Good afternoon,
I have a few items of interest to share this afternoon -- you may already be aware of these as there has been some news reporting, but nonetheless, I wanted to provide this information directly to you:
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1) As most of you already know, the Department of Defense is expanding
commissary, military exchange, and morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR)
retail privileges on U.S. military installations as specified in the Purple
Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018, included in the John
S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019.
Starting Jan. 1, 2020, access will expand to include all veterans with
service-connected disabilities, veterans who are Purple Heart recipients,
veterans who are former prisoners of war, and individuals approved and
designated as the primary family caregivers of eligible veterans under the
Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for
Family Caregivers.
New patrons who are eligible solely under this authority should be aware
that the law requires the Defense Department charge them a small user fee to
offset the increased expense incurred by the Department of the Treasury for
processing commercial credit or debit cards used for purchases at commissary
stores.
The Department of Defense is finalizing the details for these new privileges
with the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security and the
Treasury. More information will be announced soon regarding installation
access and the authentication process for these privileges.
In the meantime, the attached fact sheet contains information and a list of
frequently asked questions about the expanded benefit. The fact sheet is
also posted at Military OneSource at:
2) On November 4, the DoD Office of Inspector General (DoDIG) released its
annual report on "Top DoD Management Challenges for Fiscal Year 2020, and
its companion document outlining the FY2020 Oversight Plan. Each Inspector
General is required by law to prepare this annual statement summarizing what
the IG considers the "most serious management and performance challenges
facing the agency." Many of the challenges are persistent, long-standing
challenges facing the DoD. However, this year the DoD OIG added two new
management challenges, one of which focuses on the welfare and well-being of
service members and their families. Also included in the FY20 document is a
continued focus on providing comprehensive and cost-effective healthcare.
I have attached Top DoD Management Challenges Document for your reference,
and it may be found online at
https://www.dodig.mil/Reports/Top-DoD-Management-Challenges/Article/2007225/
top-dod-management-challenges-fiscal-year-2020/
The FY2020 Oversight Plan is available online here:
https://www.dodig.mil/In-the-Spotlight/Article/2007257/fiscal-year-2020-over
sight-plan/
More information is contained in this explanatory video released by the
DoDIG:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZybSFq3iQpg&feature=youtu.be
3) Last week, the Department of Defense announced annual cost of living adjustments that will benefit military retirees and survivors during calendar year 2020. Most military retirees will receive a 1.6 percent increase to their retired pay beginning with the pay they receive on January 1, 2020. Likewise, survivors of members who died on active or inactive duty, or survivors of military retirees who participated in the Survivor Benefit Plan will, in most cases, see a 1.6 percent increase to their annuities beginning in January. More information on this may be found in the attached document.
(Webmaster Edit Linked herein)
4) For our National Guard community who use the Joint Services Support website, please note that Joint Services Support has moved to Military OneSource. National Guard members and their immediate family can now visit Military OneSource website (https://www.militaryonesource.mil/national-guard) to access information about resources and programs available to them at the state and unit level. The following programs that were on the Joint Services Support website are now on the National Guard category on Military OneSource: . Building Healthy Military Communities, or BHMC . Joining Community Forces, or JCF . Employment Support . Family Program . Transition Assistance Program . Financial Management . Psychological Health The Yellow Ribbon Program information can be accessed by visiting https://www.yellowribbon.mil/. ************************************** Many thanks to all for your support for the department and most importantly for our Service members, veterans and their families. Best wishes, David David L. Nokes Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense
for Public Affairs/Community Engagement
The Pentagon
Forwarded from:
Bob Borka,
COO/HQMCL
Via
Lori Dashiell
Department of Florida District 5 Vice Commandant
MODD Worthy MadDog
Via
Nathan Pratt
Commandant,
Detachment 1267
Col. Phillip C. DeLong
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