19 pa- But advocates for years have criticized the Army for not taking tients, the Detroit-based health system said Thursday. action to update 10 military installations named after Confederate Officials with the Michigan health system said the study found military commanders, calling them a lingering racial stain on the the drug “significantly” decreased the death rate of patients in- service. volved in the analysis. Editor’s note: No comment. This one could go either way. See The study analyzed 2,541 patients hospitalized among the sys- next article. tem’s six hospitals between March 10 and May 2 and found 13% of those treated with hydroxychloroquine died while 26% of those Defying Trump, Republican-led Senate panel who did not receive the drug died. backs stripping Confederate names from military Among all the patients in the study, there was an overall in- bases hospital mortality rate of 18%, and many who died had underlying conditions, the hospital system said. Globally, the mortality rate for The Republican-led U.S. Senate hospitalized patients is between 10% and 30%, and 58% among Armed Services Committee voted to re- those in the ICU or on a ventilator. quire the Department of Defense to re- The study, published in the International Society of Infectious name military bases named after Confed- Disease, found patients did not suffer heart-related side effects erate generals, setting up a clash with President Donald Trump, who opposes LUNCHEON that change and promised a veto. Wednesday Aug 5th (CANCELLED), 2020 The committee approved the measure, proposed by Democrat- ♦Call 924-1983♦ ic Senator Elizabeth Warren, as an amendment to the Senate Florida Room, Atrium version of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, a North Campus SCC $740 billion bill setting policy for the Pentagon, announced on Thursday. Reservations no later than 6 p.m. The committee, with 14 Republicans and 13 Democrats, adopt- Sunday, Aug. 2nd, 2020 (Cancelled) ed the amendment by voice vote, which allowed individual mem- Please give full names of members and guests, total num- bers to avoid recording their choice. ber attending. Cost is $15.00 payable at the door in cash However, the panel's Republican chairman, Senator Jim Inhofe, or check. Social hour begins at 11:00 a.m. Business expressed concern, telling reporters on a conference call he want- meeting at 11:15 followed by lunch and a speaker. ed local input on decisions on base names. Remember, if you make a reservation and do not attend, Besides requiring that bases stop honoring Confederate gener- you are expected to pay. Bring payment to next meeting als within three years, the legislation requires the Pentagon to or send check to: change the names of other assets - such as streets, aircraft and Military Officers Association of America ships - named for Confederate officers or honoring the Confedera- Post Office Box 5693 cy. Sun City Center, FL 33571-5693 There is a separate movement in Congress, led by Democrats,
13 Texas Supreme Court won’t hear veteran’s case Understanding the potential of COVID-19 over firing related to burn pit injuries convalescent plasma
The Texas Supreme Court has declined The Department of Defense has set to hear the case of retired Army Capt. Le a goal to collect more than 8,000 donat- Roy Torres, who sued the state of Texas ed units of plasma from patients who three years ago because he said he was have recovered from COVID-19 by forced out of his job with the state highway Sept. 30, 2020. This blood will be used patrol after returning from a deployment to to treat critically ill patients and support Iraq with injuries caused by burn pit exposure. the development of an effective treatment against the disease. Torres returned from Iraq in 2008 and attempted to return to his Like a missile locking on its target, antibodies attack invaders job as a state trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety. inside the body with a singularity of purpose: search and destroy. He increasingly found himself short of breath and unwell. In 2010 Typically, infection-fighting white blood cells produce antibodies as he was diagnosed with constrictive bronchiolitis from exposure to an appropriate response to an invading germ. In some people toxic fumes from a massive 10-acre burn pit at Camp Anaconda in whose immune systems can’t mount a sufficient attack against a Balad. virus, donated antibodies from another person’s plasma may help. In his lawsuit against the state, first filed in Nueces County in Researchers believe the power of antibodies lies in their ability to 2017, Torres states his firing was a violation of the Uniformed Ser- bind to a virus and neutralize it, or block it from entering cells, said vices Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, or Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, director of the Emerging Infectious Diseas- USERRA, which protects civilian employment of service members. es Branch at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver The Texas Supreme Court picked up the case in September Spring, Maryland. Modjarrad leads the Army’s COVID-19 vaccine and gave no reason why it announced June 5 that it has chosen development research. not to hear arguments or issue an opinion, said Brian Lawler, the But not all antibodies are created the same. “Antibodies come in attorney for Torres. different flavors, some of them are neutralizing and some of them Torres now intends to file with the U.S. Supreme Court. are non-neutralizing and we don’t know exactly which individuals The couple founded the nonprofit Burn Pits 360 in 2011 and are developing what type of antibody,” said Shelly Krebs, chief of B have spent the last decade advocating on behalf of the 3.5 million Cell Biology Core at WRAIR Military HIV Research program. veterans and service member the Department of Veterans Affairs Transfusing antibodies provides short-term immunity as the estimates have been exposed to burn pits in the post-9/11 wars in donor antibodies last several weeks to months inside the body, Iraq and Afghanistan. said Navy Capt. (Dr.) Todd Gleeson of the Navy Bloodborne Infec- D.C. law firm Arnold & Porter contacted Le Roy Torres and has tion Management Center, located at Naval Support Activity Be- taken the lead on filing his case with nation’s highest court pro bo- thesda, Maryland. no. Editor’s note: click on Plasma Antibodies for full article. “Only the Supreme Court can put an end to this unlawful dis- crimination by states, by holding that the Constitution gives Con- The Government Paid Millions for Test Tubes — gress the power to grant soldiers the right to sue states that dis- and Got Unusable Mini Soda Bottles criminate against them for serving in the armed forces.” Editor’s note: Congress passes the USERRA , which it then al- The plastic tubes supplied for corona- lows companies to ignore.. Burn pit issues are not going away and virus testing by Fillakit, a first-time federal the VA is going to have to recognize the health problems they contractor with a sketchy owner, don’t even have produced. fit the racks used to analyze samples. And they may be contaminated anyway. Coast Guard Sets Francis Scott Key Buoy to Since May, the government has paid a Commemorate Birthplace of National Anthem fledgling Texas company $7.3 million for test tubes needed in tracking the spread of the coronavirus nation- The U.S. Coast Guard on wide. But, instead of the standard vials, Fillakit LLC has supplied Monday set the Francis Scott plastic tubes made for bottling soda, which state health officials say Key memorial buoy on the are unusable. Patapsco River for the 40th year, marking the approximate location Florida Council of Chapters Communiqué where the Marylander wrote the national anthem. June 2020 Issue Key, a lawyer, came up with the lyrics for “The Star-Spangled See what the other Chapters are doing. The Florida Coun- Banner” in 1814 while being detained on a British ship during the cil of Chapter’s newsletter, the “Communiqué” can be ac- bombardment of Fort McHenry. The buoy, which features stars cessed by clicking on the link below. After you click the and stripes, sits between the Francis Scott Key Bridge and Fort link and then click Allow, it may take a minute or so for the McHenry. It is set every summer and removed just before the win- ter. newsletter to pop up. It is worth the wait. "Our crew is proud to carry on this annual Coast Guard tradition Apr2014.pdfhttp:www.moaafl.org/communique in commissioning the Francis Scott Key Memorial Buoy,” Lt. Justin Strassfield, commanding officer of the James Rankin, said in a Editor—Polly Parks. Send articles and photos to: news release. “The operation allows us to reflect on the distinctly American spirit of resiliency.” Pollly Parks [email protected]
14 Report: More than 42,000 cruise ship workers the risk of death by about a third for individuals on ventila- still trapped at sea tors. Deaths of patients on oxygen were cut by a fifth, according More than 40,000 cruise ship to the BBC. workers are still stuck at sea be- “This is a result that shows that if patients who have cause of concerns about the corona- COVID-19 and are on ventilators or are on oxygen are giv- virus. en dexamethasone, it will save lives, and it will do so at a The Miami Herald reported that at remarkably low cost,” Oxford University professor Martin least 42,000 workers remain trapped Landray, one of the leaders of the drug trial, told Reuters. on cruise ships without paychecks, “There is a clear, clear benefit,” he told the BBC. and some still are suffering from COVID-19, three months “The treatment is up to 10 days of dexamethasone and it after the industry shut down. costs about five pounds per patient. So essentially it costs Cruise lines stopped sailing in mid-March after several 35 pounds to save a life. high-profile outbreaks at sea. More than 600 people fell ill “This is a drug that is globally available.” aboard Carnival Corp.’s Diamond Princess while it was “This is the only drug so far that has been shown to re- quarantined off Japan, for example. Fourteen passengers duce mortality — and it reduces it significantly. It’s a major died. breakthrough,” added Peter Horby, the other leading re- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has prohibited searcher overseeing the trial. cruises in U.S. waters through July 24. “It is a major breakthrough,” he said.
Model: Face Masks Prevented Thousands of VA hospitals see new coronavirus clusters in COVID-19 Cases Arizona, Florida, Texas
Use of face masks may have prevent- Overall in the U.S., 10 states ed tens of thousands of COVID-19 infec- saw record numbers of new coro- tions in New York City and Italy after navirus cases this week: Alabama, both areas implemented mask-wearing Arizona, California, Nevada, North policies for the public, a modeling study Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, found. South Carolina, Texas and Florida. Projecting the number of infections based on data prior to Experts predicted Florida could become the next epicenter the use of face masks, the study estimated that use of face of the virus, CNN reported. masks in New York City reduced the number of infections Four hospitals in Florida were among the top 10 VA facil- by over 66,000 from April 17 to May 9, according to Renyi ities with the most active cases. Bay Pines had 65 on Zhang, PhD, of Texas A&M University in College Station, Thursday, Miami had 52, Orlando reported 42 and Tampa and colleagues. had 40. Moreover, mandated face coverings is estimated to have Though the cases in those areas have increased among reduced the number of infections in Italy by over 78,000 VA patients, Richard Stone, the executive in charge of the from April 6 to May 9, the authors wrote in Proceedings of Veterans Health Administration, said last week the increas- the National Academy of Sciences. es haven’t been as sharp as expected. They went a step further, arguing that airborne transmis- “There are a number of troublesome states,” Stone told sion of the virus actually represents "the dominant route for the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “We have not infection." Because social distancing, quarantine, and iso- seen that increase in cases correlate well to the veteran lation minimize contact transmission, but do not protect population. Therefore, we remain with substantial capacity against airborne transmission, and because the U.S. was in those areas.” under lockdown at the beginning of April, "airborne trans- The proportion of VA patients with coronavirus who are mission represents the only viable route for spreading the hospitalized is currently 22%, Noel said, down from a high disease, when mandated face covering is not implement- of 38% in March but up slightly from 21% in May. ed," the researchers wrote. The CDC recommends "cloth face coverings" in public, IN MEMORIAM and the agency reiterated support for those and other non- pharmaceutical interventions, such as social distancing and Red Ostdiek Lt. Col., USAF (Ret) died on 7-17-2020 hand hygiene, on Friday in agency officials' first public te- lebriefing since March 9. SCC Chapter MOAA member Editor’s note: So there you have it —- make sure you wear Monthly Member and Board Meetings a face mask whenever and wherever possible.
Researchers Announce 'Major Breakthrough' Luncheon: Wednesday Aug 5 (cancelled) That Will Save Lives of Coronavirus Patients Zoom Board mtg. Wed. Aug 12th, 10:am British researchers claim a steroid currently on the drug mar- ket could be a life-saving treat- Membership Committee Mtg. Trinity Baptist church ment for COVID-19 patients. 2:00 pm 4th Wednesday Aug 26th, (cancelled) In a recent trial, the drug cut
15 As space concerns mount at Arlington Vets groups oppose new burial restrictions National Cemetery, officials move to expand on Arlington Cemetery, but officials see few historic site options
Federal officials this week moved to Veterans groups opposed the idea of severely restricting acquire a large parcel of land south of eligibility for burial at Arlington National Cemetery in com- Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia ing years to ensure the viability of the iconic landmark for for a planned massive expansion of the decades to come. But military officials said they don’t see well-known military site, designed to another realistic choice. extend the site’s use as space issues “We are filling up every single day,” said Karen Durham- threaten its future. Aguilera, executive director of Army National Military Cem- Department of Justice officials on Monday filed paper- eteries. “Within the next few years, Section 60 — known work to grab the land, currently owned by Arlington Coun- for the recent wars — will be closed. This is on our mind ty, through eminent domain powers. Army officials (who every day.” oversee the cemetery) estimate the move will provide The 154-year-old cemetery, originally established as an about 49 acres of space for up to 60,000 additional burial overflow site for mounting Civil War casualties, has be- sites in coming years. come one of the most hallowed military sites in America. Monday also marked the 156th anniversary of the ceme- More than 3 million visitors travel to the site annually, and tery, established in 1864 in the wake of the Civil War. Over more than 7,000 service members were interred at the its existence, the site has evolved into one of the most hal- cemetery in fiscal 2017 alone. lowed military locations in America, housing grave sites of But Army officials said only about 100,000 burial sites casualties from every military conflict. are left at the site, tucked between the Potomac River and In a statement, federal officials said the move would al- the ever growing northern Virginia suburbs. Expansion low the cemetery to “continue to serve as a burial ground plans are expected to keep burials on pace into the 2040s, for America’s fallen well into the future.” but not much beyond that. Nearly all of the land is currently unoccupied, with the “We should save a select number of spaces for those exception of several roadways. Officials plan to reroute individuals, but not change the eligibility rules at the exclu- traffic in the area and construct new streets to accommo- sion of those serving today,” said retired Col. Keith Zuegel, date the project. senior director at the Air Force Association. Army leaders for several years have said that without Officials from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Of- major changes at the site, burials will cease within the next ficers Association of America and American Legion ex- two decades. pressed similar concerns with excluding thousands of vet- The southern expansion project is expected to cost erans who may have been planning to use the national $420 million. It will also connect the Air Force Memorial cemetery for their burials. site into the existing Arlington Cemetery campus. Under the latest proposal, 1,000 gravesites would be set aside for current and future Medal of Honor recipients, to New eligibility rules for Arlington cemetery ensure space is reserved for those recipients of the high- est military honor. would exclude most non-combat veterans In addition to them, below-ground burials would be re- stricted to these other military groups: Officials are moving to limit the number of individuals — Troops killed in action, to include repatriated remains eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, — Purple Heart recipients restricting below-ground sites to combat heroes, battle — Award recipients of the Silver Star or a higher honor casualties and a small pool of notable dignitaries. — Combat-related service deaths “while conducting Under the proposal, which still needs to be finalized uniquely military activities” through a public rulemaking process, some other veterans — Former prisoners of war will still be eligible for storage of cremated remains at the — Veterans with combat service who “made significant famed site in above-ground structures, which will allow contributions to the nation’s security” in other government planners additional flexibility and space in coming dec- posts ades. — Former presidents and vice presidents of the United The move by the Army, which administers the cemetery, States is part of an ongoing effort to extend how long the ceme- Spouses of eligible individuals would also be allowed tery can be used as a final resting place for America’s ser- burial at their loved-ones plots. vice members. Army officials have for the last two years Above-ground inurment of ashes will be open to any considered a series of site expansions and facility changes veterans from World War II, military retirees, veterans who in an effort to deal with dwindling space at the site. served in combat and spent at least two years in the ranks, “Arlington National Cemetery is a national shrine for all and veterans without any combat service who “made sig- Americans, but especially those who have served our nificant contributions to the nation’s security” in other gov- great nation,” acting Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said ernment posts. in a statement. “We must ensure it can honor those we Currently, any military retiree is eligible for below-ground have lost for many years to come.” burial at the site, and any veteran who left the service un- Only about 100,000 burial sites are left at the cemetery, der honorable conditions is eligible for inurment of ashes. tucked between the Potomac River and the ever growing The former group would only be eligible for inurment now, northern Virginia suburbs. Expansion plans are expected while many of the later would not be eligible for any admis- to keep burials on pace into the 2040s, not beyond that. sion to Arlington.
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Chapter 5–Star Newsletter 5-Star Level of Excellence Award Communications Award
MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
MOAA: The SCC Chapter of The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) membership is granted to Army; Navy; Marines; Air Force; Coast Guard; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Public Health; the National; Guard or Reserve components both active or retired; and former officers and Warrant Of- ficers who were separated under acceptable conditions.
MISSION: The mission of Sun City Center FL chapter shall be to promote the pur- poses and objectives of the Military Officers Association of America; foster frater- nal relation among retired, active duty and former officers of active duty, retired and reserve components personnel of the uniformed services and their depend- ents and survivors; provide useful services for members and their dependents and survivors and serve the community and the nation.
MEETINGS: A meeting is held monthly (except July/August) in the Atrium build- ing in the Florida room at 11:00 a.m. and includes lunch and a guest speaker.
ACTIVITIES: Coordinate and sponsor Annual Memorial Day ceremony; provide awards and honorariums to outstanding JROTC Cadets; contributed to Operation Warm Heart and Helping Hand; contribute to My Warriors Place; provide funds for MOAA scholarships and participate in numerous community activities.
Additional information can be obtained by calling 813-642-0801 or e-mailing [email protected]. You can also contact us by mail at Frank Kepley, 815 Freedom Plaza Circle, Apt 104 Sun City Center Fl. 33573.
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Sun City Center Chapter Military Officers Association of America Place Stamp P.O. Box 5693 Sun City Center, FL. 33571-5693 Here.
Or Current Resident
COAST GUARD BIRTHDAY August 4, 2020 230th Birthday
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
The sponsors that appear in this publication do not reflect an endorsement by MOAA or this affiliate. The Sun City Center, FL MOAA Newsletter is published by the Sun City Center Chapter, which is an affiliate of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). MOAA and its affiliated chapters and councils are non- partisan. Opinions presented herein are those of the individual and not necessarily of the Chapter. Commercial solicita- tion of members using membership rolls and/or rosters is prohibited. Some articles may be taken from MOAA and DoD publications. The Chapter is tax exempt under Section 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Codes.
MOAA Take Action link: http://takeaction.moaa.org/?1
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