RAO BULLETIN 1 April 2017

[boardman]

RAO
BULLETIN
1 April 2017

HTML/PDF Editions


THIS RETIREE ACTIVITIES OFFICE BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES


Pg Article Subject
. * DOD * .

04 == Navy LCS Program [ 01] -------------------------------- (Cost Overruns)
06 == DoD/VA Collaboration [02] ----- (PTSD Symptom Trajectory Study)
07 == Nuclear Weapons [01] --------- (U.S. General Recommends Upgrade)
08 == USFSPA & Divorce [29] ------ Dividing Retired Pay SCOTUS Case)
09 == BRAC [56] --- (Trump Presidency Improves Base Closure Prospects)
09 == DoD Fraud Waste & Abuse -------- (Reported 16 thru 31 MAR 2017)
12 == POW/MIA [82] --------------- (Battle of Tarawa Unknown's Remains)
12 == POW/MIA Recoveries ------- (Reported 16 thru 31 MAR 2017 | Ten)

. * VA * .

16 == VA Mental Health Care [32] -- (Senators Ask for More OTH Details)
17 == GI Bill [220] ------------- (Processing Delays Impact 11,000 Students)
18 == VA VIC [02] ----------------------- (Issued w/VA Benefits Enrollment)
18 == VA Crises Hotline [34] ------------- (Over 25% of Calls Redirected)
20 == VA Appeals [25] ---- (VA/GAO Agree - Appeals Reform Needed)
20 == VA Appeals Backlog [06] --------------------- (Hiring Surge Needed)
21 == VA Burial Schedules -------------------------- (Now Available Online)
22 == VA Hiring & Retention -------------- (Federal Hiring Freeze Impact)
22 == VA Data Analytics ------------------- (A Means to Improve Services)
23 == VA Image [01] --------------------------- (Vets Like Despite Problems)
24 == VA Suicide Prevention [37] -------- (Higher Risk With Opioid Use)
25 == Traumatic Brain Injury [60] - (DVBIC Adds 5 TBI Network Sites)
26 == VA Spinal Cord Program [02] --------------------------- (Robotic Brace)
26 == Brain Gate 2 --------------------- (Paralysis Pilot Study Shows Promise)
27 == Indebtedness to VA ---------- (Be Prepared - It Could Happen to You)
28 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ----- (Reported 16 thru 31 MAR 2017)
29 == VAMC Mountain Home TN [01] ------ (Opiate Safety Complaints)
29 == VA HCS Connecticut ------ (Top Diagnosis is Female PTSD | 45%)

. * Vets * .

31 == Trump Vet Listening Session ------------- (10 Vet Groups Included)
32 == Vet Health Care [05] -------------------- (Proposed ACA Bill Impact)
32 == Homeless Vets [77] ------------------ (Minnesota Milestone Reached)
33 == Fisher House Expansion [17] ------------------------ (Dayton VAMC)
33 == Purple Hearts Reunited [01] ------------- (1st Lt. Rodney D. Beckel)
34 == Vet Toxic Exposure | Operation Tomodachi - (Nuclear Meltdown)
36 == MOH Day ------------------------------------- (Trump Hosts Recipients)
37 == Bataan Death March [06] ------ (19 MAR 26.2 Mile Annual Event)
38 == GWOT Memorial Wall ------------- (Beginning Efforts to Get it Built)
39 == Stolen Valor [103] --------------------- (Reported 170315 thru 170331)
40 == Retiree Appreciation Days ------------------------- (As of Mar 31, 2017)
41 == Vet Hiring Fairs ----------------------------------- (01 thru 30 APR 2017)
43 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts ---------------- (Wisconsin MAR 2017)


* Vet Legislation * .

43 == Vietnam Veterans Day [01] --------------------------- (Signed Into Law)
44 == Vet Gun Control [13] -- (H.R.1181 to End Federal Checks on Vets)
46 == VA Appeals [24] --- (Appeals Process Overhaul Bill Reintroduced)
47 == VA Employee Accountability [05] -------- (H.R.1259 Passes House)
47 == VA Women Vet Programs [26] -------- (S.681 | Deborah Sampson Act)
48 == VA Designated Smoking Areas ---------- (Bill to Eliminate Introduced)
49 == Burn Pit Toxic Exposure [42] ----------------- (H.R.2237 Reintroduced)
49 == VA Adult Day Care [02] ----------- (S.324/H.R.1005 | Increase Access)
50 == Vet Toxic Exposure Legislation [08] -- (Classified Record VA Access)


. * MILITARY * .

50 == USMC Photo Scandal [01] ---- (Tillis | Strip Participant's Benefits)
52 == USMC Photo Scandal [02] ----- (NCIS Investigating 1200 Marines)
53 == Air Force Readiness [01] ------ (Sequestration and Funding Impact)
53 == SBP Under Blended Retirement System ----------------------- (Impact)
53 == USAF KC-46 Program ------- (At Risk of Further Schedule Delays)
54 == Freeze Dried Plasma ---------------- (USAF to Test on the Battlefield)
55 == Military Laser Program ---------- (Army HEL MD | 60 KW System)
56 == Military Research [01] - (Navy Environment Sensor Development)
57 == Military Research [02] -------------------------------- (Army Third Arm)
58 == USCG Budget [02] ------------ (Proposed Billion-Dollar Budget Cut)
59 == Army Readiness ----------------------- (Continuing Resolution Impact)
60 == Army Bedtime Snack Bar ---------------------------- (New for Recruits)
61 == Carl Gustaf Recoilless Rifle [01] ------ (Precision “Guided” Rounds)
62 == Expert Action Badge ----------- (Army Non-Infantry Soldier Award)
63 == Locust ---------------------- (Race to Field Gun Launched Swarmbots)
64 == China’s Offensive Capability [03] ------ (PLAMC to Grow to 100k)
65 == Battlefield Acupuncture ------- (Close to 60% of USAF Bases Trained )
66 == Navy Birthday ------------------------------------------- (October 13, 1775)

. * MILITARY HISTORY * .

68 == K-9 Corps --------------------------------------------- (War Dog Program)
69 == Roman Legion --------------------------------- (Ten Little-Known Facts)
74 == Battle for Schloss Itter --------------- (One of the Last WWII Offenses)
77 == HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen -- (A True Story of Naval Deception)
78 == Liberty Bell ------------------------------------------- (WWI Contribution)
79 == Liberty Bell [01] ----------------------------------------------- (Utilization)
80 == Military History Anniversaries ------------------------- (01 thru 15 APR)
80 == Vietnam Vets [22] --------------------------- (Hank Beck | Delayed DSC)
82 == WWII Vets 133 ---- (Oscar Davis Jr. | 70 Year Wait for Purple Heart)
83 == Medal Of Honor Story ------------------ (Roberts~Gordon | Vietnam)
83 == Medal of Honor Citations --------------------- (Fardy~John P | WWII)

. * HEALTH CARE * .

85 == Rehydration ---------------------- (Rice-Based Drink Powder Solution)
85 == Colorectal Screening --------------------------------- (Is It time for One?)
86 == AHCA ------------------------------- (Plan to Repeal and Replace ACA)
88 == Parasites -------------------------------------------- (What's Eating You (1)
90 == TRICARE Podcast 389 ---- (Care Type | Winter Storms | Eye Injuries)
91 == TRICARE Podcast 390 ------- (Allergies | Webinars | Cervical Cancer)

. * FINANCES * .

92 == Credit Card Fraud Protection [01] ----------------- (Available Methods)
93 == Common Money Mistakes ----------------------------- (Beware These 12)
95 == SSA Retirement Application [01] ------------------- (15 Minutes Online)
96 == VA Loan Multiple Use [01] --------------------------------------- (3 Ways)
97 == IRS Scam [07] ----------------------------------------------- (How It works)
98 == Political Fundraising Scams ------------------------------ (How It works)
99 == Government Grant Scam [03] ----------------- (Its Back on Facebook)
100 == SSA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ---------------- ($500M Scheme to Defraud)
100 == Tax Burden for New Jersey Retired Vets -------------- (As of Mar 2017)

. * GENERAL INTEREST * .

103 == Notes of Interest ----------------------------------- (16 thru 31 MAR 2017)
104 == RP~China Dispute [18] ------------------------- (Benham Rise Concerns)
105 == RP~China Dispute [19] ------------- (Scarborough Shoal Radar Station)
105 == RP~China Dispute [20] ------- (3 Man Made Islands Nearly Complete)
106 == Trump Budget Plan -- (2018 Winners & Losers if Congress Approves)
107 == Trump Budget Plan [ 01] --------------------- (Meals On Wheels Impact)
108 == Airline Bomb Precautions - (Electronic Device Explosive Potential)
110 == PRK Nuclear Weapons [03] ----- (Trump Halts Diplomatic Efforts)
111 == PRK Nuclear Weapons [04] - (Preemptive Military Action Option)
112 == PRK Nuclear Weapons [05] -------------------- (All Options Are Bad)
114 == Vintage U.S. Nuclear Test Films -------- (Declassified and Released)
115 == PRK Propaganda ----- (TV | Burning U.S. Carrier & B-1B Bomber)
115 == Taiwan-China Dispute -------------------------- (New Missile Capability)
116 == Taiwan-China Dispute [01] ------------------- (Plan To Build Own Subs)
116 == Climate Change [01] ---- (White House Doubts it, Pentagon Does Not)
118 == Dog Greeting Protocol -------------------------- (How Not to Be Bitten)
120 == Have You Heard? ------------------- (Blonde Stories || Lesson On UP)

Note:
1. The page number on which an article can be found is provided to the left of each article’s title
2. Numbers contained within brackets [ ] indicate the number of articles written on the subject. To obtain previous articles send a request to raoemo@sbcglobal.net.

. * ATTACHMENTS * .

Attachment - RAO Bulletin April 01, 2017
Attachment - Wisconsin Vet State Benefits & Discounts MAR 2017
Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 01 thru 15 APR

-o-o-O-o-o-

TO READ and/or DOWNLOAD THE ABOVE ARTICLES, ATTACHMENTS, OR PAST BULLETINS Online GO TO:

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-- http://www.veteransresources.org (PDF & HTML Editions w/ATTACHMENTS)
-- http://frabr245.org (PDF & HTML Editions in Word format)
-- http://veteraninformationlinksasa.com/emos-rao.html (PDF & HTML Editions w/ATTACHMENTS)
-- http://www.veteransresources.org/rao-bulletin (past Bulletins)

Notes:
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********************************

RAO Bulletin Editor/Publisher:
Lt. James (EMO) Tichacek, USN (Ret) Tel: (858) 432-1246 Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net
Bulletin Web Access: http://www.nhc-ul.org/rao.html, http://www.veteransresources.org, http://frabr245.org, and
http://veteraninformationlinksasa.com/emos-rao.html [PDF & HTML Editions w/ATTACHMENTS]

RAO Baguio Director:
SMSgt Leonard (Len) D. Harvey, USAF (Ret) PSC 517 Box 4036, FPO AP 96517-1000, Tel: 63-74-442-3468; Email: lenharvey@live.com.ph

RAO Baguio Office: Mountain Lodge, 27 Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City, 2600 Philippines
FPO Mail Pickup: TUE & THUR 09-1100 --- Outgoing Mail Closeout: THUR 1100