These Mid-Atlantic Bases Have Toxic Levels Of Cancer-Linked Chemicals, Report Finds

Hundreds of military installations show unsafe levels of toxic "forever chemicals" in their ground water, including a handful along the Chesapeake Bay, according to a study released Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group. Using Defense Department records, researchers noted that there are eight bases with between 0.8 and 2.2 million parts per trillion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, compared to the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limit of 70 parts per trillion.    To read more, please click here.

Errors Cost Student Vets GI Bill Benefits. Now, Howard University Is Scrambling To Save VA Funding  

Tiahna Pantovich, 26, sounds exhausted as she recounts the months of administrative bungles at Howard University that forced her out of her home in the Washington, D.C., area. She spent the better part of four years as an Arabic and Spanish linguist at Fort Hood, Texas, earning the GI Bill benefits that would support a blossoming academic career. An associate's degree at the Defense Language Institute was followed by degrees from Central Texas College and the University of Michigan. Now, she's only nine months from completing her master's in social work at Howard University, a school she loves. But in January, she says, Howard, a prestigious Washington, D.C. school, botched her certification to the Department of Veterans Affairs, misreporting her degree program.  To read more, please click here.

Off-The-Shelf Games Help Some Veterans With Brain Injuries

An online game program developed to help aging adults maintain brain fitness has been found to improve cognitive function in veterans with a history of concussion, according to a study published last month in the journal Brain. BrainHQ -- software available online that uses puzzles to exercise the brain -- improved cognitive function in affected veterans at four times the rate of those in a control group who played video games. The improvements also continued after the study was complete, with the BrainHQ group seeing five times the gains when tested 12 weeks later, according to the study.   To read more, click here.

AFSA Supports Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Voting Access for Military Voters

Earlier today, AFSA HQ formally declared support for the Reducing Barriers for Military Voters Act, legislation introduced by US Senators Tammy Duckworth and John Cornyn.

Specifically, this legislation would:

• Establish an end-to-end electronic voting system for active duty servicemembers stationed in hazardous duty zones or rotational deployments by amending the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).
• Require DoD's Chief Information Officer to develop a secure plan including services for registering to vote, requesting an electronic ballot, completing the ballot and returning the ballot.
• Direct DOD to test the service with a subset of voters in the 2024 federal election and expand it to the entire identified population for the 2026 federal election cycle.
• IMPORTANT: The service is "opt-in," ensuring states are not forced to amend their state election regulations as a result of federal law. 

Background

Military voters have participated at lower rates than the general population in every election since 2010. Despite outreach by the DoD's Federal Voting Assistance Project (FVAP), deployed service-members face substantial barriers to voting, especially when they are deployed under conditions with limited or no postal service. 

According to a 2016 report from the Election Administration and Voting Survey, UOCAVA ballots are rejected at three times the rate of other voters. Of those rejected, 44.4% are because their ballot was not received on time. As of October 9, 2020, 20 states require mail ballot return, 19 permit email or fax return, 3 permit email, fax, or online portal, and 7 permits fax return only. 

This creates a confusing "voting landscape" for deployed military voters who are simultaneously juggling the other life complications brought by a deployment or mobilization. 24 states currently utilize electronic ballot returns for select populations, and this bill would provide states an additional tool to enfranchise military voters serving in remote areas. In 2018, West Virginia offered their overseas and military voters the option to vote via mobile device. Five other states have implemented similar pilot programs. 

"Servicemembers face numerous barriers to voting that make it more difficult for them to more fully participate in our democracy by exercising their right to vote," Duckworth said. "We should be doing everything we can to strengthen voting rights across the country, which is why I'm introducing this bipartisan bill with Senator Cornyn that would increase access to the ballot box for our troops."

"It's a sad fact that servicemembers in faraway or isolated posts sometimes can't participate in the very same democratic system they are fighting for," said Cornyn. "This legislation will allow active-duty troops deployed to some of our most difficult assignments to safely and securely cast their ballots, and I'm proud to join Sen. Duckworth in introducing this important piece of bipartisan and bicameral legislation."

If you have any questions on this particular piece of legislation, please contact AFSA's Policy Advisor at mschwartzman@hqafsa.org.

Air Force Releases Additional Dress and Appearance Changes

By: Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

New dress and appearance updates will soon be released following feedback, testing from Airmen and reviews conducted as a part of the 2020 Air Force Uniform Board.

"We remain committed to maintaining an iterative approach with our dress and appearance standards," said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. "During this most recent review we approved several updates fully aligned with our Air Force standards and culture that maintain our focus on warfighting while providing options to meet many of the needs of our Airmen."

Specific details about the initiatives listed above, as well as additional changes, will be available upon AFI publication. In total, more than 30 recommendations from the Air Force Uniform Board were approved for implementation to the field.

To read more about additional uniform item improvements, please click here.

VA Expands Mandate for COVID-19 Vaccines Among VHA Employees

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough will expand his previous COVID-19 vaccine mandate Friday, Aug. 13, to apply to most Veterans Health Administration employees and volunteers and contractors who work in VHA facilities, visit VHA facilities or otherwise come into contact with VA patients and healthcare workers as part of their duties.

Under the expanded mandate, employees who will need to be vaccinated include Hybrid Title 38 and Title 5 VA health care personnel - such as psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, nursing assistants, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, peer specialists, medical support assistants, engineers, housekeepers and other clinical, administrative and infrastructure support employees who come into contact with VA patients and healthcare workers.  

"We're now including most VHA employees and volunteers and contractors in the vaccine mandate because it remains the best way to keep Veterans safe, especially as the Delta variant spreads across the country," Secretary McDonough said. "This pandemic is not over and VA must do everything in our power to protect Veterans from COVID-19. With this expanded mandate, we can once again make - and keep - that fundamental promise."

As with the previous mandate, directive affected employees will have eight weeks to provide proof of vaccination to their local VHA Occupational Health Office.

All VA employees are eligible to be vaccinated at no personal expense at any of our facilities and would also receive four hours of paid administrative leave after demonstrating they have been vaccinated.

IMPORTANT TO REITERATE: AFSA Delegates Vote to Approve 2021-2022 Legislative Platform, Open Letter, and Annual Resolution at 2021 Legislative Forum!

As you may be aware, from July 24 to 29, the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) hosted over 2,000 Airmen and Guardians and senior enlisted leaders of the Air and Space Forces at the 2021 Professional Education and Development Symposium (PEDS) in Orlando, Florida at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. 

On Sunday, July 25, AFSA delegates convened to take part in our annual Legislative Forum with a member of Congress - where we made a formal presentation of our L. Mendel Rivers Award to House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, received an up-to-the-minute update from our Policy Advisor, Matthew Schwartzman, and voted on the AFSA's 2021-2022 Legislative Platform, Open Letter, and Annual Resolution.

This year's Legislative Platform saw a total of six modifications that were approved unanimously. In addition to an aesthetic change to the document, the following additions were made to modernize the Platform to address pressing issues in the field:

1. To ensure proposed military medical billet cuts, any other uniformed/civilian/contracted medical personnel reductions and/or military treatment facility downsizing, or closures are not implemented until DoD presents to Congress a thorough analysis of civilian care availability and plan to mitigate impacts on readiness and beneficiary care.
2. To monitor transition of MTF administration to DHA and secure a transparent analysis and report on access to care at the MTF level as well as beneficiary problem tracking and resolution.
3. To support DoD's encouragement for States to engage in immediate actions to fully implement military spouse licensure laws; to attain a baseline of getting military spouses a license in 30 days based on minimal documentation; to seek long-term solutions for reciprocity through compacts.
4. To increase USAF and military oversight of privatized and government owned family housing and barracks to ensure quality housing is provided, health and safety hazards are properly addressed, abated, and prevented, and utility rates are equitable.
5. To reverse trends in (and ultimately end) the national tragedy that is suicide among service members past and present and their families; to expand research into core causes, risk factors, and protective factors for suicide among veterans, caregivers, service members and their families; to pursue further legislation and funding for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as treatment of persistent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) for veterans through VA. 

This year's open letter to Congress addressed pending legislation before the 117th Congress on toxic exposure - specifically, the COST of War Act of 2021 and Honoring our PACT Act of 2021.

In short, the letter respectfully requests Congressional consideration of the following:

1. Expand a presumption of service connection to include K-2 vetarans
2. Ensure health care personnel and processors of claims have adequate training with respect to toxic exposure veterans
3. Provide for reevaluations of claims for compensation involving certain presumptions of service connection
4. Require consultation with congressionally chartered, membership-based Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) on select appointments to de jure advisory bodies that make determinations on presumptions.

To read the Open Letter in its entirety, please click here.

And, lastly, our Annual Resolution addresses one of the most important issues to our members - that of TRICARE beneficiary cost shares. In short, with the approval of the 2021 Annual Resolution, the AFSA will continue to urge decision-makers to:

1. Oppose future TRICARE fee increases.
2. Ensure any programmatic revision to TRICARE and its managed care support contract structure does not force beneficiaries to incur any additional costs.
3. Separate the costs of providing health care to TRICARE beneficiaries from the costs of ensuring readiness.
4. Improve the transparency of readiness funding.
5. Reprogram appropriate apportionments of funds from year-end savings back into the TRICARE program or to beneficiaries to lower their health care costs

To read the Annual Resolution in its entirety, please click here.

If you have any questions about any of the documents aforementioned, please reach out to AFSA's Policy Advisor, Matthew Schwartzman, at mschwartzman@hqafsa.org.

Greetings AFSA Division and Chapter Leadership,

We are pleased to share the AFSA Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay procedures and marketing materials to help share the process with our members, your membership and potential new recruits.

The Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay program creates an opportunity to JOIN AFSA or RENEW a membership by making a $36 once-a-year/every-year auto payment, or a $4-each-month/every- month auto payment. The $36 once-a-year option is set at $36, and the $4-a-month option includes a bank processing fee of $1 each month.

Review the two ways to enroll, the benefits to using the auto-pay option, and the marketing materials to help share the details of this program and ensure its success.

For more information, please click here.

For questions, please contact AFSAHQ Member & Field team at 800-638-0594 x 288.

Please Update Your Contact Information Today!

Dear Air Force Sergeants Association Member,

In order for the AFSA to effectively communicate with our members, it is essential to ensure we have your current and / or valid e-mail address. 
 
We are in the process of updating our records and need your help! Please take a moment to ensure that we have your most current mail and email address (no .mil's); and accurate membership listing information.

We've made it easy, as you can update your information in either one of three ways: 

1. Call Member & Field Relations team directly at 800-638-0594 x 288 (Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST)
2. Email to: msvcs@hqafsa.org
3. Visit www.hqafsa.org and select the UPDATE button on the right

We thank you in advance for your support and prompt updates.

In sum, AFSA HQ declared support for the Reducing Barriers for Military Voters Act. This bill would lay the foundation to establishing a secure electronic voting system for active duty servicemembers stationed in hazardous duty zones or rotational deployments. U.S. Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC-02) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.

Moreover, just last week, the Senate voted unanimously to approve the PAWS Act, legislation that authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to create a pilot program on dog training therapy based on the promising "train the trainer model," that will provide dog-training skills and service dogs to veterans with mental illnesses, regardless of whether or not they have mobility issues. 

According to a report from the Department of Veteran's Affairs, the number of veterans with mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use orders increased from 27 percent in 2001 to more than 40 percent in 2014, and an average of 20 veterans per day died by suicide in 2014. The bipartisan PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act aims to reduce veteran suicide connected to mental health conditions by partnering veterans experiencing symptoms of PTSD and other post-deployment issues with service dogs through a Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program.

Read full text of the bill HERE.

Our Military and Government Relations Team is currently in the process of sifting through the House Committee Personnel mark-up of the FY2022 NDAA to cross-analyze its provisions w/ the SASC full-committee mark issued just a couple of weeks ago. We will make sure to keep you posted as we move through this process together.

And that's the way it is for Thursday, August 12, 2021.

Stay tuned for our next M&G-B, where we will continue to keep you in the loop on all things pertinent to the coronavirus, veterans, active-duty members, guard and reservists, and military family members. Stay happy, and stay healthy!