RAO BULLETIN 1 April 2017 PDF Edition THIS RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES Pg Article Subject . * DOD * . 04 == Navy LCS Program [ 01] -------------------------------- (Cost Overruns) 06 == DoD/VA Collaboration [02] ----- (PTSD Symptom Trajectory Study) 07 == Nuclear Weapons [01] --------- (U.S. General Recommends Upgrade) 08 == USFSPA & Divorce [29] ------ Dividing Retired Pay SCOTUS Case) 09 == BRAC [56] --- (Trump Presidency Improves Base Closure Prospects) 09 == DoD Fraud Waste & Abuse -------- (Reported 16 thru 31 MAR 2017) 12 == POW/MIA [82] --------------- (Battle of Tarawa Unknown's Remains) 12 == POW/MIA Recoveries ------- (Reported 16 thru 31 MAR 2017 | Ten) . * VA * . 16 == VA Mental Health Care [32] -- (Senators Ask for More OTH Details) 17 == GI Bill [220] ------------- (Processing Delays Impact 11,000 Students) 18 == VA VIC [02] ----------------------- (Issued w/VA Benefits Enrollment) 1 18 == VA Crises Hotline [34] ------------- (Over 25% of Calls Redirected) 20 == VA Appeals [25] ---- (VA/GAO Agree - Appeals Reform Needed) 20 == VA Appeals Backlog [06] --------------------- (Hiring Surge Needed) 21 == VA Burial Schedules -------------------------- (Now Available Online) 22 == VA Hiring & Retention -------------- (Federal Hiring Freeze Impact) 22 == VA Data Analytics ------------------- (A Means to Improve Services) 23 == VA Image [01] --------------------------- (Vets Like Despite Problems) 24 == VA Suicide Prevention [37] -------- (Higher Risk With Opioid Use) 25 == Traumatic Brain Injury [60] - (DVBIC Adds 5 TBI Network Sites) 26 == VA Spinal Cord Program [02] --------------------------- (Robotic Brace) 26 == Brain Gate 2 --------------------- (Paralysis Pilot Study Shows Promise) 27 == Indebtedness to VA ---------- (Be Prepared - It Could Happen to You) 28 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ----- (Reported 16 thru 31 MAR 2017) 29 == VAMC Mountain Home TN [01] ------ (Opiate Safety Complaints) 29 == VA HCS Connecticut ------ (Top Diagnosis is Female PTSD | 45%) . * Vets * . 31 == Trump Vet Listening Session ------------- (10 Vet Groups Included) 32 == Vet Health Care [05] -------------------- (Proposed ACA Bill Impact) 32 == Homeless Vets [77] ------------------ (Minnesota Milestone Reached) 33 == Fisher House Expansion [17] ------------------------ (Dayton VAMC) 33 == Purple Hearts Reunited [01] ------------- (1st Lt. Rodney D. Beckel) 34 == Vet Toxic Exposure | Operation Tomodachi - (Nuclear Meltdown) 36 == MOH Day ------------------------------------- (Trump Hosts Recipients) 37 == Bataan Death March [06] ------ (19 MAR 26.2 Mile Annual Event) 38 == GWOT Memorial Wall ------------- (Beginning Efforts to Get it Built) 39 == Stolen Valor [103] --------------------- (Reported 170315 thru 170331) 40 == Retiree Appreciation Days ------------------------- (As of Mar 31, 2017) 41 == Vet Hiring Fairs ----------------------------------- (01 thru 30 APR 2017) 43 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts ---------------- (Wisconsin MAR 2017) * Vet Legislation * . 43 == Vietnam Veterans Day [01] --------------------------- (Signed Into Law) 44 == Vet Gun Control [13] -- (H.R.1181 to End Federal Checks on Vets) 46 == VA Appeals [24] --- (Appeals Process Overhaul Bill Reintroduced) 47 == VA Employee Accountability [05] -------- (H.R.1259 Passes House) 47 == VA Women Vet Programs [26] -------- (S.681 | Deborah Sampson Act) 48 == VA Designated Smoking Areas ---------- (Bill to Eliminate Introduced) 49 == Burn Pit Toxic Exposure [42] ----------------- (H.R.2237 Reintroduced) 49 == VA Adult Day Care [02] ----------- (S.324/H.R.1005 | Increase Access) 50 == Vet Toxic Exposure Legislation [08] -- (Classified Record VA Access) . * MILITARY * . 50 == USMC Photo Scandal [01] ---- (Tillis | Strip Participant's Benefits) 52 == USMC Photo Scandal [02] ----- (NCIS Investigating 1200 Marines) 53 == Air Force Readiness [01] ------ (Sequestration and Funding Impact) 53 == SBP Under Blended Retirement System ----------------------- (Impact) 2 53 == USAF KC-46 Program ------- (At Risk of Further Schedule Delays) 54 == Freeze Dried Plasma ---------------- (USAF to Test on the Battlefield) 55 == Military Laser Program ---------- (Army HEL MD | 60 KW System) 56 == Military Research [01] - (Navy Environment Sensor Development) 57 == Military Research [02] -------------------------------- (Army Third Arm) 58 == USCG Budget [02] ------------ (Proposed Billion-Dollar Budget Cut) 59 == Army Readiness ----------------------- (Continuing Resolution Impact) 60 == Army Bedtime Snack Bar ---------------------------- (New for Recruits) 61 == Carl Gustaf Recoilless Rifle [01] ------ (Precision “Guided” Rounds) 62 == Expert Action Badge ----------- (Army Non-Infantry Soldier Award) 63 == Locust ---------------------- (Race to Field Gun Launched Swarmbots) 64 == China’s Offensive Capability [03] ------ (PLAMC to Grow to 100k) 65 == Battlefield Acupuncture ------- (Close to 60% of USAF Bases Trained ) 66 == Navy Birthday ------------------------------------------- (October 13, 1775) . * MILITARY HISTORY * . 68 == K-9 Corps --------------------------------------------- (War Dog Program) 69 == Roman Legion --------------------------------- (Ten Little-Known Facts) 74 == Battle for Schloss Itter --------------- (One of the Last WWII Offenses) 77 == HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen -- (A True Story of Naval Deception) 78 == Liberty Bell ------------------------------------------- (WWI Contribution) 79 == Liberty Bell [01] ----------------------------------------------- (Utilization) 80 == Military History Anniversaries ------------------------- (01 thru 15 APR) 80 == Vietnam Vets [22] --------------------------- (Hank Beck | Delayed DSC) 82 == WWII Vets 133 ---- (Oscar Davis Jr. | 70 Year Wait for Purple Heart) 83 == Medal Of Honor Story ------------------ (Roberts~Gordon | Vietnam) 83 == Medal of Honor Citations --------------------- (Fardy~John P | WWII) . * HEALTH CARE * . 85 == Rehydration ---------------------- (Rice-Based Drink Powder Solution) 85 == Colorectal Screening --------------------------------- (Is It time for One?) 86 == AHCA ------------------------------- (Plan to Repeal and Replace ACA) 88 == Parasites -------------------------------------------- (What's Eating You (1) 90 == TRICARE Podcast 389 ---- (Care Type | Winter Storms | Eye Injuries) 91 == TRICARE Podcast 390 ------- (Allergies | Webinars | Cervical Cancer) . * FINANCES * . 92 == Credit Card Fraud Protection [01] ----------------- (Available Methods) 93 == Common Money Mistakes ----------------------------- (Beware These 12) 95 == SSA Retirement Application [01] ------------------- (15 Minutes Online) 96 == VA Loan Multiple Use [01] --------------------------------------- (3 Ways) 97 == IRS Scam [07] ----------------------------------------------- (How It works) 98 == Political Fundraising Scams ------------------------------ (How It works) 99 == Government Grant Scam [03] ----------------- (Its Back on Facebook) 100 == SSA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ---------------- ($500M Scheme to Defraud) 100 == Tax Burden for New Jersey Retired Vets -------------- (As of Mar 2017) 3 . * GENERAL INTEREST * . 103 == Notes of Interest ----------------------------------- (16 thru 31 MAR 2017) 104 == RP~China Dispute [18] ------------------------- (Benham Rise Concerns) 105 == RP~China Dispute [19] ------------- (Scarborough Shoal Radar Station) 105 == RP~China Dispute [20] ------- (3 Man Made Islands Nearly Complete) 106 == Trump Budget Plan -- (2018 Winners & Losers if Congress Approves) 107 == Trump Budget Plan [ 01] --------------------- (Meals On Wheels Impact) 108 == Airline Bomb Precautions - (Electronic Device Explosive Potential) 110 == PRK Nuclear Weapons [03] ----- (Trump Halts Diplomatic Efforts) 111 == PRK Nuclear Weapons [04] - (Preemptive Military Action Option) 112 == PRK Nuclear Weapons [05] -------------------- (All Options Are Bad) 114 == Vintage U.S. Nuclear Test Films -------- (Declassified and Released) 115 == PRK Propaganda ----- (TV | Burning U.S. Carrier & B-1B Bomber) 115 == Taiwan-China Dispute -------------------------- (New Missile Capability) 116 == Taiwan-China Dispute [01] ------------------- (Plan To Build Own Subs) 116 == Climate Change [01] ---- (White House Doubts it, Pentagon Does Not) 118 == Dog Greeting Protocol -------------------------- (How Not to Be Bitten) 120 == Have You Heard? ------------------- (Blonde Stories || Lesson On UP) 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 - RAO Bulletin April 01, 2017 Attachment - Wisconsin Vet State Benefits & Discounts MAR 2017 Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 01 thru 15 APR * DoD * Navy LCS Program Update 01 ► Cost Overruns As the Trump administration proposes to ramp up defense spending and expand the U.S. Navy’s armada, the long- term future of a combat shipbuilding program in Marinette ultimately may hinge on a combination of those ships’ cost-efficiency and performance. But in a new report that examines Navy shipbuilding, the Government Accountability Office has deleted cost overrun data on the Marinette-built USS Milwaukee, launched in 2014, as well as the USS Jackson, also launched that year but built in Mobile, Ala. The GAO said: 4 It withheld the data from the public at the request of the Defense Department, which deemed it “sensitive