RAO BULLETIN 15 September 2016 PDF Edition THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES Pg Article Subject . * DOD * . 04 == Exchange Online Shopping [07] ---- (Late 2017 Recommendation) 06 == Selective Service System [21] ---- (Women Registration in NDAA) 06 == DoD Tobacco Policy [01] ------------------------ (Care Package Ban) 07 == DoD Voting Assistance - (18% Fewer Website Users Than in 2012) 08 == Arlington National Cemetery [61] ----- (WWII WASP Laid to Rest) 09== Arlington National Cemetery [63] ------------- (A New Gathering Spot) 11 == National Anthem [02] -------------------- (Sailor Protests Racist Lyrics) 12 == POW/MIA Recoveries -------- (Reported 1 thru 15 Sep 2016 | Eleven) . * VA * . 15 == VA Secretary [48] ------------ (Letter to House/Senate Leadership) 16 == VA Health Care Enrollment [08] --------- (Telephone Application) 16 == VA Rural Access [24] - (Redesigned Website w/All New Content) 17 == VA Medical Marijuana [24] ------- (American Legion Resolution) 17 == Fixing The VA ------------------------------ (Easier Said Than Done) Page 1 of 112 19 == VA Board of Directors --------------------------- (Creation Opposed) 20 == VA Appointments [15] -- (Ear & Eye Direct Scheduling Initiative) 21 == VA PGx Testing ------- (Life Saving Genetics Test Now Available) 22 == VA Hepatitis C Care [14] ---- (107,000 Untreated or Undiagnosed) 23 == VA Geriatrics & Extended Care [01] ----------- (An Aging Society) 24 == VA Commission on Care [08] -------- (Obama's Reform Response) 25 == VA Commission on Care [09] ---- (McDonald's Reform Response) 26 == VA Accountability [37] ------------ (Still Lacking in Helman Case) 27 == Clinton VA Plan [01] - (American Legion Convention Comments) 28 == Military Sexual Trauma [04] ------------------ (VA MST Screening) 29== PTSD [219] ----------------------- (Vietnam Vet's Disconnect w/VA) 29 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ------------- (Reported 1 thru 15 SEP 2016) 31 == GI Bill [208] ---------------------- (ITT Closing All Of Its Campuses) . * Vets * . 31 == Wisconsin Veterans Homes [04] ----- (Concerns | Audit Approved) 32 == Vet Toxic Exposure | Lejeune [63] ----------------- (Proposed Regs) 33 == Vet Toxic Exposure | Qarmat Al -- (Medical Surveillance Program) 33 == Vet Toxic Exposure | CWAs ----- (VA/DoD Documentation Effort) 33 == Arlington National Cemetery [62] ----- (New Security Precautions) 34== Vet Fraud & Abuse ------------------- (Reported 1 thru 15 SEP 2016) 35 == Vet Jobs [196] ------------------------------- (10 Places to Look Into) 36 == Obit: O'Brian~Hugh | WWII Marine Tankman -------- (5 SEP 2016) 37 == Obit: Kellwood~Joe Hosteen | Navajo Code Talker -- (5 SEP 2016) 38 == WWII Vets [117] | Paratrooper ---------------------------- (Diffin~John) 39 == Retiree Appreciation Days -------------------------- (As of 14 SEP 2016) 40 == Vet Hiring Fairs ------------------------------ (16 SEP thru 15 OCT 2016) 41 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts --------------------- (Georgia SEP 2016) * Vet Legislation * . 41 == Vet Credit Scores [01] -------- (H.R.5693 | VA Slow Payment Fallout) 42 == DoD Appropriations Act ----------- (H.R.5293 | Blocked for 3rd Time) 42 == Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ---------- (160901 thru 160915) . * MILITARY * . 43 == Military 2017 Pay Raise [02] ------- (Confirmed | Capped at 1.6%) 44 == Less-Than-Honorable Discharge [01] -- (NDAA Senate Provision) 45 == Other than Honorable Discharge [05] ---- (Paralyzed Green Beret) 46 == TRICARE Webiner - (Separation History Physical Exam | 21 SEP) 47 == Military Separation Policy ------------- (Trauma Related Behavior) 47 == USMC Limited Duty Status ------------------------ (Rules Modified) 48 == MWR Budget Cuts --------------------------------- (23% in FY 2017) 50 == MWR Budget Cuts [01] ---------------------------- (Areas Impacted) 50 == Fort Polk Adopt a Horse ----------- (Applications Being Accepted) 51 == Civilian Military Knowledge ----- (Military/Civilian Cultural Gap) 52 == Missouri Base Worker Access --- (Passport Requirement Pending) 52 == Military Retirement System[24] ----------- (BRS Opt-In Estimates) Page 2 of 112 54 == Iranian USN Harassment ---------------- (Confrontations Escalate) 55 == Military Surplus Hardware ----------------------- (Online Auctions) 57 == Naval Ship Naming -------------------- (Looking Outside the Military) 57 == Military Ranks Quiz 1 ----------------------------------- (Do You Know) 59 == Guam [01] ---------- (Where the US Military Is Revered and Reviled) 61 == Military Ranks Quiz 1 ------------------- (Did You Answer Correctly?) . * MILITARY HISTORY * . 62 == Nazi POWs ------------------------------- (Jewish Avengers Poison Plot) 64 == Military Former Punishments --- (Laws Were Looser in Olden Days) 66 == Staff Sgt. Reckless Monument --- (Ground Broke at Camp Pendleton) 67 == Times Square V-J Day Kiss [01] --------- (Recipient Passes at Age 92) 67 == Pearl Harbor Heroic Pilots ------------- (George Welch & Ken Taylor) 70 == Military Legends -------------------- (World's First Black Fighter Pilot) 71 == Military History ---- (How the Rum-Soaked Royal Navy Sobered Up) 73 == Military History Anniversaries -------------------------- (16 thru 30 SEP) 73 == Medal of Honor Citations ----------------- (Dunham, Russell E | WWII) . * HEALTH CARE * . 75 == Cockroach Milk ----------------------------------- (A Protein Powerhouse) 76 == Make your Morning Healthier -------------------------- (Seven Ways) 77 == Military Drug Take Back Program ---------------- (Safe Drug Disposal) 77 == TRICARE Assisted Living Options ---------------- (Benefits Available) 78 == TRICARE Podcast 364 - (Age 65+ | Prostrate Cancer | Healthy Aging) 79 == TRICARE Podcast 365 - (OHI-Mobile Device Security-Cholesterol) . * FINANCES * . 81 == COLA 2017 [03] --------------------------- (Projecting What to Expect) 81 == Insurance Coverage ---------------------------- (Its All in the Fine Print) 82 == Long Term Care FLTCIP [10] ---------- (Reduced Premium Options) 83 == Social Security Fund Depletion [12] --------------- (New Publication) 84 == VantageScore ------------------------------------- (Growing FICO Rival) 85 == Student Loan Scam --------------------------------------- (How it Works) 86 == Government Benefits Scam ----------------------- (Elderly Victimized) 87 == Zika Cure Scam ------------------------------------------- (How it Works) 88 == SSA Retirement Age [03] ------------------------------- (62-65 or Later) 89 == Wills [04] -------------------------------------------------- (Do Your Own) 90 == Power of Attorney [01] ------------------------- (Everyone Needs One) 91 == Tax Burden for Massachusetts Retired Vets -------- (As of SEP 2016) . * GENERAL INTEREST * . 92 == Notes of Interest --------------------------------- (16 thru 31 AUG 2016) 93 == Retirement Planning [11] -------------- (Consider the Possible Pitfalls) 95 == Dumb Smart Device -------------------------------------------- (Hydrator) 95 == National Anthem [03] ------------------ (Star-Spangled Banner Origin) 97 == FactChecking ------------------ (NBC "Commander-In-Chief " Forum) Page 3 of 112 100 == Batteries ---------------------------------------------------- (Which to Buy) 101 == 911 Legacy --------------------- (Permanent State of War for 15 Years) 103 == Patton Armored Diesel ---- (New Cane Spirit Honors WWII General) 104 == 114th Congress [03] - (Can It Do what it Couldn't in Last 11 Months) 105 == Philippine U.S. Bases [01] ----------- (Obama & Durete Discussions) 106 == Philippine U.S. Bases [02] ------- (Duterte Puts Alliance in Jeopardy) 108 == Philippine U.S. Bases [03] ------------------- (Treaty Will be Honored) 109 == Have You Heard? ------------- (The Haircut || Peeing On My Flowers) 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 SEP 2016 Attachment - Georgia Vet State Benefits & Discounts SEP 2016 Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 16 thru 30 SEP AUG * DoD * Exchange Online Shopping Update 07 ► Late 2017 Recommendation The Defense Department’s Executive Resale Board voted unanimously last week to recommend that military exchange services open online discount shopping to 19 million honorably discharged veterans starting in late 2017. The plan to extend shopping discounts to most American veterans has two purposes. One is to reward them for their service with product savings that, on average, should be 20 percent over commercial department stores, when military exemption from state and local sales tax part of the discount. The other goal is to increase exchange revenues to offset worrisome declines recently due to the sharp drawdown in active duty forces, base closures particularly overseas, elimination of on-base tobacco product discounts and reduced margins from selling cheaper gasoline on base. Whether exchange products are sold in base stores or through online portals, the military relies on the revenue to fund its morale, welfare and recreational activities. Given the defense budget squeeze since passage of the 2011 Budget Control Act, with its sequestration mechanism, some services have had to use exchange “dividends” for needs beyond golf courses and movie theaters. The Army has used exchange earnings of late to pay for new daycare Page 4 of 112 centers, a need it used to solve with appropriated dollars. Deputy Defense Secretary