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2021 Non-Specialty Specific Billet Opportunities
Please see the note below from the Senior Detailer. Anyone who applied for XO, CO, OIC, CMO, or Senior Executive/Operational is highly encouraged to also apply for any positions on this list that interest them. Not everyone who applied for the jobs I slate will get one. There are not enough positions available:
Greetings from PERS,
Reaching out to invite your attention to a number of outstanding billet opportunities available to MC officers in 2021. Please see the attached documents for information regarding our “Non-Specialty Specific Billet” assignment process, including a PDF application, and a listing of available opportunities to include:
- Operational Assignments (FST OICs/CATF Surgeons, Marine Regimental Surgeons, LHD SMOs, and others)
- Administrative Assignments (BUMED, DHA, PERS, and others)
- Research Assignments (NMRC, NMRU-San Antonio, and others)
- Naval War College – JPME Phase II – Newport, RI
Please contact your detailer if you would like to discuss these options.
Applications are due to your detailer NLT 25 SEP.
VR/
Todd A. Gardner, MD, MPH, FAAFP
CAPT, MC, USN
Head, Medical Corps Assignments
Executive Medicine, Surgical Specialties
Navy Personnel Command, PERS-4415
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38005
901-874-4094 DSN 94+ 312-882-4094
todd.a.gardner2 < at > navy.mil
COVID-Related Awards NAVADMIN
The NAVADMIN can be seen in its entirety at this link:
https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/Documents/NAVADMINS/NAV2020/NAV20235.txt
Here is some BUMED guidance on these awards from the BUMED Plan of the Week:
Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM) and Humanitarian Service Medal (HSM). Active duty, reserve and National Guard personnel are eligible for the service medals as outlined in DoD Manual 1348.33, DoD Manual of Military Decorations and Awards. The period of the award is from Jan. 31, 2020 to a date to be determined. Members are not authorized to receive both awards for the same time period. Please read below for some guidance on both medals:
AFSM
- May be given to deployed members to a designated area of qualifying operations for 30 or more days.
- Member has to have performed duties, to which they were re-assigned away from their regular billeted duties in direct support of DoD COVID-19 operations for not less than 30 days (consecutive or non-consecutive).
- If while performing duties in direct support of COVID-19, a member contracts the virus while supporting the mission (even if for only 1 day), he/sh may be authorized to wear the AFSM
HSM
- This medal is presented to members who were in direct support of a humanitarian mission in a deployed status in approved locations
- Eligibility for the HSM is only for the period of immediate relief operation in the affected area (definitive start and end dates).
How to Buy Life Insurance When You’re in the Military
Shopping for life insurance can be time consuming and difficult, but I’m going to make it easy for you. Read on to find out how much life insurance you need and figure out the best way to get it.
Do You Need Life Insurance?
The purpose of life insurance is simple. If you die, it protects those who are reliant on your income.
If you have anyone who is financially dependent on you, you need life insurance. If you don’t, you don’t need it. It’s that simple:
- Married with kids – You probably need it unless you have a sizable net worth.
- No kids but your spouse doesn’t work – You probably need it.
- No kids and your spouse works – If their income is enough for them to live on, you don’t need it. If it is not enough to live on, you need it.
- Single with no dependents – You don’t need it.
- Kids do not need life insurance.
This handles most scenarios. If you have some other situation, I’ll go back to the beginning…
If you die, would anyone suffer financially? If the answer is yes, you need life insurance. If the answer is no, you don’t.
What Type of Life Insurance Do You Need?
There are two types – term and permanent/cash-value. Only buy term. Never buy permanent/cash-value. No matter who tries to sell it to you or how convincing they are.
ONLY…BUY…TERM.
If you want to know why, read this article.
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
There are a plethora of online calculators set up to answer this question. The best one I’ve found is here. Use the calculator…that’s how much life insurance you need.
If you are averse to complicated calculators, a common rule is to purchase 7-10 times your annual income. Again, that is a rule of thumb that is not taking into account your individual life situation. If you are allergic to online calculators, though, using this rule of thumb will ensure that your family is not destitute if you die.
Where Should You Get Your Life Insurance?
You can shop around on different websites, like Term4Sale.com. But I wouldn’t do that if I was you.
Most companies that sell life insurance do not cater to the military. Their policies will have all sorts of restrictions that you and I just can’t be bothered with, like war clauses that would not pay out in the event of an act of war. (Note that Andy Borgia from DI4MDs.com contacted me after publication and says this is no longer the case. War is covered but there is a 2 year exclusion for suicide.) For this reason, I’d only get my insurance in one of four places:
- AAFMAA
- Navy Mutual Aid Association – You don’t have to be in the Navy to get insurance from them.
- Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) – This is the life insurance you can sign up for via your military paycheck.
- USAA
There may be other military-focused insurers, and if you want to share them in the comments feel free, but these are my go-to sources.
What Combination of the Above Options Should I Get?
Getting SGLI isn’t necessarily the cheapest option. The above companies are well-versed in how you can most efficiently combine their products with SGLI to maximize the amount of life insurance you can get for your money.
Contact the three companies above. Spend some time listening to their opinions on how to best address your situation. Only buy term insurance. Then buy what seems best for you.
The Bottom Line
- Decide if you need life insurance.
- Decide how much you need.
- Buy term insurance only.
- Buy only from these sources – AAFMAA, Navy Mutual Aid Association, SGLI, or USAA.
Brief Disability Insurance Update and Finance Friday Articles
Here’s a brief message update from Lawrence Keller, one of the experts of disability insurance for military physicians at Physician Financial Services:
Joel-
Hope all is well.
I wanted to let you know that MassMutual recently announced a 25% discount for Active Duty Military Physicians.
This discount is permanent and also applies to all increases made to one’s coverage in the future.
I’ve also been using a two policy approach for Military Physicians that will ultimately allow them to reach up to $20,000 month, regardless of their health, as their incomes rise. I have received very favorable feedback on this strategy, which even works for Military Residents/Fellows (who are typically limited to only $2,000 month to start).
If you have any questions or require additional information, feel free to call.
Lawrence B. Keller, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, RHU®, LUTCF
Phone: (516) 677-6211
Fax: (516) 269-7700
Toll- Free: (800) 481-6447
250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY 11797
https://www.physicianfinancialservices.com/
Here are my favorites this week:
6 Tips For Those Who Have Enough
Different Strokes – An Analysis of Vanguard, Schwab, and Fidelity Target Date Funds
TAX PLANNING FOR PHYSICIANS: CONCEPTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Here are the rest of the articles:
5 Reasons to Not Give Up On Social Security
9 Symptoms of an Unhealthy Relationship with Money
10 Simple Steps to Financial Success
An Investing Road Map for Pre-Retirees
A Retirement Readiness Checklist
Cash panickers: Coronavirus market volatility
Has the Market Changed at All Since the Bottom?
How to Get Rid of Stuff: The Survey Says…
How to Get Started in Telemedicine
How to make economic forecasts personal
Risk and Return in the Stock Market Are Not Evenly Distributed
Socially Responsible Investing: Is It Also More Profitable?
Start Your FIRE: A Modern Guide to Early Retirement
The Right Way to Use Debt in Medical School
Two Ways to Change your TSP Investments
What Happened to the Middle Class?
When All Your Baskets Break At Once: The Black Swan
Weekly GME Application Assistance Calls Starting Today
In an effort to assist with questions members may have regarding the GME application process, the Navy GME office will start holding weekly application assistance open call tel-cons – the dial-in information is below.
Currently we have only been able to reserve 50 ports (maximum available without additional justification) so would ask that only those individuals with questions dial-in. If we find that 50 ports is inadequate we will request additional ports in subsequent weeks. Of course, individuals are always welcome to email any questions to the email address in the BUMEDNOTE 1524 – usn.bethesda.navmedprodevctrmd.mbx.gme-sb@mail.mil.
Date – every Wednesday, starting 26 AUG until JSGMESB on 7 DEC 2020
Time – 1200-1300 (eastern)
Dial-In Numbers:
- Commercial, (210) 249-4234
- DSN, 421-3272, (312) for Overseas DSN
*** The Conference ID and PIN are needed to dial in***
Conference ID: 2477# Pin Code: 145720#
Aerospace Medicine Program Director and NAMI Academics Director
Please see the announcement below from the Flight Surgery Specialty Leader:
Colleagues,
I know a few of you have already talked to me or have asked about both the Program Director for the Aerospace Medicine Residency as well as the NAMI Academics Director for the flight surgeon program. The PD billet typically come with an extended set of orders, although they may be only written for 3 years, 5-6 years is not atypical. The Academics Director job is typically a 3-4 year billet. I lay this out so you know what you are getting yourselves into and understand this is not a 2 years and then retire plan. There is a small number of you that are eligible for these positions and this e-mail is directed at you, but I will be sending the announcement to the Corps Chief’s Office as well. There may be some interest outside of AMS for the Academics Director position, but that individual will need to have been active in flight surgery recently. The PD job obviously requires you to be board certified is Aerospace Medicine, so if you are not currently BC, then you need to sit for your boards in OCT and pass them. Research, leadership positions and the breadth of your experience will also factor into your application.
The application will include your biography, CV and a separate personal statement for each position. For each position, address you’re your motivation to assume that job and what your vision for the program is over a 5 and 10 year period. I know you will not be there for 10 years, but what do you want the program to look like in the future. How will increased UAV usage effect training? What about the gradual conversion of “GMO/OMO”’s to board certified physicians. How would that impact Flight Surgery Training? How would straight through training effect the RAM and what would that internship look like? These are some real questions that may need to be addressed during your time in the seat. Please keep this to 1-2 pages.
We will have a board to review the applications who will then select the next PD and Academics Director. The board will consist of the NAMI OIC, the incumbent, myself .and former TYCOM surgeons.
I know everyone is under different stresses, depending on their current billet, but please send me you applicant packages NLT 18 September. The intent is to have a decision made by October, so turnover plans can begin and the incoming PD and Academics Director can participate in resident selection as well as flight surgeon selection.
Please note this date is different than what I have on the announcement, since I did not get this out yesterday as expected.
Thanks!
V/R,
Rob
Robert J. “Biff” Krause, MD, MPH, CIME
CDR, MC (AMS), USN
Aerosapce Medicine Analyst
Naval Safety Center (Code 14A)
Specialty Leader, Aerospace Medicine and Flight Surgery
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 