By October 1, 2020, if you plan to use your state-issued ID or license to #fly within the U.S., make sure it is REAL ID compliant. They are usually marked with a star located in the upper portion of the card. More info: https://t.co/6uWOP9niwR #Check4theStar pic.twitter.com/NthJPHroJH
— TSA (@TSA) July 24, 2019
Although a year out, we keep posting these reminders about Read ID because travel will be difficult with a state-issued ID or driver’s license without a REAL ID Star. County DMV offices will be more crowded than usual as the October 1, 2020 date approaches.
From the Kaiser Health News website
Public opinion polls show strong support for efforts to expand health coverage to more Americans.
But the list of proposals is long and the phrases used to describe them are often sloppy sloganeering.
F-102 Delta Daggers replaced F-86L Sabres at Hawaii Air National Guard in 1961. This short video shows the dedication ceremony. The ceremony ends with the launch of a Deuce.
The officer receiving the lei is Robert Maguire, who retired Commander of the HIANG. In civilian live, he flew with Hawaiian Airlines and retired as the Chief Pilot. He passed earlier this year
The other officer in that scene is Valantine Seifermann, who later served as Commander, Hawaii Air National Guard and later the Adjutant General.
From the U.S. News & World Report website
Long term insurance is coverage that will pay for assisted living, nursing home care or home health care in the event you are unable to care for yourself because of a chronic condition or disability.
Long-term health insurance can be a smart purchase when you consider that 70% of those turning age 65 today will need some type of long-term care, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
A substance that could cause cancer has been found in some ranitidine heartburn and ulcer medicines, including the brand-name drug Zantac, and the source of this contamination is being investigated, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
While preliminary tests found low levels of the nitrosamine impurity N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in some ranitidine products, the FDA said this does not mean patients taking the drugs should stop using them now.
NDMA is the same contaminant found in many brands of blood pressure and heart failure medicines during the past year, leading to recalls.
Takao Wada, 75, of Waipahu, a Vietnam War Air Force veteran and a retired Senior Master Sergeant with the Hawaii Air National Guard, passed away in Honolulu on September 6, 2019.
He was born in Tokyo, Japan. He is survived by his wife, Naoko; son, Kyle; daughter, Jennifer (Jahshua) Brown; and by four grandchildren.
Visitation is at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 7, 2019, at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. The service begins at 6:00 p.m. No flowers.
Retiree News extends heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends.
It happened #OTD, 29 Sep 1990, at #EdwardsAirForceBase#military #aviation #flighttest #history #F22 pic.twitter.com/ptQ9DOCrkl
— Edwards AFB (@EdwardsAFB) September 29, 2018
Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, likely won’t rise much next year, but retirees may not feel any change — especially a positive one — at all.
Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, likely won’t rise much next year, but retirees may not feel any change — especially a positive one— at all.
The COLA for 2020 won’t be announced until next month, but one analyst expects just a 1.6% adjustment next year, down from 2.8% in 2019. Mary Johnson, the Social Security and Medicare policy analyst at the Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan advocacy group for retirees, has been tracking COLA since 1996. She anticipated the 2.8% adjustment for last year the month before the Social Security Administration announced its COLA (and estimated correctly).
Thanks to Gordon Lau for submitting this article for posting.
From the Wired Magazine website
Helicopters got to Wilmington, North Carolina, after a day of isolation; Hurricane Florence made landfall there, and the city, with one foot in the Atlantic and the other in the Cape Fear River, soon became an island. Its main roads underwater, Wilmington went without help until boats and choppers reached it with medical supplies, water, and food.
But it only took a day. According to the federal government, that’s actually pretty fast. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001—or at least since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005—the government has urged all of us, every individual, to be ready to go without help for at least three days in the wake of a disaster. You’re supposed to have kits in your cars and at home … maybe not the shopping cart from The Road, but just, like, be ready, OK? And now with Florence a waning threat but with fires and storms an apparently permanent part of Earth’s changed climate (and earthquakes, volcanoes, and terror always possible), the rules seem to be shifting a bit again. The new message: Be ready for 14 days on your own. Two weeks.
From the Military Times website
The National Guard’s suicide rate has climbed higher than the active duty and Reserve’s, according to an annual Pentagon study released Thursday. In response, officials are looking for new ways to help troops feel comfortable coming forward about their issues and getting help they need.
The most recent figure is about 30.6 deaths per 100,000 service members, according to the Defense Department Annual Suicide Report for calendar year 2018, well above the Reserve’s 22.9 per 100,000 and the active component’s 24.8.
The Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates by a quarter point for the second time in a decade is a double-edged sword for many Americans.
On the one hand, the Federal Open Market Committee and Chairman Jerome Powell have expressed concerns about a slowing economy and the ongoing trade war, which could raise prices on many of the products you buy.
However, President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that lower borrowing costs would give the economy a boost and will put more money in your pocket. Just last week the president tweeted that the central bank should cut interest rates to zero or even set negative interest rates.
For consumers, lower rates do mean cheaper loans, which can impact your mortgage, home equity loan, credit card, student loan tab and car payment.
On the flip side, consumers likely will earn less interest on their savings accounts, and in some cases, lose buying power over time.
From the U.S. News & World Report website
There comes a time in most seniors’ lives when medical conditions, loneliness or an inability to care for oneself force families to make a decision about where a senior should be living. Often a decision needs to be made between staying at home with the assistance of a visiting aide or other caregiver or moving to an assisted living facility. Each decision is an intensely personal one, and families must consider many factors when trying to make the right decision.
Military Retirees, Annuitants and Former Spouses:
The September 2019 Retiree Newsletter is now available online. It contains important information about the refreshed, more mobile-friendly myPay, performing a pay account checkup, verifying SBP coverage on your RAS, and helpful tools on the R&A website. We also have a downloadable PDF version of the newsletter you can share with friends.
HILO, HI – The Hawaii National Guard is once again hosting a commissary case lot sale, as well as extending its hours of operation for ID cards during the event. If members are coming onto the property and need an ID, just let the gate guard know, and they’ll be allowed entry.
The case lot sale will be held from October 11-13, 2019 at the LTC Henry Hara Armed Forces Reserve Center in Hilo (Keaukaha Military Reservation-KMR, 1304 Kekuanaoa St.). The sale gives military members and their families a chance to buy items in bulk for very discounted rates.While the case lot sale is strictly for military members with valid ID’s, members will be allowed to bring in two guests on one day only – Saturday, October 12, between the hours of 3-5 pm.
– Who: Valid military ID card holders
– What: Commissary on-site case lot sale
– Why: Allow military members and their families to buy bulk items at steep discounts
– When: October 11 (noon-5pm), Oct. 12 (9am-5pm) & Oct. 13 (8am-noon)
– Where: LTC Henry Hara Armed Forces Reserve Center (AFRC)
In addition, the ID card hours of operation will be extended, also from October 11-13, 2019 at the LTC Henry Hara Armed Forces Reserve Center. Extra personnel will be on-site to help veterans and retirees update or get their ID cards, as well as their dependents ID’s. Appointments can be made online through the RAPIDS website, but they’ll also take walk-ins on a first-come first-served basis.
– Who: Military members, veterans, dependents
– What: ID card hours of operations extended
– Why: To coincide with case lot sale, allowing members to save time
– When: October 11, 12 (8am-6pm), Oct. 13 (8am-4pm)
– Where: LTC Henry Hara, Armed Forces Reserve Center
Retiree News 