Fall 2014 RAO Newsletter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
239
YEARS
Y
V
A
N
R
I
T
E
Pearl Harbor Retired Activities Office
Military & Family Support Center
Navy Region Hawaii, Hawaii 96860
R
2014 JBPHH
Annual
Retiree
Seminar
Saturday, November 1
More info on back cover.
BULLETIN
E
E
NAVY
ALOHA,
OCTOBER 2014 EDITION, EXPIRES OCTOBER 1, 2015
FROM THE DI R ECT OR
From the Director....................................................1
Mission of the RAO..................................................2
RAO Volunteers Needed...........................................3
Financially Savvy Retirees........................................4
Social Security Paper Statements Return...................5
Basics of Managing Your Retirement Pay:
Keep Your Information Current.................................6
myPay Simplifies Password Requirements.................8
Tricare for Life (TFL) and VA Health Care..................9
Arranging for an Interment In The National
Memorial Cemetery Of The Pacific (NMCP).............12
IN THIS ISSUE…
Referral Services to Gray Area Retired Reservists....13
Obtaining Retiree Checklist for Survivors................13
June 2014 Retiree Newsletter from DFAS...............13
Just a reminder that your Retired Activities Office (RAO)
is an integral part of the Department of the Navy’s Retired
Activities Program. Your RAO is staffed five days a week
to assist retirees, family members, and survivors directly or
put you in touch with organizations you should contact. Our
phone number is 474-0032. If you don’t get a watch stander,
leave a message and we will get back to you. If you wish to
write us, our postal address is 4827 Bougainville Drive,
Honolulu, HI 96818. If you wish to visit us, we are located in
the Military and Family Support Center, 2nd deck, room 226.
Heads up! Your 2014 Retiree Seminar is fast approaching
– Saturday, November 1 at Hickam Officers’ Club. Doors
Coast Guard Report of Death and Other Pay
and Annuitant Services .........................................14
will open at 7:30 a.m. to pick up your refreshments, stroll
Reporting Air Force Retiree Deaths.........................14
before and during the presentation. The program will begin
All Services’ Retiree Publications............................14
through booths, and get your flu shots which will be offered
at 8:30 a.m. You will find our speakers to be informative
Phone Referrals.....................................................15
as well as welcoming your questions during and after
JBPHH Annual Retiree Seminar 2014.....................16
the presentations.
MISSION OF THE NAVY RETIRED ACTIVITIES OFFICE (RAO)
The RAO is a link between the retiree, local military communities, and other
government and non-government agencies.
Established by Secretary of the Navy
(SECNAV) directive, it is staffed by retiree volunteers to provide information, referral
and follow-up service directly to retirees, family members, and survivors to ensure
they receive service and benefits to which they are entitled.
Our clients are military retirees from all branches of the uniformed services, their
spouses, annuitants, former spouses, significant others, or designated representatives
or guardians who may seek assistance. Spouses are the second most frequent client
and assistance to surviving spouses is a core component of the RAO and one of the
most satisfying areas of service.
Surviving spouses may lack the knowledge and
necessary documentation required to receive all the benefits offered by the Federal
Government to which they are entitled.
The establishment of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) several years ago
energized the synergy between the RAO and the Air Force Casualty Assistance
Services (CAS).
The CAS has a fulltime cadre of personnel dedicated to helping
families of deceased Air Force (AF) retirees and AF Guard/Reserve retired reservists
in reporting the members’ deaths and filing for benefits and entitlements.
Additionally, the RAO and CAS when requested can provide referral services to
Gray Area retired reservists for the review and completion of requirements for their
retirement package issued by their respective service’s Reserve Personnel Center (RPC).
These are retirees who have completed the years of service required but have not reached
the full retirement age of 60 to receive retirement pay.
For more information on this article, call the Navy Retired Activities Office at
(808) 474-0032 or visit us at the MFSC-Fleet & Family Support Center located
at 4827 Bougainville Drive, Moanalua Shopping Center, Honolulu, HI.
The Air Force
Casualty Assistance Services office is located at 655 Vickers Avenue (Building
1105), MFSC-Airman & Family Support Center, Hickam Field, HI and can be reached
at (808) 449-0310.
R AO N E WS L E TTE R • O C TO B ER 201 4 3
The Navy
Retired
Activities
Office
(RAO)
is staffed
by retiree/
spouse
volunteers
from all
our military
services and
you are most
welcome
to join.
R AO
VOLUN
TEERS
NEEDE
D
Our volunteers stand a Watch
(shift) from 2 to 4 hours on a
designated day during the week
for at least six months. Retirees,
spouses, annuitants, and Gray
Area retired reservists are sought
to assist Retirees who have
experienced survivorship or
just have questions.
The RAO is located at the Moanalua Military & Family Support Center,
4827 Bougainville Drive, 2nd Floor, Room 226 (Above PSD).
Call anytime for interviews at (808) 474-0032.
Financially Savvy Retirees
Financially Savvy Retirees
The Military and Family Support Center offers FREE seminars on topics of interest to our
retired population.
26 November 2014 9:30 - 11:00
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
25 February 2015 9:30 – 11:00
Organizing Your Financial Paperwork, Good and Bad about Reverse Mortgages, etc.
27 May 2015 9:30 – 11:00
Wills and Trusts
26 August 2015 9:30 11:00
Sources of Income, Draw down of accounts, cutting back to meet needs
•
•
•
•
All classes are held at the Military and Family Support Center
If you want to register for classes, please call 474-1999
To receive Email notifications and reminders of Military and Family Support Center
seminars/classes, call 474-0087 and provide your Email address
You can also sign up to receive Email reminders at reception desks at the Annual Retiree
Seminar, Saturday, November 1, at Hickam Officers’ Club.
R AO N E WS L E TTE R • O C TO B ER 201 4 5
Social Security Paper Statements Return
For those of you who liked getting your estimated
Social Security Benefits statements by mail, you’re
in luck. The Social Security Administration says it’s
planning to send out paper statements once again
beginning in September 2014.
Not everyone will get one, however. Only workers who
haven’t signed up to review their statements online
will be getting the paper version – and those will be
mailed out only every five years rather than annually,
says SSA spokeswoman Dorothy Clark.
The statement includes an estimate of your monthly
retirement benefits at various claiming ages, from
62 to 70. It also explains how benefits are calculated
and shows a history of your taxable earnings. The
document also displays likely benefits if you were to
become disabled.
Only a fraction of people, about 11 million, have
signed up to use the “My Social Security” website
to get their benefits estimate. For those who have
no Internet access, SSA’s decision to resume mailing statements “is a positive step,” says Gary Koenig,
director of economics security at the AARP Public
Policy Institute.
Workers at ages 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 and older
will get those paper statements by regular mail, the
spokeswoman says. SSA will continue to encourage
workers and retirees to use its online site to create an
account and access their information.
SSA stopped mailing most paper statements in April
2011 due to budget cutbacks. That move saved the
agency about $70 million annually. In February 2012,
the SSA resumed mailing paper statements to people
age 60 and older. A few months later, the SSA said it
would mail a one-time-only statement to workers in
the year in which they turned age 25. Then in October
2012, the mailing of paper statements was once again
suspended due to budget cuts. Workers who had no
Web access could request that a paper statement be
mailed to them.
It’s important to review their statement either online
or using the paper version to make sure their
earnings history is recorded accurately. For those
already receiving benefits, signing up for an online
account allows you to get benefit verification letters,
which can serve as proof of income when applying
for a mortgage or other type of loan. You can also
use the account to change your address and direct
deposit information.
To create an account use www.ssa.gov/myaccount/
SOURCE: http:blog.aarp.org/2014/04/23
DFAS Telephone 1-800-321-1080
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R AO N E WS L E TTE R • O C TO B ER 201 4 7
Here’s
a list of
things
to
check
at least
once a
year
Update your address
You might be surprised to learn that we get a lot of
returned mail. If you’ve moved and haven’t told us, we won’t
know how to reach you. From an audit of your account to a
returned payment, lots of things come up that we need to
contact our members about. Make sure we have a way of
reaching you that is current and correct! Log in to your
myPay account and view your correspondence address as
part of your annual account check-up.
For more ways to update your contact information, consult
our website at: http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/manage/
changeofaddress.html
Update your email address
Make sure we have an email address on file for you and
that it is current. Email is our easiest and fastest way to
communicate with our members. If we have your email
address on file, you will hear news faster and get more
details when it arrives. So go paperless and stay in the know!
Take a minute right now and check to make sure your
addresses are current. At the bottom of your myPay
account menu, select “Email Address” to view the email
addresses you have on file with us. Make sure you indicate
the primary email address you want us to use, and check
the box to indicate if the address is still valid. Delete any old
email addresses you no longer use.
Check your state and federal income tax withholding
If your income changes or if you move to another state, you
should look at any federal or state income tax withholding
information we have in your account.
Don’t wait until April 15 to discover we’ve been deducting
taxes for a state you no longer have to file in!
You can verify and update your tax withholding information
yourself in myPay. Click on your Federal Withholding to see
if your marital status and number of exemptions are correct. Then click on your State Withholding to make sure both the
state and the amount are what you want.
Review your allotments
Review your allotments at least once a year. Check each
allotment and your allotment amounts. Make sure each
allotment is current and the amount is correct. If you need
to stop, start, or change an allotment, see our instructions in
this issue on how to update allotments using myPay http://
www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/manage/allotments.html
Finally, please keep in mind that not all allotments are listed
in myPay. Some common allotments that are not shown
on myPay include Delta Dental, Tricare and NSGLI, all of
which are listed in your latest eRAS. As part of your yearly
audit, you should review your monthly eRAS and verify any
allotments that you can’t change on myPay by contacting
that company or organization directly.
Have there been changes in your family?
When you get married, lose a spouse or have children,
the change can affect a lot on your account. From federal
income tax withholding to Survivor Benefit Plan costs, the
amount of retired pay you receive each month can change.
If there have been any changes in your family, please send
us a copy of the official documentation (marriage license,
divorce decree, death certificate or birth certificate), as well
as a request for how you want us to update your account
and we’ll get things the way they need to be.
Always notify DFAS as soon as possible about a major life
change. You can fax your documents to 1-800-469-6559 or
mail them to DFAS, PO Box 7130, London, KY 40742-7130. Always make sure your Social Security Number is clearly
visible on the document so we will know whose account
to update.
Check your beneficiary designations
Lastly, who have you chosen as a beneficiary for any arrears
of retired pay when you die? Make sure you’re still satisfied
with your designation and check your address book to
confirm that their addresses are up to date. If you have any
questions about what this benefit may be, please see the
“Educate Your Beneficiaries” article in this newsletter.
You can check this information by clicking on the Beneficiary
for Arrears link in myPay. Now you can even make changes
to your designations and update their address information
through myPay.
So pick a date! It doesn’t matter if it’s your retirement date,
birthday or the first of the year. Set a yearly reminder to
look over your account to make sure you’re playing it safe!
SOURCE: June 2014 DFAS Newsletter
myPay Simplifies Password Requirements
Each year, the myPay system is upgraded to meet technical and security requirements, as well as to add new
and improved functions for its 6.6 million account holders. The Spring 2014 release, implemented on May 17,
delivered password rules more in line with the online banking industry standards, while maintaining DFAS’
commitment to system and personal security. A number of functional additions and enhancements for military
retirees, service members and federal civilian employees have been designed to increase our customers’ ability
to easily manage their pay.
What changed for retirees on May 17th?
Simplified passwords: myPay password rules now allow for simpler, more memorable passwords while
ensuring passwords remain strong and more secure. While still meeting the intent of DoD cyber security rules,
passwords can be shorter and will last longer between changes.
Current users who access their account using a log-in password will be able to create a new password between
9 to 30 characters in length. Additionally, the new password will be valid for 150 days. About 10 days before
expiration, users will be notified by SMARTDOCS to change their password.
“Balancing security with usability can be challenging with the state of cyber security today,” said Dave
McDermott, DFAS deputy director for Operations. “This update addresses our customers concerns for creating
simpler, more memorable passwords while ensuring passwords remain strong and more secure.”
Starting May 17th, passwords must:
• Be 9 to 30 characters in length
• Contain at least one UPPERCASE letter
• Contain at least one lowercase letter
• Contain at least one number (0-9)
• Contain at least one of the following special characters: # @ $ ^ ! * + _ %
•Passwords will remain valid for 150 days. About 10 days before expiration, users will be notified via
SMARTDOCS to change their password.
The password reset security questions introduced in 2012 will be very important to allow users to reset
passwords online and avoid calling the DFAS Care Center for assistance.
More information on the myPay Spring 2014 release and the new password requirements are available at the
DFAS website http://www.dfas.mil/mypayinfo.html. Before you create your password, check out our Tips and
Tricks page at http://www.dfas.mil/mypayinfo/password.html
SOURCE: June 2014 DFAS Newsletter
R AO N E WS L E TTE R • O C TOB ER 201 4 9
Tricare for Life (TFL) and VA Health Care
VA providers cannot bill Medicare and Medicare cannot pay for services
received from VA. If you are eligible for both TFL and VA medical benefits
and elect to use your TFL benefit for VA non-service-connected care, you will
incur out-of-pocket expenses when seeing a VA provider. By law, TRICARE
can only pay VA up to 20 percent of the TRICARE-allowable amount. If you
receive care at a VA facility, you may be responsible for the remaining liability.
Your least expensive option is to see a Medicare participating provider.
If you want to seek care from a VA provider, check with WPS to confirm
coverage details and determine what will be covered by TRICARE. For contact
information, see the For Information and Assistance section.
TRICARE FOR LIFE
If you are eligible for TRICARE and have Medicare Parts A
and B, you are automatically covered by TRICARE For Life
(TFL). All TRICARE beneficiaries, including those covered by
TFL, are eligible to use the pharmacy benefit. There is usually
little or no benefit to purchasing a Medicare prescription
drug plan if you have TRICARE. As long as you remain
TRICARE-eligible, you do not need Medicare Part D. For
additional information about TFL, visit www.tricare.mil.tfl.
OTHER HEALTH INSURANCE
TRICARE pays after your other health insurance (OHI)
(except for Medicaid, TRICARE supplements, the Indian
Health Service, and others). To minimize out-of-pocket costs,
fill prescriptions at a TRICARE retail network pharmacy
that your OHI also covers. If you have OHI prescription
coverage, you cannot use TRICARE Pharmacy Home
Delivery unless the medication is not covered by your OHI or
you have met the OHI benefit cap. Visit www.tricare.mil/ohi
for more information.
TRICARE For Life Pharmacy Pilot
The TFL Pharmacy Pilot requires TFL beneficiaries living in
the United States who use select maintenance medication
to fill those prescriptions using TRICARE Pharmacy Home
Delivery or a military pharmacy. *The pilot is required under
the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act.
Maintenance medications are those you use on a regular
basis for chronic health conditions (e.g., high cholesterol,
blood pressure). These do not include medications needed
for a sudden illness infection. You will be notified if any
of your maintenance medications are on the list of select
medications impacted by this pilot. If you continue to get
the select maintenance medication at a retail pharmacy, you
will pay 100 percent of the cost of the medication. To determine if your medication is included under the pilot, call
1-877-363-1303. Most generic medications are not included
in the pilot.
For those who have personal need, hardship, an emergency,
or other special circumstances (e.g., living in a nursing
home), waivers will be available on a case-by-case basis. For
more information, visit www.tricare.mil/tflpilot. *After the
pilot starts, you can opt out after using home delivery to fill
at least one of your prescriptions for one full year.
OVERSEAS
HOW TFL WORKS OVERSEAS
TRICARE is the only payer overseas. Medicare provides
coverage in the United States and U.S. territories (American
Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Medicare also covers health care
services received aboard ships in U.S. territorial waters. In
these locations, TFL works exactly as it does in the United
States. Unless you have OHI, TFL is the second payer after
Medicare for most health care services. Your provider files
the claim with Medicare first. Medicare pays its portion and
automatically forwards the claim to WPS for processing.
Unless you have other health insurance (OHI), TFL is your
primary payer for health care received in overseas locations.
TFL generally provides the same coverage as TRICARE
Standard and has the same deductible and cost-shares
for beneficiaries who live or travel overseas. When seeking
care from a host nation provider, area or country-specific
requirements may also apply. You should be prepared
to pay up front for services and submit a claim to the
TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) claims processor. Claims
for care received overseas are submitted directly to the
TOP claims-processing address for the area where you
received cared.
See the “For Information and Assistance” section for
information and specific processing centers.
OVERSEAS PHARMACY BENEFITS
Overseas, you may fill prescriptions at military pharmacies.
Otherwise, you will need to fill prescriptions at host nation
pharmacies by paying the full cost up front and filing a claim
with the TRICARE Overseas Program claims processor
for reimbursement. You must submit proof of payment
with all overseas pharmacy claims. For more information
about how to file claims for prescriptions filled overseas, visit
www.tricare.mil/pharmacy/claims.
TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery is only available overseas
if you have an APO/FPO address or are assigned to a U.S.
Embassy or State Department. You must have a prescription
written by a U.S-licensed provider. Refrigerated medications
cannot be shipped to APO/FPO addresses. Beneficiaries
residing in Germany cannot use the home delivery option
due to country-specific legal restrictions. If you live in
Germany, fill your prescriptions at military pharmacies or
host nation pharmacies.
Note: In the Philippines, you are required to use TRICAREcertified pharmacy providers. For more information, visit
www.tricare-overseas.com/philippines.htm.
R AO N E WS L E TTE R • O C TO B ER 201 4 11
TRICARE FOR LIFE continued
FOR INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE
Claims addresses are included below. Claims forms are available from the contractor’s Website or www.tricare.mil/claims.
For a list of toll-free contact information, please visit www.tricare–overseas.com.
For additional information, please visit TRICARE Website www.tricare.mil.
TRICARE For Life (TFL)
(United States and U.S. territories)
1-866-773-0404
1-866-773-0405 (TDD/TTY)
www.TRICARE4u.com
WPS TRICARE For Life
P.O. Box 7890 Madison, WI 53707-7890
Medicare
1-800-MEDICARE
(1-800-633-4227)
www.medicare.gov
Social Security Administration
1-800-772-1213
1-800-325-0778 (TDD/TTY)
www.ssa.gov
www.ssa.gov/foreign (overseas)
TRICARE West Region
United HealthCare Military & Veterans
1-877-988-WEST (1-877-988-9378)
www.uhcmilitarywest.com
TRICARE West Region
Claims Department
P.O. Box 7064
Camden, SC 29020-7064
TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP)
Regional Call Center-Eurasia-Africa
+44-20-8762-8384 (overseas)
1-877-678-1207 (stateside)
[email protected]
TRICARE Overseas Program
P.O. Box 8976 Madison, WI 53708-8976
USA
TOP Regional Call Center – Latin America and Canada
+1-215-942-8393 (overseas)
1-877-451-8659 (stateside)
[email protected]
TRICARE Overseas Program
P.O Box 7985 Madison, WI 53707-7985
USA
TOP Regional Call Centers-Pacific
Singapore: +65-6339-2676 (overseas)
1-877-678-1208 (stateside)
[email protected]
Sydney:
+61-2-9273-2710 (overseas)
1-877-678-1209 (stateside)
[email protected]
TRICARE Overseas Program
P.O. Box 7985
Madison, WI 53707-7985
USA
SOURCE: TRICARE Website; www.tricare.mil
Arranging for an Interment in
The National Memorial Cemetery
of the Pacific (NMCP)
Gravesites and niches in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national
cemeteries cannot be reserved in advance. Individuals are encouraged,
however, to prepare in advance by discussing interment options and
desires with their loved ones, and by collecting the veteran’s military
discharge documents for storage in a safe yet accessible place.
VA will provide at no cost to the veteran’s family the following: a gravesite
or columbarium niche; a grave-liner; a grave marker or niche cover;
a Presidential Memorial Certificate; and a U.S. flag (burial flag). VA will
also open and close the grave/niche and provide for its maintenance in
perpetuity at no cost. Services provided by funeral directors and other
related costs, usually including the transportation of remains, must be
paid for by the veteran’s family.
At the time of need, a funeral director or the next of kin should contact
VA’s National Cemetery Administration’s National Scheduling Office at
1-800-535-1117 to begin the process of arranging for interment in a national
cemetery. Please do not call any particular national cemetery before
talking to the staff at the National Scheduling Office.
The same procedures are followed if the veteran’s eligible spouse or
dependent predeceases the veteran. In most cases, one gravesite/niche is
provided for the interment of all eligible family members.
Funeral services are not held at national cemeteries. A 15-minute committal
service or memorial service may be held at the cemetery.
NMCP does not conduct burials on weekends or federal holidays.
VA and the National Cemetery Administration do not provide military
honors at committal services held at VA national cemeteries. These
honors may be provided by local military personnel, veterans organizations
or private groups, who do so upon request.
Only one burial flag may be provided per veteran. Most veterans,
reservists and former reservists are eligible to receive a burial flag. The VA
will also issue a flag on behalf of a service member who was reported as
missing in action and presumed dead.
For additional information or assistance, please write to: National Memorial
Cemetery of the Pacific, 2177 Puowaina Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Or
you may call (808) 532-3720.
SOURCE: NMCP Guidance Oct 2013
R AO N E WS L E TTE R • O C TOB ER 201 4 13
Referral Services to Gray
Area Retired Reservists
Obtaining Retiree
Checklist For Survivors
Both the Navy Retired Activities Office (RAO) and the Air
Force Casualty Assistance Services (CAS), when requested,
can provide assistance to Gray Area retired reservists to
review their retirement package issued by their respective
service’s Reserve Personnel Center (RPC). These are retirees
who have completed the years of service required but
have not reached the full retirement age of 60 to receive
retirement pay. Prior to that date, they should have received
a retirement package with the applicable Application for
Retired Pay Form from the respective RPC’s. Payment of
retired pay is not automatic: a service-specific application
must be submitted within a certain number of days before
reaching the age of 60 or an adjusted earlier pay eligibility
date. This timeframe varies between 90-270 days by
reserve service. If this package is not received within the
timeframe noted, contact your respective services’ RPC
immediately. Guard/Reserve Checklists are available for areas of
consideration and review of applicability as the Gray Area
retired reservist approaches the age of 60. Retired reservists
should consult their RPC, RAO, or CAS for information or
address and contact numbers.
It is a retiree’s obligation to prepare their spouse or next-ofkin for the unforeseen by gathering important documents,
providing practical instructions that will be needed through
difficult times, and most importantly, placing everything in
a safe place that is known and accessible to the surviving
spouse, the executor of the retiree’s will, and/or family
members. While not all inclusive, the following is a list of
such documents:
Information on benefit entitlements and services available
for retired Air Force Guard or reservists (Gray Area retirees)
to include their survivors can be referred to the CAS.
For more information on this article, call the Navy Retired
Activities Office at (808) 414-0032 or visit us at the MFSC
located at 4827 Bougainville Drive, Moanalua Shopping
Center, Honolulu, HI. The Air Force Casualty Assistance
Services office is located at 655 Vickers Avenue (Building
1105), MFSC – Airman& Family Readiness Center, Hickam
Field and can be reached at (808) 449-0310.
Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214; Retirement
Orders; Discharge Certificates; Marriage License; Divorce
papers; Birth Certificates of immediate family; Adoption
papers; Death Certificates; Survivor Benefit Program
Documentation; Retiree Account Statement from Defense
Finance and Accounting Service; Wills; Naturalization
papers; Power of Attorney; Location of bank accounts,
Annuity Plans, Safe Deposit Boxes and Income Tax Returns.
It is absolutely critical that the retiree’s spouse know her
status insofar as survivor benefits are concerned. Far too
many survivors contact the Retired Activities Office and ask
why they did not continue to receive the retiree’s retirement
check after he or she passed away.
Military retirees should make sure that their family members
are aware that they can contact the Retired Activities Office
for assistance in applying for benefits and entitlements in
the event of the retiree’s death or serious illness. A Retiree
Personal Affairs Log and a Casualty Assistance Checklist
are available at the Retired Activities Office to assist you in
getting your personal affairs in order. You may contact the
RAO Office at (808) 474-0032 to get a copy.
June 2014 Retiree
Newsletter from DFAS
For Military Retirees, Annuitants and Former Spouses
The current DFAS Retiree Newsletter is ready for your review. It contains important information about managing
your myPay password, updating your email addresses, and educating your loved ones and beneficiaries.
To access the newsletter, please visit the link below. You will find a list of topics for the newsletter and you will
also have easy access to previous newsletters. The links to the newsletter were consolidated into one link for
your convenience.
http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/newsevents/newsletter.html
If you would like to contact us, please visit AskDFAS (https://corpweb1.dfas.mil/askDFAS/askRA.jsp). There
you will find a list of Frequently Asked Questions organized by category as well as an option to submit a
personalized question.
SOURCE: DFAS email of July 2, 2014 announcing Newsletter
Coast Guard Report of Death and Other Pay and
Annuitant Services
Coast Guard Pay & Personnel Center’s (PPC) Retiree and Annuitant Services (RAS) (Topeka, KS), must be notified upon the
death of a retired member of the Coast Guard, NOAA, or PHS; or a spouse, annuitant, or Former Spouse SBP plan designate.
Members are to also notify PPC-RAS for all other pay and annuitant services.
PPC-RAS then performs the exact same services as Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) does for retirees and
survivors of the Navy, Marines, Air Force, Army, and National Guard.
PPC-RAS telephone number: 800-772-8724
FAX:785-339-3770
SOURCE: PPC Retired Pay Seminar Handout, effective 1/10/14
Reporting Air Force Retiree Deaths
For Air Force retiree deaths, please contact the Hickam Casualty Assistance Representative (CAR) at 449-0310. The CAR
aids families in reporting the death and applying for benefits and entitlements, such as obtaining an ID card, Veterans Affairs
(VA), Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), grief counseling, etc. The CAR can also
assist in coordinating with other agencies, such as Mortuary Affairs, Honor Guard, Air Force Aid Society, etc.
SOURCE: Hickam Casualty Assistance Services Office. June 2012 Files.
ALL SERVICES’ RETIREE PUBLICATIONS
Navy Shift Colors: www.navy.mil
(hover over “Links,” click “Shift Colors”)
Air Force Afterburner: www.retirees.af.mil/afterburner
Marine Corps Semper Fidelis: www.manpower.usmc.mil
(go to “News and Features,” click “Semper Fidelis online”)
Coast Guard Evening Colors: www.uscg.mil/retiree
(click “Retiree Newsletters”)
SOURCE: Shift Colors Spring 2014
R AO N E WS L E TTE R • O C TO B ER 201 4 15
PHONE REFERRALS
Burial At Sea Services.....................................................................................................................................................................................433-4709
Navy CACO & Funeral Honors Support...................................................................................................................................................... 474-1931
Navy Chaplains Office...................................................................................................................................................................................... 473-3971
Coast Guard Retiree and Annuitant Services...............................................................................................................................800-722-8724
Descendent Affairs, TAMC.............................................................................................................................................................................433-4709
DEERS Office............................................................................................................................................................................................ 800-538-9552
Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS)...........................................................................................................................800-321-1080
DFAS FAX................................................................................................................................................................................................. 800-469-6559
DFAS-Retired MY PAY............................................................................................................................................................................ 877-363-3677
Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery...................................................................................................................................................... 808-233-3630
Hickam Air Force Aid Society...................................................................................................................................................................... 449-0314
Hickam Air Force Mortuary Affairs...........................................................................................................................................................449-0660
Hickam Casualty Assistance Services (CAS)..........................................................................................................................................449-0310
Identification (ID) Cards/DEERS (Hickam Field)...................................................................................................................... 449-8624 x1, x1
Identification (ID) Cards/ DEERS (PSD).........................................................................................................................471-2405 x2405/5246
Hickam Military Personnel Flight (MPF) (Hickam Field)................................................................................................................... 449-8624
JBPHH Legal Assistance Office.................................................................................................................................................................... 473-4717
JBPHH Agent Privilege Cards/Pass Office.......................................................................................................................... 471-3627/474-9140
Medicare..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 800-633-4227
Military Operator, Oahu....................................................................................................................................................................................449-7110
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl Cemetery)............................................................................................ 532-3720
National Archives records and Administration Center.............................................................................................................. 866-272-6272
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society..............................................................................................................................................................473-0280
Navy-Marine Corps Mortuary Affairs Office.................................................................................................................................. 866-787-0081
Navy Personnel Command (NPC), Millington, TN....................................................................................................................... 866-827-5672
Navy Personnel Support Detachment (PSD), Pearl Harbor..............................................................................................................471-2405
Navy Retired Activities Office (RAO)........................................................................................................................................................474-0032
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)........................................................................................................................................ 888-767-6738
Report of Death, DFAS...........................................................................................................................................................................800-321-1080
Social Security Administration..............................................................................................................................................................800-772-1213
Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) (APPOINTMENTS)................................................................................................................ 433-0420
United Healthcare Military & Veterans (TRICARE)...................................................................................................................... 877-988-9378
United Healthcare- HAWAII Service Center (TRICARE).....................................................................................................................837-7428
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)....................................................................................................................................... 800-827-1000
Veterans Health Administration (VHA).........................................................................................................................................808-433-0600
Veterans Services (State) (OVS)................................................................................................................................................................ 433-0420
Wisconsin Physicians Service (TRICARE for LIFE)....................................................................................................................866-773-0404
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
COMMANDER NAVY REGION HAWAII (N91)
850 TICONDEROGA STREET SUITE 110
JBPHH, HI 96860
Presorted
Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Honolulu, HI
Permit No. 9192
The Navy Retiree Bulletin is published annually by the Pearl Harbor Navy Retired Activities Office, Military & Family Support Center, Navy
Region Hawaii, as a service to Navy, Air Force, Marine, and Coast Guard Retirees and their families residing in the State of Hawaii. Articles
appearing in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Department of the Navy or Navy Region Hawaii. Direct
inquires and comments to the JBPHH Retired Activities Office, 4827 Bougainville Dr., Honolulu, HI 96818-3174
2014 JBPHH
Annual
Retiree
Seminar
Saturday, November 1 • 7:30 – Noon • Hickam Officer’s Club
(No Reservations Required)
This annual event is open to all Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard
retirees, their spouses and Annuitants. The theme for this years’ Seminar will focus
on Entitlements and Benefits, and putting your personal affairs in order.
Exhibitors will be open at 0730 hours for displaying their literature, handouts, and
giveaways. Flu shots and blood pressure checks will be given. Light refreshments will
be served. Guest speakers begin at 8:30 a.m.
These Seminars and Annual Navy Retiree Bulletins are the ONLY ways we can reach
all retirees and disseminate needed information you so richly deserve. Please join us
and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow retirees.
DIRECTIONS TO HICKAM OFFICERS CLUB
Enter MAIN GATE to Hickam AFB (stay on immediate RIGHT lane which bears onto VANDENBERG Blvd), VANDENBERG Blvd
blends into FOX Blvd going LEFT, Go STRAIGHT LINE THROUGH HOUSING AREA and continue opposite SMALL CIRCLE
onto SIGNER Blvd (3rd RIGHT after entering CIRCLE), OFFICERS CLUB is at the end of SIGNER Blvd. PARKING is available
in front of, on left side, or behind O CLUB.