Pearl Harbor Residents Lose Drinking Water Again After Trauma Of Red Hill Spills
Service members and families stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam could be without water for another week or longer after breaks in primary pipes on Friday cut off service to most of the base.
Over 41,000 VA Patients Warned Of Delayed Care Due To Troubled Electronic Records System
About 41,500 patients in the Department of Veterans Affairs are receiving letters notifying them their care may have been delayed because of issues with the VA's beleaguered new electronic health records system, the agency's top health official told reporters Wednesday.
More Vets Are Running For Congress Now Than Any Election Since 2012
Nearly 200 veterans won major-party primaries this year and will vie for a seat in Congress in the midterm elections, making this the largest field of candidates with military experience in a decade.
Throughout the course of the week, view our "A-ZOOM-A-DAY" broadcasts to learn about several important quality-of-life issues that affect military members and their families! Scheduled podcasts are shown 3 times each day AT the designated times only. You cannot watch after the broadcast is complete.
Select your daily broadcast session time, then REGISTER. A brief confirmation email with a link to access the chosen broadcast will be issued to you upon registration. The event can be added to your calendars as well.
Don't worry if you missed Day 1 (Sunday) through Day 4 (Wednesday); we've got you covered. By the end of the week, all the broadcast footage you missed will be available for viewing and downloading on HQAFSA.org.
Don't forget to share among friends, members, families, ETC, so they too can get a chance to be a part of this great experience. Additionally, you can find the most recent information about LAW22 by visiting Air Force Sergeants Association on all platforms.
New Air Force Policy Aims To Better Handle Sexual Harassment Claims
By: Rachel S. Cohen | MilitaryTimes
Troops in the Department of the Air Force can now access the same resources to deal with sexual harassment as they would for sexual assault under a recent policy change.
Airmen and Space Force guardians who are sexually harassed can file a confidential report to their local Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office to get support from a victim advocate or response coordinator. The move brings sexual assault and harassment reporting under one roof as part of a broader slate of reforms to help victims.
"Sexual harassment does not reflect who we are as an organization and has no place in the military," said Brig. Gen. Debra Lovette, head of the Air Force's personal and professional resilience initiatives. "For service members victimized by this harmful behavior, it can be crippling, preventing them from coming forward out of fear of further harassment or the perceived lack of support from their leaders or coworkers."
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, quid pro quos and other actions or comments that make someone uncomfortable can constitute harassment.
Previously, sexual harassment complaints were handled through Equal Opportunity offices. But separating those reports from formal sexual assault allegations limited the help victims could receive, and complicated the process of punishing perpetrators.
The policy was revised following recommendations from an independent panel tasked with studying how the Pentagon addresses sexual misconduct, as well as legal changes enacted in the fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. The update took effect Sept. 30.
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 TRICARE'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.
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, according to the Navy, the breakdowns resulted in the shutdown of all but one of the installation's twelve child development centers and left thousands of families in the Hawaii base community without access to clean drinking water. Repairs will take seven to ten days, according to the firm. The base had just started to rehabilitate and move on from fuel spills at the Red Hill storage depot that tainted tap water in those exact same homes last fall when the most recent water problem arose. Those earlier leaks may have made close to 2,000 locals unwell and necessitated the need for hundreds of doctor visits.
The base informed locals on Monday that water use "is restricted to essential use only," specifically for toilet and personal hygiene. Additionally, a boil water advisory is still in effect for any water that may be used for drinking or cooking at the base. According to Capt. Mark Sohaney, the base commander, a 36-inch break in a water line was found on Friday morning, and later, minor breaches were found in numerous other places. In a Monday update, Sohaney stated that the repairs were "ongoing."
In addition, the government last week stated it was delaying further system rollout until summer 2023 due to issues that watchdog assessments have concluded presented dangers to patient safety. This week, it has been revealed the number of veterans who may be affected. The Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane, Washington, originally published the number.
Shereef Elnahal, the VA's under secretary for health, emphasized that not all of the 41,500 veterans who received letters unquestionably had care delayed during a discussion with reporters. However, an analysis of the system revealed that they might have been among a group where errors prevented clinicians from getting in touch with them regarding prescriptions, lab results, or follow-up visits.
According to Elnahal, the VA is alerting those patients "out of an excess of caution." He promised that the VA would help each veteran individually to resolve any issues, and the organization has a phone center specifically devoted to the subject.
And lastly, due to the fact that many of the candidates are running in areas that strongly support their rival party, analysts caution that the larger pool will not inevitably result in an increase in the number of veterans holding elected office.
184 House candidates with prior military service won major party primaries earlier this year, per research by Veterans Campaign and Military Times, and will be on state ballots in November. There will also be a list of another 12 successful U.S. Senate candidates that have military experience. The number of candidates is up by around 7% from the 2020 election and is at its highest level since 2012.
But compared to the pre-September 11 era, when the number of veteran candidates - and veteran election winners - was much higher, it is still a sizable decline. There were 218 candidates with military experience running for the House alone in the 2000 midterm elections. 197 veterans held seats in the House and Senate in 1997.
The proportion of veterans in Congress has continuously decreased since the beginning of the 93rd Congress in 1973, when 401 members (about 75% of the House and Senate) had some sort of military service on their resumes.
And that's the way it is for Thursday, October 20, 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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