VIDEOS and PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. Check out what's happening under the CHAPTER TAB, above. New photos added.

March Madness Is Here

To coin a phrase, March Madness, from the basketball world, madness is not what you may expect from the event this month. We will lunch with a local TV personality, Josh Marthers, Storm Team 2’s Meteorologist. Rob Fowler was scheduled, but, unfortunately he had to beg out of the speaker slot this month due to personal reasons…daughter, a senior in high school is wrapped up in a choral presentation that day and family will naturally attend and support. Come on out any way. This will be a good one.

March Luncheon

Make your reservations early and plan to attend our March luncheon at the POINT GRILL, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mt. Pleasant. Located in the Omar Shrine building.

Date: Friday, March 26 2010

Time: Social Hour 11 AM

Lunch: 12 Noon

Menu: Point Grill Friday Buffet includes a Seafood entrée, Salad and Dessert

Cost: $16.00 per person

RSVP: Check to arrive No later than 23 March 2010

This is a casual dress affair.

Make checks payable to Charleston MOAA and mail to William Mehard, 5926 Commonwealth Circle, Hanahan, SC 29410-2431

If you have special diet needs contact LCDR Me- hard . Tel: 554-8391 or Mobile 834-0974. Email: me- hardw@bellsouth.net

Have You Got Something to Say to Your Member of Congress? Contact Your Member of Congress the Easy Way

Would you like to contact your elected members of Congress and give them your views on some proposed legislation? Here is an easy way, just go to this MOAA web site, follow the instructions and you can compose an email or letter to send to your elected officials.

Military Spouses Left Hanging

The MyCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts) program was authorized by Congress last year to provide funding for education, training, certification and credentialing for military spouses who suffer career disadvantages as a result of military-directed relocations.

The program was abruptly suspended by Pentagon officials after more than 130,000 spouses signed up for it. Leadership’s concern was that the program might exceed the funding allocated to it.

But the no-notice suspension and lack of individual notification to the affected spouses left thousands of spouses dangling without the financial support they had counted on, with many already committed to taking coursework or credentialing programs.

In that regard, more than 30% use the program for certification and licensure, which poses big challenges for nurses, teachers, lawyers and other professionals who have to meet new state requirements when their military sponsors are reassigned to a different state.

Last week’s legislative update reported that the House Congressional Military Family Caucus was preparing a letter urging the Secretary of Defense to reinstate the program.

MOAA’s publicity of this initiative helped generate 67 legislator signatures on the final Caucus letter that went to the Pentagon this week.

Medicare/TRICARE Payments Cuts Delayed Until April 1st

On Tuesday the President signed legislation that temporarily delayed a scheduled 21% cut in Medicare/TRICARE payments to doctors – but only until April 1.

The bill also provides relief from the $1,860 Medicare therapy coverage cap until April 1, helping many stroke and accident victims whose 2010 expenses were already bumping against the cap.

Now, the Senate is working on another fix that would further delay the doctor payment cut until Oct. 1 and extend the therapy cap relief through the end of the year. The Oct. 1 date is significant, since few legislators will want to allow a 21% Medicare cut a month before the election.

2009 Tax Form, Pay Statement Availability Schedule

Air Force retirees with a myPay online account can now download their annual account statements. Annuitant statements will be available online Dec. 14. There will not be a cost-of-living adjustment increase for military retirees or annuitants in 2010. COLA increases are determined each year based on the rise in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers. The Department of Labor calculates the change in the CPI for goods and services from the third quarter average of the previous year to the third quarter average for the current year.

Federal Tax Law Changes for 2009-2017

Many of the tax breaks in recent tax-relief bills were designed to be phased in over a number of years, or are indexed to inflation. To help you determine how these tax laws affect your long-term plans, this article explains the changes scheduled to come into effect through 2017. Pick a year from the to learn what tax changes affect that year's returns. We include changes for 2009 because they affect tax returns you'll be working on in the spring of 2010. Taxes

Freedom's Call Tattoo 2010

The Air Force Materiel Command Freedom's Call Tattoo will be held at Wright Patterson AFB on Friday, June 25, 2010. Officials expect another record crowd -- in excess of 75,000 people -- to enjoy aerial and stage events, music, technology and fireworks. The event is free and open to the public. Tattoo's theme for 2010 will commemorate veterans from the Korean War. Part of the tribute will include music from the era, courtesy of the base's own U.S. Air Force Band of Flight. For more information, visit the Freedom's Call Tattoo 2010 webpage.

Call for Veterans' Photographs

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and FedEx Office recently hosted the launch of The National Call for Photos campaign. This campaign will gather images of the more than 58,000 men and women whose names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The FedEx Office will use its locations across the country to help in gathering photos. The fund's latest initiative is The Education Center at The Wall whose exhibits will photographs of people whose names are on The Wall, a selection of the more than 100,000 items that have been left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a timeline of key military events of the Vietnam War, and a history of the memorial. For more information, visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund website or telephone 1-866-990-WALL (9255).

TRICARE PHARMACY POLICY

The Tricare Management Activity is introducing significant new enhancements to beneficiaries as it combines its mail-order and retail pharmacy contracts into one new Tricare Pharmacy contract. The improvements to the Tricare Pharmacy program include the Specialty Medication Care Management program in the mail-order pharmacy; expansion of the Member Choice Center providing assistance to help beneficiaries switch their military treatment facility (MTF) prescriptions to mail-order; and one call center phone number: 1-877-363-1303. The Specialty Medication Care Management program is for beneficiaries using the mail-order pharmacy for their specialty medications. It is structured to improve their health through continuous health evaluation, ongoing monitoring, assessment of education needs, and management of medication use.

The Tricare Pharmacy Program provides outpatient prescription drugs to 9.5 million beneficiaries. Tricare selected Express Scripts, Inc. to provide beneficiaries with mail-order, retail and specialty pharmacy services. Express Scripts currently handles millions of prescriptions each year through mail-order and retail pharmacies. “The fact that Express Scripts won the new contract while holding its two predecessor contracts should assist with a seamless transition into the new program,” said Rear Adm. Thomas McGinnis, Tricare Management Activity chief pharmacy officer. “Tricare beneficiaries will be pleased to know that to receive the improved benefit they don’t have to do anything. No calls, no paperwork. Beneficiaries don’t have to re-enroll, all co-pays stay the same and the network remains essentially unchanged.” The decision to combine mail-order and retail contracts resulted from observations that commercial insurance companies were doing the same thing with positive results. Combined call centers and claims processing will help control Department of Defense pharmacy costs. “The Department of Defense provides a world-class pharmacy benefit through Tricare to all eligible uniformed service members, retirees, and family members, including beneficiaries age 65 and older,” McGinnis said. “As always, we try to control costs in order to sustain this great benefit.”

The Tricare Pharmacy Program is designed to provide the medications beneficiaries need in a safe, convenient and cost-effective manner. The program has three objectives:

• Provide a uniform, effective and efficient benefit. Tricare provides beneficiaries with four high-quality pharmacy options: MTF pharmacies; the mail-order pharmacy; the Tricare Retail Pharmacy network; and non-network retail pharmacies.

• Encourage mail-order pharmacy use. The mail-order pharmacy is the least expensive option when not using a MTF pharmacy. Beneficiaries receive up to a 90-day supply of maintenance medications delivered directly to their home. The mail-order pharmacy now offers a program providing enhanced education to promote safe use of specialty medications requiring special handling and administration; frequent dose changes; and possible benefits from additional clinical monitoring. The Member Choice Center is available at 1-877-363-1433 to help beneficiaries switch prescriptions to the convenient, cost-effective mail-order pharmacy.

• Promote patient safety. All prescriptions dispensed to beneficiaries through MTFs, the mail-order pharmacy and retail network pharmacies are rigorously checked for accuracy and potential drug interactions by referencing new prescriptions against a beneficiary’s prescription history.

The Tricare Retail Pharmacy network includes all major national chains, more than 100 regional chains and more than 20,000 independent community pharmacies. Beneficiaries who are concerned about their current pharmacy’s participation in the Tricare retail network should ask their pharmacist if they are in the Tricare network For more information refer to Tricare Pharmacy or Tricare Scripts, or call 1-877-363-1303.

TRICARE for Gray-Area Reservists

A new program will offer "gray area" reservists the opportunity to purchase TRICARE health care coverage. The new provision allows certain members of the Retired Reserve who are not yet age 60, called "gray-area" retirees, to purchase TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra coverage. The new program will differ from TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) in its qualifications, premiums, copayment rates and catastrophic cap requirements. The program is tentatively called TRICARE Retired Reserve. Premiums for the new gray-area retiree program will be announced after program rules are published in the Federal Register. For more information about TRICARE benefits, visit the TRICARE website at www.tricare.mil.

Retirees Asked to Volunteer

Volunteers are needed at more than 100 offices at active-duty, Reserve and Guard bases worldwide. Volunteers for retired military and their family members are needed in several areas, depending on the base. Retiree activities office volunteers help with several actions including: serving as an information center for space-available travel, TRICARE and base services, offering referrals for financial assistance and pay matters, counseling active-duty Airmen nearing retirement,and providing literature on retirement issues. For more retiree activities office locations near you, visit the Retiree Activities Offices webpage.

Right here in Charleston, you can volunteer at the Air Force and Navy clinics. Help is needed in many areas, especially in the pharmacies. Take that step forward and ask how you can help. Personnel in the clinics will really appreciate your help.

Be Prepared for Disaster

Natural disasters and storms can happen at any time. The DoD's Military Health System (MHS) compiled a webpage that provides resources from across the MHS, the federal government, and other organizations to best prepare your family and protect them in case of an emergency. The Disaster Preparedness Across the Military Health System (MHS) MHS site is available.

As part of your preparations, keep in mind that medical assistance may not be available immediately after a disaster. For more information and more tips on disaster preparedness, visit the Department of Homeland Security's preparedness webpage and the TRICARE's disaster relief webpage. Some downloads include a wallet card with critical contact information and a disaster preparation flyer.

TRICARE Guidelines for Traveling

Here are guidelines to insure that your TRICARE service is available if you plan to travel. Prior to your departure, verify that your information and your family's information is up to date in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Pack your uniformed services ID card and TRICARE Prime/TRICARE Prime Remote enrollment card, which you may need to present if you need medical care or prescriptions refilled. Call the number (1-877-874-2273) on the back of your enrollment card to find out what to do prior to seeking care or if you are hospitalized. Schedule any routine care with your Primary Care Manager (PCM) before you travel. Urgent care must be coordinated in advance with your PCM.

3 Essential Documents You Should Have and Keep Up-to-Date

Do You Have Them? Are They Up To Date?

It's easy to know when to renew your driver's license or credit card; just look at the expiration date on the card. But what about your estate planning documents? Everyone, regardless of whether you are rich or poor, young or old, should have these three essential documents—and keep them current.

1. Will/Living trust. This document directs your trustee or personal representative on how to distribute your estate. Keep it in a fireproof emergency kit; give a copy to your personal representative. Review and update every 3-5 years or immediately after:

* A move to a different state

* A change in beneficiary

* An ample change in estate size

2. Durable power of attorney. This document allows someone of your choice to carry out financial matters for you in the event of your illness or disability. Keep it in a fireproof emergency kit; give a copy to the person you appointed. Review and update if your relationship with this person changes of if this person predeceases you.

3. Health care proxy and living will. This document names an individual to make health care decisions if you become unable to do so. Give copies of the form to your health care providers and the person you chose in the proxy. Review and update if your relationship with this person changes or if this person predeceases you.

Veterans Benefits Guide Available

The latest edition of VA's Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors is now available. The 164-page handbook provides the latest information on important changes in eligibility for VA medical care and benefits. It describes other federal benefits, including education, disability compensation, pension, home loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation, life insurance and burial assistance. This year's edition marks the addition of "Survivors" to the title as well as details on the Post-9⁄11 GI Bill signed into law in 2008. Printed copies may be ordered from the Government Printing Office at $5 a copy.

List of Resources for Soldiers, Family

The Army recently posted a handy printable list of resources for wounded, ill, or injured Soldiers and family members. On it you will find information and assistance for military service, and family members during tough economic times. Get the list.

MQ-9 Reaper Exhibit Opens

The National Museum of the U.S Air Force in Dayton, Ohio recently opened its new MQ-9 Reaper exhibit. As a medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft, the Reaper locates and destroys time-critical and highly mobile targets and provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to military commanders. The museum's Reaper (serial number 02-4002) is one of the two pre-production YMQ-9s sent to Afghanistan. It is being displayed near the Global Hawk in the museum's Modern Flight Gallery, giving visitors another way to see how the Air Force is participating in current operations.

For more information, visit the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force website.

Program Adds Chat Service

The Suicide Prevention campaign of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is expanding its outreach to all veterans by piloting an online, one-to-one "chat service" for veterans who prefer reaching out for assistance using the Internet. Called "Veterans Chat," the new service enables former servicemembers, their families and friends to go online where they can anonymously chat with a trained VA counselor. Veterans, family members or friends can access Veterans Chat through the suicide prevention website. There is a "Veterans" tab on the left-hand side of the website that will take them directly to veteran resource information. On this page, they can see the Hotline number (1-800-273-TALK), and click on the "Veterans Chat" tab on the right side of the webpage to enter

Military Blogs, Podcasts and Facebook Pages Increase in Popularity

Defense Department officials launched "AFPS News," a weekly audio podcast of stories from American Forces Press Service. To listen to the AFPS podcast, visit the Pentagon Channel's room on iTunes or visit The Pentagon Channel and click on the podcasts section. The weekly podcast is also available on BlogTalkRadio. Visitors to Defense.gov can also listen to the AFPS podcasts by choosing the Podcasts tab, then clicking on the AFPS link in the audio podcasts section. They may also subscribe to receive automatic updates of the show each Thursday. The Defense.gov portal provides a handy link to some 28 audio and video podcast programs from a tab in its left column.

Stars and Stripes reports that troops are using blogs in increasing numbers. The website, milblogging.com, links to blogs originating in 43 countries with the majority created by Americans.

The Army recently entered the blogosphere by launching Army Live, which gets 1,500 to 2,000 hits a week and is growing by an average of 500 visitors weekly.

The Air Force's link to DoD Live was set up in October 2008, and received 14,001 hits from March 1 - April 30, 2009. The blog at bouhammer.com was started by a National Guard member and gets about 10,000 hits a month.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT)/U.S. 5th Fleet recently launched its official Facebook page. The page allows people to view the latest press releases and imagery issued by NAVCENT on Facebook, as well as interact with other fans of the site. Questions and comments can also be posted on the "discussion" application to address public concerns or issues. Facebook is a social networking website with more than 200 million users worldwide. NAVCENT's page will offer the most up-to-date information possible. Anyone can become a fan of the page. Just Type in: "U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet" in the search key at Facebook to view NAVCENT/U.S. 5th Fleet's Facebook page.

U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) Command officially launched a blog which provides a new method of communication for Sailors, families, civilians and retirees throughout the USFF Area of Operations. Adm. J. C. Harvey Jr., commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, introduced the blog when he assumed command of USFF. The blog offers another way for people to discuss issues, ideas and concerns with the fleet commander. Join the conversation on the U.S. Fleet Forces Command Blog.

DoD Launches Photo Widget. The American Forces Press Service, the Defense Department's vehicle for news and feature content on www.Defense.gov, unveiled a widget for photographs. The widget, available under the Widgets tab on the site, allows users to receive the latest Defense Department imagery in real time on their own websites or social networking pages by cutting and pasting one short line of code. The widget appears as a 240-by-156-pixel graphic box - about 3 by 4 inches - and cycles through at least eight photos. It's updated frequently throughout the day.

Air Mobility Command Debuts Travel Website

The Air Mobility Command recently unveiled its first official, command-level AMC Travel Website. People planning to travel the AMC military travel system can now visit the site for the latest in AMC travel information. The new site offers prospective space-available travelers updated AMC passenger terminal contact list (complete with phone, e-mail and Web links), and more than a dozen travel documents, example letters and brochures.

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