Thomas McAtee posted on July 01, 2010 00:13
July 2010 Navy
by CAPT Tom McAtee
Most Retired Pay Applications Destroyed During Memphis Flood
Navy Personnel Command (NPC), specifically PERS-912, experienced three feet of water in their production spaces during the Memphis flooding over a month ago resulting in lost paperwork and delay in getting their data systems back operating. Since the data system held data on retired pay applications received but not yet processed, PERS-912 is in the process of contacting those Reservists. Reservists will be required to resubmit their retired pay applications. If you have not been contacted by PERS-912 and you had a retired pay application pending, then call the NPC Customer Service number at 1-866-827- 5672 and inquire about your status.
More Chiefs Going in Front of Forced-Retirement Board
As many as 9,000 active-duty and reserve chiefs, senior chiefs and master chiefs will go before a forced retirement board on 20 September. This is 3,000 more than the number considered last year when the board first met. This year, those in the diver, special warfare and explosive ordnance disposal fields are no longer exempt, which has driven up the number of eligibles. Chiefs in the nuclear and command master chief ratings are still exempt, as are some others. NPC officials have also expanded that pool to include chiefs with 19 years of service, as opposed to 20 years and up. Chiefs must still have three years in their paygrade. No one will be forced to leave the service before becoming retirement eligible. In addition, this year’s board will examine the records of 2,000 senior drilling reservists. Reserve eligibility rules are similar to the Active Component, except there are no exempt ratings or communities, and time in service is calculated differently. Board specifics can be found in NAVADMIN 180/10. Last year’s board, which was the first of its kind in 15 years, ended up forcing 158 chiefs to retire.
Brunswick Commissary, Navy Exchange Get Reprieve
The House passed a 2011 Defense Authorization Act that includes language keeping the Brunswick Commissary and Navy Exchange open through the end of September 2011. Traditionally, commissaries close along with the base they are associated with, and Brunswick Naval Air Station is slated to be closed by May 2011. Maine’s congressional delegation has been fighting to keep the military stores here permanently, and the six-month extension buys time in that effort. The House bill must still be merged with a Senate Defense Authorization Act and put before the President for his signature.
Pentagon Opposes Renaming Department of the Navy
The Pentagon is opposing a popular provision that would change the name of the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps. The provision, which Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) has pushed for years, has a record 415 cosponsors in the House and recently passed by unanimous consent as a standalone bill. In a letter released by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI), the Pentagon’s General Counsel, Jeh Johnson, called the effort to rename the Department of the Navy “unnecessary.”
TRICARE Up to Age 26 May Be Added to FY 2011 Defense Bill
The age extension is being considered to provide the same options to military families that will soon be available under private sector health insurance as a result of national health care reform. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that nearly 175,000 unmarried dependents age 21 to 26 would sign up TRICARE coverage if Congress approves the provision.