BAS RATES POSTED
Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) Rates for 2000 have been released by the Department of Defense. To review and download your own copy, Click Here. We encourage you to make copies and pass them on to your fellow service members.

PENTAGON TARGETS 3.7% RAISE FOR 2001
Early indications are that the fiscal 2001 defense budget will call for a 3.7 percent across-the-board pay raise for service members to take effect on January 1, 2001. The increase was derived using a formula set by Congress last Fall that the raise be 1/2% greater than the average salary increase in the private sector. According to Labor Department statistics, that increase was 3.2% last year. The recommended raise will be part of the budget that the Pentagon sends to Congress in February and will likely be acceptable to lawmakers. Despite the continuing existence of a wage gap between military and private-sector wages, only a single pay raise is expected next year.

RETIREMENT CALCULATOR NOW ONLINE
Several weeks ago we mentioned that DoD would be putting a retirement calculator on line to allow active duty service members who entered the service August 1, 1986 or later to help them decide which retirement option to choose. The Fiscal 2000 Defense Authorization Act gave those service members a choice at their 15th year of service. They can join the pre-Redux retirement system; or stay in REDUX, get a taxable $30,000 lump-sum bonus and agree to complete at least 20 years of service. To use the calculator go to http://pay2000.dtic.mil and click on "Retirement Choice" in the left column. That will lead you to the retirement calculator. Using it, service members can compare future benefits under the two plans.

DOD W-2 TAX INFORMATION RELEASED
Military and Civilian DoD personnel should expect to receive their 1999 Federal Tax and Wage Statements (Form W-2) by January 29, 2000. Anyone who has not received a W-2 by this date or thinks a corrected W-2 is needed must contact their local finance office or customer service representative for assistance. If more assistance is needed contact the following:
ARMY: The servicing finance office or Defense Military Pay office must contact the central site for assistance except when the individual is a separatee or there is a request for W-2s for off-line payments (student loans, do it yourself (DITY) moves, etc.). Army members who separated from the service with a debt requiring a W-2 should call 1-800-962-0648. Soldiers who separated without a debt should call 1-888-PAYARMY. For W-2s covering student loans, DITY payments, etc., call 1-888-PAYARMY.
NAVY: If you are unable to contact your local military pay office call 1-800-346-3374 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. EST (except on Federal holidays) and from February 6 through March 26, Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST.
AIR FORCE: If your address has not changed from the address of record you may request a duplicate by calling 1-800-755-7413. If you separated from the Air Force during 1999 and have not received your W-2 contact the finance office nearest you to request a duplicate.
MARINE CORPS: Marines discharged or released from active duty, members retired or transferred to the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve and active duty reservists call 816-926-3129. For nonreceipt of active duty W-2s for an entire Reporting Unit Code call 816-926-7281.
DOD CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES: If you are no longer a DoD employee and do not have access to your customer service representative you should contact the servicing payroll office to request a W-2 reissue at: Charleston, 1-800-PAYDCPS; Denver, 1-800-538-9043; and Pensacola, 1-850-473-6134.

DOD FAIR LIST RELEASED
Many readers have requested a source where they can review the 500,000 plus positions that DoD has listed as inherently nongovernmental. For a searchable database of that information, use http://gravity.lmi.org/dodfair/index2.cfm. Click on the "Query Fairnet" link on the left side of the page to get started. We have not seen a similar site for VA at this time.

LOOK FOR VETERAN BENEFITS TO IMPROVE
Under a new law, the Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefit Act, veterans should see improvements in several areas. VA is supposed to improve access to long-term care for disabled veterans, along with other health care, educational and burial benefits. VA will also be looking into ways to provide a range of nursing and related care and to help families. Some of the specific provisions of the new law would extend the housing loan program for certain reserve members; let veterans to use their Montgomery GI Bill money for certain test prep courses; let VA pay emergency care costs for veterans receiving medical care from VA and will have VA look into establishing six new national cemeteries.

WORKERS' COMP FOR TELECOMMUTERS LIMITED
According to the Labor Department's OWCP, under FECA federal workers who telecommute have a narrower range of injuries for which they can be compensated compared to those at traditional work sites. Employees directly engaged in performing their job duties are covered, regardless of where the work is performed. However, at home, activities not immediately directed to performing the job do not arise out of employment. For example a telecommuter who leaves his or her desk to get a drink is not performing regular job duties. This is not the case at the agency's offices where the "personal comfort doctrine" provides employees a wider range of coverage. The theory behind this distinction is that in the employee's home, the employee has control over hazards, not the employer.

FEGLI INCREASES TO START
Civilian employees should remember that with the new 2000 pay schedule, the deduction for FEGLI will increase. At a minimum, the increase will be attributable to the new higher pay rate. Federal employees who increased their FEGLI coverage during the FEGLI open season will have additional deductions taken for those increases. Just a reminder, typically WAEPA rates are significantly lower than FEGLI. Civilian federal employees, under the age of 60, should check out WAEPA rates.

AIR FORCE E-8S GET WRONG TEST
A group of senior master sergeants looking to be promoted to chief last year were apparently given a wrong USAF Supervisory Exam at several Air Force bases. Air Force officials have not provided full details on this error and have not provided the number of senior master sergeants or bases involved, although the error was attributed to unfamiliarity with the new regulations on the part of base test examiners. The Air Force also indicated that the testing errors did not adversely affect anyone's chances for promotion.

LOOK FOR LEAVE SELL-BACK RULES SOON
Service members may soon be able to sell back unused leave at reenlistment, even when reenlisting more than three months early. Regulations are currently being revised by all the Services and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. The new policies should be in place early in 2000.

LEGALLY SPEAKING
(General legal discussions for the military community - by the Law Firm of Shaw, Bransford, Veilleux & Roth)
It appears that the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces is attempting to send a message to Pentagon and other high level officials that public statements about pending issues in court-martial cases are not appropriate. On January 6, 2000, the Court granted review on the issue of whether an accused was prejudiced due to comments made by high ranking Pentagon officials, including the Secretary of Defense and others, involving the class of cases under which the accused fell. Also involved was the appearance of unlawful command influence due to the prejudicial and inflammatory pretrial publicity exposure that the convening authority who referred the charges and the panel members who sat on the court-martial were exposed to as a result of the comments. Since the Court's decision to grant review on this issue was discretionary, it appears that at least several of its members are concerned and desire to make a statement about the common tendency of military officials to comment on issues related to pending trials.