Rao bulletin 15 April 2016 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles
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- * Vet Legislation * .
- * MILITARY HISTORY * .
- * HEALTH CARE * .
- * GENERAL INTEREST * .
- * ATTACHMENTS * .
- NDAA for 2017 ► Timeline
- DoD Disability Retirement Update 04 ► Severance Pay Wrongfully Taxed
- Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas is one of the senators working to pass the legislation
- Navy Shipbuilding Plan ► Five Year | $81 Billion
- POW/MIA Update 70 ► Status as of March 26, 2016
- As of March 26, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,621
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BULLETIN 15 April 2016 HTML Edition THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES Pg Article Subject * DOD * . 04 == NDAA for 2017 --------------------------------------------------- (Timeline) 05 == DoD Disability Retirement [04] -- (Severance Pay Wrongfully Taxed) 06 == Navy Shipbuilding Plan ------------------------- (Five Year | $81 Billion) 07 == POW/MIA [70] ----------------------------- (Status as of March 26, 2016) 09 == POW/MIA [71] ----------------------- (Bone Fragments Returned to U.S) 10 == POW/MIA Recoveries ------------------ (Reported 01 thru 15 Apr 2016) * VA * . 17 == VA Whistleblowers [43] ----- (OSC | Inadequate Follow-up In 3 Cases) 18 == VA Appeals [22] --------- (White House Want Congressional Overhaul) 19 == DIC+SBP [07] ----- (MOAA to Lobby Congress on Proposed Changes) 19 == VA Commission on Care [02] -------- (Eliminate All VAMCs & OPCs) 21 == VA Commission on Care [03] --------------- (Strawman Paper Clarified) 22 == VA Vet Choice Program [37] ----------- (Des Moines Vet’s Frustration) 23 == VA Vet Choice Program [38] -- (Behind $878M in Vet Care Payments) 25 == VA Structure ------------------ (Understanding the Divisions & Services) 26 == Agent Orange Diseases [03] - (3 under Review for Presumptive Status) 27 == VA Caregiver Program [33] -- (Blindness Not Considered a Disability) 28 == Arizona Vet Cemetery [02] ------------------------ (Marana Site Opening) 29 == VA Lawsuit --------------------- (Wrongful Death | Tom Young Suicide) 30 == VA Lawsuit | Gila River Indians --------------- (Withholding Payments) 31 == VA HBPC [01] --------- (Servicing Health Care Needs in Vet’s Homes) 32 == VA Claims Processing [15] ------ (14,000 Fiduciary Errors Discovered) 33 == GI Bill [202] ------------------------------ (Stipend for Work Vice School) 34 == Reserve Drill Pay [01] --------- (VA Benefit Impact | Pay Back Option) 35 == VA Agent Orange Claims [06] ----- (Inadequate Contractor Screening) 36 == VA Services [01] ------------------ (Bad Ideas to Improve Them | DAV) 37 == VA Hepatitis C Care [12] ------------------ (Estimated Cost $1B a Year) 38 == VA Disability Evaluation System [02] -------- (Medical Exam Reports) 38 == VA Reform [03] ----------------------------- (Separating Myth from Fact) 39 == VA Health Care Access [35] --------------------- (Initiatives & Progress) 41 == VA Health Care Access [36] ------------------ (Wait Time Falsification) 41 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ------------- (Reported 1 thru 15 APR 2016) 44 == VAMC St. Cloud MN [01] --------------- (New Debt Collection Policy) 44v== VAMC Salem VA ------------ (Battlefield Acupuncture | Pain Reducer) 45 == VA OPC Youngstown OH ------ (Missing Man Memorial Controversy) 46 == VA OPC Youngstown OH [01] --------------- (MRFF Director Resigns)
47 == VetsNet ---------- (Vet Assistance for Federal Vet Program Ineligibles) 47 == Army Emergency Relief [01] --------------------- (Financial Assistance) 48 == American GI Forum ----- (In Need of Younger Members | All Creeds) 49 == Vet Charity Watch [57] ------- (Former WWP Exec’s Media Criticism) 51 == Burn Pit Toxic Exposure [36] ------- (Vet Denied VA Treatment Dies) 52 == Hero Corps ------- (Fighters against Online Child Sexual Exploitation) 54 == Vet Jobs [185] -------------------------------------- (UberMilitary Drivers) 55 == Vet Jobs [186] ----------------------- (OPM Lacks Vet Advocacy Office) 56 == Veterans in Government [01] ------- (Most Lack Military Background) 57 == Korean War Vets ------------------------------ (Gen. Richard E. Cavazos) 60 == Vietnam Vets [14] ------------------------------------------- (Jim Northrup) 62 == 22Kill Vet Advocacy Gp - (Criticized for Accepting Trump Donation) 63 == WWII Vets 105 ---------------------------------------------- (Cole~Richard) 65 == Obit: Crow~Joe Medicine | Last Crow Chief ------------- (3 APR 2016) 67 == Obit: Cafferata Hector A | MOH -------------------------- (12 APR 2016) 68 == Retiree Appreciation Days --------------------------- (As of 12 Apr 2016) 68 == Vet Hiring Fairs ------------------------------- (16 Apr thru 14 May 2016) 69 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts ----------------- (New Hampshire 2016)
71 == Path Act ----------------------------------- (S.185 | Antibiotic Drug Access) 71 == Vet Groin Injury Legislation -- (H.R.4892 | Loss of Use Compensation) 72 == Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act - (H.R.3870 | Passage Unlikely) 74 == VA Suicide Prevention [31] --- (H.R.2915/S.2487 | Female Prevention) 75 == Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ------------ (160401 thru 160415) * MILITARY * . 76 == Military Tattoo Criteria [06] ----------------------- (Navy Easing Policy) 77 == Military Tattoo Criteria [07] ----------------- (Air Force Policy Review) 78 == GI Bill [203] -------------- (VA Tuition Assistance “Top-up” Program) 79 == Army Appearance Standards ----------- (Beard, Hair, Turban Waivers) 80 == Other than Honorable Discharge [04] ------------------ (All Time High) 80 == ACTUV [01] --------------------------- (USN Speed Testing Robot Ship) 81 == USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60) ------- (Leaving Hawaii after 20 Years) 82 == Military Retirement Choice ------------- (Updated Calculator Released) 82 == Debt Collection [11] - (Military Members Lodge19,000+ Complaints) 84 == USS Zumwalt [06] - (Reflective Material Added to Increase Visibility) 85 == USMC Osprey Crash Apr 8, 2000 - (Family Finds Truth – And Peace) 85 == Archive Photo of the Day ---------- (Suresnes, France September 1952) 86 == Medal of Honor Citations ------------------- (Baker, Thomas A | WWII)
88 == Civil War Monument Controversy - (New Orleans Removal Backlash) 89 == Bataan Death March ------------------------------------ (74th Anniversary) 91 == The Hump’s Casualties --------------------------------- (Recovery Efforts) 93 == WWII Little Known Facts ---------------------------- (First German KIA) 93 == Military History ------------------------------- (Battle of La Drang Valley) 95 == Korean War Remembrances [02] -------------------- (William R. Taylor) 98 == Military History Anniversaries --------------------------- (16 thru 30 Apr) * HEALTH CARE * . 98 == Hospice Care [04] --------------- (Six Beliefs That Are Totally Wrong) 100 == TRICARE Prime [36] --------------- (New Urgent Care Pilot Program) 100 == Dietary Supplements [02] - 14 Contain Banned Ingredient Oxilofrine) 101 == PTSD [208] -------------------- (Mindfulness Training | A Ray of Hope) 103 == Zika Virus ---------------------------------- (Military Hubs Most At Risk) 104 == Kidney Disease [04] -------------------------- (Controlling Risk Factors) 106 == TRICARE Use While Traveling [04] ------------------ (How to Obtain) 107 == TRICARE Nurse Advice Line [04] ------------ (Right Choice for Care) 107 == Milk ------------------------------ (Fat Content Study | Recommendation) 108 == Migraines [01] --------------------- (Neuromodulation | New Treatment) 109 == Cohen Veterans Network --------------------- (Free Mental Health Care)
111 == Postal Rates [03] --------------------------- (First Decrease in 100 Years) 112 == Tax Program Leaks ---- (Cyberthieves’ latest Target | Your tax forms) 113 == Credit Card Data Theft -------------------------- (New Ways of Stealing) 115 == Saving Money ---------------------- (Household Cleaners | $300 a Year) 117 == Closing Cost Scam ----------------------------------------- (How it Works) 118 == ATM Scam [01] ----------------------------- (Skimming On the Increase) 119 == Sweepstakes Check Scam --------------------------------- (How it Works) 120 == Tax Burden for Florida Retired Vets ------------------ (As of Apr 2016)
122 == DataUSA --------------------- (How to Obtain Info on a City of Interest) 123 == Radioactive Bombs --- (How the U.S. Made Dropping Them Routine) 126 == Happy Birthday Song --------------------------------------------- (History) 127 == Groceries ------------------------- (21 Tricks to Make them Last Longer) 129 == Remember When --------------------------------------------- (Nostalgia (4) 130 == Brain Teaser -------------------------------------------------- (Date | Phrase) 130 == Have You Heard? --------------------- (The Balcony | The Scottish Cop) 131 == Brain Teaser Answer ---------------------------------------- (Date | Phrase)
2. Numbers contained within brackets [ ] indicate the number of articles written on the subject. To obtain previous articles send a request to raoemo@sbcglobal.net. * ATTACHMENTS * . Attachment - Veteran Legislation as of 13 Apr 2016 Attachment - New Hampshire Vet State Benefits & Discounts Apr 2016 Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 16 thru 30 APR Attachment - Joint VSO Ltr to CoC dtd 1 APR 2016 Attachment - VA OIG Wait Time Report Summary 2016 Attachment - Major Brooks Gruber’s Vindication * DoD *   
NDAA for 2017 ► Timeline Almost all our top Department of Defense legislative goals will appear (or not appear) in the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act. Because this is an election year both the House and Senate have created very tight timelines to handle the passage of the bill. The House usually is much faster than the Senate so here is their stated schedule. Remember this is just their plan. And many plans do not pan out. But the schedule gives you a feeling of what is happening and how much time we have in the House. The 2017 NDAA Markup Schedule is:
[Source: TREA Washington Update | April 4, 2016 ++] ******************************** DoD Disability Retirement Update 04 ► Severance Pay Wrongfully Taxed Veterans who had to medically retire from the military because of combat-related injuries during the last two decades have lost out on thousands of dollars in severance pay because the Defense Department improperly taxed those payments. It’s unclear how many veterans have been affected, but the nonprofit National Veterans Legal Services Program estimated it could be close to 14,000 vets who were wrongfully taxed, going back as far as 1991, for a total of $78 million in lost compensation. NVLSP, along with Republican Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, are working now to pass legislation requiring Defense to fix the problem, and reimburse all those affected. 
Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas is one of the senators working to pass the legislation Since 1991, federal law has stipulated that the government is not supposed to withhold taxes from the one-time lump sum disability severance pay given to veterans forced to leave the service because of combat-related injuries. But that’s what has happened, costing vets on average roughly $5,000 in lost pay, according to NVLSP estimates. The amount of lost compensation, though, could vary widely among individual vets, depending on the amount of the lump sum received, said Thomas Moore, project manager for NVLSP’s Lawyers Serving Warriors initiative. NVLSP uncovered the decades-old, systemic problem during an unrelated review of some combat-injured vets’ financial documents, which revealed the discrepancy. Defense has known about the problem for years, but has yet to come up with a comprehensive solution that prevents it from happening in the first place. Basically, it’s up to veterans to figure it out for themselves and recoup the money. They can either request a direct tax refund from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, if it occurs during the same tax year as their separation, or file an amended tax return with the Internal Revenue Service if the disbursement is within the three-year statute of limitations for filing amended tax returns. The onus should not be on the veteran to unwind and correct the mistake, Moore said. “It should have never been an issue to begin with. They should been paid their full amount without jumping through hoops.” The accounting error related to taxes and disability severance payments might stem from the system’s shortcomings when identifying DSP categories. While combat-injured vets receiving DSP aren’t supposed to be taxed on that payment, the government does withhold taxes on disability severance payments for service members who are separated because of non-combat-related injuries. “Going forward, the department is working on a process to allow tax withholding decisions to be made with respect to the second group of members based on information available prior to separation,” said DoD spokesman Matthew Allen, over email. “In addition, the department is working on improving the process to ensure that members separated for combat-related disabilities do not have taxes withheld from their separation pay. When implemented, these process changes should greatly reduce the risk of tax withholding errors.” Defense also doesn’t know how many veterans were improperly taxed but “does not believe the problem is as widespread as recent reports might suggest,” Allen said. The 2016 Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act will require the department to identify affected veterans, notify them, and ensure the government pays them back. It also extends the statute of limitations on amended tax returns for affected veterans so that “those who were wronged long ago can still receive their full and proper payments,” Warner said. Between 10,000 and 11,000 service members are medically retired from duty each year, and that group includes those separated because of combat-related injuries. “DoD has unjustly withheld taxes despite clearly-written federal law and a court opinion to the contrary,” said Boozman. “We have a responsibility to right this wrong and ensure that our nation’s wounded veterans receive the benefits they are rightfully due.” Allen said that the Defense Department “does its best to uphold its legal obligations to withhold taxes for the Treasury absent clear evidence that the payments are not subject to income tax.” Brandon Davis, an Army veteran discharged in 2005 because of combat-related injuries he suffered while serving in Iraq, lost $8,000 because Defense mistakenly taxed his disability severance pay. “I recall hearing that there was a computer problem related to disability severance payments, but no one ever explained what I needed to do to recover the money that was taken from me,” said Davis, who lives in Arkansas and supports the Boozman-Warner bill. “This money would have helped me and my family as we adjusted to life after being discharged from the military. Because 11 years have passed since the money was taken, now I have no way to get it back unless this legislation is passed.” [Source: GovExec.com | Kellie Lunney | April 07, 2016 ++] ******************************** Navy Shipbuilding Plan ► Five Year | $81 Billion The U.S. Navy will seek $81.4 billion to buy 38 warships, submarines and support vessels in the next five years, according to new budget figures from the service. The dollar size of the proposal for fiscal 2017 through 2021, which Assistant Secretary for Acquisition Sean Stackley outlined 6 APR to a Senate Armed Services Committee panel, is largely in keeping with last year’s five-year plan. But it cuts 10 vessels, including previously announced reductions to the troubled Littoral Combat Ship. Still, the plan will provide reassurance for Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., General Dynamics Corp., which owns Bath Iron Works, Lockheed Martin Corp. and Austal Ltd. The five-year figures are of value to investors and analysts who follow shipbuilding companies and their subcontractors, such as Raytheon Co., which specializes in maritime combat electronic systems and self-defense systems. It’s also of note to lawmakers who represent the primary shipbuilding states – including Virginia, Maine, Alabama, Mississippi and Connecticut – and to unions in the industry. The plan calls for spending about $14.7 billion on seven vessels next year, $16.8 billion on eight in fiscal 2018, $16.2 billion on seven in 2019, $16.9 billion on eight in 2020 and $16.8 billion on eight vessels in 2021. Separately, Stackley disclosed that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier – the most expensive warship ever at a projected $12.9 billion – will be delivered in September, one year later than was projected in 2014 and two years later than the original schedule. The new Navy plan proposes bankrolling one new frigate each in fiscal 2019 and 2020 and two in 2021, for a total of $3 billion. These are the first of as many as eight better-armored and more survivable versions of the Littoral Combat Ship that Defense Secretary Ash Carter and his predecessor Chuck Hagel directed to be built. The Navy plans to hold a competition for the frigate program, selecting between Lockheed and Austal, which both currently build versions of the Littoral Combat Ship. The five-year plan also updates funds earmarked to start work on replacing the Ohio-class nuclear missile submarine. The service plans to spend $9.25 billion through fiscal 2021, up from the $5.7 billion it planned to spend through 2020 in last year’s plan. The boost comes from $3.6 billion earmarked in 2021 to begin construction. The Navy last week announced that General Dynamics will be the prime contractor, with Huntington Ingalls the subcontractor. General Dynamics will receive a contract later this year to produce the diagrams, drawings and information necessary to start construction. [Source: Portland Press Enterprise | Tony Capaccio | April 06, 2016 ++] ******************************** POW/MIA Update 70 ► Status as of March 26, 2016 There are 1,621 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,264 (VN-466, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss.) The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility. Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels. After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, now allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. The Lao Government permits DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to full time incountry; however, is still far too limited in terms of operating outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, there are still challenges that must be addressed and resolved. Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries. The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterparts. These challenges are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam's forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Live Sightings: As of February 22, 2016, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below: Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total 36 3 1 14 1 55 Accountability: At the end of the Vietnam War, there reportedly were 2,583 unaccounted-for American prisoners, missing or killed in action/body not recovered. As of March 26, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,621 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 962 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but eight of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 962 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,025. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org [Source: National League of Families Of American Prisoners And Missing in Southeast Asia | Status Report | March 26, 2016 ++] ******************************** Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2016 2016 -> 2017 afoCo Landmark Scholarship Program 2016 -> Instructions for the Preparation of Camera-Ready Contributions to the Conference Proceedings 2016 -> Step student Scholarships for Year 10-13 2016 -> The united church of canada 2016 -> Idan raichel biography – May 2016 Brief Producer, keyboardist, Lyricist, composer and Performer Idan Raichel 2016 -> An introduction to centre’s interventions expanding access to justice 2016 -> Sanchar Shakti 2016 -> Unit analysis should help here. We want number of bananas 2016 -> The Autobiography of Elder Joseph Bates 2016 -> The Great Heat and the Rhode Island Deep Water Bay Scallop (Argopecten irradians) Fishery 1875-1905 Download 0.88 Mb. Share with your friends:
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