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AFSA Has Your Back as Battles Take Shape

4/2/2015

2 Comments

 
AFSA Has Your Back as Battles Take Shape

Hello AFSA Nation.  As always, thank you for your continued support of our Association.  We remain ever committed to being “The Voice of the Enlisted.” Your support and membership provide the strength we need to be effective at the Chapter levels, and on Capitol Hill.

2015 has started with a bang!  I hope that you are taking advantage of our new 5 Year for $25 Cyber Membership.  You get all the benefits of a traditional membership with one exception.  You receive a digital copy of our AFSA Magazine rather than a hard copy.  For those members desiring a hard copy, we still have our traditional membership rates and terms.

2015 will be a very busy year from a legislative standpoint.  You can count on AFSA to be there advocating for you when it counts the most.  Sequestration budgets are still putting a squeeze on our military leaders who are fighting to try to make ends meet.  Our troop strength is down challenging our nation’s ability to respond when our Air Force is called into action.  Many key modernization programs are not receiving the funds they need jeopardizing our ability to equip our Airman at needed levels.  In addition, cuts to benefits each and every one of you count on are being proposed.

Here is a short list of things that keep AFSA awake at night that we are addressing.  Your membership dollars are at work!

·      Pay:  The Cost of Living continues to rise each year.  Unfortunately, pay increases and COLA are not keeping pace.  Each year we lose more and more buying power.  The past two years, the 1.8 percent pay raise passed into law by Congress was not upheld.  Instead, we received 1.0 percent which cost many of us hundreds of dollars each year.  We were relieved that some plans to freeze pay raises were not enacted.  However, know that AFSA will tell your story to all of the 535 members of Congress who will listen.  All Airmen wearing the uniform, and those retirees who wore the uniform, deserve pay raises and COLA increases that at least keep up with Cost of Living increases.  We will share this story.

 

·      Healthcare:  Proposed healthcare increases for all military provided services have been proposed.  Increases impact all TRICARE services, prescription costs, co-pays, and more.  AFSA is continually fighting to ensure that any increases are minimal.  Up to this point, we have been unable to prevent some erosion of our healthcare benefits.  However, if you compare what was proposed versus what actually occurred, we can take pride in working to prevent many more worst case scenarios.

 

·      Commissary:  Every year Congress wants to cut commissary subsidies that will raise store prices, reduce hours, and potentially result in closure of some stores.  You can thank AFSA and other member groups of The Military Coalition—Congress’s plans fail!  The Commissaries are alive for now!

 

·      Education:  AFSA will continue to fight to ensure reasonable Tuition Assistance is available to all eligible.  In addition, we will resist plans to erode benefits as recommended under the Post 9-11 GI Bill!

 

·      Retirement:  Massive changes are being proposed to our military retirement system.  We are pleased to announce that AFSA’s work with The Military Coalition has resulted in Congressional pledges to grandfather in any changes.  Regardless, some proposed changes are radical to say the least.  AFSA will pay close attention to all proposed changes, educate our membership on planned changes, and fight valiantly to ensure our retirement system remains fair and viable!

As always, feel free to contact me at any time.  As International President, O look forward to your cards and letters to ensure your AFSA remains focused and relevant.  God Bless You—and God Bless America!    My mail address is AFSA.President@roisc.com.

2 Comments
Laurence Smith
4/3/2015 03:41:28 pm

AFSA Friends:
It is about time that we investigated a new concept for our CONUS commissaries and exchanges.
I propose that AFSA approach the heads of both Walmart and Cosco and ask them if they are interested in a joint venture to take over all the commissaries/exchanges in the USA.
If Walmart can remain open 24/7 then they are the place to shop for the great numbers of military personnel who must work rotating shifts, etc. and even day workers, too.
During my 27 years in the USAF I always had to hurry and rush to get some food after work before the commissary closed.
Often things needed at the exchange were visited by missing lunch hour to shop.
Year after year the commissary needs more money.
That is because so many military families go down-town to shop where the stores are open later.
Families like to shop for 2 or so hours leisurely and not in a rush like the operating hours force them to utilize.
Military would pay the utilites and building upkeep if Walmart/Cosco shared the base "stores" and I am confident that Walmart/Cosco would make money because it would bring back all those military folk who now shop downtown.
If Walmart/Cosco could see the benefits to this proposal, and if they would combine their buying power and assets in a partnership, then, the idea is viable.
Hopefully, they will even keep the current employees who know the clientele and military mindset.
The military would keep its overseas operations of commissaries/exchanges.
I have been shopping at Walmart for the past 33 years and I save more money than I ever saved at the commissary/exchange, and with a greater selection of goods available.
Respectfully submitted:
Laurence Smith
SMSgt. USAF (Ret.)
First Sergeant

Reply
Myron E Zorger
7/18/2015 10:13:12 am

This is my response to Sen Hiller of Nv.
Myron E Zorger Citizen of the Republic
07/17/2015
Your response to my boilerplate letter sent by the AFSA was appreciated. I would like to make a few comments about the direction our Republic is about to take.
Firstly, I REALLY object to giving Wall Street the ability to play with a service members retirement, by way of a '401k" !
I can imagine it being devoured by the government as the Social Security piggy bank was broken into and disappeared in the giant treasury bond scam!
Then, there is the issue of having a viable cadre of military people to withstand the demands that are going to be thrust on them by world ( Iraq, ISIS, China, and others) threats! That, with troops, that have a totally disenchanted view of a committed service retirement commitment! The Volunteer Force you now have will, in all probability, be conscripted! (read, drafted)
Without the seeds, you no longer have crops! Without troops, you no longer control your destiny as a Republic.
Do you remember Sec. of Def. Johnson? His cruel paring of the Military Defense budget before the Korea fiasco was, to Paraphrase, "Well, I cut the defense budget to the bone, now I'll scrape off some more!" That cost the citizen soldiers, at least 75k unnecessary deaths, whilst trying to save another country!
Then, there was the mess that pretty nearly wiped out a whole generation of the Republics young men in the SEA bollixed 'war', Notwithstanding, the total emasculation of a West Point generation of graduates!
You need seeds to have a crop!
I'm old now, and have 20/20 vision to the rear. I probably won't see the worst yet to come! But with a closet Muslem, who fully understands what Dhimmitude will do the Republic, Muslem Americans (Oxymoron) are , at best, like clutching the Asp to your breast!
Thank you (Dear Reader) for reading this very personal rant..
I am..
Myron Zorger &50 E Stillwater Ave Fallon NV 89406
onlyzebra@gmail.com 1 775 428 1953
USAF Ret.M/sgt

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