The pūpūkahi is the State of Hawaii Department of Defense monthly newsletter. Printed versions of the pūpūkahi have been the “command information” newsletter for decades, however, it was suspended in 2009 due to budget cuts. It is now a digital e-newsletter posted quarterly.
Click here to read the Spring 2019 digital pūpūkahi
Kudos to TSgt Andrew Jackson and the Hawaii Army and Air National Guard contributors for another GREAT issue.
From the Task and Purpose website
California’s high cost of living makes it a difficult place for retired military service members to settle down, according to an annual report by financial services website WalletHub.
California — home to the largest number of active-duty troops in the nation — fares poorly in the survey when it comes to affordable housing, homelessness and the proportion of of businesses in the state that are owned by veterans.
The study broke down all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., in terms of economic environment (including tax friendliness and job opportunities), quality of life (including share of veterans and number of homeless vets), and health care (including the number of VA hospitals).
Though California rated middle of the pack (No. 21) for overall treatment of retired military, it ranked among the worst for economic conditions (No. 46).
From the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website
Spring flowers are blooming, the summer travel season quickly approaches and Veterans are joining the 330-million yearly visitors enjoying U.S. National Parks.
Many Veterans, with a service connected disability rating, are entering Federal parks for free with the Lifetime National Parks Access Pass from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Good for entry into 400+ National Parks and over 2,000 recreation sites across the country, the Lifetime Access Pass is another way a grateful nation says thank you for the service and sacrifices of Veterans with disabilities.
Thanks to to Henry Laguatan for submitting this article to Retiree News. Henry is a retired Hawaii Air National Guard recruiter who now serves as a National Recruitment Consultant for the Veterans Health Administration, US Department of Veterans Affairs. He is based in Tacoma, Washington.
Henry added:
Here’s a couple of sites access pass can be utilized in Hawaii;
Haleakala National Park, Maui, HI
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauai, HI
Pu’uhonua o Hanaunau National Historical Park, Big Island, HI
A true classic photo from 1960 showing the old John Rodgers Airport on Lagoon Drive that would later become Honolulu International. Airlines visible are Pan Am, United and Aloha Airlines. pic.twitter.com/tdK8jvukeF
— Hawaii Aviation ✪ (@HawaiiAviation) March 7, 2019
Most people have a will. But a simple will often doesn’t cover some complex issues facing your heirs, which is why I recommend an estate plan.
I work with doctors, accountants and other professionals, small-business owners and people getting ready to retire. They may have a will and a trust for their children, but an estate plan answers three fundamental questions:
– What you want to happen after you pass away;
– Why you want it to happen;
– Who will ensure it happens.
Most people have legal documents that answer the first question; in addition to a will, these include powers of attorney, a health care directive and trusts. But these documents rarely explain the intent or reasons for choosing to give money, property and other assets to some people and not others.
An estate plan provides clarity about each heir to your estate. And this can be particularly important if the deceased person had multiple marriages and families. In addition, with a plan in place, you and your heirs will likely pay substantially less in taxes, fees and court costs and avoid nasty family battles over your assets after you are gone.
From the National Public Radio website
Amid one of the largest measles outbreaks in the U.S. in recent history, vaccines are on the minds of many Americans.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week that the number of measles cases this year has climbed to 839 in 23 states, affecting mostly unvaccinated people. Most people in the U.S. are vaccinated against measles when they’re children as part of the routine immunizations they get in primary care.
We’re used to kids needing lots of shots to ward off lots of illnesses, but what about adults? The CDC recommends that adults get multiple vaccines for conditions ranging from tetanus to influenza to cervical cancer. The shots can be a bit trickier to keep track of, as many adults go to the doctor less frequently than kids do, but those vaccinations are equally important for staying healthy.
Retiree News Photograph
On September 22, 2009, the 154th Wing held a ceremony for the final launch of their remaining F-15 Eagles. The Wing had completed their conversion to the F-22 Raptors. Following the launch, there was a luncheon in the 154th Wing Dining Facility.
In this photograph are (L-R): William Chang, Gary Soma, and Calvin Yoshimoto, all smiling retirees of the 154th Maintenance Group.
A Traditional Guardmember, Billy served his entire career in maintenance before retiring. In civilian life, he worked for the 15th Wing’s civil engineering operation.
Both Gary and Cal were full-time technicians who helped maintain F-102A Delta Daggars, F-4C Phamtoms, and F-15 Eagles.
A decade from now, more than half of middle-class seniors in the United States will be unable to afford needed housing and personal assistance, a new study contends.
The number of middle-income people over 75 will nearly double to 14 million by 2029, up from about 8 million today, projections show.
About 54% of these seniors won’t have enough money to afford an assisted living facility or the kind of personal care that would keep them in their own homes, the researchers reported
Being a caregiver for a loved one is probably one of the most difficult tasks a person can undertake. Having professional caregivers helps minimize some of the physical strain but does not alleviate the mental, emotional and financial stress.
Obviously, every situation is different, but some of the common financial concerns that you may one day need to be prepared for are discussed below. For simplicity sake, I am referring to a married couple, but the issues are not dissimilar if one is caring for a parent or a disabled child.
Cwislyn Walter was born October 8, 1989, in Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia and grew up in Guam. On her MySpace page, Walter said she has two sisters, three brothers and “two very luvin’ parents.”
Crislyn graduated from Farrington High School in 2007. She joined the Hawaii National Guard in April 2007 and completed her basic training at Fort Gordon. She was also trained at Fort Jackson as a human resources specialist.
Walter was assigned to the HHC 29th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and was deployed to Kuwait in October of 2008. Her unit is expected to return home in July.
Read more about Cwislyn Walter
Identity theft impacts millions of people every year, and older Americans are targeted at higher rates than the rest of the population.
People age 65 and older lose a whopping $36.5 billion to elder financial abuse every year, and almost $3 billion of that money is stolen via identity fraud, according to a study conducted by financial services firm TrueLink. The average amount of money an older adult loses to identity theft over a five year period is $7,633.
Lemons and limes pack a potent punch of nutrients that can keep you healthy. 🍋 https://t.co/Jj8L0D6WAw pic.twitter.com/qHtYBt7YSl
— WebMD (@WebMD) May 5, 2019
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page
Hawaii Air National Guard Photograph | click to enlarge
You may have seen our F-22 Raptors in the news headlines, as they travel all over the Pacific, but have you ever wondered how our fighter jets get there and back again?
Our long-ranged capabilities are only possible because of one simple thing – tanker gas.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is operated by a three-Airmen aircrew and it’s been doing a great job at sustaining all types of airframes for more than 50 years. Talk about a lasting legacy!
The 203d Air Refueling Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard, has excelled in their mission since their activation in 1993.
Earlier Retiree News post: Check Six: KC-135s in Southeast Asia – 48 years ago
Because of a recent IRS policy change, more retirees are likely to face that question in the near future. In March, the IRS opened the door for defined-benefit plans to offer lump-sum payouts to retirees who are currently receiving pension payments. That’s a reversal of a 2015 IRS announcement signaling its intent to prohibit those retiree lump-sum offers.
Retiree News 