New In 2023: PACT Act Processing Set To Start Jan.1
Last summer, Congress passed landmark veterans benefits legislation that could provide new health care options and disability payouts to as many as one in every five living American veterans.
Biden Signs $1.7 Trillion Bill Funding Government Operations
President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a $1.7 trillion spending bill that will keep the federal government operating through the end of the federal budget year in September 2023, and provide tens of billions of dollars in new aid to Ukraine for its fight against the Russian military.
Afghan Refugees In US Face Uncertainty As Legislation Stalls
Congress has failed so far to create a path to residency for Afghans who worked alongside U.S. soldiers in America’s longest war, pushing into limbo tens of thousands of refugees who fled Taliban control more than two years ago and now live in the United States.
12-Week Military Parental Leave Benefit Will Be In Place By January
By:Thomas Novelly | Military.com
All military parents will be eligible for 12 weeks of family leave following the birth or adoption of a child under a new policy set to take effect no later than Jan. 1.
Signed into law last December, the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act required that all of the services provide paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers, giving the military branches until the end of this year to make the changes. While not all of the services have those policies in place today, they will meet that deadline, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.
"The DoD is currently working on finalizing the DoD parental leave program policy that we fully intend to deliver on time," the spokesman, Maj. Charlie Dietz told Military.com "it shouldn't be too much longer!"
The policy change means that all service members are eligible for 12 weeks of leave for the birth, adoption or long-term fostering of a child. That leave will be non-chargeable, meaning it doesn't count against other leave allowances.
Birth mothers will still be eligible for maternity convalescent leave, as well as parental leave.
Previous regulations provided up to six weeks of maternity convalescent leave for new military moms and allowed for an additional six weeks for the family's primary caregiver, to be taken at their discretion.
Secondary caregivers, meaning the non-birthing parent, previously received up to three weeks of leave in the Army and Air Force, and two weeks in the Navy and Marine Corps.
The changes come at a time when the military, as a whole, has instituted more progressive policies to make service more accommodating for women, families and service members who are racial minorities -- ranging from creating nursing rooms on military bases to more welcoming beard waivers for medical conditions predominantly affecting Black service members.
When a separate bill was proposed in 2021 that began the legislative process leading to the change, lawmakers said the provision was needed to modernize the military's leave policy to make it similar to federal agencies, as well as large corporate employers.
"Parental leave for military service members is absurdly out of touch and outdated when compared to federal benefits and options provided by many private, large employers," Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., said when introducing the proposal in May 2021 alongside Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.
This past June, Military.com reported that the Defense Department published a policy on Reserve Component Military Leave, ordering the service branches to allow mothers paid authorized absences in lieu of inactive duty for training, also known as IDT, for the equivalent of three weekends.
The reserve policy went into effect June 9 but was not retroactive, Military.com reported.
Moms who gave birth between Jan. 1, 2021, and June 8, 2022, were left with unpaid maternity leave and no accrual of retirement points for those weekends.
It's not yet clear whether the Department of Defense's paternal leave policies will be retroactive for military families who gave birth to or adopted and fostered children since the 2022 NDAA was passed.
IMPORTANT TO REITERATE: AFSA 2023 Total Force Survey!
The Total Force 2023 survey is now available on the HQAFSA.org website, just in case you missed it or haven't caught up. Please take the time to complete the survey so that our Military and Government Relations Team can best assist you. The survey this year is thorough and covers a variety of vital subjects for our members, such as an Active Component, Reserve Component, and more! Have any inquiries? Contact our M&G team by sending an email to milgov3@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 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.
This edition features Port Mortuary and America’s Missing Heroes, Living with Bipolar Disorder in the Military, Fly-By Wire Defense and AFSA’s American Award Recipient – Don Ward. Read, download, print and share: https://www.hqafsa.org/fallmagazine.html
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, in accordance with the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or PACT Act, claims can now be processed by VA representatives as of January 1. More than 176,000 veterans have submitted papers since the end of the previous summer regarding the difficulties with wartime hazardous exposure addressed by the law.
Early in December, VA Secretary Denis McDonough stated that staff members have been building protocols and procedures to ensure that all claims are processed as swiftly as possible in order to prepare for the additional workload. But he also advised soldiers who were waiting impatiently for financial support for their ailments to exercise patience.
In addition, to prevent a partial government shutdown, Biden had until late Friday to approve the legislation.
Just before Christmas, the bill was approved by the Democratically-controlled House 225-201, primarily along partisan lines. The Senate, which was also governed by Democrats, voted 68-29 to pass the bill with much more Republican backing the day before the House vote. The passage, according to Biden, is evidence that Democrats and Republicans can cooperate.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the leader of the House Republicans who aspires to become speaker when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3, argued during floor discussion that the bill spends excessive amounts of money while making insufficient efforts to stop fentanyl imports from Mexico and illegal immigration.
And lastly, some MPs had hoped that a year-end government budget package would address the Afghans' immigration status. However, that attempt was unsuccessful, pushing the problem into the following year, when the House would be ruled by Republicans. As a result, refugees are now in serious limbo as they wait for Congress to take action before their temporary parole status expires in August.
After the tumultuous pullout from Afghanistan in August 2021, almost 76,000 Afghans who had collaborated with American troops since 2001 as translators, interpreters, and partners landed in the United States on military aircraft. With the promise of a road to a life in the United States in exchange for their service, the government accepted the refugees on a temporary parole status as part of Operation Allies Welcome, the largest resettlement initiative in the nation in decades.
And that's the way it is for Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
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!
