RAO
BULLETIN
1 December 2015
HTML Edition
THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES
Pg
Article
Subject
* DOD *
.
04 == DoD/VA Seamless Transition [32] -- (JLV System’s Interoperability)
05 == Army Retention Program --------- (Re-Enlistment Opportunity | 2016)
06 == DCoE Webinar ----------------------- (How Blue Light Can Hurt Sleep)
07 == POW/MIA Recoveries ---------------- (Reported 151116 thru 151130)
* VA *
.
10 == VA Appeals [14] ---- (No Mechanism to Prevent Endless Challenges)
11 == VA Privatization [01] --------- (New Poll Indicates Vets Not in Favor)
12 == VA Caregiver Program [30] --------- (Alzheimer’s Awareness Month)
13 == VA Scandal News ------ (Exorbitant Relocation Allowances | 151220)
14 == Agent Orange Exposed Ships [03] ----- (Nov 2015 Updated List | VN)
15 == VA Health Care Enrollment [05] ---- (Post-9/11 Combat Vets Denied)
16 == VA Vet Choice Program [25] ---------------------- (New VCP Proposal)
17 == VA Pharmacy [05] --------------------------- (2016 Copay | No Increase)
18 == VAMC Albany NY -------- (Director Placed on Administrative Leave)
20 == VAMC Washington DC [01] ------------------ (Home Care Wait Times)
20 == VAMC Richmond VA [01] ------- (OSHA Unsafe Workplace Notices)
.
* VETS *
.
21 == Homeless Vets [70] ---------------------------- (Small Decrease in 2014)
22 == Stolen Valor ------------------------------- (Reported 15115 thru 151130)
24 == Vet Documentaries ----------------------------------- (PBS Florida Links)
24 == Vet Data Source --------------------------------- (www.veteransdata.info)
25 == WGU Salute to Veterans --------------- (50 New Scholarships Offered)
25 == Vet Cemetery Hawaii [04] - (Construction Stopped at Maui Veterans)
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26 == Retiree Appreciation Days ------------------------ (As of 28 NOV 2015)
26 == Vet Hiring Fairs --------------------------------- (1 Dec thru 31 Jan 2016)
27 == WWII Vets 95 --------------------------------------------- (Hudson~Frank)
29 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts -------------------- (Rhode Island 2015)
* VET LEGISLATION *
.
29 == VA Family Caregiver Assistance [02] ---------- (H.R.2894 Introduced)
30 == VA Bonuses [29] ------------- (H.R.1338 | 2016 $2M Senior Exec Cap)
31 == NDAA for 2016 [17] ---------------------------- (Obama Signs Into Law)
32 == SSA COLA 2016 ---- (S.2251 | One Time Payment in Lieu of COLA)
32 == Vet Employment/Education/Healthcare Improvement Act - (H.R.3016)
33 == Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ---------- (151115 thru 151130)
* MILITARY *
.
35 == USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) [04] ---------------- (Nearing Completion)
37 == USS Lake Erie (CG-70) Update [01] --------------------------- (Mascot)
38 == USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) -------------- (A Navy Ship Built for Speed)
39 == Gravestone Coins [01] --------------------------------------------- (Origin)
40 == Military Retirement System [20] -------------- (New Proposal Update)
41 == Military Retirement System [21] -------- (New One Signed Into Law)
42 == Military Enlistment Standards 2015 [07] ------------------- (Education)
42 == Medal of Honor Citations ------------------ (Hartsock, Robert W. | VN)
.
* MILITARY HISTORY *
.
44 == Aviation Art --------------------------------- (Cat and Mouse over Wake)
44 == Remember the 80’s Navy [01] --------- (Things that No Longer Exist)
45 == Military Trivia 115 --------- (Civil War Casualties & Troop Ethnicity)
46 == Military History ------------------------ (Nuremberg IMT Trial Results)
46 == Military History Anniversaries ------------------------- (01 thru 15 Dec)
47 == WWII Ads ------------------------------------------------------ (Baby Ruth)
47 == D-Day --------------------- (Recuing Survivor off Normandy Jun 1944)
48 == WWII Prewar Events ------- (Italian Fascist Party Headquarters 1934)
48 == WWII PostWar Events ----- (German Toxic Bomb Destruction 1946)
49 == Spanish American War Image 78 ----- (Presidential Campaign Poster)
49 == WWI in Photos 103 ------- (Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassination)
50 == Faces of WAR (WWII) ----------------------------- (Italy May 23, 1944)
50 == Ghosts of Time ------------- (Then & Now’ Photos of WWII Sites (05)
* HEALTH CARE *
.
51 == TRICARE Online [03] ----------------------------------------- (Resources)
51 == TRICARE Webiner - (TYA, Open Enrollment &Health Care Options)
52 == TRICARE Help --------------------------------------------- (Q&A 151130)
* FINANCES *
.
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54 == Road Usage Tax --------- (Possible Traditional Gas Tax Replacement)
56 == IRS Audit [05] ----------------------------- (Now Less Than 1% Chance)
57 == Pet Owner Tax Deductions ------------------ (Six Allowable Write-offs)
58 == Saving Money ------------------- (Air Conditioning Operating Expense)
60 == Fake Customer Service Numbers Scam ----------------- (How it Works)
61 == Personal Email Impersonation Scam -------------------- (How it Works)
61 == DFAS SmartDocs Email Scam --------------------------- (How it Works)
62 == Tax Burden for Alaska Retired Vets ------------------ (As of Nov 2015)
63 == Tax Burden for Massachusetts Residents ------------ (As of Nov 2015)
64 == Thrift Savings Plan 2015 ------------------ (Returns as of 27 Nov 2015)
.
* GENERAL INTEREST *
.
65 == Notes of Interest ----------------------------------- (15 thru 30 Nov 2015)
65 == Prescription Drug Advertising -------------------- (AMA Calls for Ban)
66 == Household Item Longevity ------------------------------ (What to Expect)
68 == Presidential Retirement Benefits --------------- (Former Presidents Act)
69 == Robocalls [01] -------------------------------------- (Blocker Test Results)
70 == Mexican Inventions ----------------------------------- (10 Amazing Ones)
71 == WD-40 -------------------------------------------------------------- (44 Uses)
72 == Brain Teaser ----------------------------------------------- (Odd Word Out)
73 == Vision Test ---------------------------------------------- (Hidden Image 01)
73 == Photos That Say it All -------------------------------------- (Remembered)
74 == Most Creative Statues ------------------------- (Oxford, UK | The Shark)
74 == Interesting Inventions ------- (No more Rear View Mirror Blind Spots)
74 == Moments of US History -------------- (Wall Street Crash Suicide 1929)
75 == Parking ------------- (Revenge Tactic #8 against Inconsiderate Parkers)
75 == Have You Heard? -------------------------------------- (Did You Know 3)
76 == Have You Heard? ------------------------------------------- (Beretta Story)
77 == Help!!! -------------------------- (Things that might make you say it (01)
77 == Brain Teaser Answer ------------------------ (Odd Word Out)
Note:
1. The page number on which an article can be found is provided to the left of each article’s title
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 30 Nov 2015
Attachment - Nuremberg IMT Trial Results
Attachment - Rhode Island Vet State Benefits & Discounts NOV 2015
Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 01 thru 15 Dec
Attachment - Retiree Activity\Appreciation Days (RAD) Schedule as of 28 NOV 2015
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* DoD *
DoD/VA Seamless Transition Update 32
► JLV System’s Interoperability
After a long struggle for interoperability, the Department of Defense has announced that its Joint Legacy Viewer EHR
system has met the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 (NDAA), meeting EHR interoperability standards.
According to DoD’s article at www.defense.gov/News-Article-View/Article/630810/dod-meets-interoperabilityrequirements-for-electronic-health-records , the department has combined its multiple EHR systems into one
integrated system called the Joint Legacy Viewer (JLV), bringing together information from over 300 data sources.
The JLV is reportedly completely secure, requiring government credentials for access. Additionally, the JLV has a
mechanism that monitors who accesses certain patient information.
The JLV is also accessible by personnel at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), increasing the interoperability
efforts between the two departments, aligning with their goals for high-quality patient care through care coordination.
"What we really want to be able to show is the progress we've made and demonstrate our commitment to making sure
that we're providing tools that are useful for our providers but also making things better for our service-member
veterans and their families," said program executive for Defense Healthcare Management Systems Chris Miller.
Additionally, the JLV tracks a service-member’s health information throughout his or her entire military career. This
includes from his or her start with the military, up until he becomes a veteran and receives benefits through the VA.
Although the DoD has reached the NDAA standards, the agency acknowledges the long path ahead to securing
complete and reliable interoperability. In fact, the JLV EHR is still undergoing tests, according to Miller. "We've done
a lot to get this information to a point where it's both shared and it's usable, but we recognize that we're going to
continue to have to do more things to actually continue to make it as useful as possible," Miller confirmed. It has been
a long road for both the DoD and VA in establishing interoperable EHR systems. After ending a project to create an
integrated EHR system between the two agencies in 2013, both the DoD and EHR were tasked with creating their
own EHRs that were still completely interoperable with one another.
The VA opted to enhance its VistA EHR system, while the DoD opted to adopt a private vendor’s EHR system.
Earlier this year, the DoD announced it was going with Cerner as its EHR vendor, and thus began implementation.
However, it has taken the VA and DoD longer than anticipated to adequately implement these systems, causing tension
between the two agencies and other government officials. Those tensions culminated in a House hearing where
members of Congress expressed frustrations at the implementation timelines. “I don’t mean to understate the enormity
of the challenge of integrating the two largest federal bureaucracies,” said Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX), “but it’s
clear to me that our inability to integrate these two systems is a failure of leadership rather than technical feasibility.
This is not an issue of data standardization. This is management 101.”
Additionally, officials from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reiterated the urgency for DoD and VA
to create adequate interoperability goals and timelines. GAO reported that the agencies did not meet the October 2014
deadline allotted them by the NDAA, and that they also failed to create adequate goals or plans for creating
interoperability. “Accordingly, we recommended that the departments, working with the IPO, establish a time frame
for identifying outcome-oriented metrics, define related goals as a basis for determining the extent to which the
departments’ modernized electronic health records systems are achieving interoperability, and update IPO guidance
accordingly. Both departments concurred with our recommendations,” said GAO Director of Information Technology
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Valeria C. Melvin. As the DoD has finally reached the NDAA interoperability guidelines, they will need to carry those
goals out in conjunction with the VA, creating interoperability of service-members’ health information throughout all
points of their careers. [Source: DoD News | Lisa Ferdinando | November 20, 2015 ++]
********************************
Army Retention Program
► Re-Enlistment Opportunity | 2016
The Army may be getting smaller, but it still has room for thousands of quality soldiers who want to extend their
military careers over the next year. The 2016 re-enlistment opportunity window for the active Army applies to two
general categories of soldiers whose terms of service:
 Expire before Oct. 1, 2016, the end of fiscal 2016.
 Expire during fiscal 2017, which begins Oct. 1, and ends Sept. 30, 2017.
The retention effort for 2016 is comparable to the 2015 re-up campaign, which resulted in nearly 50,000 soldiers
extending their active-duty service. Because the Army is entering a period of large force reductions, some 40,000 over
the next two years, the retention program is tightly managed, especially for soldiers who are in over-strength
specialties. The Army continues to manage retention by three general personnel categories: first-term soldiers with
six or fewer years of service; mid-career soldiers with six to 10 years of service, and careerists with 10 or more years
of service. Staff sergeants and senior NCOs with 10 or more years of service usually are required to take an indefinite
enlistment to remain on active duty. The Army's long-standing practice of offering five re-enlistment options remains
in effect for fiscal 2016. The options are:
 Regular Army (E1). This option does not guarantee an assignment, training or stabilization. Soldiers will be
assigned to meet the needs of the Army, unless they are re-enlisting to meet a service-obligation.
 Current Station Stabilization (E2). This option generally provides stabilization of one to 12 months for
soldiers who re-enlist for three, four, five or six years, except that soldiers who re-up for a location-specific
retention bonus may be stabilized for up to 24 months, depending on their unit location.
 Army Training (E3). This option guarantees attendance at a school of choice for specialty or language training
for soldiers who re-up for three to six years.
 Overseas Assignment (E4). This option is targeted at soldiers who re-enlist for such areas as Europe, South
Korea, Alaska and the Pacific region. Soldiers must re-up for four to six years for a long-tour area, and three
to six years for a short-tour area.*
 Continental U. S. Station of Choice (E5). This option guarantees an assignment of 12 months or more at a
stateside post for soldiers who re-enlist for three to six years. Note, however, that soldiers currently assigned
to a non-tactical unit, such a non-deployable headquarters, must re-enlist for assignment to a tactical unit,
such as a deployable battalion, brigade or division. Soldiers are not allowed to re-enlist for back-to-back
assignments to TDA (non-tactical) units.
The availability of these options is determined by a soldier's management category (first-term, mid-career or career)
and the strength status of his or her military occupational specialty as follows:
o
o
o
Initial Term Soldiers
First-termers who are serving in an overstrength MOS (as displayed in the 9OCT In/Out Reclassification
Calls) are limited to Options 1 or 2, but must reclassify to an understrength or balanced MOS. Exceptions
are authorized for soldiers who re-enlist for assignment to an airborne position.
Soldiers who are serving in a balanced MOS are eligible for Options 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. However, if they chose
Option 3 (Training), but they must reclassify to a shortage MOS.
Initial-term soldiers who are serving in a short-handed MOS are eligible for Options 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Mid-Career Soldiers
5
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Soldiers who are in an overstrength MOS are limited to Options 1 or 2, but must reclassify to an understrength
or balanced MOS. Exceptions are authorized for soldiers who re-enlist for assignment to an airborne position.
Soldiers who are serving in a balanced MOS are eligible for Options 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. However, if they chose
Option 3 (Training), they must reclassify to a shortage MOS.
Soldiers who are serving in a short-handed MOS are eligible for Options 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Careerist Soldiers
Sergeants and staff sergeants with fewer than 10 years of service who are in an overstrength MOS are limited
to options 1 or 3, but must reclassify to a Tier 4, or higher, MOS in the latest Selective Retention Bonus
announcement.
Sergeants and staff sergeants with fewer than 10 years of service who are serving in a balanced or shorthanded MOS are limited to Option 1.
Sergeants and staff sergeants with 10 or more years of service must re-enlist under Option 1. Staff sergeants
in this category will be placed in the Indefinite Re-enlistment Program.
Soldiers in this category can request retraining and reclassification to a Tier 4 SRB specialty in conjunction
with their assignment to the Indefinite Re-enlistment Program.
Promotable staff sergeants and higher, regardless of the strength status of their MOS, will be limited to Option
1 if they have fewer than 10 years of service.
While researching a possible job change, soldiers also should research the promotion potential for candidate
specialties. A good information source for junior enlisted soldiers are the monthly cutoff scores for advancements to
sergeant and staff sergeant. Soldiers who want to research NCO promotions should review the MOS selection statistics
that are released with the annual senior NCO promotion lists. This information can be accessed from the "Career" link
on the homepage of Human Resources Command, www.hrc.army.mil. When researching a job change, soldiers also
should check out the Army's two major retention incentive programs for enlisted soldiers. Those are the:
 Tiered Selective Retention Bonus program which offers cash bonuses of up to $72,000 for qualified firstterm and mid-career soldiers. The most recent SRB charts took effect Oct. 9, and can be accessed at
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/benefits/pay/2015/09/28/new-re-up-bonuses-and-reclass-callstake-effect-oct-9-nco/72748682 .
 Critical Skills Retention Bonus program offers bonuses of up to $150,000 for senior NCOs in priority
specialties who are at, or near, retirement eligibility. The most recent CSRB rates took effect Oct. 22, and are
targeted at Special Forces soldiers.
For information and assistance in applying for re-enlistment and/or reclassification, soldiers should contact their
local career counselor. Officials expect that fewer than 15 percent of the soldiers who re-enlist this year will come
from the 2016 cohort, with the remainder coming from the cohort with ETS (expiration term of service) in fiscal 2017.
Under instructions recently issued to career counselors in the field, a soldier's individual re-enlistment opportunity
window opens 15 months in advance of their ETS, and closes 90 days before the ETS. The retention campaign
described above will end Sept. 30, 2016.
[Source: ArmyTimes | Jim Tice | November 23, 2015++]
********************************
DCoE Webinar ►
How Blue Light Can Hurt Sleep
What’s the last thing you do before bed? Do you check your phone or other electronic device? Do you fall asleep
with the TV on? The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury will host a
webinar to discuss detrimental effects of blue light from electronics on sleep from 1-2:30 p.m. Dec. 3. Mariana G.
Figueiro, a professor from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, will discuss how certain types of
6
light applied at certain times of the day can increase sleep efficiency in older adults and reduce symptoms of
seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Webinar participants will learn:
 Ways to measure circadian rhythms.

How lighting affects shift workers’ circadian rhythms.

How sleep and circadian rhythms are often disrupted in the military.
This Activity begins on December 3rd, 2015 and will be available until December 17th, 2015. To register for this
presentation refer to http://dcoe.cds.pesgce.com/eindex.php. [Source: DCoE Public Affairs | Myron J. Goodman |
November 24, 2015 ++]
********************************
POW/MIA Recoveries
► Reported 15116 thru 151130
"Keeping the Promise", "Fulfill their Trust" and "No one left behind" are several of many mottos that refer to the
efforts of the Department of Defense to recover those who became missing while serving our nation. The number of
Americans who remain missing from conflicts in this century are: World War II (73,515) Korean War (7,841), Cold
War (126), Vietnam War (1,627), 1991 Gulf War (5), and Libya (1). Over 600 Defense Department men and women
-- both military and civilian -- work in organizations around the world as part of DoD's personnel recovery and
personnel accounting communities. They are all dedicated to the single mission of finding and bringing our missing
personnel home. For a listing of all personnel accounted for since 2007 refer to http://www.dpaa.mil/ and click on
‘Our Missing’. If you wish to provide information about an American missing in action from any conflict or have an
inquiry about MIAs, contact:
 Mail: Public Affairs Office, 2300 Defense Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20301-2300, Attn: External Affairs
 Call: Phone: (703) 699-1420
 Message: Fill out form on http://www.dpaa.mil/Contact/ContactUs.aspx
Family members seeking more information about missing loved ones may also call the following Service Casualty
Offices: U.S. Air Force (800) 531-5501, U.S. Army (800) 892-2490, U.S. Marine Corps (800) 847-1597, U.S. Navy
(800) 443-9298, or U.S. Department of State (202) 647-5470. The remains of the following MIA/POW’s have been
recovered, identified, and scheduled for burial since the publication of the last RAO Bulletin:
Vietnam
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of remains belonging to Army Staff Sgt.
Kenneth L. Cunningham, 21, of Ellery, Ill. He was assigned to the 225th Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation
Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. On October 3, 1969, pilot 1LT Paul L. Graffe and observer
PFC Kenneth L. Cunningham departed Phu Hiep, South Vietnam, in an OV-1C Mohawk aircraft during the early
evening on a surveillance mission of targets located in the northwest portion of MR2 (Military Region 2) in the triborder area of Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam. The aircraft (serial #61-02679) failed to return at the scheduled
time. The last radio contact with Graffe and Cunningham was at 1800 hours when another OV-1 aircraft had been
7
informed by Grasse that they were going to continue their mission for about 30 more minutes, and then begin the
return trip to Phu Hiep. All further attempts at electronic contact with the missing OV-1 were unsuccessful. On the
morning of October 5, search and rescue aircraft located the wreckage of an aircraft atop a 7,000 foot peak in a
mountain range north of the city of Kontum. This wreckage was positively identified as that of Graffe and
Cunningham. Efforts were made to insert a ground team at the site on October 5 and 6, but inclement weather
prevented the team from being inserted. On neither occasion was either visual or electronic contact made with the
downed crew. On the morning of October 7, another attempt was made to insert a ground SAR team. However, the
SAR pilots noticed a change in position in the aircraft wreckage, and the SAR aircraft was receiving continuous beeper
signals from the ground. Since this continuous beeper signal was not compatible with established emergency radio
procedures, the SAR flight leader directed that the site was probably a trap and withdrew from the area. Both
crewmembers were declared Missing in Action
o-o-O-o-oThe Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of remains Sgt. 1st Class Billy D. Hill on
12 NOV 2015. He had been assigned to the U.S. Army 282nd Aviation Company, 14th Aviation Battalion, 17th
Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. On January 21, 1968, a UH-1D HUEY from the 282nd Aviation Company was
tasked as the lead ship in a section inserting ARVN troops at an old French fort approximately 1200 meters east of
Khe Sanh. Sgt Hill was aboard the lead helicopter. As the aircraft touched down on the landing zone, NVA troops
stood up all around the aircraft and began firing at the aircraft at almost point blank range. As soon as all the ARVN
troops were off-loaded, the aircraft lifted off. At approximately 8-10 feet off the ground, the aircraft was hit by either
a 57mm recoilless rifle or a direct hit mortar fire, burst into flames, and crashed. Hill had last been seen by the pilot
CPT Stiner just prior to the aircraft being hit in the compartment in which Hill was manning his machine gun. Stiner
stated that Hill was probably struck by the same volley of rounds that downed the aircraft as his machine gun was
observed blown to pieces. Stiner searched the area before taking evasive action, but Hill could not be located. Hill
was declared Missing in Action. Although injured, perhaps mortally, there wasno proof that he died. On 15 December
1975, SSG Billy Hill's status was changed from "Missing in Action" to "Died while Missing". On 12 Nov 2015 his
remains were accounted for.
Korea
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced 20 NOV that the remains of a U.S.
serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full
8
military honors. Army Cpl. Charles E. Ivey, 21, of Henderson, N.C., will be buried 29 NOV in his hometown. On
Nov. 29, 1950, Ivey was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment, when his unit was
attacked by enemy forces near Hajoyang, North Korea. During this battle, Ivey was declared missing in action. In
September 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange known as “Operation Big Switch,” returning American soldiers
who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Ivey had died Nov. 29, 1950, during the battle near Hajoyang. A
military review board amended his status to deceased in March 1953.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned 208 boxes of commingled human remains to the United States,
which we now believe to contain the remains of at least 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean
documents included in the repatriation indicate that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Ivey
was believed to have died. In the identification of Ivey’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA
Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, dental comparison, and forensic identification tools, including
mitochondrial DNA analysis and autosomal (nuclear) DNA testing, which matched two sisters.
-o-o-O-o-oThe Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on 16 NOV announced the identification of the remains of Sgt. Robert
C. Dakin U.S. Army who had been assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry
Division in North Korea. Sgt Dakin was lost in North Korea on 12/12/1950.
-o-o-O-o-oThe Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on 19 NOV announced the identification of the remains of Sgt. 1st Class
Billy D. Hill who had been assigned to the U.S. Army 2nd Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Infantry Division. Sgt
Hill was lost in North Korea on 14 FEB 1951.
World War II
None
[Source: http://www.dpaa.mil | November 30, 2015 ++]
* VA *
9
********************************
VA Appeals Update 14
► No Mechanism to Prevent Endless Challenges
In 1985, Ivan Figueroa Clausell filed a claim for a variety of conditions he said stemmed from a car accident while
training with the Puerto Rico Army National Guard. The Department of Veterans Affairs ruled that he wasn’t disabled.
He appealed and lost. He appealed again and lost again, and again and again. In all, the VA has issued more than two
dozen rulings on his case over the years. Still, he continues to appeal. Even after he won and started receiving 100
percent disability pay, he pressed on in hopes of receiving retroactive payments. “I’m never going to give up,” said
the 66-year-old Vietnam veteran. “I don’t care how long it takes.” Figueroa’s case is among the more than 425,000
now swamping a veterans appeals system that advocates and government officials say is badly broken.
The appeals system does not have enough staff to handle the record number of veterans — from the wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq as well as Vietnam — filing for disability payments over the last decade, then appealing when
all or part of their claims are denied. But experts point to a more fundamental problem. Unlike U.S. civil courts, the
appeals system has no mechanism to prevent endless challenges. Veterans can keep their claims alive either by
appealing or by restarting the process from scratch by submitting new evidence: service records, medical reports or
witness statements. They have everything to gain and little to lose by continuing to fight. “There’s a gold ring and
there’s no requirement to get in line,” said Dr. Edward Zech, a thoracic surgeon and former Navy captain who serves
as the medical adviser to the Board of Veteran Appeals in Washington. “It is intuitively obvious that there will be a
backlog,” Zech said. “If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re never going to catch up.”
Any injury or disease that can be traced back to the time of active duty — whether it occurred in combat or training
or on vacation — is eligible for disability pay, with no statute of limitations on when a veteran can apply. The VA
processed 1.3 million initial claims last year, a record. The backlog has occurred as the VA has celebrated its success
in whittling down delays in processing new claims. Fewer than 80,000 veterans have currently been waiting more than
125 days for initial decisions, down from a peak of more than 600,000 two years ago. The number awaiting appeals,
however, climbed from 167,412 in September 2005 to 425,480 this October. Veterans’ advocates say the VA has
simply traded one problem for another, having shifted many of the agency’s workers from appeals to initial claims.
“They’re robbing Peter to pay Paul,” said James Vale, director of benefits for Vietnam Veterans of America.
“Congress doesn’t give the VA enough money to hire the staff to do the job.”
VA officials say the appeals rate has held steady for the last two decades at about 12 percent. The sheer number of
cases, however, has become unmanageable. Appeals that can’t be resolved at VA regional offices around the country
wind up at the appeals board. The 65 judges who handle cases ruled on 55,713 cases last fiscal year — an all-time
high. They held 12,738 hearings, often by video conference. At that pace, it would take five years to see all 65,000
veterans with pending requests for a court appearance, a right guaranteed for any veteran who wants it. While judges
can grant or deny a claim, nearly half the time they do neither and instead send it back to a regional office for more
thorough review. Cases often remain in the system for years in a slow-motion volley between the appeals board and
the regional offices, with occasional detours to federal court. Inside the VA, it has become known as “the churn” and
“the hamster wheel.” According to the VA, 74 percent of current appellants are already receiving disability pay but
want the VA to recognize more of their ailments or raise their compensation for those already approved. Ultimately
about 1 in 10 appeals leads to higher disability compensation.
Some veterans never get an answer. Since 2009, more than 32,000 have died with their appeals unresolved, VA
data show. Alison Hickey, who until recently was the top VA benefits official, told reporters this summer that the
current procedure was “inefficient and ineffective.” VA officials say there are two possible solutions to the bottleneck:
money to hire more lawyers, judges and other staff to process appeals, or a rewrite of the law by Congress. A proposal
in Congress would create a pilot program that would fast-track appeals for veterans who give up the right to add new
10
evidence to their cases at a certain point. “That has been incredibly controversial in the veterans’ community,” said
Michael Allen, an expert on veterans benefits at Stetson University College of Law in Florida. Above all, the disability
system was designed to protect veterans from being shortchanged by the government, and veterans groups are reluctant
to support changes that would limit a veteran’s ability to continue pursuing a case. “If they limit veterans to one appeal
a claim, it makes the system more efficient at the detriment of veterans’ rights,” Vale said.
Based on records collected by a congressional committee looking at the problem, Figueroa’s is the oldest pending
case in the system. He returned to Puerto Rico after Vietnam and became a police officer. In 1977, several months
after joining the National Guard, he was ejected from an Army Jeep during a training exercise and broke both arms,
according to extensive records he provided. “We hit something in the road and rolled over,” he recalled. In 1986, the
VA in Puerto Rico recognized his fractures as service-related injuries but said they weren’t disabling. It rejected his
claims for problems with his left hand, wrist and finger, ruling that those ailments stemmed from a mishap while
changing a tire on his police car in 1980. It also denied his claim for a “nervous condition” that emerged around the
same time and led to his dismissal from the police force.
Over the next two decades, Figueroa’s dispute with the VA largely revolved around which accident — the one in
1977 or the one in 1980 — had caused the problems in his left hand. A breakthrough came in 1996. After shoulder
joint replacement surgery, the VA ruled him 60 percent disabled. It later determined that the injury made him
unemployable, entitling him to 100 percent disability pay. He now receives $3,068 a month tax-free. He has kept
fighting to overturn the parts of his claim that were denied. If his other conditions are finally recognized, compensation
could be backdated to when he first applied for them. “I’ve spent a lot of time on this,” Figueroa said by telephone
from his house in Cieba, a coastal town about an hour and a half east of San Juan. “But I’m not the only one.” In 2011
— 26 years after he filed his original disability claim — the appeals board ruled that his hand injury in fact stemmed
from the 1977 accident, though it was not deemed disabling enough to qualify for payment. He is still trying to get
compensation for his pinkie.
More significantly, Figueroa is fighting for recognition of the “nervous condition” that was part of his original
claim. He says it is really post-traumatic stress disorder linked to horrors he witnessed in Vietnam. He was diagnosed
with PTSD in 1991, when he joined the Army Reserves and was quickly deemed too troubled to serve. The VA has
repeatedly denied his claim, saying that his mental health difficulties are unrelated to his military service. The issue is
under review by the appeals board. If Figueroa succeeds, he could receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in
retroactive compensation. [Source: Los Angeles Times | Alan Zarembo | November 23, 2015 ++]
********************************
VA Privatization Update 01
► New Poll Indicates Vets Not in Favor
Veterans like choice. But they don't like privatization. That’s the bottom line from a new poll out 10 NOV from the
Vet Voice Foundation, designed to counter recent proposals that left-leaning advocates say would move Department
of Veterans Affairs hospitals to an outsourced, privatization model. The poll of 800 veterans, conducted jointly by a
Republican-backed firm and a Democratic-backed one, found that almost two-thirds of survey respondents oppose
plans to replace VA health care with a voucher system, an idea backed by some Republican lawmakers and presidential
candidates. “Veterans overwhelmingly feel that health care was a promise made for their service and oppose vouchers
that may not cover all costs,” group officials said in their report. “Veterans worry that private insurance companies
care too much about profit and would make decisions for the care of veterans based on money.”
The results push back poll numbers released by Concerned Veterans for America last month that found nearly 90
percent of veterans surveyed believe officials need to increase health care choices for VA patients, including expanded
access to private care physicians. They also point to a larger fight between Republicans and Democrats over VA
reform efforts, and how each side is labeling moves to expand health care offerings for veterans in the private sector,
but still at government expense. “This poll confirms what nearly every veterans service organization has always said
11
— privatization and voucherization of the VA is a nonstarter for veterans,” said retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton,
managing director of the Vet Voice Foundation. “There is a lot of debate about ‘choice’ in veterans care, but when
presented with the details of what ‘choice’ means, veterans reject it," Eaton said. "They overwhelmingly believe that
the private system will not give them the quality of care they and veterans like them deserve.”
The new Vet Voice poll also hints that the issue could be a factor in the 2016 elections, with 57 percent of those
surveyed stating they would be less likely to vote for candidates who support "privatizing the VA health care system.
Only one in four said that stance would strengthen their support for a candidate. Major veterans advocates have long
opposed proposals for privatization, but have been more cautious in their use of the term in recent years, as lawmakers
have backed initiatives to increase private care access, like the Choice Card program. Full details of the poll are
available on the foundation’s website at http://www.vetvoicefoundation.org/press/VVF-Polling-Memo-151109Veteransv2.pdf. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Leo Shane | November 10, 2015 ++]
********************************
VA Caregiver Program Update 30
► Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
VA Caregiver Support Program is acknowledging Alzheimer’s disease Awareness Month. We know so much more
about Alzheimer’s disease today than we did 30 years ago. The National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer’s
Association has provided more insight about the Disease through research. Did you know?
 As many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer's disease.
 About a half million Americans younger than age 65 have some form of dementia, including Alzheimer's
disease. This is referred to as young onset or early onset.
 Studies show that Caregiving for someone with Alzheimer’s disease is physically, emotionally and
financially challenging.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the continued impact on Caregivers will continue to grow as our
population ages. Research shows Caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease:
 Are about two-thirds of Caregivers are women,
 34% are age 65 or older,
 41% have a household income of $50,000 or less,
 Half of primary caregivers of people with dementia take care of parents.
Many of these Caregivers suffer from untreated physical and mental illness due to the stress from caring for
someone with Alzheimer’s. If you know of a Caregiver of a Veteran with Alzheimer’s or dementia, please let them
know the VA Caregiver Support Program is here to support. The VA REACH program offers amazing support to our
caregiver and Veterans, please visit www.caregiver.va.gov to learn more from your local Caregiver Support
Coordinator. With VA's Caregiver Support Line assistance is just a quick phone call away. Whether you're in need of
immediate assistance or have questions about what services you may be eligible for, the caring licensed professionals
who answer the support line can:
 Tell you about the assistance available from VA
 Help you access services
 Connect you with the Caregiver Support Coordinator at a VA Medical Center near you.
 Just listen, if that's what you need right now.
If you're just getting started with VA, calling the Caregiver Support Line is a great first step to take to learn more
about the support that's available to you. [Source: Veterans Health | November 19, 2015 ++]
12
********************************
VA Scandal News
►
Exorbitant Relocation Allowances | 151220
The head of the nation’s largest veterans service organization reacted with disappointment about VA’s refusal to
terminate two senior executives that were at the heart of the latest scandal involving exorbitant relocation allowances.
“After the congressional hearing investigating the matter, I believed that VA was finally understanding the need to
hold people accountable,” said American Legion National Commander Dale Barnett. “Principal Deputy Under
Secretary Danny Pummill admitted that VA had an accountability problem, and, as they say, the first step in
rehabilitation is admitting that you have a problem. But now we find out that VARO Directors Diana Rubens and
Kimberly Graves are not being terminated, but are just being demoted. After embarrassing the department and,
according to the IG, inappropriately using their positions of authority for personal and financial benefit, they are still
allowed to draw generous paychecks and continue employment in an agency that was created to serve veterans. This
is an insult and disgrace to all veterans. Any promises that VA officials make about accountability in the future need
to be taken with a grain of salt.”
“Rubens and Graves clearly should have been fired,” said House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff
Miller (R-FL). “The fact that VA leaders refused to do so gives me no hope the department will do the right thing and
take steps to recover the more than $400,000 taxpayer dollars Rubens and Graves fraudulently obtained.” Pummill,
acting undersecretary for benefits at the department since Hickey’s departure, told Miller’s committee that he found
the federal firing process “impossible” to navigate. “The civil servants, and I believe this is federal governmentwide,
have incredible protections and safeguards, and so the process of taking care of a problem employee takes an incredible
amount of documentation, oversight, time and energy, and taxpayer dollars,” he said during a 2 NOV hearing. “And
normally [it] ends when somebody outside of our organization comes back and says ‘You missed a step, reinstate the
person with back pay.’”
The VA did not immediately respond to a question about whether it plans to try and recoup any of the relocation
benefits it gave to Rubens and Graves for their Philadelphia and St. Paul moves. Allison Hickey, former VA
undersecretary for benefits, recommended Rubens for the reassignment to Philadelphia and a relocation incentive.
Hickey resigned from the department on 16 OCT. Rubens and Graves have not yet filed an appeal of the disciplinary
action to the Merit Systems Protection Board, according to an MSPB official. Under the 2014 Veterans Access, Choice
and Accountability Act, disciplined senior executives have seven days to appeal the adverse action to MSPB, which
in turn would have 21 days for an expedited adjudication. If MSPB doesn’t render a decision within 21 days of the
appeal date, then the secretary’s decision stands.
VA executives Diana Rubens, left, and Kimberly Graves, right, flank Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits
Danny Pummill at a Veterans Affairs Committee hearing Nov. 2
13
VA paid nearly $300,000 in relocation expenses, including costs related to the AVO program for Rubens, and
about $129,000 for Graves. Both Rubens and Graves took on fewer job responsibilities in their new positions in
Philadelphia and St. Paul, but kept their previous annual salaries of $181,497 for Rubens, and $173,949 for Graves.
Overall, the IG concluded that VBA managers reassigned senior executives to circumvent a pay freeze, and also paid
many of those executives unjustified relocation incentives. Their new jobs will come with a pay cut since they are
being demoted from the Senior Executive Service to the General Schedule pay system. But the two, who originally
got into hot water over relocation benefits and improper reassignments, are still entitled to “seek reimbursement for
appropriate costs” associated with their latest reassignments “in accordance with governmentwide statutes and
regulations that require federal agencies to pay for the geographic relocation of an employee directed to relocate,” said
a VA spokesperson. [Source: PR Newswire / American Legion | Andrea Dickerson | November 20, 2015 ++]
********************************
Agent Orange Exposed Ships Update 03
► Nov 2015 Updated List | Vietnam
VA maintains a list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships associated with military service in Vietnam and possible
exposure to Agent Orange based on military records. This evolving list helps Veterans who served aboard ships,
including "Blue Water Veterans," find out if they may qualify for presumption of herbicide exposure. Veterans must
meet VA's criteria for service in Vietnam, which includes aboard boats on the inland waterways or brief visits
ashore, to be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. Veterans who qualify for presumption of herbicide
exposure are not required to show they were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides when seeking VA
compensation for diseases related to Agent Orange exposure.
The new additions include the Navy survey ships Sheldrake and Towhee, attack transport ship Okanogan,
submarine rescue ship Chanticleer, destroyers Frank Knox and James E. Kyes, and transport ship General W. A.
Mann. VA also expanded the dates of eligibility for sailors who served on the destroyer Fechteler and said veterans
may be eligible for presumptive status if they went ashore from the guided missile cruiser Dewey or attack transport
ships Pickaway or Paul Revere during certain periods during the war.
Find your ship
Ships or boats that were part of the Mobile Riverine Force, Inshore Fire Support (ISF) Division 93 or had one of the
below designations operated on the inland waterways of Vietnam. Veterans whose military records confirm they
were aboard these ships qualify for presumption of herbicide exposure. During your Vietnam tour, did your ship or
boat have one of the following designations?
 AGP (Assault Group Patrol/Patrol Craft Tender)
 LCM (Landing Craft, Mechanized)
 LCU (Landing Craft, Utility)
 LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel)
 LST (Landing Ship, Tank)
 PBR (Patrol Boat, River)
 PCF (Patrol Craft, Fast or Swift Boat)
 PG (Patrol Gunboat)
 STABS (Strike Assault Boats)
 WAK (Cargo Vessel)
 WHEC (High Endurance Cutter)
 WLB (Buoy Tender)
 WPB (Patrol Boat)
 YFU (Harbor Utility Craft)
14
Alphabetized ship list
If your vessel is not included in the Mobile Riverine Force, ISF Division 93 or above designations, check VA's
alphabetized ship list at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/shiplist/list.asp. Need help determining
qualifying service? VA will help determine qualifying service in Vietnam after you file a claim for compensation
benefits. To contact VA:
 Call 1-800-827-1000 or 1-800-829-4833 (TDD for hearing impaired)
 Go to your nearest VA benefits office - www.va.gov/directory/guide/division.asp?dnum=3
Ships will be regularly added to the list based on information confirmed in official records of ship operations.
Currently there are 344 ships on this list. A Veteran must file an Agent-Orange related disability claim before VA
will conduct research on a specific ship not on VA's ships list. This requirement also applies to survivors and
children with birth defects. VA does not have the capacity to research ships when no compensation claim is filed. If
you think your ship should be on the list and you are not filing a claim, you may conduct your own research and
submit documentary evidence to VA. Documentary evidence includes deck logs, ship histories, and cruise book
entries. You may obtain ship deck logs from the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. This evidence must
show the ship entering the inland waterways of Vietnam, docking in Vietnam, or otherwise sending crew members
ashore. A ship that anchored in an open water harbor, such as Da Nang Harbor, is not sufficient evidence for the
presumption of Agent Orange exposure. You must scan your documentary evidence and email it to the Veterans
Benefits Administration's Compensation Service at 211_AOSHIPS.VBACO@va.gov. Emails sent to this email
address are not secure. Please do not include personal data. [Source: VA Secy Vet Group Liason Officer | Kevin
Sector | November 23, 2015 ++]
********************************
VA Health Care Enrollment Update 05
► 30K Post-9/11 Combat Vets Denied
Nearly 30,000 post-9/11 combat veterans – some of whom have been waiting for years – are still without Department
of Veterans Affairs health benefits due to a technicality more than three months after a whistleblower brought the
issue to light. VA officials apologized but say they do not have the authority to automatically enroll the veterans, even
though they filled out the proper paperwork and are guaranteed at least five years of enhanced care by law. At issue
is an optional means test, which the veterans in question did not fill out. The free care they are guaranteed by a 2008
law does not require them to fill out the means test, but without that information, their applications are automatically
placed into “pending” status. When VA program specialist Scott Davis first reported the issue in August, 35,000
combat veterans were on the pending list, half of whom had waited five years or more to be enrolled.
The VA did not start reaching out to the veterans until Davis publically reported the problem, and now says there
are about 29,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in pending status. Benita Miller, director of the VA’s Health Eligibility
Center, said the VA had enrolled 9,000 servicemembers since August. (Roughly 3,000 new veterans applied in that
time.) Miller said her office is continuing to reach out to veterans by telephone and by mail. The department has
apologized for the problem but also said the system is working as designed and that the vets need to specifically opt
out of the means test to move forward, to show that they accept the potential of co-pays. VA Secretary Bob McDonald
has repeated the assertion that he does not have the authority to change a veteran’s enrollment status. Davis, who
handles the enrollment applications, refutes the VA claim that the department cannot automatically enroll the veterans
and says they have in fact done just that in the past. “Those combat veterans are clearly applying for health care; we
have always just enrolled the people without asking questions,” he said. McDonald “has a moral, legal and ethical
responsibility to enroll these veterans.”
When asked by a Stars and Stripes reporter whether VA lawyers had specifically given guidance that the
department could not enroll the veterans, Miller demurred. “We didn’t have the guidance to make an agreement to
15
enroll them in VA health care,” she said in a phone interview with Stars and Stripes. The House Committee on
Veterans Affairs requested that the VA provide information by 13 NOV about the combat veterans on the pending
list, including the list of veterans who may have died while their enrollments were still pending, but they did not
receive the information, according to a committee official. “The law hasn’t required a means test from recent combat
veterans since 2008, yet VA still hasn’t come up with an efficient way to enroll these veterans in its health care system
without one,” committee Chairman Rep. Jeff Miller said in a statement. “This is either blatant incompetence or coldhearted indifference.” Benita Miller said her team was still compiling the data and did not have statistics on the number
of veterans who may have died while awaiting enrollment.
Davis said VA’s reluctance to automatically enroll the veterans could be about potentially being responsible for
tens of millions of dollars in compensation owed to veterans for the delayed benefits. VA officials would not comment
on what kind of compensation, if any, veterans might be owed. If you believe you might be one of the combat veterans
affected, you can call 877-222-8387 or visit the VA's Health Benefits page www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/apply.
[Source: VVA Web Weekly | November 19, 2015 ++]
********************************
VA Vet Choice Program Update 25
► New VCP Proposal
Acknowledging that the Veterans Affairs Department's private health care referral system is "too complicated” and
“saddled with a confusing array of authorizations and mechanisms,” VA officials pressed lawmakers 18 NOV to
consider streamlining several programs into a single initiative designed to improve veterans access to medical services.
The ambitious plan would combine seven VA community health care programs, including the newest and largest, VA
Choice, into a New Veterans Choice Program, with clearer eligibility rules, improved access to care and faster
payments to participating providers. Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson told members of the House Veterans' Affairs
Committee that the move is necessary to create the "Choice program of tomorrow." “Consolidation will improve
access and make the process easier for veterans to use," Gibson said. "Veterans will have better access to the best care
outside VA, providers will be encouraged to participate and to provide higher-quality care, and VA employees will
be able to serve both better, while also being good stewards of taxpayer funds."
VA was required to submit a proposal for merging its community care programs under the Surface Transportation
and Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, passed by Congress in July. The requirement is aimed at eliminating
duplication in programs and gaps in the referral system for private care through VA. The VA Choice program was
rolled out earlier this year to solve problems with veterans waiting weeks or months for appointments and or living at
least 40 miles from a VA hospital or clinic. But the department already had a number of smaller private-care
agreements and contracts, creating confusion for patients, VA employees and private doctors. The $16 billion VA
Choice program also has been beset with problems, ranging from a lack of awareness of the program among VA
employees to payment delays to providers to misunderstandings of the benefit among veterans. And since VA Choice
was launched, the number of veterans waiting more than 30 days for an appointment actually has grown — to 550,000
from 300,000. Gibson said the longer wait lists are largely the result of "more veterans coming to us for more care.”
“Having said that, we complete mental health appointments within three days, primary care, four days, specialty care
about six days ... that’s the average," he said. "We are providing a lot of timely access to good care care, but we fail
to do that consistently in every instance." Roughly 10 percent of all medical appointments made through the VA are
for private care.
Under the New VCP program, VA would establish a single set of eligibility criteria for private care; expand access
to emergency treatment and urgent care; simplify the referral and authorization system; and improve the claims, billing
and reimbursement processes. The health care network under New VCP would be larger as well. The plan calls for
VA and other government health care networks to serve as the core for providing health care services and a large
external network of commercial and preferred providers to provide both primary care specialty services. VA estimates
16
the cost of the redesign alone would run between $1.2 billion and $2.4 billion over the first three years. VA spent
roughly $7 billion per year on commercial health care services before implementing the Choice program, and officials
say Choice is likely to cost $6.5 billion per year if allowed to continue as is. The cost estimates do not include the
price tag for improved medical records management, which VA officials say will be necessary to support effective
care coordination.
To implement the plan, VA needs congressional approval of at least 10 legislative bills, including amendments to
existing law and some proposals already in the works. Committee members on both sides of the political aisle seemed
receptive to the plan, but it may face opposition in the sharply divided House, where conservatives have spoken in
favor of increased privatization of VA care, while liberals have voiced support for increasing the size of the VA.
 Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), House Veterans Affairs Committee chairman, said allowing veterans to get care
from private physicians at government expense is an increasingly viable component of the health care system
at VA. “As the veterans population grows in age and number, and as the healthcare landscape shifts, the need
for non-VA providers to supplement — note, I said supplement, not supplant — the care VA provides inhouse will only continue to grow,” Miller said.

Second-term Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a Texas Democrat who has floated his own plan to VA for fixing the
department's health care system in his district — ranked second-worst for access to mental health care among
the VA's 157 medical centers across the country — called the new consolidation plan a “high-water mark for
collaboration with VA” in his legislative career. "How grateful I am for this initiative for the veterans in my
district," he said. "It’s restoring VA to its rightful place as a leader in American health care, which should be
setting the standard and known for excellence and figuring out problems."

Veterans groups, including Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Veterans
of Foreign Wars, called the plan “an important step in the right direction to provide veterans with high quality,
comprehensive, accessible, veterans-centric care." The groups noted their opposition to two specific
proposals in the plan: $100 copayments for emergency care and $50 copayments for urgent care services,
and requirements for veterans to report whether they have other health insurance. Still, they praised the plan
for seeking "to move beyond arbitrary federal standards regulating when and where individual veterans can
access medical care." "[This] keeps those clinical decisions between a veteran and his or her doctor, without
bureaucrats, regulations or legislation getting in the way," they wrote.

Pete Hegseth, CEO of the conservative group Concerned Veterans for America called the proposal a
"cosmetic solution" for the systemic problems at VA. "This program is nothing new but was mandated by a
measure passed by Congress in July that, ironically, granted the VA’s request to raid the current Choice Card
program to the tune of $3.3 billion to pay for its mismanagement of other programs," Hegseth said. "Worse,
it does nothing to remove the VA as the final authority on veterans' health care decisions and empower
veterans to make those choices."
[Source: MilitaryTimes | Patricia Kime, | November 18, 2015 ++]
********************************
VA Pharmacy Update 05
► 2016 Copay | No Increase
Veterans who fill their prescriptions at a Veterans Affairs Department pharmacy will see no increase in co-payments
until at least January 2017, according to a new federal rule. Under the new policy published 16 SEP in the Federal
Register, VA will extend a freeze on co-payment increases until at least Dec. 31, 2016. Veterans are required to pay a
portion of the cost for prescription drugs they receive for non-service-related conditions if their incomes exceed
established threshold limits. They pay either $8 or $9 per 30-day prescription, depending on their eligibility status
within the VA health system. According to VA, veterans tend to reduce use of their pharmacy benefits when co-
17
payments rise, which leads to not taking their medications as prescribed. Patients also are at greater risk for adverse
drug interactions if they fill some of their prescriptions at VA and others at civilian pharmacies, VA officials say. The
freeze is designed to continue providing the benefit to veterans at moderate cost. Some veterans are likely to see a copayment increase after 2016; according to the rule, the freeze extension will give VA time to develop a tiered copayment structure similar to those of federal agencies, such as the Defense Department's Tricare program, and the
commercial sector. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Patricia Kime | September 17, 2015 ++]
********************************
VAMC Albany NY
►
Director Placed on Administrative Leave
The sudden removal of Linda W. Weiss, who was placed on administrative leave in early NOV from her job as director
of the Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, has renewed focus on the region's central veterans hospital and its
history of troubles. Hospital officials credit Weiss with steering Stratton VA to become one of the most efficient
veterans hospitals in the nation. She was appointed director in 2010, a year after the end of a decade-long scandal in
which the hospital's former drug research director, Dr. James A. Holland, and a former program coordinator, Paul H.
Kornak, were convicted of federal crimes that accused them of pushing patients into research programs and hastening
the death of one veteran. Current and former employees at Stratton VA contend that Weiss' rigid management style
and unchecked patient care issues may have contributed to her removal. There have also been serious misconduct
cases involving employees.
In the last year, two male nurses at Stratton were accused in separate incidents of stealing and using powerful drugs
intended for patients. One of them was charged with federal crimes, and the second nurse, who was found incoherent
with a used syringe nearby, was let go from his job but not charged criminally even though it was the second incident
involving his illicit drug use. Another nurse remained on duty despite complaints from co-workers that he was sleeping
on duty, including in the bed of a patient who had died the night before. Also, a former nurse alleges that patients in
a geriatric unit with "treatable" conditions were instead being given morphine, hastening their deaths. A hospital
spokesperson denied the allegation.
Linda W. Weiss (left) fields question about the health care facility during a town hall meeting Sept. 10, 2014 and Keil
McCarran, a licensed practical nurse at Stratton VA Hospital, allegedly sleeping on duty
Weiss, 62, has worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for more than 40 years and was appointed director
at Stratton, the region's central veterans hospital, in September 2010. Weiss was served with undisclosed
administrative charges 9 NOV and, under federal rules, has five business days to file any formal rebuttal. The VA has
declined to disclose what led Weiss to be removed from her $165,000-a-year position, and a congressional veterans
oversight committee in Washington, D.C., also has not been informed of the details, people close to the matter said.
In a brief telephone interview last week, Weiss declined to discuss her case or say what led to her removal. "You know
the VA and us well enough to know we never comment on certain matters," she said. "Since I'm on administrative
duty, but I am currently an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, there's certain things that we never
comment on."
18
As the case against Weiss lingers, numerous employees who spoke to the Times Union last week outlined the
problems they say have plagued the hospital. Alema Stewart, a licensed practical nurse, said she was fired recently
from her job at Stratton VA Hospital because she was late to work multiple times last summer while caring for her
grandmother, who has cancer. Stewart said she informed hospital supervisors of her situation, but they were not
sympathetic. Stewart said supervisors targeted her for termination, but did nothing when another nurse was caught in
May sleeping in the bed of a patient who died the night before. The 23-year-old male nurse, Stewart said, was reported
sleeping on duty multiple times. She even gave a supervisor photos of him sleeping in a patient's bed more than six
months ago. On 27 OCT, Stewart said, the young nurse fell asleep in a chair at a work station and other nurses had to
call a supervisor when they were unable to wake him. The nurse, Keil McCarran, could not be reached for comment.
Peter Potter, a hospital spokesperson, said he is limited by federal law in discussing McCarran's case, but he said
an employment action was recently initiated. "We would never allow a staffer to sleep in a patient's bed," Potter said.
"The only thing that would come close is if we had a crisis situation ... a snowstorm for instance. ... (But) that would
not be allowed, not in this place, and I wouldn't expect it to be allowed in any VA." When the Times Union followed
up with details on the sleeping allegations, including the fact the first allegation was filed in May, Potter clarified his
statements. "If he was laying in a patient's bed, would you get fired for that? Probably not. But it certainly wouldn't
be a happy time," he said.
Stewart, who worked with McCarran on the hospital's geriatric unit, also alleges that elderly veterans with
"treatable" conditions were given morphine and other drugs that may have suppressed their respiratory function and
possibly hastened their deaths. "There were patients with treatable illnesses and (a nursing supervisor) and doctor
talked the family out of getting care and put them on comfort care but they had treatable illnesses," Stewart alleged.
"The thing about it is everybody is aware but nobody wants to say anything. ... One gentleman had a scratch on his
big toe and instead of treating with antibiotic, they never gave him an antibiotic and told (us) not to send him to the
ER and monitor him only. They put him in a room, and once they put you in this one room with the soft music it was
only a matter of time." Potter said the allegations leveled by Stewart were not reported to hospital supervisors. "That
has not been something that's been an issue here and is not something that's been reported," he said.
Two other Stratton VA employees, who spoke on the condition they not be identified because they fear retaliation,
described Weiss as an unforgiving administrator who they said is driven by her desire to climb the ladder and cut
expenditures. One of the employees said that her supervisor sends her emails that cannot be printed or forwarded, and
that she believes it's done to prevent her from documenting what she characterized as harassment and unfair treatment.
She said the rough treatment of many employees was fallout of the management style of Weiss. "It's her way or the
door and supervisors are afraid of her," the employee said. But Potter credited Weiss with keeping the Stratton VA
facility rated as one of the top and most efficient veterans hospitals in the nation. He noted that the two nurses accused
of stealing patient drugs were both reported to the VA's Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney's office by Weiss.
He also disputed allegations by several employees that Weiss has been targeted in a high number of unfair-labor
complaints. "We've been able to keep our costs down under Linda's direction," Potter said.
Albany Stratton VA Medical Center Albany, NY
19
In a follow-up statement, Potter defended the hospital's operations. "While we cannot comment on the current
situation regarding Linda Weiss at this time, we can comment on the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, the 1,300
fine men and women who make up our staff and leadership team and their continued commitment exhibited in service
to our veterans," he said. "Over the past several years, the Albany VA has risen in our quality standing among VAs
nationwide." [Source: Albany Timesunion | Brendan J. Lyons | November 15, 2015 ++]
*********************************
VAMC Washington DC Update 01
► Home Care Wait Times
The Department of Veterans Affairs' home and community-based services were so delayed in the Washington, D.C.
area that wait times lasted more than a year, for some vets, the agency's inspector general found. One veteran died
before receiving the care he requested, according to the IG report No. 14-03823-19 which can be downloaded at
http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-14-03823-19.pdf. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) requested the audit, which
examined the effect of the increase in the program's services, from $1.3 million for 148 patients in 2010 to $6.7 million
for 573 patients in 2014. The sharp rise quickly overwhelmed staff. As the number of patients on wait lists grew
significantly at the D.C. facility, the report said a "[Veterans Integrated Service Network] staff member we interviewed
shared the opinion that leadership at the facilities felt pressure to work within their budgets even though they could
request more money."
The VA eliminated the wait list by February 2015, after adding $2 million to the program in June 2014, the report
said. VA is also dealing with the problem on a national scale as well. As of March 31, 2015, more than 2,500 patients
were on electronic wait lists to get home care. In July 2014, Mikulski's office was alerted of a complaint that a veteran
was referred to home care, but remained on a wait list until he died in April 2014. The patient, who was referred to
home care in October 2013, was in his 70s and had a series of strokes beginning in August 2013. VA policy places
home care priority on veterans with service-connected disabilities. Because the patient's condition did not meet a 50
percent threshold for a service-connected disability, he was placed on an electronic wait list. The inspector general
offered three recommendations, including requiring facilities to develop action plans for further address the care needs
of patients on electronic wait lists, as well as ensuring compliance and oversight. VA officials concurred with the
recommendations and said it had addressed the issues highlighted and would have action plans in place by April 2016.
[Source: FederalTimes | Carten Cordell | November 16, 2015++]
Washington DC VA Medical Center
*********************************
VAMC Richmond VA Update 01
► OSHA Unsafe Workplace Notices
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued notices to the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA
Medical Center for exposing workers to an unsafe workplace. OSHA says they identified "four willful, two serious,
and eight other-than-serious safety violations" in a 20 page report labeling unsafe or unhealthful working conditions.
Some of the violations include failure to provide safety and health training for supervisory employees. OSHA says
the agency head, did not furnish a place of employment that was free from recognized hazards that caused or were
20
likely to cause death or serious physical harm. The report says the agency did not record each work related fatality,
injury or illness case as required by OSHA. The particular violation goes on to list numerous times when nurses and
employees suffered injuries while working with patients but it says they were not recorded.
Another violation talks about needle stick injuries and cuts from sharp objects that were contaminated with another
person's blood, or other potentially infectious material but were not recorded on OHSA's log. OSHA's investigation
started May 6, 2015, which was around the same time fired pharmacist and whistleblower Dr. Andrew Carmichael
allegedly made similar complaints about patient safety, including a dirty IV room allegedly afflicted with patient
safety problems and allegations of poor record keeping and wasting medical supplies. "The safety hazards identified
at this facility demonstrate a need for a renewed commitment by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide a safe
workplace for the VA employees who care for our nation's service members, veterans, their families and survivors,”
said Stanley J. Dutko Jr., OSHA's area director in Norfolk. “All employers, including federal employers, are
responsible for evaluating and determining the extent to which employees may be exposed to physical assault or other
forms of workplace violence and taking the appropriate actions to eliminate or minimize that exposure. Every
employer is responsible for ensuring their workplaces are safe and healthy for all employees."
This is the sixth inspection for the McGuire VA Medical Center since 1992 - four of those inspections resulted in
notices. In 2009, the facility received notices for record keeping deficiencies. The employer has 15 business days from
receipt of the notices to comply or request an informal conference with OSHA's area director. This is the third time in
recent months that OSHA has issued notices related to workplace violence to a Veterans Affairs medical facility. Both
the El Paso VA Health Care System and the Atlanta VA Medical Center were cited earlier this year for exposing
employees to workplace violence and other hazards. Nationwide, within the past five years, OSHA says 16 inspections
of VA facilities resulted in notices issued for record keeping deficiencies. Three of those were classified as repeat. Go
to https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Hunter_Holmes_McGuire_VA_Medical_Center_1060427_1106_15.pdf to
view the McGuire notices. [Source: WWBT | Diane Walker | November 17, 2015 ++]
Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center
* Vets *
21
Homeless Vets Update 70
► Small Decrease in 2014
Governmentwide efforts to help homeless veterans pulled about 2,000 individuals off the streets from 2014 to 2015,
according to new estimates released this week by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. White House
officials spun that statistic as continuing a five-year decline in homeless veterans numbers, proof that they’re making
progress on the problem. President Obama this week praised government efforts as helping “tens of thousands of our
veterans get off the streets.” But the small change in the yearly estimates makes the administration’s pledge to end
veterans homelessness by the start of 2016 appear all but impossible, and potentially many years away.
The annual point-in-time count, conducted in January, shows there are about 48,000 homeless veterans across the
country. That’s down from the 50,000 in the January 2014 count, but a smaller drop than the 5,000 veterans taken off
the streets in each of the previous three years. Officials estimate the number was just under 75,000 in 2010, when the
White House announced its national campaign to solve the problem. Since the latest count was conducted in January,
officials in a number of major metropolitan areas — including Houston, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Salt Lake City
— announced they have “effectively” ended veterans homelessness by putting in place enough assistance programs
and shelters to quickly house any veterans in financial distress.
A VA volunteer talks to a homeless veteran during January's point-in-time count.
On Veterans Day, Virginia officials announced theirs had become the first state to end veterans homelessness
statewide. That progress may be reflected in the 2016 point-in-time count, to be conducted in two months. But federal
officials in recent months incorrectly predicted significant progress in this year’s figures, and will not release the next
estimates until fall 2016. The full point-in-time count — which includes national homelessness figures and challenges
— will be released in coming days. HUD officials downplayed the smaller annual reduction in homeless veterans
numbers and said they are pleased that efforts are helping individuals get stable housing. “We have collaborated with
partners in the private and philanthropic sectors, and every level of government, to put us on a path to achieve that
goal," Jennifer Ho, HUD senior adviser on housing and services, said in a statement. “We’ve enlisted more than 850
state and local officials to commit to this effort, successfully housed more than 101,000 veterans through the HUDVASH program, and reduced the number of unsheltered homeless veterans by 50 percent," she said. "We know how
to solve this problem and communities across the country have shown us it can be done.”
Baylee Crone, executive director for the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, called the small decrease in
the national estimate concerning, but said she doesn’t believe it reflects a slowdown in progress in helping vulnerable
veterans. “The numbers that really matter to us right now are the community-level ones,” she said. “What you can’t
see in the [point-in-time] count are the new systems that have been put in place and the speed veterans have going
from homeless to housing.” Crone said better community level coordination and new federal funding tools have
resulted in significant decreases in local estimates that the coalition tracks, and went on to say she's pleased with the
progress officials have seen since 2010 and in just the last year alone. “Still, the [point-in-time] count needs to keep
going down,” she said. “Obviously, 48,000 homeless veterans is still way too high.” [Source: MilitaryTimes | Leo
Shane | November 13, 2015 ++]
**********************************
22
Stolen Valor
► Reported 15115 thru 151130
Years of pretending he was a federal law enforcement agent and Army Special Ops sergeant who earned the Purple
Heart medal ended 19 NOV when a South Florida man admitted his deceit in federal court. Simon Emilio Zablah,
28, who lived in Broward County, pleaded guilty to two counts of impersonating a federal officer and one count of
credit card fraud. Records show Zablah went AWOL from the U.S. Army less than two weeks after he enlisted in
January 2005. He was discharged later that year on "other than honorable conditions," prosecutors said. Investigators
from the FBI and U.S. Department of Defense said Zablah embarked on a complicated life of deception, convincing
many people he had survived being wounded in action and earned the prestigious Purple Heart.
Investigators said he told many people he was a military veteran and a law enforcement agent for the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration. He also claimed to be working on a top-secret classified mission as a member of the
U.S. Department of Defense's Special Ops forces. Zablah frequently wore a military uniform, festooned with honors
and badges, that got him special treatment, including free meals from some restaurants, according to court records.
Agents found a fabricated card in his wallet that identified him as a Special Ops sergeant. Authorities said he posted
comments and photographs on social media websites that indicated he was a decorated military veteran and
masqueraded as a war hero who had earned multiple military honors and a Combat Action Badge. He left for work
each day dressed in shirts that bore the words "FEDERAL AGENT" and often wore tactical law enforcement and
military equipment, according to court records.
Handcuffed, shackled and dressed in dark blue jail scrubs, Zablah politely answered U.S. Magistrate Judge James
Hopkins' questions Thursday in federal court in West Palm Beach. "Guilty, Your Honor," Zablah replied three times
in response to each charge. The maximum punishment for the offenses is 16 years in federal prison, but the prosecution
and defense have agreed to recommend Zablah serve a year and a day in prison and receive mental health treatment.
Senior U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley will make the final decision when he sentences Zablah early next year.
Zablah's lawyer Assistant Federal Public Defender Neison Marks declined to comment Thursday, but he previously
said in court that Zablah has suffered from emotional and psychological problems for years and knows he needs
counseling and mental health treatment.
Zablah admitted he pretended he was a U.S. Special Ops sergeant to get out of a $205 speeding ticket in April in
Hollywood. The officer who stopped him gave him a written warning instead of a ticket because he showed the officer
a fake military card. He also admitted he lied and claimed he was a U.S. Army Reserve officer in April 2013 to help
get him a job as a call representative with a Plantation uniform supply company in 2013. "ln fact, l was a soldier in
the United States Army from January 13, 2005 through January 25, 2005, at which time I deserted ... l received no
awards or medals from the United States Army. I have never been in any way associated with United States Special
Operations, the United States Army Reserve or any other branch of the United States military. I have also never been
employed as or otherwise associated with any type of law enforcement, state or federal," according to the written plea
agreement Zablah signed. Zablah also admitted he used a credit card number he obtained from a customer of the
Plantation company in August 2013 to make six fraudulent purchases, totaling $3,669. The items he bought included
a computer and were shipped to the Fort Lauderdale address where he lived at the time. The company fired him.
Investigators began looking into Zablah's activities after his July arrest on a state domestic violence charge in July.
Hollywood police arrested him after his pregnant girlfriend said he tried to strangle her during an argument in the
apartment they shared. He was released on bail with an electronic monitor while the state charge was pending. A
month later, Zablah cut off his electronic monitor and fled to El Salvador after federal agents tried to question him
about the impersonation allegations. Though he is a U.S. citizen who was born in New York, authorities said he later
told some people he was planning to return to South Florida, perhaps by being smuggled through Mexico. He was
arrested Oct. 21 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport when authorities learned he had booked a return
flight from El Salvador, prosecutor Carolyn Bell said. Zablah agreed to plead guilty less than a month later.
23
Authorities who searched his home and found military awards, body armor, military uniforms, hydration packs and
other military equipment and a collection of Airsoft rifles and pistols, which authorities say look like genuine firearms
but fire pellets and other projectiles at non-lethal speeds that can cause injury. Before he fled, Zablah was living with
a roommate he met on a Facebook group for veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to
court records. If Zablah pleads guilty to the state charge in the next few weeks or months, prosecutors will recommend
he serve his punishments for all the offenses at the same time. [Source: Sun-Sentinel | Paula Mcmahon | November
20, 2015 ++]
**********************************
Vet Documentaries
► PBS Florida Links
Florida Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS) have created a website where the individual PBS stations have contributed
& posted their military documentaries. Below are the links:
Serve and Protect : Stories From WWII - "From a small senior community near St. Augustine, Florida over 30
veterans came together to share their stories at www.floridastoriesofservice.org/serve-and-protect-stories-fromwwii/.
Vietnam: Service, Sacrifice, and Courage - "NE Florida Vietnam veterans contributed their tender, often hurt
feelings to shape this project. The Vietnam veterans were not like the WWII or Korean War veterans we had worked
with on our previous documentaries. The Vietnam veterans were more actively involved in watching, suggesting and
directing us to tell their true stories. What emerged shows the veterans to be just like you and me. They fought in an
unpopular war and yet returned home to lead normal and successful lives. They could be and are your neighbors,
friends and relatives. View at www.floridastoriesofservice.org/vietnam-service-sacrifice-and-courage/
Prisoners of War: Stolen Freedom – This documentary compares the stories of four American servicemen through
their time as prisoners of war in three major 20th century conflicts; World War II, Korea and the Vietnam war. Their
stories are supported by archival motion pictures and photographs obtained at the US National Archives as well as
through sketches and memorabilia collected by each of the men. Their stories are less about atrocity than they are
about the survival of the human spirit and the camaraderie that helped each man survive years of incarceration. Each
story at www.floridastoriesofservice.org/prisoners-of-war-stolen-freedom/ is followed by spectacular recounts of
their days of release.
Korea : Forgotten War, Remembered Heroes - "This special documentary spotlights the stories of five First Coast
Korean War Veterans. Refer to www.floridastoriesofservice.org/korea-forgotten-war-remembered-heroes/.
Unleashing the Underdogs: The Ks For Warriors Story - “This documentary highlights a unique program that
pairs dogs and veterans in a training program, and ultimately as companions, to show appreciation and assist in
healing of PTSD. Refer to www.floridastoriesofservice.org/unleashing-the-underdogs-the-ks-for-warriors-story/.
[Source: Florida’s WJCT News | Michael Rothfeld | November 24, 2015 ++]
**********************************
Vet Data Source ►
www.veteransdata.info
Did you know that of the nation’s more than 22 million veterans, the largest populations live in California, Texas,
Florida and Pennsylvania? But those aren’t the states with highest percentage of veterans. That status belongs to
Alaska, Montana, Maine, Virginia and Wyoming. And if you delve into veterans by county, you’ll find that a
disproportionate number live in rural areas, where incomes are lower, according to the Housing Assistance Council,
which has developed a new online database tool to look at how veterans are faring in their communities. While veterans
in Maryland, Alaska, Virginia, Hawaii and Washington, D.C., have the highest median incomes -- ranging from
$70,516 to $80,733 -- Washington’s veterans also have the country’s highest poverty rate at 10.4 percent, and 10.1
percent of its veterans are unemployed.
24
These are just a few of the facts that the interactive database contains. The site, www.veteransdata.info , was
developed using data from a wide range of sources, with support from JPMorgan Chase. The interactive map provides
data about veterans in every U.S. county, including demographic and economic indicators, housing characteristics,
homeless rates and population numbers. It also offers a fact sheet for each state, providing details on population,
proportion, prevalence by county, median income, poverty levels, unemployment, disability, housing facts and more.
“Often, we seem to lack useful and complete details on the status of American veterans,” HAC Executive Director
Moises Loza said in a statement. “These new resources will help.” [Source: Stars & Stripes | Dianna Cahn | November
19, 2015 ++]
VETERANS IN THE UNITED STATES
QUICK DATA SNAPSHOTS BY STATE
VETERAN POPULATIONVIETNAM ERA VETERANSINCOMEHOUSING PROBLEMSVA LENDING VETERAN HOMELESSNESS
********************************
WGU Salute To Veterans
►
50 New Scholarships Offered
Western Governors University is accepting applications for its new WGU Salute To Veterans Scholarship. The
nonprofit, online university created the scholarship to financially assist veterans and their spouses, who return to
school for their bachelor’s and master's degrees. The scholarship is valued at up to $2,500 per student and will be
applied at the rate of $625 per six-month term and be renewable for up to four terms. WGU reports tuition costs about
$3,000 per term for the majority of its programs. Applications will be accepted through 31 JAN at
www.wgu.edu/veterans . WGU will award up to 50 scholarships to new students nationwide. Information on military
scholarships available for active-duty personnel and their families is available at www.wgu.edu/militaryappreciation.
[Source: Pensacola NewsJournal | November 18, 2015 ++]
********************************
Vet Cemetery Hawaii Update 04
►
Construction Stopped at Maui Veterans
Construction is stopped on improvements to Maui Veterans Cemetery after the project was found to conflict with the
National Historic Preservation Act. The Maui News reports the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is pursuing a
historic analysis to gauge the potential impact work on the area could have on the neighboring Makawao Cemetery.
State Deputy Attorney General Amanda Weston says construction can resume when the veterans affairs department
complies with the preservation act. The $6 million project would improve and expand Maui County's only veterans'
cemetery, where available burial sites are becoming scarce.
Makawao Cemetery
25
Weston said there are fewer than four dozen available burial sites. There were 14 burials in October. "We're very
concerned about the lack of space, and we're eager to start construction as soon as we are able to so that we will not
run out of burial space for the veterans and their families," she said. A lawsuit filed by the Makawao Cemetery
Association in October said some improvements would damage the area's historic nature. Last week, the group asked
for a temporary restraining order to stop work on a shared lot. Association attorney Isaac Hall says the group is happy
construction is on hold. "We were having difficulties getting them to stop," Hal said. "They were taking the position
that lot one, which is used in common, saying, 'That's our property and we'll do whatever we want with it.' We're
hoping, with the preservation act, that they'll start taking more seriously our claims that they need to mitigate some of
the impacts their project would have on Makawao Cemetery." [Source: The Associated Press | November 15, 2015
++]
********************************
Retiree Appreciation Days
► As of 28 NOV 2015
Retiree Appreciation Days (RADs) are designed with you in mind. They're a great source of the latest information for
retirees and Family members in your area. RADs vary from installation to installation, but, in general, they provide
an opportunity to renew acquaintances, listen to guest speakers, renew ID Cards, get medical checkups, and various
other services. Some RADs include special events such as dinners or golf tournaments. Due to budget constraints,
some RADs may be cancelled or rescheduled. Also, scheduled appearances of DFAS representatives may not be
possible. If you plan to travel long distances to attend a RAD, before traveling, you should call the sponsoring RSO
to ensure the RAD will held as scheduled and, if applicable, whether or not DFAS reps will be available. The current
schedule is provided in the attachment to this Bulletin titled, “Retiree Activity\Appreciation Days (RAD)
Schedule”. Note that this schedule has been expanded to include dates for retiree\veterans related events such as
town hall meetings, resource fairs, stand downs, etc. For more information call the phone numbers of the Retirement
Services Officer (RSO) sponsoring the RAD as indicated in the attachment. An up-to-date list of Retiree Appreciation
Days can always be accessed online at:
 HTML: http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.html
 PDF: http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.pdf
 Word: http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.doc
[Source: RAD List Manager | Milton Bell | November 28, 2015 ++]
*********************************
Vet Hiring Fairs
► 1 DEC thru 31 Jan 2016
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s (USCC) Hiring Our Heroes program employment workshops are available in
conjunction with hundreds of their hiring fairs. These workshops are designed to help veterans and military spouses
and include resume writing, interview skills, and one-on-one mentoring. For details of each you should click on the
city next to the date in the below list. To participate, sign up for the workshop in addition to registering (if indicated)
for the hiring fairs which are shown below for the next month. For more information about the USCC Hiring Our
Heroes Program, Military Spouse Program, Transition Assistance, GE Employment Workshops, Resume Engine, etc.
visit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s website at http://www.hiringourheroes.org/hiringourheroes/events .
Virtual Job Fair Details Register
December 3 - 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
San Antonio, TX - Joint Base San Antonio Transition Summit Details Register
December 9 - 4:00 pm to December 10 - 4:00 pm
26
Miami, FL - Miami Hiring Fair Details Register
December 10 - 8:30 am to 1:30 pm
Cleveland, OH - Cleveland Hiring Expo with Cleveland Cavaliers Details Register
January 25 - 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Austin, TX - Austin Hiring Fair Details Register
January 27 - 8:30 am to 1:30 pm
[Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Assn November 26, 2015 ++]
*********************************
WWII Vets 95
► Hudson~Frank
This is a war story. It's also a love story. It's a story of boy meets girl, boy loses girl and boy gets girl -- not once, but
twice, over the expanse of 72 years. Frank Hudson was a good-looking young Texan in the U.S. Army Air Force. He
came to Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in 1943 for training during World War II. He received physical
conditioning and training in English and mathematics. He also fell in love. Evelyn Louise Rekers was a pretty, petite
waitress from Janesville. "She worked in a cafe in downtown Cedar Falls," Hudson, now 93, recalls. Her family called
her Evelyn. "I liked 'Louise' better, so that's what I called her,'" he said. He liked more than her name. For her, it was
mutual. "Before long, we got married," Frank said. But Frank was in the service, and Uncle Sam came calling. "We'd
been married 10 days when I went overseas," Frank said.
He went to Europe. He was assigned to the 570th Bomb Squadron of the 390th Bomb Group of the U.S. Eighth
Air Force. He was assigned to the crew of B-17G bomber 7041, nicknamed "Ain't Misbehavin'." He was crew engineer
and top turret gunner. The crew flew 24 combat missions. The 24th, over Merseberg, Germany, on Nov. 30, 1944,
proved fateful. Their plane was shot down. Three of the bombers' four engines failed. Three of Frank's crew went
down with the plane and were killed. One fell to his death, his parachute improperly fastened. Another was killed on
the ground by angry German farmers with pitchforks. Back home, Louise and Frank's folks in Texas received letters
informing them he was missing in action. "The War Department sent her a telegram that said I was MIA, and that was
all they told her," he said. "She didn't know whether I was alive or not." She and Frank's family would not learn his
fate until the war ended months later.
It was a long wait and a long ordeal for Frank. After bailing out, Frank's parachute and that of a crewmate snagged
in evergreen trees; they dangled high off the ground. They worked themselves loose and dropped to the snow-covered
earth. Frank landed on a large log in a snowdrift and severely jarred his back and legs. It has factored in his disabilities
today. They eluded capture for a time, scrambling several miles up a shallow stream to avoid leaving any scent for the
hounds of pursuing German patrols to pick up. Exhausted after a day, they leaned up against a tree and fell asleep.
When they awoke, an armed German soldier patrolling on a bicycle was approaching them. He captured them and
escorted them to a truck of German Luftwaffe ground troops. Frank was a prisoner of war in the Stalag Luft I and
Stalag Luft IV prison camps in Kefide, Germany, near the Lithuanian border. There were 10,000 Allied prisoners in
the two camps. He lost 60 pounds in six months in captivity on a meager diet mainly of potatoes and rutabagas.
Conditions were harsh. "The commander at Stalag Luft IV was a little red-haired German captain, meaner than a snake
" Frank said. "His right-hand man was a big German sergeant, great big guy" prisoners called "Big Stupe," short for
stupid. "He's the one who did all the dirty work, beat you around. He wasn't sharp, but he was big and tough. He was
his enforcer."
But the prisoners had hope. They assembled a contraband makeshift radio from parts gathered through food parleys
with the camp guards. They picked up British BBC broadcasts and heard news of the Battle of the Bulge, the Nazis'
27
failed last major offensive in the West. They knew the tide had turned. In May, Frank was at Stalag Luft I when it was
liberated by the Soviet Red Army. Frank recalled the Russian commander, Marshal Georgy Zhukov, rode into camp
in a 1933 American Chevrolet sedan, a young woman on either side of him, and ordered music and vodka for a
celebration that lasted through the night. Soviet troops procured livestock from the German countryside for the
liberated prisoners to butcher for food. The Soviets escorted the liberated prisoners west to the Elbe River where the
Red Army had linked up with the U.S. and other Allied troops. The Stalag Luft IV camp commandant and "Big Stupe"
were murdered by vengeful British prisoners. There was a long trip home, via B-17s and train to Camp Lucky Strike,
a repatriation camp in France, where Frank shook hands with Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower who met with the liberated
POWs. Then there was a long trans-Atlantic Liberty ship ride home.
In mid-summer 1945, Louise and Frank's folks finally received word he was alive. Frank and Louise were reunited
in July 1945. They bought a service station in Lubbock, Texas, with another couple. They sold it after a year, and
Frank and Louise came to Waterloo. He tried a couple of different jobs, the last as a driver for the WCF&N Railway.
"I had lots of trouble from the war, had a hard time holding a job," Frank said. "I told her (Louise) I was going back
in the service. She said 'I'm not going,'" Frank recalled. After the long wait during her husband's disappearance, she
would have nothing of it. "So we divorced," he said. "She married another old boy, I married another old gal and we
lived with those people for over 40 years." Frank signed up in the Air Force in 1948 and made a career of it, retiring
in 1967 as a senior master sergeant. He served in Japan and Germany and had many assignments stateside. He passed
on a combat tour in Korea. "I'd had enough of that" during World War II, he said.
After leaving the military, he worked another 14 years for the Texas highway department before retiring. Then
came hard times. Frank's second wife was near death in the early 1990s. He received a call. It was Louise, now
widowed from her second husband. "She said 'I'm single and I weigh 103.' Her first words," Frank recalled, his eyes
gleaming. "At that time my second wife had Alzheimer's and cancer real bad and was not expected to live a couple of
months." She died in April 1992. The wartime lovers, now widower and widow, became husband and wife again.
Frank and Louise were remarried July 4, 1992, at First Baptist Church in Waterloo. Frank wanted to live in Lubbock.
Louise preferred Waterloo. They compromised. They lived in Waterloo. This time, love prevailed. They were married
22 years -- until cancer and Alzheimer's took Louise Sept. 2. But she left her husband a gift. Her granddaughter,
DeAirra Dutler, formerly of Waterloo and now of Iowa City, cared for Louise through her illness.
Now DeAirra cares for Frank, who uses a walker, enabling him to remain at home. She is his primary caregiver;
he adores her. "Best in the world. I ain't trading her off for nothing," Frank said. Frank wants to complete one more
aerial mission. He hopes to make an Honor Flight from the Waterloo Regional Airport to Washington, D.C., in
September to see the National World War II Memorial. Many have been urging Frank to make the trip for quite some
time, urging DeAirra to coax him into it. Frank's ready now. He would not go on such a trip before. He was not going
to leave Louise's side, ever again. He never did. [Source: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier | bPat Kinney | June 09, 2015
++]
National WWII Memorial Washington DC
*********************************
28
State Veteran's Benefits & Discounts
► Rhode Island 2015
The state of Rhode Island provides several benefits to veterans as indicated below. To obtain information on these
plus discounts listed on the Military and Veterans Discount Center (MCVDC) website, refer to the attachment to this
Bulletin titled, “Vet State Benefits & Discounts – RI” for an overview of the below benefits. Benefits are available
to veterans who are residents of the state. For a more detailed explanation of each of the following benefits listed refer
to http://www.vets.ri.gov and http://militaryandveteransdiscounts.com/location/rhode-island.html:
 Rhode Island Veteran's Home
 Rhode Island Veteran's Cemetery
 Rhode Island Veteran's Benefit Counseling
 Other State Sponsored Veteran Benefits
 Discounts
[Source: http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits/rhode-island-state-veterans-benefits.html Nov 2015
++]
* Vet Legislation *
VA Family Caregiver Assistance Update 02:
► H.R.2894 Introduced
DAV has worked diligently for several years as a part of a larger coalition of veterans organizations that promoted the
advent of family caregiver support services for severely injured and ill veterans. Congress finally responded five years
ago by enacting Public Law 111-163, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. However,
that act limited services and supports to family caregivers of veterans injured or who became severely ill in military
service only on or after September 11, 2001. That omission left thousands of veterans' families without the level of
caregiver support and services they have needed because those veterans' health challenges, many from war injuries,
occurred before that effective date.
On 25 JUN, Representatives Elizabeth Esty and Ryan Costello introduced H.R. 2894, the "Caregivers Access and
Responsible Expansion for All Veterans Act," or the "CARE for All Veterans Act." If enacted, this bill would
responsibly and finally address these families' needs on the same basis as those of veterans injured after September
11, 2001. Ultimately, when fully implemented, the bill would improve the lives of tens of thousands of veteran
families, and will save the federal government massive sums that otherwise would need to be spent to provide
institutional solutions to these veterans' health challenges and health maintenance. Therefore, this bill is both beneficial
to these families and a taxpayer-friendly measure.
29
Veterans can assist in getting this legislation passed by urging their Representative to co-sponsorship and support
of passage of H.R. 2894. A letter has been prepared for this purpose or you may write your own to express your views.
Go to http://www.dav.org/can/?vvsrc=%2fCampaigns%2f43357%2fRespond to review DAV’s editable letter which
can automatically be sent to legislators by their constituency. [Source: DAV Commander’s Action Network |
November 14, 2015 ++]
*********************************
VA Bonuses Update 29
► H.R.1338 | 2016 $2M Senior Exec Cap
The House on 16 NOV unanimously passed legislation capping fiscal 2016 bonuses for Veterans Affairs senior
executives at $2 million. The measure amends the 2014 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act to
specifically limit the total amount of performance awards and bonuses given to top career executives at the department
in fiscal 2016. The language in the Choice Act required the department to cap the aggregate amount of award and
bonuses doled out to all VA employees at $360 million in each of the fiscal years 2015 through 2024. The VA had
nearly 360,000 employees as of June 2015, according to data from the Office of Personnel Management’s Fedscope;
of that total, 335 were listed as career senior executives. The provision was inserted into H.R.1338, which requires the
department to study the burial of veterans’ unclaimed remains in national cemeteries run by the National Cemetery
Administration. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) praised lawmakers for “reining in
VA’s outrageous, everyone-gets-a bonus culture,” calling on the Senate to follow suit.
The Senate companion bill to H.R.1338 was folded into a larger measure aimed at improving VA’s disability
compensation claims backlog, which the Senate passed last week. Neither one of those bills contained a provision that
would cap senior executive bonuses in fiscal 2016, as H.R.1338 does. Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) unsuccessfully offered
an amendment earlier this month to the fiscal 2016 Military Construction-VA spending bill that would have prohibited
senior executives at the Veterans Benefits Administration from receiving bonuses. A Nov. 11 USA Today report found
that the VA paid out more than $142 million in performance-based bonuses in 2014 to senior executives and other
employees despite the department’s wide-ranging management problems. “Among the recipients were claims
processors in a Philadelphia benefits office that investigators dubbed the worst in the country last year,” the report
said. “They received $300 to $900 each. Managers in Tomah, Wis., got $1,000 to $4,000, even though they oversaw
the over-prescription of opiates to veterans – one of whom died.”
The newspaper’s editorial board on 16 NOV criticized the department for rewarding employees involved in
mismanagement with bonuses. “Misbegotten bonuses are not the VA’s most vital concern, but they're a troubling sign
of ongoing dysfunction,” the piece stated. “If the agency can’t even stop handing out rewards to employees implicated
in scandals, prospects seem poor that it can fix its far more complex problems.” VA has argued that performance
awards and bonuses are an important way the department recruits and retains a talented workforce. "We are making
every effort to recruit more quality people to help us care for those who 'have borne the battle,' particularly health care
professionals," wrote VA Secretary Bob McDonald, in a separate op-ed published in USA Today on Monday. "We
need every tool to compete and attract exceptional people to serve veterans as well as they served our nation."
McDonald pushed back on the criticism over the newspaper's report on performance awards, saying that "severely
curtailing" such incentives only at the VA would be a "mistake." He also noted that the bonuses mentioned in the story
were "more than a year old" and adhered to Office of Personnel Management standards. "They are based on
performance during that period, not on events occurring after it. The majority who received awards were rank-andfile workers," he said. [Source: GovExec.com | Kellie Lunney | November 17, 2015++]
30
*********************************
NDAA for 2016 Update 17
► Obama Signs Into Law
After an extra month wait, the annual defense authorization bill is finally law. President Obama signed the budget
and policy bill on 25 NOV, marking the 54th consecutive year the measure has survived Washington political fights
to become law. The most significant result for troops is the renewal of dozens of specialty pay and bonus
authorities, and a massive overhaul of the military retirement system. Starting in 2018, newly enlisted troops will no
longer have the traditional 20-year, all-or-nothing retirement plan. Under the changes, it will be replaced with a
blended pension and investment system, featuring automatic contributions to troops' Thrift Savings Plans and an
opportunity for government matches to personal contributions. The new system is expected to give roughly four in
five service members some sort of retirement benefit when they leave the military, as opposed to the current system
which benefits only one in five.
The $607 billion authorization bill also includes comprehensive defense acquisition reform and language
designed to stop Obama from closing the detention facilities at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. White House
officials had objected to that language and hinted at a possible veto. But similar language in the measure each of the
last six years didn't stop the president from signing past authorization measures into law Obama did veto an earlier
draft of this fiscal 2016 authorization bill, but over broader fiscal fights that were resolved last month when
lawmakers approved a new two-year spending plan that goes around mandatory budget caps for both defense and
nondefense programs.
The legislation is only half the annual budget process for Congress. Lawmakers still need to pass a defense
appropriations bill for fiscal 2016 to start new programs and acquisition plans. Congressional leaders are hopeful
that can be done before Dec. 11, when a short-term budget extension expires. But finalizing the annual defense
authorization bill is a significant step forward in that larger process, and gives Pentagon planners a host of other
policy updates as well:





Allowing personal firearms on stateside bases — Lawmakers are requiring Defense Secretary Ash Carter
to develop a plan by the end of this year that would allow stateside base commanders to decide whether to
allow their service members to carry personal firearms on duty, or in areas where that is currently restricted
by the military. Any such plan would not supercede local laws.
A pay freeze for general and flag officers — Troops will see a 1.3 percent pay increase in January, lower
than the rate of expected private-sector wage growth but more than their senior officers will get. General
and flag officer pay will stay at fiscal 2015 levels.
Another ban on a new BRAC round — Like in past years, the measure includes a prohibition on defense
officials starting another base closing round. But lawmakers did include language allowing military
officials to conduct studies on how much excess capacity exists in their stateside footprint, which could
ease the path to such a move in the future.
A ban on "paid patriotism" with sports leagues — The bill includes language that would prohibit the
department from entering into contracts "making payments for honoring members of the Armed Forces at
sporting events," in response to congressional reports that several professional sports teams were given tens
of thousands of dollars to conduct on-field military appreciation events.
Easier rules for military animal adoption — The measure changes the rules on adopting military dogs
and other animals to make it easier for former handlers and families of injured handlers to adopt them
following their military service.
31

Developing "gender-neutral" standards for military jobs — In response to a push to open more military
specialties to female troops, lawmakers want Pentagon leaders to craft "gender-neutral occupational
standards" that would allow "decisions on assignments (to) be based on objective analysis."
[Source: NavyTimes | Leo Shane | November 25, 2015 ++]
*********************************
SSA COLA 2016
► S.2251 | One Time Payment in Lieu of COLA
On October, 15, 2015, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that due to low inflation this year, no
cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) would be made in 2016 for Social Security beneficiaries. Since that decision would
also apply to veterans receiving financial benefits, Senator Elizabeth Warren and 18 of her colleagues have jointly
introduced a bill, S. 2251, the Seniors and Veterans Emergency Benefit Act. The bill would provide veterans and
others in receipt of VA financial support a one-time payment of about $580 (calculated based on 3.9 percent of the
average annual Social Security payment). This one-time payment would soften the financial blow associated with the
lack of an increase through a COLA, and the payment would be tax free. Payments would be disbursed to beneficiaries
beginning 120 days after enactment. Even if eligible for multiple federal benefits payments, individuals could receive
only one payment under this bill.
A one-time payment is not comparable to an annual COLA, and a one-time payment becomes less valuable to
more seriously disabled veterans because of their higher cost of living. However, in absence of a COLA or other viable
alternative, NCOA calls upon its members and supporters to contact their elected officials in Congress and urge their
support, co-sponsorship and passage of S.2251. A letter for this purpose has been prepared for your use, or you may
write a personalized message to inform your House Member and Senators of your support for this bill. Go to
http://ncoausa.org/index.php/legislation/legislative-action-center/?vvsrc=%2fCampaigns%2f43433%2fRespond and
complete the contact data to forward the editable letter via email to your Senators. [Source: NCOA DC msg |
November 18, 2015 ++]
********************************
Vet Employment/Education/Healthcare Improvement Act
► H.R. 3016
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on 17 SEP H.R. 3016 the Congressional Budget
Office (CBO) has submitted their report which is available at https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/114th-congress2015-2016/costestimate/hr3016.pdf. In summary:

H.R.3016 would modify certain mandatory veterans’ programs, including those that provide educational
benefits and mortgage loan guarantees. On net, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3016 would decrease direct
spending by $815 million over the 2016-2025 period.

In addition, H.R. 3016 would expand the types of medical care provided by the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA); reorganize the administration of several job training, readjustment benefits, and other benefit
programs; transfer certain employment training and placement programs from the Department of Labor
(DOL) to VA; and modify the processing of benefit claims. In total, CBO estimates that implementing the
bill would cost $234 million over the 2016-2020 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.

Pay-as-you-go procedures apply because enacting the legislation would affect direct spending. Enacting the
bill would not affect revenues.
32

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3016 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any
of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2026.

H.R. 3016 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. State agencies that
serve veterans would benefit from contact and service information about veterans provided electronically by
VA.
[Source: CBO | November 19, 2015 ++]
*********************************
Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress
► 151115 thru 151130
Refer to this Bulletin’s “House & Senate Veteran Legislation” attachment for a listing of Congressional bills of
interest to the veteran community introduced in the 114 th Congress. The list contains the bill’s number and name,
what it is intended to do, it’s sponsor, any related bills, and the committees it has been assigned to. Support of these
bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process
for a floor vote to become law. A good indication of that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have signed
onto the bill. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At https://beta.congress.gov you
can review a copy of each bill’s content, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if
your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it by entering the bill number in the site’s search engine. To determine
what bills, amendments your representative/senator has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on go to:
https://beta.congress.gov/search?q=%7B%22source%22%3A%5B%22legislation%22%5D%7D,
Select
the
‘Sponsor’ tab, and click on your congress person’s name. You can also go to http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php.
Grassroots lobbying is the most effective way to let your Congressional representatives know your wants and
dislikes. If you are not sure who is your Congressman go to https://beta.congress.gov/members. Members of Congress
are receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents. The key to increasing cosponsorship support on veteran
related bills and subsequent passage into law is letting legislators know of veteran’s feelings on issues. You can reach
their Washington office via the Capital Operator direct at (866) 272-6622, (800) 828-0498, or (866) 340-9281 to
express your views. Otherwise, you can locate their phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate
with a message or letter of your own making at either:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
http://www.house.gov/representatives
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF VETERAN RELATED LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE
HOUSE SINCE THE LAST BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED



H.R.3988 : Military and Veterans Education Protection Act. A bill to count revenues from military and
veteran education programs toward the limit on Federal revenues that certain proprietary institutions of
higher education are allowed to receive for purposes of section 487 of the Higher Education Act of 1965,
and for other purposes.
H.R.3991 : Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Education Relief and Restoration Act of 2015.
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans affected by school closures certain relief
and restoration of educational benefits, and for other purposes.
H.R.4011 : Delivering Opportunities for Care and Services for Veterans Act of 2015. A bill to
increase the number of graduate medical education positions treating veterans, to improve the
compensation of health care providers, medical directors, and directors of Veterans Integrated Service
Networks of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
33









H.R.4012 : SAVE Benefits Act. A bill to provide for a supplementary payment to Social Security
beneficiaries, supplemental security income beneficiaries, and recipients of veterans benefits, and for other
purposes.
H.R.4039 : Veteran Small Business Tax Credit Act of 2015. A bill t amend the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 to establish a small business start-up tax credit for veterans.
H.R.4053 : VA Repair/Remodel Grants to Facilities Serving Veterans. A bill to authorize the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants for repair and remodeling of community centers, clinics, and
hospitals that serve veterans.
H.R.4054 : Ensuring Quality Education for Veterans Act. A bill to revise the 90-10 rule under the
Higher Education Act of 1965 to count veterans' education benefits under such rule, and for other purposes.
H.R.4071 : Give our Seniors and Veterans the COLA they Deserve Act. A bill to direct the
Administrator of General Services to establish a program to sell Federal buildings that are not utilized to
provide revenue for increases in social security benefits and military retirement pay, and for other purposes.
H.R.4080 : Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to
provide for unlimited eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat service during
certain periods of hostilities and war.
H.R.4087 : Fair Treatment for Families of Veterans Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code,
to adjust the effective date of certain reductions and discontinuances of compensation, dependency and
indemnity compensation, and pension under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
H.R.4118 : Veterans Legal Support Act of 2015. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
provide support to university law school programs that are designed to provide legal assistance to veterans,
and for other purposes.
H.R.4125 : Veteran Medical Facility Access in Densely Populated Communities. A bill to direct the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the feasibility of the Secretary entering into publicprivate partnerships to improve the access of veterans to medical facilities in densely populated
communities and rural communities.
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF VETERAN RELATED LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE
SENATE SINCE THE LAST BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED






S.2263 : HIRE Vets Act. A bill to encourage effective, voluntary private sector investments to recruit,
employ, and retain men and women who have served in the United States military with annual Federal
awards to private sector employers recognizing such investments, and for other purposes.
S.2265 : Improve Rural Area VA Health Care. A bill to improve the provision of health care by the
Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans in rural and highly rural areas, and for other purposes.
S.2268 : Dust Off Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act. A bill to award a
Congressional Gold Medal to the United States Army Dust Off crews of the Vietnam War, collectively, in
recognition of their extraordinary heroism and life-saving actions in Vietnam.
S.2273 : STARTUP Vets Act of 2015. A bill to require the Administrator of the Small Business
Administration to establish an incubator and accelerator grant program for veterans and members of the
Armed Forces.
S.2277 : Veterans Homebuyer Accessibility Act of 2015. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to allow a credit for veteran first-time homebuyers and for adaptive housing and mobility
improvements for disabled veterans, and for other purposes.
S.2291 : VA Patient Protection Act of 2015. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish
procedures within the Department of Veterans Affairs for the processing of whistleblower complaints, and
for other purposes.
34


S.2316 : Reissuance Of Veterans Benefits Requirements. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code,
to expand the requirements for reissuance of veterans benefits in cases of misuse of benefits by certain
fiduciaries to include misuse by all fiduciaries, and to improve oversight of fiduciaries, and for other
purposes.
S.2331 : Amend Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
to make invalid and unenforceable predispute arbitration agreements with respect to controversies arising
under provisions of such Act and to preserve the rights of servicemembers to bring class actions under such
Act, and for other purposes.
[Source: https://beta.congress.gov & http: //www.govtrack.us/congress/bills November 30, 2015 ++]
* Military *
USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) Update 04
►
Nearing Completion
If everything goes right, if the hardware and software all seem good and the weather cooperates, the revolutionary
destroyer Zumwalt (DDG 1000) could taste the sea for the first time in December. It’ll be a moment many years in
the making. “We’re at the stage of construction where there is very little production going on. The ship is built,” Sean
Stackley, the Navy’s top official for research, acquisition and development, said 5 NOV. Featuring a tumblehome hull
optimized for stealth, a new propulsion and power distribution system, an ambitious software environment that ties
together nearly every system on the ship, and a reduced crew, the Zumwalt has been under construction since 2008 in
the tiny town of Bath, Maine, at the Bath Iron Works (BIW) shipyard of General Dynamics. Development and design
started much earlier than that.
”Everything is new,” Stackley said in an interview with Defense News. “From the propulsion plant, the power
distribution – the whole integrated power system – the extraordinarily unique features of the hull form that provide
35
the degree of stealth and survivability, the radar system, the degree of automation that’s incorporated into the ship to
enable the reduced-size crew – it’s all new. “We’re at that stage,” he added, where “all of that is coming together in
the test program.” The ship carried out extensive tests at the shipyard in mid-October – a 96-hour, four-day “fast
cruise.” “We did everything from rolling the shafts, bringing up and down systems, testing failure modes, testing
watch station effectiveness,” Stackley said. “You’re limited in terms of radiation – radiating things while next to the
pier. But we did everything that we could next to the pier prior to getting underway.” That included running the
propeller shafts – with the propellers removed. “We were able to test the props to a much higher degree pierside than
we did on the [Arleigh Burke-class] DDG 51 destroyers,” Stackley said. “We leveraged some lessons-learned from
the Brits in terms of their power system. “They attached water wheels – took the props off, put water wheels on so
you’re not creating the thrust,” but with enough resistance to bring the electric load up “pierside far beyond what
you’d be able to do on a pitched propeller.”
A new software “load” was delivered to the ship control systems last week. “I expect that will be the load we’ll
take to sea,” Stackley said. “And right now we are continuing down the checklist in terms of completing the test
program. We’ll do a check in terms of readiness for sea, and when we’re green we’ll follow suit and get underway.
And it’ll be a healthy underway period. We plan on a 7-day underway period for the first builder’s sea trials to shake
it down as extensively as possible. In December, if we’re ready.” How the ship does in the initial sea trials, Stackley
said, will determine the ship’s delivery date in the spring.
 “We’ve got a builder’s sea trial with a notional start of the 7th of December,” he said. “That is the critical
milestone in terms of being able to deliver in the spring. We need a successful trial. We’ll learn things from
the trial, we always do. First-of-class, we expect to learn a lot.
 “We’ll come back off the trial, we’ll generate trial cards that identify deficiencies – it could be in terms of
hardware, it could be in terms of software. But we take the full sea trial and schedule of test events, grade
ourselves, bring the ship back, we correct the deficiencies, and then we get underway.”
 With so much new technology involved, the ship will carry out a second set of builder’s sea trials before the
Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey comes aboard for acceptance trials. The scheduling of the second set
of trials, Stackley said, “will be dependent on the issues we identify on the first builder’s trials.
 “We have to hurdle the holidays, deal with weather-related impacts before getting back underway. Then after
that second trial, having worked off issues from the first trial, that will give us the green light to go to
acceptance trials.
 “It becomes a trial-driven schedule, from the point in time we get underway for the first sea trials.”
During the week-long initial sea trials, the Zumwalt will be coming back to nearby Portland, Maine, several times
to let off engineers who’s role in the tests is complete and take on others. Portland is easier for a ship to get in and out
of quickly, but at the conclusion of the trials, the ship will head back up the narrow Kennebec River to return to the
Bath shipyard. Stackley noted that, as planned, the Zumwalt will not be complete and ready for operations when it
leaves Bath next year for its home port of San Diego. While nearly all of the ship’s hull, mechanical and electrical
systems will be installed in Maine, most of the mission systems, including combat systems, radars and other sensors,
will be completed in California. “This two-phased delivery approach has been in place since the contract was first
struck,” he said, noting that the Navy and its contractors – including Raytheon and BAE – are in discussions now “in
terms of scoping the work to ensure there’s no dropped handoff between BIW and the west coast.” The work for the
second delivery phase, he said, will be mostly for mission systems equipment and activation.
Funding for the Zumwalt is essentially complete, Stackley said, including $433 million requested in the 2016
budget to continue work on the ship. “I think the funding we need is all programmed. It’s either in our hands or in our
budget on the Hill,” Stackley said. “We have a pretty healthy post-delivery test and trials budget. There’s always risk
with a first-of-class, we might have identified things that were not anticipated. But our understanding of the scope of
work is matched by the budget that we have either in hand or is in the 2016 request.” Two other Zumwalt-class ships,
the Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B. Johnson, also are under construction at Bath. [Source: DefenseNews |
Christopher P. Cavas | November 11, 2015 ++]
36
*********************************
USS Lake Erie (CG-70) Update 01 ►
Mascot
A routine survey alerted Navy leaders that a bewildering climate had taken hold one of its foremost surface
combatants. On the cruiser Lake Erie, investigators found a grueling schedule with arbitrary weekend workdays; a
supply officer so offensive that he was ordered not to speak to any E-6 or below; a crew that spent hours repeatedly
cleaning the same places just to look busy; work done and redone because of miscommunication with the shipyard.
And the pièce de résistance: a seafaring pygmy goat named Master Chief Charlie. Under commanding officer Capt.
John Banigan, Master Chief Charlie was more than a mascot — he was a shipmate. Charlie sailed on the ship's
homeport shift from Hawaii to San Diego in 2014, tied up on the aft missile deck where crewmembers fed him and
policed his droppings. And he was a fixture at command events. He hobnobbed with distinguished visitors, including
the Navy's top officer and, allegedly, the strike group boss, and served as the ring bearer at a junior officer's wedding
aboard the ship.
Master Chief Charlie
But the Navy's most adorable master chief would also end up costing Banigan his command. Investigators
concluded that Charlie was a distraction to the chiefs’ mess and the command violated California state animal entry
control procedures when it arrived in San Diego via the homeport switch. The chief's advised against taking Charlie
along, but were countermanded by the skipper, according to a new report obtained by Navy Times that sheds new
light on the peculiar command. Charlie, per one officer, was "the CO's goat." Banigan was sacked in April, when word
first emerged that the goat was a focus of investigators. The career surface warfare officer disputes the Navy's findings
about his command, saying the crew's eroding morale was due to the ship's punishing schedule and that the animal
entry violation amounted to a paperwork error. In the span of a year, Lake Erie’s schedule included a four-month surge
deployment to 7th Fleet, ballistic missile defense certifications, a homeport shift and an extended dry dock period —
notorious for bringing down morale.
But in the final assessment, then-Carrier Strike Group 11 boss Rear Adm. Dee Mewbourne ruled that COs are
charged with safeguarding the “morale, physical well-being and general welfare” of their sailors and that Banigan had
fallen short. "Frequently independent, essentially autonomous operations are the hallmarks of command at sea,"
Mewbourne wrote in a May endorsement letter to the command investigation, which Navy Times obtained via
Freedom of Information Act request. "The Lake Erie leadership, especially and inexcusably the CO, violated this trust
and in so doing placed Lake Erie and the crew at elevated levels of stress and diminished quality of service well
outside the bounds of normalcy that our service requires. "While the intentions of Capt. Banigan, for the most [part],
were likely squarely centered on mission accomplishment, his actions were clearly unchecked by an effective feedback
or assessment mechanism. Subsequently, organizational maladies metastasized."
Banigan retired this year. When reached for comment, Banigan declined, citing his desire “as a gentleman” not to
undermine Mewbourne’s determination. Charlie may have been good for morale, he had become b-a-a-a-d distraction,
Mewbourne decided, and imposed a ban on pets and live mascots across his carrier strike group. Master Chief Charlie
37
could not be reached for comment. He is believed to be grazing at an undisclosed San Diego farm. No word has
emerged on Charlie's retirement grade determination or the nature of his discharge from active-duty. The new
command report of the Lake Erie paints a picture of a ship's culture as bizarre as that aboard the Cowpens in 2015,
when the skipper holed up in his stateroom for much of their deployment and allegedly carried on an affair with his
acting second-in-command. You might think the cruiser Lake Erie's goat, Master Chief Charlie, was out of place on a
warship. You'd be wrong. Charlie's presence was as firmly rooted in Navy tradition as the jack staff or the ship's bell.
Type "goat" into the search bar on Naval History and Heritage Command's website and prepare to graze on new
information. The archives are chockablock with images of sailors and goats from every era since cameras made their
way on ships in the 19th century.
Goats have shipped out on warships dating back to the days before refrigeration when sailors needed livestock on
ships for milk and meat. The sure-footed quadrupeds were the ideal candidates for seagoing life. Smaller and easier
to feed and clean up than a cow, and they're first-class swimmers. As better food preservation and storage technology
came into the fleet, the need for goats on ships abated, leaving only the need for furry morale boosters. By 1893, the
goat had become the de facto symbol of the U.S. Navy when it was adopted as the U.S. Naval Academy's mascot,
according to the academy's website. Bill the Goat, a full-scale goat, lives on a farm near Annapolis and is cared for
by a volunteer group of midshipmen. The USNA mascot is actually two goats, Bill XXXIII and Bill XXXIV, as the
Navy believes in building redundancies into any system. [Source: NavyTimes | David Larter | November 16, 2015
++]
*********************************
USS Milwaukee (LCS-5)
► A Navy Ship Built for Speed
It still has that new car smell. Or more accurately, that new ship smell. The Navy's latest littoral combat ship, the USS
Milwaukee, has undergone sailing trials on Lake Michigan since Marinette Marine shipyard workers finished
construction in northeastern Wisconsin. It officially became a part of the fleet at its 21 NOV. An estimated 4,000
people turned out on a snowy, windy day for the ship's commissioning ceremony Designed for versatility and speed,
littoral combat ships are a relatively new addition to the U.S. Navy built to operate close to shore and quickly switching
from one combat mode to another by swapping out different equipment such as anti-mine or anti-submarine gear.
With the global rise of terrorist groups like the Islamic State and al-Qaida rather than foes that fight with navies,
Kendall G. Bridgewater was asked about the relevance of ships like the USS Milwaukee. The ship's commanding
officer noted that the Navy's job is to keep sea lanes open, something it has done for centuries. "It doesn't matter if
we're at war or at peace, the Navy is doing its job of keeping sea lanes open. It hearkens back to the start of the U.S.
Navy which was to fight pirates," said Bridgewater, noting that littoral combat ships are not designed to go toe-to-toe
with combat ships.
The USS Milwaukee is the fifth Freedom class littoral combat ship built in Marinette. The first, the USS Freedom,
was commissioned in Milwaukee in 2008. The USS Milwaukee will travel through the St. Lawrence Seaway to the
East Coast, then south to the Panama Canal to its home port of San Diego for patrols in Asia. It features a helipad in
the stern for one manned and one unmanned helicopter. Standing in what's called the waterborne mission zone,
Bridgewater pointed out a movable crane that can pick up a 34-foot boat to slide into the water through a rear hatch
for crews to go ashore, transfer to other ships or conduct search and seizure missions. There's no propeller. Instead,
the ship uses four water jets to travel at speeds up to 45 knots. Unlike older Navy ships, littoral combat ships operate
with much smaller crews. A crew of 54 operates the USS Milwaukee, though it will carry around 100 when sailors
tied to the helicopter aviation unit are on board.
Littoral combat ships also are designed to quickly swap out combat modules for missions that include searching
for underwater mines, and battling other ships and submarines. But some question the effectiveness of the USS
38
Milwaukee, and other littoral combat ships. The ship's interchangeable modules are supposed to make the ships more
versatile, with each version tailored for a specific purpose. The original goal was to be able to change the modules in
72 hours. Critics say that concept isn't working, and that the littoral combat ships don't have the firepower, or armor,
of larger warships.
The bridge is staffed with only three people who can control 95% of the ship through touch screens and levers that
operate the water jets while sitting in seats that resemble Capt. Kirk's on the Starship Enterprise of "Star Trek."
Nautical charts are passe. The ship travels with the aid of GPS and computerized maps. "We still have some paper
charts but we've got one hanging on the wall for decoration," said navigator Lt. j.g. Alexander Gallagher, of Dallas,
Pa., who wanted to serve on a littoral combat ship because "it's a small crew so you have more responsibility. But it's
also more fun. Just from our name, we get to go closer to land and go faster." Seven additional littoral combat ships
are in various stages of production at Marinette Marine, said Stephanie Hill, vice president and general manager of
Lockheed Martin Corp.'s ship and aviation systems business line. Lockheed Martin is the general contractor for littoral
combat ships, and subcontracts work to Marinette Marine. [Source: The Associated Press | November 22, 2015 ++]
USS Milwaukee (LCS-5)
*********************************
Gravestone Coins Update 01
► Origin
A coin left on a headstone lets the deceased soldiers family know that somebody stopped by to pay their respect.
Leaving a penny means you visited. A nickel means that you and the deceased soldier trained at boot camp together.
If you served with the soldier, you leave a dime. A quarter is very significant because it means that you were there
when that soldier died.
Humans have been leaving mementos on and within the final resting places of loved ones almost from the beginning
of the species. Excavations of even the earliest graves uncover goods meant to serve the deceased in the next world,
such as pottery, weapons and beads. The earliest known coins date to the late seventh century B.C. As societies began
embracing monetary systems, coins began being left in the graves of its citizens merely as yet another way of equipping
the dear departed in the afterlife. Mythologies within certain cultures added specific purpose for coins being left with
the dead. In Greek mythology, Charon, the ferryman of Hades, required payment for his services. A coin was therefore
placed in the mouth of the dear departed to ensure he would ferry the deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron
39
and into the world of the dead rather than leave him to wander the shore for a hundred years. In England and the U.S.,
pennies were routinely placed on the closed eyes of the dead, yet the purpose for that practice was not clear — some
say it was to keep the eyes of the corpse from flying open, yet the eyes, once shut by the person laying out the body,
do not reopen.
In these more modern days, coins and other small items are sometimes discovered on grave markers, be they
plaques resting atop the sod or tombstones erected at the head of the burial plot. These small tokens are left by visitors
for no greater purpose than to indicate that someone has visited that particular grave. It has long been a tradition among
Jews, for example, to leave a small stone or pebble atop a headstone just to show that someone who cared had stopped
by. Coins (especially pennies) are favored by others who wish to demonstrate that the deceased has not been forgotten
and that instead his loved ones still visit him. Sometimes these small remembrances convey meaning specific to the
person buried in that plot. For more than twenty years, every month someone has been leaving one Campbell's tomato
soup can and a pocketful of change on the plain black granite tombstone that marks the grave of Andy Warhol. The
soup can is easy to explain, given Warhol's iconic use of that commodity in his art, but the handful of change remains
a bit of a mystery. In similar vein, visitors often leave pebbles, coins and maple leaf pins at the grave of Canadian
Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, the man who replaced Canada's Red Ensign with the Maple Leaf flag.
Regarding the 'tradition' of soldiers leaving on the headstones of fallen comrades varying denominations of coins
to denote their relationship with the deceased, the earliest reference to this practice we've found so far dates only to
June 2009, when it appeared as a web site post. The version now commonly circulated in e-mail appears to have been
drawn from it, albeit some changes have slipped in, such as "A buddy who served in the same outfit, or was with the
deceased when he died, might leave a quarter" becoming "By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family
that you were with the soldier when he was killed." Despite the claim of this tradition's dating back to the days of the
Roman Empire, there's no reason to suppose that it does. A coin might be placed in the mouth of a fallen Roman
soldier (to get him across the River Styx), but his comrades wouldn't be leaving their money on his grave, but rather
expending it on a funeral banquet in his honor.
Given the lack of evidence that anyone anywhere is following this 'tradition,' it is perhaps best regarded not as an
actual practice, but instead as someone's idea of what should be. Yet military folk do sometimes leave very special
remembrances at the graves of deceased servicemen: challenge coins. These tokens identify their bearers as members
of particular units and are prized and cherished by those to whom they have been given; thus any challenge coins
found at gravesites were almost certainly left there by comrades-in-arms of the deceased. It needs be mentioned that
not only coins, medallions, and stones have been found on military headstones. In July 2013, a wife of a deceased
serviceman discovered another woman's name on her husband's marker in place of her own. Edna Fielden, widow of
Air Force Master Sergeant Billy Fielden (buried at Fort Logan Cemetery in Denver 25 years earlier) was shocked to
discover the headstone bore the inscription "Dolores" over the legend "His Wife" when she brought her grandchildren
to visit the grave. [Source: Snopes | Barbara "grave mistake" Mikkelson | Oct 2015 ++]
*********************************
Military Retirement System Update 20
► New Proposal Update
Big changes are coming to the military retirement system. Congress has gone back and forth several times, and it looks
like the final version of the law will be sent up to the President's desk soon. This is a major overhaul, but it's important
to understand that everyone currently serving will be grandfathered into the current retirement system. So no need to
worry about losing your current pension. It also won't start until 2018, so there is some time before these proposed
changes take place. What is changing? The big change is a reduced pension multiplier in exchange for matching TSP
contributions from the military and cash bonuses for re-upping at certain points in one's career. The pension multiplier
would change from 2.5% per year, to 2.0% per year, a 20% reduction (40% of base pay at 20 years, as opposed to the
current 50%). Again, this is still a proposal, and nothing has changed. But it's getting close. For a review of the proposal
40
go to http://themilitarywallet.com/new-military-retirement-plan. [Source: The Military Wallet | November 17, 2015
++]
*********************************
Military Retirement System Update 21
► New One Signed Into Law
President Obama has signed legislation putting in motion a massive military retirement overhaul that will affect the
personal finances of hundreds of thousands of service members for decades to come. Just not right away. Defense
officials still have dozens of details to work out with the new system, and the first individuals to feel the impact likely
haven’t enlisted yet. The new retirement plan, included in the 2016 defense authorization bill represents not only a
dramatic shift in the government’s approach to recognizing troops’ service but also a shift toward bringing Defense
Department benefits more in line with private-sector offerings. In contrast to the longstanding current system that
reserves pension payouts for troops who serve at least 20 years in uniform, the new, “blended” plan would give troops
who serve as little as two years some retirement benefits through vested 401(k)-style investments in their Thrift
Savings Plan accounts. Today, only about one in five service members sees any retirement pay. Under the new plan,
officials estimate, about four in five will leave the military with some level of retirement savings.
The plan follows a recommendation from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission
in February, which found most younger Americans “change jobs frequently and tend to favor flexible retirement
options.” The concept has been discussed among military advocates for years. Commissioner Steve Buyer, who served
as a Republican representative from Indiana for 18 years, said lawmakers envisioned the shift from military pensions
to investment accounts when they first approved the Thrift Savings Plan in 1999. Not everyone will shift to the new
model; it will cover all troops who enter service after Jan. 1, 2018, but anyone already in the ranks or who signs up in
the next 24 months will be grandfathered into the traditional, 20-year retirement system However, troops who entered
service after Jan. 1, 2006, will be given the choice of opting into the new 401(k)-style system — creating some
complex financial decisions for midcareer service members once 2018 arrives. Troops who entered before then —
who will have served more than 12 years once the new system launches — could opt in with a special waiver, but
lawmakers believe most people in this group would see little financial benefit in switching. That’s because the
automatic investments are designed to grow over time. So an individual with substantial time in uniform already who
will reach 20-year retirement in just a few years could lose thousands in pension payouts in the coming years by
making the switch.
The new blended retirement plan gives an automatic contribution to troops’ TSP accounts equal to 1 percent of
their annual pay. In addition, the military will match troops’ own contributions of up to 5 percent of their salaries. In
exchange, the traditional pension-style payouts are reduced by 20 percent of their current value. And money in the
savings plan is not available without tax penalties before age 59.5. And unlike the pension payouts, which are
guaranteed, TSP investment growth depends on fluctuations in the stock market and economy. Riskier investment
options could leave some troops with far less or far more than their peers when retirement arrives. Those concerns are
why some veterans groups hesitated to support the retirement overhaul, and why lawmakers and military officials
have promised new, robust financial education programs to go along with the change. Details of those programs are
due to Congress next summer, giving the Defense Department about another 18 months to launch the classes before
troops will be faced with choosing between the two retirement plans.
In addition, Congress has mandated refresher financial literacy courses throughout troops’ careers: at duty station
changes, shortly after promotions, following “life events” like marriage or the birth of a child, and before and after
deployments. The retirement overhaul plan also includes language mandating an annual study on the financial health
of the armed forces, in an effort to track whether the expanded education efforts actually are helping troops make
better choices about retirement and other family financial hurdles. Details of that plan still have to be worked out —
along with much of the rest of the sweeping changes. [Source: MilitaryTimes | Leo Shane | November 23, 2015 ++]
41
*********************************
Military Enlistment Standards 2015 Update 07
► Education
For enlistment purposes, the military breaks education into three overall categories: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. The
vast majority (over 90 percent) of all enlistments are from the Tier 1 category.
 Tier I - Applicants in Tier I have a high school diploma, or at least 15 college credits. This means a high
school diploma, not a GED. Depending on state law, completion of high school by home study may or may
not be considered equivalent to a high school diploma.
 Tier II - Tier II includes GEDs, home study (in some states), Certificate of Attendance,
Alternative/Continuation High School, Correspondence School Diplomas, and Occupational Program
Certificate (Vo/Tech). The services limit the number of Tier II candidates it will allow to enlist each year. In
such cases, the applicant must score a minimum of 50 on the AFQT to qualify (Note: The "AFQT" is the
overall ASVAB score).
o In the Air Force, the limit is less than one percent each year.
o The Army will allow up to 10 percent each year to be Tier II candidates, but they must score a
minimum of 50 on the AFQT.
o The Marines will only allow about 5 percent each year to be Tier II, and the Navy about 10 percent.
Like the Army and Air Force, Tier II recruits must score a minimum of 50 on the AFQT to qualify.
o The Coast Guard only accepts Tier 2 candidates if they have prior military service, and even then
requires them to score higher on the AFQT (50 for prior Coast Guard Service, 65 for prior service
in other branches).

Tier III - Individuals who are not attending high school and are neither high school graduates nor alternative
credential holders. The services almost never accept a Tier 3 candidate for enlistment. If you fall into this
category, your best bet is to get at least 15 college credits, so that you will be qualified as Tier I.
[Source: About.com Newsletter | Rod Powers | June 02, 2015 ++]
*********************************
Medal of Honor Citations
► Hartsock, Robert W. | VN
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor posthumously
To
ROBERT W. HARTSOCK
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 44th Infantry Platoon, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
Place and date: Hau Nghia, Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969
Entered service at: Fairmount, West Virginia in AUG 1967
42
Born: January 24, 1945 Cumberland, Maryland
Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt.
Hartsock, distinguished himself in action while serving as section leader with the 44th Infantry Platoon. When the
Dau Tieng Base Camp came under a heavy enemy rocket and mortar attack, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon
commander spotted an enemy sapper squad which had infiltrated the camp undetected. Realizing the enemy squad
was heading for the brigade tactical operations center and nearby prisoner compound, they concealed themselves and,
although heavily outnumbered, awaited the approach of the hostile soldiers. When the enemy was almost upon them,
S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander opened fire on the squad. As a wounded enemy soldier fell, he managed
to detonate a satchel charge he was carrying. S/Sgt. Hartsock, with complete disregard for his life, threw himself on
the charge and was gravely wounded. In spite of his wounds, S/Sgt. Hartsock crawled about 5 meters to a ditch and
provided heavy suppressive fire, completely pinning down the enemy and allowing his commander to seek shelter.
S/Sgt. Hartsock continued his deadly stream of fire until he succumbed to his wounds. S/Sgt. Hartsock's extraordinary
heroism and profound concern for the lives of his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the
military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
A former employee of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, he had entered the army in August 1967 and received
training at Fort Bragg and Fort Benning before going to Vietnam from Camp Pendleton, Calif. He had only two
months remaining of his duty tour in Vietnam when he was killed at age 24. A resident of R.D. #1, Flintstone MD,
he was a 1962 graduate of Everett Southern Joint High school where he played baseball and later became an avid
spectator and sports fan and deer hunter. The Cumberland American Legion Post #13 gives the Robert W. Hartsock
Memorial Scholarship Annually to a Flintstone student who is going on to further his/her education. Staff Sergeant
Robert W. Hartsock was recognized with the highest military honor possible in a presentation to his parents, Mr. &
Mrs. Kenneth Hartsock of Baltimore Pike, August 6, 1970 at the White House oval office in a ceremony led by
President Richard M. Nixon. The chapel at Rocky Gap Veteran's Cemetery in Flintstone, Maryland (where he is
buried) is dedicated to Sergeant Hartsock. Three portraits and his Medal of Honor Citation are displayed in the chapel.
He entered the service in August, 1967 and received training at Fort Bragg and Fort Benning before going to Vietnam
from Camp Pendleton, Calif.
[Source: http://us.wow.com/wiki/Robert_W._Hartsock and http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/vietnam-al.html#HARTSOCK Nov 2015 ++]
43
* Military History *
Aviation Art 97
► Cat and Mouse Over Wake
Cat and Mouse Over Wake
by Marc Stewart
December, 1941: During the dark days following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, U.S. Marine Corps pilots of
VMF-211 heroically defended the tiny island of Wake against overwhelming Japanese attack from the air and the sea.
Depicted above, an F4F-3 Wildcat from VMF-211 engages a Japanese G3M "Nell" bomber in the battle for Wake
Island. [Source: http://www.aviationarthangar.com/avarthacatan.html Nov 2015 ++]
*********************************
Remember the 80’s Navy Update 01 ►
Things that No Longer Exist
Every generation has a slightly different experience of military service. Here are some things that no longer exist but
you’ll remember if you served in the US Navy in the 1980s.

Life before urinalysis - Gave new meaning to “The smoking lamp is lit.”

Watching the same movie 72 times on deployment because there was no satellite - Reciting the lines by
memory added to the fun. For a treat they would show it topside on the side of the superstructure.
44

Enlisted and Officers partying together - Nothing better than drinking all night with your division officer
and showing up for the next day’s morning muster while he is nowhere to be found.

Liberty cards, request chits, and green “Memorandum” books - No liberty until the chief handed out
the liberty cards; chits filled out in triplicate were required for everything; and you knew you made it when
you carried a little green memo book in your pocket (to write stuff down with your Skilcraft pen).
[Source: BY Military.Com | Jim Absher | August 19, 2015 ++]
*********************************
Military Trivia 115
►
Civil War Casualties & Troop Ethnicity
When the American Civil War began in April 1861, there were only 16,000 men in the U.S. Army, and of these many
Southern officers resigned and joined the Confederate States Army. The U.S. Army consisted of ten regiments of
infantry, four of artillery, two of cavalry, two of dragoons, and three of mounted infantry. The regiments were scattered
widely. Of the 197 companies in the army, 179 occupied 79 isolated posts in the West, and the remaining 18 manned
garrisons east of the Mississippi River, mostly along the Canada–United States border and on the Atlantic coast. Of
the 2,213,363 men who served in the Union Army during the Civil War, 364,511 died in combat, or from injuries
sustained in combat, disease, or other causes, and 281,881 were wounded. More than 1 out of every 4 Union soldiers
was killed or wounded during the war; casualties in the Confederate Army were even worse—1 in 3 Southern soldiers
were killed or wounded.
The Confederates suffered a considerably lower amount of overall casualties than the Union, at roughly 260,000
total casualties to the Union's 360,000. This is by far the highest casualty ratio of any war in which America has been
involved. By comparison, 1 out of every 16 American soldiers was killed or wounded in World War II, and 1 out of
every 22 during the Vietnam War. In total, 620,000 soldiers died during the Civil War. There were 34 million
Americans at that time, so 2% of the American population died in the war. In today's terms, this would be the
equivalent of 5.9 million American men being killed in a war. The Union Army was composed of many different
ethnic groups, including large numbers of immigrants. About 25% of the white people who served in the Union Army
were foreign-born. Breakdown of the approximately 2.2 million Union soldiers:
 1,000,000 (45.4% of all Union soldiers) native-born Americans of British ancestry.
 516,000 (23.4%) Germans; about 216,000 were born in Germany.
 210,000 (9.5%) African American. Half were freedmen who lived in the North, and half were ex-slaves or
escaped slaves from the South. They served in more than 160 "colored" regiments. One such regiment, the
54th Massachusetts, is dramatized in the film Glory. Others served under white officers in Federal regiments
organized as the United States Colored Troops (USCT).
 200,000 (9.1%) Irish.
 90,000 (4.1%) Dutch.
 50,000 (2.3%) Canadian.
 50,000 (2.3%) born in England.
45








40,000 (1.8%) French or French Canadian. About half were born in the United States of America, the other
half in Quebec.
20,000 (0.9%) Scandinavian (Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish).
7,000 Italian
7,000 Jewish
6,000 Mexican
5,000 Polish (many of whom served in the Polish Legion of Brig. Gen. Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski)
4,000 Native Americans
Several hundred of other various nationalities.
Many immigrant soldiers formed their own regiments, such as the Irish Brigade (69th New York, 63 rd New York,
88th New York, 28th Massachusetts, 116th Pennsylvania); the Swiss Rifles (15th Missouri); the Gardes Lafayette
(55th New York); the Garibaldi Guard (39th New York); the Martinez Militia (1 st New Mexico); the Polish Legion
(58th New York); the German Rangers (52nd New York); the Highlander Regiment (79th New York); and the
Scandinavian Regiment (15th Wisconsin). But for the most part, the foreign-born soldiers were scattered as individuals
throughout units.
For comparison, the Confederate Army was not very diverse: 91% of Confederate soldiers were native born and
only 9% were foreign-born, Irish being the largest group with others including Germans, French, Mexicans (though
most of them simply happened to have been born when the Southwest was still part of Mexico), and British. Some
Southern propaganda compared foreign-born soldiers in the Union Army to the hated Hessians of the American
Revolution. As well, a relatively small number of Native Americans (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek)
fought for the Confederacy. [Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Army Apr 2015 ++]
********************************
Military History
► Nuremberg IMT Trial Results
The Nuremberg trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the Allied forces after World War II, most notable
for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of Nazi Germany. The
trials were held in the city of Nuremberg, Germany. The first, and best known of these trials, described as "the greatest
trial in history" by Norman Birkett, one of the British judges who presided over it, was the trial of the major war
criminals before the International Military Tribunal (IMT). Held between 20 November 1945 and 1 October 1946, the
Tribunal was given the task of trying 23 of the most important political and military leaders of the Third Reich, though
one of the defendants, Martin Bormann, was tried in absentia, while another, Robert Ley, committed suicide within a
week of the trial's commencement. Not included were Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, and Joseph Goebbels, all of
whom had committed suicide several months before the indictment was signed. The second set of trials of lesser war
criminals was conducted under Control Council Law No. 10 at the U.S. Nuremberg Military Tribunals (NMT); among
these included the Doctors' Trial and the Judges' Trial. This article primarily deals with the IMT. To learn more about
the outcome of the trials refer to the attachment to this Bulletin titled, “Nuremberg IMT Trial Results”. [Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg trials Apr 2015 ++]
********************************
Military History Anniversaries
► 01 thru 15 Dec
Significant events in U.S. Military History over the next 15 days are listed in the attachment to this Bulletin titled,
“Military History Anniversaries 01 thru 15 Dec”.
46
*********************************
WWII Advertising
► Baby Ruth
*********************************
D-Day
►
Recuing Survivor off Normandy Jun 1944
A survivor is pulled aboard a Coast Guard boat after his ship was hit during the Normandy
*********************************
47
WWII Prewar Events
► Italian Fascist Party Headquarters 1934
Headquarters of Benito Mussolini and the Italian Fascist Party (1934)
*********************************
WWII PostWar Events
► German Toxic Bomb Destruction Jun 1946
These unidentified German workers in Decontamination clothing destroy toxic bombs on June 28, 1946, at the U.S. Army
Chemical Warfare Service Depot, at St. Georgen, Germany. The destruction and disposal of 65,000 dead weight tons of
German toxics, including mustard gas, was accomplished in one of two ways: Burning or dumping the empty shells and
bombs into the North Sea.
*********************************
48
Spanish American War Images 78
► Presidential Campaign Poster 1900
A 1900 Republican campaign poster for the US presidential election, with portraits of President William McKinley and
Vice Presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt at center. On the left side "Gone Democratic" shows the US in economic
slump and Cuba shackled by Spain; on the right side "Gone Republican" shows the US prosperous and Cuba being
educated under US tutelage.
*********************************
WWI in Photos 103
► Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassination
In 1914, Austria-Hungary was a powerful and huge country, larger than Germany, with nearly as many
citizens. It had been ruled by Emperor Franz Joseph I since 1848, who had been grooming his nephew,
Archduke Franz Ferdinand as the heir to the throne. In this photo, taken in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, a visiting
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Czech Countess Sophie Chotek, are departing a reception at City
Hall. Earlier that morning, on the way to the hall, their motorcade had been attacked by one of a group of
Serbian nationalist assassins, whose bomb damaged one car and injured dozens of bystanders. After this photo
was taken, the Archduke and his wife climbed into the open car, headed for a nearby hospital to visit the
wounded. Just blocks away though, the car paused to turn around, directly in front of another assassin, who
walked up to the car and fired two shots, killing both Franz Ferdinand and his wife.
*********************************
49
Faces of WAR (WWII)
► Italy May 23,1944
*********************************
Ghosts of Time
► Then & Now’ Photos of WWII SITES (05)
50
* Health Care *
TRICARE Online Update 03
►
Resources
There are several self-service online resources available to help you learn more about TRICARE and manage your
benefit overseas:
E-mail updates
Resource
Website
www.tricare.mil/subscriptions
Description
Sign up to receive TRICARE news and
publications by e-mail.
View TRICARE publications
www.tricare.mil/smart
Enter the keywords “overseas program” to
view TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP)related brochures, handbooks, fact sheets,
newsletters and briefings.
Download a TOP country-specific
wallet card
www.tricare-overseas.com/contactus
Select your overseas area and the specific
country where you live to view a printable
wallet card.
Frequently asked questions
www.tricare.mil/faqs
Get answers to questions regarding covered
services, TRICARE demonstrations, the
TRICARE Pharmacy Program and more.
Provider search
www.tricareoverseas.com/ProviderSearch/Search
Content.aspx
Find a network provider in the area where you
are enrolled.
Update contact information and view
eligibility information
http://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil
Update your e-mail and mailing addresses in
the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting
System (DEERS) and view eligibility and
enrollment information and benefit
correspondence.
TOP beneficiary claims submissions
www.tricareoverseas.com/OS_beneClaimSubmit_
rv.htm
View a brief training on the TOP beneficiary
secure claims portal to learn more about
submitting claims overseas.
[Source: TRICARE Standard Health Matters | Issue 2 2015 ++]
*********************************
Tricare Webiner
► TYA, Open Enrollment &Health Care Options | 7 Dec @ Noon EST
TRICARE and Military One-Source are co-hosting a webinar to discuss TRICARE Young Adult, Open Enrollment
and Other Health Insurance. Join us Monday, Dec. 7, 2015 at noon EST. To register
Go to
51
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4352948212859307521. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis
and is limited due to system capacity. Department of Defense networked computers may not allow access to this link.
If you cannot access the webinar on GoToMeeting, use the Defense Collaboration Services (DCS) site at
https://conference.apps.mil/webconf/TYAOptions. No prior registration is required on the DCS link. Participants must
avoid sharing personal health information when asking a question.
By law, premiums have to cover the full cost of health care for TYA members. New TYA rates will go into effect
on Jan. 1, 2016 and TRICARE wants to ensure its beneficiaries are aware of all their healthcare options. The featured
speaker for this event is Mark Ellis. Mr. Ellis is a senior health program analyst with the TRICARE Management
Activity. He manages the Continued Health Care Benefit and TRICARE Young Adult programs, which offer
premium based health care coverage to former service members and their family members when they are no longer
eligible for TRICARE benefits. He has 35 years of DoD health care experience. Sign up for TRICARE e-mail
updates at www.tricare.mil/subscriptions. You can also connect with TRICARE on Google Plus, Facebook,
and Twitter at www.plus.google.com/+TRICARE, www.facebook.com/tricare , www.twitter.com/tricare.
[Source: TRICARE Communications | November 27, 2015 ++]
*********************************
TRICARE Help
► Q&A 151130
Have a question on how TRICARE applies to your personal situation? Write to Tricare Help, Times News Service,
6883 Commercial Drive, Springfield, VA 22159; or tricarehelp@militarytimes.com. In e-mail, include the word
“Tricare” in the subject line and do not attach files. Information on all Tricare options, to include links to Handbooks
for the various options, can be found on the official Tricare website, at this web address:
http://www.tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans.aspx or you can your regional contractor. Following are some of the issues
addressed in recent weeks by these sources:
(Q) Why is the Tricare Reserve Select monthly premium for my spouse so much higher compared to if only I was
enrolled?
A. To be precise, the TRS monthly premium is $50.75 for sponsor only, $205.62 for sponsor and family. And the
gap will widen further as of Jan. 1, when sponsor only coverage drops to $47.90 while family coverage creeps up to
$210.83. It’s simply the model for most employer- provided health care, including Tricare: Costs for the employee
himself/herself — the primary beneficiary — are relatively modest compared to when family members enter the
picture.
-o-o-O-o-o(Q) I’m a 31-year-old disabled retiree who has been using Tricare Prime. I recently received information about
enrolling in Medicare. I opted for Part A inpatient coverage but passed up Part B outpatient coverage since I wanted
to keep Prime, which is simple and affordable. Now I’m told I’m no longer eligible for Prime, but must use Tricare
for Life.
A. That’s right, precisely because you’re now eligible for Medicare. For most, this transition comes at age 65, but it
arrives sooner for those who become Medicare-eligible earlier than 65 due to disability. Under Tricare for Life,
Medicare is first payer and Tricare Standard is second payer. Enrollment in Part B and payment of its monthly premium
52
(now $104.90 for most people) is a requirement for you to use the Tricare portion of your TFL benefit. That premium
should be your only recurring cost. The combination of Medicare and Tricare Standard will cover 100 percent of your
costs on the vast majority of your health care claims. Contact your local Social Security office about enrolling in Part
B. Then contact the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System to ensure your current status as a TFL
beneficiary is reflected in the DEERS database. Visit the ID Card/DEERS office on any installation or call the main
DEERS support office at 800-538-9552.
-o-o-O-o-oCorrection: The Nov. 9 Tricare Help column incorrectly cited Tricare age limits for child dependent beneficiaries.
“Normal” Tricare eligibility ends when a child dependent turns 21, but may extend to the 23rd birthday if the child
remains enrolled as a fulltime college student. After reaching either of those limits, children may use Tricare Young
Adult, which requires enrollment and payment of monthly premiums, until they reach age 26.
-o-o-O-o-o(Q) I was recently prescribed Lunesta for my sleep problems. It does help me sleep better, but I wake up with a funny
taste in my mouth. I’ve never heard of a medication causing something like this.
A. Waking in the morning with a strange taste in your mouth is a relatively common side effect of this medication.
The taste is generally described as metallic or bitter. It’s assumed that an ingredient in the pill is the culprit. Most
people learn to deal with the unpleasant aftertaste, but for some the taste is so annoying the only option is to switch to
another medication. Lunesta has other side effects that may be a greater cause for concern. Memory loss is one; some
patients report amnesia for events like eating during the night or walking outside. Others experience falls related to
being overly sedated and dizzy. And feeling groggy the next morning is common. Weighing the benefits and risks of
any medication is always important.
-o-o-O-o-o(Q) I take Zoloft for depression and anxiety. I’m having some problems in the bedroom. I have a tough time getting
in the mood, and when I do, I can’t seem to “seal the deal.”
A. Sexual problems are some of the most commonly reported side effects of antidepressant and antianxiety
medications like Zoloft. The complaints range from loss of interest in sex to the inability to experience an orgasm.
It’s estimated that over half the people who take these medications experience some degree of low sex drive, impotence
and problems with achieving an orgasm. Many people stop the medication because of these side effects. This is
unfortunate because depression and anxiety will then go untreated. Some things can help counter these ill effects. A
reduction in dosage may be a first step; these kinds of effects tend to worsen at higher dosages. Another approach is
to switch to a medication known to have fewer sexual side effects. For example, Wellbutrin is effective for depression
and is associated with fewer sexual problems. In case of difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection, Viagra may
be the solution. As with all concerns about the effects of any medication you take, it’s important to promptly and
frankly talk with your health care provider.
[Source: MilitaryTimes | 15 thru 30 Nov, 2015 ++]
* Finances *
53
Road Usage Tax
► Possible Traditional Gas Tax Replacement
The traditional gas tax isn’t generating enough money for roads and bridges. Could a “road usage tax” replace it? As
revenue from the standard per gallon gas tax diminishes, states are looking for other ways to pay for the construction
and maintenance of roads and bridges. California recently authorized its own mileage tax pilot project. Between 2008
and 2014, at least 19 states considered 55 measures related to mileage-based fees, according to the National
Conference of State Legislatures. Vermont and Washington enacted bills to study per-mile fees in 2012.
Oregon is leading the way. Its experiment, OreGO, is the first that involves ordinary citizens. Other states have
been watching closely since the program began 1 JUL. Evan Burroughs plopped into his 1996 Subaru Outback and
pointed to a green plastic box tucked below the steering column. It blinked once. As Burroughs eased the car out of
the parking lot and drove toward the highway, the box kept track of his speed and braking, but most importantly, of
how many miles he drove. The green box, part of a pilot program, sends the data to a private contractor like a GPS
device manufacturer, which reports the miles to Oregon, which calculates Burroughs’ tax bill—1.5 cents per mile.
“It’s kind of like playing a computer game, but with real stuff,” said Burroughs, 56, who obviously gets a kick out of
seeing data detailing his driving habits. Matthew Garrett, Oregon’s transportation director, noted that Oregon enacted
the nation’s first gas tax in 1919 so it could pay for roads to get vehicles out of the mud. “We’ve always been pioneers,
and after 90 years, it’s time to innovate again,” he said.
New, more fuel efficient cars have eaten into gas tax revenue. Furthermore, many gas tax rates—including
Oregon’s 30-cent levy—have not kept up with inflation. In Oregon the effective tax rate will fall to less than 24 cents
per gallon in inflation-adjusted terms within 10 years, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a
nonpartisan think tank. That decline would basically undo the state’s 6-cent increase in 2009, ITEP noted. A mileage,
or road usage, tax also erodes with inflation, but is immune from improvements in fuel efficiency. “If you don’t have
the revenue source you can’t maintain the infrastructure,” Garrett said. “Traditional methods of funding
transportation—the gas tax—were constructed for the longest time. But the world has changed.”
For purposes of the experiment, which isn’t designed to put more money in the state’s coffers, Oregon charges 1.5
cents for every mile driven. Every driver who participates in the program, whether he or she drives a little fuel-efficient
car or a big pickup truck, pays the same rate for driving on Oregon roads (the program doesn’t count driving in other
states or on private roads). The state reimburses drivers who paid more in traditional gas tax than they would be
54
assessed using the mileage calculation. To illustrate how the program works, the Oregon Department of Transportation
compared a 2014 Toyota Prius and a 2014 Ford F-150 (the two most popular vehicles enrolled in the program). The
Prius averages 50 mpg and the F-150 gets 18 mpg. The average Oregonian drives 12,962 miles a year. Given those
numbers, the Prius owner would use 259 gallons in a year and pay $77.77 in gas taxes, while the F-150 owner would
use 720 gallons and pay $216 in gas taxes. The annual road usage tax due for both drivers would be $194.43. The
average Prius owner would pay the state $116.66 (the difference between the $194.43 in road usage taxes and the
$77.70 in gas taxes), while the average F-150 owner would get a $21.60 rebate (the difference between the $216.03
in gas taxes and the $194.43 in road usage taxes).
Garrett said the goal isn’t to discourage the use of fuel-efficient cars, but rather to ensure that those drivers are
paying their fair share to maintain roads and bridges, which they rely on just as much as drivers of less fuel-efficient
cars. “On a fundamental level, having people pay for the roads by how much they use them is fair,” said Jessica
Moskovitz, of the Oregon Environmental Council. But she urged the Legislature, when it evaluates the program, to
think twice about “incentivizing cars that are good for our planet or incentivizing gas guzzlers.” Nel Osborn, 64, a
Salem retiree who drives a Prius with a “53 MPG” license plate, volunteered for the experiment. She pays an additional
$1 to $1.50 to the state per month under the road usage tax system. “It does seem weird that people who have Hummers
benefit and people that drive Priuses do not,” she said. But Osborn said she is willing to pay a little more to help
maintain Oregon’s roads and bridges. The extra money she owes is deducted automatically from her account, and she
said the additional information had changed her driving habits: “I’ve been braking a little less.”
The trial program is also designed to gauge what people think about the new system, and both Osborn and
Burroughs complained about one feature: When they drive less than a mile, the device notifies them that they could
have walked. Osborn said that’s not practical when she comes home alone from the library at night. Burroughs, who
has used a wheelchair since a 1991 accident, just chuckles. “I use drive-ups a lot,” he said. When the pilot was first
conceived last year, it drew skepticism from privacy advocates, who worried about the state tracking people’s
whereabouts. But because the program is currently voluntary, and no information about driving habits is sent to the
state or law enforcement without a warrant, that criticism has been muted. During debate on the program, the
American Civil Liberties Union was assured that if it ever becomes mandatory, taxpayers could opt for an alternative
to the GPS-based device. “We were able to get to a place where the ACLU did feel good about the program,” Becky
Straus, legislative director for the ACLU of Oregon, said at the time.
The Oregon program was authorized for up to 5,000 participants, but since the July 1 start date, only 940 people
have signed up. Some are concerned about privacy; others are reluctant because they simply do not want to get
involved. Oregon is trying to get more people comfortable with the idea, in part through advertising. In 2014, the
California Legislature directed state transportation officials to study the feasibility of replacing the state’s 42.4-cent
gas tax with a road usage tax. The bill noted that if there is no change in the existing state gas tax, by 2030 as much
as half of the gas tax revenue that could have been collected would be lost to fuel efficiency.
In California the study is underway and by the end of this year, signups will begin for an experimental program
much like Oregon’s that is to start at the beginning of 2017. A report on the effort is due to the Legislature by the end
of June 2018. U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, a Democrat who was in the California Assembly when the bill passed, is
the author of the legislation. He said he wrote it because of “a dire shortfall when it comes to investment in
infrastructure.” He said he had to overcome privacy concerns and “anti-tax people.” Supporters tried to address the
privacy concerns by including an option allowing drivers to simply have their odometers read once a year and the
mileage noted. But that would not differentiate out-of-state driving, as the GPS systems could. DeSaulnier said the
federal government could learn from Oregon and California.
Congress has not addressed the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents a gallon, which has not been lifted in two decades and
now generates 31 percent less than in 1998, according to ITEP. Without federal help, states have been forced to act.
Since 2013, 17 states have either increased old-fashioned gas taxes or set up some link to inflation. Georgia has done
the most; it increased its gas tax by 6.7 cents this year and will raise it each July through 2018, based on growth in
55
both fuel efficiency and inflation. After 2018, the increase will be based on fuel efficiency alone. “I think the biggest
problem here [in Washington, D.C.] is the majority party thinks they can invest in infrastructure without paying for
it,” DeSaulnier said. “At some point the federal government has to do what the states are doing—find out how to fix
the gas tax.” [Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts | Elaine S. Povich | November 05, 2015 ++]
*********************************
IRS Audit Update 05
► Now Less Than 1% Chance
The Internal Revenue Service, with 22 percent fewer agents than it had five years ago, on 3 NOV reported its lowest
percentage of tax returns audited in 11 years. Commissioner John Koskinen told a gathering of the American Institute
of Certified Public Accountants that his agency is “especially concerned about the effect that the reduction in our
workforce has had on audits. The IRS completed about 1.2 million individual audits in fiscal 2015. That’s 13,700
fewer than the previous year. Even more disturbing, the decline in audits in 2015 was not a one-year aberration. The
number for 2015 was 350,000 below five years ago. That’s a drop of 22 percent, and corresponds exactly to the number
of revenue agents, which is also down 22 percent since 2010.”
The staff cuts of some 15,000, he continued, came as the number of income tax returns filed by individuals topped
146 million, an increase of almost 3 percent from 2010. “Not surprisingly, we’re seeing clear evidence of a
longstanding decline in revenue coming from audits,” Koskinen said in his speech. “Between 2005 and 2010, the
revenue generated from audits averaged $14.7 billion annually. But since 2010, it has averaged only $10.5 billion a
year, which is a drop of nearly 30 percent, and translates to more than $20 billion in uncollected revenue over the past
five years.” The percentage of individual tax returns audited to detect errors or fraud has declined steadily. “For many
years, the likelihood that an individual’s return would be audited was about 1 percent,” the commissioner said, “but
in 2013 it fell below 1 percent and for fiscal 2015 it fell to 0.84 percent, the lowest level since fiscal 2004.
Koskinen called the budget cuts his agency’s No. 1 problem, repeating past comments addressed to Congress about
poor phone service to taxpayers and practitioners, aging computer systems and added responsibilities imposed by new
laws. “There is a limit to how much we can do to find efficiencies,” he said. “In 2015, we reached the point of having
to make very critical performance tradeoffs. There was simply no way around the severity of these budget cuts without
taking difficult steps, which have had negative impacts on service, enforcement and information technology.” Rep.
Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a frequent critic of the IRS who serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee, on 4 NOV was asked about the budget strains and said, “Maybe if the IRS had spent less time and money
targeting the First Amendment rights of conservative groups around the country, then staff might have been able to
better focus on doing the jobs that taxpayers actually pay them to perform.” In an email to Government Executive,
Jordan added that, “The IRS complains about having spent $14 million on the investigation into its targeting of
conservatives. But this money was not used to preserve documents or clean up the department’s act. It seems to me
like it was only used on efforts to obstruct our attempts to get to the truth.” Here's a look at the IRS' recent auditing
numbers:
56
[Source: GovExec.com | Charles S. Clark | November 4, 2015 ++]
*********************************
Pet Owner Tax Deductions
► Six Allowable Write-offs
Almost every pet owner will tell you that their animal is a member of the family. The IRS disagrees. That's why the
taxman won't let you claim your dog, cat, guinea pig or whatever critter brightens up your life as a dependent. That
means you get no tax exemption for all the love and care you provide your pet. And that care can be expensive.
Market research by the American Pet Products Association found that U.S. pet owners spent more than $58 billion
on their animals in 2014. The group estimates that amount will grow to more than $60 billion in 2015. Many of
those dollars go each year to veterinarians. But again, the IRS says "no" at tax time. You can't count those bills as
itemized medical deductions. However, the Internal Revenue Code does allow a few instances where you can write
off some pet costs. Take a closer look at these 6 pet-related tax write-offs:
Medical Deduction - Medical expenses have gotten harder to claim. If you're younger than 65, you now must have
enough health care costs to exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income. It sure would be nice if you could add in
your furry child's veterinary charges. Sorry, that's not going to happen. But the IRS does say in Publication 502 that
if you need a guide dog, either to compensate for your reduced vision or hearing, you can include the costs of
buying, training and maintaining that animal in medical expenses. In general, this includes such things as food,
grooming and veterinary care that is necessary to make sure the animal is healthy enough to perform its assistance
duties. If you've been diagnosed with a physical or mental condition that benefits from the attention of a trained
therapy animal, those costs also count as a medical expense. Note, however, this doesn't cover your loving cat that
comforts you when he curls up in your lap. The animal must be trained or certified as treatment for a diagnosed
illness or condition for the IRS to approve the deduction.
Business animals - That "Beware of dog" sign in your business's window is no idle threat. Break-ins have stopped
since you set up a place for your Rottweiler to stay overnight. In this case, the IRS would likely be amenable to
business deduction claims of the animal's work-related expenses. Standard business deduction rules still apply,
notably that the cost of keeping an animal on work premises is ordinary and necessary in your line of business. Once
you show that, the dollars spent each year keeping your pooch in good guard condition -- food, vet bills and training
-- would be deductible as a business expense. As with all deductions, be prepared to provide full and accurate
records of your animal's hours on the job. You'll also find your tax claim more acceptable when you demonstrate
how the animal protects your livelihood's inventory. In addition, as is often the case with business property, the dog
must be depreciated, a way of allocating its cost over its useful life for IRS purposes. Keep in mind, too, that your
claims carry more weight when your pet is a breed that's typically used for such jobs. So even though your
Chihuahua has a loud bark, your tax claim is more credible if your guard dog is a German shepherd, Doberman
pinscher or a similar imposing breed.
57
Moving Costs - Moving can be tough on humans and pets alike. If you are not equipped to cart your cat or dog
cross-country, consider sending the pet to your new home via special transportation. You can even deduct the costs.
That's right, the IRS says in Publication 521 that you can deduct the cost of shipping your household pets to your
new home. Even better, you don't have to itemize deductions to claim moving costs, including those spent on getting
Fido or Felix to your new place. The write-off for moving costs is an above-the-line deduction. You'll need to fill
out a work sheet and file the long Form 1040 and Form 3903 to claim it. But the work is generally worth it. The
deduction could help pay for your pet's relocation costs.
Hobby Expenses - Your mutt is the best dog in the world, but you know there's no way he would win at the
Westminster Kennel Club show. Still, you and Fido enjoy participating in your local pet expos. And occasionally,
your pooch takes home a trophy and a cash prize. Or perhaps, like former President George W. Bush, you relax by
painting portraits of your pet. A few of your canvases even netted you some extra cash at the local sidewalk art
show. Technically, those hobby-related earnings are taxable income. You can, however, use your hobby's expenses
to offset your hobby earnings. But there is a catch. Your hobby expenses are itemized with other miscellaneous
deductions on Schedule A, and that total must exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income before it's deductible. Still,
it might be worth hanging on to the receipts, just in case. And if your pet-related hobby starts raking in big bucks on
a regular basis, you might want to consider turning it into a business, where you can write off even more expenses.
Charitable Deductions - You got your cat from a shelter, where she was dropped off by a previous owner who
couldn't care for her any longer. If no one had adopted her, she might have faced euthanasia. Such rescue animals
hold a special place in your heart. And besides donating to these animal-shelter nonprofits, you also volunteer your
time. Be sure to keep track of your pet protection expenses. They could count as a charitable donation.
Unreimbursed expenses for fostering a pet for an IRS qualified 501(c)(3) adoption organization can be deducted.
This includes the usual costs for pet food, supplies and veterinary bills. You can also deduct 14 cents per mile for
trips made to further the shelter's work. Add up the costs, along with direct donations to a rescue group, and itemize
them under the charity section of Schedule A. Make sure, though, that you keep good records. In 2011, an Oakland,
California, woman won a tax court judgment that allowed her to claim many cat rescue expenses on her 2004 tax
return, including the usual care costs, a portion of her utility bills and even such things as paper towels and garbage
bags. But her $12,068 deduction was reduced because she didn't have all the related receipts, especially for items
costing $250 or more. She also lacked a valid letter from the feline charity acknowledging her volunteer work.
Pet Trusts - Pet owners' love for their animals often lives longer than they do. Many include their pets in their wills.
Others opt to establish trusts for their pets' care. Texas Tech University School of Law professor Gerry W. Beyer
specializes in estates, wills and trusts. Since he wrote his first legal treatise on pet trusts 15 years ago, Beyer has
seen the field go from an obscure legal move that very few folks talked about to a "pretty well-accepted" part of
estate planning. Most states have laws that allow for pet trusts, says Beyer. But even if your state lacks specific
statutory language, it's still possible to set up a pet trust. You don't have to be wealthy to set up a pet trust. Beyer
does advise, though, working with an attorney who specializes in these types of legal final wishes. And note that a
trust doesn't mean zero tax concerns. Beyer says that depending on how the trust is structured, the responsible tax
party could be the pet owner in the case of a living trust; the trust beneficiary, who typically is the pet's caregiver; or
the trust itself. Still, a trust is a dependable way to ensure your pet gets the care you want the animal to have after
you're gone. "You get certainty," says Beyer.
[Source: Bankrate Weekly Tax Tip | Kay Bell | November 25, 2015 ++].
*********************************
Saving Money
► Air Conditioning Operating Expense
Hear that? It's the sound of your air conditioner running and the sound of your bank account drying up. Heating and
air conditioning your home take a 43 percent bite from your monthly utility bill, according to the U.S. Department
of Energy. Here's how to reduce those costs in summer.
58
Trees - "Most heat that accumulates inside a house comes directly from the sun shining onto the roof or through
windows, and heating the house directly," says John Krigger, owner of Saturn Resource Management, which offers
energy conservation training in Helena, Mont. Planting leafy trees around the building's exterior will stop the sun
from reaching inside your home. "Even for the cost of going to the nursery and buying a 15- to 20-foot-tall tree,
trees are still the best value," Krigger says. If the trees or shrubs shade your air conditioner, you could boost your
AC's efficiency by up to 10 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Windows - Solar screens, or mesh-like window screens, intercept up to 70 percent of solar energy before it gets into
the house, Krigger says. Window screens are particularly effective on east- and west-facing windows, according to
the U.S. Department of Energy. Window films are another option. They are transparent, metalized sheets that reflect
heat before it can be transmitted through glass. However, windows must be shut for window films to work, while
solar screens do double-duty, keeping sun and insects out even with windows open.
Flip a Switch - Go ahead, get comfortable. Lower your air conditioner's thermostat setting to 78 degrees Fahrenheit
when you're at home. But let that number rise to a warmer temperature at night or when you're away from home.
You can save 5 percent to 15 percent on your air-conditioning bills by raising the temperature setting on your
thermostat when you're away and don't need cooling, according to the Department of Energy.
Fan it - No need to invest in fancy fans. Krigger says the key is to circulate air inside the house. If possible, locate
fans on your house's upper level and open windows on a lower level. If you live in a one-story house or apartment,
you should close windows near the fan and open windows in rooms far from the fan, preferably on your home's
windward side, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Moving air also helps evaporate the sweat from your
skin, says Paul Scheckel, an energy efficiency consultant in Montpelier, Vt., and author of "The Home Energy Diet."
"Evaporational cooling is an incredibly efficient process for removing heat, and our bodies do it all by themselves. A
little help can increase the cooling effect," Scheckel says.
Chill in the Basement - Camp out in your basement, says Stan Cox, author of "Losing Our Cool: Uncomfortable
Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World (and Finding New Ways to Get Through the Summer)." In your ecocooled basement, a television, couch or futon and a cold drink may be all you need. However, Scheckel says don't
open basement windows when outdoor air is heavy with humidity. "Warm, moist air will cause condensation on
cool surfaces such as basement walls, ultimately increasing the humidity in your home," he says.
Stove Usage - Skip the stove-top boiling and oven baking, Cox says. Decrease indoor heat by making microwave
nachos or eating a cool salad. If you must boil pasta for tomorrow's potluck, cook in the evening. After cooking, turn
on the kitchen exhaust, and use the bathroom exhaust fan after a hot shower. "Remove heat and moisture at the
source," Scheckel says. "Reducing humidity can help increase comfort."
Maintain/Replace AC - AC efficiency is mostly a function of the technology," Scheckel says. "Keep the filter clean
to allow for good air movement and keep the unit level so the condensation drains properly." If you replace your
older room air conditioner with a newer unit, you could cut your energy costs in half, according to the Department
of Energy. Look for a high-energy-efficiency ratio, or EER, or an Energy Star-qualified unit. Higher EER ratings
mean a more efficient air conditioner. Energy Star refers to a system adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and Department of Energy to identify energy-efficient products.
59
Humidity - Set the AC fan speed on high, except on very humid days, says the U.S. Department of Energy. On
humid days, set the speed on low. The slower air movement through the air-condition equipment removes more
moisture from the air, improving comfort in your home.
Splash in the Bath - Hop in the shower, spray yourself with a water bottle or use a cool cloth on the back of your
neck. And if you don't chill out right away, don't give up, says Cox, the environmental writer and scientist. "Our
comfort range depends on the temperatures we have experienced in recent days and weeks," he says. "The body and
mind adjust to rising temperatures."
[Source: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/chill-air-conditioning-costs-1.aspx#ixzz3ac0xYL3M
May 2015 ++]
********************************
Fake Customer Service Numbers Scam
► How it Works
Next time you call the customer service department of your credit or debit card, be sure to double check the number.
Scammers are purchasing phone numbers similar to those of customer service lines and fooling card holders into
sharing account information.
How the Scam Works:
 You have an issue with your credit card, so you search online for the card issuer's phone number. You dial
the number at the top of the search results and get a recorded message. It prompts you to enter your credit
card number and other information.
 Don't fall for it! Scammers are purchasing toll free numbers and promoting them though search ads and
fraudulent websites. In a hurry, consumers simply dial the first number, not realizing it's an ad placed by
scammers.
 In other cases, scammers purchase numbers very similar to the real customer support line and prey on
customers who misdial. This scam is not limited to credit cards; con artists are also pulling this trick with
popular retail brands, as well.
How to avoid fake phone numbers:
 Be wary of phone numbers in search ads. Frequently, the slots at the top and sides of search results are for
sale. This means scammers can buy these spaces and use them to promote fake phone numbers.
 Find the customer service number on your card. That is always your best first option for reaching your card
issuer.
 Look for the company's official website. If you don't have your credit/debit card handy, be sure to look on
the official website.
 Try other ways to contact the company. If you can't find an official customer service phone number, try
contacting the company by other means, such as email or a live chat.
To find out more about other scams, check out http://www.bbb.org/council/bbb-scam-stopper . To learn more
about this scam, check out this recent alert at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/too-close-call from the Federal
Trade Commission. [Source: BBB Scam Alert | July 31, 2015 ++]
********************************
60
Personal Email Impersonation Scam
► How it Works
A sophisticated new scam is targeting business and personal email addresses. Scammers create email accounts nearly
identical to an existing account and use that new account to initiate wire transfers.
How the Scam Works:
 You are working for a business that deals with contractors or suppliers. One day, you receive an email that
comes from your contractor, requesting to be paid by wire transfer. This is unusual, but you have a long
standing relationship with this contractor, so you initiate the transfer.
 Watch out! The email may be a fraud. Scammers are hacking into email accounts and spying on messages
sent by the account owners. Then they create a new, second account that looks very similar. It may differ by
a single character.
 Con artists then use these new accounts to initiate wire transfers. In some case, the funds from the
unauthorized transfers are sent to money mules located in the United States. These mules may be victims of
employment scams. They may have no idea that their new "job" involves moving money for scammers.
Tips to protect yourself from this scam:
 As always, be wary of suspicious emails. Do not open e-mail messages, click links or download attachments
from unfamiliar senders.
 Double check email addresses. Watch out for changes in e-mail addresses that mimic legitimate e-mail
addresses.
 Question changes to payment instructions. Contact the real vendor to check on the change.
 Have a dual step process in place for wire transfers. This can include verbal communication using a telephone
number known by both parties.
 Know your vendors. Be aware of each company's typical payment activity and question any variations.
To find out more about other scams, check out http://www.bbb.org/council/bbb-scam-stopper. To learn more about
this scam, read the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center alert at http://www.ic3.gov/media/2015/1508272.aspx#fn1. [Source: BBB Scam Alert | September 4, 2015 ++]
********************************
DFAS SmartDocs Email Scam ►
How it Works
Email scams are targeting servicemen and military retirees and their families by posing as the Defense Finance and
Accounting Service (DFAS)
How the Scam Works:
 The most recent scam looks like a “Smart Doc” email with the subject line, “myPAY IMPORTANT
SECURITY UPDATE” and appears to come from DFAS SmartDocs email address.
 The links provided in the emails direct the user to a malicious website that requests personnel information.
Following is an example of the email:
Dear Account Holder,
It has come to our attention that your myPay account information needs to be updated as part as part of our
continued commitment to protect your account and to reduce the instance of fraud on our website. If you could please
61
take 3 minutes out of your online experience and update your personal records you will not run into any future
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However, failure to update records will result in account suspension. Once you have updated your account records,
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
DFAS provided the following statement regarding this scam. “Valid SmartDocs messages for DFAS are
always sent in plain text, do not include attachment, and do not ask you to send any information in response.
Your email program may automatically convert a valid SmatDocs message into HTML, and convert some
texts into clickable links. We recommend that you do not click on any links within any email message. To
access a site referenced in an email, open your browser and type the URL directly into your browser.”
Tips to Protect Yourself:
 Don’t be fooled. If you receive a SmatDocs message that contains a link, don’t click on it.
 If an URL is listed in a message, type it in manually within your browser.
 Delete unexpected and unsolicited messages that contain attachments or that request you to send information
back.
[Source: Military Officer Magazine | September 2015 ++]
********************************
Tax Burden for Alaska Retired Vets ► As of Nov 2015
Many people planning to retire use the presence or absence of a state income tax as a litmus test for a retirement
destination. This is a serious miscalculation since higher sales and property taxes can more than offset the lack of a
state income tax. The lack of a state income tax doesn’t necessarily ensure a low total tax burden. States raise
revenue in many ways including sales taxes, excise taxes, license taxes, income taxes, intangible taxes, property
taxes, estate taxes and inheritance taxes. Depending on where you live, you may end up paying all of them or just a
few. Following are the taxes you can expect to pay if you retire in Alaska.
Sales Taxes
State Sales Tax: The state currently does not have a sales and use tax. However, 62 municipalities impose local
sales taxes that range up to 7.5%. Typical sales tax rates are from 2% – 5%.
Gasoline Tax: 29.7 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes)
Diesel Fuel Tax: 36.2 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes)
Cigarette Tax: $2.00/pack of 20 (Anchorage – add $3.45)
Personal Income Taxes
No state income tax
Retirement Income: Not taxed.
Property Taxes
Alaska is the only state in the United States where a large part of the land mass is not subject to a property
tax. Although property tax is the primary method of raising revenues for most of the larger municipalities in the state,
smaller municipalities favor a sales tax. This is due primarily to the fact that the smaller incorporated areas lack a tax
base large enough to support the property tax. The unincorporated areas of the state do not have the legal authority to
levy a tax. Of the 18 Boroughs, only 14 levy a property tax. Only 11 Cities located outside of Boroughs levy a
property tax. Therefore, only 25 municipalities in Alaska (either cities or boroughs) levy a property tax. These 25
municipalities can be found on https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web
62
Alaska taxes both real and personal property. There are several municipalities that have chosen to exempt some or all
categories of personal property.
For a listing of those municipalities and categories, refer to
https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/WelcometoourNewWebsite.aspx. Homeowners 65 and older (or surviving
spouses 60 and older) are exempt from municipal taxes on the first $150,000 of the assessed value of their
property. This also applies to disabled veterans. The average assessed value exempted from taxes for senior citizens
and disabled veterans is $134,520 which equated to a tax exemption of $1,839 for 2010. In 2010, the total full value
for all municipalities (over 750 in population) was $98.1 billion (including TAPS — Trans-Alaska Pipeline). With a
statewide population of 692,314 the per capita full value was $141,644. Intangible personal property is exempt from
taxation. Call 907-269-6620 (Anchorage) or 907-465-2320 (Juneau) for details.
Inheritance and Estate Taxes
There is no inheritance tax and the estate tax is limited to federal estate tax collection.
For further information go to the Alaska Department of Revenue site http://www.revenue.state.ak.us or call 907-4652300 [Source: http://www.retirementliving.com/taxes-alabama-iowa Nov 2015 ++]
******************************
Tax Burden for Massachusetts Residents
► As of Nov 2015
Personal income tax
 Massachusetts imposes two tax rates:

A 5.2 percent rate that applies for the 2014 tax year to wages, interest and dividends and long-term
capital gains. Beginning with the 2015 tax year, the rate drops to 5.15 percent.




A 12 percent rate applies to short-term capital gains, long- and short-term capital gains on
collectibles and installment sales before 1996 that are classified as capital gain income.
A Massachusetts full-year and/or part-year resident is required to file a state tax return if his or her
Massachusetts gross income is in excess of $8,000.
Form 1, Resident Income Tax Return, is due by April 15, or the next business day if that date falls on a
weekend or holiday.
The state's Limited Income Credit is available for taxpayers whose income falls below the specified filing
threshold for their status. This credit is an alternative tax calculation that can result in a tax reduction for
people whose income is close to the no-tax status threshold. The credit is not available to married taxpayers
who file separate returns. See the Form 1 instructions for details.
Sales taxes
 Massachusetts imposes a 6.25 percent sales tax on retail sales of tangible personal property in
Massachusetts by any vendor.
Personal and real property taxes
 All real and tangible personal property located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is taxable
unless specifically exempted by statute.
 The administration of the assessment and collection of all real and tangible personal property taxes in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts is handled by the city and town assessor and collected in the jurisdiction
where the property is located.
 Lower rates among jurisdictions, however, don't necessarily mean lower tax bills; that is determined by the
assessed value of property (based on 100 percent of the fair market value) within a municipality.
 Property is taxed according to its class: residential, open space, commercial, industrial and personal
property.
 All real and tangible personal property taxes are due in two installments. The first half of the tax is due by
Nov. 1 in the year of assessment or within 30 days from the mailing date of the tax bill, whichever is later.
The second half of the tax is due by May 1 of the year following the assessment year.
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
There are several property tax exemptions and deferrals available for certain taxpayers and/or types of
property.
Inheritance and estate taxes
 Massachusetts does not have an inheritance tax, but does collect an estate tax. Previously, the state's estate
tax system was tied to federal estate tax collection, but Massachusetts decoupled its estate tax from the current
federal levy.
Other Massachusetts Tax Facts
 Since May 16, 2004, Massachusetts law has permitted same-sex couples to be married. For Massachusetts
personal income tax purposes, same-sex spouses file as married persons, jointly or separately.
 Taxpayers can deduct some commuting costs, including payments of more than $150 for tolls paid through
the Massachusetts FastLane account and the cost of weekly or monthly passes for MBTA transit, bus,
commuter rail or commuter boat. The total deduction amount cannot exceed $750 per individual. More
information is available on Form TIR 06-14 and the work sheet for Schedule Y.
[Source: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/state-taxes-massachusetts.aspx
Nov 2015 ++]
******************************
Thrift Savings Plan 2015
► Returns as of 27 Nov 2015
There are currently 10 investment funds in the Thrift Savings Plan. Five are individual stock and bond funds, and the
other five are target retirement date funds. The table below summarizes the historical performance and risk
characteristics of the five primary TSP Investment Funds. Click on any link in the table header to see performance
charts and other details for that fund.
TSP Investment Funds
8/31/1990 - 11/27/2015
TSP
TSP
TSP
TSP
TSP
G Fund F Fund C Fund S Fund I Fund
Last Price (11/27/2015)
14.8857 16.9947 28.1307 36.8239 24.6648
Change (1-Day)
0.01% 0.03% 0.08% 0.30% 0.35%
YTD Return
1.84% 1.15% 3.55% 1.45% 1.84%
1-Year Return
2.04% 1.52% 3.04% 1.54% -2.83%
3-Year Return
2.06% 1.99% 16.84% 16.47% 7.45%
5-Year Return
2.04% 3.43% 14.40% 13.05% 5.44%
10-Year Return
2.98% 4.82% 7.43% 8.42% 3.88%
Annual Return Since 8/31/1990
4.9%
6.4%
10.0% 10.9% 5.6%
Annualized Standard Deviation [1]
0.3%
3.9%
18.1% 19.9% 17.9%
Maximum Drawdown [2]
-
-6.6%
-55.2% -57.4% -60.9%
Sharpe Ratio [3]
-
0.40
0.35
Value of $1,000 invested on 8/31/1990
$3,310 $4,824 $11,045 $13,765 $3,981
0.38
0.13
Notes
1. Standard deviation, also known as historical volatility, is used by investors as a gauge for the amount of expected volatility.
Volatile TSP funds like the C, S, and I fund have a high standard deviation, while the deviation of the G and F funds is lower.
When comparing investments, a low standard deviation is preferable.
2. Drawdown: the peak-to-trough decline in the TSP fund value, measured as a percentage between the peak and the trough.
Perhaps best expressed in the historical drawdown charts for each fund, which show the magnitude and duration of each
periodic decline. A good investment strategy aims to minimize drawdowns.
3. The Sharpe Ratio measures risk-adjusted performance. It's calculated by subtracting the risk-free interest rate from the rate of
return for a specific fund, and dividing the result by the standard deviation of the fund returns. Since we only track TSP funds
on this website, we use the G fund returns as our risk-free investment. When comparing investments, a high Sharpe Ratio is
preferable.
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[Source: http://www.tspfolio.com/tspfunds November 29, 2015 ++]
* General Interest *
Notes of Interest
► 15 thru 30 Nov 2015

Honda Hands. Go to https://www.youtube.com/v/AgYLr_LfhLo?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0 to view a
really impressive editing job.
 Electric Bill. Ultra-high-definition (UHD) TVs, which feature 8 million or more pixels, are hyped for adding
more detail, extra depth and increased color resolution to your TV viewing experience. But better picture
quality could come at a hefty price to consumers. According to a new report from the Natural Resources
Defense Council, UHD TVs use a whopping 30 percent more energy than high-definition TVs.
 COLA 2016. The October Consumer Price Index (CPI) is 232.373, starting the year .8 percent below the
FY 2016 COLA baseline. The CPI for November 2015 is scheduled to be released on December 15, 2015.
 Passport. Under a law expected to take effect in January, the State Department will be permitted to block
or revoke passports from seriously delinquent taxpayers, defined as those who have $50,000 or more in
unpaid federal taxes (including interest and penalties),
 Data Breach. Starwood Hotels & Resorts is the latest victim of a cyberattack. The popular hotel chain said
debit card- and credit card-stealing malware was discovered on payment systems at restaurants, gift shops,
bars and other retail areas at 54 of its North American hotels, most of which are in the United States. The
hotels’ front desks, where guests pay for their stay, were not affected by the data breach.
 Bah Humbug. Administrators at the VAMC in Salem, Virginia, have reversed their decision to ban
Christmas trees following backlash from veterans and staff. The reversal comes after a letter from
administrators to employees that read, “trees have been deemed to promote the Christian religion and will
not be permitted in any public areas this year.”
 VA ID Card. The new veteran identification card to be issued by the Veterans Affairs Department will not
be available before 2017. The wallet-sized proof of veteran status is intended to be a substitute for a paper
document given to all veterans upon discharge.
 Legion of Honor Award. If you know a veteran who served during WWII to liberate France, either on land,
sea or in the air and you would like him/her recognized by the French Government, you may complete and
send the application available at http://www.consulfrance-miami.org/spip.php?article2604 to the Consulate
General of France: 1395 Brickell Avenue, suite 1050, Miami FL 33131 Tel: (305) 403-4157.
[Source: Various | November 30, 2015 ++]
*********************************
Prescription Drug Advertising
► AMA Calls for Ban
The American Medical Association is calling for the federal government to ban consumer-directed advertisements for
prescription drugs and medical devices. The doctors’ group says the ads are fueling consumer demand for costly
65
treatments and driving an increase in drug prices. Market research firm Kantar Media says that drugmakers have
increased their spending on drug ads in the United States by 30 percent in the past two years. They now spend a
whopping $4.5 billion per year on glossy magazine spreads and television commercials promoting their drugs. “A
growing proliferation of ads is driving demand for expensive treatments despite the clinical effectiveness of less costly
alternatives,” the AMA said in a statement.
The Chicago-based association recently adopted a new policy supporting a drug advertising ban that “reflects
concerns among physicians about the negative impact of commercially driven promotions, and the role that marketing
costs play in fueling escalating drug prices,” AMA board chair-elect Dr. Patrice A. Harris said in a press release.
“Direct-to-consumer advertising also inflates demand for new and more expensive drugs, even when these drugs may
not be appropriate.” New Zealand and the United States are the only countries that permit direct-to-consumer ads for
prescription medications. In addition to a ban on drug ads, the AMA is also calling for increased transparency in drug
pricing and costs. “Physicians strive to provide the best possible care to their patients, but increases in drug prices can
impact the ability of physicians to offer their patients the best drug treatments,” Harris said. “Patient care can be
compromised and delayed when prescription drugs are unaffordable and subject to coverage limitations by the
patient’s health plan. In a worst-case scenario, patients forgo necessary treatments when drugs are too expensive.”
PhRMA, the largest U.S. trade group for the pharmaceutical industry, told Reuters that drug ads are used to increase
consumer awareness about available treatments for illnesses and also provide information about potentially
undiagnosed conditions. “Providing scientifically accurate information to patients so that they are better informed
about their health care and treatment options is the goal of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising about
prescription medicines,” PhRMA spokesman Tina Stow said in an email. Banning drug ads is easier said than done
because restricting the ads could run up against free speech protections. If the government agrees with the AMA and
bans the ads, “it’s very unlikely the ban would stand up to a legal challenge, which would almost certainly be mounted
by both the pharmaceutical industry and media,” said Julie Donohue, an associate professor at the University of
Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health, in an interview with Marketplace.
Drug prices have been front and center in recent months. Turing made the news when it hiked the price of a 62year-old generic drug by 5,000 percent overnight. A Senate committee is investigating Turing and other
pharmaceutical companies for massive increases in drug prices. The latest call from the AMA suggests the debate
over prescription drugs will continue to heat up. [Source: MoneyTalksNews | Krystal Steinmetz | November 21, 2015
++]
*********************************
Household Item Longevity
►
What to Expect
Unexpected expenses can really throw off your budget, so it’s important to have some idea of when your major
appliances will need to be replaced. Taking care of your stuff tends to make it last longer, but eventually most things
66
wear out and need to be replaced. That's not a big deal when it's something relatively inexpensive like a pair of
sneakers, but it can be a VERY big deal, when it's something major, like your refrigerator or your car's transmission,
and you haven't planned for the expense. That kind of unexpected expense is enough to wreck your budget for months,
or to send you spiraling into debt. Here’s how long you can expect your stuff to last:
Refrigerator - Many of the refrigerators that were made from the 1920s to the 1950s are still running today.
Unfortunately, the life expectancy of a fridge has gone down quite a bit since then. You can expect to get 9 to 13 years
out of a modern refrigerator. Want to squeeze extra years out of your fridge? Then, opt for a model without all the
bells and whistles. Less working parts means less to break, and cheaper, easier repairs. You can also extend the life of
your refrigerator by quarterly performing some simple maintenance tasks which can be found at found at
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/doityourself/ht/Fridge_Maintain.htm.
Oven - A modern electric range is usually good for 13 to 15 years of service, while a gas oven is good for 10 to 18
years, and a gas stove is good for 15 to 17 years. Of course, If you never cook, your stove could last you a lifetime. A
lot of it depends on your usage habits. Want to buy one stove and be done with it? Consider purchasing a vintage
stove. Since there aren't any computer components involved, they're easy to work on. The parts are also surprising
easy and cheap to come by.
Dishwasher - Your dishwasher should relieve you from dish-washing duty for 9 years. To squeeze more years out of
your dishwasher, and keep it cleaning as well as the day you bought it, give it 15 minutes of TLC every few months.
At http://frugalliving.about.com/od/homemaintenancerepair/ht/Clean_Dishwasher.htm you can find what you need to
do to keep it going strong.
Washer and Dryer - Expect to get 5-15 years out of your current washing machine. That's down three years from a
decade ago. Blame it on all the steel parts that have been replaced with plastic. Your dryer should last you around 13
years. Before you replace a broken washer or dryer, see if a repair is possible. Many of the parts are inexpensive, and
some are easy to swap out yourself. If you have an older machine, (i.e. one that was made before the world turned
plastic), definitely pursue repairing it. You just won't find the same quality in a newer machine. And of course, as
with all appliances, cleaning your washer and dryer periodically will greatly improve its performance and life. Refer
to the following to keep them going:
 How to Clean a Stinky Washing Machine
 How to Clean a Dryer Vent
 Washing Machine Troubleshooting Guide
 Dryer Troubleshooting Guide
HVAC System - HVAC systems are painfully expensive, so no matter how long they last, it'll never be long enough.
Here's how long you can expect your home's HVAC system to last: Central Air - 7-15 years; Furnace - 15-25 years;
Heat Pump - 10-15 years; Boiler - 40 years; Electric Radiant Heater - 40 years. Your HVAC system will probably
require service and/or repairs, long before it needs to be replaced. Start saving for a replacement now, and you'll have
money to cover those maintenance costs, too.
Computer - Laptop. Most businesses and consumers seem to follow the computer replacement plan
(http://www.promethius.com/blog/how-many-years-should-my-desktop-or-laptop-computer-last) that Promethius
67
Consulting follows. Plan on three years; hope for four; and don’t push past five years. That's a good rule of thumb,
but it doesn't mean you can't squeeze a 6th (or even a 7th) year out of your laptop or desktop, if it's still working for
you. So, save enough to be able to buy a new computer at the three year mark, but keep using your computer as long
as you're happy with it. Check out http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/u/fix_a_computer_problem.htm if
you decide you want to attempt to fix your problems yourself.
TV - TVs use a lot less energy nowadays, but they also have a much shorter lifespan. Expect to get 4-10 years out of
a LCD/LED TV and three years out of a plasma TV. To stretch your time between TVs, opt for a big name brand
(which will use better parts), and position your TV away from heat sources, like windows or a fireplace.
Hot Water Heater - A traditional tank hot water heater has a life expectancy of 6-12 years; a tankless hot water heater
can last 20 years. For more years of reliable service, add to yopur to-do list the maintenance indicated at
http://homerepair.about.com/od/plumbingrepair/ss/hwh_maintenance.htm. Drain the sediment once a year (twice if
you have hard water) is also a smart move (http://plumbing.about.com/od/water_heaters/a/How-To-Drain-A-WaterHeater.htm). It will ensure that your water heater doesn't have to work any harder than it supposed to heat your water.
Have a tankless water heater? Hire a plumber to flush the system once a year.
Roof - A new roof is a major purchase, so it's definitely one you'll want to plan for. The life expectancy of various
roofing materials is: Asphalt Shingles (3-Tab) - 20 years; Asphalt Shingles (Architectural) - 30 years; Metal - 40-80
years; Wood - 25 years; Slate - 60- 150 years. Want to go longer between new roofs? Then, consider upgrading to a
longer-lasting roofing material, the next time you need to replace your roof.
 How to Replace an Asphalt Shingle
 How to Repair a Hole in a Metal Roof
[Source: About Money | Erin Huffstetler | 17 Oct 2016 ++]
*********************************
Presidential Retirement Benefits
► Former Presidents Act
Presidential retirement benefits were non-existent until the enactment of the Former Presidents Act (FPA) in 1958.
Since then, presidential retirement benefits have included a lifetime annual pension, staff and office allowances, travel
expenses, Secret Service protection and more.
Pension - Former presidents are offered a taxable lifetime pension equal to the annual rate of basic pay for the heads
of executive branch departments, like the Cabinet Secretaries. This amount is set annually by Congress and in 2014
was $$201,700 per year. The pension starts the minute the president officially leaves office at noon on Inauguration
Day. Widows of former presidents are provided with a $20,000 annual lifetime pension and mailing privileges, unless
they choose to waive their right to the pension. In 1974, the Justice Department ruled that presidents who resign from
office before their official terms of office expire are entitled to the same lifetime pension and benefits extended to
other former presidents. However, presidents who are removed from office due to impeachment forfeit all benefits.
Transition Expenses - For the first 7 months, beginning one month before the January 20 inauguration, former
presidents get transition funding the help them transition back into private life. Granted under the Presidential
Transition Act, the funds can be used for office space, staff compensation, communications services, and printing and
postage associated with the transition. The amount provided is determined by Congress.
Staff and Office Allowances - Six months after a president leaves office, he or she gets funds for an office staff.
During the first 30 months after the leaving office, the former president gets a maximum of $150,000 per year for this
purpose. Thereafter, the Former Presidents Act stipulates that the aggregate rates of staff compensation for a former
President cannot exceed $96,000 annually. Any additional staff costs must be paid for personally by the former
president. Former presidents are compensated for office space and office supplies at any location in the United States.
Funds for former presidents' office space and equipment are authorized annually by Congress as part of the budget for
the General Services Administration (GSA).
68
Travel Expenses - Under a law enacted in 1968, the GSA makes funds available to former presidents and no more
than two of his or her staff members for travel and related expenses. To be compensated, the travel must be related to
the former president's status as an official representative of the United States government. In other words, travel for
pleasure is not compensated. The GSA determines all appropriate costs for travel.
Secret Service Protection - With the enactment of the Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 (H.R. 6620), on Jan.
10, 2013, former presidents and their spouses receive Secret Service protection for their lifetimes. Under the Act,
protection for the spouses of former presidents terminates in the event of remarriage. Children of former presidents
receive protection until they reach age 16. The Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 reversed a law enacted in
1994 that terminated Secret Service protection for former presidents 10 years after they left office.
Medical Expenses - Former Presidents and their spouses, widows, and minor children are entitled to treatment in
military hospitals. Former presidents and their dependents also have the option of enrolling in private health insurance
plans at their own expense.
State Funerals - Former presidents are traditionally granted state funerals with military honors. Details of the funeral
are based on the wishes of the former president's family.
[Source: About News | Robert Longley | November 3, 2015 ++]
*********************************
Robocalls Update 01
► Blocker Test Results
If you’re willing to spend money to rid your phone of robocalls, you can now pick from a handful of devices. And one
other option is free. Consumer Reports recently put five robocall blockers to the test and released the results 28 JUL.
One device is free and was dubbed “a winner,” but currently only works with voice over IP (VoIP) phones, which use
an Internet connection rather than the traditional landline connection. The other devices work with both VoIP and
landline phones but range in price from $45 to $110, with only the most expensive option dubbed a “buy.” Nomorobo,
the free option, grew out of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s 2012 Robocall Challenge, which offered a $50,000
cash prize for the best technical solution to robocalls, Consumer Reports explains. Like most of these devices,
Nomorobo features a “whitelist” and a “blacklist.” The whitelist contains numbers that you manually designate as
safe. The “blacklist” contains thousands of preloaded spam numbers that the device automatically blocks. Consumer
Reports results were as follows:


Nomorobo | Price: Free | Features: Blacklist, whitelist | Summary: “A winner”. [Note: No equipment needed.
Sign up online at http://www.nomorobo.com and follow the prompts.]
CPR Call Blocker Protect | Price: $45 (on Amazon, where Consumer Reports purchased all tested blockers)
|Features: Whitelist | Summary: “Bummer”.

HQTelecom.com Landline Call Blocker | Price: $59 | Features: Blacklist | Summary: “Mixed”.

Sentry Dual Mode Call Blocker (now replaced by Sentry 2) | Price: $59 |Features: Blacklist, whitelist |
Summary: “Mixed”
69

Digitone Call Blocker Plus | Price: $110 |Features: Blacklist, whitelist | Summary: “Buy”
To learn more about the above devices, refer to http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/07/robocallblocker-review/index.htm. Regardless of whether you try a robocall blocker, however, don’t press any buttons the
next time a robocall gets through to you. Just hang up, Consumer Reports advises. Lois C. Greisman, associate director
at the FTC, tells the magazine that, for example, pressing 1 to indicate that you don’t want to receive further calls only
confirms for scammers that they reached a human being when they dialed your number: “And consequently, you may
receive more calls.” [Source: MoneyTalksNews | Karla Bowsher | July 28, 2015 ++]
*********************************
Mexican Inventions
► 10 Amazing Ones
Chocolate - The first recorded evidence of chocolate was found in Mesoamerica, in the region that later became
Mexico. You have Mexico to thank for Belgian chocolates, Hershey’s kisses, Abuelita hot cocoa, German chocolate
cake, and French silk pie.
TACOS - While the precise origins of the taco are unknown, Jeffrey M. Pilcher, a professor at the University of
Minnesota and taco expert, believes that they date back to 18th century Mexico when men working in the silver
mines invented the delicious food.
Flamin’ Hot Cheetos - These were invented by Richard Montañez, a Mexican immigrant and janitor at the FritoLay plant in California. He pitched his idea for a chili powder coated chip to the president of the company, who
loved the idea. Now, Montañez leads the Multicultural Sales & Community Promotions branch of the company!
Color Television - The inventor of the color television was a Mexican. Guillermo González Camarena was the first
person to patent the product when he developed an “improved chromoscopic adapter” for color television
transmissions in 1940.
Tequila - It’s believed that tequila was first produced in the 16th century, although the Aztec people had previously
brewed an alcoholic beverage made from the agave plant — long before the Spanish arrived on this continent.
Pinata - Originally piñatas are from China, but the tradition took on new meaning when it was introduced into
Europe in the 14th century and later brought to Mexico. Mayan tradition called for a pot filled with decorative
feathers to commemorate the birthday of Huitzilopochtli. The Mayans would then blindfold themselves and break
the pot with a stick or club, causing the treasures to fall to the floor. This festive ritual later became the basis for the
piñata as we know it today.
70
Caesar Salad - An Italian immigrant named Caesar Cardini operated restaurants in both the United States and
Tijuana, Mexico. During one Fourth of July rush, he depleted the kitchen supplies and had to make do with what he
had on-hand. Thus, the Caesar Salad was born on the Mexican border.
Margarita Cocktail - The margarita was invented in 1938 by Carlos “Danny” Herrera at his restaurant “Rancho La
Gloria”, halfway between Tijuana and Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico; created for customer and former
“Ziegfeld” dancer Marjorie King, who was allergic to many spirits, but not to tequila.
Maiz (Corn) - The Olmec and Mayan Indians who first cultivated the vegetable in Mexico.
Birth control - When Mexican Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cardenas was just 25-years-old, he co-discovered the
compound which became the chemical basis for the first oral contraceptive. In other words: he invented the world’s
first birth control!
[Source: The Yucatan Times | August 8, 2015 ++]
*********************************
WD-40
► 44 Uses
A lady got up very early one morning and went outside to pick up the Sunday paper, she noticed someone had
sprayed red paint all around the sides of the neighbor’s brand new beige truck. She went over and woke him up and
gave him the bad news. He was, of course extremely upset. And they stood there trying to figure out what could be
done about the problem. They decided there wasn't much recourse but to wait until Monday, since nothing was
open. Just then another neighbor came out of his house, surveyed the situation and immediately went to get his
WD-40 out and cleaned the red paint off with it. Guess What! It cleaned up that paint without harming the original
paint on the truck! I'm impressed!!
The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and de greaser to protect Missile parts. WD-40
was created in 1953 by three Technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the
project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus
WD-40. The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. Ken East (one of the original
founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you...' IT IS MADE FROM FISH OIL' . When you read
the 'shower door' part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it
works just as well as glass. It is a miracle! Then try it on your stovetop... It will be shinier than it has ever been
before. Here are 44 more uses for it:
1)
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Protects silver from tarnishing.
Removes road tar and grime from cars.
Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
Gives floors that `just-waxed` sheen without making it slippery.
Keeps flies off cows.
Restores and cleans chalkboards.
Removes lipstick stains.
Loosens stubborn zippers.
Untangles jewelry chains.
Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
Removes tomato stains from clothing.
Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
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16)
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Keeps scissors working smoothly?
Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes
It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car. Removed quickly, with WD-40!
Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super-fast slide.
Lubricates gear shift on lawn mowers.
Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, well as vinyl bumpers.
Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
Removes splattered grease on stove.
Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
Removes all traces of duct tape.
Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
Florida's favorite use 'Cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'
Protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time.
Ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
If you've washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40
and Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you spray WD-40 on the distributor cap, it will displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
44) If you peel off a sticker from any container, mirror, automobile etc., it will take the stickiness off and leave
it cleaner that you had ever thought possible.
Keep a can of WD-40 in your kitchen cabinet. It is good for oven burns or any other type of burn. It takes the
burned feeling away and heals with NO scarring. Remember, the basic ingredient is FISH OIL. [Source: Various
August 2015 ++]
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Brain Teaser ►
Odd Word Out
Which of the following words does not belong in the list, and why?
 Reappear
 Caucasus
 Inefficiencies
 Signings
 Arraigning
 Horseshoer
 Intestines
 Appeases
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Hint - Other words that would fit in the list are:
 Hotshots
 Couscous
 Beriberi
*********************************
Vision Test
► Hidden Image 01
Can You See 10 Faces In This Tree?
********************************
Photos That Say it All
► Remembered
********************************
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Most Creative Statues
► Oxford, UK | The Shark
The Shark
*********************************
Interesting Inventions
► No more Rear View Mirror Blind Spots
**********************************
Moments of US History
► Wall Street Crash Suicide 1929
**********************************
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Parking
► Revenge Tactic #8 Against Inconsiderate Parkers
********************************
Have You Heard?
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► Did You Know 3
Glass takes one million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite
amount of times!
Gold is the only metal that doesn't rust, even if it's buried in the ground for thousands of years.
Your tongue is the only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end.
If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. When a human body is dehydrated, its thirst
mechanism shuts off.
Zero is the only number that cannot be represented by Roman numerals.
Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers.
The song, Auld Lang Syne, is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the
world to bring in the new year.
Drinking water after eating reduces the acid in your mouth by 61 percent.
Peanut oil is used for cooking in submarines because it doesn't smoke unless it's heated above 450F.
The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood
surging through the veins in the ear.
Nine out of every 10 living things live in the ocean.
The banana cannot reproduce itself. It can be propagated only by the hand of man.
Airports at higher altitudes require a longer airstrip due to lower air density.
The University of Alaska spans four time zones.
The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot heal itself.
In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage. Catching it meant she
accepted.
Warner Communications paid 28 million for the copyright to the song Happy Birthday.
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
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A comet's tail always points away from the sun.
The Swine Flu vaccine in 1976 caused more death and illness than the disease it was intended to prevent.
Caffeine increases the power of aspirin and other painkillers, which is why it is found in some medicines.
The military salute is a motion that evolved from medieval times, when knights in armor raised their visors
to reveal their identity.
If you get into the bottom of a well or a tall chimney and look up, you can see stars, even in the middle of the
day.
When a person dies, hearing is the last sense to go. The first sense lost is sight.
In ancient times strangers shook hands to show that they were unarmed.
Strawberries are the only fruits whose seeds grow on the outside.
Avocados have the highest calories of any fruit at 167 calories per hundred grams.
The moon moves about two inches away from the Earth each year.
The Earth gets 100 tons heavier every day due to falling space dust.
Due to earth's gravity it is impossible for mountains to be higher than 15,000 meters.
Mickey Mouse is known as "Topolino" in Italy.
Soldiers do not march in step when going across bridges because they could set up a vibration which could
be sufficient to knock the bridge down.
Everything weighs one percent less at the equator.
For every extra kilogram carried on a space flight, 530 kg of excess fuel are needed at lift-off.
The letter J does not appear anywhere on the periodic table of the elements.
*********************************
Have You Heard?
► Beretta Story
This is a story of self-control and marksmanship with an "itsy bitsy shooter" by a woman facing a fierce predator.
What is the smallest caliber you trust to protect yourself?
The 25 cal. Beretta Jetfire:
Here's her story:
While out hiking in Alberta Canada with my husband we were surprised by a huge grizzly bear charging at us from
out of nowhere. She must have been protecting her cubs because she was extremely aggressive.
If I had not had my little Beretta Jetfire with me I would not be here today!
Just one shot to my husband's knee cap was all it took.
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The bear got him and I was able to escape by just walking away at a brisk pace. It's one of the best pistols in my
collection.
*********************************
Help!!! ►
Things that might make you say it (01)
**********************************
Brain Teaser Answer ►
Odd Word Out
The odd word out is INEFFICIENCIES. In all the other words, each of the letters in the word appears twice.
This brain teaser relied on your ability to recognize groups of common attributes. You need to figure out why the
words or letters are grouped as they are.
*********************************
Smartphone Addiction
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*********************************
RAO Bulletin Editor/Publisher:
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