RAO BULLETIN 15 May 2016 PDF Edition THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES Pg Article Subject * DOD * . 04 == SBP Changes after Retirement [03] ---- (Open Season Ends Nov 2016) 05 == NDAA 2017 [01] ------------- (HASC Markup | Significant Provisions) 06 == NDAA 2017 [04] --------------------- (CBO Cost Estimate on H.R.4909) 06 == Navy Shipbuilding Plan [01] ----------------- (30 Year Plan | 292 Ships) 08 == DECA Advisory Council ---------------------- (Sought by Vet Coalition) 09 == Pentagon Procurement ------------------------------ (Buy American Issue) 11 == DoD Tobacco Policy ------ (Sales Price Increase of 26 to 32% Coming) 12 == Commissary Prices [05] -------------------- (Pacific Fruit/Vegetable Bill) 13 == POW/MIA Recoveries ----------- (Reported 1 thru 15 May 2016 - Four) * VA * . 14 == VA OIG [06] -------------- (New OIG Hopes to Repair Office’s Image) 16 == Vets First Act [01] ------------------------- (Initiatives Addressed in Bill) 17 == VA Secretary [45] --------------------- (House Proposals Will Hurt Vets) 18 ==VA GeriPACT --------------------- (Specialized Care for Older Veterans) 18 == VA Whistleblowers [44] ---- (VA Settles with Phoenix Whistleblower) 19 == VA Bible Policy -------------------- (Removals from POW/MIA Tables) 20 == VA Commission on Care [06] ---------------- (Call Your Congressman) 22 == VA Life Insurance [01] -------------------------------- (What’s Available) 23 == VA Accountability [31] ------------- (Watered Down Senate Firing Bill) 24 == VA Accountability [32] - (Sen McCain | Pending Bill ‘Very Bad Plan’) 25 == VA In Vitro Fertilization [07] -- (Appropriations Committee Approval) 26 == myVA Initiative [01] --------------- (VA Expands myVA Communities) 27 == VA Health Care Access [38] --- (Study Says Vets Delay Seeking Care) Page 1 of 122 28 == VA Vet Choice Program [39] - (Vet Organizations Oppose Expansion) 29 == VA Transgender Care --- (Gender Transition-Related Surgery Petition) 29 == VA Mental Health Care [29] - (Study Says VA Exceeds Private Sector) 30 == VA Medical Internet ----------------------------- (Hacker Defense Sought) 30 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ------------- (Reported 1 thru 15 MAY 2016) 32 == VAMC Portland OR [02] ----------- (Not All Experiences are Negative) 33 == VAMC Fayetteville [03] --- (5,000 Appointments Cancelled in 2 years) 34 == VAMC Salt Lake City [01] ---------------- (Attaboy Letter to the Editor) * Vets * . 34 == SSIA [02] ------- (Expires Oct 2017 | Help Eliminate the Widow’s Tax) 35 == Vet Suicide [10] ---------------------------- (Facts about Veteran Suicide) 36 == Vet Suicide [11] ----------------------------------- (Current VA Initiatives) 38 == Vet Jobs [187] ---------------- (New Version of Veterans.gov Launched) 40 == Vet Jobs [188] -------------- (Joining Forces | 1.2M Trained Since 2011) 41 == Vet Jobs [189] ----------------------------------------- (Resume Workshop) 42 == Filipino WWII Vet Parole Program ------- (Family Member Eligibility) 43 == Vet Charity [59] --------------------- (Wounded Warrior Project Scandal) 44 == Trump Attacked on Vet Issues ---- (POW’s, Vet Fundraiser, & GI Bill) 45 == Vet Deportations [08] --------- (Deported Marine Vet Gets 2nd Chance) 46 == Vet Portrait --------------------------------------- (Maj. Sherrill Arvin (Ret) 46 == Vietnam Vets [16] ------------------------------------ (Drake~Benjamin A) 48 == WWII Vets 107 ----------------------------------------------- (Chavez~Ray) 49 == WWII Vets 108 ------------------------------------------ (Overton~Richard) 50 == Obit: Gleason~James | Marine Raider --------------------- (22 APR 2016) 52 == Obit: Livingston~Frank | Oldest WWII Vet ---------------- (3 May 2016) 53 == Obit: Harada~Kaname | Last Zero Fighter --------------- (2 MAY 2016) 54 == Retiree Appreciation Days ------------------------- (As of 14 MAY 2016) 55 == Vet Hiring Fairs ------------------------------- (16 May thru 15 JUN 2016) 56 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts ----------------------------- (Alaska 2016) * Vet Legislation * . 57 == Forgiven Debt Tax [02] --------- (S.2800 | Disabled Vets Student Loans) 57 == NDAA 2017 [02] --- (Enlisted Representation on Military Issue Boards) 58 == NDAA 2017 [03] ----- (Recreational Drone Threat to Nuclear Facilities) 59 == Vet Emergency Medical Technician Support ------------------ (H.R.1818) 60 == VA Opioid Therapy [02] ----------------------- (PROMISE Act H.R.4063) 60 == Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ------------ (160501 thru 160515) * MILITARY * . 63 == Military Retirement System [23] ---------- (Lump-Sum Payout Option) 64 == Military Vehicle Decals -------- (No Longer Required to Access Bases) 65 == Army Appearance Standards [01] ------------------------- (Sikh Waivers) 66 == Army Drug Testing ----------------------------------------- (Rule Changes) 67 == USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG-51) ------ (Steel Cut for New Destroyer) 68 == Military Recruiting [05] ----------------- (Navy Recruiting Slogan Hunt) Page 2 of 122 69 == Trump Military Press Policy ------------------- (National Security Issue) 70 == Trump Active Duty’s Preference ------------------------- (2-to-1 Margin) 71 == RP~China Dispute [16] -------- (U.S. Patrols Prompt Port-Visit Denial) 72 == Military Combat Training ----------------------------------- (Pit and Pond) 73 == XS-1 Space Shuttle ---------- (Reusable Vehicle for Payload Launches) 74 == Medal of Honor Citations ---------------------- (Barfoot~Van T | WWII) * MILITARY HISTORY * . 77 == Remember When --------------------------------------------- (Nostalgia (5) 77 == WWII Hiroshima Bombing ----- (Shifting Viewpoints on Justification) 78 == Military History Discussions -------------- (WWII Operational Rations) 78 == Military History ------------------------- (Wasp | Original Flying Ladies) 81 == West Point Bell -------- (Returning to the Philippines After 101 Years) 82 == Balangiga Bells ----------------------- (Philippine-American War Booty) 83 == Military Trivia 121 ---------------------------- (Helmet’s Revival | WWI) 85 == Iwo Jima Flag Raising -------------------- (Raiser’s Identity Questioned) 86 == WWII Battles Q&A [1] ---------------- (Can you Answer the following) 87 == Victory Day ----------------- (One of Russia’ Biggest Holidays | 9 May) 89 == Military History Anniversaries -------------------------- (16 thru 31 May) 89 == WWII Battles Q&A [1] --------------------- (Did You answer Correctly) * HEALTH CARE * . 91 == Stroke [08] ----------------------------------------------------- (Be Prepared) 91 == Medical Error ------ (3rd Leading Cause of Death in the United States) 92 == TRICARE Overseas Program [20] ---------------- (Online Claim Filing) 93 == TRICARE Overseas Program [21] ------------------- (Proof of Payment) 93 == Asthma [03] ------------------------- (Plan for Proper Care | Action Plan) 93 == Longevity Illustrator --------------------- (How Long do You Have Left) 95 == Medicare Advantage Plans [08] --- (Improper Payments | 2014 $14.1B) 95 == Blood Pressure [01] ---------------------------- (What You Should Know) * FINANCES * . 96 == Military 2017 Pay Raise [01] ------ (Senate Includes 1.6% in NDAA) 97 == Senior Discount [05] ------------------------------ (Travel & Car Rental) 98 == Involuntary Separation Pay --------------- (New Guidance | AR 637-2) 99 == Home Warranties ------------- (Are they Worth it | Judge for Yourself) 101 == Appliance Rebates ------------------------- (How to Find and Get them) 102 == Moving ----------------------------------------- (10 Ways to Save Money) 104 == Online Shopping Savings [02] -------- (Abandon Your Shopping Cart) 105 == Dropbox Share Alerts Scam ------------------------------- (How it Work) 106 == Festival Ticket Scam - (Festival Goers Fooled w/Fake Tickets/Events) 107 == Tax Burden for Hawaii Retired Vets ----------------- (As of May 2016) * GENERAL INTEREST * . 108 == Notes of Interest ---------------------------------- (1 thru 15 MAY 2016) Page 3 of 122 110 == Citadel Military College ---- (Muslim Uniform Attire Not Allowed) 112 == Gun Control [01] -- (SSA to Block Mentally Ill from Buying Guns) 112 == Marijuana Market ---------------------------- (Pricing Considerations) 113 == Payday Loans ------------------------------- (Google Advertising Ban) 114 == Children of the 30s & 40s ----------------------------- (The Last Ones) 115 == Smart Phone Addiction ---------------------------- (Are you Hooked?) 116 == Brain Teaser ------------------------ (Brain Teaser | Look Both Ways) 117 == Have You Heard? ----------------------- (Golf and What it all Means) 118 == Archive Photo of the Day ------------ (Pearl Harbor Aftermath 1941) 119 == Brain Teaser Answer -------------- (Brain Teaser | Look Both Ways) Note: 1. The page number on which an article can be found is provided to the left of each article’s title 2. Numbers contained within brackets [ ] indicate the number of articles written on the subject. To obtain previous articles send a request to [email protected]. * ATTACHMENTS * . Attachment - Veteran Legislation as of 15 MAY 2016 Attachment - Alaska Vet State Benefits & Discounts May 2016 Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 16 thru 31 MAY Attachment - Hone Standard Estimated Life Expectancy Chart * DoD * SBP Changes after Retirement Update 03 ► Open Season Ends Nov 2016 A change in last year's Defense Authorization Act lets military retirees' SBP coverage for a former spouse transfer to a new spouse if the former spouse dies. The law allows a one-year window after remarriage to cover a new spouse. For people remarried more than a year ago, the law gives