Troops Get New Bereavement leave For Loss Of Spouse Or Child
Active-duty and some reserve and National Guard personnel who lose their spouse or a child and don't have more than 30 days of leave on the books are now eligible for 14 consecutive, non-chargeable days of bereavement leave, according to a Defense Department memorandum released Wednesday.
Overhaul Of VA's Troubled Health Records Program Eyed By Senators
The chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and other prominent senators are planning "comprehensive legislation" to overhaul the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs electronic health records program, the lawmakers announced this week.
98 Military Families Silenced By Nondisclosure Agreements With Private Base Housing Companies
Several private companies that manage housing on military installations nationwide asked 98 families since 2019 to sign nondisclosure agreements as part of settlement disputes over mold, infestations and other dangerous living conditions in their on-base homes.
We are incredibly excited to let you know that Registration is now OPEN for The SUMMIT23: AFSA International Convention and Professional Education & Development Conferences. We are anticipating a full house with AFSA members, families, and guests, along with other Active Duty, Retired and Veteran military personnel.
DATES:You have TWO CHOICES when registering for the AFSA-International Conference (AFSA-IC):
AFSA-IC Only: Friday, August 4 to Sunday, August 6. (Arrive Fri., Aug 4, Depart Mon., Aug 7) Cost $275. Includes all AFSA special event meal functions.
AFSA-IC PLUS the PEDS and the Air & Space Force Honors Banquet: Friday, August 4 to Wednesday, August 9. (Arrive Fri., Aug 4, Depart Thurs., Aug 10) Cost: $325 Includes all AFSA special event meal functions, plus the Air & Space Honors Banquet.
REGISTER ONLINE
Important: Your confirmation/receipt will be sent to the email that you use here to register today.
If you own a business or know of a business that supports military families, we have a wide range of sponsorship opportunities during the AFSA-IC & SUMMIT23. Our goal is to help businesses share, recruit and network with their targeted market. To view and share our Sponsorship levels visit:
Do you own a business that supports military families, or know of an organization that does? The SUMMIT Info/EXPO is the perfect place to be! Learn about our exhibit booth opportunities by visiting:https://www.thesummitafsa.org/InfoExpoExhibitors
MAIN WEBSITES
The Master SUMMIT Page has information for ALL planned events including the AFSA International Convention (AFSA-IC), the AFSA-IC Plus PEDS registration, the Enlisted Leaders Conferences (ELCs – by invitation only), the PEDS, and the USF Golf Scramble. The Master SUMMIT page is located at:https://www.hqafsa.org/summit23.html
Enlisted Leadership Conferences (ELCs): As of today, we are planning to host 11 ELCs. ELCs are by invitation only, and they require an ACCESS CODE (provided by your ELC/POC) to register and attend. You may learn more about them here https://www.thesummitafsa.org/EnlistedLeadersConferences
Veterans or their beneficiaries who receive a housing allowance as part of their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits will not receive their payments on Friday as a result of a processing failure, Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced late Thursday.
The VA said that the department is working to rebuild the file that enables the payments to be sent so they can be delivered "as soon as possible," aiming for Monday, April 3, to initiate electronic transfers and mail paper checks.
VA officials said they have notified the department's inspector general and are conducting a review to determine the cause of the disruption but are concentrating on fixing the problem for now.
"We are mindful of the stress this may create for our student Veterans and their families," VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes said in an email Thursday to Military.com. "VA is preparing electronic communications to inform Veterans and provide them with a letter, which they can share with their creditors in the event this delay impacts their ability to meet personal financial obligations."
Hayes added that the VA is also contacting schools that veterans attend using their benefits to keep them apprised of the situation.
More than a half-million veterans or their families receive education benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, although not all use the housing benefits. VA officials did not say how many beneficiaries would be affected by the delay.
Officials said they would keep veterans and the public informed on the process, providing updates when payments are distributed and when the department finds the cause of the breakdown.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides up to 36 months of tuition, a monthly living stipend and other benefits to former service members or their beneficiaries who enrolled in the program while they served.
Several historic events occurred on Jan 3rd 2023, the first day the 118th Congress met. Despite being a long list, these legislation addresses a larger variety of public policy objectives that fall under the purview of the seven main emphasis groups of our legislative platform. The bills are currently being introduced, and AFSA is striving to provide more details on the following:
H.R.303 - To amend title 10, United States Code, to permit additional retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or combat-related special compensation.
Sponsor: Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis [R-FL-12]
Committees - House Armed Services, House Veterans' Affairs
H.R.1282 - Major Richard Star Act, To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand eligibility to certain military retirees for concurrent receipt of veterans’ disability compensation and retired pay or combat-related special compensation, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis [R-FL-12]
Committees - House Armed Services, House Veterans' Affairs
S.344 -The Major Richard Star Act, to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for concurrent receipt of veterans’ disability compensation and retired pay for disabled retirees with fewer than 20 years of service and a combat-related disability, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Jon Tester [Sen-D-MT]
Committees - Senate Armed Services
H.R.254 – To amend title 10 United States Code, to improve the administration of the TRICARE program in Puerto Rico, and for other purposes.
H.R.236 – To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to designate a week as “Battle Buddy Check Week” for the purpose of outreach and education concerning peer wellness checks for veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sheila Lee Jackson [D-TX-18]
Committees – House Veterans Affairs
H.R.234 – To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a burial allowance for certain veterans who die at home while in receipt of hospice care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Jack Bergman [R-MI-1]
Committees – House Veterans Affairs
H.R.228 – To amend title 10, United States Code, to include a single comprehensive disability examination as part of the required Department of Defense physical examination for separating members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Robert J. Wittman [R-VA-1]
Committees – House Armed Services, House Veterans Affairs
H.R.226 – To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to promote and encourage collaboration between the Department of Veterans Affairs and nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher learning that provide administrative assistance to veterans.
Sponsor: Robert J. Wittman [R-VA-1]
Committees – House Veterans Affairs
H.R.221 – To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand eligibility for participation in the Federal Pell Grant program to certain trade schools.
Sponsor: Robert J. Wittman [R-VA-1]
Committees – Education and Labor
H.R.214 – To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide eligibility for TRICARE selected for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Gregory W. Steube [R-FL-17]
Committees – House Armed Services, House Veterans Affairs
H.R.196 – To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to modify the information technology systems of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide for the automatic processing of claims for certain temporary disability ratings, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Matthew M. Rosendale Sr. [R-MT-2]
Committees – House Veterans Affairs
H.R.129 – To require the Secretary of Defense to ensure drop boxes are maintained on military installations for the deposit of unused prescription drugs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Vern Buchanan [R-FL-16]
Committees – House Armed Services
H.R.105 – To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to veterans with traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Sponsor: Andy Biggs [R-AZ-5]
Committees – House Veterans Affairs
H.R.104 – To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to formally recognize caregivers of veterans, notify veterans and caregivers of clinical determinations relating to eligibility for caregiver programs, temporarily extend benefits for veterans who are determined ineligible for the family caregiver program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Andy Biggs [R-AZ-5]
Committees – House Veterans Affairs
H.R.41 – To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure the timely scheduling of appointments for health care at medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: James R. Baird [R-IN-4]
Committees – House Veterans Affairs
If you have any additional questions on this specific issue, please e-mail our Military and Government Relations team at milgov3@hqafsa.org.
AFSA International Convention and PEDS is LIVE! Register to attend now and save $25 with the AFSAEarly promo code. Book your Hilton Anatole Resort rooms, play in the USF Golf Scramble, and reserve your Info/EXPO Booth now! Visit: https://www.hqafsa.org/summit23.html
Have You Read The Latest AFSA Magazine?
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, a debt ceiling agreement, according to House Budget Chairman Jodey C. Arrington, was too vital to delay the laborious budget process, a day after President Joseph Biden urged Republicans to create a budget before they leave town for the April recess.
After holding a hearing on the subject with a panel of distinguished economists, the Texas Republican declared: "We need action on the debt limit quickly because of the state of the fiscal union." In response to the impact that inflation has had on household budgets, he remarked, "We have to obtain agreement on... what the budgetary limits are and move forward."
Arrington's remarks supported Speaker Kevin McCarthy's, a Republican from California, request that Biden resume talks on raising the debt ceiling and reducing spending in a letter sent on Tuesday. Republicans, according to McCarthy, could save the country $4 trillion over the course of ten years. Democrats rejected this claim and insisted that the GOP first produce a budget before engaging in serious discussions about spending priorities, which they believe should be conducted separately from raising the debt ceiling.
In addition, cuts ranging from 50% to 66% were expected to hit residents of the Pacific Islands as early as April 1. For military families, this might mean hundreds of dollars less in each paycheck. A defense official with knowledge of the negotiations, however, told Military.com that authorities are already working behind the scenes to stop that from happening.
If the changes are implemented, an E-6 with 10 years of service and three dependents might experience a drop ranging from $156 to $546, depending on the Hawaiian Island they are stationed on.
After the April halt, it's unclear whether the Pentagon will restart the proposed reductions to foreign cost-of-living allowances or if officials would seek a more significant change to how the allowances are calculated.
According to the Hawaii.Gov website, more than 40,000 active-duty soldiers of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps reside in Hawaii with their families.
And lastly, McDonough stated that the contract review will have a significant impact on the upcoming system deployment, which is anticipated to take place this summer in Saginaw, Michigan, during a hearing on the VA budget before a House Appropriations subcommittee.
In order to create and oversee the adoption of an electronic health records system that is compatible with the Department of Defense and offers service members a single digital medical record from the time they are sworn in until they pass away, the VA and Cerner signed a $10 billion agreement in May 2018.
More than 60% of military medical facilities now use the MHS Genesis version that the DoD has made available. At five VA medical sites, the system is used by almost 10,000 staff.
And that's the way it is for Thursday, March 30, 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!