Government and You E-News - February 20, 2007

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Topics in This Week's News Include:


1. Protecting the Benefits of Surviving Children


2. Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Hearings held in Various Committees


3. Senior Enlisted Advisors Testify


4. Top Groups Receive Family Readiness Awards


5. Family Program Leaders Define Top Concerns


6. Virginia Continues to Pass Military Friendly In-State Tuition Legislation


7. Position Announcement for Deputy Director of Government Relations


Here's The News!!!


1. Protecting the Benefits of Surviving Children: Recently,
in reaction to a story in the Washington Post, there has been concern
about the awarding of survivor benefits to the children of single
service members.  It is important to understand that there is a package
of survivor benefits. The payment of the death gratuity is meant to act
as a financial bridge, to help with living expenses until other
benefits such as the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
payment, the Survivor Benefit annuity, and Social Security Benefits
begin to be paid. These payments are to support the child until he/she
reaches adulthood. The Servicemembers Group Life Insurance, is, as it
name implies, insurance. As the law is written now, the death gratuity
is only awarded to the next of kin, but the service member may
designate multiple beneficiaries for the Servicemembers Group Life
Insurance. SGLI beneficiaries are free to use these payments for any
desired purpose.


It is critical that the service member be informed about the
difference between the death gratuity and the SGLI payment. In
addition, service members and their families must discuss the
implications and disposition of these payments. Those provisions should
be enumerated in a will. It is incumbent upon single service members
with children or dual service member couples with children to create
not only a family care plan, but an estate plan as well. Upon the death
of a single service member with a minor child, a guardian must be
appointed by the court. There could be a delay in access to benefits
for the child until a guardian is appointed. In these circumstances
NMFA would be in favor of a parent or sibling of the service member
being named as the awardee of the death gratuity payment if there would
be a guarantee that the payment would be used as a financial bridge for
the minor child until other benefits are awarded. If the service member
desires to provide financial support for other family members, the
proper mechanism is to designate that family member as a beneficiary of
all or part of the SGLI.


There will be much discussion of this issue in the coming days.
Several bills have already been introduced addressing this issue. Focus
must be on the purpose of the death gratuity is it insurance or a
payment to help the family in transition? NMFA is committed to the
protection of the financial future of the child. We also continue to
stress the importance of educating service members and their families
about survivor benefits and financial planning. We will continue to
monitor the progress of this legislation and invite your comments.


2. Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Hearings held in Various Committees:
This week in Congress involved several hearings in response to last
week's release of the President's Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08) budget. A
National Military Family Association member attended some of these
hearings.


On February 13, 2007, the Fiscal 2008 Budget: Military Health Care
was held in the Military Personnel Subcommittee of House Armed Services
Committee, chaired by Chairman Vic Snyder (D-AR, 2nd). The budget
contains proposed cost savings initiatives totaling $1.9 billion.
Congressional concern surrounds DoD's assumption that savings will be
achieved through requiring enrollment and co-pay fee increases to
military retirees and their families. Last year these efforts were
prevented by Congressional action and similar reaction has already
surfaced with the introduction of the Military Retiree Health Care
Protection Act by Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Chuck Hagel
(R-NE) and Congressman Chet Edwards (D-TX, 17th). Also, DoD is
anticipating additional savings will be achieved through
recommendations made by the Task Force on the Future of Military
Healthcare. However, their report is not due out until December 2007,
which would leave DoD very little time to evaluate their
recommendations, implement and benefit from these cost saving measures.
Subcommittee Members were skeptical DoD will achieve these savings and
wonder what DoD's back up plan would be. Dr. Winkenwerder responded
they have some options, but they would be fairly drastic.


The Military Construction, Veterans Administration, and Related
Agencies Subcommittee of House Appropriations Committee held VA and
Military Long-Term Health Care Challenges on February 15th. Chairman
Chet Edwards (D-TX, 17th) presided over testimony to examine
discretionary spending programs and the long-term challenges to the DoD
and Department of Veterans Affairs health care systems. Witnesses
included representatives from Government Accounting Office (GAO) and
the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).


The CBO reported that the VA's proposed enrollment fees and
increased co-payments will result in increased savings as veterans seek
alternative health care resources. Hence, cost savings through lower
participations. Also, it is difficult to determine whether the VA is
being efficient in their spending. One cannot simply compare VA provide
health care to private sector because veterans use a combination of
health care systems, such as TRICARE, VA, Medicare, Medicaid and other
private health care insurance. 


The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of House Veterans'
Affairs Committee held a hearing on the FY08 budget and its potential
effect on VA Inspector Generals (IG) ability to perform their duties on
February 15th. According to VA Inspector General George Opfer, the
budget will cause the reduction of 40 employees impacting their ability
to provide oversight and investigations into VA activities, such as
research on veteran population and ethical considerations and assuring
confidentiality of personal data transfer between DoD and VA.


3. Senior Enlisted Advisors Testify:
On February 9th, the Senior Enlisted Advisors of the Army, Marine
Corps, Navy, Air Force, Army Reserve Command and Army National Guard
recently testified before the Military Quality of Life and Veterans
Affairs Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. Written
testimony from all of the panel members indicates that meeting the
needs of military families continues to be a top priority for each of
the Services.


Representative Sam Farr (D-CA, 17) asked each of the Senior Enlisted
Advisors about their top three issues for the coming year. NMFA was
pleased to note that all respondents highlighted the critical need for
childcare at their installations. In addition to childcare the Senior
Enlisted Advisors listed barracks modernization, workspace
improvements, the need for more mental health care providers, and
better care for our wounded warriors as top priorities.


The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Master Chief Petty
Officer Joe Campa, Jr., put a face on the issue of the effect of the
increased operational tempo on military families. In his opening
remarks he stated: "Navy families can no longer rely on the comfort of
predictable deployments. Five years ago, my son Jared knew exactly when
his dad would deploy. Now families must be ready at all times for
unexpected separations. Jared Campa was present at the hearing and had
the opportunity to meet the Subcommittee Chairman, Representative Chet
Edwards (D-TX, 17).


During oral testimony Sergeant Major of the Army, Kenneth Preston,
addressed the potential problems associated with Congress's failure to
fully fund FY2007 Defense Authorizations. According to his testimony,
in April the Army will be forced to divert more base funds to
operational commitments unless Congress moves to close the funding gap
between the authorizations for FY2007 and the funds provided in the
continuing resolution. In his words, the readiness of the Army is at
stake.


NMFA is continuing to follow these issues as the new Congress begins
to debate the FY2008 budget and the funding for the remainder of
FY2007. We are pleased to see military family issues featured so
prominently in the Senior Enlisted Advisors' testimony.


4. Top Groups Receive Family Readiness Awards:
The Defense Department's top reserve official today recognized the
nation's top family readiness programs. Thomas F. Hall, Assistant
Defense Secretary for Reserve Affairs, presented the 2006 Reserve
Family Readiness Awards in a ceremony at the conclusion of the 2007
Family Readiness Summit. Retired Navy Vice Admiral Norb Ryan, president
of the Military Officers Association of America, accompanied Hall.


Award winners are:


  • Army National Guard: 2nd Battalion, 128th Infantry, Wisconsin Army National Guard Headquarters, Madison, Wisconsin

  • Army Reserve: 108th Division, Institutional Training, Foreign Army Training Command, Charlotte, North Carolina

  • Navy Reserve: Detachment 0225, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25, Rock Island, Illinois

  • Marine Forces Reserve: 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Selfridge, Michigan

  • Air National Guard: 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard

  • Air Force Reserve: 913th Airlift Wing, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

  • Coast Guard Reserve: Port Security Unit 312, San Francisco

NMFA salutes all the award winners and the new and creative ways
they are reaching out to their families. NMFA especially congratulates
Denise Rampolla, long time NMFA Representative and Board of Governors'
member, who is the Wing Family Coordinator for the award winning group
from the Air National Guard in Wyoming.
(Source: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=3096)


5. Family Program Leaders Define Top Concerns:
Top military family program leaders from across the services gathered
in Arlington VA last week focused on addressing questions on how to
better work together. NMFA was invited to participate and was
represented by Kathleen Moakler and Patty Barron of the Government
Relations staff and Kathy Schumacher, an Army Reserve family member and
NMFA member. Broken down into four working groups, leaders at the 2007
Family Readiness Summit came up with nine issues they will present to
senior military leadership.


"Part of our goal was to identify best practices, lessons learned,
challenges and requirements, and what we found was that regardless of
which group and which questions they were working on, everyone came up
with essentially the same list," said James L. Scott III, the director
of individual and family policy for the Office of the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. Each of the issues will be
defined and will include recommendations by the group. The findings
will be attached to a letter from Assistant Defense Secretary Thomas F.
Hall to the service secretaries and reserve-component chiefs asking for
their support in implementation.


Among the recommendations were:


  • Defining, and possibly renaming, family assistance centers across the services.

  • Increased and consistent funding for family assistance programs

  • The successful use of emerging technologies

  • Increasing the use of partnerships between military and civilian organization

  • Increased focus on single soldiers' family needs, as well as the reintegration process after returning from deployment.

The summit's purpose was for group members to brainstorm ways to
break down interservice bureaucratic barriers that sometimes prevent
military family members from getting the help they need. This is the
third such summit since 2001. NMFA was grateful for the opportunity to
participate. We repeatedly heard that while the Services wanted to keep
their distinct cultures, many family support functions can be joint or
"purple" to make them more accessible to families and cut costs overall.
(Source: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=3095)


6. Virginia Continues to Pass Military Friendly In-State Tuition Legislation:
Delegate Terrie L. Suit (R-81st District), a Navy spouse and strong
supporter of military families added another successful passage of
legislation to an already impressive record. HB 1822 Military members,
certain; reduced college tuition passed the House and Senate on
February 15, 2007 and is currently awaiting the Governor's signature.
This bill provides that any active duty member, activated guard or
reserve member, or guard or reserve member mobilized or on temporary
orders for six months or more, who is stationed or assigned to Virginia
and is residing in Virginia, shall pay an amount no more than the
amount covered by their military service Tuition Assistance program or
the In-state tuition rate, whichever is greater, to the public
institution of higher education in which they are enrolled. Full text: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?071+ful+HB1822ER.


This is a companion bill to the well received legislation sponsored
by Delegate Suit in 2006 which deemed all dependents of active duty
military personnel assigned to a permanent duty station in Virginia and
who reside in Virginia eligible for in-state tuition. Although this
legislation was considered a significant win for military families,
certain restrictions in the law prevented inclusion for a small group
of military families caught in a gray zone of "eligibility". NMFA heard
from several families who were concerned about Permanent Change of
Station (PCS) orders and the effect such a move would have on their
rising college freshman.  NMFA took these concerns to Delegate Suit in
September 2006.  As a result of this visit, input from the State
Council on Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), and various other
sources, Delegate Suit introduced HB 1996 which clarifies eligibility
for dependents of certain military personnel. This bill defines the
"Date of alleged entitlement" as the date of admission or acceptance
for dependents currently residing in Virginia or the final add/drop
date for dependents of members newly transferred to Virginia. The bill
passed both the House and Senate on February 15, 2007.   Full text: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?071+ful+HB1996ER.


NMFA is truly thankful for Delegate Suits' understanding and
compassion toward our military families. Her continued support and
strong voice in the Virginia General Assembly is greatly appreciated
and resoundingly recognized by military members and families alike.


7. Position Announcement for Deputy Director of Government Relations:
The National Military Family Association has an open position in our
Government Relations Department. It is a 30 hour a week, non-exempt
position available immediately through December 31, 2007 with a
possible extension. The position entails working for the Director of
Government Relations in Alexandria, VA, for the advancement of the
advocacy and education agenda of the National Military Family
Association.  This includes: the identification, study, research, and
evaluation of issues affecting the families of the uniformed services;
Articulation of the concerns and positions of NMFA to those able to
influence the quality of life for Uniformed Service families;
assistance in the development of department educational materials and
web content.  Issue areas to be addressed will include military health
care, housing, military compensation and benefits and deployment.
Qualifications include: familiarity with NMFA, its mission and goals,
legislative interest, aptitude and knowledge. Excellent communication
skills, both oral and written, including public speaking, managerial
and supervisory skills, computer skills, and knowledge of military
family issues are essential.


Interested applicants may submit their resume via email to Pat Travis at pat.travis@nmfa.org or fax at 703.931.4600. Closing Date: March 5, 2007.


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