enrollment according to their service-connected disabilities, income level, or other conditions set in law, and Whereas, the VA operates the nation’s largest integrated health care system with 152 hospitals, 807 community-based outpatient clinics, and 288 veteran centers; conducts research on veterans’ health; provides clinical experience to more than half the physicians trained in the U.S.; and is the backup to DoD for the treatment of wartime casualties, and Whereas, the VA provides a full-range of preventive, wellness, diagnostic, and treatment services, as well as pharmaceuticals, to all enrolled veterans, in addition to treatment for service-connected disabilities, and Whereas, 8.34 million veterans are enrolled in the VA health care system — including almost 1 million military retirees — and are assigned an enrollment priority according to their rated disability, income, and other criteria defined in law, and Whereas, DoD and the VA have extensive TRICARE sharing agreements and “joint ventures” to promote collaboration and efficiencies between the two systems, and Whereas, it is the longstanding position of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) that the DoD and VA health care systems have distinct missions and objectives and both are needed to meet the needs of the uniformed services’ and veterans’ communities, and Whereas, veterans are eligible for VA disability compensation, education benefits, vocational training, VA home loans, military funeral honors, survivor benefits, and veterans group life insurance, and Whereas, retired guardmembers and reservists who were never called to active duty during their careers are not “veterans” under current law, and Whereas, the VA continues to experience an unacceptably large backlog of veterans’ disability claims, and Whereas, Reserve GI Bill benefits for those initially joining the Guard or Reserve have remained stagnant for more than 10 years despite significant increases in active duty educational benefits, and Whereas, the Post-9/11 GI Bill establishes greatly enhanced educational benefits, including full reimbursement for public college education, housing and book stipends, and transferability to currently serving dependents, and Whereas, thousands of veterans are now returning to college campuses with unique needs that require special support, therefore be it Resolved, that MOAA support protection of military retirees’ dual entitlement to TRICARE benefits and eligibility for care from the VA health care system, without being forced to choose between them, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA oppose consolidation of the DoD and VA health care systems into a single system, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA promote seamless transition and encourage more joint planning, data and equipment sharing, cost-sharing, and research between the DoD and VA health care systems as measured by enhanced access to high-quality care for eligible beneficiaries, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support resource increases for VA polytrauma centers and care for mental illness, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury, including long term care, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support initiatives to upgrade the veterans’ claims processing system, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support initiatives to improve women veteran programs, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support initiatives to reduce veteran homelessness, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support essential upgrades to GI bill programs, including restoration of Selected Reserve benefits to the original 47 percent of active duty benefits, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support establishing veteran-friendly programs and facilities on college campuses to facilitate successful reintegration and education of veterans, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support veteran status for retired members of the National Guard and Reserve who were never called to active duty during their service careers.
• Resolution No. 11 — Social Security and Medicare Reform Whereas, large numbers of older Americans have come to depend on Medicare and Social Security as old-age insurance programs for which they have paid decades of payroll taxes and premiums in good faith, and Whereas, the bankruptcy of either or both of these programs would be so devastating to older Americans that it cannot be allowed to occur, and Whereas, an audit of the Medicare program by the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services indicated Medicare loses billions of dollars a year because of fraud, waste, and abuse, and Whereas, news accounts of the future financial viability of the Social Security and Medicare programs often portray the situation as one which will require either disproportionate benefit reductions or disproportionate tax increases for future generations, and Whereas, members of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) have parents, children, and grandchildren and want to protect the interests of all of those groups in the fairest possible manner, and Whereas, Medicare and Social Security changes have significant implications for
uniformed services health care, retirement, and other programs, therefore be it Resolved, that MOAA consider it essential that any restructuring of Medicare and Social Security to restore those programs’ long-term financial viability must fairly balance the legitimate interests of both current and future beneficiaries and current and future taxpayers, and be it further Resolved, that problems of fraud, waste, and abuse should be addressed before imposing financial penalties on beneficiaries, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support efforts to ensure that no individual or group is forced to bear disproportionate sacrifice in any required restructuring.
• Resolution No. 12 — Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Concerns Whereas, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) long has been and continues to be committed to obtaining the fullest possible accounting for those comrades in arms who became prisoners of war or missing in combat, and Whereas, the families of these patriots continue to suffer distressing uncertainty as to the fate of their loved ones, therefore be it Resolved, that MOAA consider the prisoner of war/missing in combat issue to be a matter of high national priority and support all efforts by the U.S. government to ensure its resolution and to accelerate efforts in every honorable way to obtain the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and for the repatriation of the remains of those who died serving our nation.
• Resolution No. 13 — Ensuring Security of the Homeland Whereas, major terrorist attacks have occurred upon the U.S. homeland, and Whereas, there continue to be threats to the homeland, and Whereas, certain groups have made public proclamations against the U.S. and are known to have the means and have demonstrated the resolve to carry out additional attacks, and Whereas, a fundamental obligation of government is to protect and defend the homeland, and Whereas, unsecured borders and ports afford those would do us harm an opportunity to enter the U.S. to carry out potentially catastrophic activity, and Whereas, commerce passing across borders and through ports is essential to the economic livelihood of the U.S., and Whereas, there is a general need for increased awareness of homeland security in communities throughout the U.S., and Whereas, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and its members are passionate about protecting our homeland, its critical infrastructure, and its citizens, therefore be it Resolved, that MOAA support the defense and security of the homeland and encourage consistent, coherent border and port security programs that maximize protection and minimize vulnerabilities for our borders, ports, cargo, commerce, and population centers, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support a reasonable and manageable immigration policy that contributes to our national security interests, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA support initiatives to ensure proper coordination and responsiveness of national, state, and local agencies to prevent potential attacks and respond in the event of an attack on the homeland.
• Resolution No. 14 — Officership, a Lifetime Profession Whereas, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) has established as a core mission the promotion of the enduring professional values of servant leadership and principles of officership, and Whereas, patriotism is foremost among the enduring values of officership, and Whereas, a high standard of ethics and integrity is a core principle of officership and leadership, and Whereas, officers share a fundamental and continuing responsibility to protect the interests and welfare of the nation and of the men and women who are and have been in their charge, and Whereas, officers of all ages, grades, branches, services, and components share a common bond of values, and Whereas, a core value of officership is a desire to serve not only our country and our fellow members of the uniformed services community but also the communities in which we live and those less fortunate than ourselves, and Whereas, the values of officership do not fade after departure from active service, therefore, be it Resolved, that MOAA fulfill this aspect of its mission through publications, symposia, mentoring, and other appropriate vehicles and forums, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA promote development of and membership/leadership in local MOAA chapters as a primary means of sustaining community, communication, camaraderie, and service among all officers of all ages, and be it further Resolved, that MOAA headquarters staff, state councils, local chapters, and individual members join in striving to set an honorable example of civic participation and service for the greater good of our nation, our communities, and our fellow citizens.
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