Military Officer - July 2007 - (Page 24)

rapidfire TSGLI Coverage Broadens In Review Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror By Casper W. Weinberger and Wynton C. Hall. Forge Books, 2006. $25.95. ISBN 0-76531303-0. the dedicated service and patriotism of American military personnel. Finding the Target: The Transformation of American Military Policy By Frederick W. Kagan. Encounter Books, 2006. $29.95. ISBN 1-59403-150-9. T raumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (TSGLI) coverage was updated March 8. TSGLI pays between $25,000 and $100,000 to active duty and reserve component servicemembers who have suffered ﬁnancial loss because of a traumatic injury sustained in combat from Oct. 7, 2001, to Nov. 30, 2005. Under the new rules, servicemembers must suffer a scheduled loss — meeting the TSGLI injury criteria — within two years after a traumatic injury, rather than the previous one-year requirement. And a servicemember who incurred a traumatic injury between Oct. 7, 2001, and Dec. 1, 2005, where the servicemember’s loss was the direct result of injuries incurred in operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom, now is eligible for TSGLI even if he or she was not insured under TSGLI at that time. Learn more at www.insurance.va.gov/sglisite/tsgli/tsglifaq.htm. ASKBUD Q: I work for the federal government but also served in the military reserve. Can I receive federal retirement credit for my reserve time? ited toward your federal retirement under either the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employment Retirement System (FERS) if certain conditions are met. You must make a “military deposit” for your reserve time. The deposit amount under CSRS is 7 percent, plus interest, of your military basic pay during the years you wish to credit. It’s 3 percent, plus interest, under FERS. Interest is waived if a deposit is made within the first 2 years of employment under FERS or the first 3 years under CSRS. If you served in the reserve forces long enough to have earned retired pay, you can draw both federal and reserve retirement without offset. The rules also apply to some Guard service but not all. — Capt. Bud Schneeweis, USCG-Ret., is director of MOAA’s Benefits Information and Financial Education Department. 24 MILITARY OFFICER J U LY 2 0 0 7 A:Yes. Reserve time may be cred- The late Casper Weinberger and Wynton Hall offer 19 true stories of the combat heroism of American servicemembers in the war on terrorism as a vivid counterpoint to the authors’ claims of liberal media bias against the U.S. military. These brave servicemembers saved lives and made steps toward defeating the enemy. Their stories are gutwrenching tales of close combat by infantrymen, military police, squad leaders, platoon commanders, air controllers, and medics. As Weinberger and Hall tell of extreme courage and self-sacriﬁce, resulting in coveted medals for valor including the Medal of Honor, they also are harshly critical of media focus on the negative rather than the good. This is a powerful, ﬁtting, and most welcome tribute to Defense analyst Frederick Kagan offers an entertaining and detailed history of American military transformation over the past 60 years. This is a critical appraisal of the historical evolution of warfare, technology, and politics that highlights the people, events, and theories that, as Kagan says, have taken the U.S. on “a triumphant progression from incompetence to unchallengeable dominance.” He covers the Cold War, the malaise of Vietnam, the AirLand Battle concept, conventional wars, and interservice rivalries over roles, missions, and money as well as today’s current emphasis on “operations other than war,” terrorism, and the risks posed by potential enemies. Kagan also explores the incorrect assumptions and myopic enthusiasm that cloud sound defense policy. — William D. Bushnell PHOTOS: STEVE BARRETT http://www.insurance.va.gov/sglisite/tsgli/tsglifaq.htm

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Military Officer - July 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: In Focus After the Kim Dynasty Animal House Paying Tribute MOAA Member Services Pages of History Faces of MOAA Information Exchange Advertising Index MOAA Scholarship Donors MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - July 2007

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