Update: Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act
The Senate and House Armed Services Committee conference committee is meeting to finalize the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Over the past few weeks, EANGUS penned multiple letters to the committee members regarding concerns for certain personnel provisions within the NDAA text. Specifically, EANGUS and NGAUS co-authored two letters to protect the elimination of dual-status technicians. EANGUS is confident that the provisions highlighted in the first letter below will not be included in the final version of the bill. Furthermore, the EANGUS and NGAUS coalition letter to the Senate addressed EANGUS priorities: TRS expansion to the technician population and extending earned benefits to all those serving on 12304b duty status. A copy of the letter is hyperlinked below.
HASC LETTER
On July 9, EANGUS Executive Director, Frank Yoakum penned a letter to all conferees expressing concerns for proposed changes to the military health system and increased out of pocket costs for the same health care coverage. The EANGUS letter also addresses our concerns about changes to TRICARE For Life beneficiaries and the proposed transition of Reserve Component Servicemembers to the OPM managed FEDVIP for dental coverage. A copy of the letter can be access below.
CONFERENCE LETTER
Changes to GI Bill Transfers
On July 12, the Department of Defense issued a statement regarding upcoming changes to the transfer by service members in the Uniformed Services of “Post-9/11 GI Bill” educational benefits to eligible family member recipients. Eligibility to transfer those benefits will be limited to service members with less than 16 years of total service (active duty service and/or selected reserves as applicable). Previously, there were no restrictions on when a service member could transfer educational benefits to their family members. Please see the links below for more information issued by DOD.
DOD ANNOUNCEMENT
