Updated 05/06/2008

New information added below just for you. Also, new pictures can be found in our Chapter Photos page under the CHAPTER TAB, above.

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ARMY WIFE TALK RADIO HITS THE WEB

Every Monday night at 8 p.m. a group of Army wives gather to hear news, relationship advice, parenting tips, and deployment support. "Army Wife Talk Radio" (AWTR) Founder and Host Tara Crooks tries to help Army Families and empower Army spouses. AWTR is also available throughout the week on the on the Army Wife Talk Radio website. AWTR also sponsors a book club and offers give-a-ways on the air. To participate in AWTR live shows recorded weekly on Mondays at 8pm EST, visit the Blog Talk Radio website.

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NEW WEBSITE FOR AIR FORCE RETIREES

The Air Force Retiree Services website is a new public site just for its retiree community that offers the retiree family in-depth information on the Survivor Benefit Plan. Plus, retires.af.mil features a list of Air Force Retiree Activities Offices worldwide and various other resources. There are also sections dedicated to the Afterburner and Air Force Retiree News Service along with a Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) information page.

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SPACE A TRAVEL FOR DEPENDENTS EXPANDED

Families of deployed personnel are now able to take greater advantage of Space "A" flights. This can mean saving thousands of dollars on travel. The new policy, which went into affect on Dec. 6, 2007, allows dependent spouses and children of personnel deployed for more than 119 days to use military transport within the continental U.S. (CONUS), in addition traveling between overseas locations. Family members must have a letter from the service members commander verifying their eligibility.

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VA REACHES OUT TO WOMEN VETERANS

The Department of Veterans Affairs has created a comprehensive array of benefits and programs for women veterans. VA has several specific initiatives for 2008 including: (1) enhancing skills of primary care providers who treat women veterans; (2) examining other women's health issues, including cardiac care, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer in women; and (3) focusing on family issues and avoiding birth defects through enhanced pharmacy practices for women veterans of child bearing age. For more information about VA benefits and services, veterans may contact their local VA regional office, medical center, or vet center. For questions concerning VA benefits call 1-800-827-1000, for questions concerning VA health care call 1-877-222-8387, or visit the VA website.

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NEW VA EMPLOYMENT COORDINATION OFFICE

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created a Veterans Employment Coordination Service to oversee the Department's program to recruit new veterans into the VA workforce -- especially recently disabled combat veterans. The new office will work with military transition programs, veterans' service organizations and other VA programs to promote careers in the VA work force. The program will also work with VA managers and human resource offices to ensure supervisors area ware of programs for hiring veterans. In November 2007, VA announced plans to hire 10 full-time regional veteran employment coordinators who provide hands-on assistance to former servicemembers interested in careers at the VA. The new office will oversee the regional coordinators.

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NEW BENEFITS HANDBOOK AVAILABLE FROM VA

A new edition of the handbook "Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents" by the Department of Veterans Affairs updates the rates for certain federal payments and outlines a variety of programs and benefits for American veterans along with a listing of toll-free phone numbers, Internet addresses and a directory of VA facilities throughout the country. The 2008 edition of the 153-page booklet also provides an overview of programs and services for veterans provided by other federal agencies. The handbook can be downloaded for free from VA's website.

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VA SEEKS MORE VOLUNTEERS

The Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging more Americans to join its corps of 85,000 volunteers. The volunteers are involved in helping VA medical staff in hospices, outpatient clinics and home-based programs. Volunteers are also active at many of the 125 national cemeteries managed by the VA, where they place flags on gravesites, provide military honors and help with landscaping. Volunteers are also important in programs that reach out to homeless veterans, including annual "stand downs" held in many communities to provide health check ups, clothing, and benefits assistance to the homeless. To become a volunteer, contact your nearest VA facility, or complete a form at the VA Voluntary Service webpage.

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COMMISSARIES OFFER ONLINE DIETICIAN

The Defense Commissary Agency's (DeCA) dietitian is available to help the retiree community lose weight, get in shape and maintain good health. Maj. Karen Fauber offers a weekly online column, "The Dietitian's Voice," and a discussion forum, "Ask the DeCA Dietitian" on the DeCA website. Just click on the "Healthy Living" tab in the top navigation bar to find the link to the DeCA Dietitian page. Visitors to the site will find suggestions for eating healthy, such as a variety of nutrition tips and meal choices. People can also submit questions to the major, and participate in an online forum to discuss healthy eating and shopping ideas.

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AGE-62 WIDOW'S TAX IS HISTORY

The infamous Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) age-62 "widow's tax" will finally be eliminated as of April 1, 2008.

April 1 marks the end of the Social Security offset and a significant improvement to a critical benefit. SBP annuitants who are drawing Social Security benefits should see an increase in their May 1 SBP checks (which is payment for April) to reflect 55% of the deceased retiree's covered retired pay.

MOAA takes great pride in having been the primary force behind that change, and getting Congress to agree that SBP and Social Security are independently earned and independently paid-for benefits.

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RULES REGARDING POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

During the election season, servicemembers should realize there are limits placed upon their involvement in certain political activities that are proscribed within Defense Department Directive 1344.10 (in PDF format). Servicemembers may attend political events, but they can only be spectators and cannot wear their uniforms. Troops are not permitted to make public political speeches, serve in any official capacity within political groups, or take part in partisan political campaigns or conventions. They cannot distribute political literature at work, which applies to politically partisan electronic mail messagese-mails forwarded over the Internet. For specific service guidelines, use our links page.

Operation Gratitude recently reached a significant milestone when they sent the 300,000th care package to our troops. Operation Gratitude is preparing to kick off their 2008 Patriotic Drive in May - Military Appreciation Month. Efforts are currently underway to obtain new products for care packages and local volunteers will start prepping those products for the assembly line in late April. But Operation Gratitude needs help. They have created a list of 10 ways to help Support Our Troops now and throughout the year. For more information, visit the Operation Gratitude website.

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VETERANS’ WORK PROGRAM RULED TAX FREE

Payments provided to veterans under the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) and Incentive Therapy (IT) programs are no longer taxable. Veterans who have paid tax on these benefits from 2004-2006 can claim refunds by filing an amended tax return using IRS Form 1040X. Nearly 19,000 veterans received CWT and 8,500 received IT benefits in 2007. For more information, visit the VA web site.

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MILITARY

Want proof that America supports you? Go to the News of Interest item under the INTEREST TAB.

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DoD PREPARES TO REMOVE SSNs FROM IDENTITY CARDS

In response to Congressional pressure to protect service members and their families from identity theft, the Department of Defense is moving ahead with plans to remove Social Security numbers (SSNs) from identity cards. SSNs will be removed from the identity cards of family members by year’s end and replaced temporarily by the sponsor’s SSN. By 2009, the SSN will also be removed from service members’ ID cards. More information about this issue is available online at Army Times.

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Charleston AFB no longer requires decals for base entry.

Charleston AFB has discontinued use of decals for entry on the base and will rely on a 100% ID card check to determine if entry is authorized.

Air Force headquarters in Washington gave its top commanders the option of doing away with the decals if they believed the decals weren’t needed. However, other branches of the military haven’t jumped on board just yet.

According to the Air Force, many people incorrectly believed the decals bolstered security. Instead, the decals lessen it by identifying vehicles of airmen and civilian workers as potential terror targets. And, they may lure gate guards into complacency.

Anyone who has current decals on their vehicles has the option of removing the decals immediately or when they expire.

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INFORMATION ON OUR CHARLESTON CHAPTER FUTURE MILITARY OFFICERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM is under the INTEREST Tab above..