AFSA Chapter 404

10/17/2025

Why Legislative Advocacy Matters 🇺🇸

Every day, policies and budget decisions made on Capitol Hill impact our pay, benefits, healthcare, education, and quality of life as Airmen, veterans, and military families.

That’s why AFSA’s legislative advocacy is so important — it ensures that the voices of those who serve, and those who have served, are heard where it counts.

📣 Here’s why your voice matters:

● Legislative engagement keeps our leaders informed about how policies affect real people — not just numbers on a page.

● Consistent advocacy helps protect earned benefits and prevent unintended cuts.

● Every message, email, or phone call helps strengthen AFSA’s credibility and influence on Capitol Hill.

When we speak together, we amplify the voice of the entire force — past, present, and future.

🗳️ Be part of that voice:
👉 Visit AFSA’s Legislative Action Center to see current issues and contact your representatives:
🔗 https://www.hqafsa.org/takeaction.html

Together, we serve, support, and defend — not just in uniform, but through action.

AFSA Legislative Action Center

10/16/2025

Stand With Our Combat-Injured Vets 🇺🇸

Recently, the Major Richard Star Act was brought to the Senate floor for unanimous consent consideration—but an objection was raised. A subsequent motion to commit the bill for a full vote before year’s end was also blocked.

The Major Richard Star Act is a vital piece of legislation that would correct a long-standing injustice faced by many veterans who were medically retired due to combat-related injuries.

Under current law, some medically retired veterans lose part—or in some cases all—of their military retirement pay when they also receive VA disability compensation. This penalty, often called the “wounded veteran offset,” unfairly reduces the benefits of those who sacrificed in combat.

If passed, the Major Richard Star Act would:

● Qualify approximately 50,000 military retirees with combat-related injuries to concurrently receive both military retired pay and Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation.

● Provide total offset relief to veterans who suffered combat injuries or illnesses who were medically retired with less than twenty years of service.

Take Action Today!
👉 Visit AFSA’s Legislative Action Week page and send your message of support to Congress:
🔗 https://www.hqafsa.org/law-2025.html an look for "Major Richard Star Act"

➦ Share this post and encourage others to act.

💬 Leave a comment—“Done!”—once your message is sent to boost momentum.

Every message counts. Let’s ensure the veterans who gave so much don’t lose what they earned. 🇺🇸

10/15/2025

Heads Up on Health Care Fairness 🏥

Our military families already carry immense responsibility. They shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden of unequal health care costs or limited access when serving this nation.

The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act aims to ensure that all military families receive equitable access to health care, without excessive out-of-pocket costs or coverage gaps. This legislation is about fairness, continuity, and caring for the people who support our Airmen.

👉 Learn more and take action through AFSA’s site:
🔗 https://www.hqafsa.org/law-2025.html and look for the "Military Family Healthcare Fairness" tab

📣 Here’s how you can help:

1. Use the link above to contact your Senators and Representatives today.

2. Share this post and encourage others to act.

3. Leave a comment—“Done!”—once your message is sent to boost momentum.

Together, we amplify our voice and support those who serve behind the scenes. 🇺🇸

10/14/2025

Team 404, Let’s Rally 🌟

Our servicemembers sacrifice every day—and so do their families. The Military Family GI Bill Promise Act is a vital piece of legislation designed to preserve education benefits for military families, ensuring that dependents won’t lose opportunities because of life changes later in their careers.

📚 Why it matters:

It protects the GI Bill benefits for families across generations.

It helps reduce stress and uncertainty for military children who want to pursue higher education.

It strengthens the assurance that service is rewarded—not penalized—based on life transitions.

👉 Visit AFSA’s Action Center to learn more and send a message to your congressional representatives:
🔗 https://www.hqafsa.org/takeaction.html and look for "Please Support the Military Family GI Bill Promise Act"

Your voice is powerful — even one message adds up. Let’s make sure military families’ futures remain bright. 🇺🇸

10/13/2025

Team 404!

As Legislative Awareness Week continues amid the ongoing government shutdown, AFSA is working to protect the financial security of our servicemembers.

The "Pay Our Troops Act" seeks to guarantee stable funding so that our military members, their families, and critical support services continue to receive pay and benefits—no matter the status of government funding.

Your voice matters! 🗣️
Take a few minutes today to contact your elected officials and show your support for this important legislation.

👉 Learn more and send your message through AFSA’s Legislative Action Center:
🔗 https://www.hqafsa.org/takeaction.html and look for "Pay our Troops Now!"

Together, we can help ensure our Airmen and all servicemembers are never left without pay for their service.

10/12/2025

Greetings Team 404!

Legislative Awareness Week is upon us!

This week, AFSA strives to equip our members with the tools, training, and confidence to be their own best advocates.

To get things started, we want to make sure you are familiar with VoterVoice. HQ AFSA has provided a walkthrough at https://www.hqafsa.org/law-2025.html on the left side under "Tutorials, How To Videos, and Guides".

Congress can't know how you feel unless you TELL them! Check out Votervoice and make your voice known to your Representatives and Senators in Congress!

09/22/2025

The day kicked off on 19 September at 1000 with a ceremony put on by the Robins AFB POW/MIA Memorial Organization where the guest speaker was US Army SPC Joseph Hudson, who was held as a Prisoner of War for over 20 days in 2003 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
Afterwards, the POW/MIA flag was passed to the Team Robins First Sergeants to begin the AFSA 404 POW/MIA Vigil Run. Over 24 hours, 265 runners and Volunteers from the base and local community kept the flag moving around the grounds of the Museum of Aviation.
After 24 hours and many miles, the flag was passed by the Robins Chiefs Group to SPC Hudson and Rolling Thunder Georgia-3 before they began their ride to Andersonville National Historic Site for a ceremony of their own.
Thanks to all that came out in support of those still missing.
Until they all come home...

09/22/2025

What a great tribute to the 80,943 still missing!

The day kicked off on 19 September at 1000 with a ceremony put on by the Robins AFB POW/MIA Memorial Organization where the guest speaker was US Army SPC Joseph Hudson, who was held as a Prisoner of War for over 20 days in 2003 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

Afterwards, the POW/MIA flag was passed to the Team Robins First Sergeants to begin the AFSA 404 POW/MIA Vigil Run. Over 24 hours, 265 runners and Volunteers from the base and local community kept the flag moving around the grounds of the Museum of Aviation.

After 24 hours and many miles, the flag was passed by the Robins Chiefs Group to SPC Hudson and Rolling Thunder Georgia-3 before they began their ride to Andersonville National Historic Site for a ceremony of their own.

Thanks to all that came out in support of those still missing.

Until they all come home...

08/27/2025

Team 404,
Big potential development for transferring G.I. Bill benefits!
Bipartisan bill in the works to remove the Service commitment to Transfer benefits! Veterans! This includes you!

2 asks:
1- If you aren't an AFSA member, sign up! 30 bucks a year to give AFSA a larger voice in Congress is a drop in the bucket.
2 - Visit AFSA's Legislative Action Center at the link in the comments and tell your representatives your thoughts on this bill.

Bonus: Share this with any Veteran or Service Member you know

05/06/2025

Team 404,
The Mercer Baseball Team is offering free admission for their 6PM game tomorrow night (7 May) for Active, retired, and their families.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1YBg6t7wUW/

𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 🪖🇺🇸
Join us Wednesday, May 7th at 6 PM for Military Appreciation Night as Mercer Baseball takes on Georgia Tech at 6 pm. Free entry for all military personnel and their families with valid ID. Don't miss out on our Limited Edition Jersey giveaway!

🗞 https://bit.ly/4d5OTzJ

03/18/2025

Greetings All,
Please see below legislative updates courtesy of the Division 6 Legislative Trustee:

16 March 2025 Legislative Update

𝟏. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝟑𝟎 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫. On Friday, 14 March, President Trump signed a 6-month continuing resolution (CR) through 30 September which sets most federal discretionary funding at FY 2024 levels, while also adding additional dollars for defense. These defense dollars notably provide funding for the 10 percent increase in basic military pay for those in the grades of E-1 through E-4. Military.com provides more details when it tells us, “In this CR, Congress sought to mitigate some of the fallout for the military by adding $6 billion above last year's budget for the Pentagon.
“In particular, Congress added funding for military personnel accounts for a 10% pay raise that junior enlisted service members are slated to get in April. The junior enlisted pay raise would have taken effect without extra funding being approved in the CR because Congress authorized the raise in the defense policy bill passed in December, but the military would have had to raid other personnel funds such as for retention bonuses in order to cover the increased paychecks.
“The CR also includes an extra $6 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs to make up for a shortfall in the Toxic Exposures Fund that was first identified by the Biden administration last year.”
To read all of this article, go to: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/03/14/government-shutdown-averted-money-junior-enlisted-pay-raise-secured-after-senate-passes-funding-bill.html

𝟐. 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬. The Website for Congressman Don Beyer, D-Va., writes, “The Military Spouse Hiring Act [supported by AFSA] would . . . amend the tax code to incentivize businesses to hire military spouses. . . According to a survey by Blue Star Families, military spouse employment is the top issue impacting active-duty families, and the top contributor to financial stress among military families.
“Military spouses consistently experience unemployment rates substantially higher than the national rate, and two thirds of employed active duty military spouses report underemployment. Frequent moves often stall military spouses' upward career progression and force them to find new jobs. This hurts military families and military readiness.
“Today's legislation would address the issue by expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program—which incentivizes employers to hire individuals who experience unique employment barriers—to include military spouses.”
For more on this, go to: https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6436


𝟑. 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐨𝐃 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝. The Military Times reports, “Athletic events are allowed to resume this weekend at Department of Defense schools, reversing some postponements announced earlier this week in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting government-funded travel. Department of Defense Education Activity sporting events sometimes involve teams traveling long distances between far-flung schools in their regions. The agency operates 161 schools in 11 foreign countries, seven U.S. states, Guam and Puerto Rico.

““DODEA has received further guidance to continue athletics and some additional mission-related extra-curricular activities, and is working through the review process now to identify such areas,” DODEA spokesman Will Griffin said Thursday."

To read more about this, go to: https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2025/03/14/dod-schools-allowed-to-resume-athletic-events-this-weekend-after-pause/

𝟒. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠. According to The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), “HOMES.mil is an online platform designed to provide a safe and non-discriminatory space for finding rental housing. It is open to all U.S. Service Members, including those in the Coast Guard, as well as DoD civilians, their families, and even Property Managers. While anyone can browse the site, only registered users can access detailed listings and landlord contact information.”
To read more about this site, go to: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/492632/housing-made-simple-service-members-meet-homesmil

𝟓. 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐌 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦. The Military Times reports, “Following recent reports of issues with military moves, officials no longer expect to fully transition all domestic shipments into the new Global Household Goods Contract, or GHC, by the April/May timeframe, as previously planned. The spring marks the start of the peak moving season for military families.

“We’ve noted contract performance issues and are taking measures to mitigate further impacts to service members and their families,” said TRANSCOM [U.S. Transportation Command] spokesman Scott Ross.

“Although TRANSCOM continues to award shipments to HomeSafe Alliance, it is adjusting the volume awarded to the company, according to Ross. Reducing the number of shipments is one option to manage the program’s rollout, and more details about other potential actions will be released soon, he said.”

For more on this, go to: https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/military-benefits/2025/03/07/moving-headaches-lead-military-to-slow-new-household-shipping-program/

𝟔. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭. The Website of Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, tells us that he has, “. . . introduced the Fairness in Veterans’ Education Act to ensure that all service members and veterans receive their full benefits without being inadvertently charged an additional fee. Specifically, this bill would reimburse service members who paid into the Montgomery GI Bill but later used Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits instead while on active duty. The legislation accomplishes this by eliminating an unnecessary requirement that ties compensation to a veteran’s final VA monthly housing payment.”

Senate co-sponsor Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., who introduced companion legislation added, “As a veteran, I’ll always stand by those who served. This bill makes things right for the 25,000 service members who paid into the Montgomery G.I. Bill before qualifying for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. . . These are hard-earned benefits, and the federal government owes these veterans up to $1,200. I want to make sure they get it.””
Source: https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2295

(end)

Sporting events had been postponed in response to President Trump's executive order restricting government-funded travel.