Military Officer - March 2008 - (Page 37) washingtonscene Selected Reserve families and then cut off that coverage for gray-area and other reserve retirees under the age of 60. The evolution of the reserve forces from a strategic to an operational role means more service on active duty, more time away from home, and diminished civilian career prospects. Now that Congress has begun to recognize these realities, it’s time to take more aggressive steps to improve the reserve retirement system. vivor, the GPO reduces that benefit by two-thirds of the survivor’s federal civilian/state/teacher’s retirement pension. The GPO affects 400,000 people and causes the vast majority to lose their entire Social Security benefit. MOAA thinks the WEP and GPO impose disproportional penalties and actively discourage public service just when there’s a crying need for more teachers and experienced personnel in state and municipal governments. MOAA thinks the GPO and WEP significantly undermine important programs like Troops to Teachers. But changing the law will be a major challenge. Repeal would cost $80 billion over 10 years, at a time when long-term financing of Social Security is already a major national issue. But MOAA strongly believes something needs to be done to ease the current inequity. Support this effort by asking your legislators to cosponsor H.R. 82 and S. 206. WEP/GPO Victims Testify Cost of fix remains obstacle. O n Jan. 16, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security conducted a hearing on the impact of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), taking testimony from Social Security and Congressional Research Service officials as well as a diverse group of advocates for state government employees and teachers. Social Security covers approximately 96 percent of U.S. workers. But 25 percent of public-sector employees (federal, state, and municipal) have unique retirement systems that aren’t covered by Social Security. If people in this category also held at least one job during their working lives that was covered by Social Security, they are penalized by the WEP, which reduces their Social Security benefit by up to $340 a month. They might also suffer a penalty if they have ever held Social Security-exempt jobs that provided an independent retirement annuity but are married to someone who spent a working career under Social Security. If the Social Security-covered spouse dies and the surviving spouse draws a Social Security benefit as a sur- MOAA Cites GI Bill Goals Hill hearing provides forum. M OAA’s Col. Bob Norton, USARet., presented the association’s recommendations for upgrading the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) at a hearing before the House Veterans’ Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Jan. 17. Norton thanked Rep. Vic Snyder (DArk.), member of the subcommittee and former chair of the Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, for his pivotal role in winning a 10-year postservice readjustment benefit for reservists who earn MGIB benefits for service on active duty. MOAA endorsed the seven legislative proposals under consideration at MARCH 2008 MILITARY OFFICER 37
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