washingtonscene
However, the 96-page report cited op- tion after option to cut personnel and compensation programs. MOAA Deputy Director of Government
COLA Watch • Inflation jumped almost a full percent- age point in March. For the year, the consumer price index is nearly 1.4 percent above its initial baseline. Keep tabs on month-to-month infla- tion trends at www
.moaa.org/colawatch.
Relations Col. Mike Hayden, USAF-Ret., challenged the panel and CSIS officials, noting their selective and misleading use of an FY 2000 baseline, which implies ev- erything was OK at that point. In reality, Hayden said, 2000 was any- thing but a “personnel nirvana,” as reten- tion and readiness were suffering after extended pay-raise caps and dramatic re- tirement, health care, and other cutbacks. Hayden asserted subsequent congressio- nal actions to increase pay, raise housing allowances to cover median expenses, repeal retirement cuts, and restore health care coverage for beneficiaries over age 65 were important to address serious reten- tion and equity problems. When questioned on the Pentagon’s
proposal to create a BRAC (base realign- ment and closure)-like commission to review military retirement, Abell said the proposal is a “bit short-sighted” (by look- ing at the retirement benefit alone). He thinks Congress won’t be willing to ab- dicate its oversight responsibility by ac- cepting a BRAC-like process that would bar amendments and limit debate. The panel unanimously agreed a com-
prehensive study of all military compensa- tion is needed, to include the retirement and health care benefits.
Joining Forces Military family campaign is making a difference.
O 38 MILITARY OFFICER JUNE 2012
n April 11, MOAA attended the one-year anniversary celebration of the Joining Forces campaign at the
White House. First lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden joined military, govern-
ment, and community leaders and service- members and their families to mark the day. The first lady and Biden recognized
several of the Joining Forces Community Challenge winners for “honoring, cele- brating, and supporting military families.” Among the winners was the city of Rich- field, Utah, an entire community that has supported its local Army National Guard through four deployments in the past 10 years. According to Biden, “These efforts aren’t always in the headlines, but they support our military families every single day in real and meaningful ways.” Highlights from the first year of the cam- paign include: 1,600 businesses hired more than 50,000 veterans and spouses; technol- ogy and employment companies connected veterans with jobs; a new law supports license portability for military spouses; pro- fessional health care associations worked to improve care for PTSD and traumatic brain injuries; and military-impacted high schools worked to add more advanced placement courses to enhance opportuni- ties for college-bound military students. The first lady said her message to mil- itary families is, “You do live in a grateful nation.” MOAA was among the organizations named in the Joining Forces one-year up- date, for its commitment to help 10,000 veterans and military spouses find jobs. In closing, the first lady told the audi-
ence: “We’re going to keep working until all of our veterans know that when they hit the job market, their skills be rewarded. We’re not stopping until every military student gets an educational experience that honors their service. We’re not calling it a day until all of our military spouses can rest assured that the next time their family is transferred they won’t have to leave their job behind.” MOAA councils and chapters have been successful advocates not only for commu- nity support but also in winning legislation
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