washingtonscene \\ COLA News //

COLA in the Hole Falling gasoline prices have caused the FY 2015 COLA to start in the hole. For the month of October 2014, the Consumer Price Index decreased 0.4 percent from the FY 2014 baseline. Follow the trends for yourself at www.moaa.org/cola.

Education for the 114th Congress Dispelling myths and informing

members about service is key. T

he new Congress soon will begin work on the annual budget while finding a way to steer the

ship of state. It faces an additional chal- lenge of making some important decisions regarding the future of military retirement and compensation. The Military Com- pensation and Retirement Modernization Commission tasked with “modernizing” military compensation will issue its recom- mendations in February, and the across- the-board cuts of full sequestration return in 2016. How these issues are handled will have a direct and long-lasting effect on the future of the all-volunteer force. What does this mean for MOAA? It

means we’ve got our work cut out for us. While wearing the uniform isn’t a require- ment of public service, having served can go a long way when it comes to under- standing MOAA’s key issues. Educating members of Congress about the sacrifices servicemembers and their families make is essential to ensuring the military community continues to receive a square deal. Rather than jumping right in to work on technical glitch corrections or executing sweeping reform, some- times we have to start with the building blocks of why certain programs exist in the first place. Often that requires us to dispel myths and inform members about the true conditions of service and sacrifice of a 20-plus-year career that servicemembers must overcome to earn a military retirement. Throughout the 238 years of this great

republic, only one weapon system has never let us down: the men and women

38 MILITARY OFFICER JANUARY 2015

who wear the military uniform. MOAA and its 380,000-plus members stand steadfast, ready to protect those who serve. The 114th Congress faces some monu- mental challenges, and MOAA is going to need all hands on deck to achieve its legislative agenda.

Hagel Steps O

Down The next secretary of defense faces several challenging tasks.

n Nov. 24, President Barack Obama announced Chuck Hagel will step down as secretary of de-

fense. As this issue went to press in early December, Obama nominated Ashton Carter to replace Hagel. Hagel is a former infantryman and the

first person of enlisted rank to lead DoD. He volunteered to serve in the Army

from 1967-68 and was awarded two Purple Hearts for wounds incurred in Vietnam. He served in President Ronald Reagan’s

administration as deputy administrator of the VA.

Serving as a Republican senator from

Nebraska from 1997-2009, Hagel teamed with Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) in 2007 to sponsor MOAA-endorsed legisla- tion to put statutory caps on TRICARE fee increases. As secretary of defense, Hagel was

asked to carry out the difficult task of cut- ting the defense budget while maintain- ing military operations around the globe. He made considerable efforts to en- gage personally with military and vet- erans service organizations, regularly hosting roundtable discussions with association leaders. “MOAA thanks Secretary Hagel for his service to our nation and his relentless