 |
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 5412 - BURKE, VA
WELCOME: Active Duty and Honorably Discharged Vets!
BURKE VFW POST 5412
JULY 2009 NEWSLETTER
COMMANDER'S LETTER:
2 ITEMS:
(1) Congratulations to Post Member Lt Col Brian Magnuson, USMC, who will assume command of Marine Corps Air Facility, Quantico, later this month! We hope he will be the sponsor for the 3rd Annual VFW Post 5412 Veteran's Golf Classic in 2010.
(2) Speaking of that golfing event, plans are in the works to hold it on May 21, 2010 at the Medal of Honor Golf Course on Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA. Highlight that date on your calendars--details of Sponsorship, Fees and possibly a VIP "Grand Marshall" or two, will follow.
Win the Day!
Dave Meyers
Commander
INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE! The VFW posts from Burke, Springfield and Falls Church will be marching in this year's 4th of July parade as a composite group. The parade steps off at 1000 but since we are in Division IV, we won't start right away. Those members who will be marching should join us around 0930-0945 to begin forming up. Those members who will be helping decorate our truck should show up around 0830. Our assembly point is in the parking lot on Page Ave in Fairfax City, just past the parking garage on the left hand side of the road. "Uniform" is short sleeve white shirt and cap with a red tie. If it's too hot, we'll ditch the ties. If you don't have a cap or a white shirt, come anyway. We will also be handing out American flags along the parade route and can certainly use some help there. Please call me at 703-250-0071 if you have any questions or suggestions. (Submitted by: Post Trustee Tom Troy).
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Burke Centre Fall Festival, September 12-13, 2009. This is our Post's largest annual event, so please plan to volunteer for set-up, staffing the booth, voter registration, membership recruiting, or at least to stop by and say "hello."
SERVICE OFFICER REPORT (Bob Harter).
1. GI Bill Hearing: The House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held another hearing on VA's implementation plans for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The GI bill benefit is scheduled to be fully implemented on Aug. 1, 2009. The application process to determine eligibility opened on May 1. VA has reported over 100,000 applications filed for the education benefit. Keith Wilson, Director of VA's Education Services, testified that VA has a two-part IT strategy that relies on short- and long-term goals for processing the claims. He updated committee members on VA's partnership with the Navy's SPAWAR Systems Center, which is contracted to design, develop, and deploy an end-to-end solution that utilizes rules-based, industry-standard technologies. VA is currently working with SPAWAR on the long-term IT solution, and expects the program to be completed no later than December 2010. For more on the hearing, visit the House VA website at: http://veterans.house.gov/.
2. GI Bill Transferability Rules: The Pentagon released final rules under the transferability provision of the new GI Bill and began taking applications today. Servicemembers can register to transfer their Post 9/11 GI bill benefits to family members on a special Pentagon website. The application site is for servicemembers who do not plan to use their benefits anytime soon or not at all. The Pentagon stresses that for those who wish to begin using their benefit now to register through the VA website (www.va.gov). Under the new law, servicemembers have up to 15 years from the time they leave the military to use their education benefits. Transferability laws apply to those on active duty or in the Selected Reserve on August 1, 2009 and include fulfilling a minimum service obligation. If you are scheduled to retire anytime before July 31 or have separated and are in the Individual Ready Reserve you are not eligible for the transferability benefit. All other eligibility criteria for the benefit can be found at: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/DTM%2009-003%20Post%209-11%20GI%20Bill.pdf
The transferability of education benefits (TEB) website will be open and available for applications on June 29, 2009 at: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB/
The site can only be accessed from military computers
3. House Passes Defense Bill: The House last week passed (389-22) its version of the FY 2010 Defense Authorization Bill (HR 2647). One key amendment passed was a provision to phase-in (within 5 years) concurrent receipt for Chapter 61 retirees. The measure would allow disabled military retirees with less than 20 years of service to collect both their retirement pay and VA compensation without offset. It also extends expiring authorities concerning a wide array of bonuses and special pays that are critical to military recruiting and retention. The VFW thanks Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) for his leadership on this critical fix, and is hopeful that the language of this bill will be incorporated into the Senate version of the FY 2010 NDAA. Other provisions of the bill include a 3.4% military pay raise, TRICARE health coverage for Reserve Component members, significant funding for family housing, and increases the size of the military force by 15,000 Army troops, 8,000 Marines, 14,650 Air Force, and 2,477 Navy. For more information on the entire House-passed bill visit the Armed Services Committee at: http://armedservices.house.gov/apps/list/press/armedsvc_dem/skeltonpr061709.shtml.
4. Congress on Recess: Congress is on recess and is expected to return to Washington on July 7. Their very busy July agenda involves completing all 12 appropriations packages - including the VA/Military Construction and Defense bills. Other VFW legislative priorities that need final approval and votes include the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, Advanced Funding for VA Medical Care, and several bills that will expand benefits for veterans. Now is a great time to visit the district offices and urge your legislators to pass our priority goals. For a list of our goals and the bills we support, visit the VFW website and click on the Capitol Hill link at: http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=caphill.home&tok=1.
DISTRICT 10 MEETINGS FOR 2009-2010:
September 13, 2009 -- McLean Post 8241 -- 12:00, Joint Meeting.
December 6, 2009 -- Falls Church Post 9274 -- 12:00, Comrades only.
February 21, 2010 -- Woodbridge Post 7916 -- 12:00, Joint meeting.
May 2, 2010 -- District Convention -- Dale City Post 1503 -- 12:00, Joint Meeting.
READY REFERENCE PHONE NUMBERS:
Air Force Retired Affairs 800-531-7502
Arlington National Cemetery 703-695-3250 / 703-695-3255
Army Retired Affairs 800-336-4909
Coast Guard Retired Affairs 800-772-8724
Marine Corps Retired Affairs 800-336-4649
National Personnel Records Center 314-538-4141
Naval Reserve Personnel Center (Records) 800-535-2699
Navy Retired Activities Office 800-255-8950
Social Security Administration 800-772-1213
TRICARE Headquarters 303-676-3526
TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Program 877-363-6337
VA National Service Life Insurance (NSL) 800-669-8477
VA Regional Office 800-827-1000
VA Service Department Burial Benefits 800-697-6947
Veteran's Group Life Insurance (VGLI) 800-419-1473
2009-2010 POST OFFICERS:
Commander Dave Meyers 703-978-1548 david.meyers(at)mris.com
Senior Vice Commander Gerhard Liebegott: gerhard.liebegott(at)us.army.mil
Junior Vice Commander Todd Sipe: toddrsipe(at)yahoo.com
Quartermaster Jerry Kaffka: jlkaff2(at)aol.com
Adjutant Brian Engler: englerbd(at)gmail.com
Service Officer Bob Harter: bob12348(at)verizon.net
Surgeon Maxine Engler: mengler54(at)gmail.com
Trustee Scott Logan: sslogan(at)verizon.net
Trustee Dave Courter: davecourter(at)msn.com
Trustee Tom Troy: ttrltroy(at)aol.com
FUTURE POST MEETINGS:
July 15, 2009 7:30 PM Post Meeting, Ponds Community Center, Burke
August 19, 2009 7:30 PM Post Meeting, Ponds Community Center, Burke
September 16, 2009 7:30 PM Post Meeting, Ponds Community Center, Burke
***Tentative Family Dinner following meeting***
October 21, 2009 7:30 PM Post Meeting, Ponds Community Center, Burke
November 18, 2009 7:30 PM Post Meeting, Ponds Community Center, Burke
December 16, 2009 7:30 PM Post Meeting, Ponds Community Center, Burke
***Family Holiday Dinner following meeting***
UPDATED 01 JULY 2009
Post 5412 Weblog (NEW!!)
VFW District 10 Virginia
VFW Department of Virginia
VFW National
Survivors and Eligible Dependents VA Benefits
Operation Uplink--Support Our Troops!
Send E-Mail to: englerbd@gmail.com
Copyright © 2009 Brian Engler, Post Adjutant. All Rights Reserved