New Military Suicide Prevention Study Group To Begin Work This Summer
Defense Department officials on Tuesday unveiled members of panel charged with studying suicide prevention and behavioral health programs across the services, and the nine military installations they'll visit in coming months to evaluate what fixes need to be put in place.
Commissaries Set Limits On Purchases Of Baby Formula Amid Nationwide Shortage
Commissary officials have started limiting the amount of certain specialty baby formula products shoppers can buy, as the agency deals with the shortage affecting parents of infants nationwide.
Major Cuts To Cost-of-Living Allowances For Thousands Of Military Families In Germany Coming This Summer
Thousands of service members and their families stationed in Germany will see a major hit to their cost-of-living allowances starting next month, despite continued struggles for Americans living overseas with heightened utility costs and economic strain caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, and ranking member Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, announced that they had reached an agreement to pass sweeping military toxic exposure legislation later this summer, allowing millions of veterans exposed to burn pit smoke and other battlefield toxins to receive more medical care and disability benefits in the coming years.
For those who are unfamiliar, this legislation will:
Provide Priority Group 6 health care for over 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans
Provide extension of combat eligibility for health care from 5 to 10 years with a one-year open enrollment period for those veterans who missed their window.
Streamline VA's review process for establishing toxic exposure presumptions
Concede exposure to airborne hazards/burn pits based on locations & dates of service
Require medical exams/opinions for certain veterans with toxic exposure disability claims
Add hypertension andMonoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance to the list of presumptions for Agent Orange exposure
Establish a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers related to burn pits/airborne hazards exposure
Create a presumption of exposure to radiationfor veterans who participated in cleanup activities in Palomares, Spain, and Enewetak Atoll
Allow for a new tort claimfor veterans and families exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune
Expand agent orange exposure toveterans who served in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia
Improvedata collectionbetween VA and the Department of Defense
Commission studies related to incidents of cancer among veterans, health trends of Post 9/11 veterans and feasibility of providing healthcare to dependents of veterans
Require VA to provide standardized trainingto improve toxic exposure disability claims adjudications
Require VA to conduct outreach and provide resources to toxic exposed veterans
The bill could help an estimated 3.5 million veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other airborne hazards while serving obtain medical coverage and other benefits that were previously denied by the Department of Veterans Affairs due to a lack of evidence linking their diseases to their military service. The House proposal, named " the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, would establish a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers caused by smoke from burn pits, which were widely used in those war zones to dispose of various types of waste, many of which were toxic.
The House passed a comprehensive toxic exposure bill by a vote of 256-174 in March. The majority of Republicans, however, opposed the House legislation due to its $208 billion price tag.
The cost of the new agreement was not immediately disclosed.
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., and ranking member Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, hailed the agreement as a foundation for "the most comprehensive toxic exposure package" in American history. "For far too long, our nation's veterans have been living with chronic illnesses as a result of exposures during their time in uniform," Tester and Moran said. "Today, we're taking necessary steps to right this wrong with our proposal that'll provide veterans and their families with the health care and benefits they have earned and deserve."
AFSA has long supported reconciliation between the Honoring our PACT Act and a similar (but not identical) bill that was introduced in the Senate, S.3003, the Comprehensive and Overdue Support for Troops of War Act of 2021.
As our Team reported on in the latest edition of the AFSA Magazine, in early-mid February, the Senate took its own step forward by introducing and passing the Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act. While the AFSA was pleased to see Congress work swiftly to advance legislation to improve access to health care and benefits for our nation's Veterans, the Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act did not cast the furtherest reaching net of the bills pending before the 117th Congress.
Recently, AFSA signed on to a letter of support with over 40 VSOs that further described our official position on this important issue. An excerpt from the letter is as follows:
"There have been a number of bills introduced in the House that address different aspects of the toxic exposures puzzle. However, the Honoring Our PACT Act is the only bill that provides a truly comprehensive solution. Although many of us have supported some of these other burn pits and toxic exposure bills, none of them provides a complete and lasting solution for veterans who are or may become ill as a result of toxic exposures."
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out atmilgov3@hqafsa.org.
Updates the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by requiring the VA to continue providing assistance to a family caregiver for at least six months after the death of a veteran participating in the program.
Requires the VA to establish a process by which veterans who are determined to have the most significant need for caregiver assistance are permanently eligible for such assistance.
Requires the VA to standardize the criteria used across all facilities in its required evaluations of the needs of the veterans and the skills of the family caregiver.
Standardizes criteria used in accepting and evaluating applications for participation in the program across all facilities.
Support the CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act!
This bill provides that a child shall be eligible for medical care under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) until the child's 26th birthday, regardless of marital status.
Support the AUTO for Veterans Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92795/respond
Legislation Summary
The Advancing Uniform Transportation Opportunities for Veterans "AUTO" Act would reduce the financial burden incurred by virtue of military service by ensuring severely disabled veterans receive a grant from the VA's Automobile Assistance Grant program to purchase a specially equipped vehicle once every ten years - as opposed to only once.
Support the Aid and Attendance Support Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92792/respond
Legislation Summary
The Aid and Attendance Support Act temporarily increases eligible disabled veterans' and surviving spouses' Aid and Attendance (A&A) allowance by 25%.
Support the Ensuring Survivor Benefits during COVID-19 Act!
The Ensuring Survivor Benefits During COVID-19 Act requires the VA to solicit a medical opinion to determine if a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death in situations where a veteran's death certificate identifies COVID-19 as the principal or contributory cause of death, the certificate does not clearly identify any of the veteran's service-connected disabilities as the principal or contributory cause of death, and a claim for dependence and indemnity compensation is filed with respect to the veteran.
Ensures Reservists and National Guard members have no-fee healthcare through TRICARE Reserve Select that covers medical and dental coverage.
Fixes the parity gap for Reserve Component retirees receiving early retirement pay due to deployment credits making them eligible for TRICARE upon receipt of retirement pay.
Provides an incentive for small businesses to hire Reserve and National Guard members by ensuring their healthcare costs are covered.
Ensures service members can access physicals needed to be ready for no-notice deployments (which have increased over the past year).
Eliminates the statutory language that excludes Federal Employees Health Benefits Program eligible service members from TRICARE Reserve Select eligibility.
Support the Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92818/respond
Legislation Summary
The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act would:
Split Impact Aid's $1.1 billion request evenly over five years, across three main categories for funding: Basic Support, Federal Property, and Children with Disabilities.
Increase Basic Support funding by $190 million annually, meeting Impact Aid's 2019 funding requests.
Increase Federal Property funding proportionally to Basic Support (BSP) by allocating an additional $11 million annually.
Increase funding for Children with Disabilities by $9 million annually, funding $2,000 per eligible student.
Advance national K-12 school systems to become more equitable and meet educational needs.
Support military families that are especially impacted by federally tax-exempt land.
Support the Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92815/respond
Legislation Summary
Modifies the extension of dependent coverage under TRICARE by allowing a dependent at the age of 26 to be covered without an additional premium.
Authorizes such coverage of dependents without a premium regardless of whether they are eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored plan.
Support Expanding TRICARE Cranial Remolding Helmet Coverage!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92802/respond
AFSA urges our nation's elected officials to support legislation that would expand the scope of TRICARE's coverage of the DOC Band Post-Op device if your baby:
Is three to 18 months old; and
Is diagnosed with craniosynostosis or nonsynostotic positional plagiocephaly (to include torticollis)
Support the Jobs and Childcare for Military Families Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92799/respond
Legislation Summary
Allow an employer a work opportunity tax credit for hiring the spouse or domestic partner of a member of the Armed Forces.
Specifically, an employer may receive a tax credit equal to 40% of a new employee's first-year wages if the employer hires a service member's spouse or domestic partner (as recognized under state law or by the Armed Forces).
Create programs for service members to pay for childcare on a pretax basis.
Specifically, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security (with respect to the Coast Guard) must implement flexible spending arrangements that permit members of the Armed Forces to use basic pay and compensation to pay on a pretax basis for dependent childcare.
Support the Retired Pay Restoration Act!
Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/campaigns/92798/respond
Legislation Summary
Allowsthe receipt of both military retiredpay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability.
Extends full concurrent receipt eligibility to individuals who were retired or separated after at least 20 years of military service due to a service-connected disability.
Call To Action:Share How TRICARE's coverage of the Dynamic Orthotic Cranioplasty (DOC) Band Post-Op device negatively impact your family's quality of life!
For the past year, our Military and Government Relations Team has been working with AFSA military families on getting legislation introduced that would expand the scope of TRICAR's coverage of the DOC Band Post-Op device if a baby:
Is three to 18 months old; and
Is diagnosed with craniosynostosis or nonsynostotic positional plagiocephaly (to include torticollis)
Despite unsuccessful efforts (via FOIA request) to obtain important data for the purpose of quantifying the need of this issue in the aggregate, our Team is looking to hear from the field to share your story and help have your voice heard by members of Congress.
Issue Background
Helmet therapy is used to gently correct the shape of babies' skulls over time.
Newborn babies' skulls are soft plates with spaces between them. As the baby grows, these plates grow, gradually harden, and knit together.
Unfortunately, there are circumstances under which the soft plates may develop a flat spot or uneven appearance. This condition is called plagiocephaly.
Today, almost one in two babies (47%) is affected by some form of plagiocephaly.
When the baby's skull joins together too early, or in an abnormal way, this is called craniosynostosis. There are several types of craniosynostosis, depending on when the baby's skull joins together.
Today, it is estimated that 1 in every 2,500 babies has craniosynostosis.
Positional skull deformities and/or abnormalities - whether diagnosed as a form of plagiocephaly or craniosynostosis - can have short and long term health effects on a child.
However, despite this, TRICARE only covers the Dynamic Orthotic Cranioplasty (DOC) Band Post-Op device, synonymously referred to as a "molding helmet," if your baby:
Is three to 18 months old; and
Has had craniosynostoris surgery;
But still has a misshaped skull.
In other words, cranial molding helmet(s) are not covered for the treatment of nonsynostotic positional plagiocephaly or for the treatment of craniosynostosis before surgery; despite medical evidence that suggests the presence or absence of congenital or acquired plagiocephaly (to include torticollis) can, at the very least, increase the risk of gross motor development.
In fact, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics school-aged children with moderate to severe plagiocephaly scored lower than controls on cognitive and academic measures.
As a result, military families - who face unique challenges given the sacrifices that come along with serving our country - have been put in the tragic position to either front the hefty cost of the helmet (approximately $2,000), seek alternative forms of treatment that may not be preferred, or forego treatment altogether.
AFSA Int'l Convention ONLY (Arrive Saturday, August 7) This Registration Fee includes the following: Access to discounted hotel room rates, seminar/briefings, refreshments, Info Expo, Convention Theme Party, Welcoming Ceremony, and the AFSA International President's Dinner. However, if you are NOT an AFSA member, this registration fee does NOT grant you access to the AFSA's Member Appreciation Hospitality Room(s). This Convention Registration DOES NOT include hotel reservations.
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 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:
Call Member & Field Relations team directly at 800-638-0594 x 288 (Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST)
Email to: msvcs@hqafsa.org
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, The Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review, mandated by Congress last year, will include substance abuse, mental health services, and lethal weapon safety experts, as well as two retired military officers to provide insight into problems within the ranks.
Years of emphasis on suicide prevention and mental health support for servicemembers have resulted in little discernible impact on the overall problem. The Defense Department reported a 16% increase in troop suicides in 2020, totaling 580 deaths. According to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, the new panel will provide the department with a "public health approach to suicide prevention."
In other news, the limits, which went into effect on May 13, differ by location and are based on purchasing limits within state-level Women, Infants, and Children supplemental nutrition programs, commissary officials announced Tuesday. The WIC-Overseas program ties stores overseas to purchasing limits. The restrictions apply to all types of specialty baby formula.
According to the announcement, the limits are similar to those used by commercial retailers and military exchanges. Military exchanges established limits of five units per customer, per purchase, at least a week earlier, and those limits apply to all baby formula. Baby formula stocks in overseas commissaries are roughly 70% of what they would normally be. According to officials, US commissary stocks are even lower, at around 50% of normal.
And lastly, because prices in the continental United States are now higher than those in Germany, the Pentagon announced on Wednesday that the overseas cost-of-living allowance, or COLA, for families in the Kaiserslautern Military Community will be reduced beginning June 1.
With approximately 50,000 service members and families, Kaiserslautern is the largest military community outside of the continental United States.
The monthly allowance is reduced based on rank, years of service, and dependents. However, an unverified email circulating online from the 86th Airlift Wing out of Ramstein explaining the decrease to base commanders describes a cut in the COLA for some service members ranging between "$200 and $500."
And that's the way it is for Thursday, May 19, 2022.
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, guards and reservists, and military family members. Stay happy, and stay healthy!
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