Note John “Saigon” Lee‘s name painted on the canopy
You may be thinking about making your 2020 vacation plans right about now. Before you do, however, read below what I heard from four experts at last week’s New York Times Travel Show. During their sessions, they shared savvy advice on how to save money and time when you travel this year; how to travel more sustainably and the best places to go on vacation.
Are you wondering what the TRICARE For Life (TFL) program is and whether you’re eligible? TFL is Medicare-wraparound coverage for TRICARE beneficiaries who have Medicare Part A and Part B. This is regardless of your age or where you live. It provides comprehensive health care coverage. With TFL, you also get prescription coverage under the TRICARE Pharmacy Program.
Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, has been described as “The Gateway to the Air Force” since November 1942 (prior to the inception of the U.S. Air Force in 1947), when the first group of enlisted Air Corps personnel trained there.
All non-prior service members who enlisted in the Air Force/Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve completed Basic Military Training at Lackland.
NO – there have been other BMT locations.
Most recent was when training was conducted at now closed Amarillo AFB, Texas. Crowded conditions and a meningitis outbreak caused Lackland to shift some basic trainees there between February 17, 1966 – December 11, 1968.
Any Retiree News followers attended BMT at Amarillo AFB?
From the Foreign Policy website
The U.S. Department of Defense plans to propose retiring hundreds of the Air Force’s aging fighter jets and bomber aircraft over the next five years to shift resources toward building new capabilities to counter China and Russia, sources tell Foreign Policy.
On the chopping block are a significant chunk of the older F-15s and F-16s, 17 of roughly 60 nonnuclear B-1 bombers, along with 21 of the service’s unarmed RQ-4 Global Hawk drones. The proposed cuts over what is called the “five-year defense plan” will be included in the White House’s annual budget submission for fiscal year 2021, which is set to be released on February 10. Congress must approve the plan before it goes into effect.
From the U.S. News & World Report website
If you’ve ever eaten a spicy meal too quickly or had a heavy fried dinner just before bed, you likely know the feeling of heartburn and/or indigestion. These two common digestive issues can make you feel very uncomfortable, and for some people, they occur regularly. Though heartburn and indigestion can occur together, they can also happen separately. In fact, they are two different issues.
Hickam Air Force Base in 1957 showing Lockheed C-121s, Douglas C-124s, Douglas C-54s and a Boeing C-97.
Military airlift had been an important part of the armed forces the 1940s. As larger cargo aircraft began service in the Army Air Forces during World War II, the Air Transport Command (ATC) was established in 1942. After the end of the war, there was a reorganization in 1948 and a new name – Military Air Transport Service (MATS). MATS continued to expand with the increased need for airlift in the Korean War and the Vietnam War buildup.
In the 1966, the Military Airlift Command (MAC) assumed the MATS mission. MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of the Air Force until 1974, when Air Force tactical airlift units in the Tactical Air Command (TAC) were merged into MAC to create a unified airlift organization.
Inactivated on 1 June 1992, most of MAC’s personnel and equipment were reassigned to the new Air Mobility Command (AMC), with a smaller portion divided between U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and the newly created Air Education and Training Command (AETC). (Wikipedia)
From the Military Times website
In coming months, physicians at Veterans Affairs hospitals will start their patient visits with a seemingly mundane but potentially radical question: “Should someone else be in the room too?”
The move is part of a new initiative by VA leaders and the caregiver-focused Elizabeth Dole Foundation to make sure that spouses, parents and loved ones providing direct care for injured veterans are included in every step of their medical planning and treatment, something that happens inconsistently today.
Advocates said the goal is not only to improve health care for veterans but also for their families and the entire department health system.
From the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus. Doctors first identified the virus in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. CDC is working with the World Health Organization (WHO), along with other government agencies as well as state and local officials to respond to this emerging public health threat.
WHO recently declared a public health emergency of international concern. Cases have been identified in international locations including the United States (U.S.). The immediate risk to the U.S. is currently low.
The CDC has an aggressive response to identify potential cases and has activated its emergency operations center.
CDC GUIDANCE
– Get vaccinated.
– Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs
– Take flu antivirals if prescribed.
PRACTICAL PRECAUTIONS
– Do not travel while sick.
– Seek medical care right away if you have flu-like symptoms. Before going to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
– Wear a mask when entering a medical facility.
– Cover mouth and nose with tissue or sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
– Wash hands often with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
– Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
DOING YOUR PART
Everyone:
– It’s currently flu season. CDC recommends getting vaccinated, taking everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.Health care professionals:
– Maintain awareness of people with travel history to China as well as fever and respiratory symptoms.
– When caring for a 2109-nCoV patient, follow recommended infection control procedures.People who may have 2019-nCoV infection:
– Follow CDC guidance on how to reduce the risk of spreading your illness to others.Travelers:
– Stay up to date with CDC’s travel health notices.
Learn more about CDC’s response.
The November issue of the National Guard magazine featured a great article about the history of Meals, Ready to Eat, Individual (MREs). As the article says,
Anyone who’s has been to the field has a favorite MRE. Most also have one they wouldn’t take if it was the last one in the box. They also know what each entree, side dish, spread or candy can fetch when the trading begins.
The comparison between the first and current selection of MREs is interesting. Continue reading
For heart attack survivors, a fat belly could mean another one is likely, a new study suggests.
Earlier studies have shown that abdominal obesity puts people at risk for their first heart attack. This new study shows it also ups the odds for a second one, researchers say.
“Abdominal obesity not only increases your risk for a first heart attack or stroke, but also the risk for recurrent events after the first misfortune,” said study author Dr. Hanieh Mohammadi of Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, Sweden.
Do you have specific questions about your TRICARE health, dental, and pharmacy benefits? Do you wish you had a resource to turn to for answers quickly? You do. TRICARE publishes handbooks, brochures, fact sheets, and other benefit resources. You can view, print, or download these products from the TRICARE Publications page.
To find what you’re looking for, you can start your search by keyword or category. You’ll find products covering a wide range of topics, like costs, retiring from active duty, Medicare, and maternity care. Some products are for specific beneficiaries, like National Guard and Reserve members, active duty family members, or retirees.
The 199th Fighter Squadron flew the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt from 1947 to 1954. As the Hawaii Air National Guard started flight operations with the P-47, they moved into night operations. The Hickam Field flightline had limited lighting and operations and training were limited.
Many people look forward to retirement because it represents freedom. You don’t have to get up and go to work every day or do what a boss tells you.
But just because your time is your own after you leave work doesn’t mean you have no rules to live by in your later years. In fact, it may be even more important to adhere to some guidelines to make sure you don’t run out of money when you’re living on a fixed income as a retiree.
What are these guidelines? Here are five rules to consider to protect your financial security.
As always with Motley Fool articles, the last paragraph, “The $16,728 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook” is a lead in advertisement.
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