September 3,
2010 Volume
5, Edition 33
AFSA HEADQUARTERS HAPPENINGS:
TMC MONTHLY MEETING:
As the summer recess for congress ends on September 13 (Monday), we
continue to meet with our partners in The Military Coalition (TMC)
–33 strong– to develop strategies for helping Congress with
making beneficial decisions affecting military servicemembers.
We are preparing for what is expected to be a full calendar of
legislative activities. Though the summer heat will subside, the
heat on Capitol Hill will increase, as cost-cutting measures collide
with pressing needs for the military member – and his/her loved
ones.
The biggest priority on the radar scope today is the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA); we’re tracking what Congress ends up
agreeing on. That means, we’ll closely monitor efforts
affecting the NDAA, and we’ll work hard to keep you, our AFSA
members, current. Your voice will be heard!
We are currently working on TMC healthcare committee goals for 2011;
some of the broad-based areas that we’ll focus on include:
- Wounded Warriors’ Health Care
- TRICARE Premiums / Cost Shares
- Medicare / TRICARE Funding Levels
- Women Veterans' Health Care
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES AND NEWS
We thought you’d be interested in the following chart, showing
how military pay raises track with retirement pay COLA changes.
What’s next for a military pay raise and a COLA increase? We
plan to advocate and educate Capitol Hill on what’s best for our
Airmen and their families. You can count on
that!
COLA AND PAY RAISE HISTORY - 10 YEAR LOOK BACK
Military Pay Raise Fiscal
Year COLA
3.4%
2010
0.0%
3.9%
2009
5.8%
3.5%
2008
2.3%
2.2%
2007
3.3%
3.1%
2006
4.1%
3.5%
2005
2.7%
3.4%
2004
2.1%
4.1%
2003
1.4%
4.6%
2002
2.6%
3.7%
2001
3.5%
AFSA MEMBER BENEFITS
DELL COMPUTERS
Exclusive discounts and promotions for AFSA Members on Dell
notebooks, mini laptops, work stations and much more. Check by logging
on HERE.
FLOWERS FROM FTD.COM
AFSA members can automatically save 15% on floral and gift purchases
by shopping HERE or by calling
(800) SEND-FTD and giving promo code 4578.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Confirmed 2011 Division Conventions dates and locations
Division
1
29 April – 1 May, Holyoke, MA
Division
2
1-3 April, Dover,
DE
Division
5
6-10 April, Jacksonville, FL
Division 610
7-9 April, DeSoto,
TX
Division
8/9 22-23
April, Kansas City,
MO
Division 11/12 17-20 April,
Las Vegas,
NV
Division
13 7-9
April, Sacramento,
CA
Division
16 16
March, Ramstein
AB, Germany
OTHER INFO
VA Publishes Final Regulation to Aid Veterans Exposed to Agent
Orange
Veterans who served in Vietnam anytime during the
period beginning January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, are
presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. The final regulation
follows [Secretary] Shinseki’s determination to expand the list of
conditions for which service connection for Vietnam Veterans is
presumed. VA is adding Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart
disease and expanding chronic lymphocytic leukemia to include all
chronic B cell leukemia’s, such as hairy cell leukemia.
For new claims, VA may pay benefits retroactive to the effective date
of the regulation or to one year before the date VA receives the
application, whichever is later. For pending claims and claims
that were previously denied, VA may pay benefits retroactive to the date
it received the claim.
VA encourages Vietnam Veterans with these three diseases to submit
their applications for access to VA health care and compensation now so
the agency can begin development of their claims.
Individuals can go to a website at http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/AO/claimherbicide.htm
to get an understanding of how to file a claim for presumptive
conditions related to herbicide exposure, as well as what evidence is
needed by VA to make a decision about disability compensation or
survivors benefits.
Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services for
Veterans exposed to the chemical is available at
www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.
The regulation is available on the Office of the Federal Register
website at http://www.ofr.gov/.
AFSA MEMBERS! ARE YOU MOVING? RECENTLY PROMOTED OR
RETIRED?
Let AFSA know your new mailing address, email address, and contact
number. Updating your member information will insure uninterrupted
receipt of SERGEANTS as well as other important member benefits.
Please call toll free, 1-800-638-0594.
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