December 17, 2009
No. 09-76
FALLS CHURCH, Va. - A new program will offer "gray area" reservists the
opportunity to purchase TRICARE health care coverage.
While qualified members of the Selected Reserve may purchase
premium-based coverage under TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), retired National
Guard and Reserve personnel did not have TRICARE health coverage options
until they reached age 60.
Under a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for
2010, that's all changed.
The new provision will allow certain members of the Retired
Reserve who are not yet age 60 ("gray-area" retirees), to purchase TRICARE
Standard (and Extra) coverage. TRICARE Extra simply means beneficiaries
have lower out of pocket costs if they use a network provider.
"We're working hard to coordinate all the details of
eligibility, coverage and costs, and expedite implementation of this
important program," said Rear Adm. Christine Hunter, deputy director of the
TRICARE Management Activity. "This is a major benefit program with
implementation on the same magnitude as TRS. It will require detailed
design, development and testing, but qualified retired reservists should be
able to purchase coverage by late summer or early fall of 2010."
While the health care benefit provided for gray-area retirees
will be TRICARE Standard and Extra - similar to TRS - the new program will
differ from TRS in its qualifications, premiums, copayment rates and
catastrophic cap requirements. The program is tentatively called TRICARE
Retired Reserve.
The new statute requires premium rates to equal the full cost of
the coverage. That is the major difference contrasted with TRS, where the
statute provides that Selected Reserve members pay only 28 percent of the
cost of the coverage. Premiums for the new gray area retiree program will be
announced after program rules are published in the Federal Register.
This new program offers an important health coverage option for
Reserve and National Guard members who served their country honorably before
hanging up their uniforms at retirement, said Hunter. For more information
about TRICARE benefits go to http://www.tricare.mil.
About TRICARE Management Activity and the Military Health System
TRICARE Management Activity, the Defense Department activity that
administers the health care plan for the uniformed services, retirees and
their families, serves more than 9.5 million eligible beneficiaries
worldwide in the Military Health System (MHS). The mission of the MHS is to
enhance Department of Defense and national security by providing health
support for the full range of military operations. The MHS provides quality
medical care through a network of providers, military treatment facilities,
medical clinics and dental clinics worldwide. For more about the MHS go to
http://www.health.mil.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
"A Different Christmas Poem"
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
-- by Michael Marks
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
-- by Michael Marks
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
An Excellent Post by SGT Danger
My Thoughts on WarPosted by sgtdanger on Dec 1, 2009
"So far, I’ve pretty much avoided writing about anything beyond my personal experiences in Afghanistan. But now, with the President’s upcoming* announcement of a revised strategy for Afghanistan, I feel like I need to share some of my thoughts on the big picture issues."
Read on...
My Thoughts on War - by SGT Danger
So far, I’ve pretty much avoided writing about anything beyond my personal experiences in Afghanistan. But now, with the President’s upcoming* announcement of a revised strategy for Afghanistan, I feel like I need to share some of my thoughts on the big picture issues. I’ve wrestled through a half dozen rough drafts, writing some 4,000 words. I’ve been all over the place:
Read on...
Read on...
Afghanistan and Pakistan Policy Page
The Department of Defense has launched the official Afghanistan and Pakistan Policy page. Visit the site for up-to-date information and media, including a video and transcript of last night's Presidential address regarding the new way forward in Afghanistan.Read more: http://www.defense.gov/afghanpolicy/afghanpolicy.aspx
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Blogger Quits!
It's a sad day when a talented writer is forced to shut down their blog.
"Long-Standing Military Blog "A Soldier`s Perspective" Shuts Down. See A Soldiers Perspective."
See another statement here, http://milblogging.com/index.php?entry=entry091109-201947.
"Long-Standing Military Blog "A Soldier`s Perspective" Shuts Down. See A Soldiers Perspective."
See another statement here, http://milblogging.com/index.php?entry=entry091109-201947.
Monday, November 02, 2009
H.R.4930 - National Guardsmen and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act
To amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who have served on active duty or performed active service since September 11, 2001, in support of a contingency operation or in other emergency situations receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay, and for other purposes.
This bill appears to be stuck in a subcommitte review. Contact your Congressman and help get the ball rolling on this important bill.
Read more...
This bill appears to be stuck in a subcommitte review. Contact your Congressman and help get the ball rolling on this important bill.
Read more...
War Song
"War Song" by O.A.R. from IAVA on Vimeo.
Check out the exclusive music video by O.A.R. and then show your support for our newest generation of heroes at OpenUpYourArms.org.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
"The Pentagon's Wasting Assets", by Andrew F. Krepinevich, Jr., An Article Review
INTRODUCTION
I found this to be an interesting piece of writing in which the author posed arguments with which I tend to agree. In his article Andrew Krepinevich illuminates how the United States’ failure to address its aging and antiquated strategies, equipment, and tactics has had a negative impact on our ability to effectively engage in the conflicts of the twenty-first century. Mr. Krepinevich discusses the effects of western technologies, eastern stratagems, power projection, irregular forces, virtual forces and the imperative to adapt to illustrate his point. By reviving an old Cold War term, “wasting asset”, he demonstrates how it is irresponsible to “remain reluctant to engage in the hard thinking necessary for anticipatory transformation” or to prepare “for emerging challenges by identifying new capabilities to offset or replace those that are progressively wasting.” In my opinion, Mr. Krepinevich does an excellent job of emphasizing how failure to adapt could result in the United States’ ineffectively addressing the enemies of the future.
ARTICLE SUMMARY
The author states that, “Just as it took over half a decade of effort to address the United States’ loss of its nuclear monopoly, a strategy to address the United States’ current wasting assets will not be crafted overnight.” And when developing this strategy he believes the United States should focus on several areas, such as cyberspace, guerilla warfare, and specifically Iran and China, which pose formidable challenges for us. The global spread and availability of a wide variety of technological assets, and increasingly adaptive thinking in a swiftly changing geopolitical environment are “rapidly eroding the advantages the U.S. military has long enjoyed.” Simply put, much of our current equipment and strategies, designed for Cold War linear conflicts, is inappropriate for the types of engagements we are facing today, and further, for those in the future. He offers several solutions to this dilemma: 1) the U.S. should conserve the majority of its assets for direct combat operations and should provide small, highly equipped, highly skilled forces to advise foreign, indigenous militaries, 2) lessons learned by engaging irregular forces must be institutionalized, 3) resources should be allocated for the development of better “hunter-killer” unmanned aircraft; and, 4) the U.S. should continue to engage its partners in the Middle East to reassure them that it is our intention to maintain a stable balance in the region and not to “generate a threat.”
SO WHAT?
Mr. Krepinevich’s arguments have implications for all five civil affairs core tasks, but perhaps most significantly Nation Assistance (NA). The goal of NA is to promote long-term regional stability. NA, Security Assistance (SA) and Foreign Internal Defense (FID), two sub-components of NA, are dependent upon our ability to develop agreements with host nation governments. Our ability to achieve these goals is firmly vetted in our ability to think adaptively and divest ourselves from antiquated equipment, technology, and to abandon military strategies that are no longer applicable in an environment of asymmetric combat. If we cannot achieve stability, the agreements we foster will never achieve their desired long lasting effects.
LINK TO SELF
Since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, I have deployed twice as a reservist. Now I’m on the docket to deploy a third time. When I return from this third deployment, should I keep my duffle bags mentally packed and by the front door? Are we stuck? Did we forget the lessons of Vietnam? What is the way ahead? The short answer as posed by Mr. Krepinevich and one I agree with is the “lessons learned by the U.S. military and the capabilities developed in waging irregular warfare” must be institutionalized if we expect to not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Krepinevich, Jr., Andrew F. “The Pentagon’s Wasting Assets, The Eroding Foundations of American Power.” Foreign Affairs 88.4 (2009) 18-33.
I found this to be an interesting piece of writing in which the author posed arguments with which I tend to agree. In his article Andrew Krepinevich illuminates how the United States’ failure to address its aging and antiquated strategies, equipment, and tactics has had a negative impact on our ability to effectively engage in the conflicts of the twenty-first century. Mr. Krepinevich discusses the effects of western technologies, eastern stratagems, power projection, irregular forces, virtual forces and the imperative to adapt to illustrate his point. By reviving an old Cold War term, “wasting asset”, he demonstrates how it is irresponsible to “remain reluctant to engage in the hard thinking necessary for anticipatory transformation” or to prepare “for emerging challenges by identifying new capabilities to offset or replace those that are progressively wasting.” In my opinion, Mr. Krepinevich does an excellent job of emphasizing how failure to adapt could result in the United States’ ineffectively addressing the enemies of the future.
ARTICLE SUMMARY
The author states that, “Just as it took over half a decade of effort to address the United States’ loss of its nuclear monopoly, a strategy to address the United States’ current wasting assets will not be crafted overnight.” And when developing this strategy he believes the United States should focus on several areas, such as cyberspace, guerilla warfare, and specifically Iran and China, which pose formidable challenges for us. The global spread and availability of a wide variety of technological assets, and increasingly adaptive thinking in a swiftly changing geopolitical environment are “rapidly eroding the advantages the U.S. military has long enjoyed.” Simply put, much of our current equipment and strategies, designed for Cold War linear conflicts, is inappropriate for the types of engagements we are facing today, and further, for those in the future. He offers several solutions to this dilemma: 1) the U.S. should conserve the majority of its assets for direct combat operations and should provide small, highly equipped, highly skilled forces to advise foreign, indigenous militaries, 2) lessons learned by engaging irregular forces must be institutionalized, 3) resources should be allocated for the development of better “hunter-killer” unmanned aircraft; and, 4) the U.S. should continue to engage its partners in the Middle East to reassure them that it is our intention to maintain a stable balance in the region and not to “generate a threat.”
SO WHAT?
Mr. Krepinevich’s arguments have implications for all five civil affairs core tasks, but perhaps most significantly Nation Assistance (NA). The goal of NA is to promote long-term regional stability. NA, Security Assistance (SA) and Foreign Internal Defense (FID), two sub-components of NA, are dependent upon our ability to develop agreements with host nation governments. Our ability to achieve these goals is firmly vetted in our ability to think adaptively and divest ourselves from antiquated equipment, technology, and to abandon military strategies that are no longer applicable in an environment of asymmetric combat. If we cannot achieve stability, the agreements we foster will never achieve their desired long lasting effects.
LINK TO SELF
Since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, I have deployed twice as a reservist. Now I’m on the docket to deploy a third time. When I return from this third deployment, should I keep my duffle bags mentally packed and by the front door? Are we stuck? Did we forget the lessons of Vietnam? What is the way ahead? The short answer as posed by Mr. Krepinevich and one I agree with is the “lessons learned by the U.S. military and the capabilities developed in waging irregular warfare” must be institutionalized if we expect to not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Krepinevich, Jr., Andrew F. “The Pentagon’s Wasting Assets, The Eroding Foundations of American Power.” Foreign Affairs 88.4 (2009) 18-33.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
McChrystal's Afghan Report
"Failure to provide adequate resources ... risks a longer conflict, greater casualties, higher overall costs and, ultimately, a critical loss of political support," he wrote in the 66-page document. "Any of these risks, in turn, are likely to result in mission failure."Read the unclassified version of LTG Stanley McChrystal's full Afghanistan report.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Civil Affairs
I'm currently attending the Civil Affairs Qualification Course at Ft. Bragg. Here's a little bit about what Civil Affairs does in a theater of operations -- Civil Affairs.And here's a little bit about the history of Civil Affairs -- History of Civil Affairs.
This is my unit, the 431st Civil Affairs Battalion.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Op-Ed: Obama's Strategic Blind Spot
How many troops here; what anti-terror tactics to employ there -- those questions miss the point.
By Andrew J. Bacevich
July 6, 2009
By Andrew J. Bacevich
July 6, 2009
"Are there not other alternatives than sending our armies to chew barbed wire in Flanders?" During the bitter winter of 1914-15, the first lord of the Admiralty posed this urgent question to Britain's prime minister.The eighth anniversary of 9/11, now fast approaching, invites attention to a similar question: Are there not other alternatives than sending our armies to choke on the dust of Iraq and Afghanistan? Read more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
