From: FRA NewsBytes [Newsbytes@fra.org]
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2010 02:46
To: fra@fra367.org
Subject: FRA NewsBytes -- 04-23-10
In this week's NewsBytes:
Shipmates Storm Capitol Hill
FRA Presents its 2010 Pinnacle Award to Senator Webb
Congress Approves Veterans' Improvements
DFAS Will Begin Recoupment of Separation Pay
President Nominates DoD's Top Doc


Shipmates Storm Capitol Hill
Members of FRA's National Board of Directors (NBOD) visited their respective senators and representatives this week in Washington, D.C. During the more than 30 Capitol Hill office visits, shipmates discussed priority legislative issues including fully funding TRICARE, adequate reimbursement for doctors serving TRICARE and Medicare patients, and the impact of national health care law on TRICARE and VA health care.  The members also expressed support for expanding the concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability compensation. Each member of Congress received point papers outlining FRA's positions on these important issues and the Association's full legislative agenda.  FRA's NBOD is conducting its annual meeting today and Saturday at FRA National Headquarters in Alexandria, Va.


FRA Presents its 2010 Pinnacle Award to Senator Webb
FRA presented its 2010 Pinnacle Award to Senator Jim Webb (Va.) yesterday during a Capitol Hill reception in his honor. Webb was recognized for his efforts to improve the quality of life for military personnel and his leadership in developing enhanced education benefits for veterans, military personnel and their families.

FRA annually presents its Pinnacle Award to a member of Congress who has championed legislative initiatives that advance the Association's agenda of preserving and enhancing pay and benefits for current and former members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Webb was selected to receive FRA's highest honor in recognition of his leadership in enacting the Post-9/11 GI Bill, efforts to improve care for wounded warriors and work to clarify that TRICARE beneficiaries meet requirements for health care coverage mandated by the new health care reform legislation.

Photos from the day's events are available on FRA's Facebook page.  Become a fan of FRA at www.fra.org/fb to see them!


Congress Approves Veterans' Improvements
The House and Senate approved "The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act," (S. 1963) this week and sent it onto President Obama for approval.  Among its many provisions, the bill creates a caregiver support program, improves health care services for rural and female veterans, and expands the mental health services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  

The bill creates a program to offer caregiver training, access to mental health counseling, and 24-hour respite care for a disabled veteran in his home, allowing caregivers temporary relief without having to leave the veteran at a medical facility.  Veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) are eligible to select a caregiver to receive a financial stipend along with travel and lodging expenses associated with the veteran's care.

Key provisions in the bill also improve health care for rural veterans by authorizing stronger partnerships with community providers and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  These collaborations will allow VA to offer health care options to service members living far from VA medical facilies and also requires the VA to establish a grant program for veteran service organizations to provide transportation options to veterans living in highly rural areas. Additionally, the measure expands and improves VA services for the 1.8 million women veterans' currently receiving VA health care.


DFAS Will Begin Recoupment of Separation Pay
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) will resume recouping military retirees' Voluntary Separation Incentive, Special Separation Benefit and other separation payments in August. These separation expenditures were offered to active-duty service members to reduce manpower in certain career fields, primarily during the 1990s. Because federal law prohibits service members from receiving both separation and retirement payments for the same period of service, provisions of these programs required repayment of the separation pay if an individual joined the Ready Reserve or returned to active duty and earned status as a military retiree.

In response to retirees' concerns, DFAS officials temporarily stopped deducting these repayments from retirement pay on June 1, 2009, so that DoD could conduct a formal review of the recoupment process. Before the review, the federal statutes did not allow DFAS to provide alternative repayment plans, regardless of the financial hardships a retiree may be experiencing. The review is now complete and new policies help limit the financial strain on affected military retirees by reducing the maximum recoupment rate from 90 percent to 40 percent. DFAS also will consider more lenient repayment plans for retirees who are experiencing financial hardship.

Retirees impacted by recoupment will receive notification letters at least 90 days before recoupment begin again. Former spouses affected by this recoupment will also receive a notification letter before the recoupments resume.


President Nominates DoD's Top Doc
President Obama nominated Army Reserve Brigadier General Jonathan Woodson, an associate professor of surgery and associate dean at Boston University School of Medicine, to serve as Assistant Secretary Defense (Health Affairs). Woodson has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Saudi Arabia, and Central America. He is currently the deputy commander of the Army Reserve Medical Command and assistant surgeon general for reserve affairs, force structure and mobilization in the Office of the Army Surgeon General.  If confirmed by the Senate, Woodson will be the principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense on health issues and direct the country's Military Health System.

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FRA is celebrating its 85th anniversary and is the oldest and largest association representing the interests of current and former Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel. If you are not a member and are eligible, please join FRA at www.fra.org. The larger the membership base, the louder your voice is heard on Capitol Hill!