Military Officer - August 2008 - (Page 36)

washingtonscene on individual circumstances, retirees might receive CRSC awards that restore part or all of their longevity-based retired pay. In certain other cases, they might not see any change in their pay. MOAA’s best advice to those with combat/combat-related disabilities: Apply! MOAA’s Web Base (www.moaa .org/crscfactors) provides several examples of how the CRSC expansion can affect your pay. people who serve 10 years transfer their education beneﬁts to family members. In the end, Hill leaders and the White House agreed on a bill that included the best of both plans. The new GI Bill will reimburse veterans’ tuition for schooling up to the highest state college cost, pay a housing allowance based on the location of the school, and provide up to $1,000 a year for books. Under certain conditions, it would provide extra money toward attending a private university. Veterans will have up to 15 years after separation to use the beneﬁts. Servicemembers who have completed six years of service and agree to serve an additional four years will be able to transfer part or all of the beneﬁts to their spouses immediately. Once they complete 10 years’ service, they can transfer beneﬁts to children. No one already retired will qualify for the transferability option, since the purpose of that option is to promote retention. The upgraded beneﬁts apply to people who have served in uniform since Sept. 11, 2001. Some who served at least 90 days since then but subsequently separated or retired could qualify for the upgraded beneﬁt. At press time, Senate passage of the bill was expected, and the president was expected to sign the measure into law before July 4. MOAA especially is pleased that the new GI Bill includes an MOAA-suggested provision extending the new beneﬁts to service academy and ROTC scholarship graduates if they agree to serve an additional three years beyond their initial service commitment. Activated National Guard and Reserve troops will be able to earn incrementally larger GI Bill beneﬁts for each tour of 90 days or more they serve and will qualify for full beneﬁts after 36 months of aggregate active service. Iraq-Era GI Bill Passed Bipartisan effort wins World War II-style beneﬁt. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) O Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) n June 19, the House of Representatives approved a major GI Bill upgrade for men and women who have defended the nation since Sept. 11, 2001. MOAA, The Military Coalition, and many other veterans’ and higher education associations are pleased to have played a role in winning this historic victory. But it wasn’t easy. Sens. Jim Webb (D-Va.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), John Warner (R-Va.), and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Harry Mitchell (D-Ariz.) took the lead in cosponsoring the largest and most widely supported ﬁx. Almost everyone in Congress agreed a ﬁx was needed, but some thought the Webb plan was too generous. Others in Congress didn’t support exempting the initiative from the normal funding rules and wanted to raise taxes on millionaires to pay for it. The White House initially opposed the Webb plan as too generous and expressed concern it might hurt retention by enticing servicemembers to separate and go to school. Instead, the administration wanted to substitute a provision to let 36 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2008 http://www.moaa.org/crscfactors http://www.moaa.org/crscfactors

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - August 2008

Military Officer - August 2008 Contents MOAA Online From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Chapters in Action Financial Forum Ask the Doctor MOAA Member Services Cover Story: A Stronger Voice Virtual Combat Mental Floss Steady as She Goes Pages of History Faces of MOAA Member Books Information Exchange Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps MOAA Scholarship Donors Encore

Military Officer - August 2008

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