This photograph was taken during the August 2004 UTA weekend. In the photographs are: Blythe Jean “BJ“Itoman, Regina Komine, and Ryan Itoman. All there have excelled in their Hawaii Air National Guard careers.
BJ continues her flying career in the 204th Airlift Squadron. A few years ago, she completed a yearlong deployment down range.
Regina serves as the Executive Office for the 154th Wing, She was an enlisted member in the Comptroller section before her commissioning,
Ryan continuers flying F-22 Raptors with the 199th Fighter Squadron.
From the Air Force Magazine website
President-elect Joe Biden will nominate retired Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III to be his Defense Secretary, the transition team announced December 8.
Austin, who left the military in 2016 as the four-star head of U.S. Central Command, would be the first-ever Black man to hold the Pentagon’s top civilian job if confirmed by the Senate. The milestone comes shortly after Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. took over as the first Black Air Force Chief of Staff, amid a reckoning on racial inequality in the military and society at large.
“With a distinguished record of military service spanning four decades, Secretary-designate Austin is a deeply experienced and highly decorated commander who has served with distinction in several of the Pentagon’s most crucial positions,” the transition team said in a release.
The Kūkā‘ilimoku is the official e-newsletter of the 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard. The first issue came in September 1957 and continues as an e-newsletter today.
Today we feature the December 1967 Kūkā‘ilimoku issue. This issue includes the following stories:
* Lt. Col. George Duncan, charter HIANG member, retires
* Capt. Dean Hedlund dies in an accident in Texas
* Excessive time in OJT challenges
From the TRICARE East Newsletter
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) established national standards to protect patient health information. HIPAA requires providers to inform patients of privacy standards and their rights when it comes to their protected health information.
Health plans and covered health care providers must develop and distribute a Notice of Privacy Practices (NoPP) that provides a clear explanation of these rights and practices. The NoPP makes you aware of privacy issues and concerns, encourages you to exercise your rights, and prompts you to have discussions with your health care plan administrators and health care providers.
The Military Health System (MHS) NoPP explains:
• How the MHS will use your protected health information (PHI)
• When and where the MHS may disclose your PHI
• How to limit where the MHS will disclose your PHI
• How the MHS will protect your PHI
You can read the NoPP online in several languages at www.health.mil/nopp. It’s also available in paper copy at your military hospital or clinic. You may ask for a copy at your next appointment or call and request a mailed copy.
The State Department of Defense annually host a Christmas tree decorating event. This photograph was taken on December 9, 2005 and features Charles Pieters and Brooks Akana.
The Kūkā‘ilimoku is the official e-newsletter of the 154th Wing, Hawai’i Air National Guard. The first issue came in September 1957 and continues as a monthly newsletter today.
Today we feature the December 1975 Kūkā‘ilimoku issue. This issue includes the following stories:
* Academy of Military Science graduate awards: Clyde Torigoe, Gordon Makashima
* Capt Meriem Saromines takes the morning formation
* More Awards: Charles Yabui
* 199th Fighter Squadron Awards banquet: Joe Ah New, Clinton Churchill
From the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) website
As you may know, Congress enacted changes to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) that will eventually eliminate the offset for surviving spouses who are also receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The changes will take place in three phases.
January 1, 2021 begins the first phase. In 2021, surviving spouse SBP annuity payments issued by DFAS will be reduced (offset) by no more than two-thirds of the amount of DIC (issued by the VA) rather than by the entire amount of DIC, even though eligible surviving spouses will continue to receive the full amount of DIC from the VA.
Beginning January 1, 2022, the second phase, surviving spouse SBP annuity payments will be reduced (offset) by no more than one-third of the amount of DIC (issued by the VA) rather than by the entire amount of DIC, even though eligible surviving spouses will continue to receive the full amount of DIC from the VA.
On January 1, 2023, the SBP-DIC offset will be fully eliminated. That means, beginning in 2023, SBP payments will no longer be offset by DIC. Spouses will receive full SBP (issued by DFAS) and full DIC (from the VA).
For more details and frequently asked questions, see our special SBP-DIC News webpage: http://go.usa.gov/xGfqd
A bipartisan group of 233 members of Congress is urging the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis to start processing military records requests after a near-complete pause in operations due to the pandemic.
Led by Representatives Van Taylor, R-Texas, and Jimmy Panetta, D-California, the group expressed dismay that the center, which falls under the National Archive and Records Administration, pared its staff down to less than 10% of full strength November 7 and announced its effective closure except for emergencies. This follows a similar closure from March 23 to June 23 this year due to COVID-19.
There’s no indication from the center on when full operations will resume.
If you need a copy of your military records for a VA request or a records correction, there will be delays until this is resolved.
From the This Day in Aviation website
The world’s first man-made sonic boom told the story. On Oct. 14, 1947, over dry Rogers Lake in California, Chuck Yeager rode the X-1, attached to the belly of a B-29 bomber, to an altitude of 25,000 feet. After releasing from the B-29, he rocketed to an altitude of 40,000 feet. Moments later he became the first person to break the sound barrier, safely taking the X-1 he called Glamorous Glennis to a speed of 662 mph, faster than the speed of sound at that altitude. His first words after the flight were, ‘I’m still wearing my ears and nothing else fell off neither.’
The State Department of Defense annually host a Christmas tree decorating event. This photograph was taken on December 9, 2005 and features Mark and Blossom Logan,
Medicare provides insurance for retirees. But while it can help shield you from some of the costs of medical services in your later years, it definitely won’t pay for all of the healthcare you’re likely to need throughout your retirement. And if you’re counting on it to do so, you’re going to be in a lot of financial trouble. You don’t want that to happen, so you need to be prepared for the realities of Medicare coverage limitations and plan accordingly.
If you’re not sure what kinds of costs to expect, here are five common types of medical services there’s a good chance you’ll need some time during retirement that Medicare won’t help you pay for at all.
As always with Motley Fool articles, the last paragraph, “The $17,166 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook” is a lead in advertisement.
Planning ahead and packing properly can facilitate the screening process and ease your travel experience at the airport. Know what you can pack in your carry-on and checked baggage before arriving at the airport by reviewing the lists below.
Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns. Read about civil penalties for prohibited items.
From the Air Force Magazine website
A lack of flying hours and overworked maintainers are contributing to high rates of crashes and other aviation mishaps, according to a new Congressionally mandated report, which called on the services to quickly overhaul how they manage maintainers and pilot training.
The National Commission on Military Aviation Safety, in a report released December 3, looked at more than 6,000 aviation mishaps, which included 198 deaths, 157 aircraft destroyed, and about $9.41 billion in losses, from 2013 to 2018. None of the losses were due to combat operations. The Defense Department has 120 days to formally respond to the report, so the Air Force is reviewing its findings and in the next few weeks the service Chiefs and safety center will meet with the commission on their findings as they form the response.
Congress created the National Commission on Military Aviation Safety in the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019. The Commission’s purpose is to examine past mishaps and make recommendations to the President, Congress, and the Defense Department for improving aviation safety and readiness in the military.
From the U.S. News & World Report website
Retirees may be facing a different-looking holiday this year, with changes that include canceled trips or smaller gatherings. These shifts can also have a money-related impact. For retirees on a fixed income, it may be helpful to set up a financial strategy that aligns with the holiday activities in 2020.
Here’s how to manage holiday spending and avoid financial missteps:
Retiree News 