Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 09/09/2002

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
On September 5, I retire after seven years as President of The Retired Officers Association (TROA). I could not depart without thanking you for your unselfish service to our entire military and veterans' community.

The last several years have brought many legislative improvements affecting active duty, Reserve, National Guard, and military retirees of all ranks. These have required dedicated efforts by Congress and by numerous military and veterans organizations and their grass-roots membership, including TROA and members of The Military Coalition, but a great deal of credit also is due to people in the news media like yourself, who care about people who wear and have worn the uniform and the issues that affect them and Congress with great pride, because we have helped those who have served their country. 

Programs like TRICARE For Life, TRICARE Senior Pharmacy, paid up premium provision for the military Survivor Benefit Program (SBP), reduction of the Medicare TRICARE Catastrophic Cap, increased compensation for certain severely disabled retirees, increased veterans' health care budgets, repeal of the REDUX retirement system, and many others don't happen without a lot of preparation, explanation, and just plain persistence in highlighting the problems, the issues, and the potential solutions. You've done yeoman work on all counts, carrying the message on some complicated issues. 

Of course, there's still much to be done in numerous programs. Two initiatives are center-stage on our legislative agenda: winning legislation authorizing the full concurrent receipt of uniformed services retired pay and veterans' disability compensation, and, eliminating the SBP Survivor Benefit Plan annuity reduction for age 62 and older that affects older survivors of military retirees. Hopefully, all of our combined efforts will result in a concurrent receipt victory later this year, as Congress finally seems to have agreed that how unfair it is to make disabled retirees forfeit part or all of their earned retired pay to receive any veterans' disability compensation, particularly the passing of full concurrent receipt and the elimination of the SBP offset that happens to widows of military retirees at age 62. It's not fair or equitable to ask a career veteran who is now disabled to give up retired pay to be compensated for a disability that they didn't ask for. It's also unfair because any servicemember becoming disabled and not retiring would get the same disability pay WITHOUT having to forfeit retired pay. The current situation takes away any economic benefit for serving a full career in the military. That's not right. 

I know you have joined us in campaigning fervently to end this inequity. For that, and for your strong support on the many other important issues you have covered in your column, I offer a most heartfelt "Thank you," along with my best wishes for your continued health and success.

Sincerely,

Lt. Gen. Michael A. Nelson, USAF (Ret)
President
The Retired Officers Association

Dear General Nelson,
Your leadership in the veteran’s and military communities will be sorely missed. Please know that I will be continuing the fight for the programs that you and the Retired Officers Association have championed over the years. 

It is heartwarming that 211 members of Congress have recently sent a strong message to President Bush urging him not to veto the concurrent receipt legislation. Congress, in their missive stated that, “We are writing to express our support for the elimination of the current offset between military retired pay and VA disability compensation, commonly known as concurrent receipt. 

Under present law, service-disabled military retirees must surrender a portion of their retired pay if they want to receive the disability compensation to which they are entitled. Congress enacted this unjust law in 1891, and it affects approximately 550,000 disabled military retirees. Military retirees are the only federal employees affected by the offset. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives approved the Fiscal Year 2003 budget resolution, which includes funding for a partial repeal of the dollar-for-dollar offset of military retired pay and VA disability compensation. On May 9, 2002, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 4546, the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act, which follows the FY 2003 budget resolution and includes a provision to authorize military retirees who are 60 percent or greater disabled to receive their full retired pay and VA disability compensation benefit by Fiscal Year 2007. 

Recently, the Senate approved its defense authorization measure, which completely eliminates the current offset between military retired pay and VA disability compensation. We understand that some of your senior advisors have stated that they would recommend you veto the defense authorization measure if a concurrent receipt provision is included in the final bill. We urge you to carefully consider this action. 

We stand ready to work with you on this important matter.

Shaft Kudos
The National Press Club will be sponsoring a “Book Rap” on Tuesday, September 24, 2002. . The subject book for this program will be WAR TORN a compelling account of the women who covered the war in Viet Nam. 

In War Torn, the women who made journalism history speak candidly about their professional and deeply personal experiences as young reporters and the defining moments that changed their lives forever. The women of "War Torn" were young risk-takers who saw firsthand what most Americans knew only from their morning newspapers or the evening news. It was not only dangerous--one was wounded and one was captured by the North Vietnamese--but the emotional challenges they faced as they covered the biggest story of their generation were uniquely rewarding as well.

Several Women War correspondents covering Vietnam will be telling it like it was. There will be a cash bar at 6:00 PM, a Forum taping at 6:30 PM including discussion, Q&A and book signing. The event is free, but please RSVP at 202-662-7129 or email to lauraf@press.org

Books will be provided for sale and signing by: Olsson's Books & Records. Since this is a fundraiser, no outside books are allowed.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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