This January, we’re giving you four ways to stay digitally safe in the coming year. We’re calling these “cybersecurity New Year’s resolutions”, but really, these are best practices that you can implement at any time. And if you’re already doing some or even all of these things, take a moment to share these suggestions with a family member, friend, or coworker: It could make a real difference to them in the year to come.
As of February 20, 2020
The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) is continuing to actively gather facts and interview individuals about a husband and wife who travelled together from Japan to Hawaii (Jan. 28-Feb.7) and after returning home to Japan, tested positive for COVID-19. DOH was notified by the Japan Ministry of Health that the husband remains hospitalized and the wife has recovered. The airlines and lodging facilities where they stayed on Oahu and Maui are reaching out to employees, staff and guests to keep them informed. DOH immediately began to identify possible close contacts and determine health risk.
To date, no individuals with prolonged close contact have been identified in Hawaii. Casual contacts who are not at risk have been interviewed and are not in need of monitoring based on current federal guidelines. All persons identified are either low or no risk under these guidelines, and no one is required to be monitored under public health supervision related to this situation. Work to track possible close contacts is ongoing, and DOH is working closely with state, federal, and international partners.
Off the 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Facebook page
117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment soldiers gather around Sgt. 1st Class Theresa Gualdarama making their “G” faces in celebration of her promotion here February 7, 2012. (U.S. Army photo) — with Nevada J Smith, Melina M. Juan, Katie Gray, Stephanie Hika, Theresa Gualdarama, Gavin Ching, Ryan Sheldon, Robert Souza III, soua, Stephanie Olina Usita and Jeff Hickman.
The Fall/Winter 2019-2020 edition of the Afterburner, Newsletter for Department of the Air Force Retired Personnel, is now available online.
The newsletter can be viewed by visiting the Air Force Retiree Services website. To do so, copy or type the following address into a new browser window:
https://www.retirees.af.mil/Library/Afterburner/
Scroll down and the new edition is under the banner for 2019. An archive of current and past issues are on the same webpage.
In this issue, there is a short article that answers a question asked by many retirees.
Q: Is my retiree identification card compliant with the REAL ID Act?
A: Currently, all forms of military identifications issued with a bar code from the DEERS/RAPIDS programs are REAL ID Act compliant, allowing access to commercial aircraft and government buildings as they do now.
The short article goes on to say:
Also, in Spring/Summer 2020, the Department of Defense will roll out the next generation of military retiree ID cards. This new ID will reflect a color photo of the card holder instead of the current gray-scale version, along with new security enhancements to protect a person’s identity.
Replacing current retiree ID cards is not required. Because there is no mandate to replace current IDs in circulation, replacements will be based on normal attrition to avoid burdening retirees, their family members and ID card issuance facilities.
The Department of Defense announced, February 19, plans to restructure 50 military hospitals and clinics to better support wartime readiness of military personnel and to improve clinical training for medical forces who deploy in support of combat operations around the world.
The decision includes Tripler Army Medical Center. Tripler will be considered for recapitalization of the aging platform with the final location and capability dependent on further analysis of Hawaii market capabilities and military demand.
The Military Health System (MHS) is the most comprehensive military medical enterprise in the world. Its goal is to ensure a medically ready force to execute the National Defense Strategy, and a ready medical force to support our armed forces throughout the world.
This report summarizes the Department’s decisions to align Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) to increase the readiness of our operational and medical forces. (See section 703(d)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (Public Law 114–328)). These decisions have been reviewed and accepted by the Secretary of Defense, and reflect the Department’s underlying principle to improve the readiness of our force, while ensuring all beneficiaries have access to high-quality medical care.
The decisions in this report were based on an initial screening of 343 MTFs identified as providing healthcare services in the United States. The report contains analysis that is independent of other initiatives that will have an impact on manpower. From the 343 MTFs initially assessed, 77 were identified for further assessment.
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page
That’s a wrap on Singapore 2020! What an incredible two weeks we spent participating in Asia’s largest aviation event. With the incredible support from the Hawaii Raptors, the F-22 Raptor Demo Team were able to fly 8 demonstrations that allowed us to showcase the F-22’s capabilities to the world.
As we get ready to head back to the U.S., we can’t wait to begin our home tour starting at the end of March. We’ve got some incredible shows lined up and look forward to meeting as many of you as possible. We’ll see you soon Raptor Nation!
More photographs from the F-22 Raptor Dem Team Facebook page
Many retirees rely on Social Security in their later years. Since these benefits are designed to replace only about 40% of pre-retirement income, the amount you receive isn’t always high. You can, however, find ways to increase it.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to boost your Social Security benefit is by waiting to claim it as long as possible. While you could start getting checks at 62, this would reduce the amount you get. If you wait until age 70, on the other hand, you max out your monthly income.
Unfortunately, after 2020, new retirees won’t be able to grow their incomes as much by waiting as they could this year and in prior years. Here’s why.
As always with Motley Fool articles, the last paragraph, “The $16,728 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook” is a lead-in advertisement.
Thanks to Gordon Lau for sharing this information
Now that tax season has kicked in, prepare for some pretty big changes on your 2019 tax forms. You may even wind up filling out a new version of the 1040 specifically for people 65 and older. And the W-4 withholding form from employers has been completely revamped.
“I’d say the tax forms are very different this year,” said Mark Luscombe, principal analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting in Riverwoods, Ill.
Here’s why: The Trump administration wanted to let people fill out “postcard-size” 1040s last year — cutting the form from 79 lines to 23. But doing so led the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to create six other forms for information that got left out. Some taxpayers need to complete these forms, known as Schedules, too. The new Schedules led to an outcry in the tax preparation community, with about 540 comments (mostly negative) to the IRS.
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page
Congratulations to the HIANG’s newest Chief Master Sgt. Michael Robertson, 154th Wing, Comptroller Flight (CPTF), superintendent. Robertson was promoted earlier today at the 154th Wing DFAC on Joint Base Pearl Hickam, Hawaii.
It was a happy Valentine’s day indeed as Chief Robertson’s family, as well as military members and friends watched him advance to the Air Force’s top 2% of the enlisted force.
Chief Robertson was given the Chief’s oath by former 154th Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Michael D. Gabster.
Supporting our HIANG’s largest wing is no easy task and we send many thanks to Chief Robertson for his expertise and leadership!
This time of year offers an opportunity to make long overdue changes — changes which can greatly improve your quality of life in the months and years ahead. That’s why we’re spending a few weeks showing you how to make some significant improvements to your cybersecurity posture in order to create lasting security and privacy for the future.
Of course, some of you may have already done these things (great!). If so, please take a moment to share these guides with someone in your life who may be ready to make a change — but who might just need a little nudge.
From the Kaiser Health News website
The news about the novel coronavirus in China grows more urgent daily. The number of related deaths is now greater than 1,300, while tens of thousands of people have been infected — most of them in China. People returning to the U.S. from China are quarantined for 14 days. It can be frightening to think about the threat, but public health officials in this country constantly remind people that the risk of the disease here is low.
Still, scientists have more questions than answers about important issues surrounding the coronavirus, now officially named COVID-19. Here’s some help in understanding the unknowns and evaluating the risks.
This photographs show Brig Gen Braden “Mongo” Sakai, his wife Momi and family members shortly after he was pinned by Governor Neil Abercrombie in the ceremonial room at the Capitol. Also in the photograph is Brig Gen Joseph Kim and Senator Michelle Kidani. The senator is Mongo’s cousin.
From the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website
Submit a military records request to get your DD214 or other military service records through the milConnect website.
You’ll need to sign in to milConnect to get your military service records
To use this feature, you’ll need a Premium DS Logon account. Your My HealtheVet or ID.me credentials won’t work on the milConnect website. Go to milConnect to sign in, register, or upgrade your DS Logon account to Premium.
Adult passengers 18 and over must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel. These are some of the forms of identification accepted.
– Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
– U.S. passport
– U.S. passport card- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
– U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
– Permanent resident card
– Border crossing card
– State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License
– Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
– HSPD-12 PIV card
– Foreign government-issued passport
– Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
– Transportation worker identification credential
– U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
– U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
In coordination with its DHS counterparts, TSA has identified acceptable alternate identification for use in special circumstances at the checkpoint.
⚠️ A weapon permit is not an acceptable form of identification. A temporary driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification.
Retiree News 