Breaking News

Pentagon Would Have To Study Difficulties Of Troops And Spouses Getting Maternity Care Under New Bill

The Defense Department would have to undertake a detailed study of service members' and spouses' access to maternity care within the military health care system under bills being introduced Thursday by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from both chambers of Congress.

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Upcoming Congressional Breaks Could Endanger Budget Deal Talks

Congress has only four weeks until its next partial government shutdown deadline, but this week is the only time both chambers are scheduled to be in session simultaneously for the rest of February.

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Federal Judge Clears Way For New Tricare West Region Contract

A federal judge has cleared the way for TriWest Healthcare Alliance to become the contractor in charge of civilian medical networks for the Defense Department’s Tricare West Region.

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AFSA On The Hill

Written Statement By Chief Joanne Bass To Support The QoL Hearing That Was Held On January 31st.

The highest-ranking enlisted leaders in the Department of Defense told Congress on January 31 that providing adequate pay, health care, housing, education, and other "quality of life" factors for active-duty personnel is critical to maintaining readiness, maintaining the Total Force, and attracting the talent required to protect the nation's security.

To access the statement provided by CMSAF Bass prior to the 31 January Quality-of-Life hearing, which highlighted the Senior Enlisted perspective, visit: Senior Enlisted Leader
Perspective.

To read the written statements of the other top enlisted officials or see the complete hearing, visit: House Armed Services Committee

Enlisted Leaders Urge Lawmakers To Fully Fund Troop Housing Allowance

By: Karen Jowers | Militarytimes.com

The U.S. military’s top enlisted leaders this week encouraged lawmakers to pursue a funding increase that would cover troops’ estimated housing costs in full each year.

Boosting service members’ housing allowance to pay for 100% of those expenses, rather than the current 95%, would make a big difference for troops’ pocketbooks, the enlisted leaders told members of the House Armed Services Committee at a hearing Wednesday on the quality of life in the military. “That’s a huge impact. That is 5% that goes back in the pockets of our service members so that they can pay for their housing,” Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass said. “We’ve got to get there. That’s, to me, a no-brainer.”

Raising the housing stipend would also demonstrate to troops that the nation they serve cares about them, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer added.

The push for greater funding comes as the volatile real estate market has stretched many military families’ budgets and complicated their search for stable, affordable housing nationwide. The Defense Department used to set Basic Allowance for Housing rates to cover 100% of troops’ projected housing costs, on average. The funding level has dropped to 95% since 2015, when Congress allowed it to pare back the financial help.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who chairs the committee’s special quality-of-life panel, pledged to work on the issue as Congress crafts the next slate of annual defense policy and appropriations bills.

“We have to restore that 5%,” Bacon said during the hearing. “We may not be able to do it in one fell swoop, but we’re going to try to chip away at this and get it done, because I think it’s just a terrible mistake, what we’ve done to the service men and women.”

Each 1% increase in BAH would cost taxpayers about $220 million, he noted. The figure comes from a 2023 Defense Department analysis that found adding the entire 5% back into the housing stipend would cost taxpayers an additional $1.1 billion in calendar 2024. That’s on top of the $27.9 billion in BAH the Pentagon expects to pay about 1 million service members in 2024.

The amount that each service member spends to cover the last 5% depends on their pay grade and whether or not they have dependents. That out-of-pocket cost ranges from $85 to $194 each month, according to the Pentagon’s analysis.

At the same time, lawmakers have urged DOD to cover the full 100% on its own — a move the department can make without congressional approval.

IMPORTANT: AFSA Total Force Survey Is LIVE!

The AFSA Total Force Survey is now LIVE! Please support our Military and Government Relations Team by taking the time to complete the survey. It will just take 30 minutes of your time. This poll is thorough and includes various essential themes for our members, such as an Active Component, Reserve Component, and more! Please take the time to share with others as well.

Once you've finished the survey, just input your name and email address at the top of the survey page to the right to submit and complete it.

Have any questions? Please reach out to our M&G Team at milgov3@hqafsa.org.

To complete the survey, please click here.

Legislative Action Center

Support the Sergeant First Class Michael Clark TRICARE Reserve Parity Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107490/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Amend existing law to ensure three years of benefits for Guard and Reserve families, as is standard for active duty military.
• Bringing parity for guard and reserve survivor benefits to that of active-duty personnel.

Support the Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2023!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107499/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 the Mental Health For Military Children Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107509/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Would direct the DoD to establish a pilot program to provide routine mental health screenings or check-ups for common disorders for children ages 3-17, including questions about patients' mood, emotional state, habits, and behaviors.
• To ensure that children of military families who are at a greater risk for mental and behavioral health problems than the general population, have access to mental health screenings and check-ups at Department of Defense Education Activity schools (DoDEA). 

Support the Revisit Pay Equity Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/107467/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Increases the rate of the differential wage payment tax credit from 20% to 50% and requires that the maximum dollar amount of such credit be adjusted for inflation after 2023. 
• The credit is allowed to employers for their employees who are active duty members of the uniformed services. 

Support the Military Spouse Hiring Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/103707/Respond

Legislation Summary

• The Military Spouse Hiring Act would encourage companies to employ military spouses, who frequently face disproportionate impediments in the job market, by extending the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include them. 
• Intends to help military spouses find better work opportunities. 

Support the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/93860/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Authorizes veterans with a service-connected disability of less than 50% to concurrently receive both retired pay and disability compensation. 
• Makes qualified disability retirees with less than 20 years of retirement-creditable service eligible for concurrent receipt, subject to specified reductions in retired pay.

Support the Major Richard Star Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/93862/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Qualify approximately 42,000 military retirees with combat-related injuries to concurrently receive both military retired pay and Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation. 
• Provide total offset relief to veterans who suffered combat injuries or illnesses who were medically retired with less than twenty years of service.

Support the Retired Pay Restoration Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/92798/Respond

Legislation Summary

• Allows the receipt of both military retired pay 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.

Support the Military Family Nutrition Access Act of 2023!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/103672/Respond

Legislation Summary

• The Military Family Nutrition Access Act was created to aid military families with active duty members who are facing food insecurity. 
• By eliminating Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from the income calculations used to establish eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the bipartisan bill will combat food insecurity. 
• Military personnel risk their life to protect our nation; they shouldn't have to worry about providing for their families. 

Support the Not Just a Number Act!

Link to Advocacy Campaign: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/Campaigns/103681/Respond

Legislation Summary

• The Not Just a Number Act would oblige the VA to look into how veterans use their benefits in their yearly report on suicide prevention in order to assess the connection between VA benefits and suicide outcomes. 
• In its fight against veteran suicides, the VA evaluates which VA benefits have the best impact on preventing suicide and requires the Department to submit recommendations for an increase in such benefits.

If you have any questions, please reach out to AFSA's Military and Government Relations team at milgov3@hqafsa.org.

AFSA Membership Information

Have You Read The Latest AFSA Magazine?

Read the latest AFSA Magazine here now! Featuring 50 Years of Empowerment: Air Force Senior NCO Academy, Eye on Washington, Fortify the Force, Warrior Care, RASD-Recruiting, American Military University, and AFJROTC: Transforming Young Lives! Download, print, share... https://www.hqafsa.org/fall2023magazine-501586.html

Have you called to verify, update, and correct your membership contact information? If you received a postcard asking you to call in, please take a few moments to call to update your info, and learn about the AFSA Oral Historical Project 2023. Learn more here now... 

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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.

And That's The Way It Is...

In sum, lawmakers expect that the laws will ultimately enhance access to prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care for Tricare beneficiaries, following complaints in previous years of women struggling to see an obstetrician.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., co-sponsored the Senate bill, and Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Terri Sewell, D-Ala., presented an identical version in the House. The bill follows complaints in recent years that staffing shortages at military treatment facilities have made it difficult for expecting moms to find a doctor. The shortages are linked to efforts to streamline military health care through the Defense Health Agency. 

In addition, in a federal claims court verdict late Wednesday, Judge Ryan Holte upheld the Defense Health Agency's decision to award TriWest the $65.1 billion West Region contract, according to officials with Health Net Federal Services, the case's plaintiff. A new generation of Tricare contracts aims to improve care for the 9.6 million Tricare beneficiaries under its jurisdiction. The judge's verdict has yet to be made public.

Defense officials stated in December 2022 that Arizona-based TriWest Healthcare Alliance would take over as the West Region's civilian network contractor, replacing California-based Health Net Federal Services. The Defense Department recently granted Kentucky-based Humana Government Business a new contract to continue its position operating Tricare’s East Region.

And lastly, the Senate is expected to take a two-week break beginning February 10, though leaders may recall members sooner if necessary for budget votes. House members are slated to be in town until February 16, after which they will take their own two-week recess until March 4.

In the two weeks after Congress passed the previous federal budget extension agreement, leaders from both chambers have reported little progress in negotiations for a full-year budget plan. The government's fiscal year began on October 1, which means that agencies have been operating under fiscal 2023 expenditure limits for the past four months.

And that's the way it is for Tuesday, February 6, 2024. 

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!