Armed Forces News -- The Latest News on Pay, Benefits and Retirement from all Branches of the Military

Mar 19, 2010
Family Care Plan Requirements To Expand
Navy Changes Evaluations for Navy IAs
DoD Alters JSF Contract
AF Sets Deadline for Developmental Programs Applications
Comfort Returns From Haiti Mission
Pendleton, Union Reach Accord
Freedom Takes Part in Drug Seizure
Spouse Career Program Resumes
Cyber Command Prepares To Stand

Mar 26, 2010
Health Care Bill Draws Comment

Mar 26, 2010
New Tax Law May Affect Spouses

Mar 26, 2010
Medicare, Tricare Changes Loom

Mar 26, 2010
New Leave Policy To Take Effect

Mar 26, 2010
Tanker Competition Not Settled

Mar 26, 2010
February Recruiting Goals Largely Met

Mar 26, 2010
AF Announces 2nd DOS Rollback

Mar 26, 2010
VA Offers Quicker Path for Sick Gulf War Vets

Mar 26, 2010
Army Ten-Miler Registration To Open

Apr 02, 2010
Navy To Deep-Six Paper Leave Chits

Apr 02, 2010
MC Allows ‘Limited Personal Use' of Computers

Apr 02, 2010
End to SBP Offset Could Face Vote

Apr 02, 2010
Gates Outlines ‘Don't Ask' Changes

Apr 02, 2010
GAO: More UAS Training, Coordination Needed

Apr 02, 2010
Internet Dating Scam Warning Issued

Apr 02, 2010
AF Seeks More Separations

Apr 02, 2010
AF Announces Officer Promotions

Apr 02, 2010
Watchdog: Costs, Delays Beset JSF

Apr 02, 2010
VA Budget Would Address Women Vets' Needs

Apr 09, 2010
Think Tank: REDUX a Bad Deal

Apr 09, 2010
AF Opens VSP Window

Apr 09, 2010
MC Seeks Athletes of the Year

Apr 09, 2010
Navy Approves Uniform Changes

Apr 09, 2010
Navy Issues Active-to-Reserve Guidelines

Apr 09, 2010
Report: TRICARE Accessibility Varies

Apr 09, 2010
GAO: VA Women's Services Need Improvement

Apr 09, 2010
Bill Would Ease Reserve Retirement Payment

Apr 09, 2010
Census Advice Offered

Apr 16, 2010
VA Issues Phone-Scam Warning

Apr 16, 2010
Court Ruling Outrages Veterans' Organizations

Apr 16, 2010
DFAS Offers New Retiree Web Site

Apr 16, 2010
Group Wants Protection from Financial Predators

Apr 16, 2010
Automation To Improve GI Bill Application Process

Apr 16, 2010
AF IDs Language Scholars

Apr 16, 2010
Nuclear Review Clarified

Apr 16, 2010
Army To Get More Mine-Resistant Vehicles

Apr 16, 2010
Shinseki Vows To Reduce Backlog

Apr 23, 2010
Gates Spearheads Effort To Overhaul Export Regs

Apr 23, 2010
Changes Ordered in Wake of Hood Shootings

Apr 23, 2010
AF Announces Uniform Changes

Apr 23, 2010
Marines Lift Social-Networking Ban

Apr 23, 2010
AF Opens Clubs to Other Services

Apr 23, 2010
VA Overhaul GI Bill Claims Processing Begins

Apr 23, 2010
Some See Delay in Receiving New IDs

Apr 23, 2010
Navy Shifts TA Transactions Online

Apr 23, 2010
March Recruiting Goals Met or Exceeded

Apr 23, 2010
Marine Corps Standardizes Westpac Per Diem Rates

Apr 30, 2010
TRICARE Urges O'seas Beneficiaries To Update DEERS

Apr 30, 2010
Move Compensation To Get Better

Apr 30, 2010
Senate To Get Hood Shooting Probe Papers

Apr 30, 2010
'Don't Ask' Revisions Released

Apr 30, 2010
Plan Would Ease Business Start-ups

Apr 30, 2010
Benning Expansion Study Approved

Apr 30, 2010
Navy Sponsors Marine Mammal Research

Apr 30, 2010
GAO: Combat Training Consistency Lags

Apr 30, 2010
Enlisted-to-Officer Submissions Due

May 07, 2010
SGLI Expenses Drop

May 07, 2010
AF Rescue Squadron Stands

May 07, 2010
6 More Names Added to VN Memorial

May 07, 2010
DoD Official: Military Pay Stacks Up Well

May 07, 2010
Navy Launches Blog

May 07, 2010
White Paper: Afghanistan Stabilizing

May 07, 2010
Nuclear Stockpile Details Declassified

May 07, 2010
Women Cleared for Submarine Service

May 07, 2010
CBO: Navy Shipbuilding Plans Fall Short

May 14, 2010
CHA List Changes

May 14, 2010
Phishing Alert Issued

May 14, 2010
Petraeus Expounds on Upcoming Changes

May 14, 2010
VA Health Benefit Process Streamlined

May 14, 2010
New Legislation Improves Vets’ Health Care

May 14, 2010
Courses Will Help Personnel System Transition

May 14, 2010
Marines, Sailors Deploy to Romania

May 14, 2010
AF To Open NCO Academy

May 14, 2010
MC Increases Number of AFCT Sites

Jun 04, 2010
1.4-Percent Pay Raise Offered in Senate Bill
TRICARE/Medicare Cuts Loom
Fight To Stop Funeral Protesters Goes On
Lawmakers Work To Expand Concurrent Receipt
Families' Input Sought
U.S., Japan Agree on Base Relocation
Gay-Ban Repeal Delayed
MC Tests New Combat Vehicle
Is There an Army ‘App' for That Smartphone?

Jun 11, 2010
House Passes 2011 Defense Bill

Jun 11, 2010
TRICARE Offers Electronic Fee Payment

Jun 11, 2010
Navy Clarifies Personal Firearms Policy

Jun 11, 2010
Leave Carryover Extension OK'd

Jun 11, 2010
NEXCOM Launches Info Center

Jun 11, 2010
O'seas Travelers Urged To Use Official Carriers

Jun 11, 2010
TRICARE Teams Study Care Delivery

Jun 11, 2010
MC Announces June, July Officer Promotions

Jun 11, 2010
Japanese PM To Honor Base Deal

Jun 18, 2010
GAO Answers Pay Benchmark Questions
VA-DoD Record-Sharing Could Improve
Moving? Use New PPM, DoD says
AF Extends VSP Window
Arlington Management Changed
Army Issues Body Armor Inspection Call
DACOWITS Panel Members Selected
Bonus Set for AF Contracting Officers
Online Tool Simplifies NAF Job Applications

Jul 09, 2010
Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended
TRICARE, Medicare Changes Delayed
Petraeus Assumes Afghanistan Command
End to Iraq Mission in Sight
AF Delays Colonel SERB
Chile Assistance Medal Available
Navy Changes Manual
VA Moves Toward Paperless Claims
Watchdog: EFV Program Needs Further Look

Jul 23, 2010
‘Fit but Unsuitable’ Draws Criticism
First PCS Stop: The Web
PCS Family Escort Rules Change
TRICARE Offers New Formulary Tool
Nondual Status Increase Plan Gets Hill Support
Navy To Offer New PFA, IA Software
AF Releases NCO Retraining Dates
AF Launches New Dress Standards Site
DoD Commits To Disabled Vets’ Businesses

Aug 13, 2010
Bills Would Mandate Lump-Sum Payouts

Aug 13, 2010
Test Site for Quicker VA Payouts Selected

Aug 13, 2010
Stationary Bike Test Will Change

Aug 13, 2010
TRICARE Retired Reserve Rules Published

Aug 13, 2010
Notifications Hinder Some Citizenship Approvals

Aug 13, 2010
Questions Raised About Privatized Lodging

Aug 13, 2010
Navy To Test New NWU

Aug 13, 2010
DoD Demands WikiLeaks Return Documents

Aug 13, 2010
Automatic TSP Enrollment Begins

Aug 13, 2010

Aug 20, 2010
Services Meet February Recruiting Goals
Adm. Fallon, CENTCOM Chief, Steps Down
Bills To Aid Service Members Who Seek Green Cards Pass
Street-View Imagery of Bases Banned
Army Mental Health Study: More ‘Dwell Time’ Needed
GAO: Environmental Compliance Does Not Hinder Training
AF Officer Promotions Announced
AF Releases E-8 Promotion List
Army Releases 0-4 Chaplain Selections
Navy Offers Recruiting Incentives

Aug 27, 2010
Court Nullifies Stolen Valor Act
Gates Will Likely Resign
Dried Plasma May Soon Become Available
Navy Set To End Paper Records
Enlisted Warfare Qualifications Now Mandatory
Bill Would Change Education Benefits
Changes Continue as BRAC Deadline Approaches
Group Seeks Expansion of Spousal Benefit
Changes Continue as BRAC Deadline Approaches
Friday, August 27, 2010 Archive:

Court Nullifies Stolen Valor Act

A federal appeals court has declared that the Stolen Valor Act, a 2006 law that bars persons from wearing or claiming ownership of military decorations they did not earn, is unconstitutional. In an August 17 majority opinion, Judge Milan D. Smith Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco, wrote that the law imposes a penalty for those who falsely purport to have merited a military honor is too strict and violates First Amendment free-speech protections. Under the Stolen Valor Act, persons convicted of falsely wearing military decorations could face a year in prison and fines. The law “concerns us because of its potential for setting a precedent whereby the government may proscribe speech solely because it is a lie,” Smith wrote. The case involved the case of Xavier Alvarez, who pleaded guilty in federal district court of violating the Stolen Valor Act under the condition that he would challenge the law’s constitutional validity on appeal to the 9th Circuit. Alvarez falsely claimed he earned the Medal of Honor during service in the Vietnam War. The ruling follows another similar decision, issued by a federal judge in Denver in July, which also declared the law an unconstitutional restriction of free speech. In that case, the ruling overturned the conviction of Rick Strandlof, who falsely claimed to be a Marine Corps officer and holder of both the Silver Star and Purple Heart medals.

Gates Will Likely Resign
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who has served as the Pentagon’s civilian chief since President George W. Bush appointed him in 2006, has announced his intention to leave his post sometime early next year. “I think it would be a mistake to wait until January 2012,” Gates said in an interview published in Aug. 16 issues of Foreign Policy magazine. “This is not the kind of job you want to fill in the spring of an election year.” By the onset of the New Year, Gates said, an administration review of the new Afghan strategy would be complete as well, Voice of America reported. The Foreign Policy article did note, however, that Gates expressed similar intention to resign at the end of the Bush administration – only to be persuaded by Obama to stay on. If Obama wants him to stay on the job, “Robert Gates has always been the type to say, ‘Yes,’” the article stated.

Dried Plasma May Soon Become Available
In an effort to address the preponderance of survivable battlefield injuries involving blood loss, Army health officials are considering the reintroduction of dried plasma to battlefield treatment kits for the first time since the 1960s. Dried plasma, which contains proteins and clotting factor, was dropped because of concerns about hepatitis contamination. Army medics presently rely upon fluids such as Hextend, an electrolytic solution that resembles plasma, to treat battlefield injuries. But the fluids do little to stop bleeding. Officials believe that new methods of treating wounded soldiers with dried plasma before transfer to deployed hospitals could greatly improve battlefield survivability.

Navy Set To End Paper Records
The Navy is reminding sailors who have not yet created electronic self-service accounts to gain access to their personnel records that as of Sept. 30, the old paper enlisted field service records will no longer be available. At that date, the new Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) Electronic Service Record (ESR) will take their place. Using the new account, sailors can view all of their personnel, training, and awards information. The will also be able to update some information contained in their electronic records – as long as they have hard copies of the documents necessary to add such updates. At this point, Navy personnel officials say, some 60,000 sailors have yet to sign up for the self-service accounts. To do so, visit https://nsips.nmci.nav.mil on the Web or use the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System/ESR server on board ships.

Enlisted Warfare Qualifications Now Mandatory
All sailors are now required to meet initial enlisted warfare qualifications. Sailors who earn the enlisted warfare device “have a basic level of knowledge to ensure they are capable of fighting the ship, saving a shipmate and ensuring the safety of themselves at all times,” Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick D. West said. Warfare sponsors – type commanders – will determine qualification timetables. All sailors in warfare-qualifying commands must qualify in no more than 30 months. More details are available in NAVADMIN 268-10, on the Navy Personnel Command Web site, http://www.npc.navy.mil/Channels/.

Bill Would Change Education Benefits
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee has approved a measure that would increase Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Among the provisions: providing reimbursement for vocational and on-the-job training programs; offering monthly stipends for students who take online courses; extending the $1,000 annual textbook stipend, now only available for veterans and retirees, to the active force and spouses; and offering reduced monthly stipends based on the number of classes a student takes. The full Senate will consider the measure, S. 3447, upon its return from August recess, the Fleet Reserve Association reports.

Changes Continue as BRAC Deadline Approaches
Defense Department installations officials say that the plan to relocate 123,000 military and civilian employees under provisions mandated by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission is continuing apace. With 28 BRAC recommendations complete, “We are on a tight deadline,” Dorothy Robyn, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and management, told members of the House Appropriations subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs during an Aug. 12 hearing. Much of the unresolved issues have to do with infrastructure and the ability of local communities to assimilate the growth – particularly in terms of increased vehicle traffic. Fort Meade, Md., which will gain 5,700 new employees, and the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md., which will assume a much larger role once Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., closes, are two of the most apparent examples. While some communities grapple with growth concerns, the communities near Fort Monmouth, N.J., Onizuka Air Force Station, Calif., and the Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, Ga., are preparing for their closure. Onizuka will remain open in a much smaller capacity, as a satellite operations facility. The Navy Supply Corps School is moving to Newport Naval Station, R.I.; the Georgia property is being transferred to the University of Georgia. And Fort Monmouth’s operations are moving to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

Group Seeks Expansion of Spousal Benefit
The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is decrying a July 20 decision by the Pentagon to limit eligibility for the My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) program to spouses of junior service members. “We believe this decision flies in the face of the program’s original intent – which was to assist longer-serving spouses in their pursuit of educational, licensing, and credentialing programs to help offset employment disruptions caused by multiple military-oriented moves,” MOAA said in a statement on its Web site. Under new Defense Department guidelines, MyCAA is open to spouses of service members in pay grades E-1 through E-5, W-1 and W-2, and O-1 and O-2. Participants can receive as much as $2,000 per year, which they can use to obtain professional licenses or credentials or take courses toward earning an associate’s degree.

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