Bulletin 150101 (PDF Edition)

RAO
BULLETIN
1 January 2015
PDF Edition
THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES
Pg
Article
Subject
* DOD *
.
04 == MCRMC [05] ---------- (Compensation Commission Readies Report)
05 == ID Card Obtainment in Philippines ------------------ (Request by Mail)
07 == War Costs since 911 --------------------------------- (Dollar and Human)
08 == Commissary User Savings [03] ------------------ (Orange Value Signs)
09 == Budget Deficit Reduction [01] – (Brainstorming Health Care Budget)
10 == DoD Mobilized Reserve 16 DEC 2014 ------------- (Decrease of 1053)
11 == Other than Honorable Discharge [02] ------- (DoD to Investigate Use)
11 == PTSD Punitive Discharges --------------- (Upgrade Website Launched)
12 == DoD Humvee Auction ---------------- (Selling For Off-Road Use Only)
14 == DoD Fraud, Waste, & Abuse --------- (Reported 16 thru 31 Dec 2014)
16 == POW/MIA [44] -------------- (2nd Lawsuit Questions JPAC Accuracy)
17 == POW/MIA [46] --------------------- (Reform Cuts key JPAC Personnel)
18 == POW/MIA Recoveries ----------------- (Reported 141216 thru 141231)
* VA *
.
22 == VA Disability Compensation [11] ----------------------- (Rates for 2015)
23 == VA Women Vet Programs [24] ------------------- (CWV/ CAWP MOU)
24 == VA Health Care Stories [05] ------------- (Denied Colonoscopy Claims)
24 == VA Clinical Reasoning Service ------- (Implementation & Assessment)
24 == Homeless Vets [62] ------------- (IG Report on VA’s Homeless Hotline)
26 == VA Whistleblowers [16] ---------------------------- (Sham Peer Reviews)
28 == PTSD [182] ----------------- (Colorado Funds Medical Marijuana Study)
29 == VAMC Fayetteville [02] -------------- ($40M Wrongful Death Lawsuit)
30 == VAMC Aurora CO [02] ------------- (New Hospital Interim Agreement)
1
* VETS *
.
33 == Team AMVETS ------------------------------- (Welcome Home Program)
34 == Vet Toxic Exposure~Lejeune [52] --------- (Exposure Dates Expanded)
34 == Connecticut Veteran' Home [02] ------ (Major Changes Recommended)
35 == Navy Retired Activities Website ------- (Quick Retiree Reference Info)
35 == Hospital Corpsman Combat Memorial ------- (New Version Dedicated)
36 == Vet Insurance ~ Life [13] -------- (40M Prudential Lawsuit Settlement)
37 == MOH Awards [02] --------------- (NDAA’s William Shemin Provision)
39 == Army Combat Action Badge [03] ------ (Extend Retroactive Eligibility)
40 == Vet Suicide [05] ----- (H.R.5059 Passage Halted by Sen. Tom Coburn)
41 == OBIT | Thomas Richards [01] -------------------------------- (18 Jun 2014)
42 == Vet Jobs [166] ------------------ (Home Base Iowa Seeks to Attract Vets)
43 == Retiree Appreciation Days ---------------------------- (As of 26 Dec 2014)
43 == Vet Hiring Fairs ----------------------------------------- (1 thru 31 Jan 2014)
44 == WWII Vets 77 -------------------------------------------- (DeLucia~Tommy)
45 == America's Most Beloved Vets ----------------------------- (Korean War (1)
46 == Veteran State Benefits & Discounts --------------------------- (Iowa 2014)
46 == State Veteran's Benefits & Discounts ------------- (New York Update 01)
* VET LEGISLATION *
.
48 == Vet Legislative Wins 2014 ------------------------- (Few But 2 Big Ones)
49 == VA Construction Management Authority -------- (Bill Would Remove)
49 == GOP Agenda ------------------------------------------------ (2015 Wish List)
51 == Vet Bills Submitted to 113th Congress ------------- (As of 28 Dec 2014)
* MILITARY *
.
52 == Operation Enduring Freedom [01] -– (Officially Ended Dec. 28, 2015)
53 == MAVNI Program -------- (Special Foreign-born Recruiting to Resume)
54 == POW/MIA [45] ------------------- (How to Handle Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl)
55 == Military Child Custody Protection ------------------- (Deployment Issue)
56 == Navy Rights Wrong after 72 Years ----------- (German U-Boat sinking)
57 == Military Mortgage Foreclosure Relief ---- (Up to 1-yr after Separation)
58 == GhostSwimmer --------------------------- (Navy Tests Tuna-Sized UUV)
58 == Broadsword Suit --------------------- (New Wearable Charging System)
59 == Medal of Honor Citations ----------------------- (Vance~Leon R. WWII)
* MILITARY HISTORY *
62 == Aviation Art ----------------------------------------- (Enemy Coast Ahead)
63 == Military History --------------------------------------- (Angeles of Bataan)
66 == D-Day ------------------------------ (LCT Loading for Channel Crossing)
67 == WWII Prewar Events -------- (Nanking Japanese Occupation Atrocity)
67 == WWII Postwar Events ------------ (Tokyo Housing Shortage Oct 1946)
68 == Spanish American War Image 54 - (Naval battle of Santiago de Cuba)
69 == Military History Anniversaries ---------------------------- (1 thru 31 Jan)
2
.
69 == WWI in Photos 119 --- (Clearing Turkish Dardanelles Defenses 1915)
69 == Faces of WAR (WWII) ------------------------ (William F. Halsey 1945)
* HEALTH CARE *
.
70 == Organ Transplant -------------------- (Walter Reed Transplant Program)
70 == Sexual Function ---------------------------- (Restoral for Injured Troops)
72 == Medical Talk Shows -------------------- (Recommendations Reliability)
73 == TRICARE/Medicare Combined Benefit [01] -------------- (Fact Sheet)
74 == TRICARE Dental Program [08] --------------------------- (Flossing Tip)
75 == TRICARE Operation Live Well! -------------- (Healthy Base Initiative)
75 == Hand Washing ----------------- (When, How & Why | Happy Birthday)
77 == TRICARE Advise Line [01] ----- (Need Urgent Care? Call NAL First)
77 == Tricare Webinar --------------------------------- (Live Stress free in 2015)
78 == Tricare Webinar -------------- (TOP Prime Remote Briefing for TLAC)
79 == Hospital Observation Care -- (Medicare Considers Outpatient Service)
* FINANCES *
.
80 == DFAS 1099-R [06] ------------------------ (Obtaining Additional Copies)
80 == Price Increases ----------------- (13 Things Likely to Cost More in 2015)
82 == Price Decreases ----------------- (12 Things Likely to Cost Less in 2015)
84 == Car Insurance [08] ------- (Reasons Other Driver Insurance Won’t Pay)
85 == Renters Insurance [03] ----------------------------- (Facts worth Knowing)
86 == Saving Money --------------------- (Save 10+% on Everything You Buy)
88 == Fall Contractor Scam --------------------------------------- (How it Works)
89 == Veteran Scams [01] --------------------------------------- (How they Work)
89 == Tax Burden for New Mexico Retirees ----------------- (As of Dec 2014)
91 == Tax Burden for Alabama Residents -------------------- (As of Dec 2014)
01 == Thrift Savings Plan 2014 ----------- (Share Prices + YTD Gain or Loss)
* GENERAL INTEREST *
94 == Notes of Interest ------------------------------------- (16 thru 31 Dec2014)
95 == 113th Congress [02] -------------- (Not the Least Productive in History)
97 == Expiration Dates ----------------------------- (7 Things Not to Overstock)
99 == Household Aids: Baking Soda --------------------------------------- (Uses)
101 == Consumer Reports ------------------------ (Who is Checking Up on You)
103 == Korean Comfort Women --------- (Victims of Japanese WWII Troops)
104 == Korean Comfort Women [01] ----------------------- (Victims of History)
105 == Jewelry Tips --------------------------------- (Jeweler Tricks of the Trade)
107 == Photos That Say It All ------------------------------------ (Father and Son)
107 == WWII Ads ------------------------------------------ (Mrs. Peek’s Puddings)
108 == Normandy Then & Now -------------------------------- (Carentan France)
108 == Have You Heard? --------------------------------------- (Navy beat Army)
109 == They Grew Up to Be ----------- (Shawna Waldron | Little Giants 1994)
109 == Interesting Ideas ------------------------------------- (Trash Container Tip)
109 == Moments of US History ------------------------- (B-17E Personnel 1942)
3
.
Note:
1. The page number on which an article can be found is provided to the left of each article’s title
2. Numbers contained within brackets [ ] indicate the number of articles written on the subject. To obtain
previous articles send a request to [email protected].
*ATTACHMENTS*
.
Attachment - Veteran Legislation as of 28 Dec 2014
Attachment - Iowa Vet State Benefits & Discounts Dec 2014
Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 1 thru 31 Jan
Attachment - Retiree Activity\Appreciation Days (RAD) Schedule as of Dec 26, 2014
* DoD *
MCRMC Update 05
► Compensation Commission Readies Report
A congressionally appointed commission studying military pay and compensation reform is preparing to
issue recommendations in the coming weeks, a spokesman for the panel said 29 DEC. The recommendations
come as the White House and members of Congress look to reduce the costs of troop benefits amid budget
tightening at the Pentagon. "It's fair to say we have identified a number of efficiencies," Jamie Graybeal,
spokesman for the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission, told The Hill on
Monday. He said rather than cutting benefits, the panel was focused on making them more efficient, modern
and valuable to service members and their families. The commission was created in 2013 to tackle the thorny
issues of military pay and benefit expenses, which the Pentagon officials say have become unsustainable.
Military advocacy groups oppose reducing benefits that troops and their families have been promised,
after a decade of war and repeated deployments. The commission's recommendations will be submitted to
the President and Congress no later than 1 FEB, and will be made available to the public at the same time,
Graybeal said. The Pentagon is expected submit its 2016 budget request to the White House at around the
same time. The recommendations are not expected to be accounted for, but have been designed so they could
be incorporated at any time, Graybeal said. The commission's final report will include the recommendations,
how they would be implemented, include draft legislation, and a discussion of the costs of each
recommendation. The president will have 60 days to evaluate the commission’s recommendations, or ask
4
for more information. However, the White House is scheduled to submit its 2016 budget request to Congress
in March, about 30 days later.
Graybeal said he could not speculate whether any of the recommendations would be incorporated. “It
is our hope that recommendations will be considered during the current budget season,” said Graybeal, noting
that Congress — which has final say over the Pentagon’s budget — is not barred from considering the
recommendations on their own. He said there is a perception that the commission was created to slash
benefits, but rather, it has focused on "modernizing benefit design, getting rid of redundancies, and improving
benefits not valued by service members." Protecting the all-volunteer force was foremost in their minds,"
Graybeal said. "The commission has been very focused on modernizing the design of the compensation
programs to ensure that they are useful to the services as they try to recruit and retain a quality all volunteer
force and that they are valued by the service members and family members themselves." [Source: The Hill
| Kristina Wong | Dec. 29, 2014 ++]
********************************
ID Card Obtainment in Philippines ►
Request by Mail
STEPS FOR PROCESSING MAIL IN ID CARD RENEWALS & DEERS UPDATES FOR
ELIGIBLE MEMBERS RESIDING IN THE PHILIPPINES.
The sponsor must complete and mail in the following to apply for ID Card Renewal or DEERS updates for
themselves and their dependents:
1.
At http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/forms/eforms/dd1172-2.pdf access and complete DD Form
1172-2 online and download. This must be signed and notarized. A Philippine notary is acceptable
as long as it is completed in English and all documents are in English.
SAMPLE NOTARIZATION AT BACK OF PHOTO
APPLICANT SIGNATURE
This is to certify that the picture appearing at the back of this certification is the true and faithful
picture of myself.
___________________________________________
(Signature of Applicant)
NOTARY CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that the signature appearing above is the true and authentic signature of
__________________________________ the same having affixed before me and in my presence.
(First,
Middle,
Last name)
It is hereby further certified that his/her picture is what appears on the back of this certification, the
same having been compared with his/her actual appearance before me with the verification of his/her
identity.
Applicants physical characteristics:
Color Hair ______ Color Eyes ______ Height ______ Weight ______
(BK:BN)
(BK:BN)
(inches)
(lbs)
WITNESS MY HAND THIS SEAL this _____ day of __________, _____
(Month)
at _____________________________, Philippines.
(City)
5
(Year)
Notary Public
Name, Signature
And Seal
Sample remarks and notarization, Block 21 of DD Form 1172-2
This is to certify that the signature of __________________________
(First,
Middle,
Last name)
Appearing herewith is his/her true and authentic signature, it being affixed before me.
2.
Enclose an 8x10 or 5x7 portrait type photograph of the individual needing the ID Card. Only one
person per photograph. Either Color or B&W photos with a white background are acceptable and
must be notarized on the backside (see above) verifying all physical characteristics of the dependent.
3.
Sponsor must provide supporting documentation such as Marriage Certificates, Birth Certificates,
Death Certificates, Divorce Decrees, etc. depending on the situation. All documents must be
originals or certified true copies. For a complete list of items for each situation reference Air Force
Instruction 36-3026_IP, paragraph 11.12 on page 107. For a list of acceptable forms of identification
refer to Air Force Instruction 36-3026_IP attachments 5 and 20.
4.
Mail completed application via certified mail to:
APO/FPO Mail Users
254 FSS/MPS GUANG
Unit 14021
APO AP 96543-4021
Philippine Mail Users
254 FSS/MPS GUANG
Bldg. 21018, Bonins Blvd
Andersen Air Force Base
Yigo, Guam 96929
This sample photo is to give you face size perspective keeping in mind that the actual size required is either
an 8”x10” or 5”x7” portrait. Photo must be full face portrait and not half or full body portrait.
Note: Recommend you do not wait until your dependent’s ID card expires. Once it does your TRICARE
claims will be denied. Submission 6 months in advance would be prudent.
[Source: RAO Baguio Director | Dec 25, 2014 ++]
********************************
6
War Costs Since 911
► Dollar and Human
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and counterterrorism operations have cost the U.S. a combined $1.6 trillion
since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to a new Congressional Research Service analysis. Refer to
http://media.bloomberg.com/bb/avfile/rU4ypR8jD54M to view the complete Congressional Research
Service report:
Dollar Cost - Through fiscal 2014, which ended in September, Congress approved $815 billion for warfare
in Iraq, $686 billion for Afghanistan and other operations against terrorism, $81 billion for other wardesignated spending and $27 billion for Operation Noble Eagle air patrols over the U.S., according to the
report posted on the agency’s internal website. The total includes $297 billion spent on weapon procurement
and war repairs. The assessment is the agency’s first full update of war costs since March 2011. About 92
percent of the funds went to the Pentagon, followed by the State Department and the Department of Veterans
Affairs. It includes war operations, training and equipping Iraqi and Afghan forces, diplomatic operations
and medical care for wounded Americans over the past 13 years, the agency said in the report dated Dec. 8.
It also includes most reconstructions costs. “The main factor determining cost is the number of U.S. troops
deployed” at different times, the research service said. U.S. troops in Afghanistan peaked at 100,000 in 2011;
there are 11,600 there today as the U.S. withdrawal continues. The figures include war-related intelligence
funding that wasn’t tracked or spent by the Defense Department, according to the report. It wasn’t updated
with the $63.7 billion in war spending for the current fiscal year for Afghanistan operations and the first
installment of operations against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Human Costs - The Iraq invasion -- initiated on a pledge to rid Saddam Hussein of weapons of mass
destruction he didn’t have -- resulted in 4,491 U.S. military and civilian deaths and 32,244 wounded,
according to Defense Department data compiled by Bloomberg. The U.S. invasion to destroy al-Qaeda in
Afghanistan and remove the Taliban from power has led to 2,356 military and U.S. civilians deaths and
20,060 wounded as of 16 DEC 2014. In addition, 128,496 U.S. military who deployed to Iraq and
Afghanistan have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, according to September data from
the Defense Medical Surveillance System.
Cost Caveats - Unlike academic estimates, which have calculated total costs as much higher, the
Congressional Research Service doesn’t include in its calculations the lifetime costs of medical care for
disabled veterans, imputed interest on the deficit or potential increases to the base defense budget deemed to
be a consequence of the war, according to Amy Belasco, author of the report. “Such costs are difficult to
compute, subject to extensive caveats and often based on methodologies that may not be appropriate,” she
wrote. A June cost-of-war assessment by Neta Crawford, a political science professor at Boston University,
put the potential total cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and assistance to Pakistan since 2001 at $4.4
trillion, including $316 billion in interest costs and $1 trillion through 2054 for veterans care.
[Source: Bloomberg News | Tony Capaccio | Dec. 19, 2014 ++]
********************************
Commissary User Savings Update 03
► Orange Value Signs
New orange "Value" signs may help you spot the best deal in the commissaries. The signs highlight prices
that meet the criteria of the Defense Commissary Agency's "Commissary Value Brand" program. Officials
picked 300 products across 33 categories that are competitively priced — equal to or below the price of store
7
brands or private label brands of similar items in commercial supermarkets. These value brands offer an
average of 25 percent savings over commercial retail stores' private label brands, officials said. In some cases,
the savings will hit 50 percent. (This is different from price savings over national brands in other retail outlets,
where the average commissary savings is about 30 percent.) That said, some items of nationally known
brands are designated as Commissary Value Brands — such as certain Del Monte canned items and ketchup
and selected jars of Peter Pan peanut butter. The products are guaranteed to be on the shelves at these low
prices for at least six months. The products and prices will be re-evaluated every six months and products
will be added or subtracted from the Value Brand program, based on price, sales performance and market
changes.
Value brand shelf store signs seen in Commissaries
The agency has had value brand programs for about 14 years, but they weren't always obvious to shoppers.
That was highlighted earlier this year in congressional testimony, when a senior defense official and some
senior enlisted advisers talked about the need for generics or store brands in commissaries to provide more
savings for customers. That effort seemed to envision having the commissary agency create its own "DeCA"
store brands. But retail experts said that would require funding for an infrastructure to develop and manage
the program and its associated costs, at a time when DoD is trying to reduce the commissary budget. By law,
the commissary agency can't create its own official store brand like the Wal-Mart stores' "Great Value" brand
or the Safeway brands, or the military exchanges' "Exchange Select" brand. But commissaries have long
carried other options as part of programs such as "Best Value Item" and even a previous "Commissary Value
Brand" program.
These include "control label" brands, which fill the same role as a store brand or private label brand for
grocers without their own store brand program. These products are sold under various names in commissaries,
such as a private label brand of ibuprofen called Good Sense. Over the years, the Best Value program
splintered into a variety of different forms of savings, according to DeCA officials. This new program is an
effort to refocus, reintroduce and more clearly define the program. Consider the Value signs to be a visual
reminder to compare prices. Specials and promotions will go on in commissaries, so you still need to compare
unit prices — price per ounce of cereal, price per diaper, etc. But this new program, officials said, is meant
to point you to the consistently lower prices. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Karen Jowers | Dec. 15, 2014 ++]
********************************
8
Budget Deficit Reduction Update 01
► Brainstorming Health Care Budget
The Defense Department could slash its enormous health care budget by requiring Tricare beneficiaries not
on active duty to get health care coverage through Affordable Care Act exchanges, according to several
current and former congressional budget experts. In the past several budget cycles, the Pentagon has sought
to reduce its $52 billion health budget by asking Congress to approve cost-savings measures that include
increased Tricare fees for retirees, fees for Tricare For Life beneficiaries and cost-shares for active-duty
families. Some proposals, such as reducing prescription costs by promoting use of military and mail-order
pharmacies, have been implemented, but for the most part, Congress has resisted changes to the status quo
for those who use the military health system and its private health care network.
But, the budget analysts said, the Defense Department could realize tremendous savings if it tapped into
the resources offered by the general, civilian health care system and coverage available through federal or
state exchanges. "It's a little radical, but should we be thinking about how some of the military system might
transition some of their people to the Affordable Care Act exchanges, especially in sparsely populated areas
of the country?" said Alice Rivlin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of
Management and Budget who now serves as a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution.
"The case for the special supply of [health] services is strong for the active duty. For the families ... the case
for having a dedicated supply system is much weaker. That suggests the possible appeal of the option Alice
mentioned, which is to help them have fair, well-financed access to the general health care system," said
Henry Aaron, also a senior fellow at Brookings who once served as assistant secretary for planning and
evaluation at the former Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
The military health system budget funds military hospitals and clinics, a medical school, research, medical
support for military operations and health care for 9.6 billion beneficiaries, including about 1.3 million activeduty service members. The Congressional Budget Office issued a report in January 2013 noting that the
increases in the military health budget — a 130 percent increase since 2000 to the current $52 billion cost —
largely are attributable to the introduction of the Tricare For Life benefit, which supports Medicare-eligible
military retirees and their families and the increased draw of Tricare Prime for military retirees and their
families. Currently, active-duty family members on Tricare Prime — the military's health maintenance
organization-style program — pay no annual enrollment fees and no cost-shares to see a physician. Retirees
pay $555.84 a year to enroll themselves and their families in Tricare Prime and pay fees ranging from $12 to
20 percent of a bill depending on the care received.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Jonathan Woodson said Tricare beneficiaries now
pay about 9 percent of their total health care bill out-of-pocket, down from 27 percent in 1994 when Tricare
was introduced. In an effort to save money, the military services have launched efforts to draw Tricare
beneficiaries back to military treatment facilities rather than use private-sector care, which costs the Defense
Department significantly more money to provide. Speaking at a forum on health care reform, compensation
policy and the DoD health budget sponsored by the Brookings Institution, the analysts said they recognize
that the Pentagon has a responsibility to provide health care coverage to the troops and, as a matter of
recruitment and retention, offer a robust health benefit to their family members. "The DoD has got to maintain
a strong compensation program to attract the people it needs and probably, we would all agree, a generous
one to recognize the service of the men and women in uniform, because it's been very taxing and continues
to be," said former Pentagon comptroller Robert Hale.
But, several panelists added, the military itself doesn't necessarily have to be the institution providing at
least the health care for its nonmilitary dependents and retirees. And, John Mayer, a military health and
9
energy analyst with Booz Allen Hamilton, added the Pentagon should be under no obligation to continue
providing "free health" care to those who have retired from military service and have access to health care
either through their employers or the Affordable Care Act. "Having a program where they can go in and get
free health care, and do it as often as they want seems to be a burden that the American public shouldn't have
to bear," Mayer said, speaking of the military retiree population who uses Tricare. The growing cost of health
care is a longtime concern for the Pentagon and is one of the benefits being reviewed by the Military
Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission, an independent panel commissioned by
Congress to review military pay and benefits, to include housing, health care and retirement packages.
This year, Congress again rejected Pentagon proposals to change Tricare included in the White House
budget, saying any significant changes should come after the commission releases its report, expected in
February. A change as significant as booting all civilian Tricare beneficiaries to private health insurance
likely would meet strong resistance by Congress. Members of the military service organizations present at
the Brookings forum said they are waiting the outcome of the commission review and called the dialogue
"interesting." "I think there were some excellent people on this panel ... with some nuggets to think about,
especially when it comes to working on things together, between the military health system and the civilian
health delivery system, working on commonalities where it makes sense. But some of this stuff ... I just think
some of them really don't understand the military health system," said retired Navy Capt. Kathy Beasley of
the Military Officers Association of America.
Recognizing that some of the ideas discussed during the forum, especially regarding the Affordable Care
Act, would generate concern among Tricare beneficiaries, moderator Michael O'Hanlon, also a senior fellow
with Brookings, said the discussion was a "brainstorming session" and not reflective of any DoD intentions.
"Framing the discussion today, as you are aware, we've got an active assistant secretary, we've got a former
comptroller and other people who are brainstorming, so you are hearing different ideas in different veins and
I just want to underscore that point," O'Hanlon said. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Patricia Kime | Dec. 19, 2014
++]
********************************
DoD Mobilized Reserve 16 DEC 2014
► Decrease of 1053
The Army National Guard, Army Reserve, and Navy Reserve announced a decrease in activated National
Guard members and reservists in the week prior to 16 DEC, while the Marine Corps Reserve, Air National
Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve announced an increase of activated National Guard
members and reservists. The net collective result is a decrease of 1,053 activated National Guard members
and reservists in comparison to those reported in the 1 NOV Bulletin. The total number currently on active
duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve as of 16 DEC was 18,392; Navy Reserve, 3,030;
Marine Corps Reserve, 927; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 6,206; and the Coast Guard Reserve,
297. This brings the total National Guard and reserve personnel who have been activated to 28,852, including
both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and reserve personnel at
http://www.defense.gov/pubs/Mobilization-Weekly-Report-141216.pdf lists those currently activated. Since
911 there have been to 903,558 reservists activated. [Source: DoD News Release No. NR-620-14 dtd Dec.
17, 2014 ++]
********************************
10
Other than Honorable Discharge Update 02
► DoD to Investigate Use
The amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act mandates an investigation of whether the military
has improperly used other than honorable discharges to rid the services of wounded troops who commit minor
offenses. The amendment, written by U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) follows a Pulitzer Prize-winning
2013 Gazette investigation that found the Army used disciplinary discharges to part with soldiers who were
later denied health care benefits that might help them recover from combat wounds and mental illness. "We
have heard from veterans in Colorado who believe that some service members are receiving less than
honorable discharges for behavior that could be related to mental trauma from combat," Bennet said 15 DEC
in a statement. "Clearly, we can't have a system that punishes service members for injuries sustained in
service and this bill will help us understand whether this is happening and what we need to do to change it."
Under the measure, the Government Accountability Office will investigate the discharges. Specifically,
the report will show whether the military unfairly discharges troops for minor misconduct. It will also
examine whether officers are trained to balance misconduct against war-caused mental illness and other
factors. Other areas of inquiry include how often misconduct discharges can be related to troops with posttraumatic stress and whether troops are counseled on veterans benefits before agreeing to a dishonorable
discharge. Bennet said the questions came up in veterans panels after The Gazette's investigation. "Other than
Honorable" showed that an increasing number of soldiers, including wounded combat veterans, were being
kicked out of the service for misconduct, often with no benefits, as the Army downsizes after more than a
decade of war.
In May 2013, The Gazette published the series in print and on gazette.com. It used Army data to show
that the number of soldiers being discharged for misconduct annually had surged to its highest level since
2009 at posts with the most combat troops. The investigation found that several factors were related to the
discharges, including a mandatory troop reduction; an overwhelmed medical discharge process; and policies
that didn't account for behavior resulting from the mental wounds of war. [Source: The Gazette | Tom
Roeder | Dec. 16, 2014 ++]
********************************
PTSD Punitive Discharges
► Upgrade Website Launched
Vietnam-era veterans who were discharged as "other than honorable" because of post-traumatic
stress can apply to have that status changed.
11
A special web page has been launched to assist veterans seeking to upgrade punitive discharges related to
behavior problems caused by post-traumatic stress. The web page provides information and applications to
seek an upgrade to discharge from service. The page can be found at http://arba.army.pentagon.mil/adrbptsd.cfm. It follows a recent directive to the Army's Review Boards Agency to give liberal consideration to
requests for discharge upgrades from veterans who say they were kicked out of service because of problems
related to PTSD. Thousands of Vietnam-era soldiers may have been given punitive discharges because they
suffered from PTSD before it was recognized as a debilitating medical condition, Defense Secretary Chuck
Hagel acknowledged in September. .
The ARBA is the Army's highest level of administrative review for personnel actions taken by lower level
organizations, and is comprised of several boards for considering the claims of soldiers and former soldiers
who appeal unfavorable information in their personnel records. Discharge upgrades are important because
they are linked to benefits available through Veterans Affairs, such as treating PTSD-related symptoms,
according to information provided by the Army. The Army could not provide an estimate of how many
applications it will receive as a result of the outreach campaign. However, a class action suit brought by
veterans groups, including the Vietnam Veterans of America, estimates that one third of the 250,000 otherthan-honorable discharges issued to Vietnam-era veterans may have been PTSD-related.
Veterans who previously were denied an upgrade can re-apply under the new guidance, and the Army
Board for Correction of Military Records will consider the application a new case, according to the Army.
The new guidance only applies to veterans who received "other than honorable" discharges. It does not apply
to veterans who received less than honorable or dishonorable discharges because of serious infractions.
Components of the Review Boards Agency include the Army Board for Correction of Military Records, the
Army Discharge Review Board and the Army Grade Determination Review Board. [Source: ArmyTimes
Dec. 17, 2014 ++]
********************************
DoD Humvee Auction
► Selling For Off-Road Use Only
What in the world is the U.S. military going to do with all of its surplus Humvees? For the first time, it will
auction off as many as 4,000 of the workhorse vehicles for sale to the public, instead of scrapping them. Even
as controversy churns over the Pentagon's transfer of military equipment to local civilian police departments,
12
the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) sent the first batch to auction through IronPlanet's
http://www.govplanet.com. Since bidding started at $10,000 a couple of weeks ago, pent up demand has
yielded bids on nearly all of the Humvees — selling for off-road use only. "We definitely see lots of interest,
and we're certainly excited to have the opportunity to sell these," said Randy Berry, IronPlanet's senior vice
president for operations and services. "These items have been scrapped up to now ... so it's a win for the
taxpayers and everybody involved here."
Sitting on a dusty lot at Hill Air Force Base in Utah are 25 Humvees built between 1987 and the mid1990s, some with visible wear and patchy camouflage paint jobs, and whose odometer readings range from
1,361 to 38,334. The public will had the chance to bid on them in a live online action on Dec. 17 and take
home a Humvee that once served as a troop or cargo carrier. DLA will have some 4,000 Humvees considered
surplus inspected for defects — and so long as they're not taken or have military characteristics, like armor
— they will be offered to IronPlanet. Before the restrictions had been lifted, they might have been scrapped.
"We know that there are thousands going through the screening process now, and some will be claimed by
states and local governments, and anything not claimed will go through for public sale, through our
marketplace," Berry said. "We expect to have a steady stream of those available over time."
AM General, which has manufactured more than 300,000 Humvees since the Army adopted them in 1985,
has made no secret of its opposition to the sale of military Humvees to the general public — which had
heretofore been restricted by the government.The company's website says it sells parts or service information
only to its military customers, and not for vehicles that "wind up in civilian hands." AM General "opposes
any use of these military vehicles by individuals or entities outside of the military context for which the
vehicles are designed?" The surplus sales could be viewed as competition for the company, which
manufactured the civilian "Hummer" from 1992 to 2010, and debuted a civilian "Humvee C-Series" kit in
2013 for the base price of $60,000, without a power train.
Restrictions on the M908, M908A1, M1038, and M1038A1 model Humvees — which are out of military
use — were lifted by the US State and Commerce departments in the last year or so, clearing the way for
DLA. Beyond the military, surplus Humvees had only been available to fire and police departments in the
1033 program, the one facing widespread criticism and congressional scrutiny of late over the militarization
of local law enforcement. "With cooperation from other government offices, DLA Disposition Services can
now make some military vehicles into assets instead of having to send them to be scrapped," DLA public
affairs chief Michelle McCaskill said in an emailed response to questions about the Humvee auctions. In
July, DLA awarded IronPlanet a two-year contract to manage and sell DLA's rolling stock surplus assets,
valued at $50-$70 million annually, with a bid equal to 75.29 percent of revenue share to the DLA. (Liquidity
Services, Inc., filed a protest that was since denied.)
IronPlanet has since held three auctions from the stock, which includes cargo trucks, tractor trucks, utility
trailers, forklifts, construction equipment. After the holidays, it plans to continue weekly auctions for the
items, some including the Humvees, which are at more than 60 military sites around the country. "You can
bid any time prior to the auction itself," Berry said. "We structure ours like events, with all these items selling
today, and then a live format, where instead of the auction just concluding anonymously, you get to watch
all the items selling." Winners must pay within three days, sign an agreement indemnifying IronPlanet and
arrange for transportation, as the vehicles are not considered roadworthy. IronPlanet helpfully offers detailed
inspection reports, with photos, and referrals to transport companies. "We anticipate there are plenty of
interested bidders out there," Berry said, "and plenty of off-road uses for these vehicles."
[Source: ArmyTimes | Joe Gould | Dec. 12, 2014 ++]
*********************************
13
DoD Fraud, Waste, & Abuse
► Reported 16 thru 31 Dec 2014
Kustom Products Inc. A federal judge on 12 DEC sentenced key figures in a Coos Bay defense contracting
company to prison for their roles in a multimillion-dollar conspiracy to buy cheaply made truck and aircraft
parts – some from Mexico and China – and pass them off at premium prices to the U.S. military. "It was a
long series of lies," U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman said as he prepared to sentence members of the
Bettencourt family, who headed Kustom Products Inc. and once were considered pillars of the community in
Coos County. "Their integrity was like the Platte River – a mile wide and an inch deep." Mosman pointed
out that the parts Kustom Products sold weren't pencils or toilet seats, but military parts – including some
used in the rotor mechanisms of Army helicopters. And he called the defendants down for undercutting honest
defense contractors – the "poor schmuck" who, unlike the Bettencourts, didn't get to buy Jet Skis or remodel
his kitchen.
One by one, six defendants and a lawyer representing the company stood before Mosman in his Portland
courtroom to apologize and accept the consequences. The first of them was Harold R. Bettencourt II, the
company's 60-year-old founder and owner, who apologized to the court, the government, federal agents who
investigated him, his employees, "but especially my family." Mosman sentenced him to 3 years, 9 months in
prison. Bettencourt's two oldest sons, described as sales managers – 34-year-old Harold R. "Bo" Bettencourt
III and 32-year-old Nick Bettencourt – were sentenced to a little more than two years in prison for their roles
in the conspiracy to defraud the United States. Their younger brother, 28-year-old salesman Peter
Bettencourt, was sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in prison, which with good behavior would likely put him
back on the street in less than 11 months. Office manager Margo Antonette "Toni" Densmore, 43, also drew
a 1 year, 1 day sentence.
Mosman placed Kustom Products, also charged in the conspiracy, on 5 years’ probation and ordered the
company to pay $5 million in restitution and a $150,000 fine. A lawyer for the company said KPI has
reinvented itself and is committed to staying afloat as its principle players serve their prison terms. The last
person sentenced in the case, which originated in 2010, was Josh Kemp, a parts department worker who
admitted guilt for his role in the conspiracy very early in the government's investigation. Kemp, sentenced to
5 years’ probation, offered substantial cooperation to federal agents and prosecutors, who dug through
Department of Defense contracts and exposed a conspiracy in which parts that were unapproved – and in
some cases inferior – found their way into such military aircraft as C-5 transport planes and OH-58 Kiowa
helicopters.
Six federal agents working for the FBI, Department of Defense, Internal Revenue Service and Homeland
Security pored through 750 contracts, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott E. Asphaug, who prosecuted the
case. "It has taken law enforcement officers thousands of hours to review this many fraudulent contracts that
put our service men and women at risk," he said. The government and defense lawyers hammered out a deal
in which Kustom Products could remain open and make yearly payments on the $5 million it owes the U.S.
in restitution. As long as the company makes its payments on time, those sent to prison on Friday won't be
required to chip in. Mosman agreed to recommend to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons that company founder
Harold Bettencourt and his three sons serve their sentences at the federal prison complex in Sheridan. The
judge ordered them to report to prison on Jan. 22. [Source: The Oregonian | Bryan Denson | Dec. 12, 2014
++]
-o-o-O-o-o-
14
Supreme Foodservice. Federal contractor Supreme Foodservice, which provided food and water to troops
in Afghanistan, pleaded guilty to fraud 15 DEC and agreed to pay a total of $434 million to the government
in restitution, criminal fines and civil fines. And the Department of Defense maintains it owes even more.
The Swiss-held company with operations based in Dubai plead guilty to charges of major fraud, conspiracy
to commit major fraud and wire fraud. Owners Michael Orenstein (75 percent owner) and Michael Gans (25
percent) were not named in the criminal case. They work and live in the non-extradition United Arab
Emirates, and the two Europeans are "beyond the reach of the United States," according to assistant U.S.
Attorney Bea Witzleben. "These companies chose to commit their fraud in connection with a contract to
supply food and water to our nation's fighting men and women serving in Afghanistan," said U.S. Attorney
Zane David Memeger for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in a release. "That kind of conduct is repugnant,
and we will use every available resource to punish such illegal war profiteering."
According to the plea agreement, Supreme admitted defrauding the Defense Logistics Agency out of
roughly $48 million by jacking up supplier costs and concealing their efforts. In addition to the $48 million
to refund the fraud, the company agreed to pay $202 million in criminal fines and criminal forfeiture and
another $38 million for separately overcharging on bottled water. The company also agreed to pay a $101
million settlement of a whistleblower lawsuit. Subsidiaries sharing common ownership and the Supreme
brand also settled allegations of over-billing for fuel purchased for Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan and
false billings involving U.S. Transportation Command for $45 million, according to a Department of Justice
press release. "We accept full responsibility for and deeply regret our past actions. We have implemented
new compliance mechanisms and strengthened our internal processes," the company said in a statement. "We
now have some of the most rigorous controls in the industry. We recognize that to re-earn trust, we must
always act with integrity."
The company noted that it fulfilled all service requirements in the $8.8 billion contract with the Defense
Logistics Agency (DLA), and that the current terms of the plea do not bar it from future federal contracts.
The DLA has made claims of further overcharging. In 2011 the DLA said that the company had overcharged
$757 million over the course of the contract since 2005. DLA has offset this alleged overcharge by
withholding parts of payments in later stages in the contract, so far to the tune of $518 million. Supreme
declined through a spokesman to comment on that claim. It has appealed the claim, which remains in
litigation before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.
In the four-year fraud scheme from 2005-2009, Supreme (then called Supreme Foodservice AG) created
a shell so it could double-dip profits from taxpayer money, according to the plea agreement. It quietly set up
an intermediary company called Jamal Ahli Foods Co., LLC (JAFCO), but led the DLA to believe it was a
separate, contracted middleman that needed to turn a profit to operate. The company effectively pulled a
margin for passing the product to itself. The plea stated that Supreme's owners personally contributed to the
effort to conceal their ownership of JAFCO. For example, the complaint describes an organizational chart
for Supreme AG that stated that no one from JAFCO can be noted in any Supreme chart "for various
reason(s)." One email from the then-"Director of Purchasing" said prices proposed to the government
included 57-60 percent profit margins over the price from the supplier, the complaint said. In response, the
then-"Director – Commercial Division and Supply Chain" copied an owner and said prices shouldn't be raised
further because "we would like to stay credible with the customer" and said the company would not want to
invite a "challenge" from the government.
The government also alleged that in September 2007 the company began negotiating with a fired
employee not to go public over the fraud. He allegedly received $523,000. The scheme was allegedly
uncovered when a former employee alerted the government that Supreme AG actually owned J Company
and was overcharging the military in 2009. That person's name remains under seal. In addition, former
15
executive and German national Michael Epp contacted the Department of Justice and provided substantial
evidence after he filed a civil suit under the False Claims Act. In his complaint he claimed that he brought
the overcharges to the attention of Orenstein, who subsequently fired him in 2007. The government rolled
the civil case into the criminal settlement, and according to a Department of Justice release, Epp received
$16.1 million out of the $101 million civil settlement, under the law's provision to entice whistleblowers to
come forward with a share of the eventual settlement.
In 2013, Supreme sued the U.S. government for awarding the Afghanistan contract to a competitor for
$10 billion in late 2012. That competitor, Anham FZCO, had offered the government a better price than
Supreme. But Supreme said the company, also based in Dubai, should have been disqualified, allegedly for
misrepresentation in its bid. The Government Accountability Office had denied the protest and the courts
dismissed the complaint. Months after filing the initial lawsuit, Supreme was called before Congress in April
2013, where it was battered with questions in a subcommittee hearing looking into the billing dispute between
the government and Supreme. Supreme was awarded the Subsistence Prime Vendor contract by the DoD in
2005. It received a no-bid two-year extension in 2010. Defense Logistics Agency justified the noncompetitive nature of the award by saying it would be impossible for a competitor to meet the military's needs
in time, using the extension to bridge to the later competitive bid eventually won by Anham. [Source:
ArmyTimes | Kyle Jahner | Dec. 14, 2014 ++]
-o-o-O-o-oLockheed Martin. A defense contractor producing products and services for U.S. troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan agreed on 19 DEC to repay the government $27.5 million to settle overbilling charges brought
under the False Claims Act. The Justice Department announced on that Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems
overbilled the Pentagon for work performed by employees who “lacked required job qualifications” but
whose work was billed at the rate for qualified ones, allegedly to inflate profits. “Contractors that knowingly
bill the government in violation of contract terms will face serious consequences,” said acting Assistant
Attorney General Joyce Branda. “The department will ensure that those who do business with the
government, and seek taxpayer funds, do so fairly and in accordance with the applicable rules.”
The subsidiary of Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin Inc., has a Rapid Response contract and a
Strategic Services Sourcing contract with the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command to
deliver products and services to troops overseas. “This settlement demonstrates the commitment of the
Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our partners to vigorously pursue alleged violations of the False
Claims Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Rupert of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “All contractors
doing business with the federal government are expected to abide by the acquisition rules no matter who they
are. Investigations of such allegations are necessary to protect American taxpayers and our warfighters.”
Lockheed Martin issued a statement saying it had “settled to avoid the distraction and risks of litigation and
to allow us to focus on the critical and important work we are performing now and will perform in the future
for our customers. We voluntarily disclosed the issues to the government and have fully cooperated with the
government in their resolution. Lockheed Martin and the Department of Justice agree that the settlement is
not an admission of liability or wrongdoing.” [Source: GovExec.com | Charles S. Clark | Dec. 22, 2014 ++]
********************************
POW/MIA Update 44
► 2nd Lawsuit Questions JPAC Accuracy
Another family has filed suit against the Defense Department POW/MIA accounting agencies seeking the
identification and return of remains. Sally Hill Jones — niece and next of kin of a missing World War II
16
Army Air Forces B-24 gunner — filed suit without the assistance of an attorney on 4 DEC in a Texas district
court, according to documents. Jones seeks to join John Eakin in suing the government over remains she
thinks could belong to her uncle, Staff Sgt. Carl Holley. Holley was one of 10 reportedly killed on April 18,
1944, when the B-24 bomber “Sweepy-Time” Gal was shot down by Japanese Zeroes off the coast of Hong
Kong. Four bodies were recovered after the crash, and three allegedly have been identified, according to
Jones, former Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command investigators and accounting documents. The
unidentified remains were buried at Hawaii’s National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, called the
Punchbowl, until 2005, when they were exhumed by JPAC.
This photo of Sweepy-Time Gal (left) appeared in Hong Kong and Japanese newspapers the day
after it was shot down and hauled up in Hong Kong. The 2005 disinterment of X-345 at Hawaii's
Punchbowl cemetery (right). AFDIL and the JPAC-CIL have been unable to ID the set of remains
which likely belong to one of the seven missing crewmen of Sweepy-Time Gal
The Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory and JPAC’s Central Identification Laboratory have
tried to use DNA testing to identify the remains but have been unable to do so, according to internal emails
and documents.In 2012, after years of JPAC denials, Eakin sued for the remains of his cousin, Pvt. Arthur
“Bud” Kelder, who, evidence suggested, was buried as an unknown in the Philippines. As a result, the
Defense Department exhumed 10 sets of remains in August and is actively working to make identifications.
Jones said she had been pursuing the case since 2001, but couldn’t get answers until she filed her lawsuit.
The accounting community finally responded to her, but she was not satisfied.
The government has until Jan. 16 to respond to her suit, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman
Daryl Fields. “I don’t have faith in JPAC to make the ID, given their track record,” Jones said. She hoped
that by suing, she could open the door for other families. “I’d like to see an attorney take this on as a class
action,” she said. “There are a lot of older folks whose siblings died in World War II, and they don’t know
what happened to them. But they could know. It’s heartbreaking.” Lt. Col. Melinda Morgan, of the Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office, declined to comment in an email to Stars and Stripes, citing the ongoing
litigation. However, Jones provided documents and emails to Stars and Stripes that show the JPAC-CIL and
AFDIL are using an untested, next-generation mitochondrial DNA approach with the remains. They believe
they have a result, but the procedure hasn’t been validated yet. Jones has been told the validation and an
identification could come early next year.
Mark Leney, JPAC’s former DNA manager, who is now at the University of Massachusetts Medical
School, had undertaken the case before he left JPAC in 2006. He said the remains appeared to have been
treated with a chemical — possibly formaldehyde — that made the identification difficult at the time.
17
However, he believed that issue had been resolved in recent years by technological advancements. “That was
eight years ago,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like they’ve gone very far.” Leney said mitochondrial DNA testing
is “not a very strong method” in making identifications and works best in exclusions. Jones started her quest
for an ID more than a decade ago. Her mother has since died.
Louis Mroz, younger brother of 2nd Lt. John Mroz, who also died in the plane crash and is one of the
seven missing, had been leading efforts to compel the government to make an identification but is now 86
and in poor health. He said he has been turned away by JPAC several times when seeking answers. “I’d like
to see some new sources of information,” he said. Jones hopes her suit can spur identifications before the
memories fade — like Mroz’s recollection of his brother building him a P-40 Warhawk model airplane just
before he shipped out. “He was quite a guy,” Mroz said of his brother. “He always had time to help me. …
I’m 86 years old, but the memories are still fresh in my mind.” [Source: Stars & Stripes | Matthew M. Burke
| Dec. 22, 2014 ++]
********************************
POW/MIA Update 46
► Reform Cuts Key JPAC Personnel
A program that provides dozens of scientists and other experts to the Hawaii-based Joint POW/MIA
Accounting Command is being sharply cut. The move comes at the same time that Congress is seeking more
recoveries and identifications from JPAC, whose headquarters and main lab are at Joint Base Pearl HarborHickam, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser (http://is.gd/Pkl7wo) reported. As part of a Pentagon reorganization
effort, 50 Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education fellows who assist JPAC are being let go. JPAC is
responsible for finding, recovering and identifying missing-in-action service members. The Pentagon says
only a half-dozen current or new Oak Ridge fellows will be retained.
A careful review on how the program is used is required for "prudent use of government resources,"
Pentagon spokeswoman Navy Cmdr. Amy Derrick-Frost said in an email. "There has been no decision to
eliminate or keep ORISE as the single fellowship source," she said. "We continue to explore a number of
options to meet valid requirements, and any decision will be based on the government's requirements." Carrie
Brown is an Oak Ridge research fellow at JPAC's satellite lab at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Brown,
who moved to Nebraska with her husband for the job, said she was given about a month's notice that her
contract would not be renewed 1 DEC. "We've been constantly told, 'The decision hasn't been made, the
decision hasn't been made,' “about keeping the fellows, Brown said. "They are destroying a world-class
workforce when their message is they want to retain a world-class workforce." [Source: Associated Press |
Dec. 28, 2014 ++]
********************************
POW/MIA Recoveries
► Reported 141216 thru 141231
"Keeping the Promise", "Fulfill their Trust" and "No one left behind" are several of many mottos that refer
to the efforts of the Department of Defense to recover those who became missing while serving our nation.
The number of Americans who remain missing from conflicts in this century are: World War II (73,539)
Korean War (7,685), Cold War (126), Vietnam War (1,638), 1991 Gulf War (0), and OEF/OIF (6). Over
600 Defense Department men and women -- both military and civilian -- work in organizations around the
world as part of DoD's personnel recovery and personnel accounting communities. They are all dedicated to
the single mission of finding and bringing our missing personnel home. For a listing of all personnel
accounted for since 2007 refer to http: //www.dtic.mil/dpmo/accounted_for . For additional information on
18
the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) web site at http: //www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call or call (703) 6991169. The remains of the following MIA/POW’s have been recovered, identified, and scheduled for burial
since the publication of the last RAO Bulletin:
Family members seeking more information about missing loved ones may call the following Service
Casualty Offices: U.S. Air Force (800) 531-5501, U.S. Army (800) 892-2490, U.S. Marine Corps (800) 8471597, U.S. Navy (800) 443-9298, or U.S. Department of State (202) 647-5470. The remains of the following
MIA/POW’s have been recovered, identified, and scheduled for burial since the publication of the last RAO
Bulletin:
Vietnam - none
Korea
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced 8 DEC that the remains
of a U.S. soldier, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for
burial with full military honors. Army Pfc. Anthony R. La Rossa, 18, of Brooklyn, N.Y., will be buried Dec.
15, 2014, in Farmingdale, N.Y. On Feb. 11, 1951, La Rossa was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 38th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, as part of Support Force 21. They were deployed near Changbongni, South Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces, forcing the unit to withdraw south
to a more defensible position. La Rossa was reported as missing inaction Feb. 13, 1951. Reports received
after the battle indicated that La Rossa had been captured by Chinese forces and died while in captivity, but
these were not substantiated by any eyewitness accounts of American POWs who returned. His remains were
not among those returned by communist forces after the Armistice in 1953, or in Operation Glory in 1954.
When no information regarding La Rossa was received, a military review board declared him presumed dead
and his remains unrecoverable. Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of
human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean
documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the
vicinity where La Rossa was believed to have died. To identify La Rossa’s remains, scientists from the Joint
POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL)
used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched
his brother.
--o-o-O-o-oThe Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced 29 DEC that the remains
of a U.S. soldier, unaccounted for from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his
19
family for burial with full military honors. Army Sgt.1st Class Gordon L. Hannah, 27, of Grand Rapids,
Minn., will be buried Jan. 7, 2015, in Fort Snelling, Minn. On Jan. 28, 1951, Hannah was assigned to
Company K, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was engaged in a battle
against enemy forces in the vicinity of Wonju, Republic of South Korea. Hannah was reported missing in
action after the battle. In late 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange, known as “Operation Big Switch,”
returning U.S. soldiers told debriefers that Hannah was captured Jan. 28, 1951, by enemy forces and died
from dysentery in early 1951 at Suan Bean Camp. His remains were not among those turned over to the U.S.
by communist forces after the Armistice. Between 1991 and 1994, the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea (D.P.R.K) turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S.
servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that
some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Hannah was believed to have died. In addition,
in late 2000, a joint U.S./D.P.R.K. team excavated a purported burial site near Kujang, North Korea, where
they recovered commingled human remains. Hannah’s remains were recovered during these two field
activities. To identify Hannah scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the
Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental and radiograph
comparison, and forensic identification tools, to include two forms of DNA analysis mitochondrial DNA,
which matched his niece and nephew and Y-STR DNA, which matched his son.
-o-o-O-o-o-
Other Korean War MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Office announced the identification of
remains of three soldiers who had been missing-in-action since the Korean War. Recovered were:



Cpl. Francis D. Knobel, U.S. Army, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry
Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was lost Dec. 12, 1950, in North Korea. He was accounted for
Dec. 10, 2014. He will be buried with full military honors.
Army Pfc. Anthony Massey Jr., 23, of Graves County, Ky., was lost in North Korea on Nov. 28,
1950, and later died as a prisoner of war. He was accounted for on Dec. 5, 2014. He was assigned
to Company C, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, and will be buried with full
military honors on a date and location yet to be determined.
Army Cpl. Donald A. Therkelsen, 23, of Cook, Ill., was lost in North Korea on July 17, 1953,
and accounted for on Dec. 2, 2014. He was assigned to Medical Company, 15th Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, and will be buried with full military honors on a date and
location yet to be determined.
20
World War II
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced 29 DEC that the remains of a U.S.
serviceman, lost during World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial
with full military honors. Army Air Forces Maj. Peyton S. Mathis, Jr., 28, of Montgomery, Ala., will be
buried Jan. 3, 2015, in his hometown. On June 5, 1944, Mathis was the pilot of a P-38J Lightning on a
bombing mission on Japanese gun positions in the Shortland-Poporang area of the northern Solomons
Islands. En route Mathis lost power in his right engine. At approximately the same time the mission was
canceled. Mathis crashed while attempting to land at Kukum Air Field on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon
Islands. A rescue team located the crash site the same day, but was unable to recover Mathis because the
aircraft was submerged in water in a dense jungle swamp. In 1949, an Army Graves Registration Company
searched for Mathis’ P-38J, but was unable to locate it. He was subsequently declared nonrecoverable. In
2012, while surveying another crash site, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) was led by local
individuals to another crash site. JPAC surveyed the area and in 2013 JPAC excavated the site. While there
in 2013 the team took possession of additional remains that were in custody of the local police department.
These additional remains were reported as being found by local villagers prior to the team’s arrival to
excavate the site. To identify Mathis’ remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA
Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include
dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA, which matched Mathis’ maternal-line cousin.
[Source: http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/news/news_releases/ Dec. 30, 2014 ++]
* VA *
21
VA Disability Compensation Update 11
► Rates for 2015
The following tables show the 2015 VA compensation rates for veterans with a disability rating 10 percent
or higher. (Effective Dec. 1, 2014)
10% - 20% (With or Without Dependents)
Percentage
Rate
10%
$133.17
20%
$263.23
30% - 60% Without Children
Dependent Status
30
40
50
60
Veteran Alone
$407.75
$587.36
$836.13
$1,059.09
Veteran with Spouse Only
$455.75
$651.36
$917.13
$1,156.09
Veteran with Spouse & One Parent
$494.75
$703.36
$982.13
$1,234.09
Veteran with Spouse and Two Parents
$533.74
$755.36
$1,047.13
$1,312.09
Veteran with One Parent
$446.75
$639.36
$901.13
$1,137.09
Veteran with Two Parents
$485.75
$691.36
$966.13
$1,215.09
Additional for A/A spouse (see footnote b)
$44.00
$59.00*
$74.00
$89.00
70% - 100% Without Children
Dependent Status
70
80
90
100
Veteran Alone
$1,334.71
$1,551.48
$1,743.48
$2,906.83
Veteran with Spouse Only
$1,447.71
$1,680.48
$1,888.48
$3,068.90
Veteran with Spouse and One Parent
$1,538.71
$1,784.48
$2,005.48
$3,198.96
Veteran with Spouse and Two Parents
$1,629.71
$1,888.48
$2,122.48
$3,329.02
Veteran with One Parent
$1,425.71
$1,655.48
$1,860.48
$3,036.89
Veteran with Two Parents
$1,516.71
$1,759.48
$1,977.48
$3,166.95
Additional for A/A spouse (see footnote b)
$104.00
$118.00
$133.00
$148.64
30% - 60% With Children
Dependent Status
30%
40%
50%
60%
$976.13
$1,227.09
$439.75 $630.36
$890.13
$1,124.09
$530.75 $751.36
$1,041.13
$1,305.09
Veteran with Spouse, Two Parents and Child
$569.75 $803.36
$1,106.13
$1,383.09
Veteran with One Parent and Child
$478.75 $682.36
$955.13
$,1202.09
Veteran with Two Parents and Child
$517.75 $734.36
Veteran with Spouse and Child
$491.75 $699.36
Veteran with Child Only
Veteran with Spouse, One Parent and Child
$1,020.13
$1,280.09
Add for Each Additional Child Under Age 18
$24.00
$32.00
$40.00
$48.00
Each Additional Schoolchild Over Age 18 (see footnote a)
$78.00
$104.00
$130.00
$156.00
Additional for A/A spouse (see footnote b)
$44.00
$59.00
$74.00
$89.00
80%
90%
100%
70% - 100% With Children
Dependent Status
70%
22
Veteran with Spouse and Child
$1,530.71 $1,775.48 $1,995.48 $3,187.60
Veteran with Child Only
$1409.71
$1,637.48 $1,840.48 $3,015.22
Veteran with Spouse, One Parent and Child
$1,621.71 $1,879.48 $2,112.48 $3,317.66
Veteran with Spouse, Two Parents and Child
$1,712.71 $1,983.48 $2,229.48 $3,447.72
Veteran with One Parent and Child
$1,500.71 $1,741.48 $1,957.48
Veteran with Two Parents and Child
$1,591.71 $1,845.48 $2,074.48 $3,275.34
$3145.28
Add for Each Additional Child Under Age 18
$56.00
$64.00
$72.00
$80.52
Each Additional Schoolchild Over Age 18 (see footnote a)
$182.00
$208.00
$234.00
$260.13
Additional for A/A spouse (see footnote b)
$104.00
$118.00
$133.00
$148.64
FOOTNOTES:
A. Rates for each school child are shown separately. They are not included with any other compensation
rates. All other entries on this chart reflecting a rate for children show the rate payable for children under 18
or helpless. To find the amount payable to a 70% disabled Veteran with a spouse and four children, one of
whom is over 18 and attending school, take the 70% rate for a veteran with a spouse and 3 children, $1,642.71,
and add the rate for one school child, $182.00. The total amount payable is $1,824.71.
B. Where the veteran has a spouse who is determined to require A/A, add the figure shown as "additional for
A/A spouse" to the amount shown for the proper dependency code. For example, veteran has A/A spouse
and 2 minor children and is 70% disabled. Add $104.00, additional for A/A spouse, to the rate for a 70%
veteran with dependency code 12, $1,586.71. The total amount payable is $1,690.71.
[Source: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Rates/comp01.htm Dec 2014 ++]
********************************
VA Women Vet Programs Update 24 ►
CWV/ CAWP MOU
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Center for Women Veterans (CWV) entered into a memorandum
of agreement (MoA) with the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton
Institute of Politics at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, to increase women veterans’ leadership
and career opportunities, which will benefit the Nation’s workforce and address women veterans’ needs. The
MoA will allow the CWV and CAWP to leverage existing resources and increase coordination of activities
to help women veterans develop public service and community engagement skill sets, so they will be prepared
for public and community opportunities.
“Women veterans often contact us for information about how they can continue serving,” said Elisa M.
Basnight, director of the CWV. The Center, created in 1994 to monitor VA’s administration of benefits and
services to women veterans and to advise the Secretary on VA policy’s impact on women veterans, can
provide advice to CAWPs on how it focuses its resource information to address women veterans’ issues.
CAWP is a source of scholarly research and current data about American women’s political participation. Its
mission is to promote greater knowledge and understanding about women’s participation in politics and
government and to enhance women’s influence and leadership in public life. “The Center for American
Women and Politics is delighted to collaborate with the Center for Women Veterans to provide more
information and resources for women veterans who want to engage more fully in their communities.
Women who have already put their country first by serving in the military are exactly the people we need
as public leaders,” said Debbie Walsh, director of the CWAP. Women veterans represent one of the fastest
growing segments of the veteran population — about 10 percent of the total 22 million veterans in this
country. Today there are an estimated 2.2 million female veterans. The CWP participates in collaborative
23
initiatives with Federal/state/local governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, to improve
opportunities for women veterans. Visit http://www.va.gov/womenvet for more information about women
veterans. [Source: Shift Colors | Vol 60 Issue 3 | Winter 2014 ++]
********************************
VA Health Care Stories Update 05 ►
Denied Colonoscopy Claims
Five years ago, V.A. hospitals mistakenly exposed thousands of veterans to potential infections like
HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis. Ronan Farrow Daily and the NBC News Investigative Unit report that, for some
that was just the beginning of the nightmare. VA sent letters to over 10,000 of them advising of the possibility
of their exposure to a small amount of bodily fluids containing another patient’s virus. Subsequently, when
some of these vets became ill and submitted claims for illnesses related to that exposure during their
colonoscopies, they received denial letters stating there was no proof of exposure. To hear the full story of
what happened and what the VA has done to date about it, listen to the NBC News video report at
http://www.msnbc.com/ronan-farrow/watch/inside-the-v-a-colonoscopy-horror-374666819747.
[Source:
NBC News: Inside the VA | Ronan Farrow | Dec 18, 2014 ++]
*********************************
VA Clinical Reasoning Service
► Implementation & Assessment
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun a two-year pilot to study innovative approaches to
quickly search electronic medical records and medical literature for relevant published studies. During the
pilot, VA will assess how the technology may accelerate evidence-based clinical decisions. “Physicians can
save valuable time finding the right information needed to care for their patients with this sophisticated and
advanced technology,” said Interim Under Secretary for Health Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. “A tool that can
help a clinician quickly collect, combine, and present information will allow them to spend more time
listening and interacting with the Veteran. This directly supports the patient-centric medicine VA is
committed to delivering every day.”
The IBM Corporation was selected to provide the system which uses its “Watson technology” made
famous on Jeopardy! in 2011. Today, IBM is working with several healthcare organizations to apply
Watson’s cognitive capabilities in helping doctors identify and analyze cancer treatment options. Learning
about the opportunities and challenges these next-generation technologies may have is part of an ongoing
effort for VA to advance the quality of healthcare provided to our Nation’s Veterans. During the pilot, clinical
decisions will not be made on actual patient encounters, but instead will use realistic simulations. The notice
can be found at http://www.fbo.gov/notices/1e9767c0e2880cf2e4ce98f75b113efa. [Source: VA Press
Release Dec. 15, 2014 ++]
*********************************
Homeless Vets Update 62
► IG Report on VA’s Homeless Hotline
The Department of Veterans Affairs is facing renewed criticism over its inability to properly meet the needs
of former service members – this time over the poor operation of the call center established to aid homeless
vets (VA help line 1-877-4AID-VET). A recent inspector general’s report revealed that homeless and at-risk
24
veterans who contacted the call center, which costs $3 million a year to operate, often experienced problems
either getting in touch with counselors or receiving the necessary referrals for services. Of the estimated
79,500 homeless veterans who contacted the hotline in fiscal year 2013, the report determined that the only
thing 27 percent of those contacting the hotline could do is leave a message on an answering machine because
counselors were unavailable to take calls. About 16 percent of the callers could not receive a necessary
referral to VA medical facilities because the calls left on the answering machine were either inaudible or
failed to provide contact information. And 4 percent failed to receive a referral to VA medical facilities
despite having provided all necessary information. The department fell short in about 40,500 incidences,
according to the report.
Lisa Pape, executive director for homeless programs at the Veterans Health Administration, told members
of the House Veterans Affairs Committee reviewing the homeless problem that she regrets “that any veteran
calling for referrals did not get the service they requested.” The agency is implementing measures intended
to address the problem, she said, adding that “management is looking at how to address issues in
performance.” The department already has rescheduled employee hours to ensure that phones are staffed at
peak times. About 90 percent of incoming calls are now being directly answered. Those whose calls are
answered mechanically are informed of where they stand in the queue and offered the option of remaining
on the line or leaving a message.
The inspector general’s report said that in many instances it could not account for a significant amount of
the time of the counselors who were supposed to be manning the call center, which counts 60 employees.
Pape suggested they may have either been attending training sessions, on leave or filing paperwork in regard
to earlier contacts. Lawmakers attending the committee meeting chided the department for its failings. “The
OIG report is embarrassing to our nation’s brave men and women,” said Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN).
“Almost 50,000 veterans experience homelessness on any given night and yet we can’t even help the ones
who reach out for help. This is another example of the persistent lack of accountability at the VA and cannot
continue.” The call center, Walorski said, is “failing our nation’s finest.”
On the positive side, the department declared that the problem of veteran homelessness is declining —
veteran homelessness has dropped 33 percent since 2009, although plenty of cases remain unresolved. Precise
counts are impossible to achieve because of the homeless population’s transient nature. But the Department
of Housing and Urban Development estimates 49,933 veterans are homeless on any given night. Over the
course of a year, about twice that number may experience homelessness. Only 7 percent of the nation’s
general population are service veterans but they account for almost 13 percent of the homeless.
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans maintains that in addition to the usual reasons for
homelessness – a nationwide shortage of affordable housing, the lack of income and access to healthcare – a
25
large number of displaced and at-risk veterans face additional challenges like the lingering effects of posttraumatic stress disorder and substance abuse, factors compounded by a lack of family and social support
networks. Also, military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce,
placing some veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment. A top priority for homeless
veterans, according to the coalition, is secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment free
of drugs and alcohol. [Source: PJ Media Daily Digest | Bill Straub | Dec. 15, 2014 ++]
*********************************
VA Whistleblowers Update 16
► Sham Peer Reviews
For 24 years, Navy Cmdr. Jeff Hawker served his country, leaving active duty to continue treating his military
brethren as a Department of Veterans Affairs doctor. After he started working at the Salem VA Medical
Center, though, he said it took just a few months for officials at the medical center to oust him and to destroy
his career after he reported dangerous medical practices. “You serve and you come back and you run into the
corruption and malpractice” of the VA, he said. At a time when the VA is scrambling to hire doctors to make
up for a critical shortfall, Hawker said he was the victim of a so-called “sham peer review,” a problem many
say is widespread in the VA and little reported because the victims fear bringing attention to their negative
reviews.
Salem VA Medical Center
Hawker said vindictive local VA officials have effectively ended his career after he voiced serious
concerns about patient safety at a busy Virginia hospital, including a doctor performing procedures Hawker
said he wasn’t trained to do and life-threatening medical errors. Worse, Hawker said, veterans there are still
at serious risk months after he reported the problems. His allegations, passed through the office of Sen. Tim
Kaine (D-VA) were enough to trigger a health care inspection by the VA Office of the Inspector General and
an investigation by the Virginia Board of Medicine. Those inquiries are ongoing. “We are working diligently
on it,” Veterans Affairs IG spokeswoman Catherine Gromek said. Investigators for the House Veterans
Affairs Committee, whose chairman, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) has aggressively pursued cases of wrongdoing
by VA officials, recently invited Hawker to meet with them to discuss his case.
26
A Stars and Stripes review of documents related to Hawker’s case shows discrepancies in his treatment
by the hospital. Seven months after revelations of data falsification and secret wait lists revealed a nationwide
crisis in veterans’ health care, most of the officials linked to the scandal are still on the payroll, and fresh
reports of malfeasance continue to surface. Miguel LaPuz, director of the Salem VA Medical Center, strongly
denies Hawker’s claims of mistreatment and dangerous health care practices. “Do we subscribe to making
sure the veterans receive good care or excellent care?” he said. “Yes we do.” Hawker, who has been
unemployed since January, filed a whistleblower protection complaint with the Office of Special Counsel
claiming wrongful termination and asking for reinstatement as a VA physician. He said he will wait for that
process to play out before deciding whether to file a lawsuit. The negative review has put “the scarlet letter
on my chest,” said Hawker, 47. In October, he had a moving truck rented to take his possessions to Las
Vegas, where he thought he had a job waiting for him. At the last minute, he said he got a call from a hospital
official saying there would be no job offer because of the Salem review. An earlier offer from a Montana
hospital was rescinded for the same reason, Hawker said. “Basically they’ve made me unemployable,” he
said.
As a child, Hawker looked up to his Marine father and from a young age dreamed of becoming a pilot.
When poor vision derailed his plan, he joined the Navy, which put him through medical school. He stayed
on active duty for 24 years as a Navy radiologist and remains in the Navy Reserves. Jorge Guerra mentored
Hawker for two years during his medical residency in Miami and said he was impressed with Hawker’s
performance and work ethic. “He was a very good physician,” he said. In October 2010, Hawker deployed
to Afghanistan. As an interventional radiologist working in a trauma ward at Camp Leatherneck, a sprawling
Marine base in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, Hawker saw the worst horrors of the battlefield — shredded
limbs, disfigurement, death. He said the sacrifices he saw disturbed and inspired him. “I’ll never forget my
first double amputee,” he said, shaking his head.
Moved by his experiences in Afghanistan, he opted to become a VA doctor when he retired from the
service. In April 2013, Hawker started work at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The center and
its five satellite clinics serve more than 110,000 veterans in a 26-county area of southwestern Virginia. The
trouble started almost immediately, Hawker said. When co-workers noticed he was putting in long hours,
Hawker said they told him several times that he was upsetting contract doctors paid to pick up hours not
covered by the staff. Hawker didn’t heed the warnings. He said he also noticed unsafe practices in the
hospital, one of the most egregious being a mismanagement of a patient who appeared to be having a stroke.
When the patient began exhibiting signs of a stroke, a senior doctor did nothing, putting the patient’s life at
risk, Hawker said. The patient lived, but Hawker was disturbed and said he began lodging his concerns with
colleagues and superiors. LaPuz disputed those allegations and said Hawker never mentioned concerns until
after he was fired Jan. 3, 2014. “He did not bring up the complaints until after the termination,” LaPuz said.
According to documents reviewed by Stars and Stripes, Hawker did lodge concerns before being fired. A
letter from the office of Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) confirming receipt of Hawker’s concerns is dated Nov.
12, 2013, nearly two months before he was removed from federal service. Four reports he sent to the Virginia
Board of Medicine are dated Nov. 26, 2013. Echoing wider problems across the VA health care system,
Hawker said there is a “climate of fear” at the Salem VA, with many employees looking the other way when
they see something wrong for fear of reprisals. After Hawker started reporting unsafe practices, he said one
medical technician interrupted him when he brought up a concern. “She said, ‘Dr. Hawker, don’t tell me
anything — the less I know (the better). I just want to be able to retire,’” he recalled.
Soon after, he got a letter announcing that the hospital would be reducing his salary due to “deficiencies”
in his abilities. That letter came just two months after a contradictory letter granting his medical “privileges”
27
after he successfully completed the customary trial period. That letter, signed by Hawker’s boss, Salem
VAMC image service chief Rathnakara Sherigar, states that following “real-time observation” and review of
his work from April to July 2013, Hawker was cleared to treat patients unsupervised. Two months later, he
received another letter signed by Sherigar, citing his “limited competencies.” Sherigar did not respond to
requests for comment. Things soon worsened for Hawker. He was told his work was being reviewed and he
was brought in front of a Medical Executive Board that included some of the people he had mentioned in his
concerns. They determined he had made errors in patient care and that he was not qualified for his job. Before
the hospital moved to fire him, he was shown a proficiency report signed by Sherigar that gave him an
“unsatisfactory” rating for his work during the same time period as Sherigar’s earlier review that found him
competent to perform his duties.
Hawker said he had never been shown either proficiency report until Oct. 17, 2013, three months after the
end of the review period listed on the initial report. He suspects the reports were made retroactively to boost
the board’s case to fire him. LaPuz denied any records were manipulated. He said Hawker’s termination had
nothing to do with retaliation and that he was treated fairly. “It has everything to do with the findings of the
case,” LaPuz said. James Martin, a doctor and national representative for the American Federation of
Government Employees, said he is working on multiple cases of sham peer reviews in which VA doctors
have been forced out by unethical administrators. “I’ve got all kinds of stories,” he said. According to Martin
— who’s not personally involved in Hawker’s case — it’s fairly easy for administrators to oust doctors
because the entire process is done in house. Doctors who report wrongdoing or malpractice are often judged
by the very same people they have criticized.
The problem recently has gotten the attention of Congress. “We are aware that sham peer reviews are
sometimes used within VA to retaliate against employees, and we are working to address the problem
legislatively next Congress,” according to an official with the House Committee on Veterans Affairs who
can speak for the committee only anonymously. A VA spokeswoman would not address the issue of sham
peer reviews or whether the VA is looking into reforming the review process, instead pointing to measures
the department has taken to protect whistleblowers from retaliation. “VA is committed to creating an
environment in which employees feel free to voice their concerns without fear of reprisal,” according to a
VA statement released in response to Stars and Stripes’ questions.
The problem is less pervasive outside the VA partly because other hospitals tend to have a board of
directors providing a check on administrators, Martin said. He would like to see VA peer reviews done on a
regional basis, meaning complaints against doctors would be adjudicated by professionals at other hospitals
rather than by the doctors’ co-workers. That, Martin said, would eliminate most of the conflicts of interest
that he said are marring reviews. “There’s a cloak of secrecy that gives them the power to do these things
without transparency,” he said about the current in-house process. VA officials would not say specifically
whether they are looking into changing the peer review process. Unfortunately for doctors who find
themselves the victims of such reviews, the results are available for future employers, and it’s difficult to get
the reviews overturned. “It’s like the kiss of death,” Martin said. [Source: Stars and Stripes | Heath Druzin |
Dec. 15, 2014 ++]
*********************************
PTSD Update 182
► Colorado Funds Medical Marijuana Study
The Colorado Board of Health on 17 DEC approved eight grant proposals totaling just over $7.6 million for
studies relating to medical marijuana, including one focused on its effects in treating veterans with post-
28
traumatic stress disorder. Funding of the proposals, which had been recommended by the state's Medical
Marijuana Scientific Advisory Council, represents the largest-ever state funded effort to study the potential
medical benefits of cannabis. Sue Sisley, a psychiatrist who recently lost her position as a clinical assistant
professor at the University of Arizona, had visited Boulder on 16 DEC as part of a crash-course in the
evolution of legal marijuana in the state. Sisley, whose $2 million research grant is nearly twice as large as
any of the other seven grants funded Wednesday, was present for the state health board's vote. "We're thrilled,
we're thrilled," Sisley said. "We were there from start to finish, and it was fascinating."
Suzanne Sisley talks with State Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont, about her plans
During her stop in Boulder, Sisley described her planned study, on which the primary investigator is
Marcel Bonn-Miller from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, and is also supported
by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies in Santa Cruz, Calif. "This is a triple-blind
randomized control trial, where we're looking at 80 veterans with treatment-resistant PTSD, which means
they have to have failed at least drug therapy or psychotherapy, or both," Sisley said. In this year's session,
the state Legislature established the Medical Marijuana Scientific Advisory Council, authorizing $10 million
from reserves in the medical marijuana program cash fund for "objective scientific research regarding the
efficacy of marijuana and its component parts as part of medical treatment."
Sisley's next hurdle is obtaining the "cannabidiol-rich" strains of marijuana she needs for her study to
proceed. The National Institute on Drug Abuse contracts exclusively with the University of Mississippi to
produce cannabis approved by the federal government for research — and she said that the strains she needs
for her work simply aren't currently available from that source. She's frustrated that federal regulations won't
allow her to simply use the type of marijuana she has seen during a tour of selected grows in the BoulderDenver area this week. "I've met expert growers who are absolutely growing some of the most stunning
marijuana with some gorgeous flowering plant material that would probably really benefit these veterans,"
she said. Praising Colorado's readiness to explore the broader potential of marijuana in a variety of ways,
Sisley said, "All eyes are on Colorado." [Source: Daily Camera | Charlie Brennan | Dec. 17, 2014 ++]
********************************
VAMC Fayetteville Update 02
► $40M Wrongful Death Lawsuit
The family of Paul Wade Adams Sr. of Lumberton has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the Fayetteville
Veterans Affairs Medical Center failed to provide proper care and follow-up treatment before Adams killed
his wife and then himself on July 18, 2012. The lawsuit, filed 17 DEC in U.S. District Court for the Eastern
29
District of North Carolina, seeks $40 million for the deaths of Adams, an Army veteran, and his wife, Cathy.
The lawsuit names the U.S. government as the defendant. The couple had been married 38 years. He was 62.
She was 56. The lawsuit alleges:
Cathy and Paul Adams








Paul Adams went to the Fayetteville VA on June 15, 2012, complaining of having suicidal thoughts.
He was prescribed the anti-depressant Zoloft, the lawsuit says.
On 4 JUL Adams tried to shoot himself but was left with only a flash burn on his head.
Two days later his daughter, Jennifer Nichole Fairfax, took him to the VA's emergency department.
A nursing triage note on that day says Adams admitted having had suicidal thoughts for the previous
two months.
Adams was admitted directly into the VA's psychiatric unit, where records indicate that he suffered
"suicidal ideation and homicidal ideation," indicating he had thoughts or plans to kill other people.
Adams spent four days in the psychiatric ward. In that time VA did not take steps to warn his family
or make sure that Adams did not have access to guns after his release.
VA switched Adams' medication from Zoloft to another antidepressant, Wellbutrin. Records show
that Adams was to gradually increase the dosage and that maximum benefits would be reached in
three to four weeks.
The VA did not keep Adams in the hospital long enough to test or observe whether the new
medication was working and released him while he was still at high risk of committing homicide or
suicide. VA initiated Adams' release - not the family - and left him outside the hospital until his
wife picked him up.
In November of this year the Department of Veterans Affairs denied the family's claim of wrongful
death of Paul and Cathy Adams. That opened the door for the lawsuit to be filed.
The lawsuit alleges that VA was negligent or reckless in many regards, including failing to keep Adams
as an inpatient for a safe amount of time and failing to adequately diagnose his illness. It also says VA
prescribed Wellbutrin to Adams knowing that he abused alcohol. The mixture has been documented to
increase the risk of depression and suicide. Elizabeth Goolsby, head of the Fayetteville VA, said in an email
that the VA could not discuss pending lawsuits. But Goolsby did say, "Our hearts go out to the Adams family.
One of our highest priorities is the mental health and well-being of the brave men and women who have
served our nation as evidenced by the mental health expansion we announced earlier this week. Far too many
veterans and service members are dying by their own hands and we at the Fayetteville VA are working
tirelessly to reduce or eliminate those deaths. In our view, even one suicide is one too many."
30
Three months after Adams' death, a team from the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Inspector
General went to the Fayetteville VA to evaluate patient care and other hospital operations. The inspection
appears to have been unrelated to Adams' death. According to the team's report, it found that the VA failed
to properly follow up with nine of 10 patients whose names appeared on a list of people considered at high
risk of suicide. VA requires those patients to be evaluated at least weekly for a month after their release from
the hospital. The team found that the nine patients on the list did not receive follow-up care after the second
week of their discharge. It also found that VA's suicide prevention coordinator position had been vacant for
some time. In the interim, other mental health staff members rotated handling the coordinator's
responsibilities. The position was vacant when Adams and his wife died.
A report released by the Department of Veterans Affairs last year found that 22 veterans a day committed
suicide in 2010. On 9 DEC, the U.S. House unanimously passed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for
American Veterans Act. Supporters say the law would improve veterans' access to quality mental health care,
entice more psychiatrists to work in VA hospitals and provide an annual review of suicide prevention
programs. The $22 million bill was blocked this week by Sen. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, who
argues that the measure would not accomplish its stated goal and duplicates existing programs. [Source:
Fayetteville Observer | Greg Barnes | Dec. 19, 2014 ++]
********************************
VAMC Aurora CO Update 02
► New Hospital Interim Agreement
The Department of Veterans Affairs has reached an interim agreement to put construction crews
back on the job at its troubled Aurora hospital project. The four-month deal is worth an estimated
$220 million and could see workers return to the Colfax Avenue project 22 DEC, U.S. Rep. Doug
Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, told The Gazette on Wednesday. Work on the massive
hospital complex stopped after an administrative board voided a contract between VA and prime
contractor Kiewit-Turner. The board found that VA demanded a hospital that could cost more than
$1 billion, but wanted to pay less than $600 million for the work. The final cost for the 1.2-millionsquare-foot hospital complex could take months to determine, Lamborn said. "The build-out after
the interim contract is over is a huge question mark," he said.
View of the hospital as it looked in SEP 2014
31
VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson brokered the 17 DEC deal that was announced in a
conference call to Colorado's federal lawmakers. "This isn't about building a medical center, but
about building a facility where VA can provide high-quality health care to the more than 390,000
Colorado veterans who have served our nation," Gibson said in a news release. "I'm pleased that
we were able to reach an understanding to get back to work and am grateful to Kiewit-Turner for
moving forward with us." The Army Corps of Engineers will take over project management after
the four-month pact expires. When the agreement ends, VA, the Army Corps of Engineers and
Kiewit-Turner will have to reach another contract to continue construction. Kiewit-Turner will get
$157 million for work done so far and VA is setting aside about $60 million in contingency funds
to cover other costs, Lamborn said.
The agency has the $220 million on hand required for the interim deal, but will need to do some
creative accounting to cover future costs, Lamborn said. When the initial funding runs out, the
agency will have to shift cash from other projects or make a case to Congress for more money, he
said. After its deal with Kiewit-Turner was thrown out last week, VA pledged to seek a new deal
to get the hospital project restarted. "This project is for Veterans. That has never been lost on us,"
Kiewit-Turner executive vice president Scott Cassels said in the release. "Kiewit-Turner, the VA,
our subcontractors and all workers on this crucial project should operate in a matter worthy of their
service. Today's agreement reflects that commitment."
Politicians have pushed for the state-of-the-art VA hospital for nearly two decades and have
frequently criticized the agency for sluggish performance in getting it built. The hospital project in
Aurora is one of VA's most ambitious. The hospital consists of 11 buildings connected by a central
concourse. It will house 120 medical patients as well as 30 patients in a spinal care unit and another
30 in a skilled nursing facility. Much of the exterior of the facility has been completed. KiewitTurner said contractors have erected 97 percent of the structural steel - 8,487 tons - and 99 percent
of the pre-cast concrete. Lamborn said he and other Colorado lawmakers will continue to pressure
the VA to get the rest of the job done. "We want them to make this a priority and delay other
projects that have yet to break ground in other parts of the country," he said. [Source: The Gazette |
Tom Roeder | Dec. 18, 2014 ++]
* Vets *
32
Team AMVETS
► Welcome Home Program
In this Holiday season, it’s important to reflect on giving back to those in need. VA understands the
importance of partnering with organizations like the “Team AMVETS Welcome Home Program” to ensure
that the needs of homeless Veterans are being met throughout the year. Founded the week of Thanksgiving
2012, the program has made more than 1,400 deliveries of furnishing and housing essentials to Veterans in
California who have received housing vouchers through the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans
Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program (http://www.va.gov/homeless/hud-vash.asp). Under the
program, VA provides program participants with clinical and supportive services through VA’s health care
system across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.
The Team AMVETS Department of California Service Foundation is a California-based, non-profit
corporation that earns revenue from the sale of goods at numerous thrift stores to support Veterans through
a variety of programs. They work across the state, which is home to some of the largest Veterans’ reception
centers and military bases in the country, in areas including San Diego, Orange, Long Beach, greater Los
Angeles and Fresno. While the HUD-VASH vouchers provide homeless Veterans a safe, clean living space,
the units come unfurnished. Team AMVETS works to fill this service gap by making these living spaces
comfortable homes filled with furniture and other move-in essentials that will allow Veterans to begin with
a fresh start in a permanent residence.
By the end of 2014, Team AMVETS will have served more than 1,500 Veterans and families. Through
2015, they will continue to work towards their goal of providing furnishings for every Veteran in California
who receives housing vouchers through the HUD-VASH program. As these men and women begin to rebuild
their lives, Team AMVETS is there, with many others, when help is needed most. VA applauds the actions
of organizations, like Team AMVETS, that step-in to help homeless Veterans and provide valuable resources
and the basic necessities they so rightly deserve. For more information about VA’s programs to end Veteran
homelessness, visit http://www.va.gov/homeless . More information about Team AMVETS can be found on
their website at https://www.teamamvets.com. [Source: VAntage Point | Michael Taylor | |Dec. 21, 2014
++]
********************************
33
Vet Toxic Exposure~Lejeune Update 52
► Exposure Dates Expanded
A law signed in DEC expanded the eligibility for family members affected by the historic water
contamination on Camp Lejeune, according to the VA. Under the amendment, family members who lived on
Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987, could be eligible for VA health
benefits. The initial dates before the change were between Jan. 1, 1957, and Dec. 31, 1987. Family members
who apply through the program for health benefits could receive out-of-pocket medical expenses reimbursed
by the VA. The VA would be able to cover expenses related to one of 15 medical conditions: including
esophageal cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, multiple myeloma, renal toxicity, female infertility,
scleroderma, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lung cancer, bladder cancer, leukemia, Myelodysplastic
syndromes, hepatic steatosis, miscarriage and neurobehavioral effects. Family members would have to show
proof of relationship to a veteran who served at Camp Lejeune and provide copies of orders or base housing
records as proof of residence on the installation. To enroll online or for more information, call 1-866-3721144 or visit publichealth.va.gov/exposures/camp-lejeune. [Source: Jacksonville NC Daily News Dec. 19,
2014 ++
********************************
Connecticut Veteran' Home Update 02
► Major Changes Recommended
Major changes to the aging Connecticut Veterans Home in Rocky Hill are recommended in a legislative
investigative report released 19 DEC, including more privacy and counseling services for the veterans who
live there. The General Assembly's Program Review and Investigations Committee staff said living
arrangements in the main residential facility, where about 190 veterans live mostly in a dormitory setting, are
unacceptable, based on best practices for transitional or permanent housing. The report recommends giving
each resident a semi-private or private room. "We should be embarrassed," said Rep. Christie Carpino, RCromwell, a committee member who said he received complaints from some of the residents who live on the
90-acre Rocky Hill campus, the first state veterans' home in the country. "For those of you who haven't been
up there, you'd be embarrassed by the accommodations and the lack of services." The legislative committee
is expected to vote early next year to forward the report to other committees for consideration in the new
session, which begins 7 JAN.
Last month, about 80 people, including veterans who rely on the home's residential housing and a nursing
facility, turned out for a field hearing organized by the committee. While some called the home a life-saver,
saying they'd otherwise be homeless, others complained about the conditions and said they felt disrespected
by staff. The committee's investigation comes as a task force led by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman is reviewing
services for veterans offered at the Rocky Hill campus and elsewhere. There is a push to eliminate
homelessness among veterans. Advocates say there are more than 500 homeless veterans in the state.
The report released Friday found there are two distinct populations at the Connecticut Veterans Home long and short-term residents. Staff recommended the state Department of Veterans Affairs create two
distinct programs that provide both transitional housing and permanent supportive housing services in order
to better address the needs of the two populations. The report also recommended the agency assess what
resources it might need to better accommodate veterans, including those with mental health issues and
suicidal tendencies. Committee analysts said there is a need for additional staff, determining there is one
social worker for every 96 residents. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a standard of one social
worker for every 25 veterans for its supportive housing programs. In a survey of residents, only 10 percent
said they were satisfied with the help they've received in finding employment or housing.
34
The report also stressed that the home has been hurt by a lack of oversight. The home's board of trustees,
for example, has not been fully active until recently. For a long period of time, the board did not meet. Gov.
Dannel P. Malloy has not yet named a permanent replacement for Linda Schwartz, the state's longtime
veterans' affairs commissioner who was first appointed by former Gov. John G. Rowland. Schwartz was
recently named to a position with the federal VA. A bright spot in the report was the satisfaction rate among
veterans with the home's separate long-term health care facility, which performed well on recent federal and
state inspections. However, the analysts voiced concern about recent cuts in staffing levels and an uptick this
year in the rate of resident falls, wounds and medication errors. [Source: Associated Press | Susan Haigh |
Dec. 20, 2014 ++]
********************************
Navy Retired Activities Website
► Quick Retiree Reference Info
Have you ever needed quick access to some bit of information about your retirement that you don’t have?
Have you visited the Navy Retired Activities Branch website? The site — www.public.navy.mil/bupersnpc/support/retired_activities/Pages/default.aspx — offers a variety of documents and links to information
and sources to answer many questions you may have. After clicking to the site, scroll to the bottom of the
page and you’ll find those links organized under sections such as “Survivor Benefits,” “Retiree Toolbox,”
“Hot Links,” “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs),” and more. In addition to those links, you will find
contact information for the Retired Activities Branch, archived Retiree Council reports, and steps needed to
get a new retiree identification card. You can also contact the Retired Activities Branch through the Navy
Personnel Command Customer Service Center. Call 1-866-827-5672 and ask to speak with the Retired
Activities Branch. [Source: Shift Colors | Winter 2014 ++]
********************************
Hospital Corpsman Combat Memorial
► New Version Dedicated
After more than a decade of fighting side-by-side in Iraq and Afghanistan, corpsmen and Marines have a new
reminder of the relationship they forged in battle. On 12 DEC, a new version of the Hospital Corpsman
Combat Memorial was dedicated at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, California. The monument includes
three corpsmen cast in bronze, carrying a wounded Marine up the side of Mount Suribachi during the Battle
of Iwo Jima in World War II. The statue should help remind young corpsmen of the unique partnership they
have with Marines, said Command Master Chief Christopher Thorne, the top enlisted sailor at the hospital.
"It's important for us to be able to express to young corpsmen, including many who have not had the
opportunity to have their first seat tour with Marines, that special bond," he said.
With combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan over, corpsmen will be fighting alongside Marines less
frequently. But Thorne said the camaraderie won't be lost because the next hot spot or humanitarian mission
will require corpsmen and Marines to operate together regularly. "There is just an operational tempo that is
going to hold that bond together, I think," Throne said. The statue is a replica of a 30-year-old memorial that
was originally placed old Naval Regional Medical Center, Camp Pendleton. It was created by the nowdeceased Raul Avina, a Marine who was wounded at the Battle of Iwo Jima. According to the hospital's
archives, Avina left the Corps and later worked at the hospital at Camp Pendleton. The scene he created out
of fast-drying concrete and rebar came from a memory he had during his recovery. He remembered a Marine
35
climbing a slope on the mountain in order to get a better position to shoot at the enemy, only to get hit himself.
Seconds later, corpsmen rushed over to give him care and move him to safety.
Avina's original memorial was supposed to be moved to the new hospital shortly before the 500,000square-foot care center opened about a year ago. But when crews started to transfer the memorial, they found
that it was not structurally sound and needed to be replaced. "It was a bit of a bummer when they first told us
that they weren't going to be able to relocate the original memorial, but the contractors really took it on as a
labor of love," Thorne said. Using detailed photos and laser scans, a bronze replica was created of the old
statue. The mountain is the same size as the original, but the texture is more detailed. The figures are made
of bronze rather than concrete, and are covered by a thin shell that helps reduce cleaning and maintenance
needs. A plaque from the original memorial was reused in the replica, a hospital spokesman said in a
statement.
Clark/McCarthy, the company that built the new hospital, reconstructed the memorial as a part of their
contract. Besides the improvements to the statue and hill, the new memorial has a better location than the
original, which was off the beaten path. "It was meaningful to the corpsmen, but it wasn't present," Thorne
said. With the memorial now in a high-visibility location, it's easier to show the next generation of corpsmen
what their bond with Marines means, he said. [Source: MarineCorpsTimes | Joshua Stewart | Dec. 16, 2014
++]
********************************
Vet Insurance ~ Life Update 13
► $40M Prudential Lawsuit Settlement
A $40 million court settlement has been reached between insurance giant Prudential Insurance Company of
America and family members of 67,000 fallen veterans who said they were shortchanged on death benefits.
Among the lead plaintiffs was Kevin Lucey, father of a soldier from Belchertown who committed suicide
after he returned from combat duty in Iraq in 2003. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District court here in 2010,
and eventually morphed to include tens of thousands more as a class action lawsuit. The plaintiffs argued
Prudential mistreated beneficiaries by paying woefully low interest rates and holding back lump sum payouts
in favor of investing the money. In addition, beneficiaries typically did not receive checks for cash but "draft
36
checks" that were subject to negotiation among retailers and financial entities, plaintiffs' lawyers said during
court hearings. The debate focused on the use of "Alliance Accounts," akin to checking accounts, that come
with a booklet of drafts. The policy allows families to write a check for the full amount of the payment or in
36 monthly installments.
1/15/09- Belchertown- Joyce T. and Kevin P. Lucey in their Belchertown home
Plaintiff's lawyer Cristobal Bonifaz, a Conway attorney, said the final settlement forced Prudential to pay
nominal damages of $125 per plaintiff, donate $20 million to veterans organizations and pay $9.7 million in
attorney's fees. Lucey could not immediately be reached for comment. Bonifaz said Lucey will collect
$10,000 as a class representative and won the ability to donate $50,000 to the veterans charity of his choice.
His son, Jeff Lucey, 23, committed suicide a year after he returned home from the war. The Luceys became
advocates for returning veterans to receive more mental health services.
In 2009, the U.S. government agreed to pay Lucey's family $350,000 to settle a wrongful death suit,
promising to make "important changes" in the Veterans Administration system to help veterans suffering
from post-traumatic stress disorder. Bonifaz has said that Prudential mislead policy holders through
bookkeeping maneuvers and profiting off investments bolstered by the premiums, but paying far less in
returns to the beneficiaries. "They didn't tell anybody: 'We're going to make money with it,'" Bonifaz said
previously. A lawyer for Prudential could not be reached for comment on 16 DEC. [Source: The Republican
File | Stephanie Barry | Dec. 09, 2014 ++]
********************************
MOH Awards Update 02
► NDAA’s William Shemin Provision
Nearly a century ago, Sgt. William Shemin raced across a World War I battlefield three times to pull wounded
comrades to safety. With all the senior leaders of the platoon wounded or killed, the 19-year-old survived a
bullet to the head and led his unit to safety. The heroism should have earned Shemin the Medal of Honor, the
nation's highest service medal. But it didn't, perhaps because discrimination was rampant in the military —
and he was Jewish. Thanks to the efforts of his now 85-year-old daughter, Shemin is on the cusp of finally
37
being honored with a medal, 41 years after his death. In the NDAA for 2015 a small provision allows
President Barack Obama to bestow the Medal of Honor to Shemin.
Elsie Shemin-Roth holds a World War I photo of her father
Elsie Shemin-Roth of Webster Groves, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb, has worked tirelessly for over a
decade to get the honor for her father. She can already envision that trip to the White House to receive the
medal. "It's absolutely wonderful," Shemin-Roth said 15 DEC. "We'll be so proud and honored to receive
this for our father. My one gigantic regret is I wish my father could be here." Shemin lied about his age and
got into the Army at age 18. He was sent off to France where, on a hot day in 1918, his platoon was involved
in a bloody fight. Americans were scattered over the battlefield. One of Shemin's superiors, Capt. Rupert
Purdon, later wrote in support of a Medal of Honor: "With the most utter disregard for his own safety,
(Shemin) sprang from his position in his platoon trench, dashed out across the open in full sight of the
Germans, who opened and maintained a furious burst of machine gun and rifle fire."
The young sergeant took shrapnel but survived. He led the platoon out of harm's way for the next three
days, until a German bullet pierced his helmet and lodged behind his left ear. Shemin was hospitalized for
three months. The wound left him partly deaf. Shrapnel wounds eventually left him barely able to walk.
Shemin was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second-highest military honor. There was
never an explanation of why he was denied the Medal of Honor, and Shemin-Roth said her father felt honored
by the Distinguished Service Cross. After leaving the military, Shemin earned a degree from Syracuse and
started a greenhouse-and-nursery business in the Bronx. He died in 1973.
In the early 2000s, Shemin-Roth learned of a law that provided for the review of cases concerning Jews
who may have been denied medals they earned in World War II. She was appalled to learn there was no
similar mechanism for World War I veterans. She began gathering military records, photos, commendations
and firsthand accounts of her father's heroism. Eventually, she enlisted the help of U.S. Rep. Blaine
Luetkemeyer, a Missouri Republican, and both of the state's U.S. senators. Retired Army Col. Erwin Burtnick
of Baltimore, who is involved in the Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. organization, guided the project
through the Department of Defense. "It was the right thing," Burtnick said. "He should have been awarded
way back." In 2012, Luetkemeyer secured language in the defense bill allowing for the review of records of
Jewish World War I veterans who may have lost out on medals due to discrimination. Shemin's case was the
only one with adequate documentation to move forward. "This was anti-Semitism, no question about it,"
Shemin-Roth said. "Now a wrong has been made right and all is forgiven." [Source: AP | Jim Salter | Dec.
15, 2014 ++]
38
********************************
Army Combat Action Badge Update 03
►
Extend Retroactive Eligibility
Once again attempts to have the Combat Action Badge (CAB) made retroactive to December 7, 1941 have
failed. At present this award authorized in 2005 is only retroactive to 18 SEP 01 whereas a number of similar
award’s eligibility have been extended to WWII participants. The section of the NDAA for 2015 that would
have allowed this was removed by the Senate. A similar proposal (H.R.2267) floundered and died in
Committee in 2008. The below response to a request for consideration of making it retroactive to WWII
veterans attempts to rationalize why the Department of the Army is so adamantly opposed to this. It provides
some insight into their rigidity on the subject. The VFW approved a resolution for extending the retroactive
award at their 2009 convention. Plans are to ask the American Legion, VVA, and Jewish War Veterans to
get involved at their 2015 conventions. To assist in this effort veterans are encouraged to communicate with
their congressional representatives and/or the Senate Armed Forces Committee on the subject. [Source:
Vietnam EOD Vets | Sturat Steinbaker | Dec 15, 2014 ++]
********************************
39
Vet Suicide Update 05
► H.R. 5059 Passage Halted by Sen. Tom Coburn
Supporters of a sweeping veterans suicide prevention bill suffered a major setback 15 DEC when retiring
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) blocked the measure in the waning hours of the year's legislative session. The
move meant the end of the effort for 2014 and potentially months of rebuilding work in 2015 for advocates
who championed the bill as a critical step forward in veterans mental health care. "This legislation is already
long overdue," said Bonnie Carroll, president of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. "The price
we've already paid in lives waiting for this bill is already too high."
Sen. Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn
The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention act, named for a Marine veteran activist who took his own life in 2011,
would create new peer support programs for troubled veterans, mandate new online mental health resources,
repay student loans for psychiatrists willing to work at Veterans Affairs facilities, and evaluate existing
suicide prevention programs to insure their effectiveness. Veterans groups have touted the measure as a key
step forward in veterans mental health care, and blasted the delay in its passage as potentially costing lives.
House lawmakers easily approved the measure in mid-DEC, but Coburn blocked quick passage in the Senate
over concerns about costs and program redundancy. The measure costs $22 million over five years.
Supporters have said VA can absorb those costs within existing budget parameters, creating no new funding
need. But Coburn disputed that, saying at best the new effort will drain funds from existing programs.
In an emotional, defensive floor speech the night of 15 DEC, Coburn said the measure "throws money
and doesn't solve the real problem" of holding VA officials accountable to provide better programs and better
oversight of department funds. But Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) — who forced Coburn to publicly object
to the bill by bringing it up on the Senate floor — and officials from veterans groups angrily blasted those
charges, saying the bill's price tag is "infinitely minuscule" compared with billion-dollar budget bills routinely
before Congress and the cost of losing Americans who served their country. "It is clear that something needs
to be done," said Alex Nicholson, legislative director for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "It is
dangerous and dishonorable for one single senator to simply complain about and block efforts to combat the
veteran suicide crisis without having offered any alternative solutions of his own."
The bill had also drawn support from VA Secretary Bob McDonald, who called it an important step
forward towards "improving mental health care for our nation's veterans." Just hours before Monday's
objection, he implored the Senate to pass the measure. With Congress just a few days from adjourning for
the year, the legislative defeat means supporters will have to reintroduce and rebuild momentum for the
40
measure next year. Veterans groups have vowed to do just that, but noted the delay will deprive many
struggling veterans the help they need right now. About 22 veterans a day take their own lives, according to
VA statistics.
On a brighter side is that the Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act of 2014 (S.2300) introduced
by Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) passed. It provides annual mental health
assessments to every member of the military. Currently, such assessments are mostly for those who have
deployed, but will be expanded to include all military members. Sexton killed himself in a movie theater in
Muncie, Ind., while home on leave from Afghanistan. The details of S.2300 can be seen at
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s2300/text. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Leo Shane| Dec. 15, 2014
++]
********************************
OBIT | Thomas Richards Update 01 ►
18 Jun 2014
A Navy Cross recipient who dedicated his life to protecting the integrity of valor awards has been interred at
Arlington National Cemetery with his fellow heroes. Retired Marine Lt. Col. Thomas Richards was given
full military honors at a 16 DEC ceremony that was attended by Medal of Honor recipient Barney Barnum
and Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. John M. Paxton Jr. In June 1969, Richards fended off
enemy attacks in Vietnam so that wounded Marines could be evacuated. He killed eight enemy troops and
prevented the Marine perimeter from collapsing. After retiring, Richards helped Marine Corps Times uncover
at least 40 instances in which Marine Corps Association members lied about receiving valor awards,
including the Medal of Honor. He died of cancer in June.
Retired Marine Lt. Col. Thomas Richards died in June of cancer
At the burial, seven white horses pulled a flag-draped caisson in front of the funeral procession which
marched to a drumbeat cadence to keep them in rhythm. Half of the Marine escort team marched in front of
the colors and the other half behind. When the procession came to a stop, one Marine brought the urn with
Richards' remains near the gravesite. Diane Richards did not expect so many Marines to be there for her
husband's interment. "I was shocked by the entire tribute," she told Marine Corps Times after the ceremony.
"I had no idea that they would be there. I was told there may be a few Marines from 8th and I, and had
expected one or two representing the Marine Corps. When I walked out and saw this sea of Marines, I was
overwhelmed."
41
After a bugler blew Taps and Richards was presented with a folded flag, Paxton knelt in front of her and
embraced her. "He and Tom were close," she said. "He continually offered his love and support, respect for
Tom, what Tom stood for, the work that Tom did for the Marine Corps and for the country; and that the
Marine Corps family will forever be mine." It's fitting that her husband is now at rest in Arlington, she said.
"Tom was humble," she said. "I think to him, certainly he is among comrades. He is among comrades who
shared his values and he's also among history, which was his love. His being at Arlington is also an
opportunity for his legacy to be continued, something he would hold dear to his heart." [Source:
MilitaryTimes | Jeff Schogol | Dec. 16, 2014 ++]
********************************
Vet Jobs Update 166
► Home Base Iowa Seeks to Attract Vets
For years, companies have made special efforts to attract veterans so their businesses can benefit from the
training and skills provided by the military. Now states are doing the same. In 2014, Iowa established a host
of tax and tuition breaks for vets. As part of its Home Base Iowa effort, the state also has rolled out a website
to link vets with private-sector employers in the state who want to hire them. "What we're doing in Iowa can
be an example of what other states can do," Gov. Terry Branstad told Military Times. "We look at it as a winwin for the veteran, for the companies and also for the communities in which they locate." Branstad signed
the Home Base Iowa Act into law in May. The state also has taken measures to support disabled veterans and
to encourage its counties and institutions of higher education to do more for vets. Though eligibility varies,
many veterans in Iowa now can expect to:
 Pay no state income tax on their military pensions.
 Receive a $5,000 grant toward the purchase of a home and also have the value of their homes
assessed $1,850 less for tax purposes.
 Attend public colleges and universities at the in-state tuition rate.
 More easily obtain civilian licenses for skills learned in the military.
In addition to detailing such benefits, the program's online hub, http://www.homebaseiowa.org , includes
tools to help vets land private-sector jobs. These include a customized job search that lists positions by related
military occupational specialty codes, information on job fairs, guides to career paths and a single email
address that vets can use to share their resumes with participating employers across the state. Branstad said
hundreds of companies have signed on to become Home Base Iowa Businesses, including the state's 20
largest. The effort already has landed jobs for more than 630 veterans, he added. "We know there's going to
be a continued reduction in military force over the next several years. We want to make Iowa the most
attractive state for veterans," Branstad said. Branstad, who identified Home Base Iowa as one of his top
priorities for 2014, credited Iowa National Guard Maj. Gen. Tim Orr with helping conceive the effort.
"We're a state with a lot of jobs and not a lot of people," Iowa National Guard Maj. Gen. Tim Orr said in
a video interview (http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/best-for-vets/2014/12/16/home-base-iowabranstad/20153369/. "And so it was important for me to look out and to see if there was a way we could help
our soldiers and airmen and all the service members that are looking for an opportunity as they leave the
service." Orr added that the skills veterans bring to the civilian world are prized by private-sector employers.
"Stay positive. Know that your service matters. The leadership, the experience — that's wanted in our
communities." [Source: MilitaryTimes | George Altman | Dec. 16, 2014 ++]
********************************
42
Retiree Appreciation Days
► As of 26 Dec 2014
Retiree Appreciation Days (RADs) are designed with you in mind. They're a great source of the latest
information for retirees and Family members in your area. RADs vary from installation to installation, but,
in general, they provide an opportunity to renew acquaintances, listen to guest speakers, renew ID Cards, get
medical checkups, and various other services. Some RADs include special events such as dinners or golf
tournaments. Due to budget constraints, some RADs may be cancelled or rescheduled. Also, scheduled
appearances of DFAS representatives may not be possible. If you plan to travel long distances to attend a
RAD, before traveling, you should call the sponsoring RSO to ensure the RAD will held as scheduled and,
if applicable, whether or not DFAS reps will be available. The current schedule is provided in the attachment
to this Bulletin titled, “Retiree Activity\Appreciation Days (RAD) Schedule”. Note that this schedule has
been expanded to include dates for retiree\veterans related events such as town hall meetings, resource fairs,
stand downs, etc. For more information call the phone numbers of the Retirement Services Officer (RSO)
sponsoring the RAD as indicated in the attachment. An up-to-date list of Retiree Appreciation Days can
always be accessed online at
 HTML: http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.html
 PDF: http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.pdf
 Word: http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.doc
[Source: RAD List Manager | Milton Bell | Dec. 26, 2014 ++]
*********************************
Vet Hiring Fairs
► 1 thru 31 Jan 2014
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s (USCC) Hiring Our Heroes program employment workshops are
available in conjunction with hundreds of their hiring fairs. These workshops are designed to help veterans
and military spouses and include resume writing, interview skills, and one-on-one mentoring. For details of
each you should click on the city next to the date in the below list. To participate, sign up for the workshop
in addition to registering (if indicated) for the hiring fairs which are shown below for the next 6 weeks. For
more information about the USCC Hiring Our Heroes Program, Military Spouse Program, Transition
Assistance, GE Employment Workshops, Resume Engine, etc. visit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s
website at http://www.hiringourheroes.org/hiringourheroes/events .
North Charleston, SC - Charleston Hiring Fair
January 8 - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Details Register
Military Spouse Virtual Job Fair http://www.virtualjobscout.org
January 8 - 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Details Register
Washington, DC - NBC4 DC Health and Fitness Expo
January 9 - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Details Register
Camp Pendleton South, CA - Recovering Warrior & Caregiver Employment Conference
January 13 - 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Details Register
Tempe, AZ - Hiring Fair
January 13 - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Details Register
Bridgeport, CT - Fairfield Hiring Fair
43
January 14 - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Details Register
Fort Stewart, GA - Transition Summit
January 21 to January 22 Details Register
Ft. Campbell, KY- Military Spouse Networking Reception
January 21 - 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Details Register
Fort Dix, NJ - Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Hiring Fair
January 21 - 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Details Register
Travis Air Force Base, CA - Military Spouse Hiring Fair
January 22 Preregistration for February 05 10:00 am to 100 pm Details Register
Denver, CO - Denver Hiring Fair
January 23 10:30 am to 3:00 pm Details Register
McChord, WA - Joint Base Lewis-McChord Military Spouse Networking Reception
January 28 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Details Register
Albuquerque, NM - Albuquerque Hiring Fair
January 28 - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Details Register
McChord, WA - Joint Base Lewis-McChord Military Spouse Hiring Fair
January 29 Details Register 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
[Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Assn 24 Dec 2014 ++]
*********************************
WWII VETS 77
► DeLucia~Tommy
At a “Spirit of '45” celebration to recognize the military service of nine New Jersey World War II veterans
and residents of the Voorhees Rehabilitation Center, the New Jersey director of employer outreach for
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented 100-year-old World War II veteran Tommy
De Lucia with an ESGR challenge coin. At 100, the Philadelphia native has witnessed remarkable changes,
from the invention of Henry’s Ford’s Model T to the tooling of a car that can transform into an airplane. In
1942, PFC De Lucia began his military service. He sailed on the Queen Mary (refitted for wartime service),
and landed on Normandy on D-Day. He was assigned guard duties in field locations in Saint-Mere-Eglise, a
village liberated after the D-Day invasion; served with Patton’s Army for a month; was involved with the
Battle of the Bulge; and was set to go to Japan when the war ended.
44
After the rejoicing, the serious business of reintegration and personal recovery lay before De Lucia. At
one point, still in his Army uniform because of the wartime shortage (it would take three months for the local
tailor to fulfill his order of a suit), he ran into a former friend and ex-GI experiencing similar readjustment
issues. They decided to rejoin the Army and request overseas duties. The sergeant read their discharge papers
and commented, “You ex-GIs have been through too much. Go take it easy and rest up.” That was not what
they expected to hear. However, they resumed their mission of “trying to put the pieces, together.”
De Lucia made the fateful decision to seek help from a Veterans Administration counselor. Meanwhile,
his former employer made arrangements to hire him back. A patriotic business owner who recognized the
attributes of a hard-working employee, he paid him $1 an hour, despite the fact that "his top help was making
75 cents an hour.” The owner agreed to accommodate his requirement of visiting VA once a week for his
counseling appointment. After taking a break from his resumed career to go to California, marry his wife
Esther and return to the East Coast, De Lucia stayed on with Comly & Gillam until he retired in 1977, where
he was the company’s "jack of all trades" who set up the machinery for the machine operators, long before
computer-controlled machinery revolutionized the industry. Tommy and Esther remained loyal companions
until Esther’s death of Alzheimer’s disease. He now resides at the Voorhees Care and Rehabilitation Center,
where he occasionally trades war stories with the other veterans in residence. [Source: AL Online Update |
Donna Clementoni | Sept. 11, 2014 ++]
*********************************
America's Most Beloved Vets
Bill Cosby




►
Korean War (1)
Dave Thomas
Ed McMahon
Emil Kapaun
The actor and comedian Bill Cosby trained as a corpsman and assisted in Korean War veterans'
rehabilitation at the Navy hospital in Bethesda, Md.
The future founder of Wendy's Dave Thomas, attended cook’s school at Fort Benning and later
fed thousands of soldiers as a mess sergeant in Germany.
The comedian Ed McMahon, game show host and announcer was a Marine Corps pilot, flying 85
combat missions.
The Roman Catholic priest and Army chaplain Emil Kapaun ministered to fellow POWs until his
death from an untreated illness, and is a candidate for sainthood.
*********************************
45
Veteran State Benefits & Discounts
► Iowa 2014
The state of Iowa provides several benefits to veterans as indicated below. To obtain information on these
plus discounts listed on the Military and Veterans Discount Center (MCVDC) website, refer to the
attachment to this Bulletin titled, “Vet State Benefits & Discounts – IA for an overview of the below
benefits. Benefits are available to veterans who are residents of the state. For a more detailed explanation
of each of the following refer to http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits/iowa-stateveterans-benefits.html and https://va.iowa.gov.
 Housing
 Financial Assistance
 Education
 Other State Veteran Benefits
 Discounts
[Source: http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits Dec 2014 ++]
*********************************
State Veteran's Benefits & Discounts
► New York Update 01
The state of New York has made the below recent changes to veteran related laws and initiatives Even if
you don't live in NYS, or are not a veteran yourself, perhaps you know a veteran who does live in NYS you
can pass this info to:
-- Driver’s License Fees — NYS Department of Motor Vehicles now cannot require any payments for the
duplication or alteration of an existing driver’s license or non-driver’s ID card prior to its renewal date, if the
purpose of asking for the duplication or alteration is solely to add the distinguishing Veteran’s mark on the
card. This law became effective on December 7th.
-- Property Tax Exemption — New law increases the real property tax exemption from $5,000 to $7,500
for Veterans buying real estate with “eligible funds.” “Eligible funds” under this law means money from a
pension, bonus, or insurance (or dividends or refunds on an insurance policy), or payments received from the
Federal government as POW compensation. This law goes into effect on July 1, 2015.
-- Temporary Hiring List — For temporary employment in public service positions in NYS, NYS must hire
a qualified Veteran from a “Veterans Temporary Employment List” rather than going through a temporary
employment agency. NYS Department of Civil Service must maintain this list of Veterans seeking temporary
employment in a State public service position. This law is effective now.
-- Tax “Check-Off” For Homeless Veterans — NYS taxpayers can elect to contribute a monetary gift to a
new “homeless Veterans assistance fund” when paying their State taxes. This gift is purely a gift, in that it
does not reduce in any way the amount of State taxes that an individual owes. This law becomes effective
with the taxable year beginning January 1, 2015.
-- Supplemental Burial Allowance Changes — Previously, under the law governing the NYS Supplemental
Burial Allowance program, a qualifying death had to actually occur inside the combat zone for the surviving
family members to qualify for the benefit. Under the amended law, however, a servicemember who dies of
wounds incurred in combat will be a “qualifying death” for the benefit, even if the actual death occurs outside
46
of the combat zone. The new application is available on DVA’s website by following this link:
http://veterans.ny.gov/content/new-york-state-supplemental-burial-allowance. This law goes into effect on
February 14, 2015.
-- In-State Tuition For G.I. Bill Recipients — Anyone who is not a NYS resident and is attending a State
University of New York or City University of New York college using the G.I. Bill shall receive the in-state
tuition rate, even though they are not NYS residents. This allows them to maximize their G.I. Bill benefits,
and not have to pay the extra costs that would come from being charged the out-of-state rate. This law is
effective now.
-- Professional Licenses For Military Spouses/Domestic Partners — The spouse or domestic partner of a
servicemember who is licensed in another state to practice as a real estate broker or real estate salesperson,
or to obtain a barber, esthetics, cosmetology, natural hair styling, or nail specialty license, and who moves to
New York State with the servicemember, can receive the same professional license in NYS without reapplying. This law is effective now. Of course, there are several other NYS programs that recognize a
Veteran’s MOS or out-of-state professional license without making that Veteran jump through any more
hoops to be licensed in NYS. For the current list of MOS and license programs granted recognition by the
NYS “Experience Counts” initiative, see: http://veterans.ny.gov/content/experience-counts .
-- Lifetime Liberty Pass — Veterans with a service-connected disability of 40% or higher can receive a pass
for free admission to NYS parks and other State outdoor facilities for fishing, hunting, camping, etc. The
Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation administers this program. The full guidelines and
application form for this pass is available at this link: http://nysparks.com/admission/lifetime-libertypass.aspx. This program is effective now.
-- Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act — NYS established a goal of awarding 6% of State
governments to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses. This program is being administered by a
brand-new NYS Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development, operated by the NYS Office
of General Services. If a business owner wants to apply as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business, the
application is available at this link:http://ogs.ny.gov/Core/Docs/SDVOBCertificationApplication.pdf.
Applications are being accepted now.
-- Veteran Liaison Officers — Each NYS agency has appointed a “Veterans Liaison Officer” to coordinate
initiatives affecting Veterans, servicemembers, and military families. This program is effective now.
-- No Income Limit for Gold Star Annuitants — Previously, NYS required an income cap for Gold Star
Annuity Program eligibility. Now, there is no income requirement for Gold Star Parents to receive this
Annuity from NYS. Go to http://veterans.ny.gov/content/gold-star-parent-annuity-program to download the
Gold Star Annuity application form. This law is effective now.
[Source: http://nylegion.net/new-state-laws-initiatives-benefit-vets/ Dec. 12, 2014 ++]
* Vet Legislation *
47
Vet Legislative Wins 2014 ►
Few But 2 Big Ones
Veterans faced a disheartening series of nationwide scandals related to their benefits and care in 2014, but
that also brought an encouraging boost in attention and action from Capitol Hill. Advocates from the veterans
community saw two of their top legislative priorities approved in the waning days of the lame-duck
congressional session: a new, bigger Veterans Affairs Department budget and advance appropriations for all
VA benefits starting next fiscal year. Those successes come after this summer's massive veterans' reform bill
that mandated more private care options for veterans facing lengthy wait times for VA medical appointments
and more money to hire doctors, lease space, and find ways to add more care hours for patients.
And 2014 began with veterans advocates succeeding in killing their most hated legislative provision of
2013 — a plan to lower cost-of-living adjustments on military retirees, part of a broader budget balancing
package. "We feel pretty good about what we accomplished," said Garry Augustine, executive director of
Disabled American Veterans. "Getting anything done in Washington is a surprise these days. And those were
big accomplishments." DAV had been leading the push for advance appropriations since the 2013
government shutdown, when veterans' GI Bill checks and other benefits were threatened due to a lack of
authorized funding. With a change included in the $1.1 trillion federal spending bill signed into law this
week, those fears won't surface again. Like VA medical care accounts, all department benefits will be funded
a full year in advance, ensuring that congressional budget fights delays won't disrupt their delivery.
Ian de Planque, deputy director of the American Legion's legislative division, said even more important
than the legislation that passed may be the new focus from lawmakers on veterans issues. "We're starting to
talk to a lot more lawmakers outside the traditional [veterans] committees," he said. "After the problems
earlier this year, now this is something that jumped up on their radar." Those problems — care delays and
record-keeping cover-ups at dozens of VA facilities — forced the resignation of former VA Secretary Eric
Shinseki and brought dozens of lawmakers into the national debate on how to fix the department's shortfalls.
That new knowledge is critical, de Planque said, because VA already has several critical deadlines looming
in 2015, including ending the disability benefits backlog and ending veterans homelessness. Success on both
those goals will depend on continued pressure from Congress. And Ray Kelley, legislative director of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars, noted that there is still a host of advocate-backed legislation that didn't make
headway in this session of Congress, either due to legislative gridlock or political distraction.
Veterans groups worked long hours in recent weeks in an attempt to guide the Clay Hunt suicide
prevention bill through Congress, but fell short after retiring Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) blocked the measure
just days before lawmakers left town. That measure, along with plans for VA construction reform and
expanded Gulf War Illness research, is expected to be reintroduced quickly in the new legislative session
next month. "We still have a lot of work that didn't get done," Kelley said. "So we're already looking ahead.
But VA has been in the national spotlight, so our job now is to keep those issues in the light." The new session
of Congress starts Jan. 6. Among the 535 members of the House and Senate are 100 lawmakers with military
48
experience, including 25 who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Leo Shane | Dec. 22,
2014 ++]
********************************
VA Construction Management Authority
► Bill Would Remove
U.S. Representative Mike Coffman (R-CO), a U.S. Marine combat veteran, said that he will introduce
legislation in JAN that will permanently strip the authority away from the Department of Veterans Affairs to
manage its own construction projects. Coffman, chairman on the House Veterans Affairs Committee’s
subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (O&I), is a longtime critic of the chronic problems of
mismanagement within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He has focused much of his attention on
the VA’s ongoing major hospital construction projects in Aurora, Colorado; Orlando, Florida; and New
Orleans, Louisiana. Last year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report highlighting
gross mismanagement in VA’s major construction projects. The GAO cited the projects in Aurora, New
Orleans, Orlando and Las Vegas that were, on average, over $300 million each over budget and each, on
average, almost three years behind schedule. That same GAO report also stated that the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) had built similar projects for the Department of Defense consistently on schedule and
within budget.
In mid-DEC, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals ruled against the VA on a construction contract
litigation dispute over a new VA Medical Center in Aurora. The Board ruled that the general contractor,
Kiewit-Turner (KT), could terminate the agreement based on the VA’s gross mismanagement of the project.
The VA was found to have materially breached the contract and the board authorized KT to terminate it. This
has resulted in 1,400 construction workers being laid off and the work on the hospital suspended. The project
was supposed to cost $600 million but now, due to mismanagement, is expected to cost over $1 billion. One
of the demands of the general contractor, KT, in order to resume work on the hospital, is for the Army Corps
of Engineers to take it over and the VA has now agreed to that condition.
Earlier this year, the VA opposed Coffman’s bipartisan legislation to bring USACE in to supervise the
ongoing major hospital construction projects in Aurora, Orlando, and in New Orleans. The legislation passed
the House unanimously but it has yet to be voted on in the Senate. The legislation Coffman will introduce in
January will go one step further by requiring that USACE be the construction management arm for the VA
for all of their construction projects. [Source: Office of Mike Coffman Press Release Dec. 11, 2014 ++]
*********************************
GOP Agenda
► 2015 Wish List
As the holiday season approaches, so does the start of the Republican-run 114th Congress. Here are a few
things GOP members have on their wish lists for the new session.
Issue: Sequester Suffocation
 GOP wish: The Pentagon’s portion of the remaining years of the across-the-board budget cuts, that
is. Led by incoming Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Sen. John McCain (RAZ) GOP hawks are talking about finally doing something about the evils of the sequester, which
they claim is making the US military unprepared for a whole slew of potential fights and missions.
McCain says addressing sequestration is the top priority of his SASC reign.
49

Outlook: If only it were that easy. McCain and Co. are joined in their concerns about the impact the
cuts are having on America’s fighting force by enough Republicans and Democrats in both
chambers to significantly lessen them or get rid of them altogether. That has been the case since
they first went into effect. The problem, even with a slim GOP Senate majority, remains: The two
parties still disagree on the pieces of a big fiscal deal that would address the defense cuts. House
Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chairman-elect Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) is more cleareyed, telling CongressWatch this month that the “Armed Services Committee[s] cannot solve that
issue.” His approach: “Working with others, we’re going to do our best to try and solve it.” The
best-case scenario might be another measure that provides a couple years of relief.
Issue: Acquisition Action
 GOP wish: Could 2015 finally be the year of Pentagon acquisition reform? McCain and Thornberry
sure hope so. The latter is wrapping a major HASC study on what’s broken and how to fix it; the
former is zeroing in on measures such as banning cost-plus contracts and building greater
accountability into the system. Add in President Barack Obama’s defense secretary nominee, former
Pentagon acquisition chief Ash Carter, and Republican members say the political moons are aligning
in favor of reform.

Outlook: If not next year, when? McCain and Thornberry both want it, Carter is known as a reformer
from his time as the military’s buying chief and deputy defense secretary, and meaningful changes
could help slash costs in the sequestration era. The two veteran lawmakers will lead negotiations on
the final version of a 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the logical legislative
vehicle for Pentagon acquisition reform language. Passing reforms would allow McCain to use such
a feat in his 2016 re-election campaign, and Carter must think immediately about his legacy with
the Obama administration expiring in just two years. In a town where little has gotten done in recent
years, a failure to enact something on this issue next year would be a huge setback for the new
chairmen — and Carter.
Issue: Tackling Tehran
 GOP plans: Young GOP hawks like Arkansas Rep. Tom Cotton, a Foreign Affairs Committee
member and senator-elect, believe Iran is slow-walking the Obama administration on talks about its
nuclear arms ambitions. Gradually, Cotton said recently, Tehran is “getting everything it wants.”
He says Republicans intend to push legislation in the new Congress that would call for more farreaching sanctions against Tehran to punish the regime for not giving up its nuclear arms program.
And incoming Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) wants both
chambers to vote on any potential deal Washington might strike with Iranian leaders.

Outlook: Cotton envisions Republicans pushing through legislation that would, if Obama provides
his signature, enact tougher financial sanctions designed to make it “as hard to conduct financial
transactions with the regime as possible.” He says GOP members also want new sanctions that
would squeeze Iran’s oil industry. House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Mike Pompeo (RKS) told reporters recently that more muscular sanctions could turn internal public opinion against
the Iranian regime. “This is a country that depends on trade for continued stability of regime,”
Pompeo said, and with beefier sanctions, “things will look a lot different.”
[Source: Defense News | John T. Bennett | Dec. 16, 2014 ++]
50
*********************************
Vet Bills Submitted to 113th Congress
► As of 28 Dec 2014
For a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the veteran community introduced in the 113th Congress
refer to this Bulletin’s “House & Senate Veteran Legislation” attachment. Support of these bills through
cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process
for a floor vote to become law. A good indication of that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have
signed onto the bill. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At
https://beta.congress.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s content, determine its current status, the
committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it by entering the bill
number in the site’s search engine. To determine what bills, amendments your representative/senator has
sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on go to:
 https://beta.congress.gov/search?q=%7B%22source%22%3A%5B%22legislation%22%5D%7D
 Select the ‘Sponsor’ tab, and click on your congress person’s name.
 You can also go to http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php
Grassroots lobbying is the most effective way to let your Congressional representatives know your wants
and dislikes. If you are not sure who is your Congressman go to https://beta.congress.gov/members. Members
of Congress are receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents. The key to increasing
cosponsorship support on veteran related bills and subsequent passage into law is letting legislators know of
veteran’s feelings on issues. You can reach their Washington office via the Capital Operator direct at (866)
272-6622, (800) 828-0498, or (866) 340-9281 to express your views. Otherwise, you can locate their phone
number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making at
either:
 http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
 http://www.house.gov/representatives
Tentative 2015 Legislative Schedule 114th Congress, 1st Session: The Senate and House chambers have
adjourned for 2014, bringing the 113th Congress to a close. The first session of the 114th Congress is
scheduled to convene in the House on Friday, 2 JAN and the Senate on Tuesday, 6 JAN.
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF ALL LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE AND
SENATE DURING THE 112th & 113th CONGRESS:
Enacted
Laws
Passed
Resolutions
Got
A
Vote
Failed
Legislation
113th
296
3%
663
6%
474
4%
20
0%
0
0%
9,178
86%
10,631
112th
284
2%
721
6%
390
3%
38
0%
0
0%
10,866
88%
12,299
Congress
Vetoed
Bills w/o
Override
Other
Legislation
[Source: https://beta.congress.gov & http: //www.govtrack.us/congress/bills Dec 28, 2014 ++]
51
TOTAL
* Military *
Operation Enduring Freedom Update 01
► Officially Ended Dec. 28, 2015
Operation Enduring Freedom, the worldwide combat mission launched shortly after the terrorist attacks of
Sept. 11, 2001, that eventually became synonymous with the 13-year war in Afghanistan, officially ended
Sunday 28 DEC. The mission that took the lives of 2,356 U.S. service members was punctuated with a
ceremony with military officials in Kabul and a statement from President Obama lauding the efforts of
those involved. "On this day we give thanks to our troops and intelligence personnel who have been
relentless against the terrorists responsible for 9/11 — devastating the core al Qaeda leadership, delivering
justice to Osama bin Laden, disrupting terrorist plots and saving countless American lives. We are safer,
and our nation is more secure, because of their service," Obama said in the written statement.
NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops carry flags during a ceremony Dec.
28 ceremony formally ending their war in Afghanistan attended. Attendees included Gen. John
Campbell, ISAF commander, right, and ISAF Gen. Hans-Lothar Domrose at ISAF headquarters in
Kabul
Up to 10,800 U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan in 2015 and the mission will be renamed
"Operation Freedom's Sentinel." Military officials say that will be a narrowly defined two-prong mission:
advising the Afghan army and continuing to mount counterterrorism operations against the Taliban and
other insurgents who may pose a threat to the U.S. or Afghan governments. Obama's current strategy calls
for reducing the U.S. force level to about 5,000 in 2016 until a complete end of the military mission there
before he leaves the White House in 2017.
52
The early years of OEF encompassed missions around the world. Many U.S. troops supporting the
invasion of Iraq in 2003 were technically deployed under OEF orders. And it also included
counterterrorism operations in Southeast Asia, North Africa and elsewhere. For years, the war operations in
Afghanistan were comparatively small. U.S. troop levels there remained below 30,000 until 2008, when the
Taliban insurgency began gaining ground and threatening the American-backed government. U.S. troop
levels peaked at around 100,000 in 2010. Pessimism about the military mission in Afghanistan has grown
during the past several years.
According to a Military Times reader survey, the percentage of active-duty service members who say
the U.S. ultimately is "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to succeed in Afghanistan has dropped from 76
percent in 2007 to 23 percent in 2014. A similar trend is reported among civilians. While the mission was
overwhelmingly popular when it began in October 2001, a Gallup Poll in 2014 showed that about half of
Americans believe sending troops to Afghanistan was a mistake. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Andrew
Tilghman | Dec. 29, 2014 ++]
********************************
MAVNI Program
► Special Foreign-born Recruiting to Resume
After a months-long hiatus, a special immigration program designed to attract recruits with certain skills will
be up and running once more in the next several weeks. Attorney Margaret Stock, an immigration lawyer
and retired Army lieutenant colonel, said on 22 DEC that the Military Accessions Vital to the National
Interest, or MAVNI, program could resume before the end of the year, but certainly in January. There has
not yet been an announcement from the Defense Department. "I heard about it from some folks at the
Pentagon. There's no public USAREC [U.S. Army Recruiting Command] message yet," Stock said.
The program stalled in late September after President Obama's executive order on immigration opened up
MAVNI to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. According to Stock, the Defense
Department is now on track to resume processing applications under MAVNI. "DoD has set the overall fiscal
year quota for MAVNI at 1,500, and the Army has been allocated 1,300 slots for now," Stock wrote on the
blog for Alaska-based law firm, Cascadia Cross Border Law Group. She does not know if the other services
will utilize the program, noting that in 2013 the Air Force recruited only two people under MAVNI, both
enlisted and brought in for their language skills. The Navy recruited one doctor under the program in 2009,
when it began. Most MAVNI applicants have been doctors who enlist in the Army Reserve and receive an
officer's commission once they attained their U.S. citizenship. Foreign nationals who come in under MAVNI
do not have to apply for a green card and their citizenship process is expedited.
53
Some already in the Army now have to fight to keep their dependents in the U.S. with them. That's because
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services decided it would no longer automatically grant spouses or
children green cards once the service member became a citizen. The agency said the dependents must return
to their home country and apply to come to the U.S. after two years, a policy that that will force military
families apart, Stock said. Stock, who designed and successfully sold the Defense Department on the program
about six years ago, said the Army will look to recruit 130 doctors. Another 100 critical language speakers
will be recruited to the Army Reserve. The active-duty Army plans to recruit 1,070 enlisted soldiers who
speak languages that are in short supply, as well, including Korean, Chinese, Tagalog, Russian and
Portuguese, among others. [Source: Military.com | Bryant Jordan | Dec 26, 2014 ++]
********************************
POW/MIA Update 45
► How to Handle Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl
Getting Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl out of the Army is not going to be easy. As Army leaders consider how to
handle the former Taliban captive who is accused of misconduct, their options are narrowed by an obscure
personnel regulation: Because the former prisoner of war's term of enlistment expired during his five years
in captivity, the Army must now grant him an honorable discharge or launch a court-martial. "We're in an
all-or-nothing situation," said Jeffrey Addicott, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and judge advocate who
served as a legal adviser to the Army Special Forces and now teaches law at St. Mary's University School of
Law in Texas. The Army announced 22 DEC that the investigation of Bergdahl has been forwarded to a top
general, or convening authority, to take "appropriate action."
For now Bergdahl, 28, remains assigned to a desk job at an Army headquarters unit in San Antonio. The
Army declined to release any details of the six-month investigation into the circumstances surrounding his
disappearance. Then-Spc. Bergdahl was accused of leaving his patrol base intentionally before he was
captured by Taliban insurgents in 2009. Legal experts say the allegations suggest charges of desertion could
apply. One legal option is for the Army to officially refer the case for a court-martial, which would open the
door for Bergdahl, if he chooses, to request an other-than-honorable discharge in lieu of the court-martial.
Both Bargdahl and the Army general overseeing the case would have to agree to that arrangement. That
would allow the Army to strip Bergdahl of some of his veterans benefits and impose some further
administrative sanctions, such as loss of pay and reduction in rank.
54
But without a court-martial, the Army may have to pay Bergdahl the back pay he's technically due because
he remained on active duty during his five years in captivity. That's about $200,000, and possibly far more if
the full scope of POW benefits is applied. "I don't think the Army can have it both ways. Either he was a
deserter and he deserves to be court-martialed -- or he wasn't and he is entitled to the back pay," said Greg
Rinkey, a former Army JAG who is now a military defense attorney in New York. For now Bergdahl's back
pay is frozen in a back account controlled by the Army and the matter will likely remain unresolved until
Bergdahl is discharged. Rinkey said he believes the Army will ultimately opt against seeking a court martial.
Questions about Bergdahl's state of mind at the time of his capture would make the charges at court-martial
hard to prove, and that Bergdahl's five years in captivity would weigh in the Army's decision, Rinkey said.
After five years in captivity, Bergdahl's Taliban captors released him 31 MAY in a prisoner swap that also
freed five Taliban leaders from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He returned to good health
after a short stay at military hospitals in Germany and San Antonio. A prior investigation of Bergdahl's
disappearance — conducted in 2009 long before his return — found that some members of his unit believed
Bergdahl left his patrol base alone at night at least once before and returned safely. Bergdahl was interviewed
as part of the more recent investigation since his return, but Army officials have not released any details of
that investigation. Yet details of the case have been widely reported in the media, in particular the criticisms
from other soldiers in his unit who believe Bergdahl intentionally left his base and as a result put the lives of
many soldiers at risk. Some soldiers believe the aggressive manhunt that Army commanders in Afghanistan
ordered after Bergdahl's disappearance directly resulted in several casualties.
That controversy is likely a part of the Army leadership's considerations. "You've got almost every single
member of the platoon that says 'Yeah, he put down his weapon and left his patrol base. He voluntarily
vacated himself from his place of duty.' Addicott said. It's possible Bergdahl could be charged with the lesser
offense of Absent Without Leave, or AWOL. But Addicott believes the facts suggest a more severe charge.
"To me, it's desertion. He left in time of war. And I think the facts are clear." [Source: MilitaryTimes |
Andrew Tilghman | Dec. 24, 2014 ++]
********************************
Military Child Custody Protection
► Deployment Issue
When Kentucky guardsman Eva Slusher returned from her stateside deployment in 2004, she was welcomed
home with news that she had lost custody of her daughter. A decade later, she finally has hope that no service
member will ever have to go through that again. Tucked into this year’s annual defense authorization bill
passed by Congress is a provision preventing state judges from using military deployments against troops in
child custody cases. It’s the culmination of an eight-year fight for Slusher and Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH)
who say the change is needed to stop judges from using military service against troops in such cases. “It’s
not that my military service wasn’t taken into consideration, or that I didn’t get some extra boost from my
service,” Slusher said. “I’m not looking to be hailed as a hero because I served my country. I’m looking for
not being penalized for military service. A judge now can’t say that the military lifestyle isn’t conducive to
raising children.”
The new rules mandate that child custody cases cannot be altered during a parent’s military deployment,
and that any pre-deployment custody arrangements remain in place upon the parent’s return. Exceptions can
be made when the situation “goes against the best interest of the child,” but Turner said often judges with
little familiarity with the military have ruled that the uncertain nature of deployments made for a negative
55
home situation in split families. “In the end, this is about making sure that [troops] don’t serve at the expense
of their families,” he said. “They deserve to be protected.”
Adecade ago, when her daughter Sara was 10, then-Capt. Slusher was mobilized as part of the Kentucky
National Guard. She worked out a temporary guardianship agreement with her ex-husband, to ensure he
could take care of any medical or school issues. But upon her return, he challenged her custodial rights. A
state judge made him primary guardian, citing Slusher’s past and potential military responsibilities. “I didn’t
realize there was even a possibility that could happen ...,” she said. “There were laws that protected my job
and my home, and my mortgage interest rates, and my cellphone contract [during deployment], but not my
children?” Slusher waged a two-year legal fight that went all the way to the Kentucky Supreme Court to win
back custody of Sara. Since then, she has pushed for a national law to prevent other service members from
facing the same heartbreak. “This is about having peace of mind,” Slusher said. “When you’re deployed,
there are so many things to deal with. Worrying about your kids shouldn’t be one of them. [Source:
NavyTimes | Leo Shane | Dec. 29, 2014 ++]
********************************
Navy Rights Wrong After 72 Years
► German U-Boat sinking
The Navy has posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit with a Combat ‘V” device to Herbert G. Claudius,
72 years after it dismissed his claims that he and his crew sunk a German U-boat off the coast of Louisiana
during World War II. His son, Herbert Gordon Claudius, Jr., accepted the award from Navy Secretary Ray
Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert during a 16 DEC ceremony at the Pentagon.
The elder Claudius has finally been recognized for his actions on July 30, 1942, when he led the patrol ship
USS PC-566 into battle against a German submarine that had been attacking American vessels. At the time,
U-Boats were wreaking havoc on Allied shipping. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called them “the
only thing that ever really frightened me during the war.”
Herbert Gordon Claudius Jr. on behalf of his father accepted the Legion of Merit with combat "V"
in a Dec. 16 ceremony with Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, left, and CNO Adm. Jon Greenert
56
Minutes after the passenger ship SS Robert E. Lee was torpedoed and sunk by U-166 45 miles south of
the Mississippi River Delta, Claudius’ ship came on the scene. A periscope was spotted at 2,000 yards; sound
contact was made within 250 yards of the location and again at 120 yards. Claudius ordered a five-charge
pattern of depth charges fired off the port and starboard sides. The course was reversed, a second sound
contact was made and Claudius ordered a repeat of depth charges. Two passes gave no sound contact. An oil
slick 200 feet wide was observed, but there was no debris to confirm a sinking. This was strong evidence that
the submarine had been severely damaged or destroyed. But when Claudius submitted his after-action report,
the Navy doubted his account because he and his crew had not yet received anti-submarine training, according
to National Geographic, which is making a documentary about the affair.
The Navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare Assessment Committee even admonished the crew for a poorly
executed attack, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Claudius was removed from command and sent to antisubmarine warfare school. “Claudius was shafted,” U-boat expert Richie Kohler said, according to National
Geographic. “He should have returned home a hero, but he was humiliated and sent back to school.” But the
Navy has since come around. Nearly 60 years after the fact, an oil company discovered U-boat wreckage
very close to where the battle occurred. Last summer, oceanographer Robert Ballard explored the site with
remotely piloted vehicles and conducted high-resolution mapping to try to figure out what happened. The
evidence suggested that U-166 had in fact been destroyed by a depth charge. After concluding its own historic
and archeological assessment, the Naval History and Heritage Command recommended the service credit
PC-556 and Claudius for sinking the U-boat and give them the appropriate recognition.
Mabus acknowledged that the Navy made a mistake. “Seventy years later, we now know that [Claudius’s]
report after the action was absolutely correct,” Mabus said at the award ceremony, according to National
Geographic. “[Claudius’ ship] did sink that U-boat, and it’s never too late to set the record straight.” Mabus
also praised the captain’s bravery, noting that Claudius and his crew were operating in “very dangerous
waters.” Greenert went on social media to pay tribute. “Claudius was essential in sighting and sinking [U166],” Greenert wrote on his Facebook page. “Claudius’ actions reflected great credit upon himself, and it
was a true pleasure to be able to share the presentation with his family.” Claudius served 33 years in the Navy
and died in 1981. “He would have felt vindicated,” Gordon Claudius said, according to National Geographic.
[Source: Stars and Stripes | Jon Harper | Dec. 19, 2014 ++]
********************************
Military Mortgage Foreclosure Relief
►
Up to 1-yr After Separation
Towards the end of the 113th Congress lawmakers unanimously approved legislation Senator Whitehouse
(D-RI) and Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) to protect servicemembers from foreclosure. The measure extends
until January 2016 a provision that ensures troops who serve on active duty are protected against losing their
home for one year following the completion of their service. In 2008, Congress first extended the period of
foreclosure protection under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) from 90 days to 9 months in
response to a report by the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves. The report found that “the threat
of foreclosure is a stressor that need not be placed on members of the armed forces during the first months
of their return to civilian life.” The original bill sought to make the one-year protection permanent law in the
SCRA, an objective still sought by The Military Coalition. The extension largely affects members of the
National Guard and Reserves called to active duty. As of December, almost 29,000 Guard and Reserve
members are serving on active duty and over 902,000 have served on active duty since September 11, 2001
[Source: MOAA Leg Up Dec.19, 2014 ++]
57
********************************
GhostSwimmer
►
Navy Tests Tuna-Sized UUV
The Navy has tested what it describes as a "tuna-sized" unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). "The
GhostSwimmer was developed to resemble the shape and mimic the swimming style of a large fish,"
according to a Navy announcement. It is five feet long, weighs nearly 100 pounds, and can operate at depths
ranging from 10 inches to 300 feet. "It swims just like a fish does by oscillating its tail fin back and forth,"
said Michael Rufo, director of manufacturer Boston Engineering's Advanced Systems Group. "The unit is a
combination of unmanned systems engineering and unique propulsion and control capabilities."
Boston Engineering’s BIOSwimmer (lef). The company also makes the GhostSwimmer (right).
Mimicking a fish makes ISR missions easier. The GhostSwimmer is also quieter than propeller-driven
vessels. It can operate autonomously or via laptop through a 500-foot tether. The fish-like UUV was
demonstrated at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story this month, where it has been measuring
tides, currents, wakes, and weather conditions. GhostSwimmer was designed under the Silent NEMO project
aimed at designing biomemetic UUVs. Silent NEMO is part of the Chief of Naval Operations’ Rapid
Innovation Cell (CRIC) program. [Source: C4ISR & Networks | Michael Peck | Dec. 18, 2014 ++]
********************************
Broadsword Suit
►
New Wearable Charging System
The U.S. armed forces have been grappling for years with how to reduce the weight ground troops carry with
them on patrol. The problem: the “Christmas tree effect,” in which radios and a variety of other electronics
are increasingly hung on their body armor like ornaments, weighing them down in the field. Defense
contractor BAE Systems has developed a new suit known as Broadsword to combat that and demonstrated it
in October at the annual conference of the Association of the United States Army in Washington. The suit
includes woven fabric that conducts electricity and transmits data without cords, allowing combat troops to
cut down on batteries and recharge their equipment while plugged into the suit or inductive “charging
pouches,” said Chris Colston, a business development director for BAE. “Because of the weave, there is
infinite ways that the power and and data can make it through,” Colston said.
The Army and the Marine Corps both are evaluating the system, Colston said. It is powered by a flexible
battery along its wearer’s spine that recharges each time he or she sits down on a “charging pad” mounted
to a vehicle suit. The company does not say what material the conductive yards use. But it says it has
58
proven that it will not electrocute soldiers, and included a power management system that allows them to
turn on or off the recharging to the devices of their choice. It works with existing radios, an effort to get the
suit fielded sooner rather than later. “We recognize that if we’re going to introduce something like this, it
needs to work with existing systems,” Colston said. [Source: The Washington Post | Dan Lamothe |
October 14, 2014 ++]
A look at the straps on BAE Systems' Broadsword suit, which includes fabric that conducts
electricity and an image which shows how a pad mounted to a seat recharges the wearable power
system
*********************************
Medal of Honor Citations
► Leon R. Vance, WWII
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor posthumously
To
Vance, Leon R.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Corps, 489th Bomber Group
Place and date: Over Wimereaux. France, 5 June 1944 (Air Mission)
Entered service at: Garden City, N.Y July 1, 1935
Born: August 11, 1916 in Enid, Oklahoma
59
Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 5 June 1944, when he led a
Heavy Bombardment Group, in an attack against defended enemy coastal positions in the vicinity of
Wimereaux, France. Approaching the target, his aircraft was hit repeatedly by antiaircraft fire which seriously
crippled the ship, killed the pilot, and wounded several members of the crew, including Lt. Col. Vance, whose
right foot was practically severed. In spite of his injury, and with 3 engines lost to the flak, he led his formation
over the target, bombing it successfully. After applying a tourniquet to his leg with the aid of the radar
operator, Lt. Col. Vance, realizing that the ship was approaching a stall altitude with the 1 remaining engine
failing, struggled to a semi-upright position beside the copilot and took over control of the ship. Cutting the
power and feathering the last engine he put the aircraft in glide sufficiently steep to maintain his airspeed.
Gradually losing altitude, he at last reached the English coast, whereupon he ordered all members of the crew
to bail out as he knew they would all safely make land. But he received a message over the interphone system
which led him to believe 1 of the crewmembers was unable to jump due to injuries; so he made the decision
to ditch the ship in the channel, thereby giving this man a chance for life. To add further to the danger of
ditching the ship in his crippled condition, there was a 500-pound bomb hung up in the bomb bay. Unable to
climb into the seat vacated by the copilot, since his foot, hanging on to his leg by a few tendons, had become
lodged behind the copilot's seat, he nevertheless made a successful ditching while lying on the floor using
only aileron and elevators for control and the side window of the cockpit for visual reference. On coming to
rest in the water the aircraft commenced to sink rapidly with Lt. Col. Vance pinned in the cockpit by the
upper turret which had crashed in during the landing. As it was settling beneath the waves an explosion
occurred which threw Lt. Col. Vance clear of the wreckage. After clinging to a piece of floating wreckage
until he could muster enough strength to inflate his life vest he began searching for the crewmember whom
he believed to be aboard. Failing to find anyone he began swimming and was found approximately 50 minutes
later by an Air-Sea Rescue craft. By his extraordinary flying skill and gallant leadership, despite his grave
injury, Lt. Col. Vance led his formation to a successful bombing of the assigned target and returned the crew
to a point where they could bail out with safety. His gallant and valorous decision to ditch the aircraft in order
to give the crewmember he believed to be aboard a chance for life exemplifies the highest traditions of the
U.S. Armed Forces.
Leon Robert Vance, Jr. was born and raised in Enid, Oklahoma. Vance attended Enid schools from first grade
through high school. His father, Leon Robert Vance Sr., was a junior high school principal and also a civil
60
aviation flight instructor, while his uncle had been an aviator in the Army Air Service who had been killed
in France during World War I.
Vance attended the University of Oklahoma for two years, becoming a member of Phi Delta Theta. After his
sophomore year, Vance entered the United States Military Academy on July 1, 1935, as a member of the
Class of 1939. A 1999 article in U.S. News and World Report called Vance and his West Point classmates
the "Warrior Class" because they were destined to fight in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam
War. In his First Class (senior) year, Vance was selected as a cadet sergeant in Company A of the Corps of
Cadets. He graduated June 12, 1939, ranked 318th in order of general merit in a class of 456, and was
commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry.
Vance requested pilot training and completed Basic School at the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa.
On September 13, 1939, he was assigned to Randolph Field, Texas for Primary flight training, graduating
the following March, and then to nearby Kelly Field for Advanced Flight School, where he graduated with
Class 40C, earning his wings on June 21, 1940. Vance was also recommissioned as a first lieutenant, Air
Corps. He served as an instructor until February 1941, when he was transferred to Goodfellow Army Air
Field in San Angelo, Texas, and assigned to command the 49th School Squadron. He was at Goodfellow
when the United States entered World War II in December 1941, was promoted to captain on April 6 and
major on July 17, and remained in command of his basic flight training squadron until reassigned to Strother
AAF, Kansas, in December 1942 as Director of Flying. While at Goodfellow, Horace Carswell and Jack
Mathis (then an enlisted clerk), both of whom would subsequently receive the Medal of Honor posthumously,
served in Vance's squadron. Vance was promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 1943, after little more
than four years' service.
After transition training to the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Vance was assigned in December 1943 to the
489th Bombardment Group at Wendover AAF, Utah, as Deputy Group Commander. The group completed
its training and prepared for overseas movement in April 1944, one of the last heavy bombardment groups to
be assigned to the Eighth Air Force. The group was assigned to the 95th Combat Bombardment Wing of the
2nd Bomb Division and based at RAF Halesworth. Vance led the group on its first combat mission, bombing
the Luftwaffe airfield at Oldenburg, Germany, on May 30, 1944.
On June 5, 1944, Vance was assigned to lead the 489th BG on a diversionary attack against German coastal
defenses near Wimereaux, France, in the Pas-de-Calais, to support the anticipated D-Day landings. The group
had lost six bombers on a mission to bomb Brétigny Airfield near Paris on June 2 (Vance did not participate),
partly as a consequence of attempting to bomb visually in poor weather conditions. As a result, the lead
aircraft of the 489th's formation on June 5 was a Pathfinder Force (PFF) "Mickey" B-24 detached from the
44th Bomb Group's 66th Bomb Squadron to enable the group to bomb through overcast using "blind
bombing" tactics. Vance positioned himself on the bomber's flight deck, standing behind the aircraft
commander and co-pilot.
After an 0900 takeoff, the group assembled its formation and climbed to its assigned 22,500 ft altitude for
the short flight to the French coast. The group approached the target area from the south but the bombs of the
lead aircraft failed to release, and as a result none of the group bombed. Vance decided to make a second
pass over the target rather than jettison the bombs into the English Channel, but as the formation approached
the target a second time, it came under intense anti-aircraft fire ("flak"). The lead B-24 immediately sustained
heavy battle damage. It continued the bomb run, however, and toggled its ordnance, but was further damaged
by multiple flak bursts. In all, four crewmen were wounded, three of the four engines were disabled, and fuel
lines ruptured in the fuselage. In addition, one of the aircraft's bombs again failed to release. Immediately
61
after bomb release, shrapnel from a final burst killed the aircraft commander and wounded Vance. What
happened next is covered in the above citation.
Nearly two months later, after receiving medical treatment in the United Kingdom, Vance was sent back to
the United States on a Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport for further treatment and possible fitting of a
prosthetic foot. The C-54 with all aboard disappeared on July 26, 1944, and was presumed to have crashed
into the Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and Newfoundland. The recommendation that he be awarded the
Medal of Honor was confirmed in orders on January 4, 1945, but his widow requested that the awards
ceremony be delayed until the medal could be presented to their daughter. On October 11, 1946, Major
General James P. Hodges, commander of the 2nd Bomb Division when Vance was assigned to it, made the
presentation to Sharon Vance at Enid Army Air Base
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Vance & www.history.army.mil/html/moh/wwII-t-z.html Dec
2014 ++]
* Military History *
Aviation Art 79
► Enemy Coast Ahead
Enemy Coast Ahead
by Philip E. West
62
Lancasters of 617 Squadron, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson begin their low level cross channel dash
towards the enemy coast on the way to the heart of the Ruhr. The aircraft were arranged in three waves. The
first wave comprised three groups of three aircraft at 10 minute intervals and headed towards the Mohne,
Sorpe and Eder dams. The second wave of five Lancasters headed direct to the Sorpe whilst the third wave
of five, would act as backup. Eight Lancasters failed to return from the raids, a high cost indeed, but the
courage and determination displayed by the crews were in the best tradition of the RAF.
[Source: http://www.brooksart.com/Enemycoastahead.html Dec 2014 ++]
********************************
Military History
► Angeles of Bataan
When Americans woke up Sunday morning on December 7, 1941, they were stunned to learn Japanese naval
aircraft had attacked Pearl Harbor. What they would soon find out that was only the beginning. Pearl Harbor
was just one part of the Japanese plan for the day. Within hours, Japanese naval and ground forces attacked
and invaded Wake Island, Guam, Malaya, Singapore, Honk Kong, Thailand and Burma. Ten hours after the
devastating surprise attack that crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor, Japanese planes
launched the first in a deadly series of attacks on the Philippine Islands, bombing and strafing military
airfields and bases in and around Manila. Caught in the air raids were ninety-nine army and navy women
nurses. Immediately they rushed to their respective hospitals and began assisting with the endless flow of
military and civilian casualties. It is almost certain that none ever dreamed they would be thrust into a deadly
shooting war. Unknown to them and others was two Japanese convoys were steaming toward Luzon with
thousands of combat forces to defeat Philippine forces and their American counterparts.
Japanese forces landed first on the southern tip of Luzon on December 11, far away from Manila to
become an immediate concern. Eleven days later on December 22, over 43,000 Japanese troops of General
Homma's 14th Army landed at Luzon's Lingayen Gulf with artillery and 100 tanks, catching the already badly
war-damaged Manila in a deadly crossfire. By Christmas, with Japanese ground forces on the outskirts of
Manila, American medical personnel were ordered to retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. The Army nurses,
together with Navy nurse, Ann A. Bernatitus, under the command of Capt. Maude Davison escaped within
hours before Manila fell. A few of them, under the command of Lt. Laura M. Cobb, stayed behind in Manila
to support the patients there. She and her 11 navy nurses were soon captured and interned by the Japanese in
the Santo Tomas Internment Camp on the campus of the University of Santo Tomas.
63
In Bataan, two field hospitals had been setup in the steamy jungle wetlands, complete with swamps, bugs,
snakes, rats and mosquitoes feasting on patients and nurses, adding Malaria to an ever-growing list of
problems. Within hours of arriving, casualties began pouring in. Early patients were placed in hospital beds
but as more and more casualties arrived daily, others were stacked on triple-tiered bamboo bunks in
overcrowded wards in open-air tents. Soon the Japanese discovered the hospitals and started heavy aerial
bombardments. Nurses dodged bombshell fragments while ministering to their patients. When explosions
came close to the wards, some nurses would protect their patient from falling shrapnel by spreading their
arms over them. For four months the women worked their shifts in temperatures that reached 104 degrees.
Every sort of Medicine including painkillers were running out. Rations were twice cut in half. Yet ridden
with disease, starvation and in constant danger for their lives, these "Angels of Bataan" as they became
known, worked from daybreak until dark giving aid to 5,000 wounded men and assisting surgeons perform
operations.
With the constant bombing by Japanese planes and supplies running out completely, the nurses were
ordered to retreat to Corregidor. They were also ordered to leave behind their patients. The women became
angry and confused: Their job was to care for their patients, not abandon them. According to diaries and later
interviews, they felt like traitors leaving behind "the boys" in their beds in the middle of a jungle wasteland.
None ever got over the eyes of their patients as they left to board boats for transport to the tiny island of
Corregidor. Each lived to regret it in her own way. Two days later, on April 9, 1942, the weary, emaciated
American soldiers on Bataan surrender to the Japanese. That same day, approximately 60,000-80,000
Filipino and American military prisoners of war began an 80 mile march to a POW prison at Camp O'Donnell
where physical abused, denied food and water and wholesale murder were widespread it what became known
as the Bataan Death March. Some 2,500-10,000 Filipino and 100-650 American prisoners of war died before
they could reach their destination. It was liberated by the US Army and Philippine Commonwealth Army
January 30, 1945. Some of the Japanese responsible for the atrocities on the march and in the prison were
hanged for war crimes.
64
When the nurse arrived on the six square mile island of Corregidor, they were thrust into the dank
underground maze of tunnels dug deep into the bowels of the island. They joined the medical staff already
working in the underground hospital and wards in the cavernous Malina Tunnel. On April 29, a small group
of Army nurses were evacuated, with other passengers, aboard a navy PBY Catalina. On May 3, the sole
Navy nurse, Ann Bernatitus, a few more Army nurses, and a small group of civilians were evacuated aboard
the submarine USS Spearfish (SS-190). Three days later, on May 6, 1942, Corregidor surrendered. At noon
a bugler played "taps" as two American officers lowered the Stars and Stripes from the flagpole outside the
entrance to Malinta Tunnel. In its place, a single white sheet of surrender was raised. A small piece of the
flag was cut off by one officer as a memento and then set the rest of the Red, White and Blue on fire.
Underground the women ripped a large square of cloth from a rough muslin bed sheet and wrote at the
top, "Members of the Army Nurse Corps and Civilian Women who were in Malinta Tunnel when Corregidor
fell." Underneath in three columns the 69 women signed their names. On July 2, 1942, the nurses were
transported to the Santo Tomas Internment Camp. Capt. Davison, 57 years old and with 20 years of service
experience, took command of the nurses and instructed her fellow nurse captives to put on their working
uniforms and create an infirmary. The Angels of Bataan had arrived. Over the course of two years the nurses
ministered to captive soldiers and American civilian. To maintain morale, Davison created a structure within
the ranks, requiring nurses to work at least four-hour shifts each day. She wisely understood that keeping her
nurses busy caring for others would give them purpose and less time thinking about their own miseries.
In May 1943, the navy nurses, still under the command of Lt. Cobb, were transferred to a new internment
camp at Los Banos, where they established an infirmary and continued working as a nursing unit and became
known as "the sacred eleven." In January 1944, control of the Santo Tomas Internment Camp changed from
Japanese civil authorities to the Imperial Japanese Army, with whom it remained until the camp was liberated.
Access to outside food sources was curtailed, the diet of the internees was reduced to 960 calories per person
per day by November 1944, and further reduced to 700 calories per person per day by January 1945. The
nurses lost, on average, 30% of their body weight during internment, and subsequently experienced a degree
of service-connected disability "virtually the same as the male ex-POW's of the Pacific Theater." Maude
Davison's body weight dropped from 156 lbs. to 80 lbs. News of the captured military nurses spread
throughout the U.S. While their status as POWs was known, details of their living conditions were sketchy.
Using the plight of the nurses as a battle cry on the home front, federal authorities distributed posters urging
American citizens to "Work! To set 'em free!"
Lt. Juanita Redmond, one of the few nurses to escape during the last few days before Corregidor
surrendered, published a memoir of her experiences on Bataan in 1943 that concluded with a dramatic
reminder that her colleagues were still prisoners. Her best-selling book, "I Served on Bataan," was also the
basis for the motion picture, "So Proudly We Hail." In the theaters where the movie was shown, recruitment
booths staffed with Red Cross volunteers were set up in the lobbies. True to his promise that he would return
65
to liberate the Filipino people, General Douglas MacArthur's forces retook the Philippine Islands from the
Japanese. The internees at Santo Tomas, including the nurses, were liberated on February 3, 1945, by a
"flying column" of the 1st Cavalry. The navy nurses were subsequently liberated in the Raid at Los Banos.
While thousands of men had died during the course of the Philippines Campaign, all 77 nurses made it out
alive.
Navy nurses shortly after they were liberated in February 1945 and their trip home
Through four years of deprivation, cruelty and constant death, they valiantly served to save others. None
of the Army or Navy nurses are thought to survive today. Many died fairly young. Others had chronic
gastrointestinal and dental problems, as well emotional and post-traumatic stress symptoms. The men whose
lives were touched by the Angels of Bataan and Corregidor erected a bronze plaque in their honor on April
9, 1980. It is at the Mount Samat shrine on the Bataan Peninsula. It reads: TO THE ANGELS-- In honor of
the valiant American military women who gave so much of themselves in the early days of World War II.
They provided care and comfort to the gallant defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.
They lived on a starvation diet, shared the bombing, strafing, sniping, sickness and disease while working
endless hours of heartbreaking duty. These nurses always had a smile, a tender touch and a kind word for
their patients. They truly earned the name--THE ANGELS OF BATAAN AND CORREGIDOR.
[Source: Together We Served | Mike Christy | Aug 2014 ++]
********************************
D-Day
►
LCT Loading for Channel Crossing
66
In a photo released June 12, 1944, Army troops gather on board a LCT, ready to ride across the
English Channel to France. Some of these men wear 101st Airborne Division insignia.
*********************************
WWII Prewar Events
► Nanking Japanese Occupation Atrocity Feb 1938
On Feb. 5, 1938, A Chinese woman surveys the remains of her family, all of whom met death during
Japanese occupation of Nanking, allegedly victims of atrocities at the hands of Japanese soldiers.
*********************************
WWII PostWar Events
► Tokyo Housing Shortage Oct 1946
Disabled buses that have littered the streets of Tokyo are used to help relieve the acute housing
shortage in the Japanese capital on October 2, 1946. Homeless Japanese who hauled the buses into a
vacant lot are converting them into homes for their families.
67
*********************************
Spanish American War Image 59
► Naval battle of Santiago de Cuba
The Naval battle of Santiago de Cuba (Drawing)
The battle was the end of any noteworthy Spanish naval presence in the New World. It forced Spain to reassess its strategy in Cuba and resulted in an ever-tightening blockade of the island. While fighting continued
until August, when the Treaty of Paris was signed, all surviving Spanish capital ships were now husbanded
to defend their homeland leaving only isolated units of auxiliary vessels to defend the coast. Uncontested
U.S. control of the seas around Cuba made resupply of the Spanish garrison impossible and its surrender
inevitable. The U.S. ships at Santiago, for their part, suffered many hits in the battle but very little serious
damage. The small armed yacht Vixen was nearly sunk, but casualties on the American side of the affair
were remarkably light; only one man was killed, Yeoman George Henry Ellis of Brooklyn. Spanish casualties
included Captain Villaamil of Furor, the highest-ranking Spanish officer to lose his life in the battle, while
all six vessels of the Spanish squadron were lost. The Spanish sailors not wounded, including Admiral
Cervera, were sent to Seavey's Island at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, where they were
confined at Camp Long from July 11, 1898 until mid-September 1898.
Two of the Spanish ships, Infanta Maria Teresa and Cristóbal Colón, were later re-floated and taken over
by the U.S. Both eventually foundered and were lost. The Reina Mercedes, abandoned in Santiago Bay
because of engine troubles, was an unprotected cruiser captured by the U.S. Navy and used as a receiving
ship until 1957 as the USS Reina Mercedes. All of the various flags, warship pennants, national combat flags,
the royal standard, admirals' flags and so on retrieved from the Spanish ships in the days following the battle,
are part of the United States Navy Trophy Flag Collection at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis,
Maryland.
*********************************
68
Military History Anniversaries
► 1 thru 31 Jan
Significant events in U.S. Military History over the next 30 days are listed in the attachment to this Bulletin
titled, “Military History Anniversaries 1 thru 31 Jan”.
*********************************
WWI in Photos 119
► Clearing Turkish Dardanelles Defenses 1915
1915, part of a larger group of combined British and French ships sent to clear Turkish defenses of the
Dardanelles, Bouvet was hit by at least eight Turkish shells, then struck a mine, which caused so much
damage, the ship sank within a few minutes. While a few men survived the sinking and were rescued,
nearly 650 went down with the ship.
*********************************
Faces of WAR (WWII) ►
William F. Halsey 1945
Admiral William F. Halsey, working at his desk aboard the carrier.
69
* Health Care *
Organ Transplant
► Walter Reed Transplant Program
The Organ Transplant Service at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda is the only
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)-certified transplant center in the Department of Defense health
care system. Eligible patients include all TRICARE beneficiaries as well as Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) patients enrolled at the Washington D.C. VA Medical Center. UNOS encourages patients with endstage organ disease to list in more than one region at the same time. This process allows eligible patients to
be listed at a transplant center close to home in addition to Walter Reed, increasing chances for organ
availability.
Patients can be referred to Walter Reed from anywhere in the country or from overseas. The average wait
time at Walter Reed for a kidney transplant is lower than the national average (http://www.srtr.org/). With
more than 40 years of experience, Walter Reed provides organ transplant services to all beneficiaries with
end-stage organ disease. In addition to kidney transplant services performed at the new Walter Reed facility,
the facility collaborates with the University of Maryland in Baltimore for liver and pancreas transplant and
Georgetown University for pediatric transplant services. The Organ Transplant Service can be reached at 1301-295-4331 or at [email protected] to assist with the evaluation and treatment of end-stage
organ disease. [Source: Shift Colors | Vol 60 Issue 3 | Winter 2014 ++]
********************************
Sexual Function
► Restoral for Injured Troops
Nearly 1,300 U.S. troops who served in Iraq or Afghanistan suffered some form of genital injury in combat
— wounds that threaten their ability to reproduce, connect with other humans and self-identify as virile
members of society. While the number represents a small fraction of the nearly 52,000 wounded in combat
in the two wars, they are among the most complex combat trauma cases seen by military and civilian doctors.
Now physicians are stepping up to develop procedures and care to improve the quality of life for these service
members. Urologists, plastic surgeons and researchers are pushing the limits of what’s possible in the science
of rebuilding and regenerating genital organs. At a two-day conference in Washington in December, Army
Maj. Steven Hudak, reconstructive urologist at San Antonio Military Medical Center in Texas, called these
“some of the most complex cases we’ve seen, presented in the context of severe, destructive [multiple
injuries] greatly complicating the situation for using established procedures for treatment or novel options
for organ reconstruction.”
70
Improved treatment options. “Loss of penis or significant genital deformity will significantly influence
men’s perceptions of their selves and their masculinity,” said Dr. Richard Reddett, an associate professor at
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In such cases, the level of damage sets the extent of treatment, said
doctors at the Intimacy after Injury conference Dec. 11-12, sponsored by the Bob Woodruff Foundation,
Johns Hopkins Military and Veterans Health Institute and the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine
in Washington. For example, victims with slight damage to the penis or scrotum may simply require a small
skin graft from another part of their body to repair cosmetic damage. Others, including those with a damaged
urethra — the tube that carries urine from the bladder through the tip of the penis — require more extensive
repair. In these cases, doctors can use the lining from the inside of the mouth to build a urethra, since the
moist tissue lends itself well to creating a new tube and the donor site — the mouth — heals quickly. More
extensive injury requires more artistry. Surgeons can use skin and tissue from the groin area to rebuild a
destroyed penis, wrapping surrounding tissue around the urethra and other existing tissue to form a new
organ.
Researchers at the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine have grown or printed a variety of
body parts in their labs, including the scaffolding needed to create a human kidney, top left, and ears
and finger bones.
Creating a new organ. And for those with the most severe injuries — complete loss of the penis —
physicians can perform procedures developed to help children born with genital deformities as well as
patients undergoing gender reassignment surgery: In fact, they can actually create a new penis using the
skin and tissue of the patient’s forearm in a procedure, called a radial forearm free flap phalloplasty.
Surgeons strip the skin off the forearm and remove at least one artery, two large nerves and additional
tissue from the arm that will serve as the structure of a new penis. They create the inside structure from the
nerves, blood vessels and tissue and then wrap the structure with the forearm skin, stitching the exterior so
it has the shape of a penis. The new organ is attached to the groin vessels, creating a penile replacement
with full function — restoring the ability to urinate and have intercourse and orgasms. Reddett says the
surgery has been a blessing for patients. “It gives them a pretty realistic phallus. ... We have them get
tattoos at three months to give them a realistic appearance and they get an implant for an erection about 12
months after surgery,” Reddett said. “We do pretty well with cosmetics. And if you look at sensation, with
my 10 patients, 100 percent got sensation and 100 percent can have an orgasm.”
The next step in groin injury advancement could occur within two years: The same team at Johns Hopkins
University that has honed face transplant procedures and successfully conducted hand transplants is
developing protocols to transplant penises. The surgery presents a unique set of medical challenges, said Dr.
Damon Cooney, assistant professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery, since penises are complicated
organs with complex vascular and nerve systems that perform multiple functions. Any penis transplant that
Johns Hopkins conducts will not involve organs capable of reproducing, he added — no testes, gametes or
sperm — so while the patient would have a donor penis, he would not be able to father children unless his
71
own testes were intact. Research could end up providing the ultimate solution for those who have lost their
genitals in accident or injury. Researchers at Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine are trying to
grow a penis from a patient’s own smooth muscles and endothelial cells — a development that permit patients
to have their own body part.
Unlike a transplant patient, a person whose own penis is regenerated would not need the
immunosuppressants that transplant patients require to keep their bodies from rejecting a donated organ.
Institute director Dr. Anthony Atala and his team have successfully grown rabbit penises and transplanted
them to males in their lab — resulting in successful copulation and baby bunnies. The team developed the
first lab grown human organ, a bladder successfully implanted into a boy in 2006, and his group has created
partial livers and kidneys as well. But a fully functioning human penis may still be a few years off, if possible
at all, Atala said at the conference.
DoD Involvement. Spouses at the conference said they would like to see the Defense Department develop
plans to anticipate the possible loss of gentalia and function before troops deploy and share this information
with the troops and their families. They say pre-deployment briefs should include sessions on what to expect
if an injury happens and options for family planning, such as freezing sperm before deployment. They also
would like changes in policy if a service member is injured, including harvesting and freezing sperm within
days. “If they had taken sperm from Matt when he was injured, it would have made a significant difference
in our quest to have twins,” said Tracy Keil, whose husband, Matt, was paralyzed from the upper chest down
by a sniper’s bullet. Keil, who has pressed for change in fertility policy and counseling at DoD and VA, said
providing appropriate surgical advancements, fertility treatments and the ability to have sex go a long way
in making these service members feel whole. “I asked him the other night: ‘If you could have use of your
arms ... or full function of your penis, what would you rather have?’ And he’s like, ‘I don’t care about my
arms!’ ... I was shocked because all I wanted was a hug,” Tracey Keil said.
[Source: NavyTimes | Patricia Kime | Dec. 29, 2014 ++]
********************************
Medical Talk Shows
► Recommendations Reliability
British Medical Journal (BMJ) reported on a study by Canadian researchers of internationally syndicated
medical television talk shows that air daily (The Dr Oz Show and The Doctors) to determine the quality of
their health recommendations and claims. Their study revealed that the advice given on "Dr. Oz Show" and
"The Doctors" is untrustworthy. After evaluating 80 randomly selected statements made on each show, the
researchers determined that:
 For recommendations in The Dr Oz Show, evidence supported 46%, contradicted 15%, and was not
found for 39%.
 For recommendations in The Doctors, evidence supported 63%, contradicted 14%, and was not
found for 24%.
 "Believable" or "somewhat believable" evidence supported 33% of the recommendations on The Dr
Oz Show and 53% on The Doctors.
The study concluded that consumers should be skeptical about any recommendations provided on
television medical talk shows, as details are limited and only a third to one half of recommendations are based
on believable or somewhat believable evidence. An interesting question is whether we should expect medical
talk shows to provide more than entertainment. Future studies may be directed at determining what viewers
hope to obtain from watching these shows, and if the airing of these shows results in behavior changes related
72
to specific recommendations. If the shows are perceived as providing medical information or advice, viewers
need to realize that the recommendations may not be supported by higher evidence or presented with enough
balanced information to adequately inform decision making. Decisions around healthcare issues are often
challenging and require much more than non-specific recommendations based on little or no evidence from
media health professionals. Patients would do well to ask healthcare providers specific questions about the
benefits and harms, along with the magnitude of the effect (in absolute numbers), and the costs and
inconveniences of any recommendation.
To read the full report on the study refer to
http://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/349/bmj.g7346.full.pdf. [Source: BMJ | Media Studies | Dec. 17, 2914
++]
*********************************
TRICARE/Medicare Combined Benefit Update 01
► Fact Sheet
TRICARE Beneficiary Publications Office has updated the TRICARE and Medicare Under Age 65 Fact
Sheet. The updated fact sheet has been posted to the TRICARE SMART Site, www.tricare.mil/SMART. You
can also download the fact sheet at http://go.usa.gov/2PpT.
Remaining TRICARE-eligible when you become Medicare-eligible before age 65. If you are entitled
to premium-free Medicare Part A before age 65, you may need to have Medicare Part B coverage in order
to keep your TRICARE benefit. The charts at http://go.usa.gov/2PpT take into account the reason for your
Medicare eligibility and your sponsor’s status and will help you determine if you must have Medicare Part
B to keep TRICARE. Depending on your eligibility status, you may be eligible to use one of the following.
For more information, visit http://www.tricare.mil/tfl .
:
 TRICARE Prime: If you are entitled to Medicare Part A, you may remain enrolled in TRICARE
Prime until reaching age 65, as long as all eligibility requirements continue to be met. Additionally,
if you are 65 or older, you may remain in TRICARE Prime if you have an active duty sponsor.
Active duty service members (ADSMs) must be enrolled in TRICARE Prime regardless of Medicare
entitlement status. ADSMs and their family members entitled to Medicare Part A can avoid paying
the Medicare Part B late-enrollment monthly premium surcharge by enrolling during their Part B
special enrollment period (SEP) (does not apply to those with end-stage renal disease [ESRD]). The
SEP is available anytime while the sponsor is on active duty and you are covered by TRICARE, or
within the first eight months following either (1) the month your sponsor’s active duty status ends
or (2) the month TRICARE coverage ends, whichever comes first. To avoid a break in TRICARE
coverage, ADSMs and active duty family members must sign up for Part B before the sponsor’s
active duty status ends. Regardless of age, retired service members and their family members who
are entitled to premium-free Part A must have Part B to remain TRICARE-eligible.
 TRICARE For Life (TFL): TFL is Medicare-wraparound coverage for TRICARE beneficiaries
who have both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, regardless of age or place of residence. When
using Medicare providers, TFL beneficiaries typically have no out-of-pocket costs for services
covered by both Medicare and TRICARE. When health care services are covered only by Medicare,
TRICARE pays nothing and you are responsible for the Medicare deductible and cost-shares. When
health care services are only covered by TRICARE, Medicare pays nothing and you are responsible
for the TRICARE deductible and cost-shares. Medicare does not pay for health care services you
receive from providers who opt out of Medicare. When you see an opt-out provider, TFL pays the
amount it would have paid (normally 20 percent of the allowable charge) if Medicare had processed
the claim; you are then responsible for paying the remainder of the billed charges. Veterans Affairs
73
(VA) providers cannot bill Medicare and Medicare cannot pay for services received from the VA.
If you are eligible for TFL and VA benefits and elect to use your TFL benefit for non-service
connected care, you will incur significant out-of-pocket expenses when seeing a VA provider. By
law, TRICARE can only pay up to 20 percent of the TRICARE-allowable amount. If you receive
care at a VA facility, you may be responsible for the remaining amount. When using your TFL
benefit, your least expensive option is to see a Medicare-participating or Medicare nonparticipating
provider. If you want to seek care from a VA provider, check with Wisconsin Physicians Service,
which administers the TFL benefit, to confirm coverage details.

TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), TRICARE Retired Reserve (TRR), and the US Family
Health Plan (USFHP): TRS, TRR, and USFHP enrollees entitled to premium-free Medicare Part
A are not required to have Medicare Part B to keep TRS, TRR, or USFHP. However, these enrollees
are strongly encouraged to enroll in Part B when first eligible to avoid paying the premium surcharge
should they sign up at a later date. Enrollment in TRS or TRR does not qualify beneficiaries for a
SEP. USFHP enrollees with an active duty sponsor will be eligible for a SEP (unless you have
ESRD).
Important Payment Information. Your Medicare Part B premium is automatically taken out of your
monthly Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or U.S. Railroad Retirement Board payment. If you do
not get payments from these programs, you will receive a bill for your Part B premiums every three months.
Note: If you live in Puerto Rico, and already receive benefits from the Social Security Administration or the
U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, you will automatically receive Medicare.
Tricare Pharmacy Program. There is usually little or no benefit to purchasing a Medicare prescription drug
plan if you have TRICARE. Medicare Part D is not required to remain TRICARE-eligible. The TFL
Pharmacy Pilot requires TFL beneficiaries living in the United States and U.S. territories who use select
maintenance medications to fill those prescriptions using TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery or a military
pharmacy. You will be notified if you are impacted by this pilot. The pilot is required under the 2013 National
Defense Authorization Act. Call 1-877-363-1303 or visit http://www.tricare.mil/tflpilot for more
information.
Returning to Work and Entitlement to Medicare. If your SSDI payments have been suspended because
you have returned to work, be advised that you remain entitled to Medicare for up to 8½ years. You will
receive a quarterly bill for your Medicare Part B premiums. Failure to pay these premiums will result in the
termination of your Part B and TRICARE coverage.
[Source: TRICARE Communications | Dec. 12, 2014 ++]
*********************************
TRICARE Dental Program Update 08
► Flossing Tip
Sometimes it can be awkward to move a string back and forth between your teeth, but the benefit is clear:
flossing helps remove plaque from areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Why is this important? If plaque is
not removed by brushing and flossing, it can eventually harden into tartar and cause cavities or gum disease.
For maximum flossing benefits, follow these four simple steps.
 Make sure to use 18 inches of floss, wind most of it around the middle finger of one hand and the
rest around the middle finger of the other hand.
 Pinch the floss between your thumb and forefinger, leaving 1–2 inches in between.
74


You should gently guide floss between teeth using a zigzag motion; be careful not to snap floss
between your teeth.
Finally, curve floss into a c-shape when it reaches the gum line— slide the floss up and down against
the tooth surface and beneath the gum line.
Make sure to repeat these steps for each tooth, including the far side of your back molars. Floss each tooth
thoroughly with a clean section of floss. If you have difficulty handling dental floss, choose another kind of
interdental cleaner such as a wooden plaque remover, dental pick or pre-threaded flosser. To learn more about
dental benefits with TRICARE, visit TRICARE.mil/Dental. [Source: TRICARE Beneficiary Bulletin |
Lorraine Cwieka | Dec. 12, 2014 ++]
*********************************
TRICARE Operation Live Well!
► Healthy Base Initiative
Obesity and tobacco use among U.S. military health care beneficiaries adds more than $3 billion per year to
the Defense Department’s budget in health care costs and lost duty days. Failure to meet weight standards is
a leading cause of involuntary separation from the military, and obesity in the civilian community could be
limiting the military’s ability to recruit qualified personnel. To combat this problem, DoD created Operation
Live Well or OLW. OLW has many goals, but the main objectives include promoting a healthy and fit force,
which is essential to national security, and increasing awareness about the negative effects of an inactive
lifestyle and poor nutrition choices. OLW aims to empower the military community to make better nutritional
choices, increase physical activity, decrease tobacco use and lose weight.
TRICARE beneficiaries interested in learning more can go to http://health.mil/Military-HealthTopics/Operation-Live-Well and find a set of tools, resources and original content, such as cookbooks, to
help them adopt or maintain a healthy lifestyle into the New Year and beyond. OLW offers an online
cookbook, full of recipes for all times of the year and occasions that fit with OLW’s mission of keeping active
duty military members, their families and civilians in the best shape, so get started now. [Source: TRICARE
Beneficiary Bulletin | Hillary Beulah| Dec. 12, 2014 ++]
*********************************
Hand Washing
► When, How & Why | Happy Birthday
One of the easiest, least expensive ways to stay healthy is often one of the most overlooked. Avoiding the
common cold, or worse the flu, can be as easy as washing your hands. Many people wash their hands, but
do so ineffectively with just a quick rinse of water. To wash your hands properly, you should lather your
hands with soap and scrub them for at least 20 seconds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) suggests humming the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice as a timer. When should
you wash your hands?
 Before, during, and after preparing food
 Before eating food
 Before and after caring for someone who is sick
 Before and after treating a cut or wound
 After using the toilet
 After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
 After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
75


After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
After touching garbage
What is the right way to wash your hands?





Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands,
between your fingers, and under your nails.
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from
beginning to end twice.
Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Why? Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of microbes on them in
most situations. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least
60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of microbes on hands in some
situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs. Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when
hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
How do you use hand sanitizers?



Apply the product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
Rub your hands together.
Rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry.
We highlight the importance of proper hand washing and how it helps to prevent illness because National
Hand washing Awareness Week was recognized in December, occurring jointly with National Influenza
Week, a national observance established to highlight the importance of getting the flu vaccine Visit the
CDC’s Web page www.cdc.gov/features/handwashing for more information about washing your hands.
[Source: Tricare communications | Healthy Living | Dec. 17, 2014 ++]
*********************************
76
TRICARE Advise Line Update 01
► Need Urgent Care? Call NAL First
When an urgent health problem arises, it is hard to know whether you should try to tough it out or seek
medical care. Luckily, TRICARE beneficiaries can call the Nurse Advice Line (NAL) to get advice on their
health care questions. Not all health problems require a visit with a medical specialist but a Registered Nurse
at the NAL can help you make the decision on whether you should seek care at an urgent care center.
While going to an urgent care clinic for a high fever or a sprained ankle may seem like the easiest option,
if you call the NAL first you can save time and money. The NAL is made up of a team of registered nurses
(RNs), who can answer your healthcare questions. There is always a live person on the line to answer your
concerns night or day. When you call, the nurse will ask several medical questions based on your symptoms.
These questions were developed by physicians to help the RNs get the most accurate assessment of your
medical problem. If you are not calling for yourself, please make sure that the family member in question is
present so you can assess their condition as the nurse asks questions. If the person is over age 13, the nurse
may ask to speak to them directly. Feel free to stay on another line or use a speakerphone option if that makes
you more comfortable.
If self-care is recommended, the nurse may provide you with advice on home treatments and remedies.
However, if you or your family member needs an urgent care appointment, the NAL will help you with next
steps. If you are on TRICARE Prime and enrolled to an MTF or clinic, the NAL will try to schedule a same
or next-day appointment for you. If you are a TRICARE Prime beneficiary enrolled to an MTF and the NAL
is unable to get you an appointment in your MTF when you need it, the NAL will follow-up with your MTF
to ensure your urgent care referral is submitted. If you are a Prime beneficiary and receive care through the
civilian network, and the NAL determines you need urgent care, just follow-up with a call to your civilian
PCMs office the next business day to let them know. Please keep in mind that if you get urgent care from
another provider without a referral from your PCM, or if the NAL did not recommend you seek urgent care,
you will be using the point-of-service option. The NAL will advise beneficiaries on all other TRICARE plans
to seek care within the network.
The NAL is a new and easy option for beneficiaries to get information on their medical problems quickly
and at any time. To access the NAL dial 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273) and select option 1. Get more
information about the Nurse Advice Line on the TRICARE website http://www.tricare.mil. [Source:
TRICARE Communications | Healthy Living | Dec, 15, 2014 ++]
*********************************
Tricare Webinar
► Live Stress free in 2015
New Year New You: Live Stress free in 2015 will be conducted Wed, Jan 7, 2015 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PST.
This webinar will define what stress is, help you identify if you're stressed and offer remedies to deal with
stress. You may submit your questions to CAPT Aguilera before the webinar by sending an email to
[email protected]. CAPT Sal Aguilera has served as Brigade Chaplain, Battle Group
Chaplain, Command Chaplain and in various other assignments earning multiple awards like the Legion of
Merit, Meritorious Service Medals and many more. He currently serves as the Department Chief of Pastoral
Care at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. To register for this Webiner refer to
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/100000000065777726;jsessionid=abcj7LMRPh8sdg8G2lxQu.
[Source: TRICARE Communications Dec. 29, 2014 ++]
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*********************************
Tricare Webinar
► TOP Prime Remote Briefing for TLAC
International SOS is pleased to offer TOP Prime Remote Webinars. The first of these briefings: “TOP Prime
Remote Overview Briefing for TRICARE Latin America & Canada (TLAC) Beneficiaries” will be held 15
JAN 2015 and cover the following topics:







Eligibility and enrollment
Provider types
Getting care while traveling overseas and
stateside
TRICARE Pharmacy options
TRICARE Dental option
s
TOP claims processing
TRICARE self-service options
Click here to open the TOP Prime Remote Overview Briefing (TLAC) PDF Invitation
Technical Guidelines
View the briefing on your computer and listen to the audio by dialing the appropriate country-specific tollfree phone number.
 You must have Internet access to view the webinar.
 Internet connection via hardwire Ethernet cable is preferred (versus wireless connection).
 Log-in to WebEx using Internet Explorer. Check the system requirements before joining the event.
 Listen over your computer speakers (remember to turn the volume up!) OR dial in from a landline.
Telephone headset or handset is recommended.
 Dialing from a mobile device is not recommended, as you will not be able to view the briefing slides.
Note: You can also download the briefing directly if you experience any technical difficulties during the
WebEx event. Prior to the event, the TOP Prime Remote Overview Briefing will be posted on
www.tricare.mil/briefings
How to attend:
 Click the WebEx URL below and complete the registration form.
TOP Prime Remote Overview Briefing: TRICARE Latin American & Canada Wednesday,
January 14, 2015 | 11:00 am-Noon (EST U.S.)
Click Here
WebEx URL: (Click to join the event)
US/Canada Phone:
Toll free: +1-877-668-4493
Direct: +1-650-479-3208
Global Call-in Numbers:
Click Here
Restrictions:
Click Here
Need help accessing WebEx?
For technical assistance signing on to the webinar, contact WebEx Technical Support at +1-866-229-3239
(Option #1) or visit support.webex.com
78
Web browser preferences:
 Windows Users - Internet Explorer 6/7, Firefox 2, Mozilla 1.7+, Netscape 8.1 or higher.
 Mac Users - Firefox 2, Safari 3.0 (Mac OS 10.4,10.5), Safari 2.0 (Mac OS 10.4) Safari 1.3 (Mac
OS 10.3).
[Source: TRICARE Communications Dec. 16, 2014 ++]
*********************************
Hospital Observation Care
► Medicare Considers Outpatient Service
Why You Should Beware When The Doctor Wants To Hold You For “Observation”. Most people who spend the
night in the hospital would say they have been an inpatient. But over the past six years, rapidly growing numbers
of Medicare beneficiaries have learned that they were never admitted as an inpatient — even though they have
stayed in a hospital bed, received treatment, diagnostic tests, and drugs. Instead they learned they received
observation care, which is considered an outpatient service, and is billed under Medicare Part B. With that
designation, patients can have higher out-of-pocket costs even though they may have the very same health problems
as people admitted as inpatients.
A study by the Health Care Cost Institute found that people receiving observation and other outpatient services
in the hospital paid four times more out-of-pocket than inpatients in 2012— an average of $47 per inpatient versus
$199 for outpatients. Under Medicare, outpatients usually have co-payments or co-insurance for each service from
doctors, test, prescription drug, and other hospital services. Worst of all, patients don’t qualify for Medicare
coverage of follow-up nursing home care, because Medicare requires three consecutive days in the hospital as an
“inpatient.” That leaves the patient and their families on their own to figure out how to pay nursing home bills, or
to go without. The number of observation patients has exploded 88 percent over the past six years, according to
the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. Medicare has tightened rules for hospital admissions, and usually
won’t pay for admitted patients who should have been designated as observation status. Consequently, hospitals
have increased their share of observation patients. But the rule is not the same for people’s private insurance like
Medicare Advantage. Most Medicare Advantage plans don’t require their enrollees to have a three-day hospital
admission in order to receive nursing home coverage, according to an analysis by Avalere Health research firm.
The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) believes the increased use of observation stays is denying Medicare
beneficiaries access to medically necessary skilled nursing care. All days spent in a hospital should count toward
Medicare’s three-day hospital stay requirement. TSCL supports the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act
(H.R.1179) introduced by Representatives Joseph Courtney (CT-D-02) and Tom Latham (IA-R-03), and (S.569)
introduced by Senators Sherrod Brown, (OH-D) and Susan Collins (ME-R). The legislation would deem time an
individual spends under observation status eligible towards satisfying Medicare’s three-day requirement. [Source:
TREA Benefit Bulletin Dec. 11, 2014 ++]
* Finances *
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DFAS 1099-R Update 06 ►
Obtaining Additional Copies
Military retirees and annuitants receive a 1099R tax statement either electronically via myPay or as a paper
copy in their mail each year. Members can also request additional copies of their 1099R tax statements in
several different ways. The fastest and most secure way to obtain a copy of your 1099R is myPay. Just login
to myPay, and you can print your 1099R out in the comfort of your own home. Not a myPay user yet? Then
the fastest and easiest way to get a copy of your 1099R besides myPay, is to use DFAS’s telephone selfservice option. Telephone self service requests are logged instantly and are sent to your current address of
record within three business days. Call 1-800-321-1080.
If you’re not a myPay user, and the mailing address you have on file with DFAS is out of date, the easiest
quickest way to get your 1099R sent to an updated address is to submit your request through the internet. At
http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/manage/taxes/getting1099r/viaaskdfas.html you can update your
mailing address, enter your email address, and request your 1099R be sent to the new address using one easy
form. Your transaction will be logged instantly and it will be in the mail to you within 7 to 10 business days.
Do you prefer traditional mail? If so, send DFAS a written request by fax or mail, and make sure you
leave them time to reply. Keep in mind, it takes 30 to 60 days to process requests received by by fax or mail.
Members with unique situations can speak directly to one of DFAS’s customer care representatives by calling
1-800-321-1080. Depending on call volume, you may have to wait on hold while they assist other customers.
[Source: Shift Colors | Vol. 60 Issue 3 | Winter 2014 ++]
********************************
Price Increases
► 13 Things Likely to Cost More in 2015
Love bourbon, bacon and chocolate? Too bad. Those are just a few of the things you can expect to pay more
for next year, thanks to droughts, increased demand and, possibly, hipsters. Take heart, there’s some good
news, too. In spite of the earthquake in Napa Valley this August, wine prices aren’t likely to increase, and
even though L.L. Bean has been experiencing a shortage of its signature duck boots, a company spokesperson
told DealNews there are no plans right now to raise prices. (With a waitlist of more than 100,000, though,
you might want to order a pair for next winter.) Also, national average gas prices have fallen every day since
the end of September, are at four-year lows, and are expected to continue dropping. To see what you might
want to stockpile, read the following list of items predicted to be more expensive in 2015.
1. Bourbon - Some think the impending bourbon shortage announced by Buffalo Trace earlier this year is
nothing but a marketing ploy to drive up prices and demand, but a spokesperson for the company recently
told Business Insider that the shortage is “very real.” Within the last five years, sales of domestic bourbon
have increased 36 percent, and while there’s no minimum aging time for bourbon, most are aged for at least
two years or longer. (Buffalo Trace, for example, ages its whiskey for four to 23 years). Not predicting the
craft cocktail- and hipster-fueled popularity, some bourbon distilleries are rationing their bottles for the first
time since the end of Prohibition and, of course, raising prices.
2. Beef and pork (yes, bacon, too) - Remember the bacon shortage panic of 2012? While those reports were
exaggerated, the price of bacon has increased, hitting an all-time high in 2014. Aside from increased demand,
a pig-killing virus and higher feed costs have been causing the bacon and pork price hike. Higher feed prices
are also affecting beef prices. In fact, Chipotle has even reported that customers are opting for chicken instead
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of steak after the chain’s menu prices changed to reflect the rising beef costs. Beef and pork prices will
continue to increase in 2015.
3. Avocados - It might cost more to make guacamole. It looks like 2015 will be the year of the avocado
shortage, largely because people are eating too many of them.
4. Chocolate - Top chocolate manufacturers have warned of a cocoa shortage. Ebola-stricken countries
produce only 0.7 percent of the world’s cocoa, so the main culprit is a West African drought, as well as
increasing worldwide demand for chocolate. Chocolate prices have been rising, particularly in the case of
small artisanal chocolate makers who use quality ingredients and often more cocoa for dark chocolate. If
prices of sweet treats don’t increase, it’s not necessarily luck. Some confection experts predict that candy
makers will use less chocolate and more of other ingredients — nuts and raisins, for example — to keep costs
down, while others will use cheaper ingredients, such as palm oil.
5. Air travel - Fuel prices have been falling, but while airlines are paying less for jet fuel, 17 percent less
than a year ago, they are increasing their prices. “An improving economy and the airlines’ skill at operating
at full capacity will mean fewer flight bargains,” says Tim Leffel, author of “The World’s Cheapest
Destinations” and editor of the Cheapest Destinations blog. According to the American Express Global
Business Travel Forecast 2015, there will be a 6 percent increase for short-haul business flights, while the
Global Business Travel Association Foundation and Carlson Wagonlit Travel predict a 2.5 percent increase
in cost for business air travel within North America, slightly higher than the 2.2 percent hike worldwide, but
lower than the 3.5 percent Latin American air travel increase.
6. Hotels - “For hotels, business travel is up and unemployment is down, so rates will continue to tick up,”
says Leffel. The CWT and GBTA project a 2.2 percent increase in hotel costs for business travelers
worldwide, with North America seeing a 3.5 percent increase. Hotel rooms in Latin America are expected to
cost 6.5 percent more because of a shortage of rooms.
7. FedEx and UPS fees - FedEx and UPS are implementing dimensional weight pricing in 2015, meaning
the price of all packages, not just those larger than 3 cubic feet, will be based on the amount of space a
package occupies in relation to its weight. As of 29 DEC, UPS will increase prices 4.9 percent for ground,
air, international and freight services in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Beginning 5 JAN, FedEx prices
will also increase an average of 4.9 percent for U.S. domestic, import and export services, as well as for
FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery. However, the U.S. Postal Service offered some good news. Come
January, there won’t be any postage increases, though a price hike might just be postponed.
8. Coffee - Last year, coffee prices were expected to drop, but a drought in Brazil, the world’s largest grower
of coffee, caused prices to increase among such brands as Folgers, Dunkin’ Donuts, Maxwell House, Gevalia
and Starbucks. While Smucker’s, which owns Folgers, said the price hike by as much as $2 per can was a
“misstep,” it doesn’t look as if prices will drop in the coming year. Following an increase in K-cup prices by
Keurig, Kraft Foods recently announced an approximately 9 percent price increase for Maxwell House,
Yuban, Gevalia and McCafe single-serve K-cup packs.
9. Olive oil - Brazil and West Africa weren’t the only areas affected by drought this past year. Italian olive
growers have just weathered what they called the worst year in memory, decreasing olive oil output from
Italy by 37 percent, while Spain, the top olive oil exporter to the U.S. and Japan, suffered a drought that’s
expected to raise prices worldwide.
10. Some sports cars - If you were thinking of buying a car, keep in mind that some models for 2015 will
be more expensive. For example, for the 2015 Ford Mustang, prices have increased about $1,000, says Jeff
Ostroff of CarBuyingTips.com. At some Ford dealerships, he says, “they were selling all the new Mustangs
at full sticker price off the truck last month, and all were selling.”
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11. Redbox rentals - As of 6 JAN, the price of renting a video game from a Redbox kiosk will increase by
$1 to $3 per day. In December, Redbox raised DVD rentals by 30 cents to $1.50 per day, while Blu-ray disc
rentals increased by 50 cents to $2 per day.
12. Girl Scout Cookies - Prices of Girl Scout Cookies are set by each of the 112 Girl Scout councils across
the country, so prices vary. San Francisco Girl Scouts raised prices last year to $5 a box, and in 2015, Orange
County and Los Angeles-area Girl Scouts are following suit. (Just keep in mind that about 75 percent of sales
go back to the Scouts, and you’ll make a girl aiming for a badge very happy. Also, Girl Scout Cookies in
Hawaii have been $5 per box for years.)
13. Health care - Medical costs will increase by 6.8 percent in 2015, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers
Health Research Institute report. The institute’s survey found that 85 percent of employers are implementing
or considering increasing employee cost-sharing within the next three years, and 18 percent of employers
now offer a high-deductible health plan as the only health insurance option for employees. Some insured
under the Affordable Care Act could pay up to 20 percent more for health insurance if they don’t reconsider
their current plans. During open enrollment through 15 FEB, it’s possible to switch to a plan that will cost
less, taking into account the ACA tiers of coverage, monthly premiums, deductibles, and possible tax
subsidies and cost-sharing reductions. If that weren’t enough, a new AARP report and the Segal 2015 Health
Plan Cost Trend Survey predict the continuing dramatic increase of name-brand prescription drug prices.
“Typically, less than 1 percent of all prescriptions are specialty drug medications, yet these drugs now
account for more than 25 percent of total prescription drug cost trends,” says Edward Kaplan, Segal’s national
health practice leader. Oh, and generic drug prices are going up, too. [Source: MoneyTalksNews | Josie
Rubio | Dec. 22, 2014 ++]
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Price Decreases
► 12 Things Likely to Cost Less in 2015
The Great Recession may have technically ended more than five years ago, but that’s probably a surprise to
millions of Americans still worrying about their budgets. A modicum of relief is on the way in 2015, as prices
fall on some popular goods and services, including a major necessity that affects the price of many others:
gasoline. The following list of items are predicted to be less expensive in 2015.
1. Gas prices - According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, gas prices will average about
$2.60 per gallon in 2015, lower than the initial November prediction of $2.94 per gallon. In eight states,
prices could even slip below $2 per gallon. If it seems to be too good to be true, consider that some gas
stations in Texas and Oklahoma were offering gas below $2 per gallon in December.
2. Transatlantic flights - Though fuel prices are falling, most air travel prices are increasing. However, the
price of transatlantic flights could decrease because of added flight capacity, according to the American
Express Global Business Travel annual forecast. Several airlines are also offering cheap transatlantic trips,
including Norwegian Airlines, which started offering flights between London and New York City for about
$255 each way in June, as well as bargain flights from Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Iceland-based
WOW Air recently started offering flights between the U.S. and Europe for as low as $99 each way.
3. TV content packages - Since 2010, the top 40 cable channels have lost more than 3 million viewers
because of “cord cutters” quitting cable TV, and “cord nevers,” who have never paid for cable and instead
watch shows online. The big news in 2015 is that HBO will start to offer a streaming service for
nonsubscribers in April, just in time for the new season of “Game of Thrones.” CBS also is offering a la carte
on-demand TV with its CBS All Access service. Pay-TV providers are increasingly looking to lure the “cordshaving” crowd, offering cheaper bundles with fewer channels at low prices in the hopes that those customers
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will eventually upgrade. And some even say that cable bundles might be the better deal in some cases, as a
la carte TV options can add up. So weigh your options before embarking on winter binge watching.
4. Cloud storage - Cloud storage companies are continuing to cut prices and increase storage in what’s
being called “the race to zero.” Consider the trend this past year: Amazon dropped cloud storage prices by
22 percent, Microsoft did the same the very next day. Across the board, price drops continued throughout the
year, and the trend is set to continue. In fact, Aaron Levie, CEO of cloud company Box, recently predicted
“a future when cloud storage is free and infinite.” Amazon is considered to be at the forefront of keeping
things competitive, and the company recently added unlimited photo storing services for Prime members.
5. 4K TVs - This Black Friday, DealNews saw super-cheap prices for ultra HD 4K TVs, ranging in price
from $375 to $1,300. (Keep in mind that in 2013, prices were in the $5,000 to $7,000 range, and $1,099 was
the lowest price.) These TVs, which offer 3,840-by-2,160 pixel resolution, are hailed as the next big thing,
and as they become more popular, prices can be expected to drop. (Remember when VCRs were expensive?
Remember VCRs?) And there’s more to actually watch on 4K TVs as well. Amazon recently started 4K
streaming of limited content at no additional cost to Prime members. And Netflix has recently expanded its
offerings at $3 more for 4K content, but as competition increases, prices for content should drop.
6. Smartphones - By the end of 2015, LTE smartphones are expected to be as cheap as $60, even before
subsidies. The global growth of smartphone sales is slowing, according to a forecast from International Data
Corp., meaning competitive pricing and lower prices. Those looking for smartphones for less than $200 can
also expect more for their money, including HD screens.
7. Smartwatches - The much-anticipated Apple Watch is set for release in early 2015, at an expected price
of $349, and an estimated 10 percent of consumers report that they’re considering buying one. If you’re
looking to spend less, technology research firm Gartner predicts that smartwatches will make up to 40 percent
of wrist-worn devices by 2016 and the increased demand for wearable tech will cause prices from some
manufacturers to drop below $150. In fact, some smartwatches could be as cheap as $30 in 2015, and Chinese
company Xiaomi sells a fitness tracker for only $13.
8. Tech gear (like GPS devices and software) - After negotiations at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
summit in Beijing in November, tariffs that have added 25 percent to the cost of tech products in the U.S.
could be a thing of the past. According to a White House statement, more than 200 tariffs will be eliminated,
potentially affecting the prices of medical equipment, GPS devices, computer software and video game
consoles. We’ll most likely see lower prices on products manufactured in China, possibly even Apple
products.
9. Video game consoles - As a special holiday promotion, the retail price of the Xbox One dropped from
$399 to $349 through Jan. 3, 2015. During Black Friday, we saw a lot of Xbox One and PlayStation 4 deals
for even less. In fact, the Xbox outsold the PS4 because of these deals, and we suspect Microsoft will be
hesitant to inflate that price back up again. And even if they do, retailers might be forced to continue offering
deals if customers are now accustomed to the lower price point. Plus, with the recent trade agreement between
the U.S. and China expected to reduce prices of video game consoles, it’s a safe bet that gaming systems will
cost less in 2015.
10. Kia Forte - The 2015 model of the Kia Forte is $10 less than last year’s model, making it cheaper than
the Nissan Sentra. If $10 in savings doesn’t sound significant, keep in mind that this makes the Forte officially
the year’s least expensive compact car.
11. Butter - Since 2013, butter prices in the U.S. doubled, reaching a record $2.85 per pound in September.
By October, butter had fallen to $2.53 per pound and dropped by a third in November, with lower overall
dairy prices predicted by the USDA in 2015.
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12. Cranberries - The cranberry sauce for your Thanksgiving feast may have cost a bit less this year, and
prices may continue to drop. News of cranberry excess surfaced as early as 2013, and to deal with the
cranberry surplus, nearly at 100 percent with 16 million barrels, the U.S. government purchased 680,000
barrels’ worth in juice, sauce and dried berries for distribution in food banks and schools.
[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Josie Rubio | Dec. 23, 2014 ++]
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Car Insurance Update 08
► Reasons Other Driver Insurance Won’t Pay
You’re driving below the speed limit and obeying the traffic signals when another driver plows into your car.
You might assume the other guy’s insurance company should pay your medical and car repair bills, but that’s
not the case in every instance. “Unfortunately it’s not as simple as that,” says Insure.com consumer analyst
Penny Gusner. “The little details of the accident really do matter.” For the other driver to be liable for the
accident, and for his liability insurance to kick in, there must be evidence that he was negligent. “Liability
insurance is only going to pay if the injured party can prove the other driver is at fault in court or out of
court,” says lawyer Benjamin Zimmermann, a partner with Sugarman & Sugarman P.C. in Boston. “If you
can’t prove negligence, you can’t win the case, and if you can’t win the case, insurance companies know that
and won’t pay. One of the keys to a successful claim is to establish the other driver’s fault early and
thoroughly.”
The rules also vary by state, notes David Reischer, a New York lawyer and co-founder of
LegalAdvice.com. In states with no-fault auto insurance systems, your own insurance generally pays for your
medical bills, regardless of who was at fault, and you’re restricted in when you can sue other drivers for
injuries. However, in most no-fault states an at-fault driver may still be liable for property damage. It’s a
good idea to understand how the rules work where you live before you have an accident because insurance
laws vary widely by state. If you don’t have collision coverage, which would pay for repairs to your car in
an accident, you have to rely on the at-fault driver’s insurance to pay for repairs. Here are five scenarios when
the other driver’s insurance company may refuse to pay out, even if you think it should.
1. The other driver has a sudden medical emergency. “A sudden incapacitating medical event is a defense
that is more common than people might think,” Zimmermann says. If a driver is suddenly incapacitated by a
medical emergency, a heart attack or stroke, for instance, he may not be liable if he didn’t have sufficient
warning before losing control of the car. However, a driver could still be found negligent if he shouldn’t have
been driving with the medical condition or neglected to take care of his condition. Lawyer Thomas Simeone
of Simeone & Miller LLP in Washington, D.C., says he represented a client whose car was hit by a vehicle
driven by a pregnant woman who passed out behind the wheel. Simeone won the case because he was able
to determine in court that the woman had enough time to pull to the side of the road safely after she started
feeling flushed and before she fainted. Her insurance company then had to pay his client’s claim.
2. You’re hit by a firetruck racing to an emergency. Anytime you file a claim against a government, “you
have to jump through additional hoops,” Simeone says. Local and state jurisdictions have varying rules and
timelines for filing claims against them, and the standard for proving an emergency vehicle driver was liable
is much higher than the standard for other drivers. Generally if the siren and flashing lights were on, then
you’d have to show gross negligence on the driver’s part, not just negligence, Simeone says. “A lot of lawyers
don’t take those cases,” he adds.
3. The other driver hits you because of an accident with a hit-and-run driver. Depending on the state,
you may be able to make a claim under your own uninsured motorist coverage, Reischer says. Uninsured
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motorist coverage covers your injuries if an uninsured driver, or in some states a driver who flees the scene,
causes an accident. Or imagine this scenario: A mattress falls off a pickup, causing another driver to crash
into you, and the pickup driver manages to escape without anyone getting the license number. Your uninsured
motorist insurance could come into play in this example as well, Reischer says. Keep in mind that your word
about a vanishing vehicle is not sufficient. You’ll need evidence, such as eyewitness testimony, vehicle
damage and a police report to back up the claim.
4. A thief driving a stolen vehicle hits you. Generally an auto insurance policy covers you and other
licensed drivers in the household who are listed on the policy and anyone you give occasional permission to
use the car. “When a thief takes a car, there’s no permission or consent,” Simeone says. So the car owner’s
insurance wouldn’t pay. The thief’s insurance, if he had a policy, probably wouldn’t pay either because
insurance often doesn’t apply to criminal or intentional acts, Zimmermann says. “You can sue the thief, but
good luck,” Zimmermann says. “Even if you win, the chances of recovering any money damages are slim.”
In some states, the car owner might be found at least partially liable if he did something negligent that led to
the theft, such as leaving the keys in the car with the car running, Reischer says. Or your own uninsured
motorist insurance, which covers your injuries if an uninsured motorist causes an accident, might kick in.
“Uninsured motorist coverage is something people don’t have enough of,” Zimmermann says. “They’ll buy
$100,000 of liability coverage and only $25,000 of uninsured motorist insurance. When they do that, they’re
protecting other people more than themselves.”
5. A driver hits a deer, loses control of the car and crashes into you. “Sometimes you can have an accident
in the true sense of the word, where no one is at fault,” Zimmermann says. This could be the case if a deer
appeared out of nowhere and leaped in front a vehicle, causing it to crash into someone else. But Simeone
says the other driver could be at least partially liable if he did something careless, such as drove too fast.
Finally, keep in mind that liability isn’t always an either-or proposition. In states with comparative
negligence laws, liability is calculated on a percentage basis. One party might be 30 percent liable, and the
other party 70 percent. The insurance company’s decision isn’t final. Depending on the state and the claim,
you can take the case to court. “You can sue anyone,” Zimmermann says. “The question is can you win.”
[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Barbara Marquand | October 22, 2014 ++]
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Renters Insurance Update 03
► Facts Worth Knowing
It’s easy to overlook this coverage if it’s not required by your landlord. Perhaps it never occurred to you, or
maybe you believe some of the myths about it. Or maybe you don’t think your possessions have enough
value to make it worthwhile. You’re probably wrong about that. Says the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners: Renters insurance policies can cover everything from electronics to clothing to household
appliances. Even a minimal number of items could add up to thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise,
which can all be covered in a basic policy. Here are some additional facts worth knowing if you’re still
straddling the fence about buying a renters insurance policy:
1. The landlord’s policy will not cover your personal belongings - Contrary to popular belief, policies
carried by landlords typically cover structural damage to the building and not your personal property. “After
acquiring a rental housing unit, landlords change their insurance policies from a traditional homeowners
policy to a rental policy, and when they do that, it only covers just the structure, not the content or any of the
tenant’s belongings,” James Emory Tungsvik, president of the National Association of Residential Property
Managers, told U.S. News & World Report. So don’t expect to have your sofa replaced if the living room
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catches fire. Your renters policy will also cover theft of your belongings, whether they’re stolen from your
apartment or from anywhere else.
2. Your coverage likely extends beyond your personal possessions. Your renters policy likely will cover
your legal costs if someone sues after having an accident at your place, and it will cover a certain amount of
their medical bills. It also will cover costs if you are responsible for damage to other people’s property. A
common example offered is when you (or your child) throw a baseball that breaks someone’s window. Or
perhaps you allowed the bathtub to overflow, causing damage in the apartment below.
3. Renters insurance isn’t as expensive as you may think - Thinking the cost of coverage outweighs the
benefits? Think again. While the price will vary depending on where you live, the various cost averages
we’ve seen range from $12 to $30 a month, much less than you’d spend to replace your belongings. When I
was renting an apartment, $50,000 of coverage was about $159 annually. As with most insurance policies,
the higher the deductible, the lower the premium.
4. Furry friends may hike up the premium - For all you pet lovers out there, especially those who own
“aggressive breeds,” don’t be surprised if you’re quoted a higher premium or denied coverage, depending on
the dog. Check out this list from Forbes to see if your dog made the cut.
5. Luxury items may not qualify for standard coverage - Insurance providers often place limits on the
replacement cost of luxury items such as jewelry, an art collection and other high-end items you may own.
Purchasing an insurance rider to cover them may be in order.
How to evaluate policies
When selecting coverage for your possessions, you’ll be choosing from two options: replacement or cash
value. The latter is less expensive because it pays out the depreciated value of the goods based on the date
the damage occurred. Once you determine which form of coverage best suits your needs, here are some other
important considerations:
 What are the exclusions, such as damage caused by hurricanes, earthquakes, floods or other natural
disasters?
 Do added safety features, including fire extinguishers, alarm systems and deadbolt locks, reduce the
premium?
 Are relocation expenses covered while repairs are being made to the unit?
 How does the claims process work?
 Are bundle discounts available to those who carry multiple policies with the company?
Bottom line: if you skip renters insurance to save money, it could backfire and cost you more in the long run.
[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Allison Martin | Dec. 17, 2014 ++]
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Saving Money ►
Save 10+% on Everything You Buy
Coupons and sales make it simple to save big on your purchases, but what about those times when you need
to buy something and a coupon or sale is nowhere to be found? In that case, Money Talks News finance
expert Stacy Johnson lays out three simple steps that can help you save at least 10 percent off anything you
could possibly need to buy.
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Step 1: Find a discounted gift card. The first savings step is to buy a gift card, but not any old gift card
will do. Instead, you want to head to a website specializing in reselling gift cards at a discounted rate. Here
are some of the biggest sites in the reselling business:
 http://www.giftcardgranny.com (Gift Card Granny)
 www.cardpool.com/?utm_source=cj&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=cj+affiliates&CJ_PID=
6146840 (Cardpool)
 https://www.raise.com/?siteID=je6NUbpObpQQZ4kicOcLSvWpaDm1yXGng&LSNPUBID=je6NUbpObpQ?siteID=je6NUbpObpQQZ4kicOcLSvWpaDm1yXGng&LSNPUBID=je6NUbpObpQ (Raise)
 http://www.cardcash.com (CardCash)
 http://www.cardhub.com (Card Hub)
 http://www.giftcards.com/discount-gift-cards (GiftCards.com)
These sites let individuals with unwanted gift cards unload them by selling them to others at a discount.
While the sites advertise discounts as much as 35 percent, you’re typically going to save less than 10% for
most cards. You can learn more about discounted cards in our article about saving every time you shop at
http://www.moneytalksnews.com/want-to-save-money-every-time-you-shop-pay-with-a-discounted-giftcard.
Step 2: Buy through a rebate site. Now, in some cases, you could save 10 percent by simply using a
discounted gift card for every purchase. However, if you want to save more and don’t mind buying online,
make your purchase through a rebate site. These sites can often offer another 3 or 4 percent off your purchase.
You’ll pay the full amount upfront but receive the discount back in the form of a rebate. These are some of
the popular rebate sites:
 http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=GAI8gp9Gy7MpMNMDDGmmNg%3D%3D%26eeid=2
6471 (Ebates)
 http://www.mrrebates.com (Mr. Rebates)
 http://www.shopathome.com (ShopatHome)
 http://www.extrabux.com (Extrabux)
Before shopping, take the time to check out the store availability and terms at rebate sites. Some sites send
checks automatically every few months while others require you to request a payment once you hit a
minimum amount in your account. In addition, participating retailers and rebate amounts can vary between
sites.
Step 3: Use a cash-back credit card. The final step to saving 10 percent or more is to use your cash-back
or rewards credit card. Depending on the card, you could save anywhere from 1 to 5 percent on your purchase.
As with rebate sites, you’ll pay the full price upfront but receive the cash back as a rebate or statement credit.
Of course, using your credit card comes with the caveat that you must pay off your balance when the bill
arrives. Paying interest on a credit card is a sure way to negate your savings.
Other ways to save. While these three steps should save you at least 10 percent off just about anything,
don’t stop there. Read the article on simple, proven strategies to save on everything you buy at
http://www.moneytalksnews.com/15-simple-proven-strategies-to-save-on-everything-youll-ever-buy/. Or
search the site http://www.moneytalksnews.com for more money-saving tips on specific product categories.
It has advice on how to slash your costs for everything from child care to your summer vacation. [Source:
MoneyTalks/News | Maryalene LaPonsie | Dec. 02, 2014 ++]
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********************************
Fall Contractor Scam
► How It Works
Beware of scammers going door-to-door and offering seasonal services, such as leaf raking, chimney
sweeping or window installation. These con artists may just take your money without ever delivering the
service.
How the Scam Works:
 You answer the door, and it's a "handyman." He says that he's been hired by the neighbors to clean
the chimney, install storm windows, rake the leaves or perform another seasonal service. He claims
that he can give you a discount price because he is already working in the neighborhood.
 You need the work done, so you take him up on the offer. He asks for a partial payment upfront,
and he will return the next day after he finishes the neighbor's job. However, he takes the money
and is never seen again.
 In another version of the scam, the contractor will arrive and perform the service. But in doing so,
he finds a "major problem" that needs to be fixed immediately. And of course, he's perfectly suited
to perform the expensive repair.
How to Protect Yourself from Contractor Scams: Contractor scams appear when homeowners have the
most work to do: after major storms and during the change of seasons. Follow these tips when hiring someone
to work on your home.
 Work with local businesses: Make sure the contractor has appropriate identification that tells you
it's a legitimate company versus a fly-by-night operator. Things like permanent lettering on trucks,
uniforms, printed invoice and estimate sheets, business cards, physical addresses, land line phones,
etc. are all signs of an established business.
 Check references: Get references from several past customers. Get both older references (at least a
year old) so you can check on the quality of the work and newer references so you can make sure
current employees are up to the task.
 Check BBB.org: BBB Business Reviews are more than just a grade. You can also read past
complaints from customers, find out about licensing and government actions, and more.
 Make sure it's legal: Confirm that any business being considered for hire is licensed and registered
to do work in your area. Also, if in doubt, request proof of a current insurance certificate from a
contractor's insurance company.
 Get it in writing: And always be sure to get a written contract with the price, materials and timeline.
The more detail, the better.
 Watch for "red flags": Say no to cash-only deals, high-pressure sales tactics, and on-site inspections.
Don't allow someone in your home or on your roof until you have had a chance to thoroughly check
them out.
Check the BBB Scam Stopper website http://www.bbb.org/council/bbb-scam-stopper to find out more
about other scams, at [Source: BBB Scam Alert Nov. 13, 2014 ++].
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Veteran Scams Update 01
► How They Work
Some charities raise funds to support members of the Armed Forces and their families. But not all of these
"charities" are the real deal. BBB Military Line and BBB Wise Giving Alliance remind you to do a little
research first to make sure your contributions go to actual causes and not scammers' pockets.
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How the Scam Works:
 You receive a solicitation from a charity that claims it is collecting donations to help veterans. It
may take the form of a postcard in the mail, an email message, a social media post or even a person
going door-to-door.
 But just because the solicitation claims that it is collecting money for veterans' causes, doesn't mean
the funds are really going there. Charity fraud varies from outright scams to a misrepresentation of
how much of a donation actually goes to help veterans. (such as the elaborate con that landed
its perpetrator John Donald Cody, 67,
a 28-year prison sentence last year – see
http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/12/bobby_thompson_sentenced_to_x.html). Be
sure that your donation ends up helping veterans by following these tips from BBB Wise Giving
Alliance.
To Protect Yourself from Veterans Charity Scams check out BBB Wise Giving Alliance's complete list
of tips on their website.http://give.org/for-donors/about-specific-giving-guidance/basic-giving-tips. Some
of these are:
 Mistaken Identity: Watch out for name confusion. Many veterans charities include virtually the
same words in different order or slightly different form.
 Program Descriptions: Look for a clear description of the organization's programs in its appeals
and website. If it says it is helping veterans, does it explain how (financial assistance, shelter,
counseling), and where it is doing so?
 Telemarketing Cautions: Telemarketing can be a costly method of fund raising unless carefully
managed. If called, do not hesitate to ask for written information on the charity's programs and
finances.
 On-the-Spot Donation Decisions: Be wary of excessive pressure in fund raising. Don't be
pressured to make an immediate on-the-spot donation. Charities should welcome your gift
whenever you want to send it.
 Donating Used Clothing and Other Goods? Find out how the charity benefits from the
collection and resale of used clothing and other in-kind gifts. Sometimes the charity receives only
a small portion of the resale price of the item or may have a contractual arrangement to get a flat
fee for every household pick-up, no matter what the contents.
 Check with Outside Sources before Giving: Visit Give.org to access reports that summarize
rigorous evaluations in relation to 20 holistic BBB Charity Standards that address governance,
results reporting, finances and appeal accuracy. Also, you can find a list of Veteran Service
Organizations (VSO) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website and information about
Military Service Organizations (MSO) at the U.S. Military Community Information and Outreach
website.
To learn more about scammers posing as veterans charities, check out the alert from the FTC at
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0121-charitable-solicitations-vet-military-families. To find out more
about other scams, check the BBB Scam Stopper http://www.bbb.org/council/bbb-scam-stopper. [Source:
BBB Scam Alert November 07, 2014 ++]
*********************************
Tax Burden for New Mexico Retirees
► As of Dec 2014
Many people planning to retire use the presence or absence of a state income tax as a litmus test for a
retirement destination. This is a serious miscalculation since higher sales and property taxes can more than
offset the lack of a state income tax. The lack of a state income tax doesn’t necessarily ensure a low total tax
89
burden. States raise revenue in many ways including sales taxes, excise taxes, license taxes, income taxes,
intangible taxes, property taxes, estate taxes and inheritance taxes. Depending on where you live, you may
end up paying all of them or just a few. Following are the taxes you can expect to pay if you retire in New
Mexico.
Sales Taxes
Gross Receipts Tax: 5.125% (prescription drugs exempt); county and city taxes may add another 6.625%.
Certain food and medical expenses are exempt.
Gasoline Tax: 37.3 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes)
Diesel Fuel Tax: 47.2 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes)
Cigarette Tax: $1.66/pack of 20
Personal Income Taxes
Tax Rate Range: - Low -1.7%; High – 5.3%
Income Brackets: Four. Lowest – $5,500; Highest – $16,000. (The tax brackets reported are for a single
individual. For married individuals filing jointly, the same rates apply for income under $8,000 to over
$24,000. Married households filing separately pay the tax imposed on half the income.)
Personal Exemptions: Single – $3,650; Married – $7,300; Dependents – $3,650. (New Mexico allows
personal exemptions or standard deductions as provided in the Internal Revenue Code.)
Additional Exemptions: Taxpayer or spouse 65 or older – up to $10,900 deduction each from taxable
income. An additional tax exemption of up to $2,500 is allowed for low- and middle-income taxpayers.
Standard Deduction: (2013) Single – $6,100; Married filing jointly – $12,200 (Same as federal)
Medical/Dental Deduction: Credit of 3% of unreimbursed prescription drug expenses to maximum of
$150 per individual or $300 per return. Also, if you or your spouse are age 65 and over and have
unreimbursed or uncompensated medical care expenses of $28,000 or more for yourself, your spouse or
dependents during the tax year, you are eligible for a $3,000 exemption and a credit of $2,800.
Federal Income Tax Deduction: None
Retirement Income Taxes: The state offers a low- and middle income exemption. The maximum
exemption is $2,500. To qualify, the amount on line 7 of the state income tax form must be equal to or less
than $36,667 (single), $27,500 (married filing separately), or $55,000 (married filing jointly. A deduction
also applies for those 65 and older if your adjusted gross income is not over $51,000 for a joint return,
$28,500 for a single taxpayer, or $25,500 for a married taxpayer filing separately.
Retired Military Pay: See above.
Military Disability Retired Pay: Retirees who entered the military before Sept. 24, 1975, and members
receiving disability retirements based on combat injuries or who could receive disability payments from the
VA are covered by laws giving disability broad exemption from federal income tax. Most military retired
pay based on service-related disabilities also is free from federal income tax, but there is no guarantee of
total protection.
VA Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: VA benefits are not taxable because they
generally are for disabilities and are not subject to federal or state taxes.
Military SBP/SSBP/RCSBP/RSFPP: Generally subject to state taxes for those states with income tax.
Check with state department of revenue office.
Property Taxes
All property, whether real or personal, is subject to state and local property taxes. Rates vary substantially
and depend on property type and location. The statewide weighted average rates, i.e., total obligations/total
net taxable value, are about $26.47 for residential property. Assessors usually determine market value by
the sales-comparison approach which matches a property’s value to that of similar properties. The
valuation of a residence that did not change hands in the prior year may not increase by more than 3%
90
annually. One-third of the property’s market value (assessment) is its taxable value. The taxable value
may be further reduced by exemptions of $2,000 each of heads of households and $4,000 for veterans.
There is a property tax rebate for residents age 65 and older. Their modified gross income cannot exceed
$18,000 for the tax year and they cannot have been claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer’s return.
Homeowners 65 and older who earn $18,000 ($25,000 in Sandoval County) or less are eligible for a credit
of up to $250 (married filing jointly) or $125 for single taxpayers. Call 505-827-0870 for details.
Inheritance and Estate Taxes
There is no inheritance tax but an inheritance may be reflected in a taxpayer’s modified gross income and
taxed that way. The estate tax is related to federal estate tax collection. It applies to the New Mexico
portion of the net estate as a proportionate share of the federal credit for state estate taxes. The net estate
located in New Mexico of a nonresident is also taxable as a fraction of the federal credit.
Visit the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department site http://www.tax.newmexico.gov/Default.aspx
for further information [Source: http://www.retirementliving.com/taxes-by-state Dec 2014 ++]
******************************
Tax Burden for Alabama Residents
► As of Dec 2014
Personal income tax
Alabama collects income taxes from its residents at the following rates.
 For single persons, heads of families and married persons filing separate returns:
 2 percent on the first $500 of taxable income.
 4 percent on taxable income between $501 and $3,000.
 5 percent on all taxable income over $3,000.
 For married persons filing joint returns:
 2 percent on the first $1,000 of taxable income.
 4 percent on taxable income between $1,001 and $6,000.
 5 percent on all taxable income over $6,000.
Depending on a taxpayer's adjusted gross income and filing status, some Alabama residents can claim a
standard deduction amount of up to $7,500. The standard deduction amount is reduced based on income and
tops out at $4,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly and $2,000 for all other filing statuses when those
taxpayers' incomes exceed certain thresholds. Details on the change can be found in the Standard Deduction
Chart (http://www.revenue.alabama.gov/incometax/2013_forms/13stddeduction.pdf).
Alabama allows a $1,500 personal exemption for each taxpayer and a $1,500 personal exemption for his or
her spouse, in addition to a $300 up to $1,000 exemption, based on the taxpayer's adjusted gross income, for
each dependent claimed.
File (Form 40 http://revenue.alabama.gov/incometax/2013_forms/13f40.pdf) by April 15 or the next
business day if the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday. Individual income tax returns can be downloaded
(http://revenue.alabama.gov/incometax/2013itforms.cfm) as online forms. Filers have the option of
completing an online form in which they can enter data. It will make calculations and compute the amount
of tax due. The taxpayer can then print the completed form, sign it and mail it.
91
All Alabama taxpayers can e-file their returns and some might be able to e-file for free at the Revenue
Department's online filing page (http://revenue.alabama.gov/incometax/PC_ONLINE.cfm).
Sales taxes
 Alabama's Sales & Use Tax Section (http://revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/taxes.cfm) administers,
collects and enforces taxes in 16 different categories.
 Alabama’s general tax rate (http://revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/staterates.cfm) is 4 percent on
purchases of tangible property.
 The state of Alabama administers more than 200 different city and county sales taxes. The
collection of these additional taxes could make some jurisdictions' overall sales tax rate
substantially higher than 4 percent.
 Search the Alabama Department of Revenue's online database of cities and counties that levy
sales, use, lodgings and rental taxes to find your local rates
(http://revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/Sales/index.cfm).
 Alabama's Department of Revenue maintains updates of tax rate changes at
http://revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/ratechanges.cfm
Personal and real property taxes
 The Property Tax Division of the Alabama Department of Revenue supervises and controls the
valuation, equalization and assessment of ad valorem taxes of all property in the state.
Additionally, the office provides guidance to the county officials in the performance of their
official duties.
 See the list of exemptions (http://revenue.alabama.gov/advalorem/exemptions/exemptions.cfm) to
ad valorem tax collection.
 Each county has its own millage rate that is used when determining property taxes. Some cities
also assess separate property taxes.
 A homestead exemption (http://www.ador.state.al.us/advalorem/exemptions/40-9-19.pdf) is
granted by the state on real property taxes, with a larger exemption available to older or disabled
taxpayers. View the state's homestead summary chart
(http://revenue.alabama.gov/advalorem/Homestead%20Exemption%20Chart%20May%202013.pd
f).
 To apply for an exemption, contact either the tax assessor or revenue commissioner in your county
of residence.
Refer to the Property Tax Division's website http://revenue.alabama.gov/advalorem/index.cfm for more
information.
Inheritance and estate taxes
 Alabama estate tax returns, affidavits of estate tax and estate tax waivers are no longer required for
estates whose owners died after Dec. 31, 2004. If no filing extensions were granted, Sept. 30,
2005, was the final reporting date for any 2004 estate tax liabilities. Call (334) 242-1000 for
details about Alabama's estate tax requirements.
 Alabama does not impose an inheritance or gift tax.
Other Alabama tax facts
 Alabama offers its taxpayers free online filing (http://revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/efiling.cfm).
92



Alabama taxpayers no longer have to file for an extension. Taxpayers are granted an automatic
extension to Oct. 15. The Form 40 instruction book
http://www.revenue.alabama.gov/incometax/2013_forms/13f40bk.pdf provides details
Alabama taxpayers can get additional information and help at one of the state's Taxpayer Service
Centers (http://revenue.alabama.gov/about-service-centers.cfm).
Effective beginning in 2006, Alabama law provides for an annual sales tax holiday that begins at
12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in August and ends at midnight the following Sunday. Counties and
cities may choose whether to participate, as noted on the state's sales tax holiday Web page
http://revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/STholiday.cfm).
For more information, contact the Alabama Department of Revenue at (334) 242-1170. [Source:
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/state-taxes-alabama.aspx Dec 2014 ++]
******************************
Thrift Savings Plan 2014
► Share Prices + YTD Gain or Loss
Thrift Savings Plan Returns as of DEC 2014
93
TSP Share Prices as of Dec 30, 2014
Close
$14.6157
$16.7780
$27.4484
$36.5719
$24.4325
$15.0773
$26.5632
$24.9568
$23.0066
$17.4817
G Fund
F Fund
C Fund
S Fund
I Fund
L 2050
L 2040
L 2030
L 2020
L Income
YTD
+2.30%
+6.58%
+14.97%
+8.62%
-4.43%
+7.21%
+6.96%
+6.38%
+5.56%
+3.96%
[Source: www.myfederalretirement.com/public/237.cfm & http://tspcenter.com/tspReturns.php?view=year
30 Dec 2014 ++]
* General Interest *
Notes of Interest





► 16 thru 31 Dec 2014
2014. A Look Back. As we complete another trip around the sun, Vox looks back at the events that
defined 2014. To view them go to http://www.vox.com/2014/12/16/7397959/the-year-we-justlived-through-in-one-video.
Vet Population. To view a time lapse map on the declining Vet population since the U.S. ended
the draft, check out http://www.vox.com/2014/12/8/7351231/decline-veterans.
Military Sexual Assault. The Pentagon has conducted an anonymous survey of troops every two
years since 2006, and in 2012, the results indicated 26,000 troops had experienced “unwanted sexual
contact”.
The Great Recession. Aftershocks have been especially hard on blacks and Hispanics. A new Pew
Research report found that white households had a median wealth eight times greater than black
households in 2010 and nine times greater than Hispanic households. By 2013, whites’ median net
worth was 13 times that of African-Americans and 10 times that of Hispanics.
Debt. In what may be one of the most depressing statistics you’ll read this year, nearly 1 in 5
Americans expect their debt to accompany them to their grave. That’s according to a new survey by
CreditCards.com, which revealed that 18 percent of Americans with debt think it’s forever, double
the 9 percent who shared the same bleak outlook in last year’s survey.
94






Government Funding. President Obama signed the $1.1 trillion federal spending measure into law
16 DEC, officially ending any threat of a government shutdown over the holidays. The bill
appropriates $554 billion for the Defense Department for fiscal 2015 and gives the Veterans Affairs
Department $160 billion. Both departments had been operating off temporary, lower-spending
resolutions since October.
COLA. The November Consumer Price Index of 231.551 declined 0.7 percent for the month and
1.1 percent from the FY 2014 COLA baseline. The Consumer Price Index for December 2014 is
scheduled to be released on January 16, 2015.
113th Congress. Senators finishing up 23 DEC five days after House members completed their
work and nearly a week later than their scheduled departure. Congress left behind a number of bills
without taking positive action, including measures on concurrent receipt, survivor benefits and
related legislation that died with the final adjournment of the session.
Xmas Past. On Christmas Eve 1977 a headless body was found next to a newly opened grave in
Williamson County, Tennessee. The head was found nearby. The body was clothed in what appeared
to be a tuxedo. The matter was referred to the state medical examiner who determined that this was
a homicide, the victim was a white male, 5' 11" tall, weighing 173 lbs., and approximately 26 years
of age. The medical examiner further determined that the cause of death was a large caliber bullet
wound to the head, and that the man had been dead for 6 to 12 months. Everything but the time of
death was correct; the body was that of Confederate Colonel William M. Shy, who had died
defending the hill bearing his name 113 years before. The newly opened grave was his, and he had
apparently been exhumed by grave robbers in search of Civil War collectibles. The remarkable state
of preservation was due to the fact that Colonel Shy had been buried in a sealed cast iron coffin and
had been embalmed with a fluid heavily laced with arsenic.
Stolen War. Check out this U2 video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOj07ClhEi8 on a
uniformed active duty alleged Ranger confronted in a Mall by a former Ranger veteran.
CRDP/CRSC. The 2015 Open Season is Jan. 1-31, 2015. Retirees who are eligible for both CRDP
and CRSC will receive an Open Season Letter with the amount of their entitlements. Follow the
instructions on the letter. Only return the letter to DFAS to change your current election for 2015.
********************************
113th Congress Update 02 ►
Not the Least Productive in History
Congratulations, 113th Congress, you were not the least productive in history. But it was close. Despite a
sluggish pace for most of the last two years, a flurry of legislative activity during the lame duck elevated it
to only one of the least productive Congresses in recent history. Congress enacted 297 new laws (including
the measures currently awaiting President Obama's signature). Despite predictions from many congressional
observers, that is not the fewest bills enacted by a Congress since 1947. It is, however, second only to the
112th Congress, when 284 laws were enacted, according to an analysis from Josh Tauberer, at GovTrack.
"Through November, it was going to be the least productive Congress in terms of bills enacted," Tauberer
said. But Congress picked up the pace during the lame-duck session, passing a flurry of bills, including the
massive spending bill called the "Cromnibus."
That is not unusual, said Senate historian Donald Ritchie. He pointed to an excerpt from the journal of
Sen. William Maclay of Pennsylvania, who after the first Congress complained that several bills had been
passed hastily on the last day of session. "Nothing has changed in that sense," Ritchie said. "The legislative
calendar stretches out, and then it squeezes closed like an accordion." In terms of total votes in each chamber,
the 113th Congress sits in the middle of the pack. The House voted 1,204 times to the Senate's 657. It is
95
typical for the House to pass many more bills than the Senate, experts noted. House Republicans have been
wont to blame the gridlock on the Senate, where far fewer bills passed, and where, they note, even bipartisan
bills like a reauthorization of terrorism-risk insurance or a measure spurring action on the Keystone XL oil
pipeline have died.
But Ritchie said that is not entirely accurate. The Senate passed several large, bipartisan bills that the
House did not take up, including measures dealing with immigration, transportation policy, and postal reform.
"None of that got through the House of Representatives," Ritchie said. "The House just had a very different
way of looking at things and didn't produce their own versions of those bills." However, Ritchie, Tauberer,
and several historians and data scientists interviewed for this story noted that simply counting the number of
bills passed does not paint a full picture of congressional productivity. One reason is that the trend lately has
been to pass massive bills that touch myriad issues, much like the year-end Cromnibus. "The Affordable Care
Act was one bill. Naming a post office is a second bill. Are they equal? No," said Brad Fitch, president and
CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation. Based on various other subjective metrics, though, the
113th Congress was one of the least productive in history.
To delve further into the numbers, Sarah Binder, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, uses a
different analysis. She has made note of every issue discussed in The New York Times' unsigned editorials
going back to 1940—regardless of whether the editorial board was in favor or not—and compares that with
the issues Congress takes up. She then assigns each Congress a gridlock score based on the percentage of the
issues of the day that are not legislated upon. The 112th Congress, according to Binder's analysis, had a
gridlock score of more than 70 percent, and Binder said that although she has not yet completed her analysis
of the 113th Congress, she suspects the score will be similar. "We're basically talking the same level of
deadlock. The same issues: immigration, post office reform, climate change, corporate tax reform. ... Even
on Dodd-Frank repeal, Obamacare repeal … they did very few real big things in the end," she said.
David Mayhew, a political science professor at Yale University, runs a similar analysis. He makes note
of legislation mentioned by journalists in articles summarizing the work of each Congress and bases that
Congress's productivity on how many major pieces of legislation are enacted. He pointed to the 113th
Congress's passage of the Cromnibus, the farm bill, the Violence Against Women Act, Veterans' Affairs
changes, and the Budget Control Act, but noted that this Congress's productivity was relatively, although not
historically, meager. "It's not a long list," he said. "This is a pretty low-action Congress, but it's not uniquely
low." So where does the 113th Congress stack up historically? It is not in very esteemed company. Both
Mayhew's and Binder's analyses put the 113th on par with those that were brought to a grinding halt by
national crises. For instance, both experts said this past Congress enacted major legislation at roughly the
same clip as the 106th Congress, the last of President Clinton's second term, which was marred by a sex
scandal and impeachment.
Mayhew adds to the list the 82nd Congress, during which President Truman was guiding the country
through the Korean War. And Binder's work places the 113th Congress's gridlock score not far ahead of both
the 102nd Congress, during which the Gulf War started, and the 108th, when the United States again invaded
Iraq. None of the metrics are airtight, congressional experts noted. But they do explain a general sentiment
among the country, reflected in protest rallies and congressional approval ratings, that the 113th Congress
was not functional. "We can use the numbers to substantiate our impressions of Congress," Tauberer said.
"We know that finding consensus in the last two Congresses has been difficult, and the numbers substantiate
that." [Source: National Journal | Daniel Newhauser | Dec. 23, 2014 ++}
********************************
96
Expiration Dates
► 7 Things Not to Overstock
All good things must come to an end. That applies to you and probably a lot of the stuff filling your home.
While stocking up can seem like a smart move, Money Talks News savings expert Stacy Johnson found that
not everything can be stored indefinitely as noted for the following 7 items:
1. Cleaning products. How many of you have ancient cleaning supplies buried under your sink? It’s OK.
You can admit it. Most likely part of the reason you never tossed them was because you thought cleaning
supplies lasted indefinitely, and being frugal you couldn’t say goodbye to something potentially useful.
According to Good Housekeeping (http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/researchinstitute/cleaning-products-expiration-date) cleaning supplies can degrade over time and lose their
effectiveness. The plastic containers they’re stored in may also affect their formulas over time. The magazine
says you can use these rules of thumb when it comes to deciding when cleaning supplies expire:
 Laundry detergent — six to 12 months.
 Fabric softener — one year.
 Multisurface cleaners — two years.
 Cleaners with antibacterial ingredients — one year.
 Disinfectants — two years.
 Dishwasher detergent — three months.

Dish soap — 12 to 18 months.
If you use bleach in homemade cleaners, be aware it can lose its effectiveness quickly once diluted. The
Scripps Research Institute says a 10 percent bleach solution is potent for only a day. Even in its original bottle
and undiluted, bleach can start to degrade after six months.
2. Car seats. If your baby is in the same car seat your 10-year-old used, it’s time to go shopping. Car seats
are another unexpected item that will expire. You can usually find the expiration date printed on the label on
the side of the seat. Most are good for five to six years, however, manufacturer Graco says seats often have
expiration dates ranging from six to 10 years The seats may expire because the plastic degrades over time,
but safety innovations are another reason manufacturers put a shelf life on their products.
(http://www.gracobaby.com/customerservice/pages/safetyinformation.aspx). Technology is constantly
evolving, and 10 years from now, a better and safer car seat should be developed … at least in theory.
3. Motor oil. With the fluctuating cost of oil, it may be tempting to buy a lifetime supply when you find a
great deal. But you could end up with oil that doesn’t perform well if you pull out a bottle that’s been in
storage for years. Some oils have additives that can break down over time. In addition, open or unsealed
bottles can absorb moisture. The shelf life may vary depending on the manufacturer. For example, Valvoline
says its products are “stable for an extended period of time,” while ExxonMobil advises that its oil has a five-
97
year
shelf
life.(http://www.mobilindustrial.com/ind/english/files/tt-lubricating-oils-greases-shelf-liferecommendations.pdf).
4. Toiletries and cosmetics. Just because your dentist gives you a new toothbrush every six months doesn’t
mean you can use that brush the entire time between visits. To keep your pearly whites clean and healthy,
you should change brushes every three months. Toothbrushes are just one example of how many bathroom
essentials expire. In fact, most of the beauty and hygiene products in your cabinets will eventually go bad. In
some cases, they may simply not work as well, but some cosmetics may collect bacteria over time and may
pose a health risk. Clean My Space has put together a comprehensive list of expiration dates for common
cosmetic products and toiletries. Following are some sample expiration dates. You can find the complete list
on their site at http://cleanmyspace.com/cosmetics-toiletries-expiry-guide,:
 Mascara — three months.
 Lipstick — two to three years.
 Oil-free foundation — one year.
 Cleanser — two years.
 Deodorant — three years.
 Shampoo/conditioner — three years unopened.
 Bar soap — three years.
5. Paint. Paint is another item that hangs out in many houses indefinitely. You use half a can and then put
the rest in the basement, where it sits until the inspiration to do touch-up work hits you 10 years later. By that
time, your paint has probably gone bad. Glidden says its unopened latex or oil-based paints should have a
shelf life of two years. However, that’s assuming you don’t let them freeze and store them away from heat
sources like the furnace. The Home Repair Resource Center (http://heightslibrary.org/materials/hrrc/04Home_Maintenance/DISCARDING_MATERIALS.pdf) gives these recommendations for other home repair
and renovation products:
 Oil-based stains — one year opened, two to three years unopened.
 Water-based stains — one year opened, two years unopened.
 Oil-based varnishes — one year, opened or unopened.
 Caulk — two months opened, one year unopened.
 Glazing compounds — one year opened, two years unopened.
Of course, some paints and products may last longer, depending on their formulation and storage. Straight
Line Painting has some tips to help you decide if your old paint is still good or needs to be pitched. Check
out http://www.capstonepainting.com/how-to-tell-if-old-paint-is-still-good.
6. Alcohol. While fine wine gets better with age, the same can’t be said for all forms of alcohol. Even bottled
wine will go bad if stored improperly, and boxed wine is only good for about a year after packaging. Massproduced beer has an expiration date on it, and while drinking past that date won’t hurt you, it might be a less
than tasty experience. As for craft beers, food website The Kitchn reports that their flavor peaks a few months
after bottling. (http://www.thekitchn.com/past-its-prime-does-beer-ever-119437). However, when stored out
of the light and at a stable temperature, they should last a year before the taste begins to really go bad. There
is even a limit to how long the hard stuff will last. Again, we’ll go back to The Kitchn. The site says unopened
bottles of liquor will last indefinitely, but once opened, they begin to lose potency. It’s best to use up that
whiskey, vodka and bourbon within a year after your first sip.
7. Batteries. Today’s batteries usually have a fairly prominent expiration date listed somewhere on the
package, but in case you missed it, we’re here to remind you the batteries you stored for Y2K are probably
no longer any good. Because batteries generate energy using a chemical reaction contained inside the battery
cell, they use up energy, even if they haven't yet been snapped inside a remote control or toy. A number of
98
other factors affect how long a battery will last. Refer to http://www.livescience.com/32831-why-dobatteries-go-bad.html. Batteries can begin losing small amounts of energy from the moment they’re
manufactured. As a result, old batteries could be completely depleted or corroded before you ever crack open
the package. The shelf life for batteries can vary significantly depending on how they’re made. For example,
Energizer says its ultimate lithium batteries will last 15 years, while advanced lithium batteries have a shelf
life of 10 years. Meanwhile, the company’s rechargeable batteries lose 1 percent of their deliverable energy
every day, giving them a short shelf life before they need to be recharged
(http://www.energizer.com/learning-center/Pages/battery-comparison.aspx). Stocking up at low prices can
be a smart financial move, but only if you can use what you buy before it goes bad. If you have a bathroom
full of old cosmetics or a garage filled with paint and oil, it may be time to purge and be a little more mindful
about what you buy in the future.
[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Maryalene LaPonsie | Nov. 28, 2014 ++]
*********************************
Household Aids: Baking Soda
► Uses
For about $1 a box, baking soda is a smart pantry item to have on hand. From personal hygiene to aroundthe-house cleaning, here are 20 alternative uses for sodium bicarbonate:
1. Deodorizer. Not sure what’s smelling up your fridge? As a quick fix, place an open box of baking
soda on a refrigerator door shelf. It will soak up the foul smell while you’re busy finding the culprit.
2. Pedicure treatment. If you can’t afford a standard spa treatment, create a foot soak by adding
baking soda to warm water. It’s a well-known way to heal athlete’s foot, but it’s also great for easing
calluses.
3. Fire stopper. Keep a box of baking soda close to the oven to put out grease fires. The minute you
see flames, dump baking soda to douse the fire.
4. Stain remover. Mix baking soda and other ingredients into a paste to create a stain treatment, then
apply to tough stains before tossing in the wash. Refer to http://www.popsugar.com/smartliving/Homemade-Stain-Remover-26821209 for guidance on how on how to use.
5. Carpet cleaner. Before you vacuum, sprinkle some baking soda over the carpet and let it sit for a
few minutes. When you vacuum, the carpet will smell extra fresh.
6. Toothpaste. It may seem strange to use the same thing on your teeth as you do your carpet, but it’s
definitely an option. When your standard tube of toothpaste empties, mix baking soda with water to
clean your teeth and freshen your breath.
7. Deep clean your mattress. Refresh your mattress with the help of baking soda, which leaves your
bed seriously clean. Refer to http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/How-Deep-Clean-YourMattress-29764178 on how to use.
8. Clean your dishwasher. If your dishwasher isn’t smelling as fresh as it used to, make these easy
baking soda dishwasher cleaners that leave things sparkling. For directions on how to make refer to
http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/DIY-Dishwasher-Baking-Soda-Bombs-30594360.
9. Unhappy tummy. Upset stomach? Mix one teaspoon baking soda with a glass of warm water to
aid digestion.
10. Homemade soft scrub. When baking pans are seriously dirty, make your own soft scrub to tackle
the mess. Go to http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/How-Make-Soft-Scrub-29200726 for
directions on hot to make and use.
11. Exfoliate! Instead of tossing down cash for expensive exfoliants, simply mix three parts baking
soda with one part water and use it to gently scrub your face, hands and feet.
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12. Sneaker help. Are your workout shoes not so fresh? Sprinkle the inside of the shoes with baking
soda, which absorbs the smell. Shake out before wearing.
13. Toilet trouble. When your commode isn’t flushing properly, use a bit of baking soda to help unclog
the problem. Refer to http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/What-Do-When-Your-Toilet-Floods30837103 for guidance on how to deal with that overflowing toilet.
14. Garbage disposal cleaner. Mix together baking soda and lemon peel for a refreshing garbage
disposal cleaner that really does the job. To prepare and use refer to www.popsugar.com/smartliving/Homemade-Garbage-Disposal-Refreshers-27889472
15. Smell fresh. Simply pat baking soda under arms to fix not-so-fresh-smelling body odor.
16. Bathroom buster. Keep your tub’s tile and grout nice and clean with a homemade baking soda
scrub that will leave things sparkling. Go to http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/HomemadeBathroom-Cleaner-27898727 for directions.
17. Clean the toilet. Make your commode sparkle with the help of homemade toilet bowl cleaner that
busts up stains and leaves things wonderfully fresh. Refer to http://www.popsugar.com/smartliving/Homemade-Toilet-Bowl-Cleaner-28855947
18. Happy flowers. Add one teaspoon of baking soda to flower water to keep them fresh longer.
19. Metal pan cleaner. If your sheet pans are pretty dingy, this baking soda solution can make them
look new again. Refer to http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Metal-Pot-Pan-Cleaner-30837082
for directions on mixing and using.
20. Stop itch. Got a bug bite? Baking soda to the rescue! To stop that itch follow the directions at
http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/DIY-After-Bug-Bite-Treatment-31027863
21. Mold & Mildew. If black spots start appearing on your tub or shower walls, you have a mold or
mildew problem. Get rid of it naturally with this simple concoction: Mix 1 cup baking soda, 2 cups
water, 1 cup white vinegar, and use a Tub Scrubber and some elbow grease.
22. Oven cleaner: Mix together baking soda and lemon for a natural oven cleaner that really cleans
things up. Refer to .http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Natural-Oven-Cleaner-30913702 for
directions on preparing and use.
23. Pick-me-up: If you're feeling like you need a little pick-me-up in the morning, DIY shower bombs
that can be very uplifting. Check out http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/DIY-UpliftingShower-Bombs-34151062.
24. Fridge help: Refresh your refrigerator with baking soda disks that suck up bad smells. To prepare
refer to http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/DIY-Refrigerator-Refreshers-34549456.
25. Remove sticky stuff: Make your own Goo Gone sticky remover with the help of baking soda and
vegetable oil. Refer to http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Homemade-Goo-Gone-34465300.
26. Scented sweaters: Make scented sachets with the help of coffee filters to tuck in drawers and the
back of closets to keep things smelling wonderful. Go to http://www.popsugar.com/smartliving/DIY-Scented-Coffee-Filter-Sachets-32107228.
27. Clean hubcaps: Get that new-car feeling. Simply mix one-half cup baking soda, one tablespoon
dish soap, and two cups warm water in a small bowl. Use a soft sponge or towel to wash and gently
scrub the tires and hubcaps.
28. Hair help: Add a sprinkling of baking soda to your favorite shampoo to really clean and refresh
hair.
29. Fresh stuff: Help your laundry detergent do its best by adding a quarter cup baking soda to your
wash.
30. After burn: If you've had too much sun, relieve the burn with a paste of equal parts baking soda
and water.
[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Sarah Lipoff | Dec. 04, 2014 ++]
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Consumer Reports
► Who is Checking Up on You
When you apply for a credit card, you can be virtually assured the card issuer is pulling your credit file from
one of the big three reporting agencies: Experian, TransUnion or Equifax. But what happens when you fill
out an application to rent an apartment? Or apply for life insurance? Or try to write a check? Is anyone
checking up on you then? Surprise. The answer may be yes. In all those cases, a business might be pulling a
specialty report that could determine whether you get the apartment, the life insurance policy or the privilege
of handing over one of your super-cute Hello Kitty checks. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at
http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201207_cfpb_list_consumer-reporting-agencies.pdf has a comprehensive
list of all the major organizations maintaining files on you. Specialty reports are one more way it seems
that everyone and their brother is keeping tabs on you. It may be unrealistic to expect you’d be able to request
all the reports available, but you should definitely be aware they exist. Then, if you get a surprise denial for
insurance or an apartment, you have a place to start when it comes to determining the problem.
1. Medical reports
Your doctor may not be the only person who has a medical file on you. Several companies also maintain
reports that could contain bits of your medical information. The most commonly used medical report may be
the one from MIB, an organization previously known as the Medical Information Bureau. MIB reports are
used by insurance companies offering individually underwritten life, health, critical illness, disability and
long-term-care insurance products. The organization doesn’t maintain a full medical record on you but does
compile data taken from insurance applications made in the past seven years. Information gleaned from MIB
reports (http://www.insure.com/life-insurance/mib-report.html) cannot be used to make coverage decisions
but can be used to fact-check your applications and make sure you’re not withholding information.
For example, if you’re denied life insurance by Company A because of a pre-existing condition, the MIB
file may note the condition. That makes it hard for you to conceal that information from Company B, lest
you think you could get coverage by simply omitting that detail about your medical history. You can get a
copy of your MIB report free by making a request online at https://www.mib.com/request_your_record.html
or on the phone at 1-866-692-6901 MedPoint and IntelliScript are two other medical files you should know.
Both may be reporting on your prescription drug usage. You can request your IntelliScript report by calling
877-211-4816. MedPoint will take your request at 888-206-0335. However, they will only send a free report
if you applied for health insurance, and the insurer requested your file.
2. Tenant reports
Just as you can’t get away from your family medical history or a pre-existing condition when applying for
life insurance, you may not be able to run away from that eviction you experienced when the economy tanked.
A piece of your rental history might end up on your credit report if you’re sued for back payments, but a
tenant report is more likely to show the whole picture. According to the New York State Bar Association,
(http://www.nysba.org/tenantscreening) there are hundreds of screening agencies catering to landlords. These
reports may cover these details or other information:
 Credit information such as delinquent accounts, charge-offs and collections accounts.
 Criminal records.
 Eviction records.
 Sex offender status.
 Social Security check.
 Previous address check.
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Unfortunately, not all screening services will provide tenants with a copy of their report, despite the fact
that the Federal Trade Commission has warned some companies they must comply with the Fair Credit
Reporting Act. For example, TenantReports.com includes this information in its FAQs:
Q) My applicant is claiming discrepancies in their tenant report and would like a copy of the credit
report for their reference; do I need to supply them with a copy?
A) All tenant reports requested through TenantReports.com are for our members to review to make a rental
decision or new hire decision only. These reports are NOT available to distribute to the applicant. Applicants
can get a free annual credit report through the Fair Credit Reporting Act once a year by visiting
http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com . At this site they can dispute all discrepancies with the three bureaus
and have the ability to make a permanent change to their credit report. However, TenantReports.com provides
information on its report, such as criminal records, that wouldn’t appear on a credit report. That makes their
answer seem, in my personal opinion, a bit more evasive than helpful.
While not every tenant screening company is onboard with providing copies of its reports, you can request
your file from these companies, among others:
 https://www.cicreports.com/consumer-disputes CICReports
 http://www.tenantdata.com/downloads/AuthorizationforFileDisclos_new.pdf Tenant Data
 https://personalreports.lexisnexis.com/access_your_personal_information.jsp LexisNexis Personal
Reports
 http://www.experian.com/assets/rentbureau/general/request_form.pdf Experian RentBureau.
3. Check writing reports
If you’re in love with your debit card and online banking, it may seem quaint to think some people still write
checks. But they do. And there are some businesses that don’t want to take those people’s checks if they’ve
written bad ones in the past. Check writing reports may not only affect your ability to write checks, they
could also affect your chances of opening new accounts. For example, some reports may include whether
you’ve ever had a bank close your account due to insufficient funds. In that case, a different institution may
decline to let you open an account there. You may be able to request free check writing reports from these
companies:
 http://www.earlywarning.com/consumer-information.html Early Warning.
 https://www.askcertegy.com/FACT.jsp Certegy.
 https://www.consumerdebit.com/consumerinfo/us/en/chexsystems/report/index.htm ChexSystems.
 http://www.firstdata.com/telecheck/telecheck-consumer-contacts.html First Data TeleCheck.
4. Insurance reports
Next up are insurance reports for property coverage such as homeowner or vehicle policies. LexisNexis and
Verisk Analytics are the two major players for these reports. The LexisNexis C.L.U.E Report comes in either
an auto or personal property version. They contain seven years of data, including both claims and inquiry
history. You can request one or both of the reports on the LexisNexis website at
https://personalreports.lexisnexis.com/fact_act_claims_bundle/landing.jsp. A-Plus Property Reports cover a
five-year period and include all forms of loss from burglaries to fire losses to medical payments
(http://www.verisk.com/press-releases-verisk/2008/frequently-asked-questions-about-a-plus-propertyreports.html). You can request a copy by calling 800-709-8842. There may be a small fee for the report
unless an insurance company took adverse action against you because of the report (i.e,. denied you coverage
because of information in the file). In that case, the form may be free as long as you file the request within
60 days of the adverse action.
5. Employment data reports
Finally, we come to employment reports. These may include this information: Job title, Salary, Employment
dates, and Disciplinary action, if publicly available. As with tenant screening, there are dozens of companies
providing pre-employment screening services. Not every company will have a report on every employee. In
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some cases, a report will be available only if an employer previously requested a copy. Here’s a sampling of
a few of them along with links to their instructions on how to request your copy of their report:
 http://www.employeescreen.com/requests/disclosure.asp EmployeeScreenIQ.
 http://www.verificationsinc.com/eng/whoweare/applicant_information.cfm Verifications.
 https://www.theworknumber.com/Employees/DataReport/ The Work Number.
 http://www.hireright.com/Consumers-Applicants.aspx HireRight.
 http://www.fadv.com/uploadedFiles/Screening_And_Assessment/I9_EVerify_Solutions/FreeRepo
rt_requestforcopyofconsumerreportpacket.pdf First Advantage.
[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Maryalene LaPonsie | Dec. 04, 204 ++
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Korean Comfort Women
► Victims of Japanese WWII Troops
Every Wednesday, a group of South Koreans gather across the street from the Japanese
Embassy in Seoul to voice their displeasure over how Japanese troops treated the so-called
South Korean “comfort women” during World War II. They want the Japanese government to
issue an official state apology and provide reparations to those forced into military
prostitution. The protests are rather peaceful, as adults, children, nuns and even some of the
women forced into sexual slavery, demand Japan to make amends. Protest organizers started
their weekly protest Jan. 8, 1992, and have held more than 1,000 demonstrations since then.
Adults and children hold a protest across the street from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South
Korea, on May 21, 2014
In 2011 — to mark the 1,000 gathering — organizers erected the Pyeonghwa-bi, Peace
Monument, a statue of a teenaged Korean girl sitting on a chair facing the Japanese Embassy.
The barefoot girl, with her hands resting in her lap, respresents all Korean comfort women.
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The small bird on her left shoulder is said to represent freedom and peace. The issue over
comfort women periodically has strained relations between South Korea and Japan. Japan has
held the longstanding position that a 1965 treaty between the two countries settled any
compensation to South Korea over Japanese colonial rule. In 2007, the U.S. House of
Representatives passed a nonbinding resolution that called for Japan to apologize for forcing
women into prostitution. [Source: Stars & Stripes | Armando R. Limon | Jun 02, 2014 ++]
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Korean Comfort Women Update 01
► Victims Of History
Former sex workers who have sued the South Korean government, claiming it encouraged them to prostitute
themselves to U.S. troops after the Korean War, have their first court hearing 19 DEC. The 122 elderly
women are asking for more than $1.2 million, an official apology from the government and an investigation
into South Korea’s oversight of their work. The South Korean government and Justice Minister Hwang Kyoahn were named in the suit, which alleges that Seoul began encouraging the women to work as prostitutes
for U.S. servicemembers in the 1950s, a practice that continued into the 1970s. A ministry litigation officer
declined to comment on the case. “They were victims of history,” said Kim Mikyoung, one of the attorneys
for the women. She was one of several people who confirmed the contents of the lawsuit, filed June 25. The
Seoul Central District Court would not provide a copy to Stars and Stripes, citing rules that bar the general
release of such documents.
Until recent years, the former prostitutes’ history has been relatively unknown. But experts have said that
the South Korean government, fearing that the U.S. would withdraw its troops from the peninsula,
encouraged the women to prostitute themselves to U.S. servicemembers to keep them happy and to bring
American dollars into a struggling economy. Many of the now elderly women still live outside the bases they
once served. In Anjeong-ri, a neighborhood within sight of Camp Humphreys, many of the women have lived
in squalid housing, unable to afford better in an area where rent has skyrocketed as the base has expanded.
Experts say most of the women have had difficult lives, many unable to find husbands and some giving birth
to children fathered by U.S. troops. Some of the women gave their children up for adoption or raised them in
relative isolation because of the dual stigmas of being an unwed mother and having interracial children.
The government insisted the women register at clinics for regular health checks. A story in Stars and
Stripes from Nov. 2, 1971, described how U.S. and Korean officials monitored the health of U.S.
servicemembers and the prostitutes. Soldiers with venereal disease were treated and asked to identify the
prostitutes they had been involved with from books of photos of every prostitute treated at a Korean
government health clinic. A U.S. military vice control team would then help South Korean police locate the
women and take them to an “isolation ward” for mandatory treatment, usually consisting of twice-daily
penicillin shots for four days. A bill calling for financial support for the women’s living expenses and
additional research into the government’s involvement and its alleged oversight of the women is pending in
the National Assembly. An aide to Kim Kwangjin, one of 10 lawmakers who sponsored the bill, filed this
summer, said police and health centers told the women they were conducting “patriotic acts” with U.S. troops.
“This bill is to let people know that the women are victims and the state needs to take responsibility for
them,” he said.
Lee Na-young, a sociology professor at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, said Seoul is unlikely to concede
that it encouraged prostitution. “South Korea achieved its national security by using women’s bodies and
sex,” she said. The women have had little money or backing to sue the government, she said. But increased
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attention on another group known in South Korea as “comfort women,” who were forced into sexual slavery
during the Japanese occupation, has benefitted the former prostitutes. Both groups support each other, with
the former prostitutes attending weekly rallies that the comfort women hold outside the Japanese Embassy
in Seoul. The U.S. military has said it is aware of the case but declined to comment on the women’s claims
or the lawsuit. A statement issued after the suit was filed, said U.S. Forces Korea has zero tolerance for
prostitution. [Source: Stars and Stripes | Ashley Rowland and Yoo Kyong Chang | Dec. 18, 2014 ++]
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Jewelry Tips
► Jeweler Tricks of the Trade
The lights and tinsel may not be the only things glittering around your Christmas tree. Jewelry is a gift-giving
favorite, and nearly one-quarter of shoppers plan to give a little bling this holiday season, according to the
National Retail Federation. If you’re planning to buy your loved ones jewelry, some simple knowledge will
help you keep more gold in your pocket, and not in the pocket of some unscrupulous jeweler. Money Talks
News founder Stacy Johnson describes some jeweler tricks of the trade in a video. Check it out at
http://www.moneytalksnews.com/tricks-the-trade-jewelers/?all=1, then read on for more tips.
Find reputable jewelers - A good starting point is asking friends and family for jewelry store
recommendations. Look for membership in the American Gem Society. Also, check them out with the Better
Business Bureau and search for online complaints.
In-store tips - Here are some jeweler tricks of the trade to be aware of when you walk in the store:
 Inflated discounts. If the clerk is saying the ring has been discounted by 50 percent or more, be wary.
The profit margin in jewelry is not high enough to make a discount like that probable. Also be on
guard for a high appraisal and a low selling price.
 Hidden flaws. The setting of a ring can be used to hide flaws in a diamond or other gemstone. When
you’re buying a diamond, you’ll want to examine it with a jeweler’s loupe. Ask the jeweler to show
you how to use it properly.
 Tricky lighting. Make sure you examine the diamond or other gem in different types of lighting,
including natural lighting. The store’s lighting might make cloudiness or other imperfections
difficult to see.
 Enhancements. Has the stone been treated to remove or hide imperfections? You’ll want to ask.
Consumer Reports says, “Sapphires and rubies are often subjected to high heat to improve their
transparency and color. And there are a number of techniques to improve the clarity of diamonds,
including laser drilling, which can vaporize tiny carbon specks. The holes are so small they’re very
difficult to see. But if you look at the side of the stone in very bright light it might show some thin
“threads.” Sometimes a chemical is used to fill small cracks in a diamond to make it appear more
brilliant”.
 Pressure sales tactics. Beware of jewelers who pressure you to make a purchase. Instead, take the
time to compare jewelry at several stores.
Now, let’s look at what you’ll need to know after you’ve decided what type of jewelry you’ll be purchasing
and before you head to the store. You’ve got to study up to be sure you’re getting a quality product at a fair
price. Both the American Gem Society and the Jewelry Information Center, which is run by the Jewelers of
America, have extensive guides (http://www.jic.org/?page=jewelry-education) to buying diamonds, gold and
other high-end jewelry. They also provide a Gem encyclopedia http://www.gia.edu/gem-encyclopedia to
further your understanding of what to look for.
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Diamonds - Don’t rely on the salesperson behind the counter to tell you how beautiful a stone is. You need
to know how to recognize quality yourself. See “A Man’s Guide to Buying Diamonds in 5 Simple Steps” at
http://www.moneytalksnews.com/a-mans-guide-to-buying-diamonds-in-5-simple-steps/ But, briefly, here is
what you should be looking for. Focus on the four C’s – color, cut, clarity and carats. These determine the
value of a diamond.
 Colorless diamonds are the most valuable and the rarest. The Gemological Institute of America
developed a color scale, ranging from D (meaning the diamond is colorless) to Z. Those further
down in the alphabet are more yellow. To see a diamond’s true color, don’t look at it against a black
background. Instead, look at it against white, so you can see how the diamond contrasts with the
white background.
 Each stone should be cut using a precise mathematical formula, which is designed to bring out its
brilliance and fire. If the cut is too deep or too shallow, the diamond will lose some luster.
 Clarity describes a diamond’s imperfections and irregularities and is graded from flawless to
imperfect. Examine the diamond with a loupe to look for flaws.
 Carats indicate the weight of a diamond, and 142 carats equals 1 ounce. Larger diamonds are rarer,
making them typically worth more per carat.
Other gemstones - Jewelry with colored gemstones, such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds, also are popular
gifts. Keep these things in mind:
 Natural gemstones have been mined, and some may be enhanced to improve their color and
durability. But the treatment may reduce the gem’s value. The effects of some treatments also may
wear off over time, or mean your piece requires special care, according to the American Gem
Society.
 The seller should disclose whether the gemstone has been enhanced and if any special care is
required.
 You also may encounter synthetic stones, which have been created in the laboratory. They’re
identical to natural gemstones, but because they haven’t been mined they aren’t as rare or as costly.
 There also are imitation stones, which resemble gems, but could be glass, plastic or an inexpensive
stone.
Gold - If you’re in the market for gold:
 A karat mark disclosing the percentage of pure gold in the piece is very common, although it’s not
required. Consumer Reports says: “But any piece of jewelry that displays a karat mark must also be
stamped with the manufacturer’s trademark. A piece that has a karat mark but no manufacturer’s
trademark should always raise a red flag.”
 While pure gold is 24K, it’s very soft and easy to damage, so gold is usually alloyed with other
metals, such as silver and copper, to make it more durable. An 18K gold piece is 75 percent pure
gold.
 The higher the karats, the more expensive the piece will be.
 Jewelry must be at least 10K to be sold as gold in the U.S.
Keep your records - To protect yourself, make sure you get all the details of your purchase in writing. Your
sales receipt or an appraisal is considered a contract and can be used to prove what the jeweler told you.
With diamonds or gemstones, request a grading report from an independent gemological lab, and be sure to
keep it with your new treasure.
[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Susan Ladika | Dec. 17, 2014 ++]
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106
Photos That Say it All
► Father and Son
*******************************
WWII Advertising
► Mrs. Peek’s Puddings
107
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Normandy Then & Now
► Carentan France
June 6, 1944: US Army paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division drive a captured German
Kubelwagen at the junction of Rue Holgate and RN13 in the Normandy town of Carentan. Above
the same junction as it appears today.
*******************************
Have You Heard?
►
Navy beat Army
Guy walks into a bar and trailing behind is an old, mangy dog who promptly curls up in a corner and goes to
sleep as the guy is bellying up to the bar.
Bartender comes over and says: "No dogs allowed in here, you'll have to put him outside."
Guy says: "You can see he's an old dog, it's cold out there and I take him everywhere. If he can do a trick
you like will you let him stay?"
Bartender says: "Him do a trick? That I would like to see."
Guy goes up to the dog and yells: "Navy beat Army". Dog's ears immediately come up, he pops up, jumps
on the bar, does fourteen back flips, barks out the rhythm of Anchors Weigh, jumps off the bar and promptly
goes back to sleep in the corner.
Bartender says: "That really is something - what does he do when Army beats Navy?"
Guy replies: "I don't know - he's just fourteen years old."
*********************************
Words You Don't Hear anymore




Put a dish towel over the cake so the flies won't get on it.
Quit jumping on the floor! I have a cake in the oven and you are going to make it fall if you don't
quit!
Let me know when the Fuller Brush man comes by, I need to get a few things from him
You boys stay close by, the car may not start and I will need you to help push it off.
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108
They Grew Up to Be?
► Shawna Waldron | Little Giants 1994
Shawna Waldron
*********************************
Interesting Ideas ►
Trash Container Tip
Drill holes in bottom of container to make pulling or taking filled trash bags easier to remove
********************************
Moments of US History
► B-17E Personnel 1942
The thirty-six men needed to fly and service a B-17E in 1942
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4. New subscribers and those who submit a change of address should receive a message that verifies their
addition or address change being entered in the mailing list. If you do not receive a message within 7 days
it indicates that either I never received you request, I made an error in processing your request, or your server
will not allow me to send to the email addee you provided. Anyone who cannot reach me by email can call
(951) 238-1246 to ask questions or confirm info needed to add them to the directory.
5. If you have another email addee at work or home and would like to also receive Bulletin notices there
also, just provide the appropriate email addee to [email protected].
6. Past Bulletin articles are available by title on request to [email protected]. Refer to the RAO Bulletin
Index alphabetically listing of article and attachment titles previously published in the Bulletin. The Index
is available under pinned topics at http: //s11.zetaboards.com/CFLNewsChat/forum/27519/ or
http://w11.zetaboards.com/CFLNewsChat/topic/10387883/1. Bear in mind that the articles listed on this
index were valid at the time they were written and may have since been updated or become outdated.
7. The Bulletin is normally published on the 1st and 15th of each month. To aid in continued receipt of
Bulletin availability notices, recommend enter the email addee [email protected] into your address
book. If you do not receive a Bulletin check one of the below links before sending me an email asking if one
was published. If you can access the Bulletin at any of the links it indicates that something is preventing
you from receiving my email. Either your server considers it to be spam or I have somehow incorrectly
entered or removed your addee from the mailing list. Send me an email so I can verify your entry on the
validated mailing list. If you are unable to access the Bulletin at any of these sites let me know.
TO READ OR DOWNLOAD THE ABOVE ARTICLES, ATTACHMENTS, OR PAST
BULLETINS REFER TO:
-- http://www.nhc-ul.com/rao.html (PDF Edition w/ATTACHMENTS)
-- http://www.veteransresources.org (PDF & HTML Editions w/ATTACHMENTS)
-- http://frabr245.org (PDF & HTML Editions in Word format)
-- http://veteraninformationlinksasa.com/retiree-assistance-office.html (HTML Edition)
-- http://www.veteransresources.org/rao-bulletin (past Bulletins)
-- http://w11.zetaboards.com/CFLNewsChat/topic/10387883/1 (Index of Previous Articles 140701)
== To subscribe first add the RAO email addee [email protected] to your address book and/or white
list. Then send to this addee your full name plus either the post/branch/chapter number of the fraternal
military/government organization you are currently affiliated with (if any) “AND/OR” the city and
state/country you reside in so your addee can be properly positioned in the directory for future recovery.
Subscription is open to all veterans, dependents, military/veteran support organizations, and media.
== To change your email addee or Unsubscribe from Bulletin distribution click the “Change address / Leave
mailing list” tab at the bottom of the Bulletin availability notice that advised you when the current Bulletin
was available.
== To manually submit a change of email addee provide your old and new email addee plus full name.
*********************************
Lt. James “EMO” Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Editor/Publisher RAO Bulletin
RAO Baguio, PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517-1000
Tel: (951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the Philippines.
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Email: [email protected]
Bulletin Web Access: http://www.nhc-ul.com/rao.html, http://www.veteransresources.org, or
http://frabr245.org
Office: Red Lion, 92 Glen Luna, cnr Leonard Rd & Brent Rd., Baguio City, 2400 Philippines
FPO Mail Pickup: TUE & THUR 09-1100 --- Outgoing Mail Closeout: THUR 1100
AMVETS | DAV | NAUS |NCOA | MOAA | USDR | VFW | VVA | CG33 | DD890 | AD37 |TSCL member
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