Military Report - Week of December 12, 2011

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Military Report - Week of December 12, 2011

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AF Enlisted Villages New Years Offer The Air Force Enlisted Village is offering a "New Year, New Beginning" move-in special for Bob Hope Village and Teresa Village. The special features no waiting time and no first-month service fee when a lease is signed for either community between Dec. 15 and Feb. 15. One- and two-bedroom apartments are available with basic cable, water, sewer and trash; maintenance and grounds keeping; free laundry facilities; ample parking; and security. For more information, call the admissions office at 800-258-1413 to discuss eligibility regarding this special offer. This special is available for a limited time and some restrictions may apply. For more information about the villages, visit the (http://www.afenlistedwidows.org/) Air Force Enlisted Village website. For holiday discounts for servicemembers and military families, visit the (http://www.military.com/discounts) Military.com Discount Center.

Get Help Prepping for Transition Many servicemembers find the process of transitioning back into civilian life even more difficult in our current job market. Fidelis offers a free program that can help veterans navigate through transition by providing a rigorous end-to-end education solution. With a focus on student career outcomes, Fidelis equips students with the practical skills needed to increase their competitiveness, effectiveness, knowledge, and strength as they enter the workforce. There is no charge for the Fidelis services. The only student cost is any tuition costs, which should be covered by the student's GI Bill benefits. Visit their website at (http://www.fideliseducation.com/) www.fideliseducation.com to learn more.

GI Bill 2.0 Changes: Housing Allowance A New Online Housing Allowance will be payable to students enrolled solely in distance learning (including online education). The housing allowance is half the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents (the rate will be $673.50 for 2011). This I subject to prorating based on the number of credits being taken. - Effective October 1, 2011. Note: This does not include active duty or their GI Bill eligible spouses. See a (http://www.military.com/education/conte ... anges.html) list of all GI Bill 2.0 Changes and (http://www.military.com/education/conte ... -bill.html) view the top 10 FAQs. Next Step: It's important to compare schools to find the one that best fits your needs. (http://edu.military.com/gibill/?lpid=cr ... RC=mrvr.nl) Get free information from schools now.

TRICARE Young Adult Now Available The TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) Prime option is available for purchase on Dec. 1, 2011, with coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2012. TYA Prime will offer young adult beneficiaries TRICARE Prime coverage for monthly premiums of $201. To purchase TYA Prime, dependents must be under age 26, unmarried and not eligible for their own employer-sponsored health care coverage. In addition to TYA Prime, young adult dependents may also be eligible for TYA Standard, which has been available since May 2011. Complete information and application forms are available at the TRICARE Young Adult webpage at (http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/Profil ... YoungAdult) www.tricare.mil/tya. For more on TRICARE benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare) Military.com Benefits Center.

AF Employment Opportunities The Air Force is seeking NAF employees to participate in the NAF Career Broadener Program. This Air Force initiative allows federal employees in categories NF III/IV/V, UA 6-12, NA 09-15, NL 01-15, NS 01-19, and CY 04-05 the chance to pursue management roles outside their primary area of expertise for career enhancement. Applications for this program are part of the NAF Development Team call. Interested employees need to complete a career-broadening nomination request in the (https://www.t-cdp.hq.af.mil/presentatio ... /login.cfm) Transition-Civilian Development Plan (T-CDP) no later than Jan. 13, 2012. For more information about the Career Broadener Program, contact the AFSVA Human Resources Program Management Branch at (mailto:HQAFNAFHRO@randolph.af.mil) HQAFNAFHRO@randolph.af.mil. For more Air Force news, visit the (http://www.military.com/news) Military.com News Center.

SBA's Guard and Reserve Hardship Program Operation Endure & Grow, targets National Guard and Reserve Component members, their families and partners. The goal of this program is to mitigate the small business economic hardship of deployed members and their families. The eight-week online course focuses on the fundamentals of launching and/or growing a small business for those who will sustain the business when the servicemember is deployed, injured or killed. Initially, 550 individuals are expected to participate. The Small Business Administration has provided a grant to fund the program. For more information, visit the (http://whitman.syr.edu/endureandgrow/) Syracuse University website. Looking to start a civilian career upon separation? For national job listings and job seeker guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.

School Lunch Prices to Increase School lunch prices at all overseas Department of Defense Education Activity schools will increase starting Jan. 3, 2012, due to a new federal law and to keep pace with increasing food and operational costs. The new prices will be $2.40 for elementary students and $2.55 for secondary students. Families qualifying for the Free and Reduced Meal Program will not be impacted by the meal cost increases. The cost of a reduced-price meal will remain unchanged at 40 cents per meal. For more information on free and reduced meal eligibility requirements, contact an installation School Liaison Officer. Visit the (http://www.military.com/spouse) Military.com Spouse and Family Center for advice, information, and to connect with other spouses.

2011 Tax Documents Coming Retirees will be receiving some extra documents in their end of year mailing from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). Including in the mailing will be two Retiree Account Statements, Internal Revenue Service Form 1099-R, and the DFAS retiree newsletter. For people with online myPay accounts, the statements were posted Dec. 4, and the 1099-Rs will be posted Dec. 15. If a retiree or annuitant does not have their correct address on file with DFAS by Dec. 5, they will experience a significant delay in receiving their end of year document. For more information, visit the (http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary.html) DFAS website, or (https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx) myPay. People without an online account can contact DFAS at 800-321-1080. For more military retirement benefits and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/money/retirement) Military.com Money Center.

Time to Track Santa! The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa's yuletide journey. The (http://www.noradsanta.org/) NORAD Tracks Santa website just went live and is available in eight languages. NORAD's "Santa Cams" will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide. Tracking opportunities are also offered on Facebook, Google+, YouTube and Twitter by typing"@noradsanta" into each search engine. On Christmas Eve, Santa trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa's whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to (mailto:noradtrackssanta@gmail.com) noradtrackssanta@gmail.com.

Understand Your Military Pay With basic pay and 70 types of special pays and allowances, including BAH, military pay is customized to your situation. Changes in pay grade, duty status, your military occupation, duty station, or deployment status can have an impact on your pay. (http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/charts) See 2012 Pay Charts, Flight Pay, Basic Housing Allowances, Advance Pay Enlisted Breakouts and more. (http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/charts)

VA Loan Benefit Facts: Get the Guide One of the most significant benefits of military service is the VA home loan, which can help you purchase a home with no down payment or refinance an existing loan. Get the guide to learn how to use your (http://www.military.com/va-loan-guide/i ... RC=mrvr.nl) VA Home Loan.

Top Cities for Job Growth and Raises Anywhere there's fossil-fuel expansion, skilled workers are in short supply, so companies may have to raise pay to attract employees. NewGeography's top cities for job growth include five Texas towns: Fort Hood, El Paso, College Station, Midland, Austin, Bismark, New Orleans, Dubuque, Manhattan, Pascagoula and more. (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/co ... rkets.html) Get a full list on Military.com. (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/co ... rkets.html) (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Search for Veteran Friendly Jobs on Military.com

AF Early Retirement Board Results Commanders Air Force-wide have been notified of the results of the Calendar 2011 Lieutenant Colonel Selective Early Retirement Board (SERB). Officers not selected for retention must retire by April 1, 2012, or the last day of the month upon reaching 20 years of service, whichever is later. For those retiring officers, Airman and Family Readiness Centers provide transition support through transition assistance planning and veterans' benefits seminars. Senior Air Force leaders encourage Airmen to consider opportunities along the Air Force continuum of service of (http://www.afreserve.com/) Air Force Reserve and (http://www.goang.com/careers) Air National Guard. For more Air Force news, visit the (http://www.military.com/news) Military.com News Center.

Scammers Use Servicemember Names Servicemembers of all branches have had their names used as the "sellers" of vehicles on Craigslist and other websites. Often, the ad even states that an Air Force tow truck will take the vehicle from the nearest Air Force base to the buyer's house. People can and do get conned into sending money, and the car of course never shows up. Airmen who find that someone has used their name in connection with the scam should report it to local authorities as well as to (http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx) IC3.gov, FTC.gov at (http://ftc.gov/) http://ftc.gov/ and their chain of command. For more money and credit protection tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/money) Military.com Money channel.

New Navy NWU Policy The Navy recently expanded the authorized stops for which Navy Working Uniform (NWU) (Type I, II and III) may be worn when commuting to and from home and work, and to allow wear of the NWU during selected events when authorized by regional commanders or commanding officers. NWU wear is authorized for commuting and all normal tasks, such as stops at child care centers, gas stations, off-base shopping, banking, at the DMV, and dining before, during and after the workday. For more information, visit the (http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/s ... ault2.aspx) Navy Uniform Matters website. For more Navy news, visit the (http://www.military.com/news) Military.com News Center.

Wanna Be a Navy Astronaut? The Navy is accepting applications for the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) Astronaut Candidate class of 2013. The Navy NASA Astronaut Candidate selection board #295 is scheduled to convene May 1, 2012. Applications and endorsements are due to Navy Personnel Command no later than March 15, 2012. Application packages are available online from the (http://astronauts.nasa.gov/) NASA ASCAN website. Packages may be Faxed to (850) 452-2957/DSN 922. For more information, contact Cdr. Matthew Perun, PERS-452, at (901) 874-4058. For more Navy news, visit the (http://www.military.com/news) Military.com News Center.

Navy Early Retirement Board Update The U.S. Navy recently announced the statutory retirement date for officers selected for retirement by the FY-12 Selective Early Retirement (SER) Board. Officers selected for early retirement must retire no later than the first day of the seventh month following the Secretary of the Navy's approval of the board's results. Based on these criteria, the mandatory retirement date is Apr. 1, 2012. Under certain circumstances, officers may apply for a 90-day deferral of retirement on a case-by-case basis. For more information about the SER board, visit the (http://www.npc.navy.mil/) Navy Personnel Command website. For more Navy news, visit the (http://www.military.com/news) Military.com News Center.

Expanded Traumatic Injury Benefits Servicemembers who suffer severe injuries to the genitourinary organs will now be eligible for Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI). TSGLI provides a one-time payment to Servicemembers sustaining certain severe traumatic injuries resulting in a range of losses, including amputations; limb salvage; paralysis; burns; loss of sight, and other traumatic losses. The first payments for genitourinary losses will be made to eligible Servicemembers and Veterans on Dec.2, eligibility for these new losses will be retroactive to injuries incurred on or after Oct. 7, 2001, the beginning of the Global War On Terror. For more information on all of the TSGLI eligibility requirements, or to apply for a TSGLI payment, Servicemembers and Veterans should go to (http://www.insurance.va.gov/sgliSite/TSGLI/TSGLI.htm) www.insurance.va.gov/sgliSite/TSGLI/TSGLI.htm or contact their branch of service TSGLI Office (contact information available at above link). For more on military benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.

Military Pay Raise May Hit Snag Funding for 2012 military operations, procurement, weapons systems, personnel and military family programs, and the (http://www.military.com/benefits/conten ... harts.html) proposed 1.6 percent military pay raise face major obstacles due to a last minute insertion in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012. The controversy is over the insertion of a provision that some fear would allow the government to hold U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism in custody without charges or due process, indefinitely. (http://www.military.com/benefits/conten ... elays.html) Read more. Read the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... ts-a-snag/) Military Advantage blog to learn more about this issue and how it will likely delay the 2012 military pay raise. (http://www.capwiz.com/military/issues/a ... 21&type=ML) Let your elected officials know how you feel about this issue.

Small Business Boot Camp The Small Business Administration (SBA) and Syracuse University are expanding the successful Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) program to an eighth school, Cornell University. Since the program's inception, more than 320 wounded warriors have graduated and more than 150 businesses have been launched by graduates. Participating schools include Syracuse University, University of Connecticut, UCLA, Florida State University, Texas A&M University, Purdue University, Louisiana State University, and Cornell University. For more information, visit the (http://www.ebvfoundation.org/index.php? ... foundation) EBV Foundation website and the (http://whitman.syr.edu/ebv/) Syracuse University website. Looking to start a civilian career upon separation? For national job listings and job seeker guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.

New EUCOM Suicide Hotline United States Army Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe have launched a toll-free suicide prevention hotline available throughout the European theater. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Military Crisis Line-Europe can now be reached by dialing DSN 118 on any Air Force or Army installation in Europe. Off base the hotline can be reached in many European countries by dialing 00800-1273-TALK (8255). Currently, the toll-free hotline is available off base in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and measures are being taken to establish a hotline elsewhere. However, the toll-free line may not be supported by some cell phone providers. For more on military benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.

5 Tips to Test Your Way to a Degree CLEP tests are widely accepted by colleges and universities to test out of classes. There are two types of CLEP exams -- General and Subject. These exams will save you money, save you time and help you skip ahead. (http://www.military.com/education/conte ... egree.html) Get more information and the 5 tips that will help you test your way closer to a degree. (http://www.military.com/education/conte ... egree.html) While you don't need to be enrolled in a school to take CLEP exams, a good next step is to compare schools to find the one meets all your needs including offering college credit for past military training and experience. (http://edu.military.com/gibill/?lpid=cr ... RC=mrvr.nl) Search for schools now.

Play Military Trivia and Win an iPod Test your knowledge with our the Military.com Trivia Challenge. Think you know military history and trivia? Here's how you win: For each question you answer correctly you'll receive one point, and for each point you'll earn an electronic raffle ticket. At the end of the month we'll have a random drawing of all the tickets and pull out one to determine the winner. Play as little or as much as you'd like during the month, but the more questions you answer correctly, the greater your chances of winning. (http://www.military.com/Trivia/Home?ESRC=mrvr.nl) Play Now.

Toys for Tots Time The Toys for Tots program was first established in 1947 and its mission is to deliver a new toy and a message of hope during the holiday season to children. Organized and run by the Marine reservists, the initiative helps underprivileged children throughout the United States by collecting new, unwrapped toys and distributing them as Christmas gifts. In many cities and towns, volunteers are collecting toys at various locations, organizing boxes of toy donations and arranging staging areas for toy pick up. For more information about Toys for Tots and to find out where to donate a toy in your area, visit the (http://www.toysfortots.org/) Toys for Tots website. For more family support resources, visit the (http://www.military.com/spouse) Military.com Spouse and Family Center.

Army MWR Survey The Army will survey members of its communities worldwide beginning in January as part of an effort to improve morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) programs. The survey seeks to identify what customers are interested in, whether they are using available services and if so, how satisfied they are with the programming their garrison has to offer. The survey will be distributed to randomly-selected participants at 75 garrisons. Those selected to participate in the Army MWR Services Survey will be contacted by email. Follow-up messages will be sent by postal mail. Survey answers can be submitted online or through traditional means. The survey will remain open from late February through March. For more Army news, visit the (http://www.military.com/news) Military.com News Center.

Veterans Who Can Help Your Job Search Meeting the right people can make the difference in your next job search. The Military.com Veteran Career Network can connect you to over 1 million veterans working in companies, government agencies, career fields, industries or locations that interest you. (http://benefits.military.com/vcn/search.do) Search for Veterans willing to help with your job search and career.

Spouse Scholarship Applications Open Each year, the National Military Family Association (NMFA) awards many scholarships to military spouses through its Joanne Holbrook Patton Scholarship program. The application period for 2012 scholarship goes through 31 January 2012. This scholarship awards may be worth up to $1,000 and available to military spouse who hold a valid military ID as of 1 April 2012. Active duty, reserve, retiree, National Guard and survivor spouses may apply. (http://paycheck-chronicles.military.com ... z1fKvhhwSd) Get more information now.

DeCA to End Magazine Sales Defense Commissary Agency officials have announced the end of magazine sales in their overseas stores beginning January 2012. This policy affects all commissaries in Europe, the Pacific (Japan, Okinawa, South Korea and Guam) and Puerto Rico. DeCA will continue to sell the Stars & Stripes newspaper since it is printed in theater. Commissaries in Alaska and Hawaii are not affected by this sales change. Magazines will also continue to be available in military exchanges and bookstores located near most overseas commissaries. For holiday discounts for servicemembers and military families, visit the (http://www.military.com/discounts) Military.com Discount Center.