Military Retiree Newsletter
Robins AFB, Georgia Retired Activities Office
Volume 20 March 2009
The City of Warner Robins has authorized the naming and the dedication of the new frontage road to be ―The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Parkway‖.
The frontage road is east of and parallel to I-75 between the Russell Parkway extinction and Watson Boulevard. The dedication ceremonies will be April 11, 2009 at 1:00 PM at the Russell Parkway and I-75 intersection. The Warner Robins Vietnam Veterans – (At Large) are sponsoring the activities with speakers to include Mayor Donald Walker and Brigadier General Jim Sehorn USAF (Ret) Prisoner of War. All military associations and veterans are invited to attend as well as the public from the surrounding communities. A missing man formation fly over is scheduled by the Black Hawks Helicopters of the Georgia National Guard. ( I apologize for the misspelling of General Sehorn’s name in the February issue. ) WITH SYMPHONY I would like to offer the sympathy of this office to the family of Retired Colonel Edward Martin who passed away recently. Col Martin was a volunteer member of the Robins Retiree Council and a friend. He will be missed in the Robins’ military retiree community. Chief Munson (Ret) National News VA BUDGET 2010: President Obama's first proposed budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expands eligibility for health care to an additional 500,000 deserving Veterans over the next five years, meets the need for continued growth in programs for the combat Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, and provides the resources to deliver quality health care for the Nation's 5.5 million Veteran patients. The 2010 budget request is a significant step toward realizing a vision shared by the President and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki to transform VA into an organization that is people-centric, results-driven and forward-looking. If accepted by Congress, the President's budget proposal would increase VA's budget from $97.7 billion this fiscal year to $112.8 billion for the fiscal year beginning 1 OCT 09. This is in addition to the $1.4 billion provided for VA projects in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The 2010 budget: Represents the first step toward increasing discretionary funding for VA efforts by $25 billion over the next five years. The gradual expansion in health care enrollment that this would support will open hospital and clinic doors to more than 500,000 Veterans by 2013 who have been regrettably excluded from VA medical care benefits since 2003.
Provides the resources to achieve this level of service while maintaining high quality and timely care for lower-income and service-disabled Veterans who currently rely on VA medical care. Provides greater benefits for Veterans who are medically retired from active duty, allowing for the first time all military retirees to keep their full VA disability compensation along with their retired pay. Provides the resources for effective implementation of the post-9/11 GI Bill – providing unprecedented levels of educational support to the men and women who have served our country through active military duty. Supports additional specialty care in such areas as prosthetics, vision and spinal cord injury, aging, and women's health. New VA Centers of Excellence will focus on improving these critical services. Addresses the tragic fact of homelessness among Veterans. It expands VA's current services through a collaborative pilot program with non-profit organizations that is aimed at maintaining stable housing for vulnerable Veterans at risk of homelessness, while providing them with supportive services to help them get back on their feet through job training, preventive care, and other critical services. Provides the necessary investments to carry VA services to rural communities that are too often unable to access VA care. Expands VA mental health screening and treatment with a focus on reaching Veterans in rural areas in part through an increase in Vet Centers and mobile health clinics. New outreach funding will help rural Veterans and their families stay informed of these resources and encourage them to pursue needed care. [Source: VA News Release 26 Feb 09 ++]
RECALL PROGRAM: The Secretary of the Air Force has approved implementation of a Limited Period Recall Program and a Retired Rated Officer Recall Program for Lt Cols and below. These programs are designed to allow Reserve Rated Officers and Retired Reserve Rated Officers under age 60 to return to the Active Duty force to fill flying, UAS and staff billets in the CONUS and overseas. Officers will be recalled for periods between 24 and 48 months depending upon the requirement. Officers recalled under these programs will not be eligible to receive aviator continuation pay. Also, by volunteering for recall, officers will be eligible for deployment. The following guidelines apply specifically to the Retired Rated Officer Recall Program: -- Retired regular and reserve officers in the grades of lieutenant colonel
and below are eligible to apply -- Applicants must be under age 60 to apply -- Officers retired via a Selective Early Retirement Board are eligible -- Officers permanently retired for a physical disability are ineligible The following guidelines apply specifically to the Limited Period Recall Program: -- Applicants must be Air Reserve Component rated officers in the grades of lieutenant colonel and below. -- ARC officers who separated from active duty from any branch of service because of strength reduction and officers separated from active for nonselection for promotion are eligible to apply. This is an Active Duty initiative, but in keeping with the Total Force concept ARPC supports this effort. The application period runs through 31 Dec 09. Applicant duty history, availability, and qualifications will be matched against available billets by an Active Duty assignment officer at AFPC. An offer will then be extended and can be accepted or declined within 14 days. Conditions involving length of commitment, deployment eligibility, and other restrictions apply. For more information and application instructions, refer to http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/library/voluntaryreturntoactiveduty.asp and to the AFPC "ASK" website at http://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil (enter 'Limited Period Recall Program' or 'Retired Rated Officer Recall Program' in the search field at top right). You can also call the Air Force Contact Center at 1-800-616-3775, commercial 210-565-5000 and choose the "active duty" menu options provided. After 22 FEB 09, the number changes to 1-800-5250102. [Source: ARPC/DPAF msg. 28 Jan 09 ++] THUNDERBIRDS 2009 SHOW SCHEDULE: The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, "Thunderbirds," has announced its 2009 air show schedule. In their 56th season, the Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform more than 73 shows in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Far East. Entering his second season, Lt. Col. Greg Thomas, the team's commander and leader, welcomes the opportunity to again represent the nearly 700,000 active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilian Airmen, serving in the United States and overseas. Colonel Thomas will join 11 officers and more than 120 enlisted Airmen during the 2009 air show season. "We are focused on making this season thrilling for audiences from Ocean City, Maryland, to the Far East. Our team comes from over 30 specialties throughout the Air Force; they are proud to represent their fellow Airmen who continually execute the Air Force mission, which is to Fly, Fight and Win ... in air, space and cyberspace." A
Thunderbirds aerial demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines. The pilots perform approximately 40 maneuvers in a demonstration. The entire show, including ground and air, runs about one hour. The 2009 schedule is as follows: MAY 2-3 —— Robins AFB, GA LEGISLATION of INTEREST UPDATE: In spite of a busy week working on economic stimulus packages, legislators found time to introduce several additional bills to assist the military community. • H.R. 775 (Rep. Ortiz, D-TX) would repeal the requirement to deduct VA survivor benefits from military Survivor Benefit Plan annuities. • H.R. 613 (Rep. Jones, R-NC) would allow a survivor to keep the entire retired pay for the month in which a servicemember dies. Current practice requires the government to recoup the money and pro-rate it based on the date of death. • H.R. 235 (Rep. Berman, D-CA) would repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision, which reduce Social Security annuities for many federal civilian retirees and survivors, as well as thousands of teachers and other state employees. • H.R. 593 (Rep. Smith, D-WA) would better protect against deduction of VA disability compensation from military disability severance pay in instances of combat- or operations-related disabilities. A narrow interpretation of the recent law change on this topic covers only injuries occurring in a combat zone - excluding those incurred in combat training or other operations-related accidents. [Source: MOAA Legislative Update 30 Jan 09 ++] DISNEY‘S ARMED FORCES SALUTE: On 4 JAN the Walt Disney Company started its ―Disney‘s Armed Forces Salute‖ offer. All active and retired military personnel, including activated members of the National Guard and Reserve are included. There are two separate offers: At Disneyland in California through 12 JUN 09 all qualified members can receive one complimentary three-day pass valid for admission to both Disneyland and Disney‘s California Adventure parks. Additionally the qualified member can also make a one-time purchase of adult or child three-day ―Disney‘s Armed Forces Salute Companion tickets for up to five family members or friends for the price of a 1-day Park Hopper ticket. For more information for the Disneyland offer call (714) 956-6424.
At the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, through 23 DEC 09, active or retired members may obtain one complimentary five-day ―Disney‘s Armed Forces Salute‖ ticket with Park Hopper and Water Park Fun & More Options. This ticket is valid for five days of admission to all four theme parks, plus a total of five visits to either the Walt Disney water parks or the DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park. Additionally, the member can purchase up to five 5-day ―Companion‖ tickets for $99 per ticket, plus tax. Although the Park Hopper or water park options are not valid for the ―Companion‖ tickets, these options can be added for an additional $25 per ticket, plus tax. For more info on the Disney World offer or to make reservations call the ITT ticket office on your base or refer to http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?n ame=Promo&promotionCode=fy09military&market=fy09military&CMP=VANWDWFY09MilitaryOfferVanity. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 9 Jan 09 ++] VA VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION UPDATE : A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded the Veterans Affairs Department needs to use more sophisticated workforce planning tools to ensure its Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VT&E) Program has staff with the skills to address the increasingly complicated needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, "Many [wounded service members] are surviving with multiple serious injuries and illnesses, including amputations, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder," the GAO report said. "While some service members will be able to remain on active duty, others will need comprehensive services as they transition into civilian life and work." VA's Veterans Benefits Administration runs the VR&E program. Of the 57 offices nationwide surveyed by GAO they found: • 54% said they have enough counselors to meet demand, while 40% said they needed more employment coordinators. • 30% of the offices reported that counselors' skills only moderately met the needs of the veterans they served, while 30% said the same skills gap existed with respect to their employment coordinators. • 90% reported caseloads have become more complex as veterans' needs become more challenging, • 80% noted that the agency was only somewhat prepared to meet future demands, while 12% said the agency was not prepared to meet rising needs. GAO reported that those estimates could actually understate the magnitude of the difficulties facing the program. A 2004 task force recommended that VA study how long it takes counselors to complete their major duties. The report
is planned for 2009, and VA will publish its results in 2010. Without those numbers it is difficult for VR&E to establish an appropriate ratio between caseloads and counselors and employment coordinators. The agency based its current target of 125 veterans to one counselor on a study of state vocational rehabilitation programs. But the VR&E workforce rehabilitation system, unlike those administered at the state level is a more complicated five-step process. And VR&E is not even meeting its caseload target. GAO said the regional offices estimated that the average counselor handles cases for 136 veterans. VR&E has increased headquarters staff in recent years, from 33 in fiscal 2004 to 55 in fiscal 2008. The number of regional workers has grown from 917 in fiscal 2004 to 1,101 in fiscal 2008. The program can also refer veterans to counselors who work with VR&E on a contract basis. GAO's report said it was unclear whether those staff increases were sufficient or whether existing workers were being used appropriately. "Staff time may not be used efficiently, as many regional office staff we interviewed and surveyed said much of their time was spent on redundant paperwork and data entry requirements that reduced the amount of time they spent with veterans". Former Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake, who responded to the report in a 29 DEC letter, said the agency would award a contract for a workforce survey by SEP 09. But he disagreed with GAO's assessment that counselors and employment coordinators might not have the requisite skills to assist returning veterans. "The Veterans Benefits Administration has clearly defined critical skills and competencies needed by vocational rehabilitation counselor positions," Peake wrote. "Entry-level counselors are required to possess specific master's level educational credentials in the field of rehabilitation to be eligible for hire." [Source: GovExec.com Alyssa Rosenberg article 29 Jan PROPERTY INSURANCE: Heads up for Florida homeowner vets. After selling property insurance in Florida for more than 60 years, State Farm Insurance plans to leave the business in less than three years. Unless it can charge higher rates, the company says, its Florida unit will be insolvent by the end of 2011. The company claims it's hemorrhaging $20 million a month. ''If we have any further weakening of our financial condition, it would really hamper our ability to pay all of our claims going forward,'' said State Farm Florida President Jim Thompson. The impact of State Farm Florida's drastic move goes well beyond the mad scramble of customers who own 1.2 million policies -insuring homes, condo units, rentals, mobile homes, boats, liability and commercial property -- to find new insurers. The company employs about 5,000 people in Florida. As many as another 5,100 work for its 850 agents operating out of Florida. In a 25-page document presented by State Farm Florida to state
regulators 27 JAN the firm said it had no immediate plans to cut staff. However, State Farm agents would be unlikely to maintain their staffs if they could not write property insurance, which represents about 50% of their business. Many regulators, legislators and policyholders were angry and dismayed that State Farm would pull out of the property business over losses and yet continue to write lucrative auto coverage. It also will continue to sell life insurance, annuities and financial services products. Gov. Charlie Crist effectively bid State Farm ''good riddance'' when he heard of the company's proposed action. ''They probably charge the highest rates in the state anyway. Floridians will be much better off without them,'' the governor said. ''You can't just cherry-pick the lines you want to write,'' said State Rep. Julio Robaina, R-Miami. Robaina was referring to a law passed two years ago that aimed to prevent insurers from keeping the money-making businesses and dumping the rest. However, the law has applied to few, if any, companies. State Farm sells much of its auto policies through other units and through its parent company, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance. Losing coverage for State Farm policyholders wouldn't be immediate. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has 90 days to review and approve or reject State Farm's plan. If it is approved, State Farm then has to give 180 day notice to those policyholders it plans to terminate. In the documents submitted to OIR Tuesday, the company said approximately 470,000 policies would be eliminated in the first year. [Source: Miami Herald Beatrice E. Garcias article 27 Jab 08 ++] VA HEARING AIDS/EYEGLASSES UPDATE: A new directive allows VA to provide glasses and hearing aids to those who are not service connected for those conditions (Priority Groups 6-8). In the past these were available only to those service connected for the condition. These services are now considered part of the preventative care package for all veterans enrolled in the VA who meet certain criteria. The link : http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1789 outlines the requirements for obtaining eye glasses and hearing aids. Veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system are eligible for battery replacement and repair of hearing aids even though those aids were purchased from a private source. Even though glasses and hearing aids may be provided at no charge, there may be a co-pay required for those in group 6-8. Audiology is a specialty clinic with a $50 dollar co-pay for some services. There is no co-
pay for the devices or the batteries. Nor are there any charges for visits for the purpose of adjusting, repairing or modifying hearing aids. [Source: VHA DIRECTIVE 2008-070 dtd 28 Oct 08 ++] TRICARE USER FEE UPDATE 28: A new report from the Congressional Budget Office shows why some military retirees and veterans could face higher out-of-pocket costs if the Obama administration and Congress take bold moves to reform the U.S. health system and to make federal health programs more efficient. Among 115 "options" presented, though not endorsed, in the CBO report, several focus on raising TRICARE outof-pocket costs for retirees and one for families. Others would tighten access to VA hospitals and clinics, or raise VA health fees, for veterans with no serviceconnected conditions. Working-age military retirees will find here some of those familiar cost-saving ideas endorsed by the Bush administration to raise TRICARE fees, co-payments and deductibles for retirees under age 62 and their spouses. But other options are new and, if enacted into law, would raise health costs for Medicare-eligible military retirees and for active duty families. One option suggests having the VA health system disenroll millions of current users who have no service-related injuries or ailments. Every two years CBO presents daring options for Congress and the executive branch to weigh in trying to control federal spending. The new report, "Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care," is unusual in that it focuses entirely health care, an Obama policy priority, and its arrival is unscheduled. It's also significant that the CBO director who led this work was Peter R. Orszag, President-elect Obama's nominee to be his director of the Office of Management and Budget. OMB is responsible for assembling the president's annual budget request to Congress. How bold will his economic team be? "We are going to go through our federal budget, as I promised during the campaign, page by page, line by line, eliminating those programs we don't need and insisting that those that we do need operate in a sensible, cost-effective way," Obama said in November as he announced Orszag's nomination to join his cabinet. "We're also going to focus on one of the biggest, long-run challenges that our budget faces, namely the rising cost of health care in both the public and private sectors," Obama continued. "This is not just a challenge but also an opportunity to improve the health care that Americans rely on, and to bring down the costs that taxpayers, businesses and families have to pay. That is what [OMB] will do in my administration." Obama added, "Peter doesn't need a map to tell him where the bodies are buried in the federal budget. He knows what works and what doesn't, what's worth our precious tax dollars and what is not."
Indeed, in the CBO report's preface, Orszag gets special thanks for having conceived the report and being instrumental in its development. Many of its options deal with adjustments to Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance rules and the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan for federal civilians. Most ideas are aimed at cutting costs but some would enhance benefits. The 226-page report can be read online at http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9925/12-18-HealthOptions.pdf. Here are some options that would touch military people and veterans: • TRICARE for Working-Age Retirees (Option 96) – Fees, co-payments and deductibles would be raised for retirees under 62 to restore the relative costs paid when TRICARE began in 1995. TRICARE Prime enrollment would be raised to $550 a year for individuals from $230. Retiree families would pay $1100 versus $460 today. Co-pays for doctor visits would climb to $28 from $12 and users of TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra would pay an annual deductible of $350 for an individual and $700 for families. Congress has declined to support such increases for the past three years. • Fees for Active Duty Families – Dependents of active duty members enrolled in TRICARE Prime, the managed care network, would pay new fees equal to 10% of the cost of health services obtained either in military treatment facilities or through civilian network providers. Total out of pocket costs would be capped, however. To help offset these costs, dependents would receive a $500 non-taxable allowance annually. Those who elect to use alternative health insurance, rather than TRICARE, could apply the $500 toward their health insurance premiums, co-payments or deductibles. CBO estimates these fees would save $7 billion over 10 years and encourage Prime enrollees to "use medical services prudently." It also would entice more spouses to enroll in employer-provided health plans instead of TRICARE. The downside, CBO said, would be financial difficulties for some Prime enrollees despite the cap on out-of-pocket costs. Also, CBO said, spouses induced to rely on employer health plans could see health coverage interrupted during military assignment relocations. • TRICARE-For-Life Fees (Option 97) – The military's health insurance supplement to Medicare could see higher user costs. Under this option, beneficiaries would pay the first $525 of yearly medical costs plus one half
of the next $4725 of costs charged to Medicare. So the extra out-of-pocket cost for TFL users would be up to $2887.50 a year. This amount would be indexed to rise with Medicare costs. The change would save $40 billion over 10 years. But CBO said it also could discourage some patients from seeking preventive care or proper management of chronic conditions. So it could negatively affect some patients' health. • Tighten VA Enrollment – The VA healthcare system would be directed to disenroll 2.3 million Priority Groups 7 and 8 -- individuals who are not poor and have no service-related medical needs. Estimated savings would be $53 billion over 10 years but Medicare spending would rise by $26 billion in the same period as elderly among these vets shifted to Medicare. CBO said 90 percent of these vets have other health care coverage. But this change could leave up to 10% unable to find affordable care. [Source: Military.com Tom Philpott article 31 Dec 08 ++] WRITE YOUR CONGRESS PEOPLE AND SENATE PEOPLE!!!!!! VETERANS ISSUES UPDATE : A roundtable discussion aimed at creating a consensus among military and veterans groups about top priorities for the year ahead, focused on how solving some longstanding problems might be especially important today to veterans and their families who are being hurt by the national economic crisis. The discussion involving 36 organizations representing current and former service members was sponsored by the House Veterans‘ Affairs Committee, which has responsibility over some, but not all, veterans programs. In comparing the views of the groups, committee staff came up with five shared priorities: advance appropriations for veterans‘ programs, fixing disability compensation, improving mental health treatment, implementing the new Post-9/11 GI Bill in August and smoothing the transition from military to civilian life. None of those issues are new, and the problems have proven difficult to fix. Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) the veterans‘ committee chairman, said Congress has tried to eliminate a backlog of disability claims that have forced veterans to wait, on average, more than 180 days for a simple claim to be approved and years of delay if the claim is complicated. Congress boosted VA staff so that more people are processing claims, which may be a long-term solution — but while new employees are being found and trained, ―the backlog is growing,‖ Filner said. Congress has faced similar problems in trying to improve job training and rehabilitation programs, creating programs that reduce homelessness and expanding access to veterans‘ health care. John Rowan,
president of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), and representatives from the Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) all backed the idea of making quick improvements in veterans programs to help people who have lost jobs or health insurance because of the economic slump. Rowan had the most ambitious idea, proposing to create a new VA division for economic independence that would oversee small business, job training, vocational rehabilitation programs and reintegration efforts for injured and disabled veterans. Rowan said the idea would be to take programs spread throughout the government, where they are the ―step-children of some other agency,‖ and make them into veterans‘ programs. Cutting the processing time for disability checks would be of immediate help to veterans who have lost jobs and also might reduce homelessness among veterans, said Richard Schneider of the NCOA. ―This nation is in an unemployment crisis,‖ he said. ―We need to fix the claims backlog. It will help the homeless issue. It will help the unemployment issue. It is a tragedy that people have waited years to be paid.‖ Chris Needham of VFW said veterans programs also could help people who lose health insurance when they lose their jobs if VA uses existing waiver authority that would consider current income — and not income over the previous 12 months — when deciding whether they qualify as low-income veterans, which allows them to qualify for health care even if they do not have service-connected medical problems. A smaller group of six veterans‘ organizations will testify 28 JAN before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee about their priorities for the 2010 VA budget. [Source: AirForceTimes Rick maze article 27 Jan 09 ++] NURSING HOMES UPDATE: All states have a Nursing Facility Medicaid program that provides general health coverage plus coverage for nursing home services. These services include room and board, nursing care, personal care and therapy services. Nursing Facility Medicaid may pay for a stay in a nursing home if you need a ―nursing-home level of care‖ or meet nursing home ―functional eligibility criteria; and have income and assets below certain guidelines. Different states have different standards for determining whether you need a ―nursing home level-of-care,‖ but generally look at your ability to function. For example, your state might assess whether you need help with activities of daily living—basic everyday activities such as getting in and out of bed, dressing, bathing, eating and using the bathroom. While Medicare covers some skilled nursing facility care, it will only cover this care for a limited amount of time (up to 100 days in a benefit period) if you meet certain criteria. If you do not meet Medicare‘s requirements for the skilled nursing facility benefit or you have reached Medicare‘s limit of covered
skilled care, Medicaid may pay for this care. When you have Nursing Facility Medicaid, you still have Medicare coverage for the medical services you need aside from your nursing care. For example, if you need to go to the hospital or need to go to a doctor or specialist‘s office, Medicare will pay first for most of these medical services and Medicaid will pay second by covering your remaining costs, such as the Medicare coinsurances, copayments and deductibles. Medicaid may also pay for some medical services that are not covered by Medicare, such as routine dental care. In order to qualify for Nursing Facility Medicaid, you will need to meet financial guidelines in addition to meeting functional eligibility guidelines. You can have income higher than you could have if you did not need nursing home care and still qualify for Medicaid. Your state may have: • Higher Medicaid income guidelines for people who need nursing home care than for those who do not; and/or • A ―spend-down‖ or ―medically needy‖ program. Spend-down programs are meant for people who have income higher than would normally qualify them for Medicaid coverage, but who have medical expenses that significantly reduce their usable income. Some things to be aware of if you are thinking of applying for Nursing Facility Medicaid: • Nursing Facility Medicaid programs will consider you and your spouse together when looking at your income and assets, but you will be able to set aside a certain amount of your income and assets for your spouse to keep. This amount will not be counted when you apply for Medicaid. • If you qualify for Nursing Facility Medicaid, you will be able to keep a small amount of your income for a personal allowance. The amount that you can keep for yourself varies by state. Contact your local Medicaid office for the exact amount in your state. You will have to pay the remainder of your income to the nursing home. • Medicaid has a ―look-back period‖ of up to five years. This means that Medicaid will look at any assets you have transferred in the past few years when determining eligibility and when Medicaid coverage will begin. If Medicaid determines that you have transferred assets in violation of the Medicaid rules, it can penalize you by not paying for part or all of your nursing home stay. • If you own your home, be sure to talk to an elder law attorney about how it will affect your Medicaid eligibility and coverage. Depending on your circumstances, the equity from your home may count as an asset. When you no longer need long-term care, or when you are deceased, your assets may be used
to repay Medicaid for the care that it covered for you. To find out more about Nursing Facility Medicaid in your state, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) refer to www.shiptalk.org/Public/home.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fDefault.aspx . For specific eligibility criteria, or to apply, contact your local Medicaid office. To find the Medicaid office nearest you, refer to www.medicareinteractive.org/frames.php?URL=http://64.82.65.67/medicaid/state s. html [Source: Medicaid Interactive Section VIII.c. Medicaid and Medicare 9 Dec 08 ++]
ESTATE PLANNING: The website www.willsforvets.com is dedicated to assisting U.S. veterans in their estate planning. Each member of their team has agreed to provide, on a pro-bono basis, ―basic‖ estate planning documents to any U.S. veteran upon request. There is also a Questions & Answers page on the site to answer any questions you may have regarding the below estate planning documents, the information needed to prepare them on your behalf, and the protections they provide your family and you. The legal services are provided in appreciation of each veteran‘s service to our country and protection of our democracy. To obtain assistance it is necessary to complete their online form at www.willsforvets.com/Contact_Us.html with your basic contact data and a brief description of the assistance you are looking for. You should receive a response within 7 workdays identifying a pro-bono attorney who will help you. There is no income level prerequisite but the services are designed for vets just getting by in today‘s environment or scheduled to be deployed. The documents you should have on hand to ensure proper handling of your estate are: • Last Will & Testament: Written document that sets forth the manner in which you want your assets to pass to your heirs (spouse, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc.) upon death. The document appoints the individual(s) whom you desire to administer (pay your creditors, file final tax return, distribute your assets to your beneficiaries) your estate Without the document, your state of residence will statutorily determine to whom your assets will pass and who will serve as the administrator (personal representative, executor) of your estate. • Power of Attorney: Written instructions in which you designate another
individual (the "agent") to make financial decisions on your behalf. The document is typically utilized in the event that you: (i) are rendered incapable of making your own financial decisions; (ii) are unavailable; or (iii) require assistance. The powers granted to the agent may be limited to a particular activity (real estate transaction) or be overly broad (cover everything). The agents powers may: (i) take effect immediately or upon the occurrence of a future event (springing power); and (ii) be temporary or permanent authority to act on your behalf. • Health Care Directive: Written instructions that set forth what actions should be taken for your health in the event you are unable to make health care decisions on your own behalf (due to illness or incapacity). The document appoints the individual ("health care surrogate") to make all necessary medical decisions in the event you are unable to express your preferences. • Living Will: Written instructions which allow you to determine how you want to be treated in certain medical conditions (given life-sustaining treatments in the event you are terminally ill or injured or provided food and water via intravenous devices). The document may also appoint an individual to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so. "Life-sustaining treatment" means the use of available medical machinery and techniques, such as heart-lung machines, ventilators, and other medical equipment and techniques that will sustain and possibly extend your life, but which will not by themselves cure your condition. In addition to terminal illness or injury situations, most states permit you to express your preferences as to treatment using life-sustaining equipment and/or tube feeding for medical conditions that leave you permanently unconscious and without detectable brain activity. [Source: Marc J. Soss www.willsforvets.com Jan 09 ++] CENSUS BUREAU JOB RECRUITING: Conducting the census is a huge undertaking. Thousands of census takers are needed to update address lists and conduct interviews with community residents. Most positions require a valid driver's license and use of a vehicle. However, public transportation may be authorized in certain areas. The Bureau is recruiting temporary part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. The hours are flexible, and the work is close to home. Census takers receive competitive pay on a weekly basis. In addition, you will be reimbursed for authorized mileage and related expenses. Census taker jobs are excellent for retirees, college students, persons who want to work parttime, persons who are between jobs, or just about anyone who wants to earn extra money while performing an important service for their community. To
apply call the Jobs line at 1-866-861-2010 and schedule an appointment to take the employment test. TTY users should call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800877-8339. Or, got to http://www.census.gov/2010censusjobs/howtoapply.php and use their interactive map to find the local phone number of the Census office nearest you. Applications can be completed online and downloaded using the Documents section the website. Bring your completed application and I-9 Form to your scheduled testing session. Applicants will be hired from almost every community and are selected based on the hiring needs of each particular area. Qualified applicants are contacted to work as Census jobs become available. Most hiring will take place FEB through MAY 09. In addition to applying to be a census taker there are other jobs available in Regional Offices that you can apply for: Go to http://www.census.gov/field/www and click on the map to visit one of the 12 regional offices for details on available positions and salaries. For additional info go to www.census.gov/2010census and click on JOBS. [Source: www.census.gov/2010census/ Nov 08 ++] GI BILL UPDATE : Veterans Affairs Department officials said on 22 JAN that President Obama‘s government-wide freeze on implementing regulations prepared by the Bush administration will not delay work on rules covering the Post-9/11 GI Bill. After months of negotiation with Bush administration regulators at the White House Office of Management and Budget, VA published proposed rules for the benefits program 23 DEC. Comments received through 24 JAN will be used in preparing final regulations. The new GI Bill program, which promises to cover full tuition at a four-year public college or university plus living and book allowances, takes effect 1 AUG. VA spokesman Steve Westerfeld said the freeze on regulations ordered by Obama on Tuesday, his first day in office, prevents the publication of proposed rules and halts issuance of final rules — but it does not delay work on the GI Bill rules, which are ―proposed‖ in their current form and are not yet final. ―VA will continue to review the comments submitted on the proposed rule,‖ Westerfeld said. It will draft final rules that will be reviewed by the new VA secretary, Eric Shinseki, who was sworn in on 21 JAN, and by Obama‘s team at the Office of Management and Budget, Westerfield said. Shinseki told Congress during his confirmation hearing that implementing the GI Bill on time and without problems is one of his top priorities. In a statement issued after he took the oath of office, Shinseki, a retired general and former Army chief of staff, said he plans to develop a 2010 budget within 90 days that pushes forward on Obama‘s goal of transforming VA into a ―people-centric, resultsdriven and forward-looking‖ organization. Launching the GI Bill, streamlining the VA disability claims system, expanding access to VA health care and
improving care for returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are other top items on his agenda, the statement said. [Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze article 23 Jan 09 ++] TRICARE RESERVE SELECT UPDATE : Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH05) has introduced HR270, identical to HR6185 which he introduced late in the 110th congress. This bill would authorize our Gray Area Retirees to purchase Tricare Standard under the Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) program no later than 1 OCT 09 at a premium equal to the full cost of coverage to Department of Defense (DoD) to be determined by the Secretary of Defense on an actuarial basis. Effective 1 JAN 09, DoD corrected its monthly rates charged for TRS to $47.51 for individuals and $253.00 for family coverage. By statute, the premium DoD charges TRS beneficiaries is supposed to cover 28% of the actual cost of coverage incurred by DoD. Based on the current TRS rates at 28% of actual costs, the full cost to DoD for TRICARE Standard that would be charged to retirees under the Latta bill would be $169.68 for individuals and $901.57 for families. Gray area retirees should compare these rates to comparable coverage under private insurance plans to determine how beneficial this would be to them. the national Guard Association of the United states (NGAUS) supports the Latta bill, which directly addresses one of their prioritized resolutions. At present they are searching for sponsors of a companion bill in the Senate. If you have not done so already, you are urged to support this legislative effort by contacting your Congressional representatives and request they sign-on to the bill. [Source: NGAUS Leg Up 23 Jan 09 ++] VA MEDICAL FOSTER HOME: VA‘s new medical foster home (MFH) program is helping veterans with home care and assistive devices when they are too old or infirm to live alone. It has been implemented at a number VA facilities and VHA plans to expand their program to 31 more sites. MFH is a unique partnership of adult foster home and Home Based Primary Care (HBPC), or Spinal Cord Injury Home Care (SCI-HC) serving those veterans that are in need of greater care. The program is designed to help veterans when they no longer can live alone. The veteran can choose to live in a home-like environment while they continue to receive their primary healthcare through the VA. In the past, many veterans living alone with no family support would have had to be placed into a nursing home. MFH offers a safe, favorable, and less costly alternative. MFH finds a caregiver in the community who is willing to take a veteran into their home and provide 24-hour supervision as well as needed personal assistance. The expectation is that this is a long-term commitment, where the veteran may live for the remainder of his/her life. Veterans who enter MFH are enrolled for VA
healthcare and all meet one or more criteria for nursing home as well as HBPC criteria and must be enrolled in that program. The cost of the MFH is the responsibility of the veteran who pays for his care using his own personal funds that may include a monthly benefit check from the VA; the veteran may receive concurrent home hospice care. All homes will be required to meet VA guidelines and any applicable state requirements. The benefits of this program are that sponsors are able to give back to our Nation‘s veterans, augment their income, and gain companionship while veterans are able to live in a compassionate and home-like environment, with needed supervision and support. The caregivers are paid on average $1200 to $2400 per month to provide this care. This includes room and board, 24-hour supervision, assistance with medications, and whatever personal care is needed. MFH is a very costeffective alternative to nursing home placement and an opportunity for the caregiver to work from home. More than 400 veterans have been placed in MFH homes thus far. This program has been very successful at VA Medical Centers across the country and is currently implemented in: Augusta, GA 706-733-0188 x 7579 Bay Pines, FL 727-398-6661 x 2609 Boston, MA 857-203-5681 Fayetteville, AR 479-587-5805 Little Rock, AR 501-257-2048 Memphis, TN 901-523-8990 x 7748 Miami, FL 305-575-7000 x 3674 Salem, VA 540-982-2463 x 2147 Salt Lake City, UT 801-582-1565 x 2180 San Juan, PR 787-641-7582 x 19800 Sioux Falls, SD 605-333-6861 St Louis, MO 314-652-4100 x 66387 Tampa, FL 813-903-3611 If you have questions, know of community members who might be interesting in serving as a caregiver, or of a veteran in need of MFH assistance contact the MFH Coordinator at your local VA Medical Center. For veterans in need of any other services, contact the nearest VA Medical Center and ask for the Social Work Service: http://vaww1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1 . To determine availability of MFH in your area, contact (813) 610-0859 (east of the Mississippi) or (612) 396-8666 (west of the Mississippi). [Source: VA Public Relations Office 26 Feb 09 ++]
TRICARE TAX FREE PREMIUMS Update:
Military and federal civilian retirees would be able to pay their monthly health care premiums with pre-tax dollars under a bill reintroduced 25 FEB. Though a section of the Internal Revenue Code lets employees in the public and private sectors pay for health insurance with pretax dollars, it does not authorize employers to make this premium conversion benefit available to retirees. Active federal employees now pay their premiums with pre-tax dollars under the so-called premium conversion benefit. One of the bill‘s sponsors, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA 11th) said extending the benefit to retirees is only fair. ―In these trying economic times, the need has never been greater to make health insurance more affordable for federal and military retirees,‖ Connolly said in a statement. ―Federal and military retirees lose ground every year as health insurance premiums skyrocket, and this premium conversion bill will provide them with much-needed tax relief.‖ Lawmakers say expanding premium conversion to retirees would save each participant $820 per year. The bill would also allow active-duty military members to apply a pre-tax rebate to the supplemental insurance premiums many service members purchase to cover gaps in Tricare coverage. The Federal and Military Retiree Health Care Equity Act HR.1203 is co-sponsored by 15 other lawmakers. Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., plans to introduce a similar bill in the Senate. Veterans are requested to ask their legislators to cosponsor this legislation. One simple way to do this is to use USDR‘s Action alert at http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12787701&queueid=[capwiz:queue_i d] by entering your zip code to activate an automatic transmission of a cosponsor request message to you representative. [Source: AirForceTimes Stephen Losey article 25 Feb 09 ++] TRICARE USER FEE Update: Following is a letter sent by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman to a member of FRA Branch 20 in Groton CT in response to his query on the rumored Tricare For Life budget cuts. It is self explanatory and should be widely disseminated in the military community: February 19, 2009 Dear Mr. Serabian: Thank you for contacting me regarding rumored cuts in benefit programs for military retirees, including TRICARE for Life. Currently, a wealth of false and misleading information is being distributed on this matter; and I welcome the opportunity to explain the source of the confusion. I am aware of several chain emails, online discussion boards, blogs, and even articles in well-intentioned veterans' publications that imply that President Obama
and Congress plan on eliminating TRICARE for Life. The insinuations put forth by these sources are false. The source of these stories is a report issued by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), entitled Budget Options Volume 1: Heath Care, released in December 2008. Before jumping to conclusions about the report itself, however, it is important to know exactly what the CBO is. CBO is a nonpartisan federal agency, tasked with providing Congress with cost estimates for the many legislative proposals considered each year. It also periodically offers Congress suggestions for adjusting federal spending. CBO is an information gathering body for Members of Congress. Its recommendations about the budget are completely non binding; and its officers do not draft actual policy, legislation, or law. The Budget Options report in question offers a total of 115 options for reducing (or, in some cases, increasing) federal spending on health care, only three of which relate to TRICARE. These options are merely suggestions, not policy statements or actual legislation. Reports such as this one are routine, and very few options or recommendations made by CBO are typically acted upon. President Obama has not indicated support for the three recommendations in this report related to TRICARE, nor has any Member of Congress, to the best of my knowledge. Any suggestion that the Administration is affiliated with this report ignores the fact that it was drafted by the CBO - which, again, is an advisory body of the legislative branch, not the executive branch. You may also be interested to know that both the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) have issued statements condemning the aforementioned rumors that are being perpetuated through these chain emails. I hope that you have found this letter informative, and I encourage you to share this information with members of your community who are concerned about issues relating to military retirees. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, please be assured of my continued commitment to protecting the various interests of all those who have fought tirelessly to protect our cherished freedoms. Thank you again for sharing your views and concerns with me. I hope you will continue to visit my website at http://lieberman.senate.gov for updated news about my work on behalf of Connecticut and the nation. Please contact me if you have any additional questions or comments about our work in Congress.
Sincerely, Joseph I. Lieberman UNITED STATES SENATOR JIL:bjm [Source: Paul Serabian msg, received 21 Feb 09 ++] COLA 2010 Update: The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the January consumer price index (CPI), the metric used to calculate the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA). For the first time this fiscal year, the metric actually increased, at least partially eating away at the 5.0% hole left by months of deflation. Cumulative inflation for FY09 now stands at a -4.5%. The four-month cumulative inflation figure hasn't been this low in the last 40 years. If inflation is negative for the entire year, retirees would see no COLA. The law doesn't allow a negative COLA for military retired pay, SBP, Social Security, etc. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 20 Feb 09 ++] HAVE YOU HEARD: After 9/11an old Submarine veteran asked the CNO to return him to active duty and send him to the middle east. Of course the CNO refused, and told the old submariner he had served his time on patrol and should relax and enjoy his golden years. The 'ole Chief wasn't at all pleased, so he wrote the Secretary of the Navy with the same request. Back came the reply for him to enjoy his golden years, because this war was a young man's war and there was no place for him. That really pissed him off, so he wrote his congressman a long, heart wrenching letter explaining in great detail just why he felt he should be returned to active duty. Back came the reply almost word for word, the same as the SecNav response....... The 'ole Chief was livid. He went down to the beach in Norfolk Virginia, bought a rowboat, and vowing to get to the Persian Gulf one way or the other, he set out rowing his boat and singing the …‖Anchors away my boys, Anchors away " ........... and off he rowed for the gulf. Saint Peter had been watching this grizzled 'ole CPO all the while, and was at first amused by it all but had grown increasingly concerned as the Chief displayed his commitment to his objective. Saint Peter finally turned to God for advice on how to deal with this unwavering old salt. After hearing the saga unfold, God advised Saint Peter to be merciful and take the Chief's brain, since that was the center of thought, and he would simply abandon the idea about getting to the Persian Gulf. Now, having taken God's advice and removing the Chief's brain, St. Peter observed little if any change in the Gunny's behavior. He continued to row his boat and sing at the top of his voice "Anchors away my boys, anchors away ".......
A little frustrated at the lack of results of his efforts, St. Peter turned again to his God and asked, "Now what?" God said, "Well OK, take his heart, because not even an old sewerpipe sailor can function without a heart. So, that should end it." But when St. Peter had completed his task, and removed the Chief's heart, he was again amazed that little if any change could be observed in the Chief's behavior as he continued to row his boat and sing " Anchors away my boys, anchors away "....... at-the-top-of-his-voice. Once again, St. Peter asked God for assistance with this unusual situation for which there seemed to be no solution. This time God responded by suggesting that St. Peter should remove the old boat sailor's testicles, since it's a well known fact that steely eyed killers of the deep can't function without their testicles. Otherwise, what would be the reason for submariners having the worldwide reputation of having the balls to do the impossible? Convinced this was the answer, St. Peter went to work and removed the 'ole Chief's balls. Again, St. Peter observed the submariner, this time with his balls, brains and heart removed, rowing in a never ending circle singing, "Off
we go, into the wild blue yonder."
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Robin’s News Airman & Family Readiness 926-1256 Please find attached the criteria for the annual Volunteer Excellence Award (VEA). This award will be presented to the honored recipient at the annual Volunteer Appreciation reception to be held in April during National Volunteer Week. Please read the criteria carefully and submit nomination packages via e-mail to Mr. Mike Bullard at Michael.Bullard@robins.af.mil or mail packages to 78 FSS/FSFR, ATTN: Michael Bullard by March 13. For more information, please call Mr. Michael Bullard or Ms. Julie Thompson at 926-1256. GUIDANCE FOR ROBINS AFB, GEORGIA AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE AWARD
AWARD DESCRIPTION: The Air Force Volunteer Excellence Award (VEA) was established to recognize federal civilians, family members, military
retirees and federal retirees who perform outstanding volunteer community service of a sustained, direct and consequential nature. AWARD ELIGIBILITY: Authorized by United States Air Force Chief of Staff, for federal civilians, family members, military retirees, and federal retirees who perform outstanding volunteer community service. To be eligible, an individual‘s service must be performed either in the local civilian community, or the military family community, and be of a sustained and direct nature. The volunteer service must be significant in character, produce tangible results and reflect favorably on the United States Air Force. To be awarded the VEA, eligible persons must be nominated by their supervisor or by the voluntary agency for which they donated their service, in the form of a memorandum. The VEA is intended to recognize exceptional long term community support and not a single act or achievement. Further, it is intended to honor direct support of community activities. For the purpose of this award, attending membership meetings or social events of a community service group would not normally be considered qualifying service, while manning a community crisis action phone line would. The volunteer service may have been donated over time at another military installation or in a local civilian community if the volunteer recently transferred to this community, for example, long term service as a Family Services volunteer, Boy/Girl Scout leader, etc. The nominee must be performing service on a voluntary basis, not as a part of a tasking, and may not result in any personal gain. This award will not be reflected in personnel records or earn promotion credit for federal employees selected to receive this award. The VEA may be awarded posthumously and when so awarded, may be presented to such representatives of the deceased as deemed appropriate by the commander. WRITING THE NOMINATION: Nominations will be one page, typed single space (front only). Direct, fact-filled, results-oriented nominations are preferred. The nomination should emphasize the benefits realized by the volunteer service and include qualifying factors that are out of the ordinary. Some suggestions for consideration are leadership and management, scope of responsibility, innovative and creative ideas, community involvement, initiative, and reliability. Nominators should be specific when giving the time frame of the accomplishments. Period of consideration for nomination is 01 January - 31 December 2008. Nomination packages will include on a separate page, the name, office symbol, and phone number of the individual writing the package.
NOMINATION DEADLINE: All nominations must be submitted no later than Friday, 13 March 2009. Packages may be submitted via e-mail to: michael.bullard@robins.af.mil or mailed to 78 FSS/FSFR, ATTN:
Mr. Mike Bullard, Volunteer Resource Manager. This award will be presented at the annual Volunteer Appreciation Reception to be held in April during National Volunteer Week. Questions may be directed to Mr. Mike Bullard or Ms. Julie Thompson at 926-1256.
NOTE: ―Active duty military members are not eligible to be nominated for the Air Force Volunteer Excellence Award (AFVEA). The Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) which active duty military members are eligible, is governed by AFI 36-2803, Chapter 6, Table 6.1. The OPR for the MOVSM is 78 FSS/FSM.
ROBINS CLUBS Attention Club Members & Guests The Robins Horizons Club serves lunch, dinner & Sunday brunch to all ranks/grades. The following is a listing of the services, hours or operation at each location. 78th Services Division at 926-549 ROBINS CLUBS Attention Club Members & Guests The Robins Horizons Club serves lunch, dinner & Sunday brunch to all ranks/grades. The following is a listing of the services, hours or operation at each location. Robins Horizons’ Club, Bldg. 542 Administrative Office • Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Check Cashing
Cashier Office • Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Bar Daily • During operational hours Dining Room Daily • During operational hours Lunch Monday - Friday • 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Evening Dining Monday - Closed • Tuesday - Thursday - 5:30 - 8 p.m. • Friday and Saturday - 6 - 9 p.m.
Sunday Champagne Brunch Sunday - 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lounge and Entertainment Main Lounge • Sunday and Monday - Closed • Tuesday - Thursday 4 - 9 p.m. Friday 4 - 10 p.m. • Saturday 5:30 - 10 p.m. (Hours may be adjusted for special entertainment events. The WELLSTON is available for special functions only.) Catering Services Monday 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. • Tuesday - Friday • 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Appointments accepted for evenings and weekends) Robins Heritage Club, Bldg. 956 Administrative Office • Provided at Robins Officers’ Club Bldg. 542 Check Cashing Bar and Lounge Operations • During operational hours Dining Rockers Bistro Menu Sunday noon - 6 p.m. • Monday - Saturday 5 - 8 p.m. Lounge Sunday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. • Monday 4 - 9 p.m. • Tuesday - Thursday 4 - 10:30 p.m. Friday 3 - 11 p.m. • Saturday 5 - 10 p.m. (Sunday hours may be adjusted for Football Frenzy) Bingo Quick Shot Daily • during operational hours Regular Bingo • Sunday 2:45 p.m. • Tuesday - Friday 7:15 p.m. Bar Bingo • Monday - Friday 6 p.m. Hours are subject to change. For more information, please call the Horizons Club at 926-2670, the Heritage Club at 926-4515 78 MSG/FSS Newsletter Cutting Edge ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Child Development Center 926-5805/3080
The Child Development Centers East and West have openings for children ages six weeks through six months old, 12 - 24 months old and two - five year olds. Both centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and offer full time care. Hourly care is available at CDC West. For more information call Child Development Center East or West at 926-5805 or 926-3080. Youth Center 926-2110 Sports Youth Center 926-2110
Club Membership 926-2670 Robins club members may choose between a MasterCard credit card or a Proprietary membership card. Air Force clubs are partnering with Chase Bank on a cash-back, military free cash rewards program. The Military Free Cash Rewards Program offers members two points per dollar on card purchases made on base in the 78th Force Support Squadron activities, commissary and the base exchange to include all on-base gasoline purchases. Off-base MasterCard usage earns one point per dollar spent. To apply on line go to www.afclubs.net or call 1-800-569-1285 or visit Horizons.
Heritage Club 926-2670 Texas Hold ‗Em will now be held on Sundays starting March1 in the Heritage Club. Sign-ups start at 1:30 p.m. with games beginning at 2 p.m. Prizes will be based on customer participation. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for guests. All ranks and grades are welcome. For more information call the Heritage Club at 926-2670.
Horizons 926-2670 St. Patty‘s Super Sunday brunch will be held March 1 at Horizons from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Brunch will include breakfast and dinner entrees omelet station, carving station, salad bar, dessert and ice cream bar and more. Cost is $11.95 for members, $13.95 for guests and $6.95 for children (3 – 10 years old) and children two years and younger are free. Please mark your calendar for the following Super Sunday brunches: April 12 (Easter Sunday), May 10 (Mother's Day), June 21 (Father's Day), July 12, Aug. 2, Sept. 13, Oct. 4, Nov.1 and Dec. 6 (Santa comes early). For more information call Horizons at 926-2670. Information, Tickets and Travel 926-2945 Universal Studio Orlando proudly salutes the United States military. Active duty and retired military receive one free two-park unlimited admission ticket (seven days to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure). The member and their dependents with valid ID can purchase companion tickets for friends and family for only $89 ($133.11 at the gate). Please limit quantity to seven companion
tickets per person. The seven-day admission tickets must be used consecutively. Offer is valid now through June 28 with tickets expiring Dec. 18. Teen Center 926-2110 The Air Force Teen Aviation Camp will be held May 30 – June 4. Teens interested in applying must complete a nomination form and familiarization exam and submit package to Youth Programs. This camp is for high school students entering their sophomore or junior year in the fall of 2009 who are interested in aviation, leadership or the USAFA. Eligible applicants include teen dependents of active duty military assigned to or living on Robins AFB, AF retired military, AF civilian employees, or activated Air National Guard or AF Reserve. Camp will be held at the USAFA in Colorado Springs, CO. Deadline to apply is March 17. Teens who participated in the 2008 camp are not eligible to apply this year. For more information contact the POC, Marvin Hawkins, at 926-2110 or email marvin.hawkins@robins.af.mil. The Air Force Space Camp is scheduled for July 26 – Aug. 1. Interested youths, ages 12 - 18 years old, with a minimum GPA of 2.8 must complete a nomination form and resume and submit package to Youth Programs. The camp is divided into two age divisions; youth ages 12-14 who are selected will attend the Space Academy and teens 15-18 who are selected will attend the Advanced Space Academy. Both camps are held at the US Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville AL. This program is open to family members of active duty military assigned to or living on Robins AFB, AF retired military, AF civilian employees, or activated Air National Guard or AF Reserve. Deadline to apply is April 14. For more information contact the POC, Marvin Hawkins, at 926-2110 or email marvin.hawkins@robins.af.mil.
Pizza Depot 926-0188
Child Development Center 926-5805/3080 The Child Development Centers East and West have openings for children ages six weeks through six months old, 12 - 24 months old and two - five year olds. Both centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and offer full time care. Hourly care is available at CDC West. For more information call Child Development Center East or West at 926-5805 or 926-3080.
Youth Center 926-2110
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Golf Course 926-4103 Heritage Club 926-2670
Horizons 926-2670 Pizza Depot 926-0188 Designated Drivers Program The 78th Force Support Squadron offers designated driver programs at the Heritage Club, Horizons and Pizza Depot to assist in reducing alcohol related incidents. For groups of two or more, please identify yourself as the designated driver to the operations assistant on duty. They will provide fountain soft drinks, fruit juices or non-alcoholic frozen drinks during your visit free of charge. To learn more about FSS Designated Drivers programs, please call 926-2670. The Airmen Against Drunk Driving program provides rides free of charge to all Robins AFB DoD card holders. Coverage is from Perry to Macon. For a free, anonymous ride, please call 222-0013. Quick Links... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE (RAO): The mission of the RAO is to assist retirees and family members of all branches of the uniformed services. Services provided include, but not limited to information, counseling and referrals on retiree benefits, casualty assistance, TRICARE information/assistance, entitlements, programs, onbase functions and base facilities. The RAO office may be contacted Mondays 1300 hours to 1600 hours, Wednesdays 13-1600 hrs and Fridays 1200 hours to 1500 hours by appointments only. Telephone number is (478) 327-4707. Cell phone is (478) 390-3144. Contact us by E-mail: ernest.munson@robins.af.mil. Ernest C. Munson, CMSGT, USAF, (Ret.) Director Retirees Activities Office Robins AFB, Georgia Debora Bean Colonel USAF Vice Commander and Active Duty Coordinator 78 ABW
Those of you with computer access at home or duty will be able to receive an email version of the next newsletter. Please forward your email address to ernest.munson@robins.af.mil. Please feel free to email questions or request for information to ernest.munson@robins.af.mil. As director of the RAO office I will do my best to keep the Robins retired military community updated as to what is currently happening at Robins, in the state and federal governments pertaining to retired military. I‘ll do my best to get answers your questions and inquiries concerning the military retiree. DISCLAIMER: This military retiree newsletter is published by the Robins AFB Retiree Activities Office to inform all retirees and family members of changes in legislation, defense policies and other matters affecting their military right, benefits and obligations. It also contains information about Robins AFB and the local retiree community. Some articles in this newsletter have appeared in publications received from other military facilities or government agencies. While every effort is made to verify information in this newsletter, the Retire Activities Office ―volunteer‖ staff cannot guarantee the accuracy of information furnished by outside agencies. They are reprinted for our readers‘ benefit and may have been edited to reflect local conditions. We acknowledge we do not author all articles. RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE STILL SEEKING VOLUNTEERS The RAO office is currently seeking volunteers to assist in covering the office for a few hours a week.
Schedules maybe arranged with CMSgt Munson (Ret.) by calling 327-4707. Leave a message with your name and phone number and best time to contact. Volunteers may be placed in other areas of the base also. Volunteers must have a retired military or dependent spouse ID card. THE NEW MILITARY RETIREE COUNCIL. Would like to get volunteers for the RAO council here at Robins. Will meet twice a year. To plan and review activities for The Military Retiree Programs. Please submit name and phone where you can be reached. If you want more information call or email the RAO office. Phone 478-327-4707, Email ernest.munson@robins.af.mil LOCAL ASSOCIATION CHAPTERS INFORMATION TREA EAGLE CHAPTER 94
The local Warner Robins Retired Enlisted Association, Eagle Chapter 94 meets the second Thursday of each month at 508-1 Osigian Boulevard (West Towne Park), Warner Robins, Georgia. Visit the TREA Eagle website www.trea94.org . Protect your retired military rights, become a member. Contact Rick Delaney (rdelaney46@hotmail.com ). Robins Chiefs’ Group Meets the second Friday of each month at the Welston Building behind the Horizons Club (formerly the O’Club) at 3:30 PM. All retired Chiefs are asked to join and support our Robins Chief’s Group in all it does to help the airmen and their families at robins. AFSA Air Force Sergeants Association meets the first Friday of every month at 11:30 AM at the Wynn Dining Facility. If you are a member welcome back. If not why not try us out!!!! Membership is open to all Active Duty, Reserve, Air National Guard, veterans and retirees. Point of contact is the President, MSgt Phi Williams (phi.williams@robins.af mil). Vietnam Veterans At Large R.O.M.E.O Meets every Monday and Friday Mornings at 8:00AM for breakfast and fellowship at Bo Jangles in the Wal-Mart Plaza on Russell Park Way. NOTE: Any military association wishing to submit retiree information or membership information may submit to the RAO office by email to ernest.munson@robins.af.mil.
Wynn Dining Hall Retiree Appreciation Night. Have a night out at the Wynn Dinning Hall. Wynn Dining Hall is open to military retirees and (ID card carrying) family members. Every third Thursday of the month starting at 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM. For information call 926-6596.
I hope this newsletter has brought you up to date on some of the current information retirees need to know. Please submit your emails to this office so I can keep an on going communication link with all retirees and their families in the Robins AFB, GA area, ernest.munson@robins.af.mil. Hope you enjoy and benefit from it. Please let others know about the newsletter and have them send in their email addresses. I DON‘T ALWAYS GET ALL THE NEWS THAT RETIREE VETS WANT TO HEAR AND READ ABOUT IF YOU COME ACROSS A VERIFIED NEWS PIECE FORWARD IT IF YOU FEEL IT IS SOMETHING RETIREES NEED TO KNOW. Chief Munson (Ret) USAF Director -30-