Military Officer - October 2008 - (Page 14) yourviews MILIT ARY AUGUST 2008 $4.50 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF MOAA | ONE POWERFUL VOICE® W W W. M O A A . O R G OFFICER “Sustaining the IraqAfghan war requires rotational Guard and Reserve deployment.” — Lt. Col. Joseph T. White, USAF-Ret. Act of 1982. Could you please provide me a specific reference … ? —Col. J.B. Henderson, USAF-Ret. via e-mail Editor’s Note: The author confused divisible retired pay with Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) benefits, and our editors failed to catch the mistake. Spouses who remarry before age 55 will lose SBP eligibility but not any retired pay awarded by a court. Youngest to Serve often-overlooked result is less persons who have any military experience, As the role of the Guard expands, Bureau Chief Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum speaks up 50 which includes our govMENTAL FLOSS CONGRESS FUMBLES STEADY STATE erning leadership. Explore 8 ways to Medicare, TRICARE Investors ride out prevent dementia 62 patients at risk 33 erratic markets 66 DoD is relying on 1.4 million active duty Association Resolutions military and 1.3 [million] Guard MOAA should not support a flag and Reserve forces. Sustaining the amendment [Resolution No. 1, August Iraq-Afghan war requires rotational 2008 ballot coverwrap]. Respect for Guard and Reserve deployment. our flag can be taught, instilled, and While violence may be declining in inspired. It can’t be legislated. Further, Iraq, recent activity in the Afghan individual veterans and our organizasector is being viewed as containtions tend to be the most flagrant vioable by moving forces from the Iraq lators of the U.S. Flag Code. … sector to the Afghan sector. ConRather than promoting a constitu- gress’ next budget proposal reduces tional amendment, MOAA ought to the number of Air Force and Navy take the lead in restoring respect for personnel. The small increases for our national ensign by example. We the Army and Marine Corps result as officers should take action to corin fewer numbers serving. rect violations of the Flag Code but —Lt. Col. Joseph T. White, USAF-Ret. correct our own violations first. via e-mail —Lt. Col. John Mosiul Jr., USMC-Ret. Richardson, Texas USFSPA Mistake In the last paragraph of [“Divvying Keep pushing for [Resolution No. Funds,” “Rapid Fire,” September 2, August 2008 ballot coverwrap] 2008, the author] states, “Spouses an adequate manpower level. In who remarry before age 55 will 1970, three years before ending lose the benefit entirely.” I have not the draft, one in 10 U.S. citizens heard of this provision before and were serving in our military. Today could not find it in the Uniformed only one out of 250 are serving. An Services Former Spouse Protection 9/9/08 10:29:58 PM Strong Voice Aug_cover.indd 1 [President] George H.W. Bush … may have been commissioned a pilot in the Navy at a younger age than [Navy retiree Cmdr. Michael G.] Kapnas [“Faces of MOAA,” June 2008]. One source has him becoming a pilot at 18. Was it before the end of the ninth month? —Col. Boris F. Nazaroff, USMCR via e-mail My father-in-law, John E. (Jack) Corbally Jr., was commissioned an ensign June 27, 1944. The location was the Naval Training School, Camp Macdonough, at Plattsburg, N.Y. … Jack’s [date of birth] was Oct. 14, 1924. —Cmdr. John L. Patterson, USN-Ret. Snohomish, Wash. Editor’s note: Born June 14, 1924, the former president was 18 years, 11 months, and 26 days old when he was commissioned June 9, 1943; Corbally was commissioned at 19 years, 8 months, and 13 days old. For a third contender, see “Faces of MOAA,” page 76. Purple Heart for PTSD? It is neither practical nor equitable to award the Purple Heart to a servicemember solely on the basis that he or she is the victim of [PTSD] stemming 14 MILITARY OFFICER OCTOBER 2008
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