Military Officer - December 2007 - (Page 29) washingtonscene MOAA and 32 other associations jointly urged Congress to retain key pay, health, and benefit provisions in the final version of the FY 2008 defense bill. L E G I S L AT I V E N E W S T H AT A F F E C T S Y O U On the Same Page A s House and Senate Armed Services committee leaders began negotiations in October to resolve the thousands of differences between the separate House and Senate versions of the FY 2008 Defense Authorization Bill, MOAA and The Military Coalition weighed in with a joint letter outlining coalition priorities for action. The letter, signed by 33 military and veterans’ associations, highlighted nine high-priority topics: Wounded warriors. Upgrade the military disability retirement system to more fairly compensate service-disabled personnel and their families. Require cognitive testing for traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Authorize three years of active-duty level family health coverage for servicemembers forced into medical retirement or separation by servicecaused conditions. Establish a joint office to implement a joint DoD/VA electronic health record. Upgrade support for family members who must become caregivers to wounded servicemembers. Military force levels. Active duty and Guard/Reserve ground forces are too small. The coalition supports the increases proposed for the Army and Marine Corps but is very concerned that reductions in active duty and reserve components for the Navy and Air Force are driven by budget rather than requirements and have the potential to cause significant problems in facing future military needs. Concurrent receipt. Authorize combatrelated special compensation for all retirees whose service-caused conditions forced them into medical retirement before attaining 20 years of service — recognizing their careers were involuntarily cut short by combat wounds. Implement full, immediate concurrent receipt for otherwise qualifying retirees deemed “unemployable.” The Veterans Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) endorsed both initiatives as priority needs. Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). End deduction of VA survivor benefits from SBP annuities when the servicemember’s death is service-connected, as endorsed by the VDBC. Require immediate implementation of 30-year paid-up SBP coverage. “Greatest generation” military retirees already have paid 28 percent more SBP premiums than post-1978 retirees ever will pay. They have earned and deserve immediate paid-up SBP status. TRICARE fees. Support congressional action to bar any increase in TRICARE fees for 2008. The coalition urged adoption of the Senate-passed “sense of Congress” provision recognizing the key role of military health benefits in offsetting arduous conditions of service and acknowledging that military people pay large “in-kind” premiums in service and sacrifice in addition to fees paid in cash. Military pay raise. Approve the Housepassed provision to increase military DECEMBER 2007 What Will be Your 2008 COLA? ■ Most retirees and survivors will see a 2.3 percent COLA in January checks. Those who entered service on or after Sept. 8, 1980, and retired between July and December 2007 will receive less. July to September retirees will receive 0.2 percent; September through December retirees will see no COLA. All will receive full COLAs in future years. MILITARY OFFICER 29
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