YEAR 2005 VETERANS NEWS POSTINGS
| Posting Date | Subject | |
| 23 December, 2005 |
False Rumor Regarding Destruction of Veterans Records There is a false rumor circulating on the Internet, in e-mails, and among veteran service organizations that Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs) at the National Personnel Records Center, operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, will be digitized and then destroyed. This rumor is NOT TRUE (Full Story here) | |
| 21 December, 2005 |
Traumatic Injury Protection Added The Department of Defense announced the implementation of traumatic injury protection insurance under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program. (Full Story here) | |
| 21 December, 2005 |
New Standard Federal ID to Replace Common Access Cards A new, standardized identification card is being developed for all federal employees, including servicemembers. (Full Story here) | |
| 21 December, 2005 |
myPay Makes Improvements The myPay automated system puts the pay recipient in control of processing certain discretionary pay data items without using paper forms. (Full Story here) | |
| 21 December, 2005 |
DFAS Combines Pay Systems The updated Retiree Account Statement has caused confusion among some retired members who receive Concurrent Retirement Disability Payments. (Full Story here) | |
| 21 December, 2005 |
VA Offers Prescription Refill Service Tens of thousands of veterans are now receiving their prescription drug refills from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with greater convenience, speed and security, thanks to a new service available to veterans over the Internet. (Full Story here) | |
| 21 December, 2005 |
TRICARE Fee Increase Defense Department officials have drafted plans to raise TRICARE enrollment fees and deductibles sharply over the next three years for military retirees under age 65 and their families, about three million beneficiaries. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 December, 2005 |
Disabled Veterans May Get More Pay Disabled veterans in six states could get larger payments from the federal government, and back compensation as well, under a provision that Congress approved recently. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 December, 2005 |
VA Launches HIV/AIDS Website
(Full Story here) | |
| 03 December, 2005 |
Military Health System Enters New Era
The Department of Defense has launched of AHLTA, a global electronic health record system, at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda last week. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 December, 2005 |
Household Goods Moved After Retiring
Tips on getting your final move paid for, even after your "one year" limit has expired. By Wayne L. Johnson, CDR USN (ret) (Full Story here) | |
| 03 December, 2005 |
Veteran's Organizations Lose Voice
The House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Buyer (R-Ind) recently announced that veteran's service organizations will no longer have the opportunity to present testimony before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees, a tradition of legislative presentations by veteran's service organizations that dates back to the 1950s. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 December, 2005 |
Flu Pandemic Webpage Posted
The Defense Department's deployment health officials have posted a webpage as part of President Bush's strategy to combat the possibility of a flu pandemic. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 December, 2005 |
Cold War Tests on U.S. Troops Investigated
Lawmakers called Tuesday for an independent commission to investigate a Cold War program that tested chemical and biological weapons on U.S. troops, accusing the Pentagon of stalling on disclosing information. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 December, 2005 |
New Bill Could Reduce Health Care Costs
The chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs has joined in as a co-sponsor of a bill to help federal civilian and military retirees to pay for their health insurance premiums. (Full Story here) | |
| 06 November, 2005 |
VA Grant to New York State Veterans Home
(Full Story here) | |
| 06 November, 2005 |
VA Grant to Kentucky State Veterans Home
(Full Story here) | |
| 06 November, 2005 |
Southeast Idaho Benefits from New Machine
Funding for a new MRI, to be located at the Boise VA Medical Center has been approved. (Full Story here) | |
| 06 November, 2005 |
Military Retirement - 2006 COLAs for Retired Pay
The 2006 Cost of Living adjustment has been announced (Full Story here) | |
| 06 November, 2005 |
DFAS Retired Pay Newsletter Sign Up Information
If you'd like to know more about your pay and benefits, sign-up now for the new DFAS Retired Pay Newletter. (Full Story here) | |
| 06 November, 2005 |
Deadlines Established for Holiday Mail
Military mail officials in Central Command have announced mailing deadlines for deployed soldiers to get their packages sent to their home bases (Full Story here) | |
| 06 November, 2005 |
VA Secretary Announces Military-to-Civillian Transition Initiative
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced a new initiative to help veterans make the transition from military service to civilian life. (Full Story here) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
2006 Proposed Military Pay Charts
The 20006 Proposed Military Pay Charts have been made available and are posted (HERE) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
Veterans' Records Accessible Online
The National Archives now has a webpage where veterans can request a copy of their DD-214. It is located at: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html. (Full Story here) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
Online Veteran Service Office Resources
Veteran Service Offices are a resource created to assist servicemembers and veterans in applying for and getting the VA benefits they need and deserve. (Full Story here) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
VA Prescription Fraud Alert
It has been reported that veterans are receiving calls from a company identifying itself as the "Patient Care Group". This company is claiming that the veteran's prescriptions are now being dispensed through them and if they wanted to continue to receive their meds, they would need to provide a credit card number. Veterans are to be advised that the VA has not changed the process of receiving and dispensing prescriptions. (Full Story here) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
PTSD Case Review Vote
The senate voted to block the VA from reviewing the cases of veterans rated 100-percent disabled due to PTSD. (Full Story here) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
Tricare Overseas Program (TOP) Information
TOP Standard is similar to the TRICARE Standard program offered stateside, including cost-shares and deductibles. (Full Story here) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
VA Awards $463,000 Grant for Minnesota Veterans Home
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded a grant of $463,000 last week to the state of Minnesota for renovations to the state veterans home in Minneapolis. (Full Story here) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
VA Drug Program Cheaper than Medicare (AP)
People who get their drug benefits through the Veterans Affairs Department paid about $220 less for a yearlong prescription than those who used the government's Medicare drug card, said a study. (Full Story here) | |
| 28 October, 2005 |
Passport Regulation Change Update
The timeline for implementation of new passport requirements for US citizens travelling overseas has changed. (Full Story here) | |
| 26 October, 2005 |
Online Access to DoD Pay Documents
A new Defense Department policy asks servicemembers, government civilians and retirees to obtain needed pay documents from an online Website, a Defense Finance and Accounting Service spokesman said recently. (Full Story here) | |
| 26 October, 2005 |
VA Sets Up Toll - Free Nationwide Number for Gulf Coast Veterans, Families
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has set up a toll-free number for veterans who normally receive health care at VA facilities in New Orleans, Gulfport, Miss., and Biloxi, Miss. (Full Story here) | |
| 26 October, 2005 |
TRICARE Information for Hurricane Victims
Tricare beneficiaries and their families affected by Hurricane Katrina will continue to receive health benefits, service and support during this time of tragedy, said Tricare Management Activity officials. (Full Story here) | |
| 26 October, 2005 |
New DFAS Policy Decreases Identity Theft
There is a new policy that directs all military departments and all defense civilian employees to support the policy to eliminate paper copies of LES and W-2 tax statements. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 October, 2005 |
Free Healthcare for Vets Affected by Katrina
A bill to improve the health care of the nation's veterans was approved by the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs last week. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 October, 2005 |
VA Opens Columbarium at Long Island National Cemetery
Veterans in the New York region can again be interred at Long Island National Cemetery with the opening of a new columbarium on September 19. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 October, 2005 |
VA Awards $724,000 Grant to Wisconsin Veterans Home
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded a grant of $724,000 to the state of Wisconsin for repairs to the state nursing home in King. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 October, 2005 |
VA Gives $13.8 Million Grant for Nebraska Veterans Home
Veterans in Nebraska will have greater access to long-term health care, thanks to a $13.8 million grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), (Full Story here) | |
| 03 October, 2005 |
VA Awards $1.3 Million for Two Georgia Veterans Homes
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded grants worth $1,325,142 to the state of Georgia for improvements to the state veterans homes in Augusta and Milledgeville. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 October, 2005 |
Services Complete Indefinite ID Card Upgrades
A software upgrade has been completed at most military identification card issuing facilities, allowing eligible family members and surviving spouses to receive indefinite ID cards at age 75 upon expiration of current IDs. (Full Story here) | |
| 03 October, 2005 |
Veterans Book to Be Published on Veterans Day
"Forever a Soldier: Unforgettable Stories of Wartime Service" will be published by National Geographic Books in association with the Library of Congress on Nov. 11, Veterans Day. (Full Story here) | |
| 14 September, 2005 |
Family Member and Survivor ID Cards
A permanent U.S. uniformed services identification card will be available in September for all eligible family members and survivors age 75 and over of deceased servicemembers. (Full Story here) | |
| 14 September, 2005 |
One-Year Open Enrollment for SBP Announced
Department of Defense officials announced recently that military retirees, who opted out of some or all their Survivor Benefit Plan coverage, will have another opportunity to elect coverage during a one-year open enrollment period beginning Oct. 1 and running through Sept. 30, 2006. (Full Story here) | |
| 14 September, 2005 |
New National Cemetery Set To Open
Veterans and family members in western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia now have the option of burial in the new National Cemetery of the Alleghenies. (Full Story here) | |
| 14 September, 2005 |
VA Gives $1 Million For Veterans Home
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded a $1 million grant last week for improvements to the state veterans home in LaSalle, Ill. (Full Story here) | |
| 14 September, 2005 |
Hearing Aids Now Available for Active Duty Family Members through TRICARE
Beginning Sept. 1, active duty family members (ADFMs), who meet specific hearing-loss requirements, will be eligible to receive hearing aids including services and supplies as a TRICARE benefit. (Full Story here) | |
| 14 September, 2005 |
GI Bill Payment Rates Set to Increase
Each year the Department of Veterans Affairs readjusts the GI Bill Basic Payment rate to reflect the increased cost of education tuition and other expenses associated with pursuing a college degree. (Full Story here) | |
| 14 September, 2005 |
VA Activates Surviving Spouse Website
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently activated a new website aimed directly at surviving spouses of military members who died on active duty and surviving spouses of veterans who died after serving their country. (Full Story here) | |
| 22 August, 2005 |
Vacation Club Adds Nightly Getaways
The Armed Forces Vacation Club (AFVC), a vacation rental program offered to military personnel by RCI (Resort Condominiums International, LLC), has added the option of nightly rental opportunities as an expanded service to eligible participants. (Full Story here) | |
| 22 August, 2005 |
VA Awards Grants to Veterans Homes
The VA awarded grants last week to veterans homes in North Carolina, Delaware, and Wisconsin. (Full Story here) | |
| 22 August, 2005 |
Two Bills Approved by Senate Committee
Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs approved last week two bills sponsored by Chairman Craig (R-Idaho), including a measure (S. 1234) which increases the pay rates for disabled veterans and survivors compensation by an estimated 2.3 percent, and another measure (S. 1235 - as amended), which increases life insurance coverage for military personnel from $250,000 to $400,000. (Full Story here) | |
| 22 August, 2005 |
TRICARE Survivor Benefits: Overview
TRICARE-eligible family members, whose sponsor dies while on active duty will continue to receive TRICARE benefits. (Full Story here) | |
| 22 August, 2005 |
TRICARE Builds Its Uniform Formulary
TRICARE has announced the addition of 11 new medications to the TRICARE Uniform Formulary. (Full Story here) | |
| 22 August, 2005 |
Many Veterans Qualify for VA NSC Pension at 65
Many veterans receive a non-service connected pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) based on reaching age 65. (Full Story here) | |
| 22 August, 2005 |
Long Term Care Insurance Still Available
Active-duty servicemembers, some Reservists, appropriated-fund civilian employees, retirees and qualified family members can still apply for the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). (Full Story here) | |
| 09 July, 2005 |
House Passes Financial Protection Bill
On 28 June 2005, the House passed the Military Personnel Financial Services Protection Act (H.R. 458) by a vote of 405-2. The bill seeks to protect service members from the sale of questionable financial products, curb abusive sales practices on military installations, and ensure regulatory oversight of financial services sales on bases. (Full Story here) | |
| 09 July, 2005 |
Plan to Raise Vet Fees Hits Opposition
WASHINGTON - Don Hogenson served four years in the Navy during the Korean War and emerged healthy nearly a half-century ago. Now 71, the retired president of an aerospace company gets his three monthly medications from a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Fargo, N.D. His co-payment: $7 per prescription. (Full Story here) | |
| 09 July, 2005 |
Free Viagra at Risk; BRAC to Cut On-Base Inpatients 6%
More than 128,000 military beneficiaries taking Viagra or Cialis for erectile dysfunction likely will have to switch this fall to Levitra or face higher co-payments on their prescriptions. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 July, 2005 |
Senate GOP Plans Spending Boost for Vets
With an unexpected number of wounded troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, Senate Republicans hurried Tuesday to cover what could be a politically damaging $1 billion miscalculation in money needed for veterans health care. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 July, 2005 |
VA Awards Grants to Veterans Homes
The Veterans Administration announced on June 8, 2005 several grants that it has awarded to improve veterans homes in five states. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 July, 2005 |
VA Awards Grants to Veterans Homes
The Veterans Administration announced on June 8, 2005 several grants that it has awarded to improve veterans homes in five states. (Full Story here) | |
| 04 July, 2005 |
Veterans Health Care Improvements Act Wins Support
The Veterans Health Care Improvements Act of 2005 (Senate bill S. 1182) received support last week from U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. "We strongly support enactment of this measure and we appreciate your inclusion of provisions to carry out the President's plans for assisting veterans and for assisting the Department to carry out its mission," said Secretary Nicholson. (Full Story here) | |
| 15 June, 2005 | VA Seeks Chemically Exposed Vets The Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) announced a national outreach campaign to locate veterans who were exposed to mustard gas or the chemical weapon Lewisite during their service. (Full Story here) | |
| 15 June, 2005 | Two Key Benefit Provisions Struck Military.com has learned that both the provision for Full Concurrent Receipt (CR) for Unemployable (IU) 100% Disabled Military Retirees and the Reservists Pay Security Act of 2005 were struck from the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2005 shortly before it was signed into law. (Full Story here) | |
| 24 May, 2005 | VA Lays Blame in Disability Disparities Staffing shortages and an outdated system for assessing claims are among the reasons for wide differences in disability payments for veterans, the government said Thursday. (Full Story here) | |
| 24 May, 2005 | BRAC Panel to Visit 16 Cites The commission reviewing the Pentagon's recommended base closings will travel to 16 cities this summer to hear from communities potentially affected. (Full Story here) | |
| 16 May, 2005 | BRAC 2005 List available in PDF Format The BRAC 2005 list has been published in PDF format. It is 28 pages long and 109KB. (PDF File here) There is also a website where you can go to get all the information. It is at: http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/ | |
| 03 May, 2005 | VA Grants Funds in Two States The Veterans Administration is targeting over $25 million in grant money to two states -- Louisiana and Wisconsin. (Full story here) | |
| 03 May, 2005 | Base Closing Announcement May Come Early The Pentagon is likely to move up its date for announcing what military bases will be closed or realigned. The list could be announced as early as Tuesday, May 10. (Full story here) | |
| 24 April, 2005 | TRICARE Updates TRICARE Standard beneficiaries who live within a 40-mile radius of a military medical treatment facility (MTF) will no longer be required to obtain a non-availability statement or pre-authorization from an MTF before receiving inpatient care (other than mental health services) or maternity care from a civilian provider. (Full story here) | |
| 24 April, 2005 | New Handbook Updates Veterans Benefits A new edition of the popular handbook Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) updates the rates for certain federal payments and outlines a variety of programs and benefits for American veterans. (Full story here) | |
| 17 April, 2005 | Key Dates for BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) Process (Full story here) | |
| 17 April, 2005 | Pentagon's long list of bases to close (Next month's proposal for the biggest-ever round of cuts could transform both the military and many communities) By Mark Sappenfield The Christian Science Monitor Original Story Here (External Link opens in new page) USSVI page here | |
| 17 April, 2005 | OPM Revises Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference
Revised application allows federal agencies to accept veterans' disability letters (Full story here) | |
| 03 April, 2005 | DoD Hearing Aid Program Information Information on the DoD Hearing Aid Program was originally distributed in POC Broadcast #7 on 09 March The Retiree-At-Cost Hearing Aid Program (RACHAP) provides retired service members the opportunity to purchase hearing aids at government cost. (Full story here) | |
| 02 April, 2005 | Determining VA Health Care Benefits The following document can help you determine your eligibility for VA Health Care: VA Eligibility (30KB MS Word Document) | |
| 02 April, 2005 | 2005 Co-Pay Chart The following document summarizes the different Co-Pay amounts for 2005: 2005 Co-Pay Chart (60KB MS Word Document) | |
| 02 April, 2005 | Items of Note from the FY05 Defense Authorization Act 1. Social Security Offset for SBP Annuities to be Phased Out 2. One-year Open Enrollment Period for Survivor Benefit Plan Commencing October 1, 2005 3. 100% Disability Compensation & Military Retirement Pay Phase In Repealed 4. Permanent ID Cards for Spouses & Survivors Age 75 and Older (Full story here) | |
| 29 March, 2005 | State of South Dakota to Pay Veteran's Bonus The state of South Dakota is paying a veterans bonus of up to $500 to certain military personnel...(Full story here) | |
| 08 March, 2005 | Improved VA Healthcare Website Available (T)he Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is improving its Web-based system for providing health care information to its patients....(Full story here) The site is located on the Internet at www.myhealth.va.gov |
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| 08 March, 2005 | North Carolina VA News Originally published by The News and Observer, February 28, 2005 The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding clinics in Raleigh and Charlotte and wants to build nine new ones to accommodate a boom in North Carolina's population of veterans and to put doctors closer to where the veterans live. (Full story here) |
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| 08 March, 2005 | 2.4 Million Veterans Will Pay New Fee Originally published by HeraldNet, February 26, 2005 Republican majorities on the House and Senate veterans' affairs committees have voted to impose an enrollment fee of at least $230 a year on 2.4 million veterans - one of every three now eligible for Veterans Affairs Administration health care. (Full story here) |
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| 27 February 2005 | Veterans' Affairs Committee Speaks Out Against Prescription Pay Hike Originally published at www.military.com -- After receiving testimony on the President's proposed budget for the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Sen. Larry Craig, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, rejected both doubling prescription drug co-pays for veterans and decreased spending on state nursing homes for veterans. (Full story here) |
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| 27 February 2005 | DoD Announces Survivor Benefit Proposal
The DoD has released the following information which explains the current status and proposed changes to Survivor Benefits. DoD Outlines Survivor Benefits With renewed public pressure -- not to mention congressional and presidential interest -- to improve the way our government treats the surviving family members of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the Department of Defense has released the following information outlining the current and proposed changes to Survivor Benefits. |
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