Air Force Is Cutting Pay For Tough Jobs But Won't Say Which Roles Are Losing Out
Starting in October, hundreds of Airmen and Guardians will no longer qualify for a monetary bonus meant to encourage service members to take on the toughest and most difficult jobs, but the service is declining to make public which jobs will see the cuts.
'Woefully Unacceptable': Senators Seek Answers On Pentagon's Housing Reforms Progress
The U.S. senators from Virginia are pressing the military to finish overdue reforms meant to improve conditions in privatized housing on military bases following a watchdog report that the changes have been slow to help military families facing health and safety issues.
5 New Genetic Diagnostic Tests To Be Covered By Tricare
The Defense Health Agency has extended a pilot program that covers many now-common laboratory genetic tests and added five more to improve diagnostics and care for patients with breast, blood and prostate cancer and suspicious-looking moles or skin lesions.
Pentagon Policies Debate, Joint Chiefs Confirmation On Tap This Week
By: Leo Shane III, Militarytimes.com
While House lawmakers will spend the week debating new policies for the military, senators will question the man who will be charged with carrying out those changes.
The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a nomination hearing for Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., President Joe Biden’s pick to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Brown is expected to face tough questioning from Republican members, but his biggest obstacle will be Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who has a hold on more than 200 Defense Department nominees over the military’s abortion access policy.
A few hours after that hearing, the House Rules Committee will set the parameters for floor debate expected to begin this week on the annual defense authorization bill, which contains hundreds of policy changes for the Pentagon in the coming year. More than 1,500 amendments were submitted by lawmakers for the draft bill in recent weeks, but only a small fraction of those are expected to be considered.
Democrats in the chamber are expected to push back against GOP efforts to limit abortion access, transgender medical care limits and other social issues included in the measure. But Republicans are expected to use the measure to reinforce their campaign priorities ahead of negotiations with the Democratic-controlled Senate later this summer.
Both sides hope to have a final product for lawmakers to consider by early fall. Whether Brown can be confirmed in the same timeline is unclear.
Tuesday, July 11
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen Nominations The committee will consider the nomination of Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
Wednesday, July 12
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen Nominations The committee will consider the nomination of Gen. Randy George to serve as Chief of Staff of the Army.
House Veterans' Affairs — 2 p.m. — 360 Cannon Pending legislation The committee will consider several pending bills.
Senate Select Intelligence — 2:30 p.m. — 216 Hart Nominations The committee will consider the nomination of Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh to be the Director of the National Security Agency and Michael Casey to be the Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center.
Senate Veterans' Affairs — 3 p.m. — 418 Russell Pending legislation The committee will consider several pending bills.
Thursday, July 13
Senate Commerce — 10 a.m. — 253 Russell Coast Guard Budget Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan will testify on the fiscal 2024 budget request for her service.
Senate Foreign Relations — 10:30 a.m. — Capitol S-116 Pending Business The committee will consider several pending bills and pieces of legislation.
Below are the campaigns that are currently located on our Action Center. Please take no more than 5-10 minutes to scan through each of the campaigns and click on the custom links provided below.
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!
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.
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.
Allowsthe 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!
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.
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 Professional Education, Personal Development Symposium Registration isLIVE!!!
THE SUMMIT23/AFSA International Convention Registration is LIVE!!! This year’s Summit/AFSA International Convention will convene Friday, August 4, through Wednesday, August 9,2023,(Departures: Thursday, August 10, 2023) in Dallas, Texas, at the Hilton Anatole Resort, 2201 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Texas. For more details, please click on the link below:
THEME:The Theme for THE SUMMIT 23/AFSA International Convention is“Back to Basics and Beyond.”
NOTE:Main arrival and registration is on Friday, August 4, 2023.
WELCOME CEREMONY BREAKFAST: The Welcome Ceremony Breakfast is on Saturday, August 5, 2023. The Dress Code for the Welcoming Ceremony Breakfast is:
Business Casual, Military Personnel on Funded TDY orders: OCPs.
THEME PARTY/ICE BREAKER:THE SUMMIT23/AFSA International Convention Theme Party/Ice Breaker is on Saturday, August 5, 2023.The Theme for the Theme Party/Ice Breaker is “Super Heroes & Sheroes.” The Dress Code for the Theme Party/Ice Breaker is:
Dust off your Cape!
AFSA PRESIDENT’S DINNER & AWARDS CEREMONY. The AFSA President’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony is on Sunday, August 6, 2023. The Dress Code for the President’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony is:
AFSA Members: Gentlemen: Tuxedo or Dark Suit, Ladies: Dress evening wear (long or short);
Military Personnel on Funded TDY Orders: Mess Dress or Semi-Formal Uniform;
Top Performer Club members (Formerly TwinFLIER, SKYHIGHER and/or HighFLIER Club members): Wear the AFSA blue blazer. If they are active-duty military members, they may wear the AFSA blue blazer, but are highly encouraged to wear their service dress uniform.
AIR & SPACE HONORS BANQUET AND CMSAF AWARDS CEREMONY. The Air & Space Honors Banquet and CMSAF Awards Ceremony is on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. The Dress Code for the Air & Space Honors Banquet and CMSAF Awards Ceremony is:
Gentlemen: Tuxedo or Dark Suit,
Ladies: Dress evening wear (long or short);
Military Personnel on Funded TDY Orders: Mess Dress or Semi-Formal Uniform
THE SUMMIT23/AFSA International Convention
REGISTRATION FEE: The registration fees are as follows:
AFSA International Convention
Complete Registration (1 June - 31 July)$300.00
Complete Late Registration (1 August - 4 August) $325.00
AFSA International Convention Plus PEDs and Air & Space Honor’s Banquet
Complete Registration (1 June - 31 July)$350.00
Complete Late Registration (1 August - 4 August) $375.00
On Monday, August 7-9, there will be a full day of Professional Development. All Professional Development Forums are open to all military members on Active Duty and DoD civilian personal at no cost.
BEAUTIFUL EVENT LOCATION- Book your rooms now!The Summit 23/AFSA International Conventionis held at the Hilton Anatole, 2201 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Dallas, Texas where you'll find an entertainment complex designed to relax and delight you and your family. We've partnered with the Hilton Anatole to offer special AFSA/SUMMIT ROOM RATES at $154+ tax a night.
NOTE: Please identify that you are with the Air Force Sergeants Association group.
(This special rate includes the outdoor Jade Water Pool Complex with slides and a lazy river, the Verandah Fitness Club & V-Spa, dining options, and much more.)
NOTE:The last date to make hotel reservations at the AFSA contracted room rate is July 14, 2023.
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, The Department of the Air Force reported last month that a recently established board had evaluated Special Duty Assignment Pay and lowered the number of positions eligible for the bonus for the upcoming fiscal 2024 from 103 to 70. But despite numerous requests from Military.com, the department has refused to disclose the professions for which the funding is no longer available.
Only service personnel with logins to the Air Force's myForce Support Squadron, or myFSS, an online portal, are able to access the updated list of positions that qualify. Everyone else, including military families, media organizations, and government watchdogs, are thus blind to the location of the cuts.
In addition,Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Democrats from Virginia, pressed for responses in letters to the Pentagon, Air Force, Army, and Navy regarding how officials intended to address issues raised in a GAO report from April on the military's oversight of its privatized housing.
"Our service members and their families have been forced to navigate housing conditions and processes as part of the privatized housing system that has been woefully unacceptable," the senators said in the letters, which were dated July 6 but made available to the public on Monday. "Military families deserve to live in a safe and healthy environment; upholding this standard and providing for these families more broadly must continue to be among your top priorities."
And lastly, The health branch of the Pentagon stated on Thursday that its pilot program, which currently covers more than 45 laboratory-developed tests, or LDTs, has been extended through July 18, 2028.
The program was created in 2013 as a method for the Defense Department to pay for tests like the BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing for breast cancer risk, in utero tests for cystic fibrosis, and genetic tests for uncommon disorders that weren't covered by the Food and Drug Administration's regulatory procedure.
The Biotheranostics Breast Cancer Index, the DermTech Pigmented Lesion Assay, which can help rule out melanoma, and the FoundationOne Heme test, a genetic profile that identifies cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma as well as some pediatric cancers and sarcomas, are among the newly covered tests, according to an update to the Tricare Manual released on Thursday.
And that's the way it is for Tuesday, July 11, 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!
