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Military Times 2020 Guide to Military Benefits
Here’s a link to this on-line guide that covers Basic Pay, BAH, retirement, family support, VA loans, TRICARE, and educational benefits. It is a great resource if you have questions about how something works:
Updated Summary of COVID Related ALNAVs and NAVADMINs
There’s been a number of COVID-19-related ALNAV and NAVADMIN messages released since the last summary. This document summarizes all of these messages (the newest ones are highlighted) and hyperlinks are provided for the messages:
COVID19 Message Summary (24Apr20)
Thanks to CAPT Kemper at BUMED who sends me these summaries.
Two COVID Info Sheets for Those With Travel or PCS Issues
Here are two PDFs that might help people in certain situations.
This PDF is for anyone “ordered by their command to self-monitor somewhere other than their home if they are not on official travel orders”:
HARDSHIP-DUTY-PAY-RESTRICTION-OF-MOVEMENT
This one is for anyone who has “entered into a rental or purchase agreement at their prospective duty station, but are unable to execute PCS orders due to travel restrictions”:
IMPACT-OF-TRAVEL-RESTRICTIONS-ON-BASIC-ALLOWANCE-FOR-HOUSING-ENTITLEMENTS
Message from the SG – When Can Navy Medicine Get There?
Esteemed Navy Medicine Shipmates,
As you know, our One Navy Medicine Team is on the front lines of this fight combating COVID-19 on multiple platforms and working across many disciplines. Last week I shared with you several examples of how our clinicians are stepping out of their traditional roles to provide “boots on the ground” health care support in this national emergency. Our clinicians remain a vital part of this effort, and they are not alone in the fight.
This past Monday, Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center professionals partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct an outbreak investigation in Guam with volunteers from the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The purpose of this investigation is to gather data which will help inform future testing strategies, operational planning, and COVID-19 mitigation measures to ensure the readiness of Navy ships and our Force.
Since the coronavirus outbreak was first recognized, our scientists from Navy Medicine’s Research & Development enterprise immediately began to harness the power of our global network of laboratories to help develop vaccines and therapeutics against SARSCoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Our research experts are looking at operational needs and working to develop countermeasure products that will make their way down to the deckplate. Our Navy Medicine Researchers are focusing on four priorities:
- Producing purified human anti-SARSCoV-2 polyclonal antibodies. Naval Medical Research Center has partnered with Sanford Applied Biosciences to produce human neutralizing antibodies from humanized cows (Tc Bovines) that can potentially be used to treat COVID-19 infected patients. When administered to at-risk individuals exposed to COVID-19 infected patients, these Tc Bovine-derived human antibodies may prevent infection or significantly reduce illness associated with a secondary COVID-19 infection.
- Psoralen-inactivated SARSCoV-2 vaccine. Developing an inactivated whole virus COVID-19 vaccine using a flexible vaccine development platform that is based on the use of a psoralen compound, which interrupts virus replication by inactivating viral genes, while leaving the outer virus proteins largely intact. These intact outer virus proteins in psoralen-inactivated vaccines promote a better immune response compared to standard formalin-inactivated vaccines where the outer virus proteins may be distorted or destroyed by the formalin inactivation method leading to a less robust immune response.
- Phage-based COVID-19 vaccine. Designing a multi-subunit phage-based vaccine that will be ready for testing within weeks. They have secured funding for purification, manufacturing, and large-scale throughput to prepare numerous Current Good Manufacturing Practice vaccines, identifying optimal polyvalent vaccines prepared for phase I clinical trials.
- Spearheading a robust and field-deployable rapid diagnostic test suited to meet shipboard demands. Navy researchers are working with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on gene editors that could operate as rapid detectors of pathogenic threats. The development initiative is called “Detect it with Gene Editing Technologies” to enable biosurveillance detection of any threat, anytime, anywhere.
We are eager to see these projects contribute to our fight against COVID-19 and Navy Medicine continues to make meaningful progress by leveraging high-velocity learning to be resourceful and innovative. I would like to note, that the contributions from our doctors and scientists are not always conducted bedside or from a lab bench. In Lima, Peru, team members from Naval Medical Research Unit Six were recently recognized by the State department for stepping up to support the repatriation efforts of over 7,000 U.S. citizens stranded in Peru and transport them back to America. When there is a challenge before us and people are in need, the men and women of our One Navy Medicine Team are there to provide help and support.
Whatever your role, I want each of you to know that your contributions continue to make a difference. It is a well known fact that our Navy is the 911 force for our Nation and often the first words uttered by our leadership in the time of crisis is “When can the Carriers get there?” Because of the Power that you bring to this fight and the immediate game-changing impact you are having, the first thing I’m hearing is “When can Navy Medicine get there?” Thank you for your responsiveness, dedication, and professionalism to our Sailors, Marines, families, and our fellow citizens. You are the game changers in this fight!
With my continued respect and admiration,
SG Sends
April Message from the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
MHS Team:
As the nation faces a historic challenge to combat the COVID-19 pandemic,
military medicine is at the forefront of the battle to protect the health of
U.S. military forces and support the national response. You are playing a
critical role to deliver on the Secretary’s priorities to protect our
Service members, their families, and the workforce, while maintaining
military readiness and supporting the national COVID-19 response. Military
medicine has been at the front lines of the national response – bringing
unique, and agile expertise and rapidly deployable resources to the fight,
including martialing medical staffing and getting them to the place where
they can do the most good: treating patients. We’re mobilizing doctors,
nurses, and medical technicians, both Active and Reserve Component.
Thank you for being a part of our team, and for the long hours you are
putting in to keep our people healthy and safe, and to support our nation in
the fight against COVID-19. I wish to share some key updates as we work
together across the MHS and the Department to tackle this virus.
The pandemic is putting unprecedented pressure on the MHS. As a result, on
April 2 the Department decided to pause the MTF transition activities for 90
days. At the 45-day mark, we’ll reassess to determine the right time to
resume these important efforts. This pause enables the system’s full focus
on the COVID-19 response.
As we direct our attention and resources to meet the increasing military
medical needs from COVID-19, the Military Health System’s agility and
adaptability remain part and parcel to our success. Health Affairs, the
Services, the Office of the Joint Staff Surgeon, the DHA, and the Uniformed
Services University continue to focus on a range of efforts to support the
Department and our beneficiaries. We’ve worked closely with senior
leadership to implement a series of Force Health Protection policies that
provide DoD Guidance on protecting personnel, patient movement and
treatment, the use of personal protective equipment, and laboratory
diagnostic testing.
I issued a policy that began on March 31 directing military Medical
Treatment Facilities and Dental Treatment Facilities to postpone elective,
non-invasive, non-urgent procedures unless those procedures can be safely
performed and are deemed necessary for readiness or for a patient’s safety.
This policy aligns with actions being taken across the nation to conserve
vital healthcare resources to use in support of the national COVID-19
response. The policy has increased medical staff availability to meet MTF
demand, while supporting deployed medical assets and protecting our
patients, medical personnel, and communities from further exposure and
transmission of COVID-19.
The University’s and DHA’s COVID-19 Practice Management Guidelines,
TRICARE’s new Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy guidance, and new MTF
virtual health guidance are great examples of how the MHS is delivering for
our Service members, retirees and their families by adapting in real time to
increasing demands.
At the same time, facilities are leveraging advanced telehealth technology
to preserve health care service offerings for patients. In fact, the number
of Direct Care visits has not changed compared to February, thanks in large
part to the virtual care our providers are now offering. On March 30, more
than 35 percent of primary care appointments were conducted virtually, and
we expect the virtual health guidance to facilitate even more virtual care
offerings in the future, in order to continue providing high-quality care to
patients, even as the COVID-19 response continues. I commend MTFs and DTFs
for working hard to execute these changes seamlessly for our patients, and
in support of the whole-of-government efforts to conserve medical capacity
and resources.
Lastly, I’m pleased to congratulate the hundreds of fourth-year Uniformed
Services University medical students and graduate-level nurses who made
history being the first to graduate early. These new doctors and the nurses
who have completed advanced degrees are joining DoD’s COVID-19 response.
Thank you for your selfless commitment to serve our warfighters, patients,
and nation through military medicine. On behalf of the Military Health
System, welcome to the team!
DOD Starts Tiered COVID-19 Testing Process to Ensure Safety
Here’s a link to this article:
Finance Friday Articles
Here are my favorites this week:
What’s The Worst Case Scenario for Diversified Portfolios?
Here are the rest of this week’s articles:
5 Examples of Bad Financial Advice from Dave Ramsey (for Doctors)
14 Reasons the White Coat Investor Doesn’t Want You to Retire Early
A $50,000 Real Estate Fund Investment, One Year Update
Acts of Congress: The Impact of Coronavirus on Your Finances
Aggressive Hours Reduction: Why Every Physician Should Chase ‘Virtual Retirement
Different Strategies For Putting Cash to Work During a Bear Market
Do We Need to Worry About Government Debt?
Financial Freedom Warriors Fired Up Over Economic Turmoil
How do we continue to diversify through this economic downturn?
How Early Retirement Prepared Us for the Pandemic
Investments in a Pandemic: The Lay of the Land
Stocks Just Took the Elevator Down & The Elevator Up
Tax Deductions for a Home Office
The Collapse of the Energy Sector
The Wild World of Yield Chasing
Which Retirement Accounts Should I Use? The Order of Investing
COVID-19 PCS Update from PERS
Here are some updates from PERS to include the updated waiver request form:
- Waivers to PCS before 1 JUL 2020
- Requests must be submitted from the losing command and endorsed by the first Flag Officer/SES, with concurrence/non-concurrence from the gaining command. Coordination between the losing and gaining commands is required, with a specific question of concurrence required to be answered on Page 2 of the waiver. If there is non-concurrence, PERS-4 will adjudicate it.
- The losing command will notify their Echelon 2 Commander if the waiver is approved.
- In addition to submitting the attachment, copy and paste the waiver text into the body of the e-mail to help expedite the waiver approval and message release process.
- Command/Milestone Positions
- Any extension request that would adversely impact an officer currently slated to backfill will not be supported. However, commands can still determine turnover dates and PERS can entertain order modifications as appropriate to support. These will be addressed on case by case basis.
- Accessions and Training
- New accessions (like new interns) and “advanced individual training” are exempt from the stop movement. The Detailers are currently viewing all interns, GME, and DUINS as “advanced individual training” but they are still awaiting a final answer from PERS leadership.
If you have questions after reading this, here is one recovering Detailer’s take:
- If you are involved in an XO/CO move, you should coordinate your waiver requests with the POCs who were setting your change of charge/command dates at the regions. PERS wants all the waivers for Exec Med to be coordinated and submitted together, and NMFL/NMFP is doing this.
- If you are involved in a milestone or slated move (OIC, CMO, Senior Operational, etc.) you should try to coordinate the move and either get a waiver submitted, as detailed above, or get your orders modified by working with your Detailer.
- Anyone with specific questions about their orders should contact their Detailer including the GME Detailer for GME-related questions.
- If after all of this there is still uncertainty, I’ll dust off my Detailer hat and you can contact me with questions. I’ll do my best to answer them, but get ready for an answer of “contact your Detailer.”
Navy Updates ID Card Guidance
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) — After announcing temporary changes to ID Card office procedures, the Navy has issued additional guidance April 20.
NAVADMIN 114/20 provides an update for Navy personnel who require Common Access Cards (CAC) and Uniformed Services Identification (USID) card services during the COVID-19 pandemic. These additional measures provide greater flexibility for ensuring installation and facility physical access and means to remotely update information technology certifications, all to maintain continuity of operations while minimizing non-essential visits to ID card facilities.
Service personnel and family members who possess expired ID cards and who are still eligible for benefits due to sufficient service affiliation can continue to use their expired cards until Sept. 30, 2020. While all will still be screened at base entry control points, electronic ID card scanners will be used to verify eligibility and if valid, base access will be granted.
CAC cards with an expiration date of April 16, 2020 (or later) may continue to be used through Sept. 30, 2020 after cardholders renew their credentials online. Access to the ID Card Office Online is available at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/self_service. Step-by-step instructions are available at https://www.cac.mil/coronavirus.
The following additional temporary policy changes announced in the message are effective until Sept. 30, 2020:
- The minimum age to get a USID card has been raised to 14 years old.
- As long as a cardholder’s affiliation with their service has not changed, USID cards that expired on or after Jan. 1, 2020 can continue to be used (base access, commissary, exchange, etc.).
- Service members can remotely enroll newly acquired dependents (spouse, child, stepchild, adopted child, etc.) for healthcare coverage. Contact MyNavy Career Center (MNCC) Contact Center at (833) 330-6622 or via email at askmncc@navy.mil for specific guidance.
- USID cards can be reissued via the postal service for those unable to get an appointment at a RAPIDS site. Service members who want to use this option must first contact their nearest ID card office and can find this information at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil.
All Navy Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification System (RAPIDS) sites will continue to issue and re-issue CACs that expire within 30 days by appointment only. However, CACs will not be reissued for routine information changes (promotion, name change, etc). DOD civilian employees will keep their CAC when transitioning to a new service. CAC PIN resets will continue to be provided on a walk-in basis.
To check the status of a RAPIDS site or to schedule an appointment go to the RAPIDS Appointment Scheduler at https://rapids-appointments.dmdc.osd.mil. More information can be found at www.cac.mil/coronavirus.
Thowback Thursday Classic Post – My White Coat Investor Guest Podcast
Here’s a link to my guest spot on the White Coat Investor site and podcast:
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 