Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 07/12/2004

Dear Sgt. Shaft, Despite pressure from Senate Armed Services Committee leadership, Sen. Mary Landrieu (La.) was successful in her efforts to include Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) reform in the Senate version of the FY 2005 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Landrieu originally called for a 3.5 year phase-out of the reduction in SBP annuities when beneficiaries reach age 62 and begin to receive Social Security benefits. However, the final amendment includes a phase-out that will take place over 10 years.

Additionally, an open enrollment season is authorized for retirees who did not enroll in SBP at retirement. New "open season" enrollees will be required to pay back all premiums accrued since their retirement, plus interest. Landrieu's original amendment called for a more modest premium - similar to the SBP provisions of the House-approved NDAA - proportional to how long they've been retired. Although the House and Senate present differing versions of SBP reform, inclusion of Landrieu's amendment in the Senate NDAA is the starting point for negotiations when the measure is discussed during upcoming conference committee deliberations.

This is a significant step toward eliminating the SBP offset, and FRA is grateful to Sen. Landrieu and Rep. Jeff Miller (Fla.), who championed this cause in the House, for their leadership in campaigning to restore equity and credibility to this vital program. Sgt. Shaft, you also deserve some of the credit. While introducing her amendment, Sen. Landrieu cited your 23 Feb. 2004 column, which included a letter detailing why it's necessary to reform this unfair and debilitating law, and asked that it be entered into the Congressional Record.

FRA thanks you for providing a forum where this issue could be publicized, but there is still more work to be done. We urge those who wish to help to advance SBP reform visit the Association's Action Center at http://www.fra.org/action/index.html, click on "Urge Your Elected Official to Support Funding for SBP Reform Legislation" and send a prewritten e-mail letter of support to their congressional representatives.

Sincerely,
Joe Barnes
National Executive Secretary
Fleet Reserve Association

Dear Joe,
The following letter is a compelling reason to continue the quest for SBP reform.

Dear Sgt Shaft,
I hope you can help me with a problem. My mother is now a widow. My father gave up the fight to live two years ago. He was one of those 1000 veterans that die every day. He was on Omaha Beach during the Normandy Invasion and served his country well. When my father retired in 1963, he remained in the reserves for 10 more years, more than 30 years of service. He would always tell me, “If anything ever happens to me, your mother will get my survivor benefit plan that I enrolled in when I retired”. He told me that she would receive 55% of his military check. He estimated that between his Social Security and SBP, she would be okay not great but could make it. By the time my father passed away in April 2002, he had paid into this plan for 40 years. What he didn’t know is that Congress had decided that after age 62, widows who receive Social Security would not get 55 %, but 35 % because Congress thought that SS would cover the cost of living increases. Hello! Its 2004 and the cost of living is high. Here is how this is set up for her and I know there are thousands of widows in the same boat. She gets $986.00 from SS and her Navy check from Dad is $356.00. Now you total that all together and she gets $1342.00. Now lets start deducting her bills. Mortgage $750.00 electricity-$112-Insurances-350-Phone-65.00- which leaves $65.00. Now other bills haven’t been paid. She went to get Navy help. They helped her one time with money to pay her electric bill. It’s higher in the winter. Now I know some people would say why doesn’t she get a job? Well at 74 she could get a job standing in Wal-Mart saying Hello welcome to Wal-Mart, but I believe that’s wrong. After all think of all these men and woman who paid into this SBP and I mean paid for over forty years, and then had their congressional representatives vote that they didn’t need it? How will their families be taken care of? I think the WWII memorial is beautiful and well deserved, but these widows can’t eat it... Most of then either die of a broken heart or put them selves in a home to die alone because they cant afford to live in the place they spent their last years together.
 

Thanks for your time.
Deborah R.
Delaware

Shaft Notes
Kudos to Pitney Bowes for launching their "Memorial Day Letter Writing Campaign" that is helped children in schools in several cities around the country write letters to U.S. Marines who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This program is in conjunction with their ongoing "Powering Literacy" program,

As part of the program, children in the fifth through eighth grades at participating schools experienced the opportunity to learn about the Marine Corps and Memorial Day from Marine representatives and gain valuable letter-writing skills. Pitney Bowes also provided the writing materials to create personalized letters and metered the mail for delivery.

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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