MILITARY OFFICERS CALL - Sun City Center Chapter - Florida ...
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MILITARY OFFICERS CALL
Sun City Center Chapter
Military Officers Association of America
P. O. Box 5693, Sun City Center, FL. 33571
Volume 36 Number 5 May 2020
Jim MAY SPEAKER
President’s Message
James Haney, MAJ. USMC (Ret)
Members, Prospects & Friends,
I hope you all (y’all) enjoyed a safe & memorable Easter. With
the cancellation of the luncheon meetings during April & May,
and the cancellation of the 25 May Memorial Day Ceremony, the
Chapter Board is cautiously planning for a 3 June Luncheon
Susan MacManus rescheduled for Oct 7th
meeting.
May 25th Memorial Day ceremony also cancelled
New Chapter member, retired Army COL Gary Bridges, has
agreed to be our speaker at the 3 June meeting if your Board Coronavirus recession, isolation could hit
believes it is safe to meet and the Community Association opens veterans harder than most: report
the Florida Room for use. COL Bridges’ description of his experi- Leo Shane III
ences as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam should prove interesting to
all members. The combination of job losses, social
isolation and mounting anxiety connected
Chapter Program Chair, Eunice Patxot, continues to contact and to the coronavirus pandemic could hit
arrange for luncheon speakers during this pandemic hiatus. Con- veterans especially hard in coming weeks
gressman Vernon Buchanan’s representative is still on our and months, according to a new analysis
“radar” and Dr Susan MacManus is now scheduled for October by veterans advocates.
7th. In order to get rolling again after pandemic restrictions might “COVID-19 could create a ‘perfect storm’ of developments that
be raised, the Chapter Staff has reserved the Florida Room for 1 could threaten the mental health of many veterans,” said Rajeev
July & 5 August Luncheon meetings, and confirmed caterer Ramchand, research fellow at the Bob Woodruff Foundation and
availability for those dates. author of the research paper.
“If we aren’t strategic and working proactively, social isolation
Make sure you arrive at our next luncheon early enough to enjoy coupled with anxiety about potentially getting sick and losing their
Walt Cawein’s Chapter activities and accomplishments slide job could lead to grave outcomes for many veterans.”
presentation. The report comes a day before the release of national unem-
ployment figures for March, which are expected to show the initial
Frank Kepley’s Webmaster efforts continue to enhance the site’s effects of the widespread shutdown resulting from the fast-
value and impact. Visit the Chapter web site and show your spreading coronavirus outbreak.
appreciation for his efforts and the information provided on the More than 217,000 Americans have tested positive for the virus
site. in the last month, including about 1,600 patients under Veterans
Affairs health care. More than 4,700 U.S. citizens have died from
Frank was recently awarded another 5-Star rating for the 2019 the illness.
Marvin J. Lewis Communications Award. With Jim’s two and “While COVID-19 is impacting all of us, our mission is to keep
Frank’s two 5-star Website awards that makes 4 Website and 5 the public’s eye on the needs of our veterans, caregivers, and
Newsletter 5-star awards. Pretty good haul. military families — especially during these particularly trying
times,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the group.
The Chapter has submitted for a 2019 MOAA Level of Excel- Foundation officials hope the report can focus attention on vet-
lence Award, and we hope for and anticipate, another 5 Star erans, to encourage that more resources and intervention can be
Award to be received later this year. focused on them at a time when other problems could over-
whelm their specific challenges.
Stay safe & healthy, and continue to serve, —-Jim Editor’s note: Click here for full story
Senators press VA about preparedness for coronavirus pandemic.
coronavirus pandemic "The department has been engaged in a process of
downsizing health personnel -- the closure of military medi-
A dozen senators squeezed the De- cal treatment facilities, the shifting of retiree, military family
partment of Veterans Affairs for more members' care to Tricare," Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New
information about how the agency has York, said in a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on
prepared for its “fourth mission”: to pro- Personnel hearing Wednesday. "In many of these areas,
vide emergency medical care for all treatment facilities may not be capable of handling the in-
Americans in times of crises. creased patient load.
The senators, all Democrats except for Sen. Bernie Gillibrand's comments were made before the World
Sanders, I-Vt., sent the VA a letter with 22 questions about Health Organization proclaimed the virus, officially known
patient testing, communication efforts, funding and the as COVID-19, to be a global pandemic.
availability of medical supplies, particularly respirators and Rep. Ross Spano (R-Fla.) has already sent a letter to
ventilators. Their query came as the World Health Organi- Secretary of Defense Mark Esper urging him to stop the
zation declared coronavirus a pandemic and President proposed closure and downsizing of clinics in his district
Donald Trump declared a national emergency. given the strain the coronavirus could place on local medi-
“We … want to ensure that the VA has all of the re- cal services. Proposed changes to the MacDill Air Force
sources needed to keep veterans, staff and communities Base Clinic and the Sabal Park Clinic in Spano’s district
safe,” the senators wrote. “We appreciate your leadership would move approximately 30,000 military beneficiaries to
during this emergency response effort and are hopeful that civilian care in the Tampa Bay area.
VA can be on the forefront of a successful domestic re- MOAA has always supported an enhanced focus on mili-
sponse.” tary medical readiness while vowing to ensure continued
In addition to caring for veterans, distributing benefits and access to high quality care for servicemembers and retir-
running the country’s veterans cemeteries, the VA has a ees, as well as their families and survivors. However, the
fourth mandate – to improve the nation’s preparedness for unprecedented challenges associated with the COVID-19
response to war, terrorism, national emergencies and natu- pandemic demand all plans to reduce MHS direct care sys-
ral disasters. In recent years, they’ve sent emergency med- tem capacity cease now; they can be reconsidered at a
ical teams to help in the aftermath of hurricanes. Now, their later date once the significant servicewide (and nationwide)
responsibility to act as medical backup could be triggered lessons are processed and applied.
by the coronavirus pandemic.
WEBSITE
Beware of Scams Connected to the Coronavirus As noted last month it is my intention to post various arti-
Crisis cles on important topics found in the newsletters such as
Tricare Updates, Veterans Benefits, Recruiting Issues, and
In a time of uncertainty, there is a heightened risk of falling victim
to scams concocted by those with ill intent. For cybercriminals andother topics under Membership Information / Resources.
scammers, the coronavirus crisis creates an attentive audience www.sccmoaa.org so you will not have to remember
who may be willing to accept false information in order to protect what newsletter you read about these issues in and they
themselves from perceived risks. can be updated.
Arm yourself not only against the virus, but against other threats,
by learning how to detect them first with tips from the Army
Criminal Investigation Command (CID). MEMBERSHIP CORNER
For information on the various scams and how to avoid
them click on Coronavirus Scams The Membership Committee Chair is providing the following to
update the Chapter membership regarding our Chapter LOE &
Military Medical Retiree Changes, Cuts MOAA rewards. Also, this article will list new Chapter members
Should Halt Due to Pandemic — 167 Chapter members
— 84 Regular LIFE members
At least one senator wants the Pentagon to delay mil- — 28 Regular ANNUAL members
itary medical cuts and a plan to push military retirees — 32 Regular BASIC members
and families off base for care in the face of the novel — 18 Surviving Spouses
MOAA ACTION SITE — 5 Honorary members
— 0 Non-MOAA members
I have created this box to direct members to the
online MOAA ‘Take Action’ site in order to assist New Chapter member(s):
MOAA in achieving their legislative goals.
We welcome aboard Joseph M. LePak, Jr. LT, USN, (Ret.) and
Click here and select the issue(s) you would like to Heidi.
have MOAA discuss with your representatives.
REMINDER: The Chapter reimburses $100 to members up-
Fill in the form and click submit. MOAA will send grading to LIFE when LIFE certificate is presented to the
it to your representatives. You can add your own Treasurer.
comments if you wish.
2
Chapter Officers
2020
PRESIDENT
Major James Haney, USMC (Ret)………...….220-8758
jhhaney1@gmail.com
1st VP
COL Eunice Patxot, USA (Ret)……..… (301) 529-4301
niche.patxot@gmail.com
Program chair
2nd VP
Lt Col Walter Cawein, USAF (Ret)……...….. 340-0533
waltcawein@gmail.com
Membership Chair
TREASURER
1Lt Bob Cochran USA (Fmr)…………....…..773-7925
boblo15@msn.com
SECRETARY
LTC Ed Mooney, USA (Ret)…….…………….751-6844
edmllc@yahoo.com
DIRECTOR
Jane Foppe (Aux) ……………………….….....541-2618
ljcfoppe@aol.com
Surviving Spouse Liaison
DIRECTOR
CAPT Frank Kepley, USN (Ret) ……………..642-0801
Public Affairs Officer
Legislative Affairs
Publisher/Editor Officers Call Newsletter
Webmaster
benjaminkepley@gmail.com
DIRECTOR
LTC Charlie, Conover, USA (Ret)…..……......260-3257
charlierconover@gmail.com
DIRECTOR
LT Dave Floyd, USN (Fmr)... ……….… …....334-7797
DavidFloyd2012@yahoo.com
DIRECTOR
Lt Col Ferrris Garrett, USAF (Ret)……….….841-0532
Garrett4@tampabay.rr.com
DIRECTOR
Lt Col Samuel Rorer, USAF (Ret)…..……..... 260-3882
Chaplain / Personal Affairs Officer
srorer@hotmail.com
PAST PRESIDENT
LTC Benny Blackshire, USA (Ret)……………260-3105
bwblacks@aol.com
JROTC Coordinator
Lt Col James Warchol, USAF (Ret)………..…633-1063
wjammer39@gmail.com
3
. David J. Gauthier
Certified Public Accountant—Sun City Accounting
Sun City Center, Florida 33573
(813) 634-9500
(813)642-8112-Fax
Income Tax Preparation
Corporate and Business Taxes
Accounting and Bookkeeping
Financial and Investment Planning
Planning for Freedom Plaza Entrance Fees
TEL: (813) 633-4467 11010 AMERICAN EAGLE BLVD
Managed By
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pursue their lifelong dreams in an engaging environment.
JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT COCKTAIL PARTY OR LUNCHEON AND
ALLOW US TO SHOW YOU HOW WE “ENRICH LIVES EVERYDAY.
Freedom Plaza, Sun City Center
Proudly sponsored by Retired Officers’ Corporation
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Sun City Center, FL 33573 Suite 200
P: 813-633-7333 Sarasota, Florida 31-21-0
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Securities and Insurance Services offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc.
Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Payant Wealth Management
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4
more women into combat jobs, to review the possibility of
yearlong maternity leave for female Marines, and to extend
parental leave policies to same-sex partners.
The commandant's order came about a week after a con-
gressional hearing on the rise of extremism in the ranks. A
recent survey of active-duty troops by the independent Mili-
tary Times also found signs of white supremacy are on the
rise.
Take preventive action now against COVID-19
According to the CDC, older adults
and people who have severe chronic
medical conditions like heart, lung or
kidney disease are at a higher risk of
serious illness if they contract the
COVID-19 virus. This means that
most people with Medicare are at a
higher risk.
In addition to practicing good everyday prevention
through things such as hand washing and avoiding touch-
ing your face, the CDC says there is more you can do to
take precautions against COVID-19 and reduce your risk of
exposure:
• Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces
with limited air circulation.
Gary Sinise honored with the Congressional • Defer all cruise ship travel worldwide, particularly if you
Medal of Honor Society's Patriot Award also have underlying health issues.
• Avoid situations that put you at increased risk, includ-
Legendary actor and activist for ing non-essential travel such as long plane trips.
veteran causes Gary Sinise was
honored by the Congressional Get More Info
Medal of Honor Society with its Remember: Medicare covers the lab tests for COVID-
Patriot Award on February 5th at 19 you pay no out-of-pocket costs. And Medicare also
the Ronald Reagan Presidential covers all medically necessary hospitalizations.
Library in Simi Valley, California.
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is a group Sun City Center MOAA Website
made up of Medal of Honor recipients. Each year they
present the Patriot Award to "those persons, who through Don’t forget to visit our new 5-star website. Here is the
their life's work, have distinguished themselves as Ameri- link to the website: www.sccmoaa.org You will find
cans who are dedicated to freedom and the ideals repre- much membership information, photos, calendar of
sented," according to a Department of Defense release. events, past newsletters and more. If you would like to
He's worked extensively with Disabled American Veter-
suggest topics for inclusion contact the editor.
ans over the past 35 years and his Gary Sinise Founda-
tion, founded in 2011, has focused on finding ways to pro- benjaminkepley@gmail.com A new improved
vide direct support to individual military members, veteran, version is here.
first responders and their families.
Publisher/Editor
Top Marine Orders Confederate Paraphernalia
to Be Removed from All Bases CAPT Frank Kepley, USN (Ret)
As states continue to grapple with
We need your input about member activities associat-
the passionate debate over whether to ed with MOAA and articles of interest to the military
display statues and other tributes to community. Contact Frank at:
Confederate leaders, Marines have benjaminkepley@gmail.com or 813-642-0801
been told the materials won't be toler-
ated on any of the Corps' installations.
Commandant Gen. David Berger last week instructed top
MOAA
Marine leaders to remove Confederate-related parapherna- 5 Star
lia from the service's bases worldwide. The directive is one Newsletter
of several forward-leaning initiatives Berger said he is Communication
"prioritizing for immediate execution."
In his memo, a copy of which was obtained by Mili- Award
tary.com, Berger also ordered leaders to find ways to move 2015 — 2019
5
Campos said. “It’s time for Congress to establish a legislative
framework to address these and future exposures. MOAA asks
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS the committees to assure veterans that they will receive the appro-
priate health care and benefits they earned for their service-
Frank Kepley, CAPT USN connected conditions.”
MOAA has also pledged to push for implementing the VA MIS-
(Ret) SION Act and preserve VA burial benefits.
Bill Would Restore Disabled Vets With Their
‘Unjustly Denied’ Benefit
The Maj. Richard Star Act, announced in
VA shares electronic health records a Capitol Hill press conference, provides
total offset relief for those with combat inju-
It will soon be easier for you to get VA ries – ensuring they get their full service-
health care in your community without earned retirement based on time in service
paperwork. and grade, as well as their disability com-
In or after January 2020, you won’t pensation from the VA for service-connected injuries or illness.
have to provide a signed, written authori- “These retirees are unjustly denied the benefits they deserve,
zation for VA to release your electronic and in this country that should never, never happen,” said Rep.
VA health information to a participating community care provider. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., who introduced the bill in the House. A com-
VA will automatically begin sharing your health information with panion bill is pending in the Senate from Sen. Jon Tester (D-
participating community care providers using the Veterans Health Mont.). This is a bipartisan and bicameral effort to correct an injus-
Information Exchange. The electronic system is secure and safe. tice and keep us on the path towards concurrent receipt for all.
This change will make it easier for your health care team to A retired servicemember, who also receives VA disability com-
make better decisions about your health care. It can also help pensation, has an amount equal to that compensation deducted
you be safer, especially during emergencies. No action needed. from their military retirement pay. In some cases, the servicemem-
If you are OK with VA sharing your electronic patient information ber forgoes their entire military retirement pay. Congress has ap-
with your community care provider, you don’t have to do a thing. proved concurrent receipt of both retired pay and disability com-
Your information will be shared automatically. A form is needed to pensation only for those who are 50% or more disabled and com-
OPT OUT of electronic sharing pleted at least 20 years of creditable service. Remaining to be
If you do not want to share your information electronically, you approved are those same retirees who are 40% disabled and
must submit VA Form 10-10164 (Opt Out of Sharing). below, and retirees with less than 20 years creditable service with
Editor’s note: This is a good change as far as I am concerned. combat-related and other injuries or illnesses.
Speeds up initiation of care. Editor’s note: it is difficult to believe it takes so long to right and
obvious wrong. Go to Take Action page and send a letter to
What's Next for the VA? MOAA Shares Its Priority your representatives'.
List With Congress
Expansion of veteran caregiver program delayed
MOAA urged the VA to imple- until at least next summer
ment needed reforms to better
serve veterans in distress, help Families of veterans who served before the recent wars won’t
those exposed to environmental be added to the Veterans Affairs caregivers program until
hazards, and improve care for summer 2020 at the earliest, department officials announced
women veterans in March 3 testimony before a joint session of Wednesday.
the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees. The delay had been expected for months, as VA officials strug-
MOAA’s top three legislative priorities related to VA programs gled to get new technology and processes in place to handle an
are the expansion of suicide prevention and mental health care, influx of new applicants to the program. Currently, only families of
the recognition of service-connected health conditions and toxic troops injured after Sept. 11, 2001, are eligible for program sti-
exposure, and the expansion of programs for women veterans. pends, which can total several thousand dollars a month.
In February, MOAA joined other veterans groups to send a letter Under the VA Mission Act passed last year, veterans who sus-
to the president asking him to add four scientifically connected tained a serious military-related injury before May 7, 1975, were
presumptive diseases to the list of veterans’ diseases associated supposed to be able to enroll starting this fall. Now, they’ll have to
with Agent Orange. The four presumptive diseases are bladder wait at least until 2020 for entry, if not longer.
cancer, hypothyroidism, Parkinson-like symptoms, and hyperten- “VA will perform testing and verify that the system has full func-
sion, which could affect as many as 83,000 veterans. tionality before expanding the program as required under the MIS-
The letter followed previous efforts by MOAA and other groups SION Act,” the department said in a statement.
to work with the VA to add the presumptive diseases. During con- The timeline shift also pushes back eligibility for families of veter-
gressional hearings last year, top VA leaders said they were con- ans who served from 1975 to 2001, from fall 2021 to fall 2022 at
sidering adding the four diseases, but no decision has been an- the earliest. Lawmakers have included a phased application peri-
nounced. od for different generations of service members to ease pressure
“Each day new exposures and illnesses surface while VA con- on VA systems.
tinues struggling to collect data and records to connect exposures
to health conditions – critical information only DoD can provide,”
6
Letter to President Trump From Veterans vors Can Claim Benefits Under New Law ]
Groups Seeks Addition of 4 Presumptive
Diseases to Agent Orange List (MOAA Newsletter) Burn pit legislation passed by Congress could
lead to improved accountability, better care for
Seven veterans service organizations vets exposed to hazards
(VSOs) have united to call on President
Donald Trump to use his executive Veterans and lawmakers have been
powers and add four scientifically con- sounding the alarm for years that burn
nected presumptive diseases to the list pits could be this generation’s Agent
of veterans’ diseases associated with Orange, with potential health conse-
Agent Orange. quences for troops and the threat of de-
In a joint letter dated Feb. 10, the VSOs urge the president layed care and denied disability claims
"to take action and to end the wait, needless suffering and by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
disappointment for an entire generation of veterans.” This year, some lawmakers are looking into legislation to
declare that veterans who served in certain locations were
[READ THE LETTER HERE ] exposed, paving the way for easier VA disability claims. And
the Pentagon has been tasked to close remaining pits and
MOAA co-signed the letter with the Disabled American Veter- provide a comprehensive list of the sites used by the military.
ans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of Ameri- The Defense Department banned most burn pits in combat
ca, Fleet Reserve Association, Paralyzed Veterans of Ameri- zones amid a whirlwind of lawsuits and claims from post-9/11
ca, and AMVETS following the VA notification that the depart- veterans that they were getting sick at a young age. The mili-
ment would await the results of two studies that are sched- tary today mostly uses clean-burning incinerators downrange.
uled to be released in late 2020 before making any changes But the Pentagon policy makes allowances in areas where
to the list of presumptive conditions. burn pits are the only feasible way of getting rid of waste.
That’s where legislation could help. But there are worries
In the letter, the VSOs state “the continued delayed action by over identifying areas.
VA is causing additional suffering for Vietnam veterans and “Our concern was that some might try to use this data to
their families.” deny veterans’ claims,” said Joe Plenzler, communications
director for the nonprofit Wounded Warrior Project, who
The four presumptives -- bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, served in Iraq. “We think it is good to require DOD to map out
Parkinson-like symptoms, and hypertension -- affect at least all known locations, with the caveat that some locations may
an estimated 83,000 veterans. not be accounted for, and that just because a location was
not listed should not be interpreted to mean that one wasn’t
The VSO letter details the evidence review in the National there.”
Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s reports The VA website says, “At this time, research does not show
stating that bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, Parkinson’s- evidence of long-term health problems from exposure to burn
like symptoms, and hypertension fall among the health pits. VA continues to study the health of deployed Veterans.”
problems linked to Agent Orange exposure. Editor’s note: you have to be from another planet to think
that there are no adverse effects from burn pit exposure. It’s
Congress is taking note of the impact on their constituents all about the money.
and a bipartisan bill was introduced in the House to address
this issue. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) and Rep. Pete Air Force Generals to Elon Musk: The Fighter
Stauber (R-Minn.) introduced H.R. 5610 to add the four pre- Jet Era Isn't over Yet
sumptives.
Despite recent comments by SpaceX
[TAKE ACTION: Ask Congress to Ensure the VA Covers founder Elon Musk that the fighter jet is
These Conditions ] technology from a bygone era, the aircraft
will remain on flight lines for many years to
In a press release for the bill, Rep. Harder stated, “These come, according to top Air Force generals.
guys have waited for over 40 years for the benefits they Last week, Musk ruffled feathers when he
earned and should have been getting decades ago.” told a room full of pilots at the Air Warfare Symposium in
Florida that "locally autonomous drone warfare is where it's
Stauber, the original co-sponsor on the bill, stated, “It is only at, where the future will be."
fair that we care for these servicemembers when they return "It's not that I want the future to be this; that's just what the
home. Vietnam veterans have long been suffering from future will be. ... The fighter jet era has passed," he said, as
health problems as a result of Agent Orange exposure.” reported by multiple news outlets Friday. "Yeah, the fighter jet
era has passed. It's drones."
While the VSOs are hopeful the president will act on their While planning ahead for asymmetric warfare is a must,
letter, more congressional action may be required to get the permanently parking fighters on the ramp isn't going to hap-
VA to take care of veterans. Please reach out to your rep- pen right now, said Air Combat Command chief Gen. Mike
resentative and ask them to support H.R. 5610, which will Holmes.
mandate the VA cover these four illnesses connected to Editor’s note: Interesting, but hard to believe drones can do
Agent Orange exposure. all of the things fighter jets can do.
[RELATED: Here’s How Blue Water Navy Veterans, Survi-
7
Theodore Roosevelt captain makes urgent Mr. Walsh was placed on administrative leave. A new
plea for individual quarantine sites as command structure was put in place. The National Guard
was brought in to speed up testing of staff and patients.
COVID-19 cases multiply By Tuesday, 10 residents and seven staff members had
tested positive for the coronavirus, with 25 more awaiting
The carrier Theodore Roosevelt is test results. Among 13 recent deaths, tests had come back
pulling in to Guam to try and stop an positive for the virus in six cases, while five were still pend-
outbreak of COVID-19 on board ing, another was inconclusive, and another came back neg-
(U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Nicholas ative.
Huynh) Flags in Holyoke, a city of 40,000 around 90 miles west
The commanding officer of aircraft of Boston, were lowered to half-staff on Tuesday in honor
carrier Theodore Roosevelt is urging the Navy to step up its of the veterans who died.
response to COVID-19 and secure individualized isolation Editor’s note: This one is really hard to believe.
for the ship’s crew as COVID-19 cases aboard the ship
continue to multiply, according to a new report. Update 4/1/2020
While most of the Roosevelt crew remains in cramped
quarters aboard the carrier, a small percentage of sailors US Sailors Pour Off Aircraft Carrier and Into
are starting to move into group quarantine sites on shore in Coronavirus Isolation on Guam
Guam to limit the spread of the virus — and only one of
these sites is in compliance with NAVADMIN guidance. Navy leaders praise ship’s captain for urgent evacuation
As a result, current efforts to combat COVID-19 are inad- request; 3,700 off within days.
equate, according to the Roosevelt’s commanding officer About one-fifth of the USS Theodore Roosevelt’s 4,865
Capt. Brett Crozier. sailors are off the COVID-stricken aircraft carrier and into
Crozier argued that the group quarantine sites would isolation on Guam, with about 2,700 more expected to
merely delay the spread of COVID-19 in a letter to Navy evacuate in the next few days, Acting Navy Secretary
officials on Monday, obtained by the San Francisco Chroni- Thomas Modly said Wednesday
cle. Likewise, he noted that the Centers for Disease Control “The misunderstanding was the requirement to get off the
and Prevention and the Navy and Marine Corps Public ship faster,” Adm. Michael Gilday, chief of naval operations,
Health Center advise said at a Pentagon press conference. .
against group quarantine, and instead suggest individual Ninety sailors have tested positive for the novel corona-
quarantine. virus, while 593 have tested negative and several hundred
“Sailors do not need to die,” Crozier wrote in the letter. “If tests are still pending, Modly told reporters. About one-
we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of quarter of the crew has been tested so far. None of the sail-
our most trusted asset — our Sailors.” ors has yet required hospitalization for the disease, he said.
For full story Click here About 1,000 sailors will remain aboard the Roosevelt to run
Editor’s note: Much more on this issue in full story. its nuclear reactors, oversee its weapons, and keep the
ship running, Gilday said.
The others are coming off the ship as suitable accommo-
Coronavirus Spreads in Veterans’ Home, dations can be found or created for them ashore,
Leaving ‘Shuddering Loss for Us All’ Modly said.
Modly said the Navy was already working to evacuate the
.NEWTON, Mass. — The mayor of Holyoke, Mass., got an ship on Monday, when the ship’s commanding officer sent
unsigned letter over the weekend that deeply disturbed a four-page letter up his chain of command asking for
him. more help.
“Are you aware of the horrific circumstances at the Sol- The acting secretary couldn’t yet say how long the Roo-
diers’ Home?” the letter read, and went on to describe seri- sevelt might stay in Guam, or the evacuation’s effect on the
ous breaches, like a resident suspected of having the coro- fleet’s readiness. But he stressed that the aircraft carrier
navirus, awaiting the results of a test, being sent back to a was being maintained in fighting condition.
dementia ward with 20 other veterans. “If the ship needs to go, the ship can go,” Modly said.
The mayor, Alex Morse, reached out to Bennett Walsh, Editor’s note: Go with 1000 men? I don’t think so.
the superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, a 247-
bed, state-managed nursing home for veterans, to figure Another update 4/2/2020
out what was going on. Aircraft Carrier Captain Fired For ‘Poor
But by then, Mr. Morse said, the damage was far more
than he had imagined: In a matter of five days, eight veter-
Judgement’ In Sending Coronavirus Letter
ans had died, apparently without being reported to either
The commander of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore
state or local officials. Others were sick with the corona-
Roosevelt who sounded the alarm about a COVID-19 out-
virus; staff members were too.
break upon his ship has been relieved of command by the
Mr. Walsh’s explanations left the mayor “incredibly disap-
acting Navy secretary.
pointed,” and so did a conversation with Mr. Walsh’s supe-
Capt. Brett Crozier “demonstrated extremely poor judge-
rior, Francisco Urena, Massachusetts’ Secretary of Veter-
ment in the midst of a crisis” by sending a four-page re-
ans’ Services. Frustrated and “with a sense of disappoint-
quest for urgent help to people outside his chain of com-
ment at the lack of urgency,” Mr. Morse contacted Lt. Gov.
mand, including a newspaper, Acting Navy Secretary
Karyn Polito.
Thomas Modly told reporters.
By Monday, state officials had announced a series of ma-
jor moves. Editor’s note: Full story here
8
Update 4/7/2020 Editor’s note: Looks like the battle stations are quickly be-
Navy Secretary Modly Resigns After Carrier ing manned.
Remarks; Esper Names Replacement
Possible Military Pharmacy Changes Due to
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper COVID-19
said April 7 that he’s accepted the resigna-
tion of acting Secretary of the Navy Thom- Do you use a military pharmacy? If
as Modly and has nominated Ar- so, there may be temporary limitations
my Undersecretary James McPherson to that result in a decrease in service or
be Modly’s replacement. closure at your pharmacy due to COVID
“This morning I accepted Secretary Modly’s resignation. -19. To maintain patient and person-
He resigned on his own accord, putting the Navy and the nel safety, you may have to temporarily switch your pre-
Sailors above self so that the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, scription to TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery or to a
and the Navy, as an institution, can move forward,” Esper TRICARE retail network pharmacy.
said in a statement, which was carried on Twitter. “We are taking necessary steps to ensure that our teams
“I briefed President Trump after my conversation with who are caring for patients and delivering critical medica-
Secretary Modly. With the approval of the President, I am tions do so in a safe environment. This may mean tempo-
appointing current Army Undersecretary Jim McPherson rary limitations to military pharmacy services.
as acting Secretary of the Navy.” What Can I Do?
Modly offered his resignation April 7 after apologizing for There are several things you can do to make sure you
“any pain” caused by a speech that followed his firing of receive your medications.
the commander of the virus-hit aircraft carrier USS Theo- • Call Your Military Pharmacy. Call your military phar-
dore Roosevelt that some interpreted as him calling the macy refill line to check for changes to service offer-
captain “naive” and “stupid.” ings, closures, and resumption of services.
Editor’s note: The captain made a significant mistake due • Call Express Scripts, Inc. (Express Scripts) at 877-
to his concern for his crew. Modly has no excuse for his 363-1303. Or you can visit Express Scripts to switch
self -serving premature action. His comments redefined your prescription to home delivery.
the word stupid. • Call Your Retail Network Pharmacy. Ask them to call
your military pharmacy to transfer your medication, or
Lost Care and Broken Promises: Military call your provider for a new prescription.
Retirees React to Tricare Changes • Find a Retail Network Pharmacy. You can also visit
the Express Scripts website to find a retail network
After Tricare officials announced pharmacy.
sweeping changes to the locations Note: If you don’t have any refills remaining, call your pro-
where retiree and military family vider to send a new prescription to either the TRICARE
health users can access on-base Pharmacy Home Delivery or your TRICARE retail network
care, hundreds of Military.com pharmacy.
readers have posted comments, As we continue to take proactive steps to lower the
feedback and worries via social spread of the coronavirus, we appreciate your help. Please
media, email and the stories on this site. stay updated by visiting www.tricare.mil/coronavirus and
For many, feelings center around a pair of issues: ac- signing up for email updates You can also find additional
cess to needed care and broken promises. information at the Military Health System website. Stay
The Defense Health Agency early this month announced safe and take command of your health.
plans to halt care for military retirees, retiree families and
active-duty family members at 38 stateside Military Treat- MOAA Urges Congress to Temporarily Waive
ment Facilities (MTFs), instead treating active-duty pa- TRICARE Mail Order Copays
tients only. The changes are expected to roll out over five
years, and officials pledged to complete the process only With additional legislation to address the coronavirus pan-
when they've guaranteed each patient has care in the civil- demic potentially in the works, MOAA is urging congres-
ian community. sional leaders to temporarily waive TRICARE mail order
Near Waco, Texas, retired sailor Jerry Hill said “many pharmacy copays.
military retirees pushed back, saying that their removal TAKE ACTION: Ask Your Lawmakers to Waive Mail Order Co-
from those 38 locations and others, such as Ireland Army
pays During the Pandemic
Medical Center at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and at Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina, is already in motion.” He wrote
“In many cases their care has not been handed off at all.” MOAA Continues Efforts to Stop Cuts to Military
Many retirees chose where to retire based on the ability Medical Capacity
to use most of these facilities because acquiring care at
local civilian facilities is very difficult or even impossible MOAA continued its work on the Hill to stop cuts to military medi-
because those facilities limit the number of Tricare retirees cal capacity with an April 3 letter to House and Senate Armed
in their hospitals. "This will ruin many retirees' lives. Where Services Committee leadership. The letter urges a provision to
is the support and concern for those who have earned that stop medical billet reductions and end the downsizing of military
care as promised during their service for the United States treatment facilities (MTFs).
of America?" TAKE ACTION: Ask Your Lawmaker to Answer MOAA’s Call
9
Commissaries restrict access to authorized In a letter Republicans and Democrats on the House Com-
customers only, end early bird shopping mittee on Veterans’ Affairs told Wilkie that Congress need-
ed updated information in order to oversee the VA’s efforts
The agency said it believes the ID and help when necessary. Recently, the VA was reporting
checks and visitor restrictions “will re- 46 positive cases across the country and preparing for a
duce the number of people in our stores “surge,” Wilkie said during a White House briefing earlier
and help with social distancing.” Wednesday.
The agency also said that individual “As this public health emergency evolves almost hourly,
commissaries may also need to limit pur- Congress must be informed so it can act immediately to
chase quantities of some products. Restrictions on hand protect the health and safety of veterans who may be at
sanitizers and other products have been ongoing for days significant risk during this pandemic,” the lawmakers
at stores overseas. wrote. “We need reporting on what the [Veterans Health
“We are increasing deliveries to our overseas commis- Administration], the nation’s largest government health
saries, including shipments of high demand items such as care system, is experiencing on the ground.”
hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes,” the agency said They asked Wilkie to provide the daily information and to
on its website. “We have airlifted multiple shipments to the give the weekly updates every Friday, starting March 20.
Pacific on high-demand items to supplement the stock in In addition, the lawmakers included a list of about 50 ques-
our central distribution centers and support to our stores.” tions they wanted answered by March 25. See VA virus
Shelves at a number of commissaries in Germany and statistics for full details
elsewhere have run short on disinfectants and toilet paper,
as well as some foods like rice and meat. Coronavirus Resources
Hospital ships, deployable medical units Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
preparing to assist US communities affected Coronavirus Website
by coronavirus CDC Advice for Higher-Risk Individuals
VA Coronavirus Website
WASHINGTON — The military is TRICARE Coronavirus Information
preparing its Navy hospital ships and DoD Coronavirus Response Website
alerting expeditionary medical units to Health.mil Coronavirus Information
support local government efforts to National Institutes of Health Coronavirus
combat the coronavirus, Pentagon Information
officials said Wednesday. Latest Coronavirus News from Military.com
“The USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy are being pre- Latest Coronavirus News from Military Times
pared for deployment as needed to assist potentially over-
whelmed communities with acute patient care,” Chief Pen-
tagon Spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said Wednesday. The above will be on the website www.sccmoaa.org
The Comfort will head to New York in a few weeks after “News and Events’ —-’Chapter News’ until 1 August
it completes its maintenance currently being done in Nor- (longer if necessary.
folk, Va., Hoffman said. Speaking on CNN later, Defense
Secretary Mark Esper said the Mercy will be deployed on How VA and Tricare Users Can Get Tested for
the West Coast by the end of the month. Coronavirus
Each ship has a staff of 1,000 medical personnel. The
military is working to identify active duty medical profes- Information regarding who can be tested and the
sionals to staff the ships, Hoffman said. procedure they must follow if they exhibit the
The ships and medical staff usually treat traumatic inju- necessary symptoms can be found at
ries, but the staffing can be adjusted to best address local COVID-19 Testing.
needs, Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs, Joint Staff
Surgeon, said Wednesday at the Pentagon.
The Pentagon has also alerted several expeditionary VA suspends funeral honors, large gatherings at
medical units from across the military to be on standby to cemeteries due to coronavirus
deploy to set up field hospitals to support local efforts.
Friedrichs would not say which specific units have been All large funeral services and military burial
put on alert but said they would provide about 1,000 beds. honors will cease at veterans cemeteries
The ships and field hospitals will not treat patients infect- nationwide as part of federal efforts to limit
ed with coronavirus but are intended to help open spaces the spread of the coronavirus
at local hospitals for those who are, Esper said. Veterans Affairs officials made the an-
nouncement, with the new policies effective on March 23. That
Lawmakers push VA for better means that funeral services scheduled for this weekend at veter-
communication as coronavirus cases grow ans cemeteries will continue as planned. The services will be
limited to 10 people.
WASHINGTON — House lawmakers urged Department But starting 3/23/2020, “committal services and the rendering of
of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie to provide daily military funeral honors was discontinued until further notice,” ac-
briefings about the agency’s response to the coronavirus cording to the department notice.
pandemic.
10Ongoing TRICARE Reform and Fee Increases
(Taken from the February issue of the FCOC)
There were NO TRICARE-FOR-LIFE enrollment fees or deductibles in 2020.
While Congress enacted no new programmed TRICARE fee increases in the FY 2020 defense bill, several previously
scheduled fee increases took effect Jan. 1:
Enrollment fees for retirees who entered service prior to Jan. 1, 2018. TRICARE Prime: $300 (single)/$600 (family),
up from $297/$594;
TRICARE Select: No fee.Enrollment fees for retirees who entered service after Jan. 1, 2018. TRICARE Prime:
$366 (single)/$732 (family), up from $360/$720; TRICARE Select: $471 (single)/$942 (family), up from $462/$924.
Retail pharmacy fees. $13 for 30-day supply of generic, $33 for brand name, $60 for non-formulary (up from $11, $28,
and $53, respectively).
Mail-order pharmacy fees: $10 for a 90-day supply of generic, $29 for brand name, $60 for non-formulary (up from $7,
$24 and $53, respectively – an average increase of 25%)
TRICARE Expands List of Drugs It Won't Cover The Defense Health Agency has been excluding some prescription
drugs from TRICARE coverage after the fiscal year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act included a provision allow-
ing DHA to do so.
Now, drugs that DHA categorizes as “Tier 4/non-covered” are excluded from coverage under TRICARE. These Tier 4
drugs cannot be obtained at pharmacies at military treatment facilities. They also aren’t available through the TRICARE
Pharmacy Home Delivery Program. Tier 4 drugs are only available at retail pharmacies at full out-of-pocket cost to the
beneficiary.
While MOAA understands the rationale for establishing Tier 4 to improve formulary management, we are concerned
about where this process is headed. We are monitoring Tier 4 drug reviews closely to ensure DHA follows congressional
intent and moves to Tier 4 only those medications that “provide very little to no clinical effectiveness.” MOAA is pressing
DHA to establish an appeals process for Tier 4 determinations.
Beneficiaries can find out all drugs TRICARE currently covers by searching the Tricare Formulary or calling Express
Scripts at (877) 363-1303 This document posted on website under Membership Information www.sccmoaa.org
Pentagon budget calls for ‘civilianizing’ military hospitals
The Pentagon’s fiscal 2021 budget request supports ongoing, sweeping changes to the military
health system that will reduce the number of uniformed medical personnel and send non-active duty
beneficiaries to contractors or civilian providers for their health care.
The $50.8 billion proposed Department of Defense medical budget released continues reforms
initiated in 2017 that place the service medical commands in charge of providing health care for uniformed personnel
and gives oversight and responsibility of all military hospitals and clinics to the Defense Health Agency, to include staff-
ing decisions.
According to the budget documents, this means some non-uniformed beneficiaries — active-duty family members,
retirees and their family members — will continue receiving care at military treatment facilities from civilian staff or con-
tractors, while others, “where feasible …. will be transitioned to a local network provider.”
The budget documents affirm what Defense Health Agency officials have said for months: the military health system
must right-size the military medical forces to support operational medicine, while roughly 8 million non-uniformed benefi-
ciaries will receive health care from civilian federal employees, contract care or in the community, via Tricare.
For those forced off-base to receive medical care, the transition will come with an additional financial burden. Currently,
beneficiaries who receive care at military hospitals or clinics have no co-payments for services or prescriptions.
But in the community, retirees and their family
members enrolled in Tricare Prime can expect co-pays ranging from $20 for an outpatient primary care appointment to
$62 for an emergency room visit, while those who choose Tricare Select will pay between $30 for a network primary
care appointment up to $118 for a network emergency room visit.
Prescription co-payments outside military pharmacies range from $10 for home delivery of generic medications to $60
for a medication not listed on Tricare’s formulary at a network retail pharmacy.
11Scientists discovered the link between stress spring, has been blamed for increases in heart attacks and
and gray hair traffic accidents as people adjust to a temporary sleep defi-
cit. But as legislatures across the country consider bills to
For a long time, society has perpetuated the idea that end the clock shift, a big question looms ahead of this
stress causes people's hair to turn gray. However, until year’s March 8 change: Which is better, summer hours or
recently, the science behind why was unclear. Research- standard time?
ers at Harvard have discovered acute stress causes the There are some strong opinions, it turns out. And they are
sympathetic nervous system to release large amounts of split, with scientists and politicians at odds.
norepinephrine. The neuro-transmitter, in turn, causes Retailers, chambers of commerce and recreational in-
damage to stem cells linked to production of hair pigment. dustries have historically wanted the sunny evenings that
allow more time to shop and play. Researchers on human
biological rhythms come down squarely on the side of the
GM took its new driverless car for a Cruise standard, wintertime hours re-ferred to as “God’s time” by
angry farmers who objected to daylight saving time when it
Cruise, the GM-owned driverless- was first widely adopted during World War I.
car maker, has unveiled a newly What’s not in question is that the clock switching is un-
designed robo-taxi that has no ped- popular. Some 71% of people want to stop springing for-
als or steering wheel. The SUV-size ward and falling back, according to a 2019 Associated
vehicle will be used for Cruise's Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.
coming ride-hailing service The measures getting the most traction right now are for
permanent daylight saving time, which makes more sun
available for after-work activities.
In 2018, Florida passed a bill and California voters
Chinese Military Officers Hacked Equifax, backed a ballot measure to do so. Maine, Dela-ware, Ten-
Justice Department Says nessee, Oregon and Washington joined in 2019, passing
permanent daylight-saving bills.
DOJ officials highlighted the theft of None of the efforts to eliminate the time changes can
intellectual property and personal in- become reality without the blessing of Congress.
formation in one of the biggest online Editor’s note: Cannot come to fast for me.
thefts in history.
The Justice Department has Leaders say Space Force will be kept small;
charged four members of the Chinese Public Liberation 16 specialties expected for troops
Army with responsibility for what it says is the largest theft
of personally identifiable information—and trade secrets— Force leaders on Wednesday insisted
by a state-sponsored actor, following a two-year investiga- to some skeptical House legislators that
tion into the monumental data breach of credit reporting they would keep the new service branch
agency Equifax. small and hyper-focused on operating
“This was a deliberate and sweeping intrusion into the and defending the U.S. military’s critical
private information of the American people,” said Attorney space assets long into the future
General William Barr, releasing the indictment. “Today, we Air Force Lt. Gen. David Thompson, who is assigned as
hold PLA hackers accountable for their criminal actions, the Space Force’s No. 2 general, told the House Appropri-
and we remind the Chinese government that we have the ations Committee’s defense subpanel that space leaders
capability to remove the Internet’s cloak of anonymity and were going to great lengths to avoid unnecessary buildup
find the hackers that nation repeatedly deploys against us of the service, which is expected to grow to as many as
In September 2017, Equifax announced the unauthor- 16,000 troops in the coming years.
ized exposure of the data of 147 million Americans— “There’s been tremendous pressure and tremendous
including dates of birth, Social Security numbers, physical drive from our leadership to hold down the bureaucracy of
addresses and drivers licenses. this force,” he told the subcommittee during the first hear-
In January, the Federal Trade Commission an- ing focused on the Space Force, which was established in
nounced $425 million would be available to help those af- December. “We are going through a number of initiatives
fected by the breach from a settlement between Equifax to ensure we are agile, we are lean and we are mission-
and the FTC, along with the Consumer Financial Protec- focused.”
tion Bureau and 50 U.S. states and territories. Air Force Maj. Gen. Clinton Crosier, is the director of
Lawmakers reacting to the Justice Department an- Space Force planning.
nouncement welcomed the indictment of the Chinese mili-
tary officers but did not let Equifax off the hook.
Time for a change JOIN TODAY
Changing over to daylight saving time Not a member of MOAA? When you join MOAA, you
— a major annoyance for many people become part of the strongest advocate for our mili-
— may be on its way out as lawmakers tary's personnel and their families. The stronger our
cite public health as a prime reason to membership is, the stronger our voice becomes.
ditch the twice-yearly clock-resetting ritu-
Consider joining today because every voice counts.
al. The time change, especially in the
12DoD Budget Proposal Cuts All Funding to Stars Editor’s note: Considering the number of years they have been
And Stripes; Lawmakers Back Newspaper attempting to accomplish this project, I am not putting any money
on its successful implementation,
The Pentagon's fiscal year 2021
budget request would strip Stars and TRICARE Expands List of Drugs It Won't
Stripes of all its federal funding, more Cover (MOAA Newsletter)
than $15 million annually, a Defense
Department official said, as lawmakers Thousands of TRICARE beneficiaries are
and others defended the editorially inde- losing coverage for their medication as more
pendent news organization. drugs are dropped from the list of those ap-
The budget request unveiled seeks to cut all of Stars and proved for TRICARE coverage.
Stripes' DoD funding – about $15.5 million per year, which the Drugs that DHA categorizes as “Tier 4/non-
Pentagon wants to reinvest in functions that it considers more covered” are excluded from coverage under
critical for warfighting, said Marine Lt. Col. Chris Logan, a spokes- TRICARE. These Tier 4 drugs cannot be obtained at pharmacies
man for Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist. Stars and at military treatment facilities. They also aren’t available through
Stripes receives about $8.7 million annually in operations and the TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery Program.
maintenance funds and about $6.9 million in contingency opera- Tier 4 drugs are only available at retail pharmacies at full out-of-
tions funds to support news reporting in places such as Afghani- pocket cost to the beneficiary. Costs for Tier 4 drugs do not apply
stan and Iraq. to the annual TRICARE catastrophic cap.
The cut to Stars and Stripes' annual Pentagon subsidy equals For the last year, the DHA has been identifying and reviewing
about half of the new organization's annual funds to pay expens- drugs to potentially remove them from coverage. The first round of
es. Stars and Stripes' remaining money comes from sales, sub- Tier 4/non-covered drugs was announced in August 2019 and
scriptions and advertising. included Glumetza, Vimovo, and Lexette. Excluding these drugs
Stars and Stripes first appeared during the Civil War, and it has had little impact on beneficiaries since very few TRICARE patients
been continuously published since World War II. It produces daily were using these prescription drugs and alternative agents were
newspapers for U.S. military troops across the world and a web- available for them.
site, which is updated with news 24 hours a day. However, nearly 19,000 beneficiaries taking Dexilant to treat
The proposal has received pushback from varying directions, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were impacted when
including a former commander, lawmakers and a key journalism that drug was dropped from TRICARE coverage effective Nov.
advocacy and education organization, the Society of Professional 28, 2019.
Journalists. MOAA is also pressing DHA to establish an appeals process for
SPJ called on Defense Secretary Mark Esper to rethink the Tier 4 determinations.
funding cut to Stars and Stripes, which it said would be "a huge
disservice to the men and women who serve our country" who VA predicts virus could affect 30 percent of its
rely on the physical newspaper in areas where they cannot ac- workforce
cess the internet.
Editor’s note: There goes on of my prime sources for newsletter
topics.. The Department of Veterans Affairs released its 262-page re-
sponse plan for the coronavirus pandemic Friday, in which the
department predicts 30% of its employees will be unable to work
VA, DoD tout major progress in effort to join because they or a family member will become sick.
electronic health records systems The coronavirus outbreak could last 18 months or longer and
include multiple waves of illness, the VA predicted. About 20% of
The departments of Defense and Veterans people who test positive for the virus will require hospitalization,
Affairs are eyeing the end of the summer for and 5% of those will require intensive care.
significant advances in their efforts for a new, The VA also wrote in its plan that its facilities could see critical
joint electronic health record, a move that both shortages of personal protective equipment for medical staff, hos-
bureaucracies have made the long-term cen- pital beds, ventilators and morgue space.
terpiece of medical reforms for their patients. The plan was put together by the VA’s Office of Emergency
VA officials announced they have transferred the health records Management. VA Secretary Robert Wilkie decided to publicly re-
of 23.5 million veterans to Cerner Corp., the company behind the lease the plan so other medical providers could learn from it and
planned 10-year, $16 billion records modernization effort. provide feedback, he said. For full story Click here
In a statement, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie called the move a
key initial step in getting his department on the same records sys- 3 sailors killed in NAS Pensacola shooting will
tem as the military, a goal of both departments for decades that
has remained frustratingly incomplete. receive Purple Hearts
The 78 billion records transferred to the Missouri-based Cerner
Corp. include lab results, pharmacy prescriptions, outpatient diag- The three sailors who were killed during last year’s shooting at
noses and dozens of other data points. The private company will Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, will be posthumously award-
spend the rest of the summer processing those files in preparation ed Purple Hearts, a Navy official confirmed.
for integration into the Defense Department’s common electronic “When confronted, they didn't run from danger; they ran towards
health record system, MHS GENESIS. it and saved lives,” Navy Capt. Tim Kinsella, NAS Pensacola’s
The military records overhaul is expected to be introduced at commanding officer, said on Dec. 7. “If not for their actions, and
every military medical facility in waves over the next four years, the actions of the Naval Security Force that were the first respond-
although that timeline has already been pushed back due to initial ers on the scene, this incident could have been far worse.”
fielding issues with the new systems.
13You can also read
