MOAA Silver Strand Chapter

08/05/2024

PACT ACT UPDATE for Veterans and Military Surviving Spouses

The VA expands burn pit registry to include all Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanstan VeteransThe Pact Act is a law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits Agent Orange, and other ts, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.The registry of people exposed to toxic fumes while serving in the U.S. military is now automatically including those who deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or any of the Middle Eastern, African and Asian nations on a newly expanded list.The revamped Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry contains the names of approximately 4.7 million current and former service members from campaigns as far back as 1990, the Defense Department said in a statement Thursday.Legislation requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to create the registry stemmed from the raft of medical issues reported by veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where burn pits were used extensively to dispose of trash.“Being part of the registry is a way for individuals to help and improve our understanding of the challenges faced by service members and veterans affected by these exposures,” Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said in the statement.The latest version not only makes inclusion automatic and based on deployment location, but also eliminates the need for the questionnaire the VA had been using for registry enrollment.As with the old system, no medical information is stored in the registry, the VA website said. The data includes military personnel information and demographics, such as service members’ gender, race and ethnicity, as well as deployment locations.The data is accessible only to a select group of VA epidemiologists and researchers, it added.Those enrolled in the previous registry were carried over to the new system, the VA website said. Procedures have also been added so service members and veterans can opt out or re-enter the registry.For anyone who wants to join the registry manually, instructions on the website explain the process. More information is available online or by phone at 1-800-698-2411.Inclusion is based on Defense Department records and not on any specific exposure, the VA said. Veterans or service members, living or dead, will be enrolled if they served in:·Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom or New Dawn· Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Djibouti, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Persian Gulf waters, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, Syria or Uzbekistan between Aug. 2, 1990 and Aug. 31, 2021· Somalia, Egypt or the Southeast Asian theater of military operations since Aug. 2, 1990· Afghanistan, Djibouti, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan or Yemen anytime after Sept. 11, 2001· Airspaces associated with the aforementioned countries.The presumptive conditions list· Asthma (diagnosed post-discharge)· Chronic Bronchitis.· Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)· Constrictive or obliterative bronchiolitis.· Emphysema.· Granulomatous disease.· Interstitial lung diseases.· Pleuritis.· Pulmonary Fibrosis· Sarcoidosis· Chronic Sinusitis· Chronic Rhinitis· Glioblastoma· Head cancer· Neck cancer· Respiratory cancer (lung, bronchus, larynx, trachea)· Gastrointestinal cancer· Reproductive cancer· Lymphoma· Lymphatic cancer· Kidney cancer· Brain cancer· Melanoma· Pancreatic cancer

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

05/28/2024

This is a video of the Coronado Memorial Day Ceremony 2024

CoronadoBeachCompany.com MEMORIAL DAY 2024 Coronado Beach CALIFORNIA 92118

05/27/2024

03/01/2024

Military Spouses Scholarship now open

Learn how a MOAA staffer took advantage of the program, and find out how you can apply.

09/27/2023

The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation is proud to launch an unprecedented public input campaign inviting the public to share design insight for the National Global War on Terrorism Memorial, which will be built on the National Mall.

The campaign will run for 22 days, representing 22 years of America’s ongoing fight against terrorism. As part of this campaign, Americans have an opportunity to design history by providing their thoughts, inspiration, and dreams for the Memorial that will honor all those impacted by the Global War on Terrorism, including uniformed and non-uniformed military personnel, civilians, their families, and everyday men and women who have sacrificed to protect our freedom.

https://www.gwotmemorialfoundation.org/helpdesignhistory/?fbclid=IwAR2u8ZW6ULqBYWr5CRCd8kK6sIz-ItKFI2aqIM9NksoDhqi0-ACzsvMofP8_aem_Acp2HcBMccXIG2To-VJxb_ctLgL23TCkt_ikRjIXxpKRbYmzVvnJSLNQftIpCqCL9XU&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Participate in designing the Global War on Terrorism Memorial. Share your voice and contribute to a tribute honoring those impacted by the GWOT on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

01/25/2023

Purple Heart medals are sometimes regrettably separated from their owners, only to later turn up in garage sales or flea markets. Every medal has a story behind it. Every medal represents courage and sacrifice. If you've found an orphaned Purple Heart you can complete the form on our website at https://www.purpleheartmission.org/recovery-advocacy to help your orphaned medal find its way home. Our organization will work to return the medal to its rightful owner, if they can be found, or if we cannot locate the owner, the medal will be included in our traveling exhibition or loaned to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor for display.

01/05/2023

It is open season for SBP. Retirees can opt in or out of SBP. Surviving spouses cannot enroll in SBP or upgrade if enrolled. Please share. (Copy and paste to your page or email)

NDAA 2023 Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Proposed Open Season

Congress provided for a Survivor Benefit Plan Open Season in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The SBP Open Season began on December 23, 2022 and ends on January 1, 2024.

The SBP Open Season allows for retirees receiving retired pay, eligible members, or former members awaiting retired pay who are currently NOT enrolled in SBP or RCSBP (Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan) to enroll. For a member who enrolls during the SBP Open Season, the law generally requires that the member will be responsible to pay retroactive SBP premium costs that would have been paid if the member had enrolled at retirement (or enrolled at another earlier date, depending on the member’s family circumstances).

The SBP Open Season also allows eligible members and former members who are currently enrolled in either SBP or RCSBP to permanently discontinue their SBP coverage. The law generally requires the covered beneficiaries to concur in writing with the election to discontinue. Previously paid premiums will not be refunded.

DFAS is working to prepare the forms, policies, and processes required to facilitate this SBP Open Season. We will not be able to answer specific questions until we obtain official DoD guidance on the new law, policy, and processes. It will take some time for all of the details to be determined. We appreciate your patience as we work through the preparation.

We will post information and instructions on this webpage as they become available.

In the meantime, once the law is publicly available, you may review it by visiting web sites such as GovInfo at https://www.govinfo.gov (which provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government).

Retirees can help by ensuring their information is up to date in myPay. If you are not yet using myPay or need to reactivate your account, start with our “New to myPay?” guide at https://dvidshub.net/r/vbx6su.

Please continue to check this webpage for updates.

12/03/2022

Will Disabled Veterans Get a Raise in 2023?

Yes, veterans will get a significant raise in their monthly disability benefits in 2023. When VA applies the 2023 COLA to disability benefits, veterans will see the 8.7 percent increase reflected in their monthly compensation come December.

With the 8.7 percent COLA increase, veterans with a 100 percent disability rating and no dependents will see an extra $289.89 added to their disability compensation, yielding $3,621.95 per month. In comparison, the current 2022 rate for 100 percent disabled veterans is $3,332.06.

10/29/2022

NewsBytes October 28, 2022


In this issue:
Concurrent Receipt Update
FRA Approves New Legislative Agenda
Former SecDef Ashton Carter Passes

Concurrent Receipt Update
The Senate Armed Services Committees has approved the Senate version of the annual NDAA (S.4543). The Senate bill will go to the Senate floor for approval. Senators Jon Tester (Mont.) and Michael Crapo (Idaho) will file a Senate floor amendment to add a provision to this “must-pass” bill to expand concurrent receipt.

In the House concurrent receipt legislation, the Major Richard Starr Act (H.R.1282) has more than 290 co-sponsors. House rules allow a member of Congress to file a motion with the House Clerk to place their legislation on the Consensus Calendar once their legislation has accumulated 290 cosponsors. If the legislation maintains at least 290 cosponsors for 25 legislative days, and the committee of jurisdiction does not report the legislation to the House floor, it will be placed on the Consensus Calendar allowing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring legislation to the House floor for a vote. The FRA argues that retired pay is for years of arduous military service paid by the Department of Defense while disability pay is for lifelong injury paid by the VA. To reduce retirement pay because of a disability is an injustice.

Please use the FRA Action Center to urge your legislators to support concurrent receipt reform online.

Former SecDef Ashton Carter Passed Away
Ashton Carter, who was President Obama’s last Secretary of Defense, died on October 24, 2022. Mr. Carter led the Department of Defense (DoD) from February 2015 to January 2017. He died of a sudden cardiac event. He was 68 years old. During his tenure as DoD Secretary, he helped launch the campaign to defeat the Islamic State terror group in Iraq and Syria and opened all combat positions to women.

08/15/2022

Naval Base CORONADO is in danger of losing our Catholic Community after Father Jose Pimentel’s retirement on October 1, 2022. We are working and praying hard to hire another contract priest for our community. In that effort, please email Capt. Clemons, the C.O. of the bases. Let him know how important Sunday Mass is to our active duty and their families. The retirees provide CCD classes, music ministry, alter servers and daily care of the alter & church.
[email protected]

08/11/2022

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bill-helps-disabled-war-vets-surpasses-rare-threshold-support-forging-rcna42386?fbclid=IwAR3i-IM6fTyJVd6O59QPcuyLO4FJ0Tw9f4u7OqODg07jY26dUt0ONbhpEoI&fs=e&s=cl

The Major Richard Star Act now has more than 290 co-sponsors — a rare feat — a month after the House Rules Committee declined to advance the bipartisan bill.

08/04/2022

What Will Military Health Closures and Realignments Mean for Your Care?
By:
Karen Ruedisueli
AUGUST 03, 2022
What Will Military Health Closures and Realignments Mean for Your Care?
Prapass Pulsub/Getty Images
With the recent release of the Section 718 report on military treatment facilities (MTFs) to be downsized or closed, MOAA continues its advocacy work to ensure impacted beneficiaries maintain access to quality health care.

[SEE THE LIST: Facilities Affected by MTF Realignment]

The report provides details on Defense Health Agency (DHA) plans to downsize 31 MTFs and close two military clinics. The changes will impact up to 155,000 beneficiaries, including retirees and active duty family members.

Pharmacy capacity at downsized MTFs will remain unchanged – retirees and other TRICARE beneficiaries still will be able to use the MTF pharmacy to fill prescriptions even if they receive medical care from civilian providers.

While the report includes details on implementation and communication plans, and “serves as a certification to the congressional defense committees that affected beneficiaries will be able to access health care services through the purchased care component of the TRICARE program”, MOAA remains concerned about potential barriers to accessing care in surrounding communities.

The report indicates 20 of the MTFs facing restructuring are in areas of high or very high risk based on TRICARE network capacity and new beneficiaries per network primary care manager (PCM). In the very high risk category, each PCM would have to accept more than 200 new patients to accommodate the MTF realignment. DHA has addressed this with transition periods of up to four years, and has offered assurances in the report that no beneficiary will be transitioned until a provider with availability has been identified.

[RELATED: ID Card Update: New Deadline for Some Military Retirees, Dependents]

While MOAA appreciates the transition period and the assurances, concerns remain regarding uncertainty across the civilian health care workforce and the difficulty in accurately projecting future provider availability. These factors may put beneficiaries’ access to care at risk.

MOAA already has reached out to staffers on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees with these concerns. We will also be contacting member offices in impacted districts to get their reactions to MTF restructuring plans. They will likely be concerned not only for military families but also non-military constituents who will be affected when thousands of TRICARE beneficiaries are released into the civilian health care systems in their communities.

Do you receive care at an MTF slated for restructuring? Please share your perspectives on TRICARE network care availability or unique considerations about your community with us at [email protected].

Affected Facilities
These outpatient clinics, listed by historic service alignment, will transition to active duty only; some may continue to enroll active duty family members as appropriate for provider skill sustainment. All will maintain current pharmacy capacity.

Army
Army Health Clinic (AHC) Kirk – Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.
AHC Fox – Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
AHC Barquist – Fort Detrick, Md.
AHC Rock Island Arsenal, Ill.
AHC SOUTHCOM – Fort Gordon, Fla.
AHC Kenner – Fort Lee, Va.
AHC Fillmore – New Cumberland, Pa.

Air Force
87th Medical Group (MEDGRP) – Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
42nd MEDGRP – Maxwell AFB, Ala.
45th MEDGRP – Patrick AFB, Fla.
78th MEDGRP – Robins AFB, Ga.
66th MEDGRP – Hanscom AFB, Mass.
6th MEDGRP – MacDill AFB, Fla.
17th MEDGRP – Goodfellow AFB, Texas
436th MEDGRP – Dover AFB, Del.
7th MEDGRP – Dyess AFB, Texas
2nd MEDGRP – Barksdale AFB, La.

Navy
Naval Health Clinic (NHC) Patuxent River, Md.
Naval Branch Health Clinic (NBHC) Groton, Conn. (will continue to enroll active duty family members)
NBHC Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South, Tenn.
NHC Corpus Christi, Texas
NBHC Portsmouth, N.H.
NBHC Naval Air Station Belle Chasse, La.
NBHC Dahlgren, Va.
NBHC Indian Head, Md.
NHC New England, R.I.
NBHC Meridian, Miss.
NBHC Albany, Ga.
Earle Branch Health Clinic (BHC) – Colts Neck, N.J.

These inpatient hospitals will transition to Ambulatory Surgery Centers/Outpatient Clinics. Current pharmacy capacity will be maintained.
633rd MEDGRP – Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va: Inpatient care likely to transition to three local TRICARE network hospitals (Sentara CarePlex, Riverside, and Bon Secours Mary Immaculate, per DHA Use Case.)
Naval Hospital Beaufort (serves Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.): Beaufort Memorial can likely absorb inpatient care from NH Beaufort, but there are also several additional hospitals within a one-hour drive, per DHA Use Case.)

These outpatient clinics will close:
Community Based Medical Home North Columbus – Fort Benning, Ga.
Sabal Park Clinic – MacDill AFB, Fla.

More Members Mean More Influence Over Our Health Care
Get involved and make sure your interests are addressed. Because the larger our voice is, the greater our impact will be.