RAO BULLETIN 15 May 2018 PDF Edition THIS RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES Pg Article Subject . * DOD * . 04 == Security Clearances [01] ---- (740K Backlog - 540 Day Average Wait Time) 05 == Arlington National Cemetery [75] ---- (Burial Rules Changing) 06 == NDAA 2019 ---- (House Panel Adopts $716 Billion Plan) 07 == DoD Tuition Assistance [07] ---- (Corps Lowers Requirements) 08 == Navy Deployment Policy ---- (Big Changes Contemplated) 10 == DoD Fraud, Waste, & Abuse ---- (Reported 01 thru 15 MAY 2018) 11 == DOD PDBR [13] ---- (Where You Lowballed Upon Discharge? 13 == Traumatic Brain Injury [67] ---- (Shoulder-Fired Weapon Use Impact) 14 == Commissary Sales [04] ---- (Beer and Wine Sales Begin within Next 90 Days) 14 == Huawei Alarm Sounded ---- (Cellphone Giant Threatening the Global Order) 16 == POW/MIA [99] ---- (Sgt. David Quinn’s Remains Returned after 75 Years) 17 == POW/MIA [100] ---- (PFC Harold V. Thomas’ Remains Identified) 18 == POW/MIA Recoveries ---- (Reported 01 thru 15 MAY 2018 | Eighteen) . * VA * . 21 == VA Medical Images & Reports ---- (Securely Access Medical Images Online) 22 == VASRD ---- (Vision & Breast Evaluation Regs Updated) 23 == VA Telehealth [15] ---- (Access across State Lines Now Authorized) 23 == VA Debit Cards [01] ---- (Direct Express Debit Mastercard Option) 24 == VA FDC Program [03] ---- (Fast Track Way to Get VA Disability Benefits Processed) 25 == VA Disability Claims ---- (Non-Combat Related Conditions Applicable) 25 == VA Disability Claims [01] ---- (Top 10 Reasons for Not Applying) 1 27 == VA Secretary [77] ---- (Nominee Debacle May Distract from VA’s Major Problems) 28 == VA Blue Water Claims [44] ---- (New Deal Could Mean Benefits for 90K Vets) 28 == VA Claim Decision ---- (More Efficient Review Process Implemented) 29 == VA Care Assessment [03] ---- (RAND Corp Study Results) 30 == VA ID Card [16] ---- (Mailings Start) 30 == VA Pain Management [09] ---- (Opioid Alternative Medical Device) 31 == Disabled Overseas Vets ---- (28,000+ Excluded From VA Health Care) 31 == PTSD [245] ---- (Oregon VA Shooter's Father Blames VA) 33 == PTSD [246] ---- (Ecstasy-Assisted Psychotherapy Support Growing) 33 == VA Video Connect ---- (Virtual Health Care Treatment Option) 34 == VA MOVE! Program [03] ---- (Weight Management Assistance) 35 == VA Vet Choice [78] ---- (Expected To Run Out of Funding in June) 36 == VA Vet Choice [79] ---- (House VAC Approves Plan to Prevent Shutdown) 37 == VA Presumptive Disabilities [01] ---- (POW and Children of Vets) 37 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ---- (Reported 01 thru 15 MAY 2018) 40 == VAMC Bedford MA [03] ---- (Vets Knowingly Exposed to Asbestos since 2014) 41 == VAMC Dayton OH [02] ---- (Withheld Infection Info Led to Vet’s Leg Loss) . * VETS * . 41 == Vet Amtrak Discount [01] ---- (No Movement on Vet Discount Restoral) 42 == Arlington National Cemetery [75] ---- (Burial Rules Changing) 43 == Agent Orange Guam [05] ---- (Testing Draws Vet Concerns) 43 == Burn Pit Toxic Exposure [48] ---- (Vets Ask Court to Reinstate Lawsuits) 44 == Chapter 61 Disability Pay ---- (VA Disability Compensation Eligibility) 44 == Chapter 61 Disability Pay [01] ---- (Difference between H.R. 333 & H.R. 303) 46 == Vet Groups [02] ---- (Illinois Vet Establishment Gambling) 46 == WWII VETS 163 ---- (Armand Sedgeley | Up For Silver Star) 49 == WWII VETS 164 ---- (Frank A. Gleason | OSS) 50 == WWII VETS 165 ---- (William V. Hines | Adjusting to A New Norm) 52 == Military Retirees & Veterans Events Schedule ---- (As of 15 MAY 2018) 52 == Vet Hiring Fairs ---- (Scheduled As of 15 MAY 2018) 53 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts ---- (Utah May 2018) . * VET LEGISLATION* . 53 == Vet Unemployment [15] ---- (H.R.5492 | Reduce Unemployment for Vets of all Ages) 54 == VA Blue Water Claims [45] ---- (HR.299 | Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act) 54 == Vet Farmers ---- (Farmer Veteran Opportunity Act of 2018) 55 == Homeless Vets [86] ---- (H.R. 4898 | Keeping Our Commitment to End Vet Homelessness) 56 == VA Mission Act ---- (H.R.5674 | Enhance Vet Choice, Facility Closures, & Home Care Access) 57 == Tax Burden for California Retired Vets ---- (AB 2394 | Military Retirement Pay Exemption) . * MILITARY* . 58 == Expeditionary Fast Transports [01] ---- (Not Meeting Design Specs) 59 == USMC Correctional Custody ---- (Kibosh Put on Rock Busting) 60 == AN/SPY-6 Air/Missile Defense Radar ---- (30 Times More Sensitive) 61 == Military U.S. Citizenship Benefit [02] ---- (Naturalizations Drop 65%) 62 == NAS Barbers Point Memoria ---- (Oahu Residents Upset Over Removal) 2 63 == Army Recruiting [06] ---- (Bipolar, Depression, Self-Mutilation Waivers) 64 == Warships That Will Change the Future ---- (INS Vishal) . * MILITARY HISTORY* . 65 == Trapeze Plane Launching ---- (WWII Navy High Wire Act for Aircraft) 67 == WWII Persecution of Jews ---- (Irena Sendler’s Involvement) 68 == Sweden's Nuclear Submarine ---- (Never Built Vessel Would Have Been Hazardous) 69 == America's Undeclared Naval War ---- (SEP 1939 thru NOV 1941) 69 == Boston Massacre ---- (Seventy-two Killed Resisting Gun Confiscation in Boston) 70 == Military History Anniversaries ---- (16 thru 31 MAY) 71 == Medal of Honor Citations ---- (Nathan G. Gordon | WWII) 72 == WWII Bomber Nose Art [06] ---- (Impatient Virgin) . * HEALTH CARE* . 73 == TMOP [24] ---- (Express Scripps Prescription Home Delivery | FAQ) 74 == Tricare Providers [03] ---- (Understanding Your Options) 75 == VA Vet Choice [80] ---- (Community Providers Unprepared to Serve Vets) 76 == TRICARE Mental Health Care [04] ----- (Webinar 17 MAY Sign-Up) 76 == Getting Started With Medicare ---- (Six Steps) 78 == Asbestos Related Diseases [01] ---- (Know the Signs & Symptoms of Exposure) 79 == Traumatic Brain Injury [68] ---- (Dementia Risk Doubled) 80 == TRICARE Podcast 448 ---- (Referrals & Prior Authorization | Ear Infections | Mental Wellness) 82 == TRICARE Podcast 449 ---- (Provider Types | Webinar | Exercise Intensity) . * FINANCES * . 83 == IRS 2018 Filing Season [03] ---- (New Tax Law's Charitable Contributions Impact) 83 == Payday Loans [04] ---- (CFBP Provision Modifications) 84 == SBP DIC Offset [52] ---- (Rand Assessment Does Not Address Fairness of Offset) 86 == TANF ---- (A Program to Help Needy Families Achieve Self-Sufficiency) 86 == AARP ---- (Criminals Steal $37 Billion a Year from America’s Elderly) 89 == Shimming Scam ---- (New Credit Card Data Theft Method) 90 == VA OIG Attorney Scam ---- (Telephone Impersonations) 90 == LinkedIn Loan Scam ---- (Site Used to Target Victims) 91 == Scam PACs ---- (Know Who You’re Giving To) 92 == Tax Burden for Delaware Retired Vets ---- (As of MAY 2018) . * GENERAL INTEREST * . 93 == Notes of Interest ---- (01 thru 15 MAY 2018) 94 == National Poppy Day ---- (25 MAY 2018 | Origin) 95 == McCain's Brain Cancer [01] ---- (VVA Condemns Disrespect of Nam Vet John McCain) 96 == Ear Reconstruction ---- (First of Its Kind) 97 == Subpoenas ----- (Does Executive Privilege Apply) 99 == USPS Mail Delivery [01] ---- (Door Delivery Policy Change) 100 == Trump Tweets ---- (His Way to Speak Directly to the People) 101 == GTMO Detainees [03] ---- (Pentagon Recommendations Sent to White House) 3 102 == Military SKILCRAFT Pen ---- (Turned 50 in April) 102 == Dead Son’s Portrait ---- (Whoever Takes the Son Gets Everything!) 103 == Mosquitos [04] ---- (Inexpensive Bite Avoidance) 104 == Have You Heard? ---- (Growing Up In the 40's & 50's) 105 == Where There's a Will, There's a Way ---- (16) 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 – Utah Vet State Benefits & Discounts May 2018 Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 16 thru 31 MAY Attachment - America's Undeclared War Attachment - HASC FY19 NDAA En Bloc * DoD * Security Clearances Update 01 ► 740K Backlog - 540 Day Average Wait Time U.S. Sen. Mark Warner met 27 APR with local defense contractors and representatives of local governments, businesses and the University of Mary Washington to discuss ways he is working to reform the security clearance process. Warner said that with a backlog of 740,000 people waiting for a clearance and an average waiting time of 540 days, the process has become a national security concern. About 30 people attended the roundtable, which was hosted by the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance at SimVentions in Stafford. FRA president Curry Roberts said the organization was originally expecting only 12 and moved the location of the roundtable to accommodate more people. The security clearance backlog is making it harder for government contractors to hire and retain qualified national security workers, Warner said. “This is a system that is completely, completely broken in terms of access and in terms of agencies’ willingness to fund,” he said. Warner stressed the importance of cybersecurity work particularly in light of evidence of Russian interference in the U.S. election process. “We as a government were caught totally unaware when a foreign entity, in this case Russia, used social media to manipulate our elections, and they continue to use these tools,” he said. “I have to say from a macro standpoint, I worry in a nation where we are spending $700 billion on defense and one of our adversaries [Russia] is spending $68 billion and in the cybersecurity, misinformation and disinformation realm, Russia and