March 10 2017

In this issue:
FRA Co-sponsors House Guard and Reserve Caucus Breakfast
HVAC Reviews VA Community Care and VA to Expand Mental Health Care
Senior Enlisted Testify at Subcommittee Hearing
TRICARE Meetings
Subcommittee Looks at Military Review Boards

FRA Co-sponsors House Guard and Reserve Caucus Breakfast
As part of its strong support of Sea Services Reserve Component enlisted personnel, FRA joined other military and veterans’ organizations in co-sponsoring the House Guard and Reserve Caucus Breakfast on Capitol Hill this week. Representatives Steven Palazzo (Miss.) and Tim Walz (Minn.) co-chair the bipartisan caucus. Attendees included caucus members, legislative staff, Reserve Component senior enlisted leaders and members of key military associations.
 
Speakers included the Chief of the National Guard Bureau and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph L. Lengyel, Chief of Navy Reserve Commander Vice Admiral Luke McMollum, Director, Reserve & Military Personnel U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Hinrichs, and Commander, Marine Forces Reserve Lieutenant General Rex McMillian.

Co-chairman Rep. Steven M. Palazzo announced the introduction of legislation (H.R. 1384) to ensure that an order to serve on active duty under section 12304a and 12304b of title 10, U.S. Code, is treated the same as other orders to serve on active duty.

HVAC Reviews VA Community Care and VA to Expand Mental Health Care
The House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) recently held an oversight hearing to examine the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Choice Program and the future of VA community care programs, authorities and budget impact. Recent work performed by the VA Inspector General (IG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) very clearly illustrate that Choice is not set up to succeed at its primary mission – providing timely care to veteran patients who cannot access that care within VA because it’s not offered, not available within a reasonable amount of time, or would entail the veteran traveling a great distance.  

HVAC Chairman Rep. Phil Roe (Tenn.) stated in his opening statement, “…veterans could potentially wait up to eighty-one calendar days before receiving care due to the burdensome bureaucratic process that VA imposed on Choice. That is unacceptable to me and, I’m sure, everyone in this room.”  Ranking Member Rep. Tim Walz (Minn.) echoed the sentiments of the Chairman and promised to work on this issue in a bi-partisan manner.  The next day the HVAC approved the “Eliminating the Sunset Date of the Choice Act” (H.R. 369) legislation that eliminates the sunset (expiration date) on the Choice law. Members are invited to use the Action Center and ask the Representative to support this legislation to extend the VA Choice program.  

Newly confirmed Secretary of the VA, Dr. David J. Shulkin, spoke to the committee and noted that VA community care appointments have increased by 61percent overall since Choice was created and, last year, 30 percent of all VA appointments were held in the community rather than in VA medical facilities.

Secretary Shulkin also announced his intention to expand provisions for urgent mental health care needs to former service members with other-than-honorable (OTH) administrative discharges.  This move marks the first time a VA Secretary has implemented an initiative specifically focused on expanding access to assist former OTH service members who are experiencing mental health distress and may be at risk for suicide or other adverse behaviors.

Senior Enlisted Testify at Subcommittee Hearing
The military senior enlisted summarized prepared testimony and ranked their respective quality-of-life concerns this week before the House Military Construction VA and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee (MilCon/VA). Those senior enlisted included:

Daniel A. Dailey, Sergeant Major, US Army
Steven S. Giordano, Master Chief Petty Officer, US Navy
Ronald L. Green, Sergeant Major, US Marine Corps
Kaleth O. Wright, Chief Master Sergeant, US Air Force

The hearing focused on recent allegations that nude photos of female Marines, both enlisted and officers, were posted online (Facebook group known as: Just the tip of the spear) without the women’s knowledge or consent.  MilCon/VA Chairman Rep. Charlie Dent (Penn.) condemned the activity in his opening statement.  Ranking Member Debra Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) said this type of activity “promotes a culture of sexual harassment and encourages sexual assault.” Rep. Schultz urged the Marine Corps to express more outrage about the incident, and that the lack of outrage sends the wrong message to women in the military.  Rep. Dent stated that putting nude photos on the internet without the person’s permission is a crime under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.  

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SMMC), Ronald Green denounced the activity in his oral testimony saying this disrespects Marine Corps values of “Honor, Courage and Commitment.” He claimed that the Marines are actively engaged in the fight against sexual assault by modeling positive leadership engagement and disseminating messages about expectations of how all Marines should behave.  

SMMC Green went on to say the Marine Corps need “fiscal certainty.” SMMC testimony discussed family readiness and physical fitness.  The Marine Corps is also striving to improve child care. In FY 2016 the Marines extended childcare development center hours to a 14-hour minimum, ensuring military families are able to have access to care for their children when they are on duty.        

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Steven Giordano informed the subcommittee that there are more than 25,000 Sailors deployed away from their families. In the current environment, the demand for Navy operating forces is increasing.  MCPON Giordano specifically mentioned a lack of lead time on Permanent Change of Station changes. These short notices have distracted Sailors and put stress on the family.  MCPON also expressed concern about adequate child care and the lack of availability of spouse employment opportunities.  MCPON noted only 62 percent of single Sailor housing is rated as “adequate.” SMMC also said adequate single housing is also a concern in the Marine Corps. MCPON said Basic Allowance for Housing is a recurring topic at all-hands calls during command visits.  

TRICARE Meetings
FRA staff, Bob Washington, recently participated in a meeting with Acting Deputy Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) RADM Colin Chinn, who was joined by representatives of three service Surgeons General. Discussions focused on implementation of FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) TRICARE changes. Other issues discussed include health care for military children, specifically hospice care and programs for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder; and the May1, 2017, transition of the TRICARE dental program from MetLife to United Concordia.

In related news, concerns were expressed during a recent Defense Department Military Family Readiness Council meeting that some military families are finding some doctors and other health care providers are dropping out of the TRICARE network in advance of this year’s change to TRICARE contracts. Among other changes in the new contract, TRICARE’s three regions are now consolidated into two, with Humana in the East region and HealthNet in the West, pending one court challenge to the contract.  FRA will monitor the health care reform mandated by the FY 2017 NDAA and ensure that TRICARE and VA Health Care programs are not adversely impacted by unanticipated consequences during implementation.

TRICARE beneficiaries should make sure that they and their family members are enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment System (DEERS), and review the information in DEERS for accuracy, especially your contact information (address, phone and email address).  Your primary care manager—either a new one or the same one you currently have—will need to be able to reach you.  If you don't already have a milConnect account, register for one by visiting their website.

If you have an account, log in and check if your information in is correct.  While you used to get some materials mailed to you, such as claim forms and your Explanation of Benefits statements, under the new contract you will only be able to access that information online.  Obtaining or maintaining an active milConnect account will be important.   

Subcommittee Looks at Military Review Boards
The House Armed Services, Military Personnel Subcommittee (HASC-MP) recently held an oversight hearing for the boards for correction of military records (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and the discharge review boards (Army, Navy, Air Force). HASC-MP Chair (Rep) Mike Coffman (Col.) said: “These boards are charged with the difficult mission of correcting errors in, and considering mitigating facts and removing injustices from, military records.  They receive thousands of applications each year that request everything from name changes on personnel documents to discharge upgrades.”  Rep. Coffman also said he was interested in additional challenges in the timely processing of applications, and what resources are needed to overcome these challenges.  Finally, the hearing discussed ways to improve applicants’ access to the boards by leveraging new technology like video teleconference. FRA welcomes and appreciates oversight hearings to ensure agencies are operating efficiently.  

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