May 12, 2009
1. Chairman Recognizes National Military Appreciation Month
2. AWAG Holds 53rd Annual Conference
3. Money Available for School and Portable Careers
5. Two More States Adopt Compact
6. TRICARE Publishes New Behavioral Health Resource Guide
8. Old Navy Offers Military Appreciation Discount
1. Chairman Recognizes National Military Appreciation Month:
America's gratitude inspires the members of its Armed Forces, the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a message he issued to
commemorate May as National Military Appreciation Month.
Here is Navy ADM Mike Mullen's message:
Despite the challenges of two wars and numerous other engagements
around the globe, America's military is stronger than ever. Our
military is strong because our Nation stands behind them. Whether they
are your neighbors, friends, or family members, all make life-changing
sacrifices, and all are worthy of our eternal thanks.
Gratitude from an appreciative Nation - not just during this month,
but always inspires courage and peace of mind for those whose charge it
is to keep the peace. Remembering those who sacrificed everything - as
well as their families and continuing to thank and support our veterans
and wounded warriors is crucial to the health of our Armed Forces, and
truly, essential to the health of our Nation.
Throughout this month of May, please take time to thank all those in
each Service branch, the National Guard, and Reserves, as well as
Defense civilians, retirees, veterans, and their families. They are
making a difference - and so can you.
The Joint Chiefs and I are proud to salute the men, women and
families of America's Armed Forces - this month, as well as every day
of the year.
Sincerely,
M.G. MULLEN
Admiral, U.S. Navy
(Source: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54219)
2. AWAG Holds 53rd Annual Conference: Over
300 community leaders from military communities in Germany, Italy,
England, and Spain gathered together May 3 - 7, 2009 for the annual
American Women Activities Germany (AWAG) conference held at the
Edelweiss Resort in Garmisch, Germany. The volunteers, mostly women
with a few men attending, were offered 3 days of leadership, self
improvement and resiliency workshops, addressing their roles as
organization officers, family readiness group leaders and staff
members, and community leaders. While many of the attendees had
participated in regional training conferences, for some it was their
first exposure to this focused volunteer training which addresses the
unique situations that many find themselves in as volunteers in foreign
countries, governed by military regulations and Status of Forces
agreements. Break out sessions were offered on protocol, foreign
customs, and fundraising. The stresses that these volunteers face
supporting communities experiencing multiple deployments were also
addressed with workshops on active listening, care for the caregiver,
and holistic approaches to self care. Military leadership including the
leadership of Africa Command, United States Air Force Europe (USAFE),
United States Army Europe (USAREUR) and Allied Forces Command addressed
the group and reinforced the importance of their roles as volunteers in
community support.
The National Military Family Association appreciated another
opportunity to take part in this conference. We have been participating
periodically since the early 1980s and annually since the early 1990s
and recognize the importance of this training and reinforcement to
sustaining volunteers for military installations in Europe. The
importance of gathering these volunteers together to share best
practices and search for solutions to common problems cannot be
understated. We echo the theme for the 2009 event - AWAG Community Strong!
For more information on AWAG including leadership opportunities,
regional conference dates, and next year's conference visit the website
http://www.awagonline.org/.
3. Money Available for School and Portable Careers:
The Department of Defense is expanding the Military Spouse Career
Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) for military spouses of active duty and
activated Guard and Reserve service members worldwide beginning in May
2009. In mid-May, MyCAA will officially open its doors for eligible
military spousesto receive up to $6,000 of financial assistance to
help pay for licenses, certification, and education in high growth,
high demand portable career fields. For more information or to apply
for this exciting program, go to http://www.militaryonesource.com/ or call a Military OneSource Career/Education Consultant at 1-800-342-9647.
4. VA Budget Released: The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released their budget for Fiscal
Year 2010 (FY10), which is a 15.5 percent increase over their FY09
budget. According to the VA, it is the largest percentage increase for
the VA requested by a president in more than 30 years. The budget will
focus on transformation, transparency, flexibility, and accountability.
The majority of the budget increase will go to mandatory programs
($9.6 billion) and there is an 11 percent increase targeted toward
health care. The additional funding will allow the VA to: expand health
care eligibility to more than 500,000 new enrollees by 2013; develop
and implement a joint lifetime electronic record with the Department of
Defense; maintain current and activate three new national cemeteries;
and build seven medical facilities and state extended care facilities
and provide for renovation and expansion of existing medical
facilities. To view the VA budget and for additional information, go to:www.va.gov/budget/products.htm.
National Military Family Association is please with the FY10 budget
submission for the VA. As more and more service members transfer into
veteran status, funding will be needed to support additional programs
and services. However, an adequately funded budget is only half of the
solution. It will now be up to Members of Congress to make sure the VA
receives its funding in a timely manner.
(Source: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1671)
5. Two More States Adopt Compact: Texas and Washington both joined the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children last
week. With 17 States now members of the Compact, 58% of active duty
military children (357,639) are covered by this important legislation.
In addition, Alaska, Hawaii, and Maryland have bills awaiting their
respective Governor's signature, and 12 other States are still working
active legislation.
The National Military Family Association continues to actively
champion the Compact and will keep you updated on its progress. For
further information, go to the Children's Education section of our
website at http://www.militaryfamily.org/.
(Source: This Week in Military Community and Family Policy (02-08), May 2009)
6. TRICARE Publishes New Behavioral Health Resource Guide:
No one questions the need for medical care when someone is physically
injured but, when people experience emotional problems, they may feel
embarrassed and afraid to seek help when the troubling signs first
surface.
During Mental Health Month in May, TRICARE would like
to remind beneficiaries about the recently published "A TRICARE Guide:
Understanding Behavioral Health." The 80-page resourceis available
online to all TRICARE beneficiaries at the TRICARE Smart Site at: www.tricare.mil/tricaresmart/.
"A
TRICARE Guide: Understanding Behavioral Health" corresponds with two
Department of Defense initiatives. The first promotes awareness about
post-traumatic stress disorder treatment and the other is an effort to
help returning service members by providing expanded counseling
services.
The guide provides information on seven main topics:
TRICARE and Your Behavioral Health; Understanding Behavioral Health;
Covered Services, Limitations and Exclusions; Who to See for Care;
Getting Care; Your Right to Privacy; and For Information and
Assistance. "A TRICARE Guide: Understanding Behavioral Health" is
available at www.tricare.mil/tricaresmart/product.aspx?id=712&CID=87&RID=3.
For a free, anonymous mental health self-assessment, go to http://www.militarymentalhealth.org/ or call 1-877-877-3647.
(Source: http://www.tricare.mil/Pressroom/News.aspx?fid=523)
7. H1N1 (Swine) Flu Update:
The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center reported a total of 24
confirmed H1N1 cases in the U.S. military, including 13 military family
members, 10 active duty service members and one Marine recruit. The
cases occurred in Texas and California.
As of May 8th, there are 642 laboratory-confirmed cases of human
H1N1 virus infection in 41 states in the United States, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC officials
also said there are another 845 probable human cases reported from 42
states and the District of Columbia. This means there are a total of
1,487 confirmed and probable cases in 44 states. Two people in the
United States have died from the H1N1 virus. The World Health
Organization said the virus has been reported in 22 other countries.
The CDC recently noted the virus's spread has seemed to have slowed,
and that its effects, for the most part, have been relatively mild.
Although the CDC indicates antiviral medications such as Tamiflu or
Relenza can be effective, the Department of Defense Department does not
recommend their use unless prescribed by a physician.
Service members and their families should look for the latest news about the H1N1 virus at the Pandemic Influenza Watchboard at www.dod.mil/pandemicflu, along with http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu. For VA related information, go to: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/ or http://www.pandemicflu.va.gov/.
(Source: http://www.health.mil/Press/Release.aspx?ID=692)
8. Old Navy Offers Military Appreciation Discount:
The first of every month is Military AppreciationDay at Old Navy. All
active duty, reserve component, and retired U.S. military personnel and
their families will receive a ten percent discount at checkout with a
valid military ID.
