In this issue:
SecDef Nominee Approved
SVAC Hearing on VA Secretary Nominee
CFPB Enforcement of SCRA and MLA Critical for Success
Biden Voids Ban on Transgender Military Service 
Keep DEERS Updated


Secretary of Defense Nominee Approved
Retired Army General Lloyd J. Austin III was overwhelmingly approved for Secretary of Defense by the Senate. Congress granted him a waiver from a law restricting those who are retired from military service fewer than seven years from leading the Pentagon. He was swiftly sworn in as Secretary of Defense, filling a senior national security position in President Biden’s cabinet. 

Defense Secretary Austin, in his first directive since taking office, has ordered his senior leaders to send him reports on sexual assault prevention programs in the military. SecDef Austin’s memo fulfills a commitment he made to Senators during his confirmation hearings. He vowed to immediately address the problems of sexual assault and harassment in the ranks. Several Senators demanded to know what Austin planned to do about the problem. Reports of sexual assaults have steadily gone up since 2006, according to department reports, including a 13 percent increase in 2018 and a three percent increase in 2019. Data for 2020 is not yet available.


SVAC Hearing on VA Secretary Nominee
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) held a hearing to consider Denis R. McDonough, who is President Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as run the first business meeting of the new Congress. Senator Jon Tester (Mont.) will now serve as SVAC Chairman and pledged to do the work of the committee in a non-partisan manner. tester challenged McDonough to address the growing backlog of claims at the VA, implement critical reforms consistent with Congressional intent, monitor the expansion of the caregiver program, implementation of the new electronic health record (HER) system, support ongoing COVID-19 vaccine efforts and live up to the promises made to veterans nationwide.

McDonough laid out five priorities the president directed him to focus his efforts upon, if confirmed as the VA secretary. The first is getting veterans through this pandemic. As it continues to claim veteran lives, he said the path ahead will not be easy. He cited four other priorities, which included helping veterans build civilian lives of opportunity with the education and jobs worthy of their skills, talents, and service. He also wants all veterans, including female veterans, veterans of color and LGBTQ veterans, to feel welcome at the VA. Lastly, he plans to work to eliminate veteran homelessness, and that reducing suicide is a high priority, as is keeping faith with families and caregivers.


CFPB Enforcement of SCRA and MLA Critical for Success
The FRA and several other like-minded organizations have dispatched a letter to President Biden and a similar letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Sens. Mike Crapo (Idaho) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio), respectively, urging them to oppose proposals that would curtail the effectiveness of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB is the only entity tasked with monitoring the financial entities that may violate service members’ Civil Relief Act and the Military Lending Act. The CFPB active enforcement of these important statutes is crucial to the financial safety of service members and their families.  Military bases are often targeted by financial fraud and have high interest financial instruments of questionable value. Service members’ rights under these statutes become meaningless if they are not enforced. Already, the CFPB has recovered tens of millions of dollars for service members whose statutory rights to a low interest rates were violated.


Biden Voids Ban on Transgender Military Service 
President Joe Biden issued an executive order that requires both the Pentagon and the Homeland Security Department (Coast Guard), to allow transgender individuals to serve in the military. “The all-volunteer force thrives when it is composed of diverse Americans who can meet the rigorous standards for military service, and an inclusive military strengthens our national security,” according to a release from the White House.

The Executive Order eliminates the previous administration’s policy that began in July 2017, that prohibited transgender Americans to serve in the military. Biden’s order immediately shuts down any involuntary separations or denials of continued service based on gender identity.

The White House  release stated, “Simply put, transgender service members will no longer be subject to the possibility of discharge or separation on the basis of gender identity; transgender service members can serve in their gender when transition is complete and the gender marker in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) is changed and transgender service members should know that they are accepted throughout the U.S. military,” The Executive order requires the Department of Defense and Homeland Security to report their progress in overturning the ban to the White House within 60 days.


Keep DEERS Updated
Beneficiaries or your family member that have experienced a change last year, need to update your Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System information. The Defense Health Agency wants beneficiaries to be sure their family information is up to date with DEERS. If you do not keep your information current, it could delay access to health care. Errors can also cause delays with claims and prescription delivery. 

Beneficiaries should update your DEERS information anytime you experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). Some QLEs include moving, turning age 65, getting married, divorced or having a child. These life events mean TRICARE health plan options for beneficiaries and their family may change. 

“If you don’t keep your DEERS record up to date after QLEs, you may miss enrollment deadlines,” said Mark Ellis, chief of the Policy and Programs Section of the TRICARE Health Plan with the Defense Health Agency. “Another reason to keep your DEERS information current, like your address and phone number, is so you don’t experience a break in your coverage.”

Beneficiaries should also keep your DEERS information up to date, so you do not miss important information, such as current COVID-19 news . As more information around COVID-19 vaccinations becomes available, up to date information in DEERS will help make sure that you get the latest updates and then act accordingly.

Beneficiaries can make DEERS updates online, by phone, in person, or by mail. To add or remove family members, they must do so in person. If you are a sponsor or family member, you can make address changes and update other personal information. But only sponsors can add a family member in DEERS. You may need certain documents to do so, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or birth certificate.

You can view and update DEERS information for you and your family members by going online, calling 1-800-538-9552 (TTY/TDD: 1-866-363-2883) or fax updates to 1-800-336-4416. If you want to do this in person, you can find your local Uniformed Services ID card office and make an appointment. You can also submit updates to the Defense Manpower Data Center Support Office
(Attn: COA), 400 Gigling Road Seaside, CA, 93955-6771.

The DHA urges beneficiaries to take command of their health this year and start the New Year with making sure your DEERS information up to date.

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