PAY AND BENEFITS

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, 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

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.

The revised AFI 36-3026(I) 20
Dec 02 is available electronically.  Your attention is invited
to: http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfiles/af/36/afi36-3026(i)/afi36-3026(i).pdf.

IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES,
THEIR ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBERS, AND OTHER ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL.

This is a large
file that takes a significant amount of time to load.  If you want to keep
it as a reference, you might want to load it once and then print it and load it
into a binder or folder.

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 site: Air Force
(AF/DP)

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 the US
Air Force Casualty Services Branch web page at http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/casualty/SGLI%20Information.htm.
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

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:

1. Cremation – if cremation is requested in
   writing by the person authorized to direct disposition (PAAD) of the
   remains.
2. A suitable urn for the cremated remains
   
3. A U.S. flag to drape the casket
   
4. Transportation of remains, accompanied by an
   escort, from the place of death t the place designated by the PADD.
   
5. 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 Guardsman 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 Guardsman 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 Guardsmen from participating in regular
day- to- day events (basketball, football, baseball, hiking). However, Guardsmen
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 Program Coordinator who can direct you to the
individual who handles Incapacitation Pay issues in your
state.

THRIFT SAVINGS
PLAN

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 Saving 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.

AIR FORCE
AID SOCIETY

The Air Force Aid Society
(AFAS), http://www.afas.org/, is the official charity of the U.S. Air Force.  It promotes the Air
Force mission by helping “to relieve distress of Air Force members and their
families and assisting them to finance their education”.  It is rooted in the
original Army Air Corps and the World War II Army Air Forces, whose members
wanted to “take care of their
own.” 
Through the years, AFAS has become increasingly effective
in helping individuals with personal emergencies– as well as extremely useful
when used by commanders to help solve personnel problems in their units.

The AFAS, since its creation in
1942 as a non-profit organization, has helped countless members of the Air Force
community. Strong support for AFAS programs and objectives is reinforced each
year by the substantial personal contributions made by the active force, all of
which are used solely for Emergency Assistance. Although AFAS receives no
appropriated or non-appropriated funds, close ties are maintained between the
Society and Air Force officials.

Emergency Assistance for Air
National Guard & Air Force Reserve Personnel
Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve
personnel away from home station on extended active duty 15 days or more under
Title 10 USC are eligible for emergency assistance when the emergency is
incident to, or resulting from applicant’s active duty tour.  This includes
funeral expenses incidental to the burial of a dependent spouse or child, within
the limits of the Society’s funeral grant program.  AFAS will respond
to genuine emergency situations and offer stabilizing assists, but not
long-standing needs caused by other factors such as previous employment, poor
home maintenance, or a serious mortgage delinquency.

Air National Guard Active
Guard Reserve (AGR) personnel serving under Title 32 USC are eligible for
emergency assistance in the categories of emergency travel due to illness (when
a doctor is requesting member’s presence) or death of an immediate family member
(mother, father, brother, sister) and funeral expenses incidental to the burial
of a dependent spouse or child, within limits of the Society’s funeral grant
program.

Personnel on active duty
for training ADT and away from home station will be considered eligible for
emergency assistance as if they were Title 32 AGR.  Requests for car
repairs essential to return to home station will be considered on a case-by-case
basis.

Effective 18 November 2002, a Paymatic authorization form
must be completed at the time any loan assistance is given to a Guard or Reserve
member. This ensures that in those cases where allotments cannot start, AFAS can
submit the Paymatic form, authorizing AFAS to collect payments directly from the
member’s checking account. Click here for Paymatic
Form.

AAFES/BX/PX
Army and Air Force Exchange Service can be found at http://www.aafes.com.

RETIREMENT
Information for the Air Force retired military community
can be found at http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/afretire/
or see the Air Reserve Personnel Center at http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/retsep/Retirements%20hp.htm.