washingtonscene
But now we come to the latest big budget challenge — the sequestration law that will cut another $54 billion from the FY 2013 defense budget unless Congress approves alternative savings before the end of the year. As we’ve pointed out before, the law
Rep. Jeff Miller
(R-Fla.)
exempts VA health care funding from sequestration cuts but not military health care funding. However, the administration’s new re- port on sequestration effects finally dem- onstrated one positive effect of the TFL trust fund.
Because they aren’t subject to the ap-
propriations process, Medicare-eligibles’ TFL benefits won’t be subject to seques- tration cuts.
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki
Only the under-65 beneficiaries’ health
care funding remains at risk. So whether you’re older or younger than age 65, the military health care fund- ing system will help you in some ways and hurt you in others. On any given change proposal, it’s tough to trust.
Wounded
Army Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho
T
Sound Off Symposium highlights stories of warriors and their caregivers.
he Sept. 13 Warrior-Family Symposium, sponsored by MOAA and the National Defense Industri-
al Association, featured impressive speak- ers, but the panel discussion participants stole the show. Some of their stories are briefly sum- marized below, and the article “Saluting Their Sacrifice,” page 60, highlights the stories of Maj. Tara Dixon, USAR; Master Sgt. William “Spanky” Gibson, USMC-Ret.; Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin Host,
USN-Ret.; Annette Slaydon; and Tech. Sgt. Matthew Slaydon, USAF-Ret., who all spoke during the symposium’s second panel, “Transitions and New Beginnings — Linking Alliances to Evolving Needs.” Opening speaker Rep. Jeff Miller (R- Fla.), chair of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, expressed frustration that DoD and the VA are still “years away from achieving seamless transition” and falling short of mental health needs. The latter “isn’t an impending crisis,” Miller said. “It’s a crisis right now.” VA Secretary Eric Shinseki also ex-
pressed impatience with those who see veteran homelessness, suicide, substance abuse, and joblessness as intransigent facts of life. “The VA’s stance is to fix those things,” he said. “We’re working to find [vet- erans] and take care and services to them [through outreach and mobile services].” Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Patricia
Horoho focused on “the responsibility of winning” the health care battle, emphasiz- ing everyone has a common interest and a role in increasing the health of both ser- vicemembers and their family members. Retired Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class
Derek McGinnis suffered a lost leg, a trau- matic brain injury, and shrapnel wounds that initially left him unable to speak or walk. He was motivated by the birth of his son to “learn the new me … let go of the anger and be grateful” — ultimately using the GI bill to earn a master’s degree. He em- phasized the importance of the people who had enough faith in him to provide volun- teering and employment opportunities and how essential it is to “plant seeds of hope” in the minds of recovering warriors. His in- sightful term was “post-traumatic growth.” Capt. Alvin Shell, USA-Ret., was severely burned in a rocket-propelled grenade at- tack. After “competing with my 9-month- old son in learning to walk,” he recently completed a triathlon. The support of his
*online: Watch videos of the event and read the full transcript at
www.moaa.org/wfs. 34 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2012
PHOTOS: STEVE BARRETT
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