Breaking News

Bill Allowing Disabled Veterans To Collect Full Benefits Gets New Push From Supporters On Capitol Hill

Leading lawmakers and veterans groups are renewing their push for a bill that would dramatically expand benefits for veterans injured in combat.

To read more, please click here.

Alabama Bill Aims To Create State Health System For Veterans And Their Families 

Two new bills in the Alabama Senate and House of Representatives aim to create a healthcare system in the state for U.S. Military veterans and their families.

To read more, please click here.

Allvin Adds Detail, Texture To Plans For Reoptimizing The Air Force 

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin offered a forceful – and deeper – explanation for plans to reshape and “reoptimize” the service and for why it’s necessary during an appearance Feb. 28 at the Brookings Institution.

To read more, please click here.

AFSA On The Hill

How the Military’s Basic Allowance for Housing Compares With Civilian Housing Costs

By: Press Release | CongressionalBudgetOffice.gov 

CBO compares the housing standards used to determine the military’s basic allowance for housing (BAH) with the housing rented by comparable civilians. CBO also compares BAH rates with the rental costs paid by those civilians.

Summary:

The U.S. military has provided room and board, or allowances in lieu thereof, to its personnel and their dependents for many decades. Currently, most service members on active duty are provided with housing through the basic allowance for housing (BAH), which is part of their cash compensation. In fiscal year 2023, funding for all types of BAH was about $24 billion (in 2023 dollars), 14 percent of funding for the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) military personnel accounts. Retaining active-duty personnel depends in part on whether their compensation package—which includes the housing allowance—is sufficient to entice them to stay in the military.

In this report, the Congressional Budget Office compares the kinds of housing that DoD defines as suitable for military personnel who receive BAH, known as military housing standards, with the housing choices made by two groups of civilians: those with age and education profiles comparable to military personnel of each pay grade and those with comparable income. CBO also compares the size of BAH payments (which are derived from military housing standards) with the rental costs (including utilities) that comparable civilians pay.

CBO focused its analysis on civilians who were similar to enlisted military personnel with dependents at pay grade E-5 from 2017 to 2019. Service members at that pay grade are typically between the ages of 23 and 28 and hold the rank of sergeant in the Army, Marine Corps, and Space Force; staff sergeant in the Air Force; or petty officer, second class in the Navy. They constitute one of the largest groups of BAH recipients.

CBO found the following:

• The housing choices that civilians made varied considerably by location. They tended to live in smaller units in more expensive areas and larger units in less expensive areas. By contrast, the military housing standards for off-base housing do not vary by location, regardless of prevailing housing costs.
• Civilians who were similar to military personnel in demographic characteristics (age and education) tended to rent smaller housing units than the military housing standard. Civilians who had income similar to that of military personnel also sometimes rented smaller housing units than the standard. Generally, though, they rented units that were larger than those rented by civilians with age and education levels similar to military personnel.
• The BAH rate for military personnel was typically higher than what similar civilians paid for rent and utilities. For example, the BAH rate for E-5 personnel with dependents for a given geographic area was about 47 percent higher, on average, than the median rents paid by civilians with similar age and education profiles. The difference narrowed to about 20 percent for civilians with income similar to that of E-5s. There was considerable variation in the size of that gap across areas with similar BAH rates.

To view the document, please click here

LEGISLATIVE NEWS | Our Radar this week.

BUDGET

Last week, AFSA penned a letter to and met with congressional leadership expressing our concerns over their inactions in passing a budget on time. We focused on the impact to the quality of life of our service members that these inactions lead to. Every time congress passes another CR, the members of this nation’s total forces have to begin planning to live without pay in the near future. We urge congress to work on passing the appropriation bills before their respective deadlines and to avoid further continuing resolutions.

ON THE HILL

AFSA will be on the hill this week with the TMC as part of the Star Act Hill Day.

H.R. 1282/S. 344, The Major Richard Star Act

Sponsors: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]

Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]

Co-Sponsors: 397 total

Committees: House - Armed Services;

Veterens’ Affairs

Senate - Armed Services

Background:

Combat-injured veterans forced into early retirement by their injury are not receiving their vested longevity pay. Reducing retirement pay because of a disability is an injustice. The Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 1282/S. 344) will correct this injustice.

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! Download, print, share... WINTER Magazine 2024 - AFSA (hqafsa.org)

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... 

Please click here to view

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, the law, known as the Major Richard Star Act, would ensure that all medically retired service veterans have full access to military retirement pay and Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits. The bill gained momentum last year but has since stalled. 

However, veterans service organizations on Capitol Hill this week, as well as members from both parties who are sponsoring the bill, have vowed to fight until it is passed.

In addition, "This bill would put veterans' care in the hands of veterans," says John Kilpatrick, founder and CEO of Vets Recover, a nonprofit in Mobile that primarily provides mental health care to soldiers, first responders, and their families. Kilpatrick is the president of the Alabama Council of Chapters of the Military Officers Association of America.

The bills, which were introduced last month and are awaiting review by their respective committees of origin, would charge the state Department of Veterans Affairs with developing and implementing a healthcare system that would provide primary care, behavioral health care, and social services to veterans and their immediate families.

And lastly, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin's session at the influential think tank was his first since becoming the Air Force's highest ranking military officer, and it came two weeks after the service's leadership unveiled a broad and ambitious plan to restructure the Air Force and Space Force to better confront China.

"We assessed that we are really optimized for an era that has bypassed us," Allvin told the Brookings audience. "There are still challenges from throughout the world, but the looming threat, one that could have an existential impact on our country and way of life, is one we must address.

And that's the way it is for Thursday, March 7, 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!