Military Cultural Competency Manual for Attorneys A Guide for Pro Bono Service Provided to Military Members, Veterans, and their Families Funded by: Military Cultural Competency Manual for Attorneys Page 1 BACK TO TOP TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 16 1.1. PURPOSE OF THIS MANUAL. .................................................................................. 16 1.2. DEMOGRAPHICS. .................................................................................................... 16 1.2.1. WOMEN ............................................................................................................ 16 1.2.2. AGE…... ........................................................................................................... 17 1.2.3. RACE/ETHNICITY.. .......................................................................................... 17 1.2.4. VETERAN UNEMPLOYMENT. ........................................................................ 17 1.2.5. VETERAN HOMELESSNESS.. ........................................................................ 17 1.2.6. VETERAN SUICIDES. ...................................................................................... 17 1.3. ERAS IN WHICH HOOSIER VETERANS HAVE SERVED… ..................................... 18 1.4. POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)…. ................................................ 19 1.5. TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY……………………………………………………………… 20 1.6. MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA……………………………………………………………...20 1.7. VETERANS’ RECEIVING VA BENEFITS. .................................................................. 21 1.7.1. ADVOCACY & OUTREACH NEEDS. .............................................................. 21 1.7.2. SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY COMPENSATION.. ............................. 21 1.8. VETERANS’ LEGAL NEEDS. ................................................................................. 22 1.8.1. GENERAL LEGAL NEEDS .............................................................................. 22 1.8.2. NEEDS OF HOMELESS/NEAR-HOMELESS VETERANS ............................... 22 2. MILITARY TERMINOLOGY .............................................................................................. 24 2.1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 24 2.2. ACTIVE DUTY. ........................................................................................................ 24 2.3. RESERVES .............................................................................................................. 24 2.4. NATIONAL GUARD ................................................................................................. 24 2.5. ACTIVE GUARD RESERVES (AGR). ..................................................................... 25 2.6. NAVY RESERVE FULL-TIME SUPPORT (FTS ...................................................... 25 2.7. MARINE CORPS ACTIVE RESERVE (AR). ............................................................ 25 2.8. COAST GUARD RESERVE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS (RPAS). ................. 25 2.9. INACTIVE RESERVES. ........................................................................................... 25 2.10. RETIRED RESERVES. ............................................................................................ 26 Military Cultural Competency Manual for Attorneys Page 2 BACK TO TOP 2.11. VETERAN. ............................................................................................................... 26 2.12. COMMISSIONED OFFICER .................................................................................... 26 2.13. ENLISTED SERVICE MEMBER .............................................................................. 27 2.14. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER (NCO). ............................................................... 27 2.15. WARRANT OFFICER. ............................................................................................. 27 2.16. CAREER FIELD OR SPECIALTY............................................................................ 28 3. MILITARY PAY ........................................................................................................ 29 3.1. PAY GRADES. ......................................................................................................... 29 3.2. BASIC PAY .............................................................................................................. 29 2020 BASIC PAY CHART – < 2 – 18 YEARS ............................................................. 31 2020 BASIC PAY CHART – 20– 40 YEARS ............................................................... 33 2020 MILITARY RESERVE/GUARD DRILL PAY – < 2 - 18 YEARS .......................... 34 2020 MILITARY RESERVE/GUARD DRILL PAY – 20 - 40 YEARS ........................... 35 3.3. ALLOWANCES. ....................................................................................................... 36 3.3.1. BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING (BAH) / OVERSEAS HOUSING ALLOWANCE (OHA). ................................................................................................. 36 3.3.1.1. BAH/ OHA WITH / WITHOUT DEPENDENTS ......................................... 36 3.3.1.2. PARTIAL BAH ......................................................................................... 36 3.3.1.3. BAH DIFFERENTIAL ............................................................................... 36 3.3.1.4. BAH / OHA TABLES ............................................................................... 36 3.3.2. COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE (COLA). ....................................................... 37 3.3.3. SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES ....................................................................... 37 3.3.3.1 BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR SUBSISTENCE (BAS) ................................. 37 3.3.3.2 FAMILY SUBSISTENCE SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOWANCE (FSSA). ...... 37 3.3.4 SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAY ...................................................................... 38 4. LEAVE AND EARNINGS STATEMENT (LES) ................................................................. 39 4.1. INTRODUCTION. ..................................................................................................... 39 4.2. FIELDS 1-9 – IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION .................................................... 39 4.3 FIELDS 10-24 – ENTITLEMENTS, DEDUCTIONS, ALLOTMENTS, TOTALS, SUMMARY, AND RETIREMENT PLAN ............................................................................... 40 4.4. FIELDS 25-32 – LEAVE (OR VACATION DAYS) INFORMATION. ........................ 41 4.5. FIELDS 33-38 – FEDERAL INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING (FITW) INFORMATION. 41 4.6. FIELDS 39-43 – FEDERAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS ACT (FICA) INFORMATION. .................................................................................................................... 42 4.7. FIELDS 44-49 – STATE INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING (SITW) INFORMATION. ..... 42 Military Cultural Competency Manual for Attorneys Page 3 BACK TO TOP 4.8. FIELDS 50-62 – ADDITIONAL PAY DATA. ............................................................... 42 4.9. FIELDS 63-75 – THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN (TSP) INFORMATION. NOTE: TSP IS SIMILAR TO A 401(K) AND IS DISCUSSED IN SECTION 7). ............................................. 44 4.10. FIELDS 76-78 – REMARKS AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. .................... 44 5. MILITARY RETIREMENT & PENSION ............................................................................. 45 5.1. OVERVIEW. ............................................................................................................. 45 5.2. REGULAR ACTIVE DUTY RETIREMENT ............................................................... 45 5.2.1. FINAL PAY. ....................................................................................................... 45 5.2.2. HIGH 36. ............................................................................................................ 46 5.2.3. CAREER STATUS BONUS (CSB) / REDUX. ................................................... 46 5.2.4. BLENDED RETIREMENT SYSTEM. ................................................................. 47 5.3. RESERVES & NATIONAL GUARD RETIREMENT. ............................................... 48 5.3.1. THE POINT SYSTEM. ....................................................................................... 49 5.3.2. QUALIFYING YEAR .......................................................................................... 50 5.3.3. 20-YEAR LETTER. ............................................................................................ 50 5.3.4. DETERMINING RESERVE RETIRED PAY. ...................................................... 50 5.3.4.1. STEP 1: DETERMINE THE BASIC PAY AMOUNT TO USE IN THE CALCULATIONS .................................................................................................. 50 5.3.4.2. STEP 2: CONVERT THE RETIREMENT POINTS TO YEARS OF FULL- TIME SERVICE ..................................................................................................... 51 5.3.4.3. STEP 3: CALCULATE THE PERCENTAGE OF BASIC PAY THAT THE SERVICE MEMBER IS ENTITLED TO ................................................................. 51 5.3.4.4. STEP 4: DETERMINE MONTHLY RETIREMENT PAY ........................... 51 6.1. OVERVIEW. ................................................................................................................ 52 6.2.