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Pay
Information
Basic pay is the main part of a
National Guardsman’s salary. Everyone receives basic pay, and it is typically the largest portion of a member’s salary. Monthly basic pay increases with rank,
time in service and annual cost of living increases. The current basic pay for an E-1 is $1,022.70. Allowances are another part of
military pay. Allowances are money provided for specific needs, such as food or housing. These allowances are paid when the Army does not provide food or
housing. Most allowances are not taxable, which is an additional benefit of military pay.
All
military personnel are paid based upon their rank and length of time in
service. You can view current military pay information for active duty and
inactive duty (drill pay) for all ranks at http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/pay/01-2002.pdf. Pay rates for 2003 can be found at http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/pay/01-2003.pdf.
Military members with questions regarding
their pay should first address them to their local finance and administrative
office. The local military pay office is
your first and best source of information. Civilian employees with questions regarding their pay must contact their
customer service representative. The customer service representative will
contact the payroll office directly with your request. To access more information and telephone
numbers regarding payroll questions for the different branches of service
contact the Defense Financial and Accounting Service (DFAS) at Defense
Finance and Accounting Service – Military Pay or http://www.dfas.mil/custsrvc/.
How to Read a Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)
Every month,
service members receive a one-page Leave and Earning Statement called an LES or
the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Form 702. A detailed explanation of the Form 702 is
available at http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/les_djms.pdf.
Pay And
Allowances
Military personnel are entitled to different types
of pay benefits. Some of them are Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), Basic Allowance for Housing,
and Clothing Allowance.
Basic Allowance for
Subsistence (BAS)
Members who are entitled to basic pay are
entitled to Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) under specific
conditions. The latest Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation,
http://www.dtic.mil/comptroller/fmr/07a/07A25.pdf, describes each specific
condition.
Basic
Allowance for Housing (BAH) Type II
Members of the
National Guard called (or ordered) to active duty not in conjunction with a
contingency operation, are entitled to Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Type
II when called active duty for a period of 139 days or less. Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is based
on geographic duty location, pay-grade, and dependency status. The intent of BAH is to provide uniformed
service members accurate and equitable housing compensation based on housing
costs in local civilian housing markets, and is payable when government
quarters are not provided. Effective
January 1, 2000, most pay grades, at most locations, were entitled to increases
in housing allowances. Find out more about other pay benefits and entitlements at the
BAH
information page
or http://www.dtic.mil/perdiem/bahform.html.
Clothing Allowance
The Secretary of
Defense prescribes the quantity and kind of clothing that shall be furnished to
enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces, or the cash allowances in lieu thereof.
This authority is exercised through implementing instructions issued by the
individual Service Secretaries and applies to enlisted personnel of the Army,
the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Air Force, the Naval Reserve, the Marine Corps
Reserve, the National Guard of the United States, the Air National Guard of the
United States, the Army Reserve, and the Air Force Reserve.
Officers receive a
onetime payment after commissioning to buy clothing. They do not receive any
allowances to maintain their uniforms.
Enlisted members are issued the standard wardrobe when they enter active
duty. They get a clothing-replacement
allowance on their anniversary month.
The replacement allowance is paid at the “basic” rate for members with
less than three years of service, and at the “standard” rate for members with
three or more years of service.
There are three types of
clothing allowances that cover both initial allowances and replacement
requirements:
-
Initial Clothing
Allowances
-
Cash Clothing Replacement
Allowances
-
Supplementary Clothing
Allowances (as authorized by individual
services)
For more information
about Clothing Allowance, go to
http://www.military.com/Resources/ResourceFileView?file=Pay_Clothing.htm.
Other Money Matters
Information about
other money matters can be found at the Defense Finance and Accounting System at
http://www.dfas.mil/money/.
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
The Veterans
Administration
web site Veterans
Affairs or http://www.va.gov/
or Veterans
Administration has
information regarding eligibility and benefits. This site contains information on veteran’s benefits regarding
burial http://www.cem.va.gov/burial.htm,
educational http://www.gibill.va.gov/, home loans http://www.homeloans.va.gov/,
vocational rehabilitation and employment services http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/index.htm,
insurance http://www.insurance.va.gov/,
pension http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/index.htm and
health http://www.va.gov/vbs/health/
benefits.
VA
Cares for Combat Theater Veterans
Military personnel who recently served in
a combat zone are eligible for two years of free medical care from the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for most conditions. Most veterans must prove that a medical
problem is connected to their military service to receive free VA care for that
condition or they must have relatively low incomes. Since Nov. 11, 1998, VA has been authorized to provide free
medical care for some veterans within two years after leaving active duty. Those veterans must have served in a combat
zone or in comparable hostilities. They
do not have to prove either a service-connection for their health care problems
or that they have low incomes. The
benefit does not cover treatment for medical problems clearly unrelated to
military service, such as care for common colds, injuries from accidents that
happened after discharge from active duty and disorders that existed before
joining the military. To receive free medical care,
veterans must be able to show that they served since November 11, 1998 in a
theater of combat operations or in combat against a hostile force. The coverage lasts for two years after
discharge from active duty. It applies
to VA hospital care, outpatient services and nursing home care.
MILITARY RECORDS
National
Personnel Records Center – Military Personnel
Records
The National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel
Records (NPRC-MPR) is the repository of millions of military personnel, health,
and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans of all services during
the 20th century. NPRC (MPR) also stores medical treatment records of retirees from
all services, as well as records for dependent and other persons treated at
naval medical facilities. Information from the records is made available upon
written request (with signature and date) to the extent allowed by
law.
This site is provided for those seeking information
regarding military personnel, health and medical records stored at NPRC (MPR).
If you are a veteran or next-of-kin of a deceased veteran, you may now use
vetrecs.archives.gov to order a copy
of your military records. For all others, your request is best made using a
Standard Form 180
. It includes complete instructions for preparing and
submitting requests.
Where can I get copies of
my records?
You can access your military
records at the following links:
http://www.dtic.mil/armylink/faq/,
Active Duty (Enlisted)
, Retirees, Veterans, Civilians
or:
Contact the National Personnel Records Center at:
Civilian Records Facility
111 Winnebago Street
St. Louis, Missouri
63118-4199
Military Records Facility
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis Missouri 63132-5100
Phone: (800) 318-5298
At minimum, please include the service member’s complete name, social security
number and/or serial number, and the requester’s return address. Website is: http://www.nara.gov/regional/stlouis.html
A
comprehensive list of where soldiers can obtain their Official Military
Personnel Files (OMPF) can be found at:
http://www.2xcitizen.usar.army.mil/soldierservices/records/recordlocations.asp
How do I order my microfiche?
Active Duty (Enlisted)
Active Duty (Warrant
Officer/Officer )
For
individuals compiling family histories, NARA provides assistance to those
interested in genealogy. NARA normally charges a nominal fee for research and reproduction
costs. Their address is:
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
8th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20408
202-501-5400
IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR MILITARY FAMILY
MEMBERS
The Department
of Defense (DoD), through the Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification
System (RAPIDS), issues members’ eligible dependents and other eligible individuals
a distinct Identification Card (ID) authorizing them to receive Uniformed
Services’ benefits and privileges.
Normally, Guard and Reserve family members and other dependents receive
a DD Form 1173-1, the DoD Guard and Reserve Dependent ID Card (red). These cards do not authorize eligibility for
medical benefits and commissary privileges in and of themselves. They will assist Guard and Reserve family
members in accessing these privileges when accompanied by a copy of the service
member’s orders to active duty or a commissary privilege card. The cards do authorize access to exchange and certain morale, welfare and
recreation (MWR) privileges.
The DD Form 1173-1 serves as proof
that individual shave been pre-enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment
System (DEERS). This is an important
first step in obtaining family member and dependent medical treatment when the
service member is called to active duty for 31 consecutive days or more. When the service member is called to active
duty for more than 30 days, part of the processing for entry on active duty
should be the completion of a DD Form 1172, Application for Uniformed Services
Identification Card – DEERS Enrollment for each eligible family member and
legal dependent. This application, along
with surrender of the DD Form 1173-1, will allow family members and dependents
to received the DD Form 1173 (tan).
These cards will authorize appropriate medical, commissary, exchange and
MWR benefits and privileges for the period of active duty specified on the
members’ orders.
Family members
and eligible dependents are required to report to a RAPIDS ID Card issuing site
in order to be issued the appropriate ID Card.
Ask your State Family Program Coordinator for a list of ID Card issuing locations
in your area. BE SURE TO CALL AHEAD TO
CONFIRM SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS, DOCUMENTS and HOURS OF OPERATION. You can search for
an ID Card location by city or state at
http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl.
TRICARE
What
The Reserve Component Needs To Know About The TRICARE Dental Program
The TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) is a voluntary
dental insurance program for the Selected Reserve, Individual Ready Reserve,
and all eligible uniformed services family members. To be eligible, you must
have at least 12 months of service commitment remaining and participate in the
program for at least 12 months after which enrollment is month to month.
Selected Reserve members are responsible for
just 40 percent of the monthly premium; the government pays the rest. Other
Reserve component members are responsible for the full premium. When called to
active duty for more than 30 days, you are eligible for dental care at military
treatment facilities free of charge, and thus are disenrolled from the TRICARE
Dental Program.
Eligible family members are invited to enroll,
even if the sponsor does not. Family members are responsible for the full
premium, except when you are called to active duty for more than 30 days, which
reduces the premium share to 40 percent; the government pays the rest. Although
family members enroll under the sponsor’s Social Security number, there will be
two separate premium payments – one for you, the sponsor, and one for family
members. NOTE: Family members are not bound by the 12-month minimum enrollment
commitment if the sponsor is ordered to active duty for a contingency operation
as defined in law. In this case, you have 30 days from activation to submit the
enrollment application. Family members must remain enrolled during the entire
active duty period in support of the contingency operation.
Additional information on the
TRICARE Dental Program is available at the United Concordia Companies, Inc. Web
site at
www.ucci.com, or call toll
free 1-800-866-8499 for general information, or 1-888-622-2256 to enroll. To
contact the Managed Care Support Contractor for your region, go the
regional map
.
The TDP is administered by United
Concordia Companies Inc. (UCCI). For more information about the TDP,
beneficiaries may access the benefit handbook online at
www.ucci.com or by calling toll free
1-800-866-8499, 24 hours a day. Members residing outside the continental United
States (OCONUS) should call 1-888-418-0466 (toll free). This telephone number is
available in the following countries: Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Bolivia,
Columbia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway,
Panama, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the
United Kingdom. At all other locations, members should call 1-717-975-5017.
Representatives are available to assist members in English, German and Italian
24 hours a day, Monday through Friday.
New 2002 TRICARE Handbook Available For
Beneficiaries And Providers
After five years of honorable
service to Military Health System beneficiaries and providers worldwide, the
time has come to retire the red, white and blue TRICARE “Standard”
Handbook. Its replacement, the September 2002 TRICARE Handbook, is available
for distribution to beneficiaries and providers worldwide.
The new handbook highlights all
three TRICARE options — Prime, Standard and Extra — and the many health care
programs and benefits added since the 1997 edition. New topics and benefits
covered include TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family
Members, TRICARE Plus, Travel Reimbursement, Chiropractic Care, TRICARE Senior
Pharmacy Program, TRICARE Dental Program, Debt Collection Assistance Officer
Program, Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator Program, and more.
The handbook has a fresh new
design and color. The cover is white with a vignette representing uniformed
services families, ranks and memorabilia on the front and helpful telephone
numbers and addresses on the back. Included inside are improved charts and
graphs for cost comparisons, tips and helpful reminders for beneficiaries to
consider before seeking care from authorized civilian providers.
The new handbook is being shipped
to TRICARE service centers and military treatment facilities in every TRICARE
region and is available to sponsors and their family members upon request. An
electronic version of the handbook is available for viewing or downloading at
www.tricare.osd.mil/TricareHandbook/.
Providers or organizations requiring additional quantities of handbooks may
order them at this site. The new TRICARE Handbook, expanded to provide
information about TRICARE’s newest services, is now available and can be ordered
online at
http://www.fhinc.net/tricare/. Once at the Smart Site, go to “All
Marketing Products” and scroll down to the new TRICARE Handbook. Enter the number of handbooks you want and
check out. Other information materials
are also available at the Smart Site.
While individual orders will be honored, commands are encouraged to
order enough of the new handbooks for all their beneficiaries and for
healthcare providers, as well.
Sponsors and family members with
TRICARE questions or in need of assistance are still encouraged to contact their
local beneficiary counseling and assistance coordinator, health benefits
adviser, or TRICARE service center representative. A list of local and regional
toll-free TRICARE telephone numbers is available in the handbook and on the
TRICARE Web site at
www.tricare.osd.mil/main/tollfree.htm.
TRICARE Offers Benefits To
Activated Reservists And National Guard Members
Demobilized members of the Reserve component and their dependents, who
were activated in support of a contingency operation are eligible for the
TRICARE transitional health care demonstration project (does not include
full-time National Guard duty).
Family members of Reserve component members (National Guard
and Reserve) ordered to active duty for more than 30 days under 10 U.S.C. or 32
U.S.C. are eligible for TRICARE.
Members of the
Reserves and National Guard who are called to active duty will be eligible for
health care benefits under TRICARE, just as other active-duty service members
are. Their families will also become
eligible for TRICARE benefits, if the military sponsor’s active-duty orders are
for a long-enough period of time. Families of members called to
active duty in response to the Sep 11, 2001 terrorist attacks are eligible for
enhanced benefits under the TRICARE Reserve Family
Demonstration Project.
TRICARE eligibility for the military sponsor
begins on the effective date of their orders to active duty. Needed care will be provided by uniformed
services medical treatment facilities, and by authorized civilian health care
providers.
Families of activated reservists
and National Guard members become eligible for health care benefits under
TRICARE Standard
or TRICARE Extra
on the first day of the military sponsor’s active duty, if
his or her orders are for a period of more than 30 consecutive days of active
duty, or if the orders are for an indefinite period.
TRICARE Standard is the former CHAMPUS program
with a new name. Benefits under TRICARE
Standard are the same as they were for CHAMPUS.
For active-duty families, TRICARE Standard
pays 80 percent of the TRICARE allowable charge for covered health care
services that are obtained from authorized, non-network, civilian health care
providers. Those who receive the care are legally responsible for the other 20
percent of the allowable charge, plus other charges billed by
“non-participating” providers, up to the legal limit of 15 percent
above the allowable charge. Providers who “participate” in TRICARE
accept the TRICARE allowable charge as the full fee for the care they provide.
Persons who use TRICARE Standard or
Extra pay annual deductibles for outpatient care of $150 for one person, and $300 for
a family (for active-duty military sponsors who are E-4 and below, the
amounts are $50 for one person, and $100 for a family). TRICARE Extra features
discounted cost-shares (15 percent of negotiated fees) when TRICARE network
providers are used, but it’s available only in the same geographic areas as the
HMO-type health care option, TRICARE Prime.
Families of
Reserve/National Guard members who are called to active duty for 179 days or more may enroll in
TRICARE Prime
or may be eligible for TRICARE Prime Remote
. But enrollment forms
must be completed, and military medical facilities and/or
TRICARE Prime network providers must be used.
Since many Reserve families may have
continuing relationships with providers who are not in the TRICARE networks,
enrolling in TRICARE Prime (and thereby having to use only providers who are
part of the TRICARE Prime network) may not be the best choice for these
families. TRICARE Standard may work
better for them.
Persons who are covered by other health
insurance (such as a civilian employer’s health plan) should be aware that
TRICARE pays after those plans have made their payment for health care
services. The
only time TRICARE is not second payer is when
Medicaid (a public assistance
program) is involved, or if the patient has a health care insurance policy that
is specifically designated as a TRICARE supplemental policy. In those cases,
TRICARE pays before the other insurance.
TRICARE Standard users should make sure that
the provider from whom they seek health care has been certified by the regional
TRICARE contractor as an authorized provider of care for TRICARE patients
(check with the provider, or with the regional TRICARE contractor). If they receive services from a provider who
is not authorized, the cost of services-even though they might otherwise be
covered by the program-will not be shared by the government.
Activated Reservists/National Guard members should check with their
reserve centers or unit commanding officers to make sure that all information
about themselves and their family members is current and accurate in the Defense
Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (
DEERS) database. Incorrect information can result in delayed
claims processing, problems with the use of retail pharmacies and the National
Mail Order Pharmacy (
NMOP) benefit,
and other difficulties. For information about DEERS enrollment,
contact the DEERS Telephone Center from 6 a.m.-5 p.m., Pacific Time, toll-free,
at 1-800-334-4162 (California only), 1-800-527-5602 (Alaska and Hawaii only), or
1-800-538-9552 (all other states).
If you are an activated Reservist or National Guard
member, you can get more information about your family’s TRICARE Standard
benefits from the TRICARE Standard Handbook.
To get one, check with your nearest uniformed services hospital or
clinic, or any TRICARE service center. Or, write to the TRICARE Management
Activity, 16401 E. Centretech Parkway, Aurora, CO 80011-9043.
You can also get information from
the TRICARE Web site or
from the Reserve
Affairs Web site.
MILITARY LEAVE
Questions and answers about military leave can be found at
http://www.opm.gov/oca/LEAVE/HTML/MILQA.htm . Questions and concerns about armed forces personnel issues should be
addressed to the respective service’s personnel office, via the following
Internet sites:
Army (PERSCOM) .
SERVICE
MEMBERS GROUP LIFE INSURANCE (SGLI)
SGLI
is a program of low cost group life insurance for service members on active
duty, ready reservists, members of the Commissioned Corps of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Public Health Service, cadets
and midshipmen of the four service academies, and members of the Reserve
Officer Training Corps. SGLI is available in $10,000 increments up to the
maximum of $250,000. SGLI insured have two options available to them upon
release from service. They can convert their full-time SGLI coverage to term
insurance under the Veterans’ Group Life Insurance program or to a permanent
plan of insurance with one of the participating commercial insurance
companies. Military members may
purchase a Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) policy available through military
pay deduction. It is currently limited to $250,000 (since 1 April
2001). See Service Members Get More Life Insurance Coverage
.
With the recent increase, now is a
good time to review your SGLI beneficiary designations. For details on beneficiary designation see AR
600-8-1, Army Casualty
Operations/Assistance/Insurance
,
paragraph 11-29. Check the Chapter 11 Figures associated
with SGLI beneficiary designations for more information. Also see SGLI information online http://www.insurance.va.gov. Of course, any
day is a good one to be sure you have properly named who you want to receive your
insurance policy proceeds.
You
may find general information about SGLI on the
SGLI page of the
Department of Veteran’s Affairs web site. It includes this SGLI/VGLI
Handbook.
Available
for Viewing and Downloading in Adobe Acrobat PDF. Get Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Remember, how much life insurance
you need, if any, depends on your personal situation. Several sites, mentioned in USAA’s Insurance may help you decide how much
life insurance you want to buy. If you want more information you can contact
the Office of Service Members’ Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) at 1-800-419-1473 or
at
[email protected].
TAX INFORMATION
Members of the National Guard
receive a W-2 Form each year showing the total amount of taxable wages for the
previous year, total federal and state income tax withheld, and total Social
Security taxes withheld from pay received for National Guard duty. National Guard members whose civilian
employers pay them the difference between their National Guard pay for annual
active duty for training and their civilian pay for that period may end up being taxed twice. The civilian
employer may report as taxable income the full salary for the two-week period
without reducing the amount for military reimbursement, and DFAS will deduct
taxes from the National Guard member’s military pay as well. This can be
corrected either by obtaining a corrected W-2 form or reducing the amount of
income reported in one’s tax return and including a narrative explanation of the
situation. All basic pay (excluding pay received as a stipend for participation
in the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program) and hazardous duty
or incentive pay, is taxable. Allowances for BAH and BAS, uniform allowances,
meal allowances, and items furnished in kind, such as rations, transportation,
and accommodations, are nottaxable. Some National Guard members are entitled to a
credit on their tax return for excessSocial Security tax withheld from their military
pay.
USAA at http://www.usaa.com
is a good source of information for military members for insurance, banking and tax-deferred
investments. If you have any questions about your specific
tax situation, you can consult the
Military.com Tax
Guide
, the IRS
at http://www.irs.gov, a tax
professional or Tax
Information For National Guard Members.A copy of the Armed Forces Tax
Guide can be found at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3.pdf.
More information about Tax Relief
for Those Affected by Operation Joint Guard can be found at
http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/not96-34.htmEntitlements and benefits for military personnel deployed for Operation Joint Guard can also be found at
http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/oje_ents.htm.
You can download
federal tax forms from the IRS’s Forms and Publications site:
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html. You can also file electronically, using the IRS’s e-file
http://www.irs.gov/efile/index.htmlsystem or by using one of a number of software packages. For more
information on filing, see the section Filing Returns in the Armed Forces Tax Guide
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3.pdf. You can download state tax forms from your state tax agency
.
W2 Tax Forms To Be Available Online
Beginning in January 2003, the Defense Finance and
Accounting Service will make 2002 W2 tax forms available online through DFAS’
myPay system. A personal identification number is needed to access personal accounts. Service members, retirees and civilian employees who do not
remember receiving their PIN or do not remember the number can go
to http://www.dfas.mil/, and click on myPay, which is under the
“Money Matters” heading. Due to security reasons PINs are mailed to the recipients, and it could take from three
to seven days to get the number after the request has been made. Some of the other finance actions that
can be performed online to date are: purchasing savings bonds, managing
allotments, viewing and printing travel vouchers and leave and earning statements. Customers with questions about myPay
can call customer support at 1-800- 3900-2348, Monday through Friday between 7
a.m. and 7:30 p.m. EST. For more about pay and benefits, and a tax guide, see
http://www.military.com/Resources/ResourceFileView?file=Active_Duty_Pay.htm.
DEATH
AND CASUALTY ASSISTANCE
If a soldier or
airman becomes a casualty, a Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) is
usually assigned to assist family members.
When a member of the National Guard dies on active duty, active duty for
training, inactive duty for training, or while performing funeral honors duty,
the Armed Forces will provide a death gratuity and care and disposition of
remains.
Casualty
assistance is one of the most demanding and sensitive additional duties a
soldier or airman will ever have during his/her military career. Duty as a CAO
takes precedence over all other obligations and responsibilities. The mission
is to provide assistance to the primary next-of-kin (PNOK) and/or the person
authorized direct disposition (PADD) during the period following a soldier or
airman being declared missing or deceased. The assistance provided demonstrates
the concern of the United States Armed Forces for the welfare of its military
members and their families. The manner in which this mission is performed has a
lasting effect on how the family and their community perceive the military. The
goal should be to impart the most positive impression possible under the
circumstances. In order to accomplish this, one must be able to blend
professionalism with empathy. Nothing can substitute for good judgment, common
sense and sensitivity in performing a casualty assistance mission. The quality
of service must reflect full attention to duty and to the wishes of the next of
kin (NOK).
Death Gratuity
The law fixes
$6,000 as the lump-sum payment in the event of death while a member of the
Armed Forces is on active duty for training or inactive duty training. The gratuity is also payable if a member or
former member dies of a service-connected cause within 120 days after his or
her discharge or release from active duty for training. In the case of inactive duty training, the
gratuity is payable if death occurs within 120 days and is the result of injury
received during that training. In addition, the
family of a member who dies on active duty, will be allowed 180 days rent free
occupancy in Government quarters, or 180 days BAH for area of residence, plus
one year TRICARE-Standard eligibility.
When a member
dies while on active duty (including members who are retired and remain in a
military hospital and who continue to be hospitalized as patients therein to
date of death or who dies on active duty for training, or while performing
inactive duty training), the military will provide for care a disposition of
remains. When military authorities
arrange for disposition of remains, services of preparation at the place of
death, removal, embalming preparation and preservation, casket, and
transportation to a common carrier are normally obtained under contract;
however, when no contract is available, military authorities negotiate with
local funeral directors to obtain these services. The military authorities also will provide the following as
required:
-
Cremation – if cremation is
requested in writing by the person authorized to direct disposition (PAAD)
of the remains.
-
A suitable urn for the cremated
remains
-
A U.S. flag to drape the casket
-
Transportation of remains,
accompanied by an escort, from the place of death t the place designated
by the PADD.
-
Military honors, if requested,
will be provided at the place of interment.
National Cemetery System
A Guide to the National Cemetery System can be found at
http://www.va.gov/cemetery/index.htm. Another source of information explaining the services available for a
military funeral is
http://www.militaryfuneralhonors.osd.mil,
Line of Duty (LOD)
A Line of Duty (LOD) investigation will generally be conducted whenever a soldier
acquires a disease, incurs a significant injury, or is injured under unusual
circumstances. There is a presumption, however, that all diseases or injuries have occurred “in the line of duty – not
due to own misconduct.”
An LOD
investigation helps determine whether or not a soldier is entitled to pay and
allowances, accrual of service and leave [time], and, in some cases, disability
retirement. A Guard member will receive
these benefits only if the final determination is “in line of duty – not due to
own misconduct.”
The
investigating officer begins the investigation by first getting a copy of the
Statement of Medical Examination and Duty Status from the appointing
authority. Documentary evidence
(witness statements, medical records, police reports, etc.) concerning the
circumstances surrounding the injury is collected. Witnesses and the individual injured are interviewed and sworn
statements are written.
Once all evidence is gathered,
the LOD is reviewed and a determination is made:
(1)
“In the line of duty- not due to own
misconduct”;
(2)
“Not in the line of duty- not due to
own misconduct”; or,
(3)
“Not in the line of duty- due to own
misconduct.”
The
investigation and recommendation are then sent to the appointing authority that
directed the investigation, State Judicial Authority for legal review, and the
final approving authority for approval of the LOD.
Line of duty
investigations are a required part of the military. They are not meant to inhibit soldiers from participating in
regular day- to- day events (basketball, football, baseball, hiking). However,
soldiers must think of the repercussions that may happen if they engage in very
dangerous activities.
If you find you are
the subject of a Line of Duty investigation or if a “not in line of duty – due
to own misconduct” determination is made against you, contact your servicing
legal assistance office immediately for help.
Incapacitation
Pay
A member of the
National Guard may be entitled to Incapacitation Pay if physically
disabled as a result of an injury, illness or disease incurred in the line of
duty, while traveling directly to or from such training or while remaining
overnight, immediately before the commencement of inactive duty training or
funeral honors duty, or while remaining overnight between successive periods of
Inactive Duty Training.
A member of the
National Guard who is physically unable to perform his or her military duties
is entitled to full pay and allowances equal to a member of thee active service
of like grade and years of service. The total pay and allowances will be reduced
by the amount of income the member earns from non-military employment or
self-employment during the disability period.
A member of the
National Guard who is physically able to perform military duties, but who
sustains an injury, illness, or disease while in the line of duty, that
prevents the member from performing his or her civilian job will receive his or
her demonstrated loss of income. This loss of income will not exceed the
equivalent rate of full pay and allowances for his or her rank and length of
service.
If you have questions
about Incapacitation Pay, see your unit administrator or talk to your State
Family Program Coordinator or Air National Guard Wing Family Readiness and
Support Service Coordinator who can direct you to the individual who handles
Incapacitation Pay issues in your state.
THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN (TSP)
The
TSP is a defined contribution plan. The retirement income that you
receive from your TSP account will depend on how much you (and your service, if
you receive matching contributions) have contributed to your account during
your working years and the earnings on those contributions. The TSP is a retirement savings plan both
for civilians who are employed by the United States Government and for members
of the uniformed services. Congress established the FSP in the Federal
Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986. The purpose of the TSP is to provide retirement income.The TSP offers the
same type of savings and tax benefits that many
private corporations offer their employees under so-called
“401(k)” plans. TSP regulations are published in title 5 of the Code of
Federal Regulations, Parts 1600 – 1699, and are periodically supplemented and amended
in the Federal Register. The Thrift Saving Plan (TSP) can be accessed
at
http://www.tsp.gov/ or
Thrift Savings Plan
(TSP)
.
Two comprehensive TSP informational booklets – the
Summary of the Thrift Savings Plan for Federal Employees
and the Guide
to TSP Investments – have been
completely updated. They are being sent to employing agencies for distribution
during the forthcoming open season. Copies are now available for preview on the
TSP Web site. Additionally, a “Before and After”
summary description of the changes is also
available on the Web site.
ARMY
EMERGENCY RELIEF
AER, http://www.aerhq.org/, is
a private nonprofit organization incorporated in 1942 by the Secretary of War and
the Army Chief of Staff. AER’s sole
mission is to help soldiers and their dependents.
AER is the Army’s own emergency financial assistance organization and is
dedicated to “Helping the Army Take Care of Its Own”. AER provides commanders a
valuable asset in accomplishing their basic command responsibility for the
morale and welfare of soldiers. AER funds are made available to commanders
having AER Sections to provide emergency financial assistance to soldiers –
active & retired – and their dependents when there is a valid need. AER
funds made available to commanders are not limited and are constrained only by
the requirement of valid need.
For these reasons, the AER assistance program is conducted within the
Army structure by major commanders and their installation/organization
commanders through AER sections and other related
organizations.
Army Emergency Relief, http://www.aerhq.org/ is available
to soldiers on extended active duty and their dependents; members of the
Reserved Components of the Army (Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve) on
continuous active duty for more than 30 days and their dependents; soldiers
retired from active duty because of longevity or physical disability, or retired
upon reaching age 60 (Reserve Components) and their dependents; and
widows/widowers and orphans of soldiers who died while on active duty or after
they retired.
Eligible clients not stationed near an Army installation or
Air Force Base may apply for assistance from AER through the Navy-Marine Corps
Relief Society, the Air Force Aid Society, and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. If
you are not stationed near any military installations, you may apply through the
American Red Cross. If your local Red Cross staff does not know how to process
your application, contact your Unit Services Coordinator for
instruction.
AAFES/BX/PX
Army and Air Force Exchange
Service information can be found at
Army and Air Force Exchange
Service (AAFES)
.
RETIREMENT
Army Retirement Services, Office of the Deputy
Chief of Staff for Personnel (ODCSPER),http://www.odcsper.army.mil/default.asp?pageid=16f, Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA), provides information on benefits and entitlements to active
duty personnel preparing for retirement. It also provides information to
retirees through Army installation Retirement Services Officers (RSO). Army Retirement
Services develops Army policy and procedures for the Survivor Benefit Plan
(SBP) program; publishes the HQDA retiree bulletin Army Echoes
; develops policy for the operation of the Army installation Retirement Services
Program; and administers the Chief of Staff, Army Retiree Council.
CAREER TRACKS
Information on Army Military Occupational Skills can
be found at
http://www-perscom.army.mil/dcsops/up2.htm.
STATE ACTIVE DUTY (SAD)
National Guard
personnel can be activated to what is called “State Active Duty” in response to
natural or man-made disasters.
Normally, the Governor of a state must declare a State of Emergency
before the Adjutant General can bring Guard personnel onto “State Active
Duty.” Usually State Active Duty
operations are run from an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) that receives
specific tasks from the state’s Emergency Operations Office. Liaison Officers (LNOs) are assigned to a
specific county or area, and they work with local authorities. Each state has different pay rates for Guard
personnel. If you have questions about
State Active Duty, first contact your unit’s full-time personnel and then
unit’s higher headquarters. State Active Duty Points of Contact within
the 50 contiguous states can be accessed at:
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