RAO BULLETIN 1 February 2016 PDF Edition THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES Pg Article Subject * DOD * . 05 == GTMO Prison [03] ------------------- (Pentagon Submits Closure Plan) 06 == DoD Fertility Services ---------- (Sperm/Egg Freezing for Future Use) 07 == DoD Mental Health Programs [01] -- (Significant Changes Proposed) 07 == Military Family Benefits --------------- (Force of the Future Initiative) 08 == MCAS Futenma Okinawa [07] --------- (Anti-move Candidates Lose) 09 == DoD 2017 Budget ----------------------------------------------- (Timeline) 09 == DoD Email --------------------- (Inbox Size Limit Enforcement Begins) 10 == DOD Tuition Assistance [03] ------ (University of Phoenix Probation) 11 == State of Defense 2016 ---------- (USA/USN/USAF/USMC Overview) 11 == DoD Lawsuit ~ PTSD VN [02] ------ (Discharge Upgrade Settlement) 12 == DoD Lawsuit ~ Purple Heart ------------------- (Denied | Friendly Fire) 12 == DoD Causality Reporting ---------------------- (Civilians | Iraq & Syria) 14 == Commissary Funding [25] - (Are They Safe | Threats Seem Constant) 15 == Selective Service System [01] ------- (Registration for Women 50:50) 15 == Commissary Prices [01] ----------- (New Pricing Models to be Tested) 17 == AAFES Online Pricing [01] --- (Furniture Pricing Mistake Exploited) 18 == DoD Fraud, Waste, and Abuse ------- (Reported 16 thru 31 Jan 2016) 18 == POW/MIA Recoveries ----------------- (Reported 16 thru 31 Jan 2016) * VA * . 18 == VA Accountability [16] ---- (Demoted Rubens & Graves 2nd Appeal) 20 == VA Prescription CoPay ------------------ (Tiered Rx System for 2017) 21 == VA Medical Marijuana [17] ------- (21 Lawmakers Write McDonald) 22 == VA Secretary [40] -------------- (Response to Sen. McCain Criticism) 1 23 == VA Secretary [41] ------ (VA Needs to be Principle vice Rule Based) 24 == VA Secretary [42] --------------- (Reform is Like Turning the Titanic) 25 == VA Appeals [15] -------- (McDonald Makes 2nd Plea to Lawmakers) 26 == VA Appeals [16] ------- (McDonald’s Statement on Need to Reform) 27 == VA Incarcerated Vets Benefits ------------------ (Disability Payments) 28 == VA Data Breach [59] ----- (61% Incident Decrease Nov to Dec 2015) 29 == VA Whistleblowers [37] ---------- (Disclosures Skyrocketed in 2015) 31 == VA Whistleblowers [38] -------- (Spying on Email Complaint Probe) 33 == VA Whistleblowers [39] - (Whistleblower Opponent Paid to Resign) 34 == VA Hiring ---------------------- (Veterans Limited to Lowly Positions) 36 == Shad [08] - [No Major Difference in Vet’s Mortality Rates/Diseases) 37 == AO Compensation | Non-Vietnam [04] ----- (List Expansion Sought) 38 == VA Lawsuit | Macias~Otto ------------ (35 Years of Unpaid Benefits) 38 == VA Clinic Knoxville TN ----- (Letter: Our VA Clinics are Excellent) 39 == VA Clinic Jacksonville VA - (Extremely Thorough and Professional) 40 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ---------- (Reported 16 thru 31 JAN 2016) 43 == VAMC West Los Angeles [15] ----- (Revised Plan Looks Promising) 45 == VARO Fort Smith AR ---------------------------------------- (Now Open) * Vets * . 45 == Veterans Affinity Fraud ------ (Spotting Veterans Fundraising Scams) 47 == Desert Storm Memorial [04] -------- (National Mall Area 1 Proposed) 47 == Wounded Warrior Project [02] ------ (Where is the Money Going???) 49 == Veteran ID Card [04] ------------------------- (Implementation in 2017) 49 == Tomb of the Unknowns [09] --------------------- (Blizzard Conditions) 50 == Operation Take Command -------------------- (7-11 Franchise Contest) 50 == CT Vet Business Preference ----------------------- (State Contract Bids) 51 == Vet Toxic Exposure ~ Fentress NALF – (Perfluorinated Compounds) 52 == Vet Burial Honors -------- (Families Should be Aware of in Advance) 52 == Stolen Valor ----------------------------- (Reported 160115 thru 160131) 53 == World War I Memorial [08] -------------- (Design Winner Announced) 55 == Vietnam Vets [14] ----------------------------------------- (Mike Kirchen) 56 == WWII Vets 99 ---------------------------------------------- (Hanley~Fiske) 58 == Obit: Yazhe~Ernest | Navaho Code Talker---------------- (19 Jan 2016) 59 == Obit: Smith~William Y | USAF General------------------ (19 Jan 2016) 60 == Obit: Dixon~Alyce | Oldest Female Vet ------------------- (27 Jan 2016) 61 == Obit: Coates~Barry | VA Wait Time Victim -------------- (23 Jan 2016) 62 == Retiree Appreciation Days ---------------------------- (As of 29Jan 2016) 63== Vet Hiring Fairs --------------------------------- (1 Feb thru 14 Mar 2016) 64== Vet State Benefits & Discounts -------------------------- (Montana 2016) * Vet Legislation * . 64== VA Bonuses [30] -- (Veterans Administration Bonus Elimination Act) 65 == VA Facility Safety [02] --------------------------- (Senate Passes S.2422) 66 == POW/MIA [69] ----------------- (Resolution to Create New Committee) 66 == Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ---------- (151216 thru 151231) 2 * MILITARY * . 67 == Expeditionary Fast Transports ---- (Bow Structure Design Problems) 69 == Army Manning Levels -------------------- (Future of the Army Report) 70 == Navy Intelligence ----------- (OIC Not Allowed to Know any Secrets) 71 == Military Tattoo Criteria [04] -- (Marines Will Have More Flexibility) 72== Military Tattoo Criteria [05] ------------------- (MARADMIN 198-07) 73 == B-1 Bomber [01] -- (Canceled, Revived, Converted, Misunderstood) 75 == Looking Ahead to 2016 -------------------------------------------- (USA) 77 == Looking Ahead to 2016 ------------------------------------------- (USAF) 79 == Looking Ahead to 2016 ------------------------------------------ (USMC) 81 == Army Retention Program [01] ------------ (New Re-Enlistment Rules) 82 == USAF Job Titles ------------- (No Review of “man/men” References) 83 == Military Enlistment Standards 2015 [12] ---------- (Medical Physical) 83 == Medal of Honor Citations -------------------- (Holcomb~John N | VN) * MILITARY HISTORY * . 85 == Aviation Art -------------------------------------------------- (Safe Harbor) 85 == Military History ------- (Cambodia | Mayaguez Incident at Koh Tang) 87 == WWII Ads --------------------------------------------- (Nash / Kelvinator) 87 == Military History Anniversaries -------------------------- (01 thru 14 Feb) 88 == D-Day ---------------------------------- (Distribution of Invasion Forces) 88 == WWII Prewar Events -------------- (1936 Olympics SS Troops Relax) 89 == WWII PostWar Events -------------------- (1946 Poland War Orphans) 89 == Spanish American War Image 83 - (Captain Dennis Geary in Cavite) 90 == WWI in Photos 136 ------- (Mud Flats in Flanders, Belgium, in 1918) 90 == Battle of Okinawa --------------------------- (Machinato Inlet Crossing) 91 == Ghosts of Time ------------ (Then & Now’ Photos of WWII Sites (09) * HEALTH CARE * . 91 == TRICARE Reform [01] ------------------------ (Stuck in a Death Spiral) 92 == TRICARE Vision Benefits [03] ----------------------------- (Eye Exams) 93 == PTSD Assistance [01] ----------------------------- (Ways You can Help) 95 == Hepatitis C [04] ------------------ (Gilead Sciences Inc. Price Gouging) 96 == TRICARE Prime [35] ---------------------------- (Right of First Refusal) 96 == Tricare OTC Demo Project [04] -------- (OTC Coverage Here to Stay) 96 == Seasonal Affective Disorder ------ (Brought On by Light Deprivation) 97 == Chapped Lips ------------- (Effective Tips for Restoring Chapped Lips) 98 == Sleep Disorder [03] ------------------------- (Weighted Blanket Therapy) 100 == TRICARE Help --------------------------------------------- (Q&A 160201) * FINANCES * . 102 == IRS 2016 Filing Season --------------------------------- (Opened 19 JAN) 104 == Verizon Vet Discount ------ (15 Percent on Monthly Wireless Service) 104 == IRS Impersonators ----------------------------------------------- (Vet Alert) 105 == SBP | Special Needs Children -------------------- (New Policy Released) 3 105 == SNAP [03] -------------------- (Program Change to Impact 500k Adults) 107 == COLA 2017 [01] ------------------------------- (Dive into Red Continues) 107 == Rally to Benefit Veterans -- (22 Vet Charities slated to Split Proceeds) 108 == Saving Money ----------------------- (Eyeglasses III | Slashing the Cost) 110 == Cable Company Discount Scam -------------------------- (How it Works) 111== OPM Data Breach Letter Scam --------------------------- (How it Works) 112 == Balikbayan Boxes ----------------------------------------- (Tax Exemption) 113 == Tax Burden for Michigan Residents -------------------- (As of Jan 2016) 114 == Tax Burden for California Retired Vets ---------------- (As of Jan 2016) 116 == Retiree State Taxes ----------------- (What to Expect in South Carolina) 116 == Thrift Savings Plan 2016 -------------------- (Returns as of 29 Jan 2016) * GENERAL INTEREST * . 118 == Notes of Interest ----------------------------------- (16 thru 31 Jan 2016) 119 == Japan~China Dispute [01] -------------- (Territorial Water Incursions) 120 == Voter-ID -------------- (Trial Could Have Ramifications Across U.S.) 121 == Gulf War ---------------------------- (Iraq Invasion | Was it a Mistake?) 122 == Israel's Memorial to 9/11 --------------- (9/11 Living Memorial Plaza) 123 == Winter Weather Safeguards -------------- (Be Prepared and Stay Safe) 124 == Photos That Say it All ------------------------------------------- (Backrest) 125 == Most Creative Statues ------------ (Bratislava, Slovakia | Men at work) 125 == Interesting Inventions ----------------------- (High-Tech, Heated Shoes) 126 == Moments of US History ------ (Bridget Bardot & Pablo