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Retirement Commission Set
Panel members are appointed.
The Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission, established by the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act to review all military compensation, benefits, and retirement, could have a major impact on future decisions regarding military compensation, benefits, and retirement.
The nine commission members, listed below, have varied backgrounds.
■Col. Alphonso Maldon Jr., USA (Ret), commission chair, is founder and president/ CEO of Partnership Strategies Consulting. He served as assistant secretary of defense for force management and policy during the President Bill Clinton administration.
■ Larry Pressler is an Army veteran, Rhodes scholar, and former Republican senator and representative from South Dakota.
■ Bob Kerrey is a Navy veteran, a Medal of Honor recipient, a former Democratic senator from Nebraska, and a former governor of Nebraska.
■ Dov Zakheim is a former undersecretary of defense (comptroller).
■ Lt. Col. Mike Higgins, USAF (Ret), is a former professional staff member of the House Armed Services Committee.
■ Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, USA (Ret), is a former Army vice chief of staff.
■ Chris Carney is a Navy reserve commander and a former Democratic representative from Pennsylvania.
■ Stephen Buyer is a retired Army Reserve colonel, a former Republican representative from Indiana, and a former chair of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
■ Adm. Edmund Giambastiani Jr., USN (Ret), is a former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
DoD is required to provide its recommendations to the commission by Nov. 1.
The commission must examine the impact of proposed recommendations on currently serving military members, retirees, spouses, children, and survivors; DoD-specific programs; DoD and VA programs; Department of Education Impact Aid; and support and funding to states, territories, and colleges and universities.
MOAA, along with The Military Coalition, will be providing its position on the importance of pay and career benefits.
Spending Bill Advances
Defense appropriations bill clears the House.
The FY 2014 Defense Appropriations Bill, H.R. 2397, cleared the House July 24 by a vote of 315-
109. The bill provides the Pentagon $512.5 billion in its base budget for FY 2014 — $3.4 billion below DoD’s request, but $28.1 billion above the sequestration budget level if it remains in place for the next fiscal year — providing yet another reason to avert sequestration to give the Pentagon some budget certainty and planning for next year.
The bill also includes $85.8 billion in overseas contingency operations — $5 billion above the Pentagon’s request.
Incorporated in the bill is funding for a 1.8-percent pay raise as authorized by law and an additional $519 million for the Defense Health Program. Several key personnel-related amendments were adopted to include:
■ additional Fisher House funding;
■ mental health research, treatment, education, and outreach expansion;
■ suicide prevention awareness and out-reach expansion;
■ a pilot program for traumatic brain injury and PTSD;
■ stopping or slowing civilian and dual-status military technician furloughs;
■ preventing the establishment of a TRI-CARE For Life enrollment fee; and
■ funding to identify individuals separated on the grounds of a disorder after reporting a sexual assault and correct their military records if needed.
MOAA will continue to report on the FY 2014 appropriations bill progress.
40 MILITARY OFFICER SEPTEMBER 2013
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