When an Army Black Hawk helicopter went down off Hawaii during a training mission in August 2017, five soldiers died in the crash. While enlistees know they risk death when they sign up, most troops assume if they die, it will be in combat — not during routine training. But the most recent National Defense Authorization Act found that:
NEARLY FOUR TIMES AS MANY U.S. TROOPS DIED
IN TRAINING ACCIDENTS IN 2017 THAN IN COMBAT.
Retiree News sadly reports the passing of Rex Koga on Thursday, June 21, 2018.
Rex served his entire career in the Hawaii Air National Guard. he enlisted in the late 1950s. By 1969, he was a tech sergeant and the technician lead of the Instrument Shop in the then 154th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. He retired as a chief master sergeant.
His son, Jason, served in the Air Force and later joined the Hawaii Air National Guard.
Retiree News will post information about services when received.
Retiree News extends heartfelt sympathy to the Rex’s family and friends.
Thanks to Billy Chang and Kyle Kamikawa for sharing this information.
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This undated photograph shows a 199th Fighter Squadron pilot under going ejection seat training.
The 199th joined the jet age in 1954 when it finally retired its aging F-47N Thunderbolts for F-86E Sabre day fighters that were made available after serving in combat over the skies of Korea. The squadron stood runway alert as part of the air defense forces in Hawaii beginning in 1954, having alert pilots in the cockpit from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset each day. Beginning in 1958, the squadron received F-86L Sabre Interceptors which could be controlled by Ground Control Interceptor station radar and could operate 24/7/365 in all weather conditions. (Wikipedia)
Can anyone help with the names of the officers in the photograph?
From the Military Times website
All veterans may be able to shop in commissaries and exchanges in the future, if Defense Department officials are successful in pushing their proposal.
Officials have asked Congress to allow veterans who haven’t already earned the shopping benefit as retirees, as well as civilian employees, to be able to shop in the stores, said Stephanie Barna, special assistant to the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.
Thanks to Gordon Lau for sharing this article
Air Force leaders have broken their silence following President Trump’s order to create a new military service branch for space.
Leaders issued a message to airmen telling them to stay the course as the process of implementing the president’s guidance moves forward. Trump gave the order Monday during a speech to the National Space Council at the White House.
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This photograph show Keith Kunichika, and Kenneth “Eagle” Wicks next to a F-4C Phantom II. Judging from the mountain silhouette in the background, this photograph was taken at the then Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station (Kaneohe MCAS). The then 154th Composite Group flew out of the Marine base several times over the years.
From the Samantha Brown website
Kansas City is an under-appreciated destination. There’s incredible jazz, beautiful parks (fact: Swope Park is twice the size of Central Park!), and of course, great food. Did you know KC has more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other US city? Yep, just one of the reasons this is a great stop for eaters.
From the U.S. News & World Report website
A major benefit of retirement is that you no longer have to punch a time clock. But this can be a mixed blessing. Without the structure of job and family, you might begin to feel disoriented. Perhaps you can’t remember what day of the week it is, or you suddenly realize that a whole year has passed and you have nothing to show for it.
Just because you’re retired doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have some kind of schedule. Remember to build in time for your favorite activities, including hobbies, volunteer work, visiting grandchildren or whatever else you want to accomplish in retirement.
Here are ten tips to manage time without feeling like you are back on the clock.
This undated photograph was taken at one of the then 154th Group’s Open House/Family Days. As a reference, the Group flew F-15A/B Eagle from 1987-2009. But it was probably taken in the late 1980s before the uniform change to BDUs.
From left to right: we believe this is Gary Hema, unknown, Ronald Izutsu and Kelly Ann Sunaoka.
A long time ago…
Tricare’s out of pocket flat rate care fees, deductibles and, for working age retirees, enrollment fees could change January 1, 2019 a newly released policy update notes.
The changes would not impact Tricare for Life users.
If you use other Tricare plans, you should keep reading
Thanks to Gordon Lau for sharing this article with Retiree News
From the Everyday Health website
Can surviving trauma put you at increased risk for developing certain diseases? People affected by stress-related problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress reaction, and adjustment disorder, may be at higher risk of developing 41 different kinds of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease, according to a new study published June 19, 2018 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The F-86D is well-known for historic firsts. It was the first U.S. Air Force aircraft to have all-rocket armament. It was also the first all-weather interceptor with a one-man crew to pilot the aircraft and to operate the radar fire control system. https://t.co/SjcMbi65Q3 pic.twitter.com/JRsy7wXq7w
— Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor (@PacificAviation) June 20, 2018
From the U.S. News & World Report website
If you’ve entered retirement with a mortgage, credit card balance or car loan, it may seem tough to tackle the debt on a fixed income. The advantage you have is time: You can use free hours to improve your financial situation. Work up a plan and follow it to wipe out debt.
Cataracts often come with age and can affect your vision. In fact, by age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. New eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses may help your symptoms. If not, you may need surgery.
If you have cataracts and need cataract surgery, Medicare can help. And after surgery, Medicare helps pay for cataract glasses, contact lenses, or intraocular lenses you get from an ophthalmologist.
Find out more about Medicare cataract surgery coverage at Medicare.gov. And check out the National Eye Institute to learn more about cataracts and eye health.
