Equal Opportunity

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Retiree Appreciation DayFort Lee, VA1 Oct
2005
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• Nov 2005
• RSO Program
• Celebrates 50 Years of Service to Retired
  Soldiers and Families

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RSO MISSION AR 600-8-7

• PRE-Retirement
• help Soldiers and families make informed
  decisions and smooth transitions
• POST-Retirement
• support retirees and their survivors till death

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RETIREMENT SERVICES OFFICERS

• Full-time
• Appropriated-fund
• Located worldwide
• Your RSO where the rubber meets the road!!

RSO
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PROGRAM FUNCTIONS

• RSO Program Policy Oversight
• Army Echoes
• CSA Retiree Council
• Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
• Active Duty Death SBP Elections
• Forgotten Widows
• Army Family Action Plan
• Retiree Advisory Boards (AAFES DeCA)
• Support RADs
• Homepage (httparmyg1.army.mil/retire)

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RATIO OF ACTIVE DUTY TO RETIRED

• Year Active Duty Retirees
• 1920 204,000 6,000
• 1950 593,000 42,000
• 1960 873,000 102,000
• 1970 1,323,000 282,000
• 1980 777,000 425,000
• 1990 732,000 489,000
• 2005 501,000 720,000

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• Hot Topics
• Update

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SURVIVOR BENEFIT PLAN (SBP)

• THE FACTS
• Two-Tiered System (55/35) since the start
• DOES what it was designed to do since 1972
• -- SUPPLEMENT Social Security
• Three unmatched features
• -- COLA
• -- Tax-free Premiums
• -- Government Subsidy
• Currently, SBP pays 2 in annuities for every
• 1 in premiums collected

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SBP Becomes Level-Tiered Plan

• 2005 marks the most sweeping SBP change since
  1972!
• Annuity will remain 55 of covered retired pay
  forever
• No further relation to Social Security
• One-Year Open Season Begins TODAY (1 Oct)
• Details provided in Army Echoes and online
• 2-1/2 year phase-in of increased annuity as
  follows
• 1 Oct 05 35 increases to 40
• 1 Apr 06 40 increases to 45
• 1 Apr 07 45 increases to 50
• 1 Apr 08 50 increases to 55
• The cost of this Plan improvement is 25B.

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SBP Open Season

• Open Seasons are a BIG deal -- have only been 5
  in 33 years!
• As with previous Open Seasons, theres a cost to
  come in late
• Your lump-sum buy-in amount is based on the
  number of years since you first could have
  enrolled, but didnt
• So, if you retired many years ago, and have
  fairly high retired pay, your buy-in amount could
  be STEEP!
• The buy-in represents all the premiums you would
  have paid all those years interest any amount
  DoD thinks is necessary
• You must live two years for the election to be
  effective
• You may pay the buy-in amount over 2 years (or
  write a check!)
• So, if you arent enrolled now, give it some
  thought
• Sources of information to help you
• your RSO, our homepage and Army Echoes

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• SBP Paid-Up Provision
• This is the other SBP provision were watching
• Enacted in 1998, but not effective until Oct 08
• Paid-Up means no further cost AFTER...
• 360 months of premiums and
• reaching age 70
• H.R. 968 S. 185 proposals to move the date
  ahead to 1 Oct 2005
• Govt cost to move it up to 1 Oct 2005 500 M
• Our position -- Its the right thing to do!

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ACTIVE DUTY DEATH SURVIVOR BENEFITS

• In 2003, Congress improved active duty death
  benefits, retro to 10 Sep 01
• PRIOR to that, Services had to rush to retire
  someone, if possible, to improve survivor
  benefits for families of retirees
• NOW doctors are out of the benefits business
  and back to focusing on saving lives
• RSOs and Casualty Asst Officers now
• work with surviving spouses to counsel
• best SBP options based on family makeup

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Real Results . . .

• In 2004 132
• To date in 2005 160
• The benefit, in real household income, for an E6
  w/8yrs svc youngest child age 2 is 919 SBP
  993 DIC or 1,912 monthly
• The benefit, in real household income, for an O3
  w/8yrs svc youngest child age 2 is 1,680 SBP
  993 DIC or 2,673 monthly

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CONCURRENT RECEIPT

• By law, still FOR MOST, VA disability is deducted
  -for- from mil. ret. pay
• Military retirees are barred from concurrent
  receipt of both payments
• Law on the books for 100 years
• Progress has occurred
• Two programs now address this issue!
• They have paid 1.5B to date

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• Combat-Related
• Special Compensation (CRSC)

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Combat-Related Special Comp (CRSC)

• Two Programs -- CRSC I CRSC II
• Two Retroactive Effective Dates based on which
  one youre approved under
• CRSC I effective 1 Jun 03
• CRSC II effective 1 Jan 04
• Strict eligibility requirements for both
• Service, and
• Disability
• CRSC Goal replace lost retired pay

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CRSC I

• Service Criteria
• Retired with minimum of 20 years active service
• If reservist, had equivalent service (7,200 pts)
• Even if retired for disability, must have had at
  least 20 years service
• Disability Criteria
• VA-rated as follows
• At least 60 combat-disabled, OR
• At least 10 combat-disabled, if associated with
  award of Purple Heart
• Payments Retroactive
• 1 Jun 03 (not earlier)

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CRSC II(expanded CRSC I)

• Service Criteria
• Same as under first program, except for
  reservists, who
• Must have completed 20 qualifying years simply
  be in receipt of retired pay thats being offset
  by VA
• No longer need 7,200 points
• Disability Criteria
• VA-rated as follows
• At least 10 combat-disabledPERIOD!
• No connection to Purple Heart award under CRSC II
• Payments Retroactive
• 1 Jan 04 (not earlier)

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CRSC (contd)

• Amounts Payable 108-2,299 per month
• Potential Population? about ½ million
• roughly 70 of those are enlisted members
• 1 Jan 04 law increased eligible reservists from
  10K to 190K
• Must Apply -- How To
• complete DD Fm 2860 (new form out!)
• attach supporting documents to demonstrate CAUSE
  mail to address on form
• Army Info Number 1-866-281-3254 hours 8 a.m. -
  7 p.m.

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CRSC -- An Army Good News Story

• Separate, dedicated CRSC branch formed
• Have recd 52K applications approved 29K
• Still receiving at least 600/wk
• No backlog of work currently
• Began direct mailings to potential CRSC eligibles
  to inform them of program
• 500M in CRSC payments made to Army alone
• That represents 60 of total dollars spent
• Army continues to aggressively market CRSC!
• Help us spread the word!

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Active Legislative Proposals on CRSC

• HR 1366 would change criteria to include
  disability retirees who DID NOT HAVE sufficient
  length of service to retire still must meet
  combat-related criteria
• HR 995 would change criteria to include
  disability retirees who DID NOT HAVE sufficient
  length of service but who HAVE a Purple Heart
  need not meet combat-related criteria

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CONCURRENT RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY PAYMENTS
(CRDP)

• 04 Natl Defense Authorization Act (24 Nov 03)
• Effective date for CRDP 1 Jan 04
• A 10-yr phase-in of FULL concurrent receipt for
• those receiving retired pay, and
• rated by VA as at least 50 service-disabled
• Disability need only be connected to SERVICE
• Govt Cost 22B over 10 years
• Mandatory Spending (not Discretionary)

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Amounts

• In 2004, these fixed amounts were paid
• 50 100/month
• 60 125
• 70 250
• 80 350
• 90 500
• 100 750

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DISABLED SOLDIERS

• Army created the Disabled Soldier Support System,
  known as DS3
• Advocacy follow-up for severely disabled
• Personal support -- assists in transition from
  military to civilian life -- whatevers needed!
• Works in close coordination with the VA
• System of Veterans Services Organization sponsors
  back home
• Model is being used by other Services
• [phone] www.ArmyDS3.org

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G-1 RSO Homepage Address

• http//www.armyg1.
• army.mil/retire

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• More
• GOOD NEWS
• STORIES
• that might not make the front page

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CSA RETIREE COUNCIL

• Act as CSAs eyes ears on retirement issues
• Meets annually (April) issues submitted by YOU
• Co-Chairmen also meet with CSA mid-year (Oct)
• The 2005 Council Report highlights the need for
• Improved healthcare (still 1 issue)
• Improved communications and education
• Continue funding for Army Echoes
• Partnership with IMA to enforce policy/establish
  Common Levels of Support
• Receipt of retired pay earlier than age 60 for
• RC Soldiers
• Mid-Year meeting held each Oct. to update the
  Chief

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FORGOTTEN WIDOWS BENEFIT

• Available since Dec 1997 applications continue
  to trickle in
• 1,250 approved/paid by Army to date
• 197/mo. payable (retro amount approx 13,000)
• Army funds paying around 2M/year to this
  population
• Rationale had member lived, he would have
  enrolled in SBP
• Criteria
• Deceased Member --
• retired and died before SBP (or RCSBP) was
  created in 1972 (or 1978)
• Applicant --
• was married to retiree at time of death
• has never remarried
• PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!

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AGENT ORANGE PRESUMPTION
Contact the VA if you served in Vietnam between
9 Jan 62 and 7 May 75 and you develop one of the
following conditions

• Respiratory cancers (lung, larynx, trachea)
• Hodgkins disease
• Multiple myeloma(bone marrow cancer)
• Non-Hodgkins lymphoma
• Soft tissue sarcoma
• Diabetes
• Must appear within 30 years of active service
  in country.

• Chloracne
• Porphyris cutanea tarda(liver condition)
• Prostate cancer
• Peripheral neuropathy (neurological disorder)
• Type II diabetes (adult onset)
• Spina bifida (children of Vietnam veterans)
• Must have appeared within 1 year after
  exposure.

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NEW PRESUMPTIVE CONDITION FOR Ex-POWs

• Effective 17 Sep 03
• Cirrhosis of the Liver added to the list of
  diseases presumed by VA as service-connected
  for POWs held for at least 30 days
• Result of 30-year follow-up comparing rates of
  mortality of American POWs of WWII the Korean
  Conflict with the general American population
• Determined that alcohol consumption did not
  explain the higher mortality rate
• IMPORTANT not only for retirees, but for their
  survivors (who could qualify for an annuity)

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Recent VA Improvements

• DIC VAs Dependency Indemnity Compensation
• (DIC is paid to survivors of those who die of
  service-connected conditions)
• Surviving spouses getting DIC can now keep it if
  they remarry after age 57 (lost before!)
• Help us spread the word on this!
• 2. Burial Remarried surviving spouses of
  veterans are now eligible for burial in national
  cemeteries with the sponsor

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Legislative ProposalsBeing Considered by 109th
Congress

• End offset of SBP by DIC (cost 6/09B if
  phased-in over 10 years)
• Change reserve retirement age to 55 (now 60)
• Give certain former disabled POWs Commis/PX
  privileges
• Improve TRICARE Standard
• Change VA budget process to ensure VA healthcare
  funding
• Allow military retirees to enroll in the Fedl
  Employee Health Benefits Plan
• Make fedl retirees healthcare premiums tax-free
  (requires IRS law change)

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Legislative Proposals (contd)

• Change TRICARE reimbursement rates and cost
  sharing to equal those under BC/BS
• Exempt military pay benefits from taxation
  (except for retired pay)
• Allow those retired for disability (without
  having at least 20 years service) to qualify for
  CRSC
• Expand Space-A travel to include disabled
  veterans
• Eliminate the Social Security Earnings Test

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DFAS

• DFAS-CL pays millions of accounts perfectly!
• Distinguished themselves by putting processes in
  place to get retirees/annuitants in Hurricane
  Katrinas path PAID!
• Urge you to use myPay -- secure, online system
  that lets you manage much of your own pay
• Perks of using myPay
• 24/7 banking
• make routine changes (allotments, withholding,
  etc.)
• get tax forms 2-3 weeks earlier than by mail
• get DFAS newsletter
• Only 27 of retirees 6 of annuitants use the
  system (goal is 50)

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COLA

• This years COLA expected to be largest in 14
  years
• Based on rise in CPI -- could be as high as 3.8
• Will know exact amount soon
• High COLA not necessarily a good thing, as it
  means that inflation has affected the CPI
• Will be effective 1 Dec, and paid in your 2 Jan
  check

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AAFES / DeCA

• AAFES Motto -WE go where YOU go (they mean it)
• Since the start of the war, have lost workers and
  trucks carrying millions of dollars of
  merchandise, headed for the front lines
• DeCA new store has opened at Keesler AFB after
  hurricane
• YOU represent up to 40 of their customer base
• They KNOW you support them and appreciate your
  business
• I sit on Patron Councils at HQs of AAFES
  and DeCA to represent your wishes

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Key Influencers

• We are not just an ARMY at war -- we are a NATION
  at war! (Gen Schoomaker, Chief of Staff,
  Army)
• Much of our success hinges on KEY INFLUENCERS who
  encourage the notion of service-before-self
• YOU are Centers of Influence in your communities
• Just as we will never forget those who are
  answering the call NOW, we will not forget YOU

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Why We WILL Continue the Work
Sep 15, 2001 Dear Adjutant General It is
requested that I be removed from the rolls of
Retired Officers and placed on active duty, for
the duration of the current emergency. LTC
______ USA Retired

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As You Continue to LIVE Army Values
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...So Those Who Have Served Are Not Forgotten
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My Final Wish for YOU!

• That you do NOT view life as a journey to the
  gravewith the intention of arriving safely in a
  pretty and well-preserved body -- but rather that
  you skid in broad-side, thoroughly used-up,
  totally worn-out, and loudly proclaiming WOW!
  What a ride!!

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!