VFW at the RNC: Final Thoughts as Romney Accepts Nomination

The 2012 Republican National Convention drew to a close last night with a star-studded lineup, including legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood. An impressive lineup of American Olympians both past and present, ranging from figure skater Scott Hamilton to skeet shooter Kim Rhode, also made an impression on the audience.

Many of the speakers worked to highlight the character and success of the man of the hour, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. The excitement and anticipation reached a crescendo with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s lead-in remarks that highlighted his family story of hard work and achievement.

Though Romney’s articulate and passionate remarks largely focused on the economy and his vision for solving the problems leading to lingering unemployment, he also spoke on a broad range of other topics, including national defense, pending budget cuts to the Pentagon, and foreign policy.

However, one point that the VFW noticed was lacking in his remarks was much mention of our reliance on the brave men and women who wear the uniform to execute those policy decisions; and the moral obligation our nation has to honor their service and to care for those who have borne the battle.

Looking back on the convention, we cannot recall a single mention of a specific policy relating to veterans. It’s clear that we have a lot of work to do – regardless of who may be elected to the White House – to advance the needs and interests of those who have served our nation. We hope we can count on you to join in this noble and important work.

Your VFW will now head to Charlotte, N.C., for the Democratic National Convention. Check back next week for daily updates, as we seek to hold our leaders accountable for the needs of our nation’s heroes.

(Image: Mitt and Ann Romney, alongside Paul and Janna Ryan, wave to the crowd as the 2012 Republican National Convention draws to a close in Tampa. Photo by Ray Kelley.)

VFW Applauds White House Efforts to Stop Military Suicide

The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., the nation’s largest organization of combat veterans, applauded the president’s signing of an executive order this morning designed to curb military and veteran suicide and improve the delivery of mental health resources to our nation’s heroes.

“Today, more American service members die by their own hands than at the hands of our enemies, which is why the VFW is proud to see our commander-in-chief taking action to address this national crisis,” said VFW National Commander John E. Hamilton. “Long, repeat deployments through more than a decade of war have taken an immeasurable toll on our nation’s newest generation of heroes. We have an obligation to care for these brave men and women when they return from the front lines, and we think this executive order will be a critical step in fulfilling that obligation.”

The executive order, “Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members and Military Families,” which President Obama announced during a visit to Fort Bliss in Texas, includes nearly a dozen specific initiatives designed to improve mental health resources and intervention tools.

Among the initiatives included in the executive order, VA and its partner agencies are directed to increase the capacity of the veteran crisis line, 1-800-273-8255; leverage training initiatives to hire 800 peer-to-peer counselors and 1,600 mental health professionals by June 2013; ensure veterans in crisis receive care within 24 hours; develop a National Research Action Plan across federal agencies to improve early intervention for those suffering from invisible wounds; and create an Interagency Task Force reporting directly to the White House on strategies to improve outreach and intervention for veterans, service members, and their families.

The VFW fully supports the president’s vision to prevent military suicides and improve mental health care delivery, but Hamilton also expressed concerns about potential funding shortfalls to accomplish the president’s goals.

“We hope that as VA and the Pentagon work with their partner agencies to deliver on these initiatives, that a comprehensive plan is in place to fund it without negatively affecting the continuum of care that our veterans rely on,” said Hamilton, who received three Purple Hearts for wounds sustained as a Marine Corps rifleman in Vietnam. “This morning the president pledged to help the brave military men and women who continue to suffer in silence, and the VFW stands ready to assist the Administration in delivering on this pledge.”

To read the executive order, click here.

Post Reports That Pentagon Fudged TRICARE Numbers

The Washington Post reported this week that the Department of Defense has requested nearly $3 billion over the last three years be moved from funds dedicated to TRICARE into weapons programs and other accounts unrelated to healthcare, despite assurances from Pentagon officials that healthcare costs were "eating the U.S. military alive."

According to a report on the FY2013 Defense Appropriations Act provided by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, the Pentagon reprogrammed $1.36 billion dollars from TRICARE in fiscal year 2011, $772 million in fiscal year 2010, and requested an additional $708 million to reprogram from this year's budget.

This reprogramming has been happening at a time that the VFW has worked tirelessly to prevent the Pentagon from arbitrarily raising TRICARE copayments, adding and expanding fees, and tying increases to medical inflation; while retiree health costs are rising at an average rate of 2.6 percent.

"The VFW is adamant that the Pentagon must not be allowed to pull this bait-and-switch on Congress and TRICARE beneficiaries," said VFW Executive Director Bob Wallace. "Instead, the Pentagon must improve its budget and management controls so Congress can have an accurate view of the fiscal situation within TRICARE and the entire Military Health System before shifting responsibility to those who choose to wear the uniform to pay for their own health care."

Your VFW has been one of the few veterans' organizations in Washington fighting to prevent any increases in military health care premiums, encouraging Washington bureaucrats to do the hard work of generating a more cost-effective military, without jeopardizing the welfare of military families and breaking faith with military retirees.

VFW advocacy efforts earlier this year successfully fought off TRICARE fee increases, and in light of this recent report, the VFW intends only to ratchet up the pressure.

To make your voice heard on TRICARE fees, click here, and check back regularly with this blog for updates.

To read the full Senate report, click here. Details on health care reprogramming can be found on p. 228. 

VFW Mobilizes to Fight Defense Budget Proposals

The Pentagon unveiled its budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 this week, drawing criticism from the VFW for several proposals potentially hurting military personnel and retirees.

In a statement this afternoon, the VFW balked at Pentagon recommendations to create tiered systems for retirees participating in TRICARE, as well as new pharmaceutical copayments for military dependents and retirees, calling the ideas “deal breakers.” These latest proposals come on the heels of new fee increases tied to annual cost-of-living adjustments approved by Congress just last year.

“We will not allow the nation’s economic problems drive a military downsizing strategy that breaks faith with every man and woman who has ever worn the uniform,” said VFW Commander-in-Chief Richard L. DeNoyer. “We will not allow the budget crisis to be more important that the men and women who serve and sacrifice to keep everything and everyone we hold dear safe.”

The VFW has been the most vocal opponent of proposed TRICARE and pharmaceutical increases since exposing the ideas as part of last summer’s “10 for 10” campaign, and DeNoyer said the VFW plans to vocally oppose these new proposals, mobilizing its grassroots Action Corps against these new increases.

VFW is calling on its members and advocates from coast to coast to reach out to their members of Congress, asking them to oppose increases in health care fees on military retirees and military families. VFW leaders have consistently said that such proposals break the nation’s promise to care for the men and women who defend our nation and their loved ones. To read the full Action Alert, or sign up to join the Action Corps, click here.

“So few Americans serve in the military, and far fewer serve a full career in the military, making these brave few an easy target for some in Washington now that the wars are no longer front-page news,” said VFW National Legislative Director Ray Kelley. “Our military retirees and our military families have earned these benefits through their sustained sacrifices, which is why it is our obligation as veterans’ advocates to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them to maintain the integrity of the system.”

The VFW offers resources to help you contact your legislators by clicking here.

Earlier this week, DeNoyer and the VFW praised the proposed increases in the VA budget, but cautioned that Defense cuts and lack of proper investment across VA could hurt the agency’s ability to care for today’s veterans.

“The VFW appreciates the proposed increase because it recognizes that the proper care and treatment of wounded, ill and injured veterans are ongoing costs of war," said DeNoyer. “We remain concerned, however, that the amount is not enough for the VA to maintain much less improve all the programs and services on their watch, especially knowing the Defense Department plans to shrink the size of the military, which will directly increase the number of veterans seeking VA care and services.”

The VFW will testify alongside partners in the Independent Budget before the House Veterans Affairs Committee tomorrow, outlining how the veterans’ community believes the VA should be funded in FY 2013. The Independent Budget is a roadmap for funding veterans’ programs compiled by AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the VFW that Congress has used for more than a quarter century to help guide the VA budget process. Details on the hearing can be found here, and check back with this blog tomorrow morning to watch live.

We want to hear your thoughts on this week’s budget proposals for both VA and DoD. Please leave your comments below and check back throughout this week for updates.

VFW Denounces Survey on Military Benefits; What do You Think?

This week Stars & Stripes reported that a defense think tank, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, was looking to conduct a survey of current and former military service members to gather data on which benefits remain top priorities for those who volunteer to serve. The survey comes in the wake of announcements from Department of Defense officials that personnel benefits and programs – particularly retirement pensions and health care – could face potential cuts in the coming years. The VFW has vowed to fight these potential cuts at all costs.

After reading through the CSBA survey, VFW leaders balked at the tone of the questions, which asked participants to rate certain military benefits over others, and then determine the kinds of benefit packages that would be preferable to service members in the future. The survey also asked for pointed demographic information such as service branch, years active, overseas deployments, and age. The VFW is discouraging its members from participating in the survey, since the data will likely be used as an endorsement of certain benefit cuts by service members, themselves.

“Our military men and women have earned these benefits through their honorable wartime service over the last decade, and the VFW is insulted that these same men and women would now be asked to put their heads in a noose by tacitly admitting cuts to their earned benefits are somehow acceptable,” said VFW Legislative Director Ray Kelley. “The VFW does not accept the notion that cuts to personnel programs and benefits are the only viable solution. We have an obligation to provide for our war-fighters and their loved ones, and the VFW will not let Congress or the Pentagon shirk that obligation.”

Kelley went on to say that the survey’s pointed questions on specific cuts and proposed changes actually pit different demographic groups of service members and veterans against each other – enlisted versus officer, retiree versus separated service member, or even young versus old – by asking questions like whether a one-time pay raise would be worth deferring all retiree benefits until 65.

“These kinds of questions are loaded from the beginning,” said Kelley. “Since 92 percent of military men and women choose to leave before retirement, the likely answer will favor a pay raise, which would essentially endorse cutting benefits for those who choose career military service. We shouldn't be asked to choose one over the other.”

At first glance, the survey looks like it offers service members and veterans a voice in the debate on potential cuts to the DoD budget. However, the VFW believes that the CSBA has already made up its mind that quality-of-life cuts are on the way, and data compiled from the survey will offer a military endorsement to move forward with specific recommendations.

In testimony before the House Budget Committee in 2010, CSBA equated military personnel benefit costs to pension costs for companies like General Motors. Though the testimony did not recommend specifics, the tone implied that providing for the needs of war-fighters was a wasteful venture for the Pentagon.

The VFW was the first major veterans organization to see these kinds of cuts on the horizon as part of last summer’s “10 for 10” campaign. Since the program’s roll-out, VFW leaders have consistently sought input from VFW members and veterans around the country, calling to preserve earned military and veterans’ benefits.

"Service members and veterans already have a voice in this debate, and they've consistently used that voice to say 'no' to proposed benefit cuts through advocates like the VFW and through direct outreach to Congressional offices," said Kelley. "We’ll do everything in our power to make sure their voices continue to be heard over the voices of those looking for a quick fix."

VFW is in the process of assessing the military retirement system and plans to make recommendations that can start a conversation on cost savings while maintaining the integrity of the system. The VFW wants to demonstrate that the Pentagon may actually be able to offer improved benefits for military personnel and at the same time save money simply by implementing smarter business practices. Be on the look-out for these specific recommendations in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, we want to know what you think about proposed changes to military benefits and which courses of action would be the most responsible. Take our short poll and please leave your comments below.

What should Congress do about military retirement benefits?

Keep earned benefits the same. Find savings elsewhere.Keep benefits the same, but defer all pensions to 65Keep the 20-year system, but offer some benefits for non-career serviceChange over to a 401(k)-style system for allIncrease pay, but cut all benefitsOther (details in comments)

pollcode.com free polls

VFW Reacts to Pentagon Budget Priorities

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta unveiled the Pentagon’s budget priorities this week for fiscal year 2013, reflecting the Administration’s calls for a leaner, more agile force as the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down. In light of pledges from the Pentagon to ensure that the U.S. military remains a lethal and effective force, VFW leaders voiced their concerns over proposed cuts that could dilute the quality of America’s military and possibly threaten the continued viability of the all-volunteer force.

The Defense Department is expected to request $525 billion as a baseline budget for FY2013, with an additional $88.4 billion for overseas contingencies; $6 billion and $27 billion less, respectively, than FY 2012. Five key strategies for DoD include driving the future military force, which will be smaller and leaner; repositioning with more emphasis on Asia-Pacific and the Middle East; strengthening through better alliances and partnerships; and developing an extremely agile and deadly force, which will be second-to-none in technology and capability.

Some key priorities and choices that could be made over the next five years include:

• To reduce the active Army from 570,000 to 490,000 soldiers, and the active Marine Corps from 202,000 to 182,000.
• To reduce the number of Air Force tactical air squadrons from 60 to 54, but maintain the current bomber fleet, as well as the Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers, 10 air wings and big-deck amphibious fleet.
• To fund a new bomber, increase cruise missile capacity in future Virginia-class submarines, and increase investments in cyber capabilities, special operations, homeland missile defense, countering weapons of mass destruction, and projecting power into denied areas.
• To provide service members full pay raises in 2013 and 2014, but begin limiting increases starting in 2015.
• To ask Congress to conduct a comprehensive review of the military retirement system, while grandfathering all current retirees and service members into the existing system.
• To recommend increases in healthcare fees, co-pays and deductibles for military retirees using a tiered approach, based on their retired pay, as well as create a TRICARE for Life enrollment fee for retirees age 65 and older. Exempt would be medical retirees and survivors of those who died on active duty.

In response to the announcement, VFW leaders said they continue to be wary of plans to change the current military retirement system and potentially saddle military retirees with higher health care costs.

“We are pleased to continually hear pledges from the White House and Pentagon that retirees and those serving in uniform today will be grandfathered under the old system, but our concern is for tomorrow's recruit,” said VFW Executive Director Bob Wallace. “Asking someone to first donate 20 or more years of their youth in return for the immediate receipt of a modest retirement pay is a contract, which cannot be compared with any civilian occupation or retirement plan. We are concerned, however, that by introducing civilian retirement plans into a military world it has zero in common with, could signal the end of the all-volunteer force. A lot of trial balloons have been floated, so we have to wait for details.”

Traditionally, only eight percent of America’s military men and women serve until retirement age. With already low retention of career service members, the VFW is concerned that too many new proposed incentives for highly-trained and highly-qualified leaders to leave the military early could thin the force to such an extent that the last person standing, not the best qualified, could serve as the next service chief or senior enlisted leader. Plus, too many incentives to leave could also mean a watered down G.I. Bill for veterans.

VFW leaders went on to say that increasing enrollment fees and copayments while reducing services for retirees is a breach of faith with all who choose to serve; a sentiment the VFW has consistently voiced since launching the “10 for 10” campaign against military and veterans’ benefits cuts last summer.

When discussions of an overhaul to the military retirement first surfaced, the VFW polled readers on this blog about their inclinations to serve a full career with watered-down retirement benefits. The results, which can be viewed here, indicated to VFW leaders that such changes would threaten the continued viability of the all-volunteer force by incentivizing the best and brightest to leave early in their military careers.

Your VFW will continue to fight against these proposals, ensuring that America’s military remains strong and sustainable for future generations. Keep posted to this blog for updates.

(Image: Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, brief the press on major budget decisions stemming from the defense strategic guidance at the Pentagon, Jan. 26, 2012. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley.)