Many veterans confuse the Department of Veterans Affairs (the Federal agency) with the Office of Veterans Services (a State agency that is part of the State Department of Defense.) The following is a brief summary of the Office of Veterans Services.
The Mission. The Office of Veterans Services (OVS) is the principal state office responsible for the development and management of policies and programs related to veterans, their dependents, and/or survivors. The OVS acts as a liaison between the Governor and veterans’ organizations and also between the Department of Veterans Affairs and individual veterans. Our objectives are to assist veterans in obtaining State and federal entitlements, to supply the latest information on veterans’ issues and to provide advice and support to veterans making the transition back into civilian life.
OVS is the State’s primary advocate for veterans applying for and receiving benefits and services. The OVS may take action on behalf of veterans, their families and survivors to secure appropriate rights, benefits and services.
The OVS serves all eligible veterans, Reservists, National Guard members, active-duty military personnel and their dependents (including stepchildren).
Link to State Provided Benefits, List of Services, and Office of Veterans Service Office locations.
We have posted this information in the drop down menu titled “State Benefits” on the maroon band on the front page of Retiree News.
From the Wired Magazine website
It won’t come as much of a surprise that Facebook tracks you on its platform—that’s why it can resurface your birthday photos from five years ago—but you might not yet realize the scope and the depth of its tracking all across the internet. Facebook’s tentacles stretch out across other websites and services, into the various apps you’re using on your phone, and to the places you physically visit in the real world—especially if you decide to check in on Facebook while you’re there.
Some of this comes with the territory of using Facebook: If you want to take advantage of its features, then you have to give up a certain amount of information about yourself. But Facebook has ways of keeping tabs on people who aren’t even signed up for the service. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to limit the volume of data that it logs.
From the Honolulu Magazine website
In Hawai‘i, Fat Tuesday is also known as Malassada Day—but let’s be honest, our love for the puffy rounds of rich yeasted dough, deep-fried and rolled in sugar, is not bounded by holidays.
Some of our favorites, Champions and Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop, are gone. But, in the spirit of celebration, I visited five other bakeries to see how their malassadas measured up in taste, texture and longevity.
Vietnam-era and other pre-9/11 veterans are one step closer to accessing a program designed to pay their spouses or other family support for in-home care even as rules tighten for who can enroll, as part of a highly anticipated proposed rule release from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Vietnam-era and other pre-9/11 veterans are one step closer to accessing a program designed to pay their spouses or other family support for in-home care even as rules tighten for who can enroll, as part of a highly anticipated proposed rule release from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Among the changes laid out in the 231-page proposal is a shift in the level of care veterans must require to qualify; a change to monthly payment amounts and how they are calculated; a downsizing of benefits tiers; and a benefits grace period for caregivers who leave the program due to domestic or intimate partner violence.
Thanks to Gordon Lau for submitting this article.
From the Consumer Reports website
Many medical problems—such as heartburn or a fall—are easy to bounce back from when you’re a teenager or young adult. But as we get older, seemingly small problems are more likely to balloon into serious ones, says Michael Hochman, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science at Keck Medicine of USC.
Older adults who find meaning in their daily activities may remain in better health as they age, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that when middle-aged and older adults felt their days held meaningful activities, they tended to report better health and well-being four years later.
Not only were they less likely to develop physical health conditions or chronic pain than other folks, they were also more physically active and less likely to be depressed.
Congratulations to Wayne Acosta on his recent retirement. Wayne served many years in the 154th Wing, in the Military Personnel Flight, and later as the commander of the 154th Security Forces Squadron. He later transferred to the Air Force Reserve. Happy Retirement to Wayne.
Earlier posts:
Check Six: Wayne Acosta – 15 years ago
Check Six: 154th Security Forces Squadron – 15 years ago
Mahalo to Edmund “Fred” Hyun, who submitted most of the COVID-19 information that we post on Retiree News. COVID-19 is a serious disease but hopefully governments will take effective action to reduce its impact worldwide.
Veterans of Hawai‘i – Na Koa Kahilo ‘o Hawai‘i – runs a great website at https://www.hivets.com/. The website is Maui centric, but has a lot of articles and website links of interest to all.
From the Hawaii Guardsman, Summer 1972 Issue
The Hawaii National Guard volleyball program would up in a blaze of blue – Air Guard blue – as the 154th Fighter Group and the 169th aircraft Control & Warning Squadron slugged, or slammed, it our at the Kaneohe Armory recently.
The 154th finally won after two very hard fought games. The scores were close, despite the fact that a defective scoreboard made them look lopsided.
Members of the winning team were: Majors Joseph Ah New, John Beaumont, George Joy, George Kuroda and Marlin Little; Captain Daniel Stone; First Lieutenants Geoffrey Avery and Clinton Churchill; Master Sergeants Darryl Ho, and Wayne Soma; Technical Sergeant Ronald Cozo; Staff Sergeants Harry Fujiwara, Melvin Ige, Richard Saunders and William Stern; Sergeant Garry Teves and Airman First Class Roland Pang.
In the photograph above:
Top row (L-R): Harry Fujiwara, Ronald Cozo, Melvin Ige, George Joy
Middle: Daniel Stone, Clinton Churchill, Marlin Little, Geoffrey Avery
Bottom: Darryl Ho, Richard Saunders, John Beaumont, William Stern
(Not all the team members were present for the championship team photograph.)
The runners-up, the 169th, were alos runners-up in the Wheeler Air Force Base league, Their team include: Capt Steven Oka, Senior Master Sergeants Deo Agbayani and Joseph Tibayan; Technical Sergeants James Akamine and Donald Hashimoto; Staff Sergeants Wallace Akagi, Morris Geolina and Michael Nakaahiki and Airman First Class Wendell Wee. They were captained by Ray Imbo and coached by Master Sergeant Russell Ganiko.
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page
With the tax season upon us, what could be a more appropriate time than revisiting your estate plan? Still today, when we hear the term “estate plan” many think of those folks seen on the vintage TV show, Robin Leach’s “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” (alright millennials, google it.) Not so much anymore.
A well-coordinated estate plan permits use and enjoyment of your property during your lifetime and then passes the property to your chosen beneficiaries in the manner you wish, with the least amount of cost and time. You may find yourself asking “it costs money to give my property to who I wish after I pass?” Yes, ‘fraid so. Sometimes lots of it. If you pass without an estate plan, you still get one; but it is one written by the government. Do I have your attention now?
Attached is today’s COVID-19 update issued by the Joint Information Center. Note the comment about wearing masks.
Headquarters, Hawai‘i Air National Guard
Blazon: Azure, a Hawaiian God proper holding in his dexter hand a ceremonial spear and in his sinister hand a lightning bolt or, on a chief gules fimbriated of the third a dolphin hauriant argent holding his mouth a key fesswise bow to dexter of the third, all within a diminished bordure of the last.
Significance: On an Air Force blue shield bordered Air Force golden yellow to display the Air Force Colors, an image of Old Hawai‘i represents the determined spirit of the Hawai‘i Air National Guard and indicates to all that it is tough, capable, and fiercely ready. He is a symbol of mission accomplishment, of standing alert guard against any air threat of mass violence to Hawai‘i’s land and people. In Old Hawaiian symbolism, mana is from the prime gods, Kane and Ku. In his right hand he holds a spear with three barbs representing the weapon of air defense aircraft. In his left hand, he holds companion capability of lightning, representing radar. The three barbed spear and the lightning are the central theme of the emblem of the Hawaiian Air Defense Division. On the chief a dolphin, king of fishes, bears a golden key to indicate the Hawaiian Islands are the key to the Pacific. The red and golden yellow colors represent the colors of the old royal Hawaiian house.
Motto: HOOKANAKA, Courageous. Hookanaka is spiritually translated as “Maker of Men”, symbolic of the training mission, and “Saver of Men”, symbolic of the air defense mission. The motto was suggested by Reverend Abraham K. Akaka.
The emblem was designed by Captain David F. Wissmar III and approved on July 5, 1962.
David F. Wissmar III served at Hq, HIANG, and at the then-154th Fighter Group, where he was the commander of the then-154th Civil Engineering Flight. After his retirement, he reported relocated to the Pacific Northwest.
From the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) website
It is the middle of tax season and that means you are likely gathering important documents and combing through paperwork. While you have those important documents at hand, it’s a good time to remind your loved ones how you’ve taken care of them and what they need to do after you pass away.
You chose to provide an income to your family by electing to participate in the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), which pays your SBP beneficiary a monthly annuity.
Now is a good time to check that your Retiree Account Statement (RAS) shows the correct type of SBP coverage.
Please visit myPay to view your RAS. myPay is now more mobile-friendly, which means it’s available on your web browser on any connected device (in addition to your computer) and it’s easy to use. Check out our myPay how-to videos on the DFAS YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/dfas.
After checking your RAS, if the SBP coverage shown no longer applies to your current life situation, please see our website for what steps to take: http://go.usa.gov/xEwbv
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