Information Track for New Naval Reservists

8Retirees’ CornerStatus of TRICARE RetailPharmacy Mandatory GenericDrug ProgramCDR Sharon K. Kleinschmidt, USNR (Ret)National VP for Retired PersonnelThe Department of Defense (DoD)and Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI), areworking together to promote a highquality, cost-effective pharmacy benefit.A key factor in making this benefit asuccess is the mandatory generic drugprogram, which has been in place for morethan ten years. This program requiresthat prescriptions be filled with thegeneric product, instead of brand name, ifone is available.When the new TRICARE RetailPharmacy program contract wasimplemented on 1 Jun. 2004, the genericpolicy was enforced consistently by ESI.This resulted in denials of prescriptionsfor brand-name drugs for many beneficiariesaccustomed to receiving brand-nameproducts even when generic equivalentswere available.DoD has contracted with ESI to mail aletter to all patients who were receiving abrand-name drug on 1 Jun. 2004, forwhich there was a generic equivalentavailable. The letter states that thebeneficiaries’ current prescription for thebrand-name medication will be honoreduntil they have obtained all the refillsremaining on their current prescription.Once that prescription runs out, any newprescription that is presented at their retailpharmacy for a brand-name medicationwill be filled with the generic equivalent.The brand-name medication will not becovered unless medical necessity forthe brand-name medication has beenestablished. In order for medical necessityto be established, one or more of thefollowing must occur:* Patient must experience, or would belikely to experience, significantadverse effects from the genericmedicine;* The generic medicine has resulted in,or is likely to result in, therapeuticfailure; and,* Patient has previously responded tothe brand-name medication andchanging to the generic medicationwould incur an unacceptable clinicalrisk.It is well understood that patienttreatment decisions are between thepatient and the doctor. If the physicianfeels that it is medically necessary for thepatient to continue to receive the brandnameversion of the medication instead ofthe generic, then the physician should bedirected to call the TRICARE RetailPharmacy program’s prior authorizationline at 1-866-684-4488. This should bedone prior to the patient obtaining the nextprescription at the retail pharmacy inorder to the letter of medical necessityfirst. Unless the patient has an approvedletter of medical necessity before he/shefills the new prescription, he/she will haveto pay the full cost of the medication inaddition to the cost share. For additionalquestions regarding the prescription drugbenefit, please contact Express Scripts at1-866-DoD-TRRx (1-866-363-8779) tospeak with a patient care advocate. OtherExpress Scripts contact information isavailable online at .IMPORTANT NOTICEARE YOU A DEPENDENT OR SURVIVOR OF A RETIREEAND ARE APPROACHING OR OVER AGE 75?If you are a dependent or survivor age 75 or over and your ID card expires, your new ID card will be PERMANENT,no longer subject to renewal. This change in law will convenience many who previously had to go through theinconvenience of ID card renewal every four years.NAME CHANGE AFTER RETIREMENTIf you’re a female service member who marries or remarries after retirement, you may officially change your name.To do so, you will need to write a letter specifically requesting an official name change. Specify your old nameand requested new name. Include in your request a copy of the marriage certificate, copy of new spouse’s socialsecurity card and a copy of spouses birth certificate. Once NRPC receives the request with information, NRPC will contactyou by letter. Send requested material to: Commanding Officer, Naval Reserve Personnel Command, N332; 4400 DauphineSt.; New Orleans, LA 70149.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

10L egislative UpdateLegislative Goals for 109th CongressYour InputWe recently asked our membershipby e-mail to provide suggestedfocus on possible goals for the 109thCongress. The list of goals we sent electronicallyappears on our legislative Web page . We thank the many members whoresponded. The following items are those issuesthat respondents felt we should focus onduring the 1st Session of the 109th Congress. Iencourage all interested readers to let us hearfrom you on the suggested focus our membershiphas provided.The following items received the highestinterest of members. Please note that all of theissues listed received membership interest, butthe following had a high degree of attention.High interest items:* Reduce Retirement Age. Currently the RCmembers are the only federal entity that does notreceive their earned retirement annuity at the timethey have completed their service. RC members oftenare sacrificing 401K payments and promotions.With the increase in deployments of one in six yearsor less, we are urging Congress to address thisissue. There are cost-neutral options.NOTE: Two respondents felt this was somethingwe should not consider at all.* Regeneration/ reconstitution of the ReserveComponents.* Naval Reserve Force mission transformationand integration. Recent GAO reports indicatethat integration efforts have been withoutdocumentation. An additional GAO investigationis required to evaluate current integration.* Transformation and rebalancing changeshave been presented piecemeal which has madeimplementation impact hard to determine. Weare supporting better fidelity and rigorous analysisof transformation initiatives and rebalancingplanning. With the level of RC contribution tothe total force on a continuous and increasedpace, we are encouraging Congress to maintainforce end-strength, and to equip properly theReserve Forces. Recent downsizing has beenthe result of cost avoidance. We support fullsupport for training requirements and increasedsupport for equipment for Reserve Components.* NREA. We will fully inform Congress ofthose equipment shortages that are required forthe Naval Reserve Force. Congress is veryconcerned about this issue and intends to addressequipment shortages during the 109th Congress.* MGIB-SR Enhancements. RC membersexperience many problems when mobilized.By CAPT Ike Puzon, USNR (Ret)Education benefit eligibility, student loans, tuitionrefunds, and degree standing policies vary widely andmany result in increasing hardships for mobilizedmembers. Specifically work for Congressional action on:* Begin eligibility period when militarymember elects to use the program upon firstapplication to use the benefit.* Reduce the obligation period from six yearsto four years for Selected Reserve.* Increase the benefits to the authorized 47percent rate.* Stipulate that RC can use their educationbenefits when mobilized.* Require college refund provisions for RCpersonnel who lose tuition expenses due tomob/recall.* Adjust interest rates on federal student loanswhen the market drops below six per cent.* Health Care for RC Members and TheirDependents. We are seeking permanent legislation toprovide seamless health care coverage to service membersand their families in the Reserve Components.* Full participation in TRICARE for membersof the Selected Reserve on a cost-share basiswhen not on active duty.* Allow the option of an equivalent offset tocivilian plan premiums during activation.* Further strengthen rights under USERRA ifcoverage is terminated due to TRICARE benefitsprovided prior to mob.* Extend TRICARE Dental coverage to RCmembers for 120 days post mob.* Commission on the Guard and Reserve. We areurging Congress to support fully the commission toreview a number of issues including briefings onmultiple pay and compensation issues, transformationand rebalancing issues, roles and missions for theReserve Components, and equipment reconstitutionfor the Guard and Reserve Components. Thiscommission can make lasting recommendationsthat can be translated into legislation for 21stcentury Guard and Reserve Components.Overall, our membership showed keen interestin shaping our legislative focus. These highinterestitems show a membership concernfor issues that greatly affect our ReserveComponent, and the Active Component.During these times of change, our membershipis concerned about the changes and the impactof the "transformation" of the Naval (Navy)Reserve. We heard from many that they feelthat the efforts have not been well thought out;and that the "not-so-new" vision for the NavalReserve Component is good, but with no wellthoughtout plan to execute the vision. Many ofour members believe that we are migrating theNaval Reserve to a contract military force,yet not recognizing what the sacrifices of thepeople involved in providing the contractedmilitary services are.Recent discussions with actual members ofthe Naval Reserve Component indicate thatour membership is right on the mark. NavalReserve members have indicated that actualimplementation does not follow rhetoric.Several still have questions about how andwhen Active Components will train and makeavailable equipment, if Reserve equipment islost. There are far more questions than there areanswers regarding current integration.The 109th Congress will be different thanprevious, yet much of the same politicalizationof issues will prevail. Our legislative team willfocus on the above items. It will be absolutelyessential for our membership to engageCongressional representatives on these issues.As you know by now, Congressional efforts arewell under way. Keeping the pressure on is theonly way to get these items into legislation. Asyou have seen in the recent past, the currentintegration efforts are based on cost avoidancerather than sound strategy. If you desire to havea Reserve Component for our National SecurityStrategy, and National Military Strategy,then you must engage your Congressionalrepresentatives.There has been a lot of discussion about“support” to the Active Component. Some of theperspective of the Active Component membersis way off due to cultural issues and lack ofeducation. As we all know, leadership can changeone or both of these issues over time. You onlyhave to review recent writings and actions torealize that much has to change for integrationto have a positive effect on war-fightingcapabilities. For a very long time, the ReserveComponent of the Navy has been doing nothingbut supporting the Active Component; in factthey have been working very hard at it, only tofind road blocks to their participation! So, howwould you explain the performance of deployedReserve Forces (Yes, Naval Reserve Force,including the full-time people, have beendeploying since 1976, and earlier.)?As we have seen in recent events, ournational commitments are worldwide andUNPREDICTABLE; and the Reserve Componentsare essential to successful implementation of ourNational goals. Please view our list legislativegoals on our Web page .NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

11INFORMATION TRACK FORNEW NAVAL RESERVISTSBy CAPT Tom McAtee, USNR (Ret)Information contained in this article is beneficial to all Reservists;however, the content will have the greatest impact on:OFFICER/ENLISTED PERSONNEL RECENTLY RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTYDIRECT COMMISSIONED OFFICERSIN-SERVICE PROCUREMENT CWO, ENS, AND LTJGINTERSERVICE TRANSFERSFactual, precise information is an essential commodity for today’s Reservist.Why? Due to our electronic world, Navy general and career information ispassed so quickly and virtually on a daily basis. Since the receptacle for themajority of the information is your local Naval Reserve Activity, your exposure timeto gather this information is a mere two days a month at best. So, how does anew Reservist get answers to the following questions?Is a Selected Reservist also in the Ready Reserve?How do I get promoted in the Naval Reserve?What happens if I get injured while in a duty status?How long can I stay in the Naval Reserve?What are my benefits/entitlements while on active duty?What happens if I can no longer drill on a regular basis?Is a Reserve Non-Regular retirement worth it?Answers to these questions and other pertinent information can come fromseveral sources within the Naval Reserve structure; but more and more officer andenlisted personnel are relying on what we call an “information advocate” such asthe Naval Reserve Association to monitor, collect, assimilate, and logically presentthat information critical to today’s Reservist.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

12UNDERSTANDING YOUR NAVALRESERVE STATUSUnderstanding the exact terminology and the variations ofNaval Reserve status takes a little study. Since Naval Reservestatus is sometimes misunderstood by both new and seasonedReservists, the status matrix below should set you on the righttrack. But, just in case you need a little help, try to rememberthe following general rules:The Ready Reserve includes the Selected Reserve, VoluntaryTraining Units (VTU), and the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).The VTU is part of the IRR, but Reservists are administeredas if in the Selected Reserve in regard to drill accounting,performance reports, SGLI, and other personnel matters.Transfers between the Selected Reserve and IRR areaccomplished at Naval Reserve Activity level.Transfers between the Ready Reserve, Standby Reserve, andRetired Reserve are accomplished by Navy Personnel Command.The Ready Reserve and Standby Reserve (Active) are in anactive status; therefore, retirement points may be accruedthrough active duty, regular drilling, correspondence courses,or other authorized point accrual activities.The Ready Reserve and Standby Reserve (Active) are an activestatus; therefore, officers are eligible for promotion regardlesswhether they are actively participating or not.For officers, the commissioned service clock and longevityclock continue to click away regardless of status.The Ready Reserve, as its name implies, is subject to partialmobilization.The Selected Reserve is also subject to a Presidential ReserveCall-Up (PRC). As currently organized, the Navy’s VTU and IRRare not subject to PRC.HOW LONG CAN I STAY ACTIVE INTHE NAVAL RESERVE?The following represents a summarization of the servicelimitations for Reserve officers and chief warrant officers, in thegrades of CWO2 through CWO4, and O-3 and O-4, in an activestatus. These service limitations are contained in Title 10, UnitedStates Code and Enclosure (3) of SECNAV Instruction 1920.6B.The service limitations for CDR and CAPT are not discussedbecause the service limitations of 28 and 30 years respectivelyusually never conflict with a Reservist trying to reach retirementeligibility.Chief Warrant Officers (CWO) – In general, a CWO canremain in an active status until the completion of 30 years ofsatisfactory service credible for a nonregular retirement.However, the above normally applies only to CWO4. If a CWO2is twice failed of selection to CWO3 and has at least 20 yearsof satisfactory service, he/she may request retirement or betransferred to the Standby-Reserve Inactive. The same appliesto the CWO3 who twice fails promotion to CWO4. For bothCWO2 and 3, if at the time of the second failure, he/she is creditedwith at least 18 years of satisfactory service, continuation in anactive status until retirement eligibility is provided by the sanctuaryprovision of Title 10 USC.Lieutenant (O-3) – A Reserve officer in an active status servingin the grade of O-3 who twice fails of selection for promotion tolieutenant commander, and is not on a list of officers recommendedfor promotion to lieutenant commander, shall be eliminated froman active status not later than the first day of the seventh monthafter the month in which the report of the selection board thatconsidered the officer for the second time is approved unlessretained or continued in an active status. Reference: 10 USC14505.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

13Lieutenant Commander (O-4) – A Reserve officer in anactive status serving in the grade of O-4 who twice fails ofselection for promotion to commander and is not on a list of officersrecommended for promotion to commander shall be eliminatedfrom an active status on the first day of the month after the monthin which the officer completes 20 years of total commissionedservice unless retained or continued in an active status.Reference: 10 USC 14506.What happens to a Reservist in any of the situations describedabove who is close to retirement but does not have 20 satisfactoryqualifying years upon reaching a statutory service limitation? Ifcertain conditions are met, the Reservist goes into what iscommonly called sanctuary. To be entitled to sanctuary, regardlessof grade, a Reservist must be credited with at least 18 years ofsatisfactory qualifying service at the time prescribed for eliminationfrom an active status. Statutory law limits the time allowed toobtain 20 years of qualifying service. If a Reservist has between18 and 19 years qualifying service, the law allows three years tocomplete 20 qualifying years. For a Reservist with between 19and 20 years qualifying service, the law allows two years to complete20 qualifying years. In each case, if retirement eligibility isachieved before the prescribed time limitation has expired, theReservist must request retirement. Reference: 10 USC 12646.What do the words “unless retained or continued in an activestatus” mean in each grade service limitation description? Insimple terms, if a Reservist is not subject to the sanctuary provision,then retention or continuation become the only available optionsfor continued service beyond a statutory service limitation. Title10, United States Code provides two separate provisions to ensureflexibility in meeting any changing Navy manpower requirement.The two provisions, retention and continuation, are very distinct fromeach other; and the terms RETENTION and CONTINUATIONare not interchangeable. To understand the entire process involved:Retention – The retention provision grants the Secretary of theNavy the authority, if required, to retain chaplains and officers inmedical department designators to meet Navy manpowerrequirements. Simply, the Secretary may retain a Reserve officerin the Chaplain Corps, Medical Corps, Dental Corps, NurseCorps, or Medical Service Corps (specific specialties). Retentionrequires the officer's consent and is only applicable to officers inthe grades of O-5 and O-6 who reach maximum years ofcommissioned service (YCS). The minimum period of continuationis established by DoD directive at not less than two years. Insummary, unless your designator is specified in the retentionprovision, you are not eligible for retention. Reference: 10 USC14703.Continuation – The continuation provision provides theSecretary the authority to continue Reserve officers through acontinuation board process. Unlike retention, continuation mayapply to grades O-3 through O-6 regardless of designator. TheSecretary, if required to meet identified manpower/designatorrequirements, may continue lieutenants past their second failure,lieutenant commanders past 20 years of commissioned service(YCS), commanders past 28 YCS, and captains past 30 YCS.Continuation in the grades of O-3, O-4, O-5, O-6 cannot extendbeyond 20, 24, 33 and 35 YCS, respectively. In past continuationplans, lieutenant commanders who were credited with at least16 years of qualifying service were offered continuation untilretirement eligibility or 24 years total commissioned service,whichever occurred first. Reference: 10 USC 14701.RESERVE PARTICIPATION, PAY ANDRETIREMENT POINT SYSTEMWhether starting your first day as a Naval Reservist or joiningfollowing release from active duty, almost everything aboutbeing in a Reserve Component seems to defy certain logic.Let’s see, there is inactive duty; active duty; two days of basicpay for one day of inactive duty drills; one day of basic payand allowances for one day of active duty; and some activeduty orders that pay per diem and some that don’t. All theabove variations are caused by your “on again, off again” dutystatus. If it seems as though you need an operating manualto be a Reservist, you’re right. And we do have one. It’scalled BUPERSINST 1001.39D, Administrative Proceduresfor Naval Reservists on Inactive Duty and can be found at, then click on “instructions.”Reserve ParticipationIn general, fiscal year (FY) satisfactory participationrequirements for a Selected Reservist (pay billet) equates tofour drills a month (a weekend, normally) and 14 days AnnualTraining (AT). Flexible drill patterns exist so not every unit is thesame. Over the FY, this would be 48 points in inactive dutydrills and 14 points for active duty. Each anniversary year, eachReservist receives 15 membership points, commonly calledgratuitous points, for being in the Ready Reserve. Currently, themaximum number of inactive duty points (drills, membership,correspondence courses) allowed per anniversary year is 90.For more information on participation, see Chapter 11 ofBUPERSINST 1001.39D.Satisfactory Year Creditable for a NonregularRetirementWithin a Reservist’s anniversary year, he/she must accrue aminimum of 50 points (active or inactive points) for that specificanniversary year to count toward the initial 20 years of satisfactoryservice required for retired pay at age 60. Any point total lessthan 50 results in an unsatisfactory year for a reserve retirement.Therefore, satisfactory participation as mentioned in the aboveparagraph is different than satisfactory anniversary year. Alwaysbe sure you know the number of points being accredited in youranniversary year. POINT OF CAUTION: Because of theincreased use of flexible drilling, a Reservist could have inexcess of 60 points in a FY, but have less than 50 points inan anniversary year. For complete information on retirementpoint accrual and what duty is eligible for point accrual, seeChapter 20 of BUPERSINST 1001.39D.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

14Anniversary Year/DateThe “anniversary year” and “anniversary date” are both uniqueto Reservists, and each Reservist has a unique anniversary yearand date. The anniversary year is the method of crediting a fullqualifying year for a nonregular retirement. For a full qualifyingyear to be creditable for retirement purposes, a Reservist mustearn at least 50 points within the anniversary year. Points cannot,by law, carry over to another anniversary year. The anniversarydate starts the anniversary year and is determined by the datethe now-Reservist entered into active service as a USN or USNR,or active status in a Reserve Component. For example, if an officerwas originally commissioned as USN and then resigned andwas reappointed a Reserve officer, the anniversary is the date theofficer signed the original USN commission. The anniversarydate is not changed unless you were transferred to the InactiveStatus List or have broken service. This change occurred inFY2000. How can you verify your anniversary date? Your NavalReserve Activity has this information on file. Otherwise, you cancheck both anniversary date and points per anniversary year byverifying your Annual Statement of Service History (ASOSH). Ifyou have not yet received your ASOSH by mail, you can view itonline at . IMPORTANTNOTE: Critical years to review are those which includeeffective dates of law changes that increased the maximumnumber of inactive points allowed per anniversary year. Thosedates are 30 October 2000, when maximum points increasedfrom 75 to 90, and 23 September 1996, when it increased from60 to 75.MobilizationThe two common categories of mobilization are:* Presidential Reserve Call-Up (PRC) which has a limited callupperiod of 270 days. Within the Navy, PRC only involvesthe call-up of Selected Reservists.* Partial Mobilization involves a call-up period of not morethan 24 months per contingency. Partial mobilizationinvolves both the Selected Reserve and the IRR. Call-upcould involve more than one short period of active duty, buttotal months of service for the same contingency cannot exceed24 months. More information regarding mobilization canbe found in Chapter 22 of BUPERSINST 1001.39DO-1E Through O-3E PayRegardless of type duty or funding source, if a commissionedReservist has at least 1460 points of warrant and/or enlisted service,he/she is entitled to be paid from the O-1E through O-3E basicpay tables.Retirement Point ValueThe future value of a Reserve retirement is not insignificant. Ifyou were to retire in 2005, here is the monetary value of one pointper month in retired pay. To place a full monetary value on onepoint would be somewhat difficult due to figuring the value of theentitlements and benefits that accompany retired pay, such asTRICARE, TRICARE for Life and TRICARE Pharmacy.Separation Pay (Pay Back)Unfortunately, if you received separation pay, that pay must berepaid if you become eligible for a Reserve retirement and are inreceipt of retirement pay. Recoupment will be taken from yourretired pay beginning at age 60 based on a predetermined formula.The calculation system is designed not to cause you to payincome tax for a second time on the severance previouslyreceived. To confirm your situation, we suggest you contactDefense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) in Cleveland,OH, at 1-800-321-1080 or 1-216-522-5955. To obtain informationin writing, e-mail DFAS using the address listed on their Web site,. Ensure that you give them your name, SSN,and complete question. DFAS will respond to you in writing.Retirement Point Valuefor Those Retiring in 2005(Per Point Per Month)GRADECENTS per pointGRADECENTS per pointE-6 over 20E-7 over 22E-8 over 24E-9 over 26W-2 over 24W-3 over 24W-4 over 2620.225.229.336.329.532.839.1O-1 over 20O-2 over 20O-3 over 20O-3E over 20O-4 over 20O-5 over 22O-6 over 2620.525.835.337.641.248.659.5NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

15WHAT HAPPENS IFI CAN’T PARTICIPATE ON A REGULAR BASIS?Since the Naval Reserve is a voluntary, other than full-timeprogram, not all Reservists will be able to drill all the time.Should professional occupation or personal matters preventregular participation on a temporary basis, all is not lost.In order to maintain some semblance of participation forthe accrual of points for maintaining a satisfactory (50points) anniversary year, transfer to the Individual ReadyReserve (IRR) is the best option. The following matrixanswers most of the questions involved with assignment tothe IRR.IRR Summary InformationQuestionSTATUSAm I in the Ready Reserve?Am I in the Selected Reserve?Am I in an active status?Am I subject to mobilization?PARTICIPATIONCan I perform nonpay IDT?Can I perform paid IDT?Can I perform paid AT?Can I accrue retirement points?(i.e., correspondence courses)What is the maximum inactive points I can earn?Do I accrue longevity for pay purposes?Do I receive membership (15) points each anniversary year?Can I return to the Selected Reserve?How long can I stay in an active status?PROMOTIONAm I eligible for promotion?Can I be issued a DOR?Who does the paperwork for DOR?Does time count toward time-in-grade (TIG)?Is there a minimum number of points to accrue for TIG to count?ADMINISTRATIVEDo I have a CO?Do I receive a periodic fitness report or performance evaluation?Do I have to maintain PRT standards?Where are my medical records maintained?Where is my official service record located?Can I use the exchange and commissary?Am I covered under SGLI?Am I covered under VGLI?IRR Active Status PoolYes.No.Yes.Yes, partial or full mobilization.No.No.Yes, if funds are available.Yes, complete listing can be found in BUPERS Instruction1001.39D, Chapter 20, Figure 20-1.Ninety (90) per anniversary year.Yes.Yes.Yes, but must go through Naval Reserve recruiting to identifyvacancy.Until reaching a maximum service limitation, age 60, or screenedfrom an active status by Navy Personnel Command.Yes. Nonparticipation decreases competitiveness.Yes.Naval Reserve Personnel Center in New Orleans.Yes.No.Commanding Officer, Naval Reserve Personnel Center.No.No.Naval Reserve Personnel Center.Navy Personnel Command in Millington, TN.Yes, unlimited exchange and commissary privileges with validID card.No. Refer to BUPERS Instruction 1001.39D, Chapter 15.Yes, if selected and premiums are paid. Refer to BUPERSInstruction 1001.39D, Chapter 15.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

17ENTITLEMENTS FOR RESERVISTS ON ORDERS TO ACTIVE DUTY(AT/ADT/ADSW/Volunteer or Involuntary Recall)Prior to Day 1Day 1139 days179 days180 daysor moreDURATIONOFORDERS29days89 daysENTITLEMENTS BASED ON ORDERS’ DURATION REFERENCE *AND LOCATIONTemporary Health Care Services for ReserveComponent Members and Family Members10 USC 1074, 1074(a)1076, 1145(a)Portal To Portal Coverage 10 USC 1074Basic Pay DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 2 & 57Basic Allowance for Subsistence - BAS DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 25 & 57For enlisted: if rations in kind not available,permission to mess separately granted.Basic Allowance for Housing - BAH (Type II) DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 26 & 57Medical/Dental Care (Service Member) 10 USC 1074(a), 1074Separation or Retirement for Physical Disability 10 USC 1201-1206Travel Allowance JFTR, CH 3 & 7Per Diem JFTR, CH 4 & 7Rates vary based on type of messing/berthingNot for orders of 20+ weeks except for contingency opsHardship Duty Pay DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 17Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) - Specified locations DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 10Hazardous Duty Pay DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 57Various specialties/orders must require specific dutyFlight PaySpecial Pay Medical Corps/Dental CorpsForeign Language Proficiency Pay DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 19Tax Benefit (designated combat zones) 26 USC 112DD 214 (For MOB or contingency OPS orders only) BUPERSINST 1900.8Active Duty Identification CardBUPERSINST 1750. 10AAuthorizes appropriate medical, commissary,exchange, and MWR benefits and privilegesfor the period of active duty specified on orders.Family Care 10 USC 1076Accrue Leave - 2.5 days per month DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 35 & 57Leave Sell Back DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 35 & 57Career Sea Pay (E-4 & above) DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 18Family Separation Allowance (Type II) DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 27Health Professional Pay DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 5, 6, 21Other than training ordersTransitional Health Care 10 USC 1145 AND 1076DD 214 BUPERSINST 1900.8Uniform Allowance (Officers) - Once every 2 Years DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 30Advance Pay - One month advance DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 32Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 26Family Separation Allowance (Type I) DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 27Household Goods Shipment JFTR, CH 5Uniform Allowance (Enlisted) DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 29Special Duty Assignment Pay (Enlisted only) DODFMR, VOL 7A, CH 8 & 57/SECNAVINST 1160.1ANOTE:This article reflects an array of potential entitlements. Variants in entitlements can result depending upon the circumstancesto which ordered to active duty, especially when supporting a contingency operation. As practical, source document references havebeen provided. Your servicing PSD and policy guidance message, in the case of contingency operations, will determine actualeligibility.* DODFMR - DOD Financial Management Regulation * JFTR - Joint Federal Travel Regulations NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

19for TRICARE as if on active duty on date of issue, or 90 daysprior to report date, whichever is later.Family care: Health care for eligible family members isdependent on length of orders and whether those orders wereissued in support of a contingency operation. If the sponsor’sorders are:* Not in support of a contingency operation. If orders arespecified for a period of more than 30 days, medical care isprovided under TRICARE Standard or Extra effective uponentry on active duty. Cost share and deductible apply.Enrollment in TRICARE Prime is available.* In support of a contingency operation. As mentioned previouslyunder “Reservist care,” medical care may begin even beforeentry on active duty. This also applies to family membersof a Reservist ordered to active duty for more than 30 daysin support of a contingency operation. Family membersmay enroll in TRICARE Prime, Extra, or Standard.Specifics of each TRICARE option may be reviewed at.For periods of 90 days or more, specific reporting requirementsare contained in Annex K, paragraphs K-4 and K-5 of BUPERSINST1610.10.TRICARE for Reservists and FamilyWhile on Active Duty or Mobilization OrdersGenerally, medical coverage (Reservist/family members) isbased upon the number of days ordered to active duty instead ofthe type of orders, such as AT, ADT, or ADSW. The exception tothis rule involves orders expressly specifying “in support of acontingency operation” whether involuntary or voluntary.Summary of Health Care Available and EligibilityReservist care: Regardless of duration of orders or IDT, theindividual Reservist is covered. For orders over 30 days, theReservist is automatically enrolled in TRICARE Prime. For ordersof 30 days or less, the Reservist's coverage is for appropriatemedical and dental care for an injury or illness incurred in line ofduty. Other health care for Reservists:* Medical or dental screening and care. Whenever a Reservistreceives notice that he/she will be called or ordered to activeduty for a period of more than 30 days, medical and dentalscreening and care will be provided to meet applicablestandards for deployment. This care is provided before entryon active duty. Eligibility for such care must be specified inorders.* Early eligibility date for TRICARE benefits. Whenever aReservist is issued active duty orders (for more than 30 days),in support of a contingency operation, with a delayedeffective date for reporting to duty, he/she shall be eligibleTransitional care: Reserve Component members who servedon active duty for more than 30 days, in support of a contingencyoperation, are authorized coverage under the TransitionalAssistance Medical Program (TAMP). Reservists and eligiblefamily members will be covered for a period of 180 daysbeginning on the date of separation. Coverage may be underTRICARE Prime, Extra, or Standard.Purchasing TRICARE Standard after transitional TRICARE(180 days) coverage ends (program enrollment will be available26 April 2005): Under improved health care benefits containedin the NDAA for FY 2005, Reservists can purchase TRICAREStandard coverage for themselves and/or eligible family members.Simply stated, for every 90 days continuously served on ordersspecifying “in support of a contingency operation,” you canpurchase one year of TRICARE Standard coverage. If youpurchase coverage, you are required to commit to serve in theSelected Reserve for the coverage period. For example purposes,if you serve 270 days of active duty in support of a contingencyoperation, you may elect to purchase three years of TRICAREStandard coverage. As stated before, you will also incur acommitment to serve in the Selected Reserve for the three-yearcoverage period. For those who served on eligible orders between11 September 2001 to 27 October 2004, you retain your eligibilityto purchase TRICARE Standard coverage as outlined above.Dental care: Dental care is not provided to eligible familymembers based on orders. The TRICARE Dental Program (TDP)is a premium-based program with single and family plansavailable. Enrollment is voluntary with worldwide coverage.Selected Reservists and IRR personnel are eligible to enroll. Theper-month rates are: $22.66 for a family of a Reservist on activeduty, and $56.66 for a family of a Selected Reservist or IRRmember not on active duty. The plan may be reviewed by goingto or by calling 1-800-866-8499.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

20HOW DO I GET PROMOTEDIN THE NAVAL RESERVE?The word “How” in the question above can conger up two verydistinct meanings depending upon what information the Reserveofficer seeks. It can mean what must one do to achieve the next highergrade or what are the mechanics, procedures, or administrativerequirements to document promotion. Let’s take How #1 withsome known facts. If you want to get promoted in today’s NavalReserve, understand that two elements rule: 1) career progression,and 2) pattern of performance. Be aware now instead of later thatyour peers in the Naval Reserve are highly educated, progressive,top-notch professionals. To stay competitive, you'll need to goafter challenging billets and be in the top half of competitiverankings. This may require traveling at your own expense. It isnever too soon to get into a strong leadership or command billet.Know the competitiveness of your performance. Have a mentoror the Association perform a record review so you understandareas that need improvement. Above all, be part of your promotionalopportunity by knowing when you are up for promotion; providinga strong fitness report input; ensuring your official service recordis up to date; ensuring your fitness report is submitted on time;ensuring you are evaluated in the correct competitive category;and, if necessary, communicating with your selection board ifmaterial is missing from your record. A complete summary ofthe Naval Reserve Promotion Selection Process can be found onthe Association’s Web site at . Now let’s look at How #2, allthe procedures and high points of the Naval Reserve officerpromotion system.The Running-Mate System and Assignment of aRegister Number Precedence NumberThe “running-mate system” is a termheard by almost every Reserve officer,however, the systematic use of the runningmatesystem is usually never completelyunderstood. Simply, it is the assignment ofan active duty list running-mate to eachReserve officer, in an active status. It is arequirement of law, specifically, 10 USC14306, and the backbone to the Reservepromotion system. The running-matesystem is used to establish promotion zonesand for the assignment of date of rank(DOR) following selection. By using therunning-mate system, the Naval Reservemirror images exactly what occurs foractive duty list (ADL) officers of the same grade and competitivecategory with regard to promotion zones and assignment of DOR.In regard to register numbers, numbers are assigned to O-2 andabove and serve the same purpose as lineal numbers do for theADL officer. You can obtain your register number by going toReserve officer promotions located on the BUPERS Web site at.Promotion of Chief Warrant Officers (CWO)There is a common misunderstanding that a CWO can remainin an active status until age 60. This is not true for the majorityof CWOs. Those who fail twice for selection to CWO3 or CWO4are retired, if eligible. With a promotion opportunity of 90 percent,several failures occur each board. A missing fitness report wouldseverely disadvantage selection opportunity. The selection andpromotion of CWOs is regulated by SECNAVINST 1421.7B.CWO boards are administrative instead of statutory and belowzoneselection is authorized. Typically, CWOs are looked at aftertwo years in grade. Eligible zones and board convening dates arein the annual FY zone message.Promotion from Ensign toLieutenant (Junior Grade)The grade requirements and procedures for promotion toLTJG are promulgated in SECNAV Instruction 1421.4D. Yourcommanding officer has the authority to promote you. In judgingyour fitness for promotion, your commanding officer is requiredto determine whether you are physically, mentally, morally, andprofessionally qualified to serve in the grade of LTJG. Oncedetermined qualified and upon completion of 24 months fromensign DOR, promotion is effected by completing, signing, andsubmitting NAVPERS 1421/7 (Rev. 07-04) to Navy PersonnelCommand. References (a) and (b) on that form are blank andmust be filled in with SECNAVINST 1421.4D and 10 USC14303 respectively. There is a PDF of this form for fill-in andprinting at . Example, if youcurrently have an ensign DOR of 10 Sept 2003, your promotionand DOR to LTJG will be effective 10 Sept 2005. This will bethe effective date for pay and allowances. This method ofcalculating DOR to LTJG is the only one authorized. No frockingto LTJG is authorized. Once promoted, don't forget to obtain anew ID card.Promotion from LTJG to LieutenantMost LTJG records of Reservists are screened following thecompletion of three years total service. That is approximatelyone year after promotion to LTJG. To be placed on a list forpromotion to lieutenant, your current fitness report mustshow you as recommended for promotion. Your date of rankwill be the first day of the month following the month youcomplete 24 months as an O-2. Although the law allows aminimum of 18 months in the grade of O-2 for promotion,the time-in-grade (TIG) is determined by the Secretary ofthe Navy. Currently, TIG is 24 months to O-3. A WORDOF CAUTION: There have been several changes regardingthe promotion to lieutenant. Selection boards ended severalyears ago. Even screening boards have ended. The basis ofpromotion is a recommendation for promotion on yourcurrent fitness report. Needless to say, no fitness report, noplacement on the recommended-for-promotion list. Ithas happened several times in the past, needlessly. Don’tlet it happen to you.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

21Promotion to Lieutenant Commander and AbovePromotion to O-4 and above is accomplished by the Navy’spromotion selection board system. Since boards are numericallyconstrained, not everyone will be promoted. The foundation forthe equitable comparison of officers is the division of officersinto COMPETITIVE CATEGORIES. Know your competitivecategory (designator grouping) and promotion status (selected,frocked) when fitness reports are due. Many officers are placedin the wrong competitive grouping; therefore, in most cases,disadvantaged. Additionally, it is an administrative nightmare forthe reporting senior to straighten out after the fact. Remember,you are responsible for the accuracy of your official servicerecord. If necessary, communicate with your selection board tobring your record up to date prior to the convening of the board.Below-Zone ConsiderationBelow-zone (BZ) consideration for Naval Reserve officers,including full-time support officers, to grades O-4 to O-6 isnot authorized. Why? First, until the enactment of ROPMA(1 October 1996) BZ promotion for Reserve officers was notprovided for in Title 10 United States Code. Second, even thoughROPMA provided for the BZ consideration of Reserve officers,the Secretary of the Navy, through each fiscal year grade promotionplan, has not authorized BZ consideration for Naval Reserve officers.However, for chief warrant officer (CWO) selection boards,below-zone selection is currently authorized. Why? CWO selectionboards are administrative boards instead of statutory boards andregulated by SECNAVINST 1421.7B instead of Title 10 UnitedStates Code. Historical in-zone numbers for CWO3 and CWO4equate to one authorized selection from below the zone for eachgrade. The below-zone eligibility is defined on the annualALNAV message announcing the convening Naval Reserveselection boards for the FY.When Will I Get a Date of Rank?Soon after the release of the ALNAV announcing selectionboard results for O-4 and above, the favorite question of, “Whenwill I get a date of rank?” arises. Since officers are selected overa year prior to promoting them, determining a date of rank (DOR)is somewhat of a calculated guessing game. However, here is theprocess flow from estimate to actual DOR:RULE OF THUMB. Over the years, this rule of thumbhas proven to be quite accurate.As previously mentioned, theNaval Reserve is connected toactive duty promotions by thestatutory running-mate system.Since active duty promotes tovacancies, this means that whena active duty officer is promotedto fill a vacancy, a NavalReserve officer is also promotedregardless of whether there is avacancy in the Naval Reserve. When does active duty fillvacancies? Historically, active duty fills (or promotes) the first40 percent of selectees in the first eight months of the FY year(Oct. through May). The remaining 60 percent are filled(promoted) evenly in the last four months of the FY year (Jun.,Jul., Aug., and Sep. – each at 15 percent). Therefore, if aparticular board selected 100 officers, the most senior 40would be promoted between Oct. and May, with the remaining60 being promoted at a rate of 15 per month for Jun., Jul.,Aug., and Sep. If you were number 80 of 100 selects, basedupon an equitable distribution of seniority among selectees,you could estimate receiving a 1 Aug. DOR. Authority toissue a DOR is promulgated via a monthly NAVADMINmessage that is normally sent out the last week of a month forDOR’s occurring on the first of the following month. Whenpromulgated, the NAVADMIN message can be viewed on theAssociation’s Web site and on theBUPERS site. This is the official authority for the promotion ofNaval Reserve officers.Can I Be Frocked?Upon the public release of names recommended for promotionby selection boards, the most frequently asked question is, “CanI be frocked?” It is important to understand the current Navyfrocking policy for Reservists.MILPERSMAN 1420-020 spells out the Navy's policy onReserve officer frocking. Prerequisites include:1. Selection announced by ALNAV.2. Senate confirmation announced by ALNAV for O-6 andabove.3. Serving in or ordered to a billet for the higher grade.4. Meeting one or more of the following billet criteria (listedby priority):- Billet with title of CO.- Billet with title of XO, where XO fleets up to CO.- Billet in direct support of the President or Vice President.- Defense Attaché.- Formal school where higher grade is needed for admission.- Billets on the joint duty list.- Billet on staff of OSD.- Billet on staff of SECNAV.- Acquisition professional major program manager.- Billet with title of XO.- Billet with title of Officer in Charge.If an officer meets the above prerequisites, then, the commandmay submit a letter of request to PERS-492 via the ECHELON 4command to Navy Personnel Command, PERS-492; 5720Integrity Drive; Millington, TN 38055. The request must includethe following information:1. Name/SSN/designator of officer to be frocked.2. Grade to which frocking is desired.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

223. Date Time Group (DTG) of ALNAV which announced theofficer’s selection for promotion.4. DTG of ALNAV/NAVADMIN which announced Senateconfirmation of the officer's selection (required only for O-6 andabove).5. Command name, UIC, and mailing address.6. Billet for the higher grade, which the officer occupies or towhich ordered. Include the title and billet sequence code (BSC).7. Date frocking is requested to begin.8. Brief justification paragraph.9. Point of contact, telephone/name.Frocking quotas are extremely limited and will be assigned basedon relative merit. For further information, contact PERS-492 at(901) 874-4514.Communicating with a Selection BoardWhen communicating with a selection board, refer toMILPERSMAN Article 1420-010 for proper submission. It isespecially important to remember that communicating with aselection board is not just a method to present missing documents.It, also, provides an officer the opportunity to address any matter(s)to the selection board which he/she considers important.Extreme care should be taken to present only factual informationand not to criticize any officer or reflect upon the character,conduct, or motive of any officer. Communications with aselection board must arrive prior to the convening of theboard. When forwarding your letter to the board, utilize thefollowing address:President, FY-0X Reserve (Grade) (CompetitiveCategory) (Line or Staff) Promotion Selection BoardBoard # XXXNavy Personnel CommandPERS-00R BLDG 7685720 Integrity DriveMillington TN 38055To verify receipt of your communication, contact CustomerService Center at 800-827-5627 or go to .UPDATINGYOUR OFFICIAL SERVICE RECORDNavy Personnel Command (NAVPERSCOM) (PERS-313)in Millington, TN, controls the official personnel records ofcurrent and former members of the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve.The records are maintained in an electronic format in theElectronic Military Personnel Records system (EMPRS). Thepermanent personnel record contains only those documents ofa permanent nature, which reflect information that satisfiesstatutory and Navy career requirements, and are essential topersonnel administration. Documents that might influence amember’s career and benefits are retained; others are deletedfrom filing.Submission of Documents for Direct FilingForward documents intended for direct filing in the permanentpersonnel record to the following address:Navy Personnel CommandPERS 312C5720 Integrity DriveMillington TN 38055-3130Do not include letters of transmittal or explanation. If acombined mailing package is used for multiple addresseeswithin NAVPERSCOM, clearly mark the desired destination onthe enclosed documents. The name and social security number(SSN) are the principal personnel identifiers used throughout theEMPRS system. Ensure that both the member’s name and SSNare on the document. If necessary, write the member’s name andSSN in the top, left-hand corner. Should you have questions, callPERS-313C at 901-874-3407. References: BUPERSINST1070.27A, MILPERSMAN 1070-020.Missing Award Information from Your Records?If you lack personal award information on the top sheet of yourOSR/PSR or not all of your award citations are present in yourofficial service record, new procedures are now in place to helpyou correct the situation almost effortlessly. Under a new procedureadopted by CNRFC, the frustration factor in trying to updaterecords is virtually ZERO. All you need to do is forward toCNRFC the documentation; they will do the rest. CNRFC willenter the award information into the Navy-wide awards databaseand then forward the hard copy certificates and/or citations toNavy Personnel Command (PERS-312) for digital filing in yourofficial service record. It couldn’t be easier. When sending awarddocumentation to CNRFC, use the address below and be sure toplace your social security number, clearly written, on the upperleft corner of the document:Commander, Naval Reserve Forces CommandCode N01314400 Dauphine StreetNew Orleans LA 70146-5100To verify database entries, just go to the NDAWS Web site at and click on “Personal Awards,” signon, and review earned awards in the database under your name.For official service record entries, wait a sufficient amount oftime to allow digital processing; then, order a CD copy of yourrecord.Verifying and Ordering Your PerformanceSummary Record/Officer [Enlisted]Summary Record (PSR/O[E]SR)The PSR for officer or enlisted (E-6 and above) is an importanttool used by selection and administrative boards. Like your officialservice record, its accuracy is your responsibility. To view yourPSR, go to .NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

23The Holiday Inn PlazaKansas Cityis pleased to welcome:The Naval Reserve Association22-24 April 2005The Holiday Inn Plaza Kansas City is located on the historicCountry Club Plaza, a unique Old World shopping andentertainment district. Just ten minutes from downtownKansas City and only 30 minutes from Kansas City InternationalAirport, the hotel is also a mere 25 minutes away from riverboatcasinos, amusement parks, and professional sports stadiums.At the Holiday Inn Plaza, you’ll findcomfortable accommodations andfriendly, professional service. All oftheir 241 beautifully appointed guestrooms include convenient amenities, likea large work desk, voice mail, dataports,complimentary daily newspaper, hairdryer, and coffeemaker.Enjoy casual dining at the in-houserestaurant, serving a wide variety ofdelicious American favorites. Unwindwith your favorite cocktails andappetizers in the relaxing lobbylounge. Or, order room service andstay in the comfort and privacy of yourown room.Country Club Plaza: From Anthropology to Z Gallerie, it’s allright here on the Country Club Plaza. No other collection ofboutiques, fashionable national stores and wonderful localdiscoveries can be found in such elegant surroundings on suchamenable terms. Over 120 stores fill the architecturally classic 14block district and create the experience thatmakes The Plaza one of the Midwest’spremier destinations. Feast and Frolic.Whatever you could want, from sconesto scallops, Beaujolais to Kansas Citybarbecue, it’s all waiting for you on ThePlaza. Nearly 30 distinctive restaurantsand outdoor cafes offer an extraordinaryrange in dining options from elegant tocasual, with a price range to match whateverchoice you make.Reservations: Call 1-816-753-7400. Make sure you tell them youare with the Naval Reserve Association to get the group rate.Rate: $89.00 per night plus tax (14.85%) for King orDouble/Double for the period 19-26 April 2005.Rooms are limited: Reservations received after 22 March 2005are subject to availability and may not qualify for the group rate.Naval Reserve AssociationSpring ConferenceThe Holiday Inn Plaza Kansas CityKansas City, MO22-24 April 2005REGISTRATIONNAME/RANK____________________________________(AS DESIRED ON NAME TAG)LIFEMEMBER: YES _____ NO _____MAILINGADDRESS______________________________________________________________CITY____________________ STATE_____ ZIP________ PHONE: (SPOUSE’S NAME(IF ATTENDING)____________________________(AS DESIRED ON NAME TAG)) __LIFEMEMBER: YES_____ NO_____HOTEL ARRIVAL DATE____________________ DEPARTURE DATE_______________REGISTRATION FEES: MEMBER: $105.00 SPOUSE/ANCHORS: $105.00AFTER 22 MAR. 2005: MEMBER: $115.00 SPOUSE/ANCHORS: $115.00TOTAL FORWARDED: $_________REGISTRATION FEES INCLUDE:Friday night President’s reception;Saturday & Sunday continentalbreakfast; Saturday awards lunch;Saturday night special event.Credit card type: (AMEX, VISA, Master Card, Discover)_____________________________FINANCE CHAIRMANAuthorized Signature:___________________________________________Credit card number:_____________________________ Exp. Date:______Make checks payable to: NRA 2005 Spring ConferenceDO NOT WRITE IN THIS SPACE, FORCREDENTIALS COMMITTEE ONLY____________ Delegate NRA Chapter________________________ Certified DelegateMail this form to:NRA 2005 Spring Conferencec/o Chief Financial Officer1619 King StreetAlexandria, VA 22314Fax: 703-683-3647 ● E-mail: cfo@navy-reserve.orgCONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORMSNRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

24 Junior Officer CountryPreparing Yourself for aSelection BoardLCDR Phan Phan, USNRNational VP for Junior OfficersBy the time this article reaches ourreadership, the selection boardsseason has already been in full swing.To find out if you are in-zone for consideration,check out the FY06 zone message at thefollowing URL: .This BUPERS Web site also containsvarious useful information, guidance, andtools; certainly worth saving as a bookmarkon your Web browser. If your current date ofrank is between those of the senior-in-zoneand the junior-in-zone in your designator,then you are eligible for consideration by theselection board on your “first look.” If yourdate of rank is before that of the senior-inzone,then you will also be eligible andconsidered, even in IRR or VTU status.For those LCDRs who are up for CDR, thesame "funny thing" is happening again thisyear. Note that the Reserve O-5 Line Boardis scheduled to convene on 15 Mar. 2005.The board process should typically takeabout two weeks, and the board shouldadjourn about the end of March. The releaseprocess has typically taken roughly about 80days, which means the results will not bepromulgated via an ALNAV message untilthe latter half of June. Well, the APPLY Boardis scheduled to convene on 13 Jun. 2005, andthe APPLY Web site is most probably goingto be secured even several weeks before then.If you are applying for a CO/OIC job,chances are that APPLY will not let youinclude an O-5 billet on your dream sheet.So, the scenario and options go like this: “Iget selected for a CO/OIC billet (O-4 andbelow), then subsequently find out I'vebeen selected to commander (a seniorgrade). Am I going to be forced to forfeit mynewly-selected CO billet since my statushas changed? Am I to assume command on1 Oct., and then be forced to relinquish my CObillet upon my new date of rank? Is my PRDgoing to be cut short one year? Or, best-case,am I allowed to serve out my whole two-yearcommand tour?” I won’t bother you withall the excitement through which I wentpersonally this past year; but the answer startswith the most recently released CNRFCNOTE 5400, the foundation and ground rulesfor APPLY, which have changed from year toyear. And then, it’s going to be a dialogamong you the selected, the supportedcommand who pays for the billet, thehost/servicing REDCOM who is the ordersissuingauthority, and CNRFC who owns theAPPLY process. So, be mindful and carefullyprepared for this very possibility.Once finding out that you’ve been eligiblefor statutory/promotion board’s consideration,the very minimum next thing to do is to goon BUPERS online to review your OSR andPSR, as these are the very documents that theboard's voting members will see, along withyour official full-length photos. The URL linkis: .If you still have sufficient time prior toyour board’s convening date, you can requesta CD-ROM of your complete servicerecords (formerly referred to as microfiche)to comb through in more detail. Review yourservice records to ensure completeness,especially the continuity of your FitReps.Any gap here is almost fatal, unlessexplained or clarified with good reason(s) ina letter to the board. The thinking here is: ifyou don’t care about your service records(and career), why should the board, or anyoneelse for that matter? You can utilize theAssociation’s Record Review Service, for amodest fee, especially those who have failedselection before. One of the best investmentsyou can make anywhere! The URL is:.BOTTOM LINE: CORRECT ALLPROBLEMS!If there are essential items missing fromyour service record such as FitReps, personalawards, degrees, or updated official full-lengthphoto in your current rank, you need to sendin a correspondence package to the board.Instruction, address, and even a sample lettercan be found on the above BUPERS Web site.If you have unusual circumstances such asgap in service due to death in the family, oroverseas civilian job transfer, explainyour situation but keep it short, concise,professional, courteous, and to the point; butno begging, no whining, no 50-page longwindedlife story, and no ten-pound FedExcorrespondence packages. Remember, eachbriefer has hundreds of service records withthousands of FitReps to review and isrequired to look at each and every page ofcorrespondence sent in to the board. Boardmembers typically work 12 hours a day,six days a week, sitting continually in frontof plain old 21-inch CRT monitors. Their eyesare getting strained, their backs are gettingstiff, and the seats are getting hard. Theybrief the voting members in the tank of theirassigned service records to review; i.e., theypresent your case to the board. Help themhelp you; make it easy for them. What wouldyou like for your briefers (typically twobriefers are assigned to each eligible officer’sservice records) to tell the board about you,given 30 seconds or less?All materials sent in to the board will onlygo to the board and will be destroyed at theconclusion of the board. They will not bereturned, nor entered into your servicerecord. To update your official servicerecord, you'll need to send documents to:Navy Personnel CommandPERS 312C5720 Integrity DriveMillington TN 38055-3130One last thought: If you need to send acorrespondence package to the board, sendit in early. Do not wait till the weekendbefore the board convenes to fax it in. Thislast-minute scramble increases the chanceof your package getting lost, or not makingit to the right panel, or to the right briefer.The assistant recorders will always do theirbest to perform their assigned duties insorting out tons of papers prior to the boardconvening on Monday morning, but whytake unnecessary risk? These folks wouldlike to have their Sunday off, too.NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

Letters25Dear Captain McAtee,Thank you very much for your response. Ireally appreciate the services provided by ourorganization and remain proud to be part ofthis group.I especially want to thank all for achievingthe latest changes in eliminating the SocialSecurity Offset and restoring this 20 percentto our surviving spouse. A BIG accomplishment.Well done!On another matter that I would be eager tounderstand further is the latest changes in theprocedures to request Retirement Pay. Iunderstand that this will be done through theInternet versus submitting paper applications.Can you provide the full details of theserecent changes and how the administrativesteps will unfold as we all starting approachingour 60th birthday?Paul CochraneCaptain, USNRFROM THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR:Dear CAPT Cochrane,The retired pay application processhas not changed that much. Insteadof Naval Reserve Personnel Center(NRPC) mailing out all the forms,which many of them were copiedso many times that they are barelyreadable, NRPC will now send youa letter with a password. You arethen able to download all requiredblank forms, fill them out, andMAIL them back to NRPC. Whyregular MAIL? Because, they needyour signature on many of thedocuments; and other documents arerequired to be sent elsewhere byNRPC.Dear Admiral Keith:I just downloaded CAPT McAtee’sSurvivor Benefit Plan article from the NRAWeb site.This is the best Article I have seen on thissubject!Thank you CAPT McAtee and the NRAfor publishing a helpful article in such anorganized manner and in terms that I canreadily understand.Edward N. MorrisCommander, USNR (Ret)NOTE FROM THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR:Members are reminded that many moreuseful and informative articles are availablefor downloading by going the Association’sWeb site .As a reservist your jobmight change,but ours stays the same.Compare SGLI to theNavy Mutual Family PlanThis plan includes $250,000 coverage for you, theservice member, and $100,000 for your spouse,assuming you are both healthy non-smokers, and$10,000 coverage for your children.✪ From part-time service to active duty, we’re alwaysthere for you and your family.✪ Call 1-800-628-6011 ext. 105, e-mail counselor@navymutual.orgNAVY MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATIONServing: Navy • Marines • Coast Guard • NOAA • Public Health ServiceA Veterans Benefit Association Since 1879w w w . n a v y m u t u a l . o r gNRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

News Notes27RUSSIA HALTS U.S. NAVY JETNEAR BORDERThe Russian Air Force scrambled anSU-27 fighter jet to intercept a U.S. NavyOrion aircraft over the Black Sea. Theencounter occurred in November. TheRussian Air Force determined that theOrion was flying from the U.S. AtlanticFleet based in Cyprus.The Orion, the Navy’s sole land-basedantisubmarine warfare aircraft, wasreportedly flying at 6,500 feet when theRussian jet flew alongside.The Itar-Tass news service said the U.S.pilot did not respond to radio calls fromthe Russian craft, but rather abruptlyaltered course, gained altitude at high speed,and sped away. The Russian Air Forcepress service said that last year SU-27salso were sent up to intercept U.S. U-2reconnaissance airplanes on the section ofthe border between Russia and Georgia.SUB TO BE NAMED AFTER NEWMEXICOThe U.S. Navy will designate a newsubmarine as the USS NEW MEXICO.The state's Congressional delegation saysthe designation will honor the state andNew Mexicans who have served in themilitary. The delegation, which had askedfor the designation in January 2003, saysthe Navy has agreed the name will go tothe nation’s next Virginia-class submarine.It will be only the second time the statehas had a ship named for it. The USS NEWMEXICO was the flagship of the PacificFleet in the World War II era. Two nuclearattack submarines, the USS ALBUQUERQUEand the USS SANTA FE, are named forNew Mexico cities.NAVY DELAYS PRESIDENTIALHELICOPTER DEALThe Navy has put off until at leastJanuary a decision on the contract toreplace the aging Marine One presidentialhelicopter fleet, giving both prospectivecontractors more time to lobby for theprized job. The competition has beenclouded by a debate about U.S. jobs shiftedabroad and “Buy America” issues.FREE CREDIT REPORTS ONCE AYEARAlthough some will get them earlier,everyone with credit will be entitled to afree yearly report from the major creditbureaus by September 2005. The Fair andAccurate Credit Transactions Act, signedinto law in December 2003, gives everyAmerican the right to a free credit reportevery year from the three major creditbureaus: EQUIFAX, EXPERIAN, andTRANSUNION. Timetable for the newlaw regarding availability of free reports:—Western states, 1 December 2004:AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM,OR, UT, WA, WY.—Midwestern states, 1 March 2005: IL,IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH,SD, WI.—Southern states, 1 June 2005: AL, AR,FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, OK, SC, TN, TX.—Eastern states, 1 September 2005: CT,DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC,PA, RI, VT, VA, WV, plus Puerto Rico andU.S. Territories.A special safeguard for the military ispart of the Act. Members of the armedservices will be able to place special alertsin their credit files while they are servingoverseas to help minimize chances ofbecoming a victim of identity theft.VP-9 AIDS MULTINATIONALRESCUE AT SEAPatrol Squadron (VP) 9, based at MarineCorps Base, HI, aided in a multinationalrescue of eight United Arab Emiratesfishermen whose dhow had sunk off thecoast of Bahrain 27 Nov. 2004. One of thesquadron’s P-3C Orion aircraft receiveda distress call from Bahrain air trafficcontrol that a fishing dhow with eightfishermen aboard had sunk approximatelyone hour previously, and air traffic controlrequested search and rescue assistance.The P-3C immediately responded to the callalong with two Bahrain police helicoptersand began a search for the fishermen.The crew of the P-3 coordinated the onstationsearch and rescue efforts betweenBahrain traffic control, two Bahrainhelicopters, and one Qatar helicopter.A Qatari helicopter picked up theremaining four fishermen. Eightlives were saved.RESERVISTS CALLED UP TOSERVE AS CUSTOMSINSPECTORSNearly 450 Reservists were calledup on or around 30 Nov. for duty ascustoms inspectors in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom. Themobilized Reservists will serve as DoDcustoms inspectors at sea and in airportsin Iraq and Kuwait, according to theNaval Expeditionary Logistics SupportForce, based at Cheatham Annex inWilliamsburg, VA.The customs inspection mission, a newone for the Naval Reserve, involvesinspecting military gear being returned tothe United States for disease-bearing dirtand smuggled contraband. The Reservistswill take over the job from Air Forcepersonnel who performed the missionover the past year.OFFICER RECRUITERS MISS GOALNaval Reserve recruiters exceeded theirgoal for enlisted accessions last fiscalyear, but fell short of getting as manyofficers as they need. Only 1,852 officerssigned up – 266, or 13 percent, fewer thanthe 2,118 goal. “Recruiters had the mostdifficulty convincing enough surfacewarfare officers, pilots, naval flight officers,and doctors to join,” said CAPT JimmieJones, Commodore of Naval ReserveRecruiting in New Orleans. In all, sevenofficer communities fell below 75 percentof the recruiting goal, including specialoperations, pilot, aviation engineeringduty officer, oceanography, Medical Corps,Dental Corps and Civil Engineer Corps.SCHEDULE OF RELEASE FOR TAXSTATEMENTSThe Defense Finance and AccountingService (DFAS) has compiled a scheduleof dates when service members, militaryretirees and annuitants, and defense civilianemployees can access their tax statementsthrough myPay and when they cananticipate to receive the hard-copy deliveryby mail.Tax statements will be available asfollows:Retired AnnualStatementRetired 1099RAnnuitant AnnualStatementsAnnuitant 1099RAir Force, Army, &Naval Reserve W2sCivilian W2sMarine Corps Active &Reserve W2sAir Force, Army, &Naval Active W2myPay Access12/04/0412/13/0412/13/0412/14/0412/27/0401/06/0501/10/0501/14/05Mail Dates12/17/04 - 12/29/0412/17/04 - 12/29/0412/28/04 - 12/29/0412/27/04 - 12/29/0401/04/05 - 01/05/0501/10/05 - 01/14/0501/18/0501/18/05 - 01/24/05NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

28Health AffairsCancer PreventionRADM Peter L. Andrus, MC, USNRNational VP for Health AffairsCancer remains the #2 killer in oursociety, after heart disease, andaccounts for 23 percent of all deaths(2001 data). Lung cancer remains the numberone cancer cause of death and number twocause of all cases for both sexes. Prostatecancer ranks #2 as a cause of death and #1 asa cause for all cases among men. Breastcancer holds the same relative positionsamong women. Colorectal cancer ranksthird for death and third for all cases amongboth men and women.Overall death rates for cancer haveremained relatively unchanged over manyyears, while those for heart disease andstroke have shown much more impressivedeclines. There is a great deal that can bedone in terms of life style and screening tolessen the chances of falling victim to cancer.Some of the most pertinent action steps aresummarized below:Lung cancerLung cancer death rates and case rateshave begun to fall as a result of lower tobaccousage rates in the overall population.Avoidance of tobacco is the most critical anduseful lifestyle choice to be made to lowerrisk for this disease, and, also, has well-knownbenefits in terms of heart disease prevention.Unfortunately, there is little evidence tosupport screening strategies for the generalpopulation. Periodic chest x-rays have notbeen helpful in early detection, althoughthey may be pertinent in case finding amongthose who are already displaying symptoms ofdisease. So, the key to lung cancer preventionis: Don’t Smoke!Prostate cancerAnnual digital rectal exams and prostatespecific antigen testing beginning at aboutage 50 are recommended for all men.Current evidence suggests that aggressivescreening has led to a shift toward earlierstage tumors being detected, and thus animprovement in outcomes. Certain men(African American and those with positivefamily histories of prostate cancer) shouldbe screened beginning at about age 45. Forthose individuals whose life expectancy isless than ten years as a result of other diseaseconditions, screening is not recommendedsince there is less convincing evidence ofbenefit. Reluctance on the part of men tosubmit to screening has resulted in relativelylow screening rates and limited the benefitwhich could accrue thereby. So let’s assumethe position, fellows.Breast cancerBreast self exam beginning in early adulthoodis a well-known, but not frequentlyenough practiced, technique. It is estimatedthat the typical woman notes a breast lumpsix months prior to alerting her doctor to itspresence. Early action (and avoidance of thisdelay) is essential to achieve the optimumresult. On the professional side, annualmammograms and clinical breast exams by atrained professional are the key screeningmaneuvers. Mammography should begin atabout age 40 for women in the generalpopulation. Clinical breast exams shouldcommence at about age 20, and continueevery 1-3 years thereafter. Clinical breast examand mammography can be accomplishedmost efficiently and effectively if performedin tandem. For women whose breast cancerrisk is higher than that of the generalpopulation (e.g., those with a positive familyhistory of breast cancer), screening testsshould begin earlier and be conducted morefrequently.Colorectal cancerMultiple screening strategies are availablefor colorectal cancer. These include:colonoscopy every ten years; fecal occultblood test (FOBT) yearly; flexible sigmoidoscopyevery five years; a combination ofFOBT and flex sig every five years; anddouble-contrast barium enema every fiveyears. Any of the above strategies may besuitable for the general population, but thoseat higher risk (e.g., a positive family historyof colorectal cancer) should pursue anindividualized, more aggressive schedule ofscreening as recommended by their physician.As with prostate cancer, relatively low ratesof screening, due to discomfort, distaste, orexpense, have limited the impact that theseeffective screening strategies could have onearly detection and successful treatment ofcolorectal cancer.Cervical cancerAnnual well-woman exams, includingpelvic exam and Pap smear, should commencebetween 18-21 years of age or at onset ofsexual activity. These screening programshave been well established for some timeand have resulted in significant improvementsin outcome for this disease. Ironically,women with the fewest risk factors for cervicalcancer are those most likely to pursue effectivescreening. Conversely, those at greatest riskare least likely to be screened regularly or atall. For those women who are at low risk,after three consecutive normal annual exams,it may be possible to reduce the frequency ofsubsequent exams. Likewise, less frequentscreening may be pursued for those womenwho have undergone hysterectomy for benigndisease. One’s individual circumstancesshould be reviewed with your own physicianfor specific recommendations.Skin cancerRising frequencies of all types of skincancer, but especially melanoma, indicate theneed for adequate protection when exposedto direct sunlight. Monthly self-exam of theskin, coupled with clinical examination ofthe skin by a trained professional duringperiodic health assessments, can lead to earlydetection and successful treatment of skincancer.ConclusionI have offered a brief overview of pertinentscreening techniques for some of the mostcommon and important forms of cancer. Youshould consult with your personal physicianfor advice about screening that is appropriatefor your own individual risk profile and lifesituation. In addition, additional guidance maybe sought at two helpful Web sites as follows:American Cancer Society and MD Anderson Hospital . Live well and prosper in 2005!NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

Info That You Can Use29Certain Reservists May Soon Be Able toPurchase TRICARE Standard CoverageIf you served on orders supporting a contingency operation since 11 September2001, you may be eligible to purchase TRICARE Standard in one-year increments.Under improved health care benefits contained in the NDAA for FY 2005, certainReservists can purchase TRICARE Standard coverage for themselves and/or eligiblefamily members on or about 26 April 2005.Eligibility is simple: for every 90 days continuously served on orders specifying“in support of a contingency operation,” you can purchase one year of TRICAREStandard coverage. If you purchase coverage, you are required to commit to serve in theSelected Reserve for the coverage period. For example, if you serve 270 days of activeduty in support of a contingency operation, you may elect to purchase three yearsof TRICARE Standard coverage following completion of the 180-day TRICAREtransitional health care period. As stated before, you will also incur a commitmentto serve in the Selected Reserve for the three-year coverage period. For those whoserved on eligible orders between 11 September 2001 to 27 October 2004, you retainyour eligibility to purchase TRICARE Standard coverage as outlined above.Graduate Education Voucher (GEV) ProgramIs Now Available for Full-Time SupportNAVADMIN 241/04 recently announced that the Graduate Education Voucher(GEV) program is available to FTS. The GEV program provides increasedopportunity and incentive for unrestricted Line officers (URL), whose careerpaths provide limited opportunity for full-time education, to obtain fundedgraduate education during part-time or off-duty hours. GEV funding for FY05 willbegin with the Jan. 2005 quarter/semester. Eligibility is open to O3 through O5FTS URL officers from the 111X, 112X, 113X 114X, and 13XX communitieswith demonstrated superior performance and the potential for upward careermobility. See NAVADMIN for complete details.Naval Academy AppointmentsAn unlimited number of presidential nominations are available for childrenand legally adopted children of career officer and enlisted personnel of theArmed Forces, Active or Reserve, including the Coast Guard. One hundredcandidates may be appointed with these nominations each year. A parent in theReserve must be serving as a member of a Reserve Component and be credited withat least eight full years of service (a minimum of 2880 points) or must be entitled toretired pay upon reaching sixty years old. Otherwise, the parent must currently beon active duty (other than for training) and have served continuously for at leasteight years or have been retired with pay or granted retired or retainer pay. If you havequestions regarding your eligibility, please call (410) 293-4392.Application dates: after 1 July of the year prior to admission, and before 31January of the year of admission.Apply to: Students must submit their letter of application to the address below forthis nomination. Be sure to submit proper documentation to support your eligibility.Dean of Admissions, United States Naval AcademyATTN: Nominations and Appointments Office117 Decatur RoadAnnapolis MD 21402-5019NRA’sScholarshipProgram2005-2006APPLY NOW!NRA is accepting scholarshipapplications for sons and daughtersof members for the 2005/2006academic year. Deadline for completedapplications is 1 May 2005.Applicants desiring to apply mustadhere to the following requirements:Must be children of NRA members.Must be a U.S. citizen.Under 24 years of age. (Waiver foractive duty service time)Must have registered with the draft,if eligible.Must be enrolled in or accepted forfull-time enrollment at an accreditedcollege, university, or a fullyaccreditedtechnical school.Although not required for application,applications are particularlydesired from individuals who havedemonstrated an interest in the hardsciences, such as mathematics,medicine, and engineering.Applications are available online at. For moreinformation, contact:Educational Assistance ProgramNaval Reserve Association1619 King StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-2793Tel.: (703) 548-5800E-mail: admin@navy-reserve.orgMEMBER CONTRIBUTIONSTO SUSTAIN THIS PROGRAMARE ALWAYS WELCOME!NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

30Reservists in ActionBe Ready – Chief of Navy ReserveBy Journalist First Class (SW) Mike KramerNaval Air Reserve Willow Grove Public Affairs OfficeVADM John G. Cotton, Chief of Navy Reserve, talked toover 400 Reservists about the changes taking place in theNavy’s Reserve Force when he held a town hall meetingin the base gym 4 Dec.Throughout the meeting, VADM Cotton reminded the servicemembers of the two-word directive President George W. Bushissued to the Armed Forces 12 Sept. 2001: “Be ready.”“Every one of you is on watch,” said VADM Cotton. “You’re allin the Navy. You’re not in the Reserve anymore,” VADM Cottonsaid. “There’s the Active Component, the Reserve Component,the civilian component, and the contractor component. Every oneof us serves in the Navy. It doesn’t matter whether you wearthe uniform two days a month or 30 days a month; every one ofyou is on watch, all 30 days.”VADM Cotton outlined to the crowd the Department of theNavy’s 2004 objective to create a more responsive and integratedReserve Component. He explained that to achieve this objective,the Reserve Force had to define its structure and determine anActive Component/Reserve Component structure mix that supportsthe Fleet Response Plan and the Flexible Deployment Concept.This structure must also be able to meet new Navy assignmentssuch as antiterrorism and force protection.The redesign of the Navy Reserve will establish commontraining and readiness standards for regular and Reserve forces,improve Reserve access to current equipment and tactics andoptimize command and headquarters relationships betweenregular and Reserve forces, said VADM Cotton.“I think the changes that have happened, and are going tohappen, are positive ones that have needed to happen for a while.The One Navy concept has us all working toward the same goals,”said Yeoman 1st Class (AW) Anna Crawford, Naval Air ReserveWillow Grove’s Administrative Department leading petty officer.“By implementing a ‘One Navy’ concept, the Navy will becomemore efficient and effective by retaining fewer people in uniformand using them more wisely,” said Cotton. He pointed out thatas the Navy gets smaller, a larger percentage of its ships andits Sailors, from both the Active and Reserve Components, canexpect to be forward deployed.“In the 1980s, the Navy had 495 ships. On an average day, 98of those ships were underway. Today, we’re down to 289 ships, ofwhich 110 are underway. We have less, but we’re more effective.The taxpayers are paying less, but we’ve gotten more capability.”The Navy’s Reserve Component can expect to be an increasinglyimportant part of the more effective force. VADM Cottonchallenged all Reservists to be ready to deploy on short noticeand to be integrated fully with the Active Component.“The realignment of the Navy is an important aspect ofaccomplishing our nation’s strategic goals and objectives,” saidAviation Electrician’s Mate 3rdClass David Hazelton of NavalReserve Naval Air StationKeflavik 0393. “It’s going tocreate tremendous opportunitiesfor Sailors, regardless of rank orrate, to excel. I look forward tobeing part of the new, moreefficient and effective force.”“We beat fascism; we beatcommunism; and we are going tobeat terrorism because you, theNavy's Reserve Force, are ready,”said VADM Cotton.VADM John G. Cotton, Chief ofNavy Reserve, stresses a pointabout the changes taking placein the Navy’s Reserve Forcewhen he held a town hallmeeting in the base gym 4 Dec.VADM Cotton also challengedall Reservists to be ready todeploy on short notice and to befully integrated with the ActiveComponent. (Photo by SeniorChief Journalist (SW) DougHummel)NRA NEWS/FEBRDUARY 2005

31“Forward OSCAR Group” reports for unique duty:Over 400 Navy Reservists Mobilized toSupport First-Ever Customs Inspection MissionBy LT Mike Randazzo, NAVELSF Public AffairsWilliamsburg, VA – On 12 December 2004, over 400Navy Reservists mobilized by the Naval ExpeditionaryLogistics Support Force (NAVELSF) here will beginsix weeks of intensive training to fulfill a customs inspectionmission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is the firsttime that this requirement is being fulfilled by the Navy.Customs inspectors are the first line of defense against theintroduction of foreign plant and animal pests and diseases to theUnited States and help prevent contraband from entering thiscountry. These Sailors, who are being drawn from nearly 60 NavyReserve activities across the U.S. representing almost every state,will serve as Department of Defense customs inspectors in Iraq.“The customs inspection mission is a concrete example ofmaximizing the Navy’s human capital resources to meet theneeds of this very unique and important requirement,” said ViceAdm. John Cotton, Chief of the Navy Reserve.As members of the newly formed NAVELSF Forward OSCARGroup, they will execute a two-fold mission: ensure returningmilitary equipment conforms to United States Department ofAgriculture standards; and ensure all gear returning with personnelserving abroad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom complieswith United States customs regulations.The battalion is organized into three “companies” ranging from70 to 180 personnel. Companies are organized as follows: acompany commander, who is a Navy lieutenant commander;assistant company commander, a Navy lieutenant; a companychief petty officer; up to six platoon leaders, led by Navy chiefpetty officers; and customs inspectors who are Navy E-6 andE-5 enlisted personnel.“Navy personnel will work directly for the Army to provide thisfirst-ever combat service support mission,” said Group Oscar’sCommanding Officer, LTCOL Gerry Guerrero, a Marine CorpsReservist. These Sailors will relieve Air Force personnel whohave performed the mission for the past year. “We view this notas a Navy mission but as a mission for this country.”The Reservists, who represent a diverse array of Navy jobspecialties, reported to their Reserve Centers on or about 30November 2004. From there, they traveled to the NavalMobilization Processing Site in Norfolk, VA, for mobilizationbriefings and medical screenings.The customs inspections training, which will take place atNAVELSF facilities at Cheatham Annex and at Army trainingsites in nearby Fort Eustis, includes weapons; chemical, biological,and radiological defense; self and perimeter defense; HMMWVvehicle operation; combat lifesaving and first aide; and customsand agriculture inspection.“When it comes to training, good enough; it will never be goodenough. We have to always be better and the training cycle willcontinue even when these Sailors are deployed,” Guerrero said.“We are committed to making sure that each Sailor receives thetraining he or she needs to meet, or exceed, the mission requirements,”he added.ABOUT NAVELSF: NAVELSF is an operational force of theNavy’s U.S. Fleet Forces Command organized and staffed todeliver expeditionary logistics capabilities with mobilizationready Naval Reserve Force Sailors and equipment to theatercommanders in support of the national military strategy.NAVELSF consists of a Full-Time and Selected Reserve supportstaff, Navy Cargo Handling Battalions, Navy Supply SupportBattalions, an Expeditionary Logistics Response Cell, andDeployable Ammunition Handling and Reporting Teams. Thecommand supports over 4,000 Naval Reservists located throughoutthe United States, encompassing over 90 percent of the U.S.Navy’s Supply and Transportation Expeditionary Units.Do We Have Your CurrentE-Mail Address?We take pride in our ability to provide our members withup-to-date legislative, promotional, and retirement informationaffecting you. With our mass e-mail broadcast, we canimmediately keep you informed. In order to receive theseupdates, please send us your e-mail address to:NRA NEWS/FEBRUARY 2005

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