Topics in this Week's News Include:
1. New DoD Policy Focuses on Mental Health and Deployment
3. AMVETS Report Highlights Needs of Returning Service Members
4. Adaptive Sports Programs Aid Injured Service Members
5. AKO Offers Video E-mails to Deployed Soldiers and Families
6. Close Call on Physician Reimbursement Rates
7. NMFA Attends America Supports You Conference
9. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
Here's the News!!!
1. New DoD Policy Focuses on Mental Health and Deployment:
The Department of Defense has issued improved policy guidance for
military personnel with deployment-limiting psychiatric conditions, and
for those who are prescribed psychiatric medications. The new policy
satisfies many requirements established in the 2007 National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA). Section 738 of the law, P.L. 109-364,
requires DoD to specify conditions and treatments that preclude a
service member from deploying to a combat or contingency operation. The
new policy is intended to improve mental health screening by guiding
physicians' decisions regarding the deployment of service members who
experience mental conditions. NMFA has often raised the issue of the
deployment and treatment in theater of service members with identified
mental health conditions, seeking information on such questions about
whether and how many service members on psychiatric medications are
deployed, how service members on medications are monitored in theater,
and whether consistent guidelines are followed in determining which
service members with identified mental health conditions should not be
deployed.
Early identification and treatment of mental health problems are
keys to continuation of active service and return to duty. DoD
officials maintain service personnel with psychiatric conditions in
remission and without duty performance impairment are generally fit to
deploy. However, under the new guidelines, these individuals must
demonstrate a pattern of stability without significant symptoms for at
least three months prior to deployment. Some psychiatric disorders
require extensive and long-term care and treatment. These conditions
will cause service members to be unfit for duty and therefore routinely
processed out the military. Additionally, those deployed service
members with conditions determined to be at significant risk for
performing poorly or decompensating in an operational environment who
do not respond to treatment within two weeks will be returned to home
station.
While not altering or replacing existing accession, retention, and
general fitness for duty standards, the new guidance standardizes
deployment-related mental health policy across the Service branches.
The guidelines stipulate that few medications are inherently
disqualifying for deployment. Lithium and anticonvulsants to control
manic-depressive bipolar illness are considered disqualifying
medications, as are antipsychotic drugs for psychotic, bipolar and
chronic insomnia symptoms. Psychotic and bipolar spectrum disorders are
also disqualifying. To view the entire policy guidance, go to: http://www.ha.osd.mil/policies/2006/061107_deployment-limiting_psych_conditions_meds.pdf. (Source: http://www.tricare.mil/pressroom/news.aspx?fid=250)
2. 2007 Housing Rates Posted:
Service members will receive an average 3.5 percent boost in their
Basic Allowance for Housing in 2007. The planned BAH increase starting
January 1 works out to approximately $300 million more than what was
paid in 2006, Department of Defense officials say. BAH is paid to
service members living off military installations or in privatized
housing on installations. Military housing allowances are computed
according to three key criteria: median current market rent; average
utilities, to include electricity, heat and water/sewer costs; and
average renter's insurance. BAH rates also are based on dwelling type
and number of bedrooms in a given area and then calculated for each pay
grade, both with and without family members.
Some areas' housing costs have remained relatively stable, while
others continue to rise. Most of the costliest housing in the United
States with the highest BAH rates are clustered on or near the East and
West coasts, and the state of Hawaii. For service members with family
members, average increases in the BAH are approximately $44 per month.
For example, a typical specialist/corporal (E-4) will receive about $34
per month more in BAH than in 2006, while a master sergeant/first
sergeant (E-8) will receive about $42 per month more than this year.
These increases do vary according to location and rank. An E-4 assigned
to the Pentagon, with dependents, will receive $1,657 per month, up
from $1,614. An E-8 with dependents in the Washington, DC Metro area
will see a monthly increase of only $10 per month, from $2,191 to
$2,201. In the fast-growing community surrounding Fort Riley, Kansas,
an E-4 with dependents will receive only a $17 per month increase (from
$816 to $833), while an E-8 will receive a $74 per month increase,
going from $1,122 to $1,196. Increases in the high cost San Diego area
are similar to those for the Metro DC area, with larger increases going
to junior service members with families.
The BAH rate system has built-in protections to ensure that an
individual service member in a given location won't see his or her BAH
rate decrease. This provision assures that members who have made
long-term lease or contract commitments are not penalized if the area's
housing costs decrease. If rates are lowered in 2007 for that location
or certain ranks, incoming service members will receive the lower BAH
while service members remaining at the location will continue to
receive the higher figure from a previous year.
To view BAH rates by year, rank, and zip code, go to: https://secureapp2.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/bah.html. (Source: http://www.defenselink.mil/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2458)
3. AMVETS Report Highlights Needs of Returning Service Members:
On November 9, 2006, AMVETS released the report, Voices For Action: A
focus on the changing needs of America's Veterans. The report resulted
from their first ever National Symposium for the Needs of Young
Veterans held in October. The four-day event involved leaders from
business, government, and educational institutions, along with active
duty service members, veterans, and their families, in discussing ways
to improve transition and benefit services for uniformed service
members and veterans. The report is broken into four major categories:
benefits, employment, health care, and homelessness. It also outlines
an extensive list of concerns, recommendations, and rationales.
- Benefits concerns included: insufficient manpower to handle appeals
processes; training and knowledge issues involving Review Officers,
Veteran Service Officers, health care, and service providers; lack of
adequate funding and collaboration between DoD and the Department of
Veterans' Affairs (DVA); and the poor quality and timeliness of
information given to families regarding available benefits. AMVETS'
recommendation for centralized information dissemination and the
establishment of inter-government partnerships between DoD and DVA for
seamless transition is similar to NMFA's position. - Employment
issues involved the lack of a uniform hiring policy for veterans
between state and local governments. The current utilization of Reserve
and the National Guard has exacerbated hiring issues. The report
recommends the federal government establish a standard definition for
veteran to offset the disparities in how de-mobilized Guard, Reserve,
and former active duty members are treated in terms of employment
services. NMFA supports this recommendation. - Homelessness is an
issue for several agencies charged with supporting veterans. A large
percentage of the U.S. homeless population consists of veterans.
Approximately 194,000 veterans, including those from the current war,
were found living in shelters or on the street. Contributing factors
have been unemployment, housing inadequacies, untreated mental health
illness, misinformation about or disqualification for pensions, and the
inability for some veterans to obtain timely access to care. The report
states that, not only should the DVA be involved, but the Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) should be held accountable for
local homeless housing and include veterans in their continuum of care.
Federal and state governments must be involved in outreach programs for
reemployment. Homeless veterans' compensation and pension claims should
be expedited. Transportation to DVA health care facilities and service
providers must be provided. Participants also stated the VA should have
mandatory versus discretionary funding. NMFA acknowledges homelessness
as a major concern and agrees that these recommendations would help
correct this growing problem. - Health Care issues highlighted
the problems some of the new veterans found in accessing quality health
care. The report noted that high operational tempo has caused
additional family needs, such as legal, health care, and deployment
education and support. Traditionally, the VA health care system has
focused on the health needs of the service member and veteran, but not
on the family member. Even though current trends have been to include
the family for more services, more is needed. Post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) was a topic of concern in regards to education to
service members, veterans, and families about presenting symptoms, lack
of prompt treatment, and the potential for the service member's
disqualification from further military service. Also, the growing
presence of women veterans may place a strain on a health care system
not accustomed to dealing with women's health issues. Estimates show
women will represent 14 percent of the veteran population and a
majority will be under the age of 45.
The report's health care concerns and recommendations were numerous
and mirror many issues raised by NMFA. Navigating the military health
care system can be challenging, but it is even harder for young family
members or those of Guard and Reserve members, who may be unaccustomed
to military life. Recognizing the service members' extended family and
educating them about the military healthcare system was seen as a key
objective. Offering special identification for families of the deployed
would allow easier access to military installations and health care
facilities. Frequent and lengthy deployments make it imperative family
members are educated and incorporated into the military culture.
Conference participants stated that supporting government agencies
should build care around a philosophically embracing a lifetime
continuum of care to service members and veterans. This new philosophy
would include a commitment to quality care that encompasses every
aspect of service members' lives from enlistment to death. This
continuum of care must involve all support agencies and health and
service providers, at federal, state, and local levels. DoD and DVA
must work together to streamline care and address gaps within the
systems. They must also increase resources for women's health care.
NMFA appreciates the work AMVETS did holding the symposium and
putting this detailed report together. Their findings will benefit
wounded service members, veterans and their families. The full report
can be found at: http://www.amvets.org/Assets/pdfs/Amvets_Symposium_Report_FINAL.pdf.
4. Adaptive Sports Programs Aid Injured Service Members:
Active duty service member's lives change after they become wounded.
Many had very active lives and participated in many different sporting
ventures. Thanks to modern technology, they don't have to give up those
activities.
In November, the Sun Valley Adaptive Sports held a snow camp for
severely wounded service members. Outfitted with adaptive equipment,
they were able to snowboard, ski, hunt, and participate in other
outdoor activities. The camp is part of a growing trend towards helping
wounded service members with their rehabilitation. During his visits to
military hospitals' casualty wards, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID),
Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, was struck with
injured service members' desire to become physically active again. This
created a partnership between the Committee and several organizations,
such as the Wounded Warrior Project, Disabled Sports Program, and Sun
Valley, to promote rehabilitation through sports and recreation. The
idea is to get the injured active again, which increases their
self-esteem and renews a sense of accomplishment. Sun Valley is
prepared to assist 50 wounded service members each year through their
summer and winter programs. Their next camp will be held in January
2007.
5. AKO Offers Video E-mails to Deployed Soldiers and Families:
Soldiers and families can now communicate by video e-mail through the
Army Knowledge Online (AKO) intranet portal. On the first day, more
than 3,500 video emails were transmitted. AKO video messaging allows
all deployed active-duty, National Guard, and Army Reserve Soldiers to
create video messages on a computer with a webcam. The message is then
stored on a server and sent to the recipient via a URL link. Upon
opening an e-mail, the user clicks on the link to get streaming video
and sound. The video-streaming software allows a Soldier to hear and
view video email even in limited bandwidth environments, but the link
can be accessed anytime, from anywhere.
Instructions are on a link on the AKO home page (https://www.us.army.mil/suite/login/welcome.html).
Soldiers must follow the same Department of Defense security measures
used for standard e-mail. Webcams will not be used in secure areas.
Families with an AKO account can send video e-mails from home with a
personal computer and a webcam. They can also use webcams in many of
the yellow ribbon rooms or family centers on military installations.
In-theater military bases typically have webcams available at cyber
cafes. Service members can authorize an AKO guest account for family
members by following the registration instructions on the site.
(Source: http://www.army.mil/-news/2006/12/11/919-video-email-launches-for-deployed-soldiers-families/)
6. Close Call on Physician Reimbursement Rates:
On December 7, Congress passed H.R. 6111, the "Tax Relief and Health
Care Act of 2006". Of particular interest to military families is the
provision to allow physician payments to continue at previous
reimbursement rates. This is important because TRICARE reimbursement
rates are directly tied to Medicare physician rates. If the 109th
Congress had not acted, payments would have been cut by 5 percent in
January.
NMFA and other member organizations of The Military Coalition
advocated on behalf of military families to stop any decrease in
reimbursement rates. A Coalition letter was sent to Chairman Bill
Thomas (R-CA, 22nd) supporting legislative language to maintain the
current physician reimbursement rate. If this language had not been
included, eligible TRICARE providers would have been reimbursed at
lower rates. Military associations feared the lower rate might prompt
physicians to drop out of the TRICARE provider networks or to refuse to
see TRICARE Standard patients. Providers might also cut back on their
Medicare patient load, possibly affecting access for Medicare-eligible
military beneficiaries in TRICARE for Life.
Another provision of interest in the bill is a new quality incentive
for Medicare providers. A 1.5 percent bonus will be paid directly to
physician providers for reporting on quality measures. NMFA will
explore whether this reimbursement bonus will apply to physician claims
for care provided to TRICARE patients since TRICARE reimbursements are
tied to Medicare. Also, the bill requires a report by the Inspector
General on Medicare payments made for services that resulted in serious
and preventable medical errors. The National Quality Forum, which
developed the national health care quality measurement standards,
created this list of errors. The report will review whether payment was
denied or the costs recovered from these services by the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services. NMFA will be monitoring this study to
determine how the information can be applied in the TRICARE program.
Text of the bill and additional information can be found at: http://waysandmeans.house.gov/ResourceKits.asp?section=2544.
7. NMFA Attends America Supports You Conference:
Across America, ordinary people have found significant ways to show
their unwavering support of our service members and their families. The
Department of Defense America Supports You (ASY) program is the
umbrella organization that pulls 238 non-profit organizations and 30
corporate sponsors together through integrated marketing and
communications initiatives in support of service members and their
families. ASY provides an avenue for these member organizations to
highlight the services they provide and in some cases link up with
corporate sponsors to provide funding for their endeavors. The new ASY
logo "We're At War; Are You Doing All You Can?" encourages these and
other organizations to assist in letting service members and their
families know that Americans are here for them.
ASY hosted its second Washington, DC, summit on December 13. NMFA
was among the 86 membership organizations in attendance. Some of the
most noteworthy ASY organizations' achievements during 2006 include:
- Sending more than 3,002,00 care packages to deployed service members;
- Providing more than $3,417,000 in financial support to military members and their families;
- Greeting more than 75,000 redeploying troops;
- Sending more than 500,000 books to deployed service members; and
- Building and/or adapting more than 2 dozen homes for wounded service members
During this Summit, member organizations received briefings from
Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, and Deputy Assistant Secretary
of Defense for Public Affairs, Allison Barber. Additionally, General
Mark O. Schissler, USAF, provided a very concise briefing on the Global
War on Terror. Stephen Epstein, DoD General Counsel's Standards of
Conduct Office ended the formal session by discussing the legality of
gift giving to service members (including the wounded) and their
families.
As a part of the Summit, the membership organizations were afforded
an opportunity to provide input to ASY during break out sessions.
Recommendations included:
- Provide member organizations with an opportunity to meet with key
Congressional leaders--this will be a part of the 2007 Summit; - Develop a process to link member organizations with corporate partners;
- Highlight best practices of member organizations;
- Develop a screening process for membership organizations wishing to participate with ASY;
- Conduct quarterly conference calls for member organizations
ASY also sponsors the national Freedom Walks. In 2006, more than 160
locations across the United States and in the Middle East conducted
Freedom Walks as a tribute to those who lost their lives on September
11, 2001. These events allow all Americans the opportunity to remember,
reflect, recommit, and show respect for the men and women in uniform,
past and present, who protect the freedoms we enjoy. For more
information on America Supports You, go to: http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/.
8. What's Important to You? Should
DoD do more to support families of deployed service members? Is helping
military spouses in their careers a priority? How about making it
easier for you to get an appointment at your local military medical
facility? Should Congress provide bigger military pay raises or housing
allowances? As the year comes to a close, NMFA is preparing its list of
legislative and policy goals for 2007. We know we will be asked by
Members of Congress and others about the critical challenges facing
military families, about what's working for them, and about what is
important to them. Now's your chance to help us tell them what really
is important to military families. Complete our "What's Important?"
survey today! Go to: www.nmfa.org/whatsimportant.
9. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
This is the last NMFA Government and You E-News for 2006. Look for its
return on Tuesday, January 9. The NMFA Government Relations staff
wishes you and your loved ones a happy and joyous holiday season. Our
thoughts will be with all military families during the holidays: those
whose service members are deployed, those who are deploying, those who
have recently returned, those who work hard to support the mission at
home and abroad, those who are wounded or ill. We also send our special
wishes to the families of the fallen as they face the holidays without
their loved ones. We thank you all for your service to our Nation.
