VA Gives Disabled Veterans Priority for Medical Treatment
The Veterans Affairs Department wants to send veterans with service-connected medical problems to the front of the line when it comes to receiving medical treatment at VA facilities. VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi issued a new directive to all VA medical facilities requiring that "priority access" be given to qualifying veterans seeking appointments for treatment. The Delayed Enlistment Program (DEP)
In these times, one cannot simply walk into a military recruiter's office, sign some papers and ship off to basic training immediately. In general, the recruiting commands must reserve a 'slot' for the recruit at basic training. Usually, such slots are booked up months in advance. That's where the Delayed Enlistment Program (sometimes called the 'Delayed Entry Program') comes in. Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act, Simplified
The very nature of military service often compromises the ability of service members to fulfill their financial obligations and to assert many of their legal rights. Congress and the state legislatures have long recognized the need for protective legislation, which has resulted in the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act (SSCRA). Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
President Bush has signed the “Servicemembers Civil Relief Act,” new legislation to help ease the economic and legal burdens on military personnel called to active duty status in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Authored by Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Chris Smith, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act updates and strengthens the previous Soldiers & Sailors Civil Relief Act of 1940 (SSCRA). Your Fiscal Year 2004 Military Pay and Benefits
On November 7th (2003), Congress passed the Fiscal Year 2004 Military Authorization Act, and has sent it to the President to sign into law. The act authorizes DoD to spend $401.3 billion. The fiscal 2004 Defense Appropriations Act, which actually provides the money, became law Sept. 30. President Bush signed the bill into law on November 26th. Here are the major pay and benefit provisions of the new law. The AV-8B Harrier
With the pull of a lever, 23,000 pounds of thrust slows the forty-seven foot long aircraft to a complete halt over the Lake Michigan shoreline, floating a stones throw away from a crowd boasting more than two million people. For the Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier, it’s all in a days work. V-22 Osprey Aircraft
The V-22 Osprey program has suffered serious setbacks throughout its development, but program leaders are confident these problems have been resolved and they are ready to move forward. This tilt-rotor aircraft takes off like a helicopter, then the two rotors mounted to its wings tilt forward to allow it to fly as a plane, converting the craft from helicopter hover mode to airplane mode in 12 seconds. The Future of Flight
Pilots maneuver aircraft by thought. Helmet-mounted heads-up displays project a virtual reality “soundscape” of the battlefield. Unmanned aircraft launch strike missions on enemy forces while small hand-held robots flit around war zones like gnats, projecting enemy movement back to command centers. Air Force scientists and others say the dreams of the future are only a few microchips away from reality. Army Civil Affairs
Army Civil Affairs Soldiers (MOS 38A) are the interface between civil and military operations. Civil affairs teams help with rebuilding by assisting the different levels of governments to rebuilding themselves. Soldiers in CENTCOM Eligible for Special Re-Enlistment Bonus
Soldiers who re-enlist in the Central Command area of responsibility (Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan) this fiscal year (FY 2004) are now eligible for a lump-sum bonus of about $5,000 and the bonus is also retroactive for Soldiers who re-enlisted from Oct. 1 until now. UK Now Requires Entry Clearance
New immigration regulations enacted by the United Kingdom require people visiting for more than six months to obtain entry clearance before travel. These new rules apply to military family members, as well as civilian personnel, contractors and their families. Active-duty military members on orders are exempt. New MREs Coming to a Field Near You
New this year to the MRE menu board are pot roast with vegetables, barbecue pork ribs and vegetable manicotti. New side dishes are hearty New England clam chowder and a carbohydrate-fortified applesauce. DOD Stops Antrax Vaccinations
The Defense Department will stop anthrax vaccinations until the legal situation around a recent court decision is resolved, DoD officials said. Defense officials and lawyers with the Justice Department are examining a decision handed down by a federal judge in Washington Dec. 22 (2003) that ordered DoD to stop anthrax vaccinations for U.S. service members without their consent. R & R Leave for Troops in Iraq
Service members and Defense Department civilians on 12-month orders in Iraq and Jordan supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom now have a rest and recuperation leave program that will allow them to take up to 15 days, excluding travel time, to visit family or friends in the United States or Europe. New Army Simulator for Basic Marksmanship
A new computer-generated training system called the EST 2000 will replace the Weaponeer, a marksmanship training aid that has been in commission for more than 30 years. In a recent test, nearly all the Soldiers showed excellent improvements within minutes of training with the new EST 2000. New Army Parachute Coming Soon
Airborne Soldiers should expect to see a new parachute system in the next few years that will replace the T-10 model that has been in use since the 1950s. The Advanced Tactical Parachute System is expected to decrease the landing impact velocity for jumpers, provide a more reliable reserve system than the Modified Improved Reserve Parachute System of the T-10 and improve the harness. Help for Families Visiting Injured Servicemembers
New benefits added to the per diem regulations in October 2003 allow the military to provide financial assistance for up to two non-military family members who are traveling to be with a hospitalized military member. Iraq and Afghanistan Deployment Rotation Plan
The secretary of defense has approved the alert notifications of 4,228 Army, 1,290 Navy and 2,381 Air Force reserve component personnel for the second rotation of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF-2). This brings the total Guard and Reserve personnel that have been alerted for OIF-2 to 66,531. War Trophies
Servicemembers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are prohibited from bringing back to the United States any items that were formerly in the possession of the enemy. Army Gen. John Abizaid, the commander of U.S. Central Command, has put out the policy. Basically, under no circumstances can individuals take as a souvenir an object that was formerly in the possession of the enemy. The taking of war trophies goes against the coalition mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. Locating Military People
Many folks clearly believe once someone spends three or four years in the service, that the military will then track their location forever and ever, and -- such information simply must be available somewhere on the Internet. The military keeps track of active duty, and retired, but that's pretty much it. Even if the people you are looking for are on active duty or retired, whether or not the military will release information they do have on file is dependent upon the circumstances. Marine Corps Sapper Training
They're the Marines who clear the path into combat. Marines called "sappers" use cunning determination and skill to defeat enemy defenses and they learn how to do it right in Camp Pendleton. Sapper course offers combat- arms Marines an opportunity to learn new techniques, from field maneuvering to dealing with high explosives during combat. Air Force OSI Agents in Iraq
Most people know that OSI stands for the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations. These are the special agents who investigate major crimes in the Air Force, and perform counter-espionage. But, what exactly does an OSI agent do when deployed? Military Uniforms of the Future
Tomorrow's warfighters will wear uniforms with built-in chemical- biological protection, embedded with electric wires and fiber optics that give sophisticated battlefield capabilities. Uniforms will be waterproof and flame- resistant, with built-in insect repellent, antibacterial agents that help stop open injuries from getting infected, and even antimicrobial agents that keep odor in check. Sea Shadow
In the ongoing effort to bring new technologies to the fleet more rapidly, military and industry have a valuable asset available in Sea Shadow (IX 529). A futuristic-looking vessel with a shape reminiscent of Darth Vader’s helmet, Sea Shadow is a test platform for researching advanced technologies in propulsion, automation, sea-keeping and reduced signatures. Nursing Degree Program for Reserve HM and DTs
A new program is now offered to Hospital Corpsman (HM) and Dental Technician (DT) drilling Reservists who are interested in pursuing a Baccalaureate in Nursing Degree (BSN). This new drilling option allows a drilling HM or DT to earn drill pay and credit for attending school. After earning a BSN degree and passing a state board of nursing licensure exam (NCLEX), the member may apply for a Nurse Corps commission. | 