May 15, 2017

DFAS Address Change ► Shift From Kentucky to Indiana

The Defense Finance and Accounting Service's addresses changed effective May 1, 2017. The old addresses are being discontinued and will be replaced by addresses in Indianapolis. The new addresses are:

Retired Pay:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, U.S. Military Retired Pay, 8899 E 56th Street, Indianapolis IN 46249-1200

Annuitant Pay:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service, U.S. Military Annuitant Pay, 8899 E 56th Street, Indianapolis IN 46249-1300

The old PO Boxes in London KY will remain open and all mail will be forwarded to the new address for one year. However, sending mail to the old address will add three to five days to the normal processing time. The telephone and fax numbers are not changing. Recommend copy and paste the into your web browser for additional contact information. Continue to use to access your Retiree Account Statements. [Source: Retired Pay, DFAS-Cleveland msg | May 11, 2017 ++]

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DFAS myPay System Update 18 ► Beware Bogus email Messages

BEWARE! Several myPay customers have informed DFAS that fraudulent SmartDocs email messages are being sent that could put your information and finances at risk. The reported invalid emails contain what appears to be from a valid SmartDocs email address. The originators of these emails have "spoofed" their messages to hide their true origin and placed the SmartDocs address in the "From" line to make the email appear legitimate.

Valid SmartDocs messages from DFAS are always sent in plain text, do not include attachments and do not ask you to send any information in response. Your email program may automatically convert a valid SmartDocs message into HTML and convert some text into clickable links. DFAS recommends that you do NOT click on any links within any email message. To access a site referenced in an email, open your browser and type the link (URL) directly into the browser.

Don't get fooled. If you receive a SmartDocs message that contains a link, don't click on it. If a URL is listed in the message type it in manually within your browser. Delete unexpected or unsolicited messages that contain attachments or that request you to send information back. Becoming a victim is easy. Utilizing a few basic precautions with email handling are critical to protecting your information, finances and identity. Find other ways to keep yourself safe online at [Source: DFAS Website at | May 11, 2017 ++]

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USFSPA & DFAS ► Notice Of Statutory Change

A change to the law has occurred that affects the manner in which court orders submitted to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) as part of an application for division of military retired pay pursuant to the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act (USFSPA) must be formatted. The following information provides notification of these statutory changes:

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2017, in Section 641, signed by President Obama on December 23, 2016, amended the definition of disposable pay in the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act (USFSPA), 10 U.S.C. § 1408-- In the case of a division of military retired pay as property (that becomes final prior to the date of a member’s retirement), the military member’s disposable income is limited to “the amount of basic pay payable to the member for the member’s pay grade and years of service at the time of the court order” and increased by the cost-of-living amounts granted to military retirees from the time of the (divorce) to the date the member retires.

In order to enable the designated agent (the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), Garnishment Operations) to calculate the “new” disposable retired pay amount, a court order entered after December 23, 2016, (in a case where the order becomes final prior to the member’s retirement) that provides for a division of military retirement paymustprovide the below listed three (3) variables.

  • If the member entered the servicebeforeSeptember 8, 1980:

1. A fixed amount, a percentage, a formula, or a hypothetical that the former spouse is awarded;

2. The member’s pay grade at the time of divorce;

3. The member’s years of creditable service at the time of divorce; or in the case of a reservist, the member’s creditable reserve points at the time of divorce.

  • If the member entered military serviceon or afterSeptember 8, 1980:

1. A fixed amount, a percentage, a formula or a hypothetical that the former spouse is awarded;

2. The member’s high-3 amount at the time of divorce (the actual dollar figure);

3. The member’s years of creditable service at the time of divorce; or in the case of reservist, the member’s creditable reserve points at the time of divorce.

If the award language in the court order is missing any of the above listed variables, DFAS will not be able to approve the orderand the court will have to clarify the award. For additional information refer to the web page at To see the language that the court order must use click on DFAS' "Sample Order Language" document. [Source: | May 11, 2017 ++]

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Commissary Prices Update 09 ► Changes Effect On Shoppers' Savings

Early results from widespread commissary pricing changes have shown little effect on shoppers' savings, a commissary official said, but some items could become more expensive thanks to greater price flexibility -- and the extra cash may not be going where customers expect. Some price cuts stem from new, cheaper deals with manufacturers. But other price changes come as the Defense Commissary Agency takes advantage of new rules approved by Congress that allow stores to better line up prices with outside-the-gate competition. If an item is well under the regional price average, for instance, that item's price could go up, and the money saved could go toward bringing down another item's cost.

Or, it could go somewhere else. “We are generating margin for the first time in DeCA’s history,” said Chris Burns, DeCA's executive director of business transformation, at a recent conference in Richmond, Virginia. Burns uses the term “margin” rather than "profit" because the extra cash will go to reduce the amount of taxpayer dollars used to operate the stores. Those tax dollars – about $1.3 billion a year – had allowed stores to sell all groceries at cost from the manufacturer/distributor plus a 5 percent surcharge, which is used to build and renovate stores. New rules passed as part of the annual defense authorization act mean customers, for the first time, are helping to pay for the benefit.

And while the new pricing setup has shown no overall effect on savings under its limited rollout, that only applies to when customers buy the right selection of items, said Brooke Goldberg, director of military family policy and spouse programs for the Military Officers Association of America. Shoppers who may have bought goods because they were far underpriced compared to local vendors could see their savings vanish. “We hope Congress will exercise the full extent of its oversight in watching these reforms implemented,” Goldberg said. “This is one of the most valued non-pay benefits that military families have, and it’s not just military families. It’s retirees, and survivors and wounded warriors who all value going to the commissary to receive a savings, and know what they’re getting. “Now, [officials] are tossing it all in the air and reshuffling everything, and we don’t know what that’s going to look like.”

A PRICING PRIMER

Two separate pricing changes are in effect. In the first, 10 commissaries adjusted prices on about 1,000 items to better line up prices with area competitors. No product's price can go up by more than 10 percent, per DeCA guidelines, Burns said. The second, which rolled out 1 APR in all 238 stores, lets officials look at specific categories to see what happens when they raise prices on some national brands, in order to help pay for operating costs. They also have negotiated lower prices from manufacturers on “a couple thousand” items, Burns said, so some costs could go down.

Not all savings will be passed on to customers. If DeCA's cost for an item drops by 10 cents, for instance, it may be sold at commissaries for its initial price, and that dime could go toward reducing the cost of another item in the store, or toward store operations, or both. Some of those cents may also go somewhere else: Members of industry have expressed concern privately that the contractor hired to design the pricing program, Boston Consulting Group, will benefit from the arrangement. Some unofficial reports from members of industry familiar with the program say BCG gets as much as 50 percent to 60 percent of the amount the price is reduced. This arrangement has not been confirmed by commissary officials, who say they can’t release any information on additional fees, awards or incentives paid to BCG until they are determined at a later date, based on actual contract performance.

Asked if any of the price reduction is going to a third party, Burns said it is not -- that it's going to either reducing prices on that particular item, reductions on other items, or to help fund store operations. It’s not clear whether consulting fees are included in store operations. Pressure on distributors and manufacturers to cut prices could mean cuts to special deals, sales or even scholarship donations, multiple sources said. It could also mean fewer brands from manufacturers -- Duracell batteries, for instance, no longer will be sold in commissaries.

STORE BRANDING

As negotiations with brand-name manufacturers continue, the stores expect to roll out their first "private label" product, bottled water, by the end of May. Trash bags are expected in June, and more private-label products, also known as generics, will be rolled out gradually. The exact price of the private-label products has not yet been determined, said DeCA spokesman Kevin Robinson, who said the new items will "definitely be cheaper than regular national brands.” While Congress has given DoD permission to implement the variable pricing and private label programs, lawmakers are monitoring the programs and their effects on commissary savings. “We really believe a certain amount of caution should be exercised in implementing those changes to make sure that if they push patrons away, the changes are reversible,” MOAA's Goldberg said. “It will be a lot harder to get patrons back than it is to push them out the door.” [Source: MilitaryTimes | Karen Jowers | May 4, 2017 ++]

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DoD Fraud, Waste, & Abuse ► Reported 1 thru 15 MAY 2017

A contractor who worked on the Navy’s supply and transport arm is facing a five-count indictment for his alleged role in a bribery scheme that allegedly netted him $3 million. Scott B. Miserendino Sr., 58, was charged on 4 MAYon charges that he accepted bribes over 15 years while working for a contractor at th e Military Sealift Command. The indictment alleges that Miserendino, while employed as a contractor for Military Sealift Command, assisted Joseph P. Allen and his contracting company “in obtaining and expanding a commission agreement with a telecommunications company” that provided satellite services to MSC. Officials said that Miserendino used his position to influence MSC to take “official acts” that benefited the telecommunications company, and Allen through the commission agreement, from 1999 until 2014.

Among the charges, the indictment alleges that Allen paid Miserendino to provide access to Navy ships so his company could perform services, including establishing the telecommunication company’s product as the default system over other providers. Miserendino also allegedly advised MSC officials on the use of the telecommunication company’s products and facilitated payment to the company. Allen already pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery on April 19, and is awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for July 28 in federal district court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Miserendino had already been sentenced to 96 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $212,000 in 2014 for a separate bribery case involving his time at MSC. The current indictment charges him with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services mail fraud, one count of bribery and three counts of honest services mail fraud. [Source: FederalTimes | Carten Cordell | May 8, 2017 ++]

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VA Disabilities Overlooked ► Top 10 Compensatable Ones

There are many disabilities veterans and VA medical staff seem to overlook or set aside indefinitely, causing veterans to miss out on a chance to file a claim for a service-connected disability. Take a look at the Top 10 Overlooked Disabilities missed by veterans and VA medical staff. Don't miss out!

1. Erectile Dysfunction – Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is the inability of a man to have an erection hard enough to have sexual intercourse. It can also be known as impotence. It is not unusual for this to happen to a man on occasion, but frequent ED can be a sign of a bigger medical problem that needs attention. ED can also lead to complications in a man’s life all on its own.

2. Agoraphobia – The essential feature of Agoraphobia is anxiety about being in (or anticipating) situations from which escape might be difficult or in which help may not be available in the event of having a Panic Attack (or panic-like symptoms). Oftentimes, when in this situation, an individual may have the vague thought that something dreadful may happen. Such concerns must persist for at least 6 months and occur virtually every time an individual encounters the place or situation (especially those that remind a veteran of battle situations). Agoraphobic fears typically involve characteristic clusters of situations that include being outside the home alone; being in a crowd or standing in a line; being on a bridge; and traveling in a bus, train, or automobile. More specifically, the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5 requires that an individual experiences intense fear in response to (or when anticipating entering) at least 2 of the following 5 situations:

  • Using public transportation, such as automobiles, buses, trains, ships, or planes.
  • Being in open spaces, such as parking lots, marketplaces, or bridges.
  • Being in enclosed spaces, such as shops, theaters, or cinemas.
  • Standing in line or being in a crowd.
  • Being outside of the home alone.

A person who experiences agoraphobia avoids such situations (e.g., travel is restricted; the person changes daily routines) or else they are endured with significant distress. For example, people with agoraphobia often require the presence of a companion, such as a family member, partner, or friend, to confront the situation.

3. Keloids – A scar that rises quite abruptly above the rest of the skin. It is irregularly shaped, usually pink to red in color, tends to enlarge progressively, and may be harder than the surrounding skin. Keloids are a response to trauma, such as a cut to the skin. In creating a normal scar, connective tissue in the skin is repaired by the formation of collagen. Keloids arise when extra collagen forms.

4. Sexually Transmitted Diseases – Under revision. check with your local VAO/VSO.

5. PseudofolliculitisBarbae – a common condition of the beard area occurring in men and other people with curly hair. The problem results when highly curved hairs grow back into the skin causing inflammation and a foreign body reaction. Over time, this can cause scarring which looks like hard bumps of the beard area and neck.

6. Plantar Fasciitis – Plantar fasciitis is the pain caused by inflammation of the insertion of the plantar fascia on the medial process of the calcaneal tuberosity. The pain may be substantial, resulting in the alteration of daily activities. Various terms have been used to describe plantar fasciitis, including jogger’s heel, tennis heel, policeman’s heel, and even gonorrheal heel. Although a misnomer, this condition is sometimes referred to as heel spurs by the general public.

7. Pleurisy – Pleurisy is inflammation of the parietal pleura that typically results in characteristic pleuritic pain and has a variety of possible causes. The term “pleurisy” is often used to refer to a symptom and a condition. It is more precise to use the term “pleurisy” for the condition and “pleuritic pain” to describe the symptom. Pleuritic pain is a key feature of pleurisy; therefore, this article reviews the physiology and classic characteristics of pleuritic pain, focusing on the presentation and diagnosis of the patient and the management of various causes of pleurisy. Pleuritic chest pain is a common presenting symptom and has many causes, which range from life-threatening to benign, self-limited conditions.

8. Tropical Phagedena (Jungle Rot) – tropical phagedena, Aden ulcer, Malabar ulcer, and jungle rot (from Vietnam) , as well as various native terms. It occurs on exposed parts of the body, primarily the legs, arms, and feet. Frequently on pre-existing abrasions or sores, sometimes beginning from a scratch. As a rule, only one extremity is affected and usually there is a single lesion, although it is not uncommon to find multiple ulcers on two or more body parts.