Military Report - Week of June 25, 2012

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Military Report - Week of June 25, 2012

Patriot Express for Pet Travel
The (http://www.eur.army.mil/PatriotExpress/default.htm) Patriot Express (PE), a Department of Defense-chartered air travel originating at Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) and transiting to Ramstein Airbase (RAB) in Germany, offers options for Trans-Atlantic travel with pets. Most Patriot Express flights to BWI are climate controlled and can fly year round without restrictions on breeds, or air temperature. And, pet travel costs on PE are generally cheaper when compared to commercial carriers. There is a minimum fee of $112 for up to 70 pounds and a max fee of $336 for a 150 pound animal to fly on the PE. For specific PE flight details and reservations contact your (https://www.cwtsatotravel.com/travelerInfo.aspx) SATO travel representative.


Fly-Over Remembers Missing Airman
Lt. Col. Amy Young recently led a four-ship missing man flyover June 15 honoring the fellow Airman whose name she has worn and remembered for more than two decades. Lt. Col. Amy Young, wears an MIA bracelet honoring Lt. Col. Charles Walling, an F-4C Phantom pilot who was shot down Aug. 8, 1966, during a close air support mission in the Dong Nai province northeast of Saigon, Vietnam. Lt. Col. Walling left behind a pregnant wife and a 2-year-old son after volunteering. For more information on MIAs and MIA bracelets, visit The Origin of the MIA/POW Bracelets webpage at (http://www.miafacts.org/bracelets.htm) http://www.miafacts.org/bracelets.htm, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial website at (http://www.thewall-usa.com/bracelet.asp) http://www.thewall-usa.com/bracelet.asp, and the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office website at (http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/) http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/.


Get the Military Benefit Guide
The 2012 Military Advantage Benefit Guide Book is packed with updated benefit information. Find answers to all your benefit questions -- Pay, TRICARE, VA Loans, GI Bill, Tuition Assistance, Transition, Family Benefits and More. (http://www.amazon.com/The-Military-Adva ... 1591143934) Get a copy today.


Deal of the Week: Military Travel Deals
Visit the Military.com Discounts Center to get deals on travel -- (http://www.military.com/discounts/categ ... RC=mrvr.nl) flights, rental cars, lodging, Disney, and more.
(http://www.military.com/discounts?ESRC=mrvr.nl) See all Military Deals and Discounts


FAQs on VA Home Loans
Why get a VA loan over other types? Simply put, a VA Home Loan allows qualified buyers the opportunity to purchase a home with no down payment. What if I've used a VA Home Loan Before? You can have previously-used entitlement "restored" one time only in order to purchase another home with a VA loan if the borrower has paid off the prior loan but still owns the property, and wants to use his entitlement to purchase a second home. (http://www.military.com/money/content/v ... RC=mrvr.nl) See more questions and answers on Military.com.
Next Step: (https://secure.military.com/leads/VALoa ... RC=mrvr.nl) Connect with Lenders ready to help you purchase or refinance with your VA Loan.


Vet Benefit Calculator: Quickly Connect to Your Benefits
The Military.com Benefit Calculator is designed to quickly and easily connect you with your benefits information based on service and status. Find Federal Benefits, State Benefits, National Guard State Benefits, Special Military Discounts and More. (http://benefits.military.com/reg/Vetera ... RC=mrvr.nl) Find Your Benefits Now.
(http://www.military.com/benefits?ESRC=mrvr.nl) Visit the Military.com Benefit Channel to access Pay Charts, TRICARE information, BAH, Survivor Benefits, Vet Benefits and More.


Personalized Transition Checklists and Tips
We just the launched the new (http://www.military.com/military-transition) Military Transition Center, which features revolutionary personalized checklists to guide servicemembers and retirees through transition even before you begin the separation process. The Transition Center works simply, but effectively. Designed to be the first place you go to plan your transition. Simply enter in your estimated separation date and you'll receive monthly email notifications with checklists and tips to help prepare for your exit from the military -- benefits and options after transition, civilian careers that match your military experience, resume keywords, interview tips, financial changes, relocation advice and more. (http://www.military.com/military-transi ... RC=mrvr.nl) Visit the Military Transition Center Now.


Website for Wounded Warriors
The Restore Warriors website offers tools on how to work through combat stress and post-traumatic stress issues for warriors and their families. Learn about more mental health support resources that ease symptoms of combat stress at the Restore Warriors website at (http://www.restorewarriors.org) http://www.restorewarriors.org.


Project C.U.R.E.
Members of the Air Force 56th Security Forces Squadron (56th SFS) volunteer their time once a month to Project C.U.R.E. The organization takes donations from medical supply warehouses and from hospitals upgrading their equipment. They clean them, perform operations checks and prepare them for shipment to developing countries around the world. Using volunteers like those from the 56th SFS, they are able to sort the items in their 40,000 square foot warehouse for shipment, delivering a shipment every two weeks to somewhere in the world. For more information on volunteering to help Project C.U.R.E., visit the Project C.U.R.E. website at (http://www.projectcure.org) http://www.projectcure.org.


2012 Basic Allowance for Housing Rates
The overall average military Basic Allowance for Housing rates across the country increased over the last year. The 2 percent increase cannot be tied to any single factor. BAH rates are based on the combination of local costs for rent, utilities and renter's insurance for various housing types. Any fluctuation of one or more of those factors in a given location will affect BAH rates for that location. (http://www.military.com/benefits/conten ... RC=mrvr.nl) View 2012 BAH Rates.
(http://www.military.com/military/benefi ... RC=mrvr.nl) View 2012 Military Pay Charts to see what you'd make with a promotion or at your next duty station.


Military Kids Connect
MilitaryKidsConnect (MKC) is an online community of military children (ages 6-17 yr. old) that provides access to age-appropriate resources to support children from pre-deployment, through a parent's or caregiver's return. MKC offers informative activities, fun games, helpful videos, and interesting user surveys that can guild and reinforce understanding, resilience, and coping skills in military children and their peers. For more information, visit (http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2012/0 ... s-connect/) DoD Live or the (https://www.militarykidsconnect.org/) Military Kids Connect website.


Plans for Modernizing Military Pay
After two years of study, the 11th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation has produced some wide-ranging recommendations for changing the current military pay and compensation system. The changes include replacing combat zone tax exclusions, overhauling weekend drill pay, reforming reserve retirement, and slicing by half a reduction in survivor benefits that widows see when they accept VA dependency and indemnity compensation. If endorsed by the White House and enacted by Congress, a new blueprint for modernizing (http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay) military compensation after 11 years of war would reshape many traditional service pays to strive for more efficiency.
(http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,246689,00.html) Read the full article on Military.com


2012 Veterans Wheel Chair Games
This week, more than 500 of America's best wheelchair athletes, all disabled U.S. military Veterans, have arrived in Richmond, Va., for the 32nd National Veterans Wheelchair Games. The games are being held June 25-30. Each year the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) present the games. They are a multi-event sports rehabilitation program open to U.S. military Veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition due to spinal cord injuries, amputations or certain neurological problems, and who receive care at VA medical facilities or military treatment centers.
For more information about the games or to volunteer during the week, visit (http://www.wheelchairgames.va.gov/) http://www.wheelchairgames.va.gov.


Construction Training Program for Vets
In partnership with the Veterans Innovation Center and Wiregrass Technical College, community leaders in Valdosta, Ga., the regional (http://www.moaa.org/) Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Chapter and other Veteran organizations, are using their combined reach to solicit applications from recently discharged Veterans who have an interest in pursuing a career in the construction trades. The six month program will launch a demonstration model in Valdosta on August 13, 2012 with 50 Veterans and up to 125 family members.If successful, the pilot construction training program in Valdosta Ga. could go nation wide.
Read the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... rgia-vets/) Military Advatage Blog to learn more about this pilot program.


Upcoming Hiring Heroes Career Fairs
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is host 100 hiring fairs across the country in connection with the organization's Hiring Our Heroes Program. Hiring Our Heroes is a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. The program works with the organization's 1,600 state and local chambers and other strategic partners from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. For more information, visit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Upcoming Hiring Fairs webpage at (http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes/events) http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes/events and the Hiring Our Heroes website at (http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes) http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes .
(http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/ca ... fairs.html) Click here for an additional list of Military.com job fairs.


Job Fair Offers Instant Records Access
Veterans needing important military documents for job applications will be able to instantly obtain them while at the Detroit VA for Vets Hiring Fair through the online portal, eBenefits. VA will have personnel available at the hiring fair to help Veterans and Servicemembers print documents that often accompany a federal job application, such as military discharge records. VA is hosting the VA for Vets Hiring Fair, the Veteran Open House, and the National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo at Detroit's Cobo Center June 26-29. For more information, visit the National Veteran Small Business Conference website at (http://www.nationalveteransconference.c ... prSITE2012) http://www.nationalveteransconference.com, the Veteran Hiring Fair Detroit website at (http://www.vaforvets.va.gov/Detroit) http://www.VAforVets.VA.Gov/Detroit and the eBenefits portal at (http://www.ebenefits.va.gov/) http://www.ebenefits.va.gov.


$200k Family Protection for as little as $14.52 a Month
Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Give your family $200k worth of financial security for as little as $14.52 a month by purchasing affordable life insurance through ASMBA. (http://www.military.com/insurance/asmba/?ESRC=mr.nl) Get more information.


TRICARE Online Expands Capability
A newly upgraded feature on TRICARE Online at (http://www.tricareonline.com) http://www.tricareonline.com now allows users to access expanded personal health data, including lab results, patient histories and diagnoses, and provider visits. These features expand the current Blue Button capability, which already allowed beneficiaries to, safely and securely, access and print or save their demographic information, and allergy or medication profiles. TRICARE Online provides more than 9.6 million TRICARE beneficiaries with access to available health care services and information. For more information, visit TRICARE Online at (http://www.tricareonline.com) http://www.tricareonline.com.


Veteran Talent Wanted: PMAUSA is Hiring
Performance Matters Association (PMA USA) is hiring veterans and transitioning servicemembers. (http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employe ... ESRC=mr.nl) Visit the PMA USA Veteran Talent Portal to apply for jobs, read success stories, and learn more about a career as an Insurance Agent.
At PMA USA, we believe in helping people grow from a position of strength--and that means both our customers and our agents. By delivering the services and products that help American families, our agents earn more than a living. (http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employe ... ESRC=mr.nl) Visit the Veteran Talent Portal today to learn more and apply.


AF JAG Promotion List
Fourteen lieutenant colonels and 1,269 majors were selected for promotion to colonel and lieutenant colonel during the 2012A line of the Air Force and LAF-judge advocate central selection boards. (http://www.afpc.af.mil/shared/media/doc ... 14-132.pdf) View the entire promotion list. For more information about promotion opportunities and other personnel issues, visit the (https://mypers.af.mil/) myPers website.


Military Absentee Voting
2012 is an election year, and if you're in the military it can be confusing trying to determine if and how you can vote -- especially if you're overseas. Servicemembers, and their families, can request absentee ballots if they're stationed out of their voting district. For more information, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at (http://www.fvap.gov) http://www.fvap.gov and talk with your voting assistance representative.


New App for Combat Veterans
The Defense Department has announced the release of a mobile application to help servicemembers adjust to life at home after returning from combat deployments. (http://www.dcoe.health.mil/include/exit ... ityjackpot) Positive Activity Jackpot, developed by (http://www.dcoe.health.mil/include/exit ... ealth.org/) National Center for Telehealth and Technology, uses augmented reality with a smartphone's GPS to help find nearby activities and diversions for someone used to the high tempo of combat life. A behavioral therapy called pleasant event scheduling is the basis for design of the application. The therapy encourages a daily schedule of enjoyable activities to improve moods and overcome depression. Information about Positive Activity Jackpot and a clinician's guide is on the National Center for Telehealth and Technology website at (http://www.dcoe.health.mil/include/exit ... ityjackpot) http://www.t2health.org/apps/positiveactivityjackpot.


Special Needs Education Directory
The Education Directory for Children with Special Needs provides families of military dependents with special needs the information they need to make informed assignment decisions and easier transitions. The Directory is available at the (http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/pls/psgprod/f?p ... ORY:HOME:0) Education Directory for Children website.


Are Extended Car Warranties Worth it?
Are extended warranties lifesavers or money wasters? The truth is, not all extended warranties are created equal. Ultimately, the value you get from such a contract will depend on who you buy it from, when you buy it, and how well you understand the terms of coverage. (http://www.military.com/off-duty/autos/ ... RC=mrvr.nl) Visit the Military.com Auto Center to get a few tips to help guide you through your decision.


New Phone Line for Army in Europe
Anyone can now call the Army in Europe's official Defense Switched Network phone numbers from the U.S. via a standard Stateside commercial telephone number. Dialing 301-981-1059 gives callers in the U.S., who do not have a DSN line available, immediate commercial access to an operator in Germany, who will then connect them to the appropriate DSN number in Europe. Callers must pay commercial calling costs to the Maryland 301 area code, but there are no overseas calling charges, and the number is accessible from any phone. This number is for official use only -- not for "morale and welfare calls" or for personal use. For more information, call in Europe +49 (0)6221-57-7270 or call in the United States 1-301-981-1059 and ask for DSN 370-7270.


VA Loan Default Relief for Active Duty
Certain deployed military members are entitled to relief from VA loan default or foreclosure through the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Military families make tremendous sacrifices when their loved ones are deployed overseas. A VA loan default or foreclosure shouldn't add to the stress. The SCRA may help a qualified military member to deal with debt problems that arise out of financial contracts entered into prior to active duty. By suspending civil claims against deployed servicemembers, it may also protect their spouses from having to deal with default or foreclosure while their loved one is away. (http://www.military.com/money/home-owne ... ESRC=mr.nl) Get more information on Military.com.