to read the March 2015 Newsletter - the 10
Recognized by the United States Congress, the New York State Assembly, and the New York State Senate, as the representative union of retirees of ALL ranks of the New York City Police Department. CLUB OFFICERS PRESIDENT PRESIDENT Gary Rosen LENNY ABRAMS 1st VICE PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT Joe Phillips JOHN CONTE 2nd VICE PRESIDENT Barney Fincke TREASURER: AUGIE LUCENTE TREASURER Jack Murray DUES/ROSTER JACK LINCKS SECRETARY Gail Petersen SECRETARY & CHAPLIN SGT-AT-ARMS: BILL CARLE James Crawford SGT. AT ARMS: EDITOR & PENSION REP: JAMES CRAWFORD Eddie Woods EDITOR & PENSION REP: SUNSHINE EDDIE WOODS Milton Williams VOLUME 29, ISSUE 3 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 386 597 7888 386.214.0303 845 548 3686 386.846.1015 386 736 7032 386.445.5812 407 340 7569 386.246.5092 386 447 1250 386.325.3546 386 437 3208 386.437.3208 407 417 7779 407.417.7779 386 437 2961 TRUSTEES: SUNSHINE Marty Syken 904.461.7381 MILTON WILLIAMS 386.437.2961 Jack Lyons 386 742 4318 Vic Nevins 904.641.4000 TRUSTEES: GEORGE McCANN 904.461.5461 CHAPLAIN VIC NEVINS& CORRESPONDENCE 904.641.4000 Al McEvoy 386 490 1538 JACK MURRAY 407.340.7569 PAST PRESIDENTS Peter Graus ‘82 -‘82 ‘83- -‘83 ‘84- ‘84 Jim Burke** ‘85 -‘85 ‘86- -‘86 ‘87- ‘87 Mike Demchak ‘88 -‘88 ‘89- ‘89 Bill McLiverty ‘90 -‘90 ‘91- ‘91 Barney Fincke ‘92 -‘92 ‘93- -‘93 ‘94- ‘94 Jim Hollywood ‘95 -‘95 ‘96- -‘96 ‘04- ‘04 Al Gleason ‘97 -‘97 ‘98- ‘98 Don Templeton** ‘99 ‘99 Ken Klinkenberg Klinkenberg Ken ‘00 -‘00 ‘01- ‘01 Bill Carle Carle Bill ‘02 -‘02 ‘03- ‘03 Eddie Woods Woods ‘05 - ‘05 ‘06 -- ‘06 ‘07 -- ‘07 ‘08 -- ‘12Eddie ‘08 ‘13 Milton Williams Williams ‘08 Milton 08 Gary Rosen Rosen ‘09 Gary 09- -‘10 10- -‘11 11- ‘14 Lenny Abrams ‘11 ** Deceased **Denotes Denotes Deceased 10-13 Club of Northeast FL Inc. PO Box 35260110-13 Club of NEW Northeast FL Inc. PALM COAST, FL 32135-2601 NEW PO Box 4025 Meetings are held on FL the32725 first Monday Enterprise Sept it isMonday held onof of the Month, except Meetings are held on the first the Second Monday. Meetings the Month, except Sept, it is held onon the even numbered months will be held at Second Monday. Meetings on even the VFW in Palm Coast. Meetings on numbered monthsmonths will bewill held the the odd numbered be at held VFW 8696 inClub Palm#Coast. at the# ELK’S 2193, Meetings located aton the odd numbered willBeach. be held 285 Wilmette Ave.,months Ormond at the ELK’S # 2193, Meetings startClub at 7:00 PM. located at 285 Wilmette Ave., Ormond Beach. Meetings start at 7:00 PM. http://northeastflorida10-13.org/ Web Web:Site: northeastflorida10-13.org/ facebook.com/groups/193600020768524/ MARCH 2015 “WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN” Our last meeting in Palm Coast was well attended. National President Tony Perrone informed the membership of new Bills that have been submitted to the New York State Legislature that would enhance our benefits. Tony feels confident that these Bills will have a good shot of getting approved. He bases on the fact that if enacted there would be no cost to the City since the money would come from the Pension Fund. Past President Milt Williams made a motion to amend the Clubs By-Laws which would allow Associate l Members to run for the position of Trustee. A review of our By-Laws and those of our National revealed that the position of Trustee is part of the Board of Directors. To hold that position, you must be a retired member of the NYPD. After much discussion, Milt withdrew his motion. During the Report of Officers, Treasurer Jack Murray informed the membership that the Club's three accounts, General, Widow's and Scholarship funds are all in a very healthy condition. Under the stewardship of Jack Murray, past President Eddie Woods and past Treasurer Augie Lucente the Club is in its best ever financial condition. A trip to the Police Museum in Titusville is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28th.. If you are interested in attending, please read the details contained in the N/L. The Club is in the process of planning a trip the UDT/SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce sometime in June. I would like to thank all the members who have paid their dues. If you haven't, this is your last chance before you are dropped from the rolls. Don't lose your Club benefits. Please pray for our troops overseas, especially for the ones that are serving in Iraq. ISIS would like nothing more than to capture one of our military and either behead them or burn them alive. Flash—was just notified by his daughter Linda, that her father Richard Lauria passed away last November 2014 Fraternally, Gary Rosen IN GOD WE TRUST THE OPINIONS AND STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS PUBLICATION ARE THE SOLE OPINIONS Of THE 1013 CLUB OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA, INC. Page 2 Happy St. Patrick’s Day IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS: Operations Desk NYCPD General Info Pension Section I D Card Section Employee Benefits P B A Health & Welfare P B A Caremark Drug Plan P B A Satellite DEA SBA SBA Health & Welfare RSA LBA-SOC GHI Empire Blue Cross Medicare Re-Imbursement Medicare Social Security Social SecurityTTY # NYC health Line NYCPD (DIF) VA Benefits-Assistance VA(TDD): VA Headstones/Markers: Do Not Call Registry 646.610.5580 646.610.5000 866.692.7733 646.610.5150 212.513.0470 212.349.7560 877.772.7911 954.977.3880 212.587.9120 212.226.2180 212.431.6555 516.564.1861 212.964.7500 800.358.5500 800.433.9592 212.513.0470 800.633.4227 800.772.1213 800.325.0778 800.521.9574 212.374.5508 800.827.1000 800.829.4833 800.697.6947 888.382.1222 SHIELDS & PLAQUES John Briganti, a member of the Northeast Florida 10-13 Club can have shields or plaques made. A small portion of the sale price of each shield sold will go to the club. Contact John to place an order. Johnny Bee's Tel. 386.871.5941 or [email protected] LARGE SHIELDS P.O. & SGT'S $50.00 DET, LT, CAPT $60.00 D.I., INSP, CHIEF $70.00 MINI SHIELDS P.O. & SGT'S $20.00 DET, LT, CAPT $25.00 D.I, INSP, CHIEF $30.00 Police Plaques priced as per order Mini NE Shield $20.00 10-13 Club of Northeast FL UPCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS 2015 April 18 Night out w/Cin. Reds July TBA Day Meeting Golden Corral Sept 11 Heroes Park, Palm Coast Nov 3 DAY MEETING 12:00 Elks Dec TBA Christmas Dinner P T L. C A R D I L L o NYCPPF http://www.nyc.gov/html/ nycppf/html/home/home.shtml Medicare http://www.medicare.gov/ SOCIAL SECURITY www.ssa.gov VETERANS ADMIN www.va.gov Survivors Benefit Andre Bergeron Chin Costeira Englehardt Herndon Jennings Klinkenberg Kump Lucente Maher Menninger Morris O’Reilly Pecora Peyer Pinela Quinlan Rodriguez Russo Sekula Sergent Vonderosten Wagner Weisgerber Woods Zachery Fund-Donors 2015 Rudy Don Walkin James Thomas Richard John Kenneth Irwin Augie James Thomas Thomas Thomas Eileen Robert Richard Thomas Antonio Charles John Richard Robert Robert Matt Eddie Joseph $10.00 $100.00 $20.00 $20.00 $25.00 $20.00 $10.00 $60.00 $20.00 $50.00 $10.00 $70.00 $15.00 $10.00 $10.00 $25.00 $10.00 $25.00 $25.00 $10.00 $10.00 $20.00 $5.00 $20.00 $30.00 $30.00 $30.00 This list was last updated 2/22/14 Survivors Benefit Fund-Donors 2015 Scholarship Donors FitzGerald Family Halpin Family Don Bergeron 6 Det 2015 $1000.00 $100.00 Dance $100.00 Deceased Members 2014 Donavan George Barrett Alvin Mustin John Canavan Daniel Tingling Lloyd Lauria Richard Deceased Members 2013 11 McShane Joe Krzemieniecki Gerry Winfield Leon Sabbatini Ray Cromartie Maceo Kronk Stephen Halpin Jerry Davey George Barrett Eileen Milan Edward Smith Daniel Deceased Members 2012 4 11 Deceased Members 2011 Please keep our deceased brothers in your prayers new Anthony J. Venditti $10.00 Club Shirt $20.00 $10.00 Plus Shipping Page 3 http://www.nycpba.org/index-flash.html 10-13 Club of Northeast FL Member News Chaplain's Corner: I hold the appointed position of Chaplain of the Northeast Florida 10 - 13 Club. When I first started in this role, I asked myself what is a Club Chaplain, what does he do and are their any special spiritual requirements to hold this position? The answer is, not really. I was asked by the President to fill an open position and I accepted. Essentially, the function is to lead the membership in a prayer at the beginning of the monthly meeting or other official function such as the Christmas Dinner. Our club has an open membership and is non-denominational. Therefore, out of respect to everyone, the prayer message is non-denominational with strong emphasis on military and police officer safety. I’ve noticed that a shorter rather than longer prayer is also preferred by the membership. Occasionally, when I think I have something to say that might be of interest, I write a little column for the monthly newsletter called, “The Chaplain’s Corner” . It does not appear every month because I don’t necessarily have something interesting to say every month. When I started to write the column, I placed some personal restrictions on what I would present. The article would be non denominational, non confrontational, non opinionated and non political. It would never intentionally offend anyone. It would only contain my thoughts on some light topic of the day which would hopefully generate some additional thought of the subject by the reader. In preparing the article my mind often contemplates the conflict that we as police officers face as we are asked to accept as truth, the parables that have been passed down for thousands of years, when the world was believed to be flat and even a primitive education was limited to a very few. Because police officers are trained to examine evidence and facts, we acknowledge that some of these faith based facts do not pass scientific muster as our knowledge base expands exponentially every year. What we now know about the world we live in, learned by our search of the universe through super telescopes, computers and space ships could not have even been imagined by the people who occupied the earth more than two thousand years ago. In order to convey an important event to the masses, it was necessary for Profits to convert the event to an easily understood parable which survived the ages and formed the basis of what we accept in our current belief system. Throughout our lives, we have professed to accept all of these parables on blind faith although some of us, myself included, question how certain events were possible in light of current wisdom. In my own not scientific observations, it appears to me that those families who have accepted a philosophy that there is a higher power, who worship together and have adopted a strong belief system have healthier, happier lives, are involved in worthwhile community projects and are less inclined to be involved in socially unacceptable behavior. Conversely, when we look at those who are continuously involved in questionable conduct, we observe an equally weak value system with respect to family structure, personal motivation, self and impulse control and their religious belief in general. Most sociology research suggests that strong family structure develops a strong value system which in turn develops a strong self esteem. Given the choices, unanswered questions notwithstanding, I prefer to stick with the faith I have had since childhood, passed down to me by my parents and ancestors. Our natural tendency is to search for truth. In the end, however, its how we apply the answers in our daily lives will make us that much stronger as individuals. Keep the faith. Member Bob Michelman 93 years young Lake Mary Health and Rehabi (321) 710-8513 Bob’s Favorite Nurse, Bob Still Has It Page 4 10-13 Club of Northeast FL http://www.nycpba.org/index-flash.html N/E Florida 10-13 Club Function Saturday, February 28th, 11;00 am American Police Museum Members with Police ID - No charge Lunch at Dixie Crossroads 6350 Horizon Drive, Titusville Tel. #321-264-0911 Spouses and guests - $13. 1475 Garden Street, Titusville Children aged for 4 - 12 - $8. Meet 11:00 am at the museum Please wear club shirts or NYPD hats. Please contact the following members if you are going to attend. Joe Phillips - Tel. #845-548-3686 Ron Young Car Pooling is an option. Tel. #386-437-5231 COME JOIN US AT JACKIE ROBINSON STADIUM FOR A DAY OF FUN - FOOD BEER AND SODA AND OH YEAH A BASEBALL GAME DAYTONA REDS vs. TAMPA BAY YANKEES SATURDAY APRIL 18th 2015 GAME TIME 7:05 PM BBQ 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM PRICE FOR BBQ AND BALLGAME $25.00 PER PERSON CALL MILT WILLIAMS 386 437 2961 Page 5 10-13 Club of Northeast FL NEVER FORGET PTL. CARDILLO Most decorated cop ever had 476 NYPD awards While Ralph Friedman is the most decorated detective in NYPD history, he’s actually No. 2 among all ranks. Top honors go to a friend and former Fort Apache colleague, Lt.. Robert DiMartini, who collected an astonishing 476 NYPD awards, a total no one believes will ever be surpassed. Himself a fearless plainclothes ace, DiMartini had uncanny instincts about when a person was carrying a weapon — an odd bulge, his gait, a quick pat on his coat pocket He and fellow cops were relaxing off duty at The Riddler’s bar in The Bronx one night in the 1970s when a stickup tandem walked in. The moment the robbers reached for their weapons — a shotgun and handgun — DiMartini snapped into action. He and the other officers opened fire on the perps. “One died in the bar,” he recalled. “The other was hit three times and went out” — only to expire on the hood of a car. No cop was hit. He put his sixth sense to use as head of the Bronx robbery squad from 1980 to 1985, when his two-man teams — dubbed “Supersquad Six” by newspapers — averaged 15 arrests and five guns confiscated per night. DiMartini “has probably taken more guns off the street than any other police officer in the history of policing in America,” said NYPD chronicler Mike Bosak. His proudest moment might have come after a crazed man, bent on torching his wife and kids, hurled a Molotov cocktail at his own six-story apartment house. DiMartini raced to the fire and found a woman with two toddlers trapped on an upper floor. “The flames were whipping around them,” he recalled. “I said, ‘We have to get up there or these kids are going to burn.’” He and a colleague grabbed a ladder and scrambled up the fire escape. “She handed them off,” he said. “Everybody made it safe.” Friedman and DiMartini, who came on the job within a year of each other, stay in touch. After all, they have plenty to talk about. DeMartini earned a record 476 awards. . Meet the Most Decorated Detective in NYCPD History It was the bad old days of 1974, the South Bronx, and NYPD Detective Ralph Friedman and his partner, Robert De Matas, were working undercover, posing as cab drivers. They watched a group of teens ask a man, Joaquin Castro, 37, for money. Castro turned them down. “The kid called him a cheap bastard, so [Castro] pulls out a gun and shoots him right in front of us — his chest explodes,” Friedman recalled. The cops sprinted after Castro along John Street, the killer firing at Friedman as he fled. De Matas tried to outflank him. Castro jumped behind cars and reloaded. I stop by a stoop, so I’m covered,” Friedman said. “I shoot at him. He shoots at me, I duck. He turns and shoots at my partner. Then he turns and shoots at me. Then he reloads again. I go to a second gun. I’m lining him up in my sights like I’m shooting at paper, and I’m like, ‘Why isn’t this guy going down? “My partner fires one round, and the guy grabs his shoulder. He goes down. I run up and am standing right over him, and he starts to lift his hand up, and I shoot him right in the head. That did it. He dropped the gun. His brains fell out onto the street. And when they get him downtown, would you believe I’d hit him like nine times — in a good grouping right around the belly?” . Friedman was given the Combat Cross, the department’s second-highest honor, for his actions. For that battle, and the three other men he killed when they tried to murder him in the line of duty, Friedman gave himself something else, a tattoo on his right trigger finger that reads: “Justified 4X.” Continued on page 10 Page 6 From John Valles NEVER FORGET PTL. CARDILLO 10-13 Club of Northeast FL January 19, 1908 | The Dog Squad New York Police Department Dog Squad, c.1910. Collection of the National Law Enforcement Museum, 2006. New York Times, 1908 "Ever since the newspapers learned … that the possibilities of the dog as a policeman were being considered at 300 Mulberry Street, a mysterious silence has been maintained regarding the proposition. A strict embargo was put upon all ‘dog news.’" On January 19, 1908, the New York Police Department (NYPD) finally broke its silence and allowed a New York Times reporter “to penetrate into the zealously guarded interior of the preparatory school for the dog squad—a place hitherto untrod by civilian foot—and see the four-footed members put through their official paces.” The five members of the newly formed squad—Jim, Nogi, Max, Dona, and Lady—patrolled wearing a badge and muzzle. They were trained to seek out potential thieves lurking in suburban neighborhoods at night and bark when they found them. If the suspect tried to run, the dog would tackle them and wait for its twolegged partner to arrive. The leader of this experimental squad was Lt. George Wakefield who had traveled to Ghent, Belgium, the police dog capital of the world, to train in the subject and acquire five puppies for the New York force. The pups were a scarce commodity, since police dogs were all the rage throughout the major cities of Europe. The untrained 6-month old pups cost $10 a piece (about $250 in today’s dollars) and their training lasted three months. Several cities beat out New York for the honor of first police dog squad and bloodhounds and other dogs had long been used for tracking criminals, especially in rural areas. Despite all the great press, sophisticated training for police dogs in the United States was not common until the late 20th century when it was conceded that a dog’s nose could not be beat by man or machine. Page 7 10-13 Club of Northeast FL http://www.nypd-lba.org/ From FDNY UFOA RETIREEGRAM Empire BlueCross BlueShield Alerts Consumers to Protect Themselves from Scam Email Campaigns Media Contact: Sally Kweskin, 212-476-1421, [email protected] @empirebcbs NEW YORK, NY, February 6, 2015 –– New York residents who may have been impacted by the cyber attack against Anthem, should be aware of scam email campaigns targeting current and former Empire BlueCross BlueShield and Empire BlueCross members. These scams, designed to capture personal information (known as “phishing”) are designed to appear as if they are from Anthem, (Empire’s parent company), and the emails include a “click here” link for credit monitoring. These emails are NOT from Anthem or Empire. • DO NOT click on any links in email. DO NOT reply to the email or reach out to the senders in any way. DO NOT supply any information on the website that may open, if you have clicked on a link in email. • DO NOT open any attachments that arrive with email. Empire also is NOT calling members regarding the cyber attack and is not asking for credit card information or social security numbers over the phone. This outreach is from scam artists who are trying to trick consumers into sharing personal data. There is no indication that the scam email campaigns are being conducted by those that committed the cyber attack, or that the information accessed in the attack is being used by the scammers. Empire will contact current and former members via mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service about the cyber attack with specific information on how to enroll in credit monitoring. Affected members will receive free credit monitoring and ID protection services. For more guidance on recognizing scam email, please visit the FTC Website: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/ articles/0003-phishing . Additional information about the cyber attack against Anthem is available at www.AnthemFacts.com . About Empire BlueCross BlueShield Empire BlueCross BlueShield (Empire) is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Inc., and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc., independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Empire is available at www.empireblue.com Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/healthjoinin or @empirebcbs, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ HealthJoinIn , or visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/healthjoinin From: [email protected] in Behalf Of hkatowitz Additional Info on Anthem (Empire BlueCross/Shield) Cyber Attack Who is Affected? Consumers insured by one of Anthem, Inc.’s plans: • Anthem Blue Cross • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield• • Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield • Amerigroup • Caremore Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia • Unicare • Healthlink • DeCare What Happened? According to a statement from the company (http://www.anthemfacts.com/), Anthem experienced a “sophisticated external cyber attack.” Personal information of Anthem’s insureds and employees exposed includes: • Names • Birth dates • Medical IDs • Social Security numbers • Street addresses • Email addresses • Employment information/income data Anthem states that there is no evidence that credit card or medical information was compromised. What to Do? Anthem states they will individually notify those whose information was accessed However, if you are insured by one of the Anthem plans you need to be aware of the following now: Continued on next page NEVER FORGET Page 8 Continued from preceding page 9/11/01 10-13 Club of Northeast FL Anthem is providing these identity protection and credit monitoring services to all impacted members for two years, Consider Placing Fraud Alerts You have the right by federal law to place fraud alerts with the three national credit reporting agencies (CRAs). This will place a statement on your credit reports to alert credit issuers that you may be vulnerable to identity theft and that they should take reasonable steps to verify that the person applying for credit is actually you. Place an alert with all three CRAs by calling just one: Equifax: 888-766-0008 Experian: 888-397-3742 TransUnion: 800-680-7289 Read LegalShield Identity Theft Plan Alerts If you receive an alert from your Identity Theft Plan and do not recognize the activity as something you authorized, please call 888-494-8519 to speak to an Investigator. Be Cautious Scammers may try to use this event to trick people into giving up personal information. If you receive an email or phone call from someone claiming to be from Anthem and asking for your personal information, do not respond to them. Call Anthem directly at 1-877-263-7995 to determine if it was their actual representative who contacted you. Read LegalShield Identity Theft Plan Alerts If you receive an alert from your Identity Theft Plan and do not recognize the activity as something you authorized, please call 888-494-8519 to speak to an Investigator. Be Cautious Scammers may try to use this event to trick people into giving up personal information. If you receive an email or phone call from someone claiming to be from Anthem and asking for your personal information, do not respond to them. Call Anthem directly at 1-877-263-7995 to determine if it was their actual representative who contacted you. Retirees May Deduct Cost of Benefits In 2006, Congress passed the Pension Protection Act (“PPA”), which contains many provisions that affect members of the New York City Police Pension Fund. Among those provisions is the ability to exclude up to $3,000 from the amount of income distributions reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for payment of premiums for accident or health insurance or long-term care insurance. Distributions used to pay premiums for a spouse and dependent children are also excludable. This exclusion can be made if the amount paid for the premium would have otherwise been included in your income and is deducted directly from your pension allowance. What this means for retired NYPD officers is that the cost of the City’s optional benefit rider may be excluded from the total amount of your pension reported annually. The maximum amount allowed by the PPA to be excluded is $3,000; however, the amount excluded may not exceed the actual amount paid. To claim this benefit, you must reduce the taxable benefit on line 16B of the 1040 by the amount of the exclusion and write “PSO” on the line for “public safety officer.” The exclusion will not be reported on 1099 forms issued by the City, so any retiree who claims the benefit has a responsibility to report it to the IRS. Accordingly, pensioners who retired on ADR (accidental disability retirement) are not eligible for this exclusion because at this time their pension is not taxed. This information is provided as a courtesy to PPF members and is based on the Fund’s current understanding of the law, but does not constitute tax advice and should not replace the advice of a qualified tax professional. Note: Retirees should save their Quarterly Statement (for those with electronic deposit) or their monthly pension check stub, in order to document their premium deductions for any health insurance or long term care insurance, as required proof for the IRS, if asked. No other documentation will be provided by the Pension Fund. Please contact Marie Elena Brusco @ (212) 693-6058 questions regarding this matter. * Acknowledgement to NCPERS for their effort and research on the 2006 PPA bill. Page 9 NEVER FORGET New York City Police Pension Fund PTL. CARDILLO Yesterday at 9:47am Police Pension pay dates are the last day of each month. When the last day of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, retirees who have elected Electronic Fund Transfers (direct deposit) will have their accounts credited the next business day. Physical checks are dated for the last day of the month and are mailed two business days prior. The calendar dictates when retirees receive their pension payment. The Police Pension Fund direct deposit pay dates are highlighted on the Fund’s website at www.nyc.gov/nycppf EDITORS NOTE: Several months ago, I believe it may have been at the Anniversary meeting, the question of disability pensions (the result of terrorist attacks) were tax free was discussed. The issue was brought to the membership by one or more of our members who received injuries or sustained illnesses due to these attacks. It was to be researched. In the most recent issue of the “CHEVRON” a publication of the Retired Sergeants Association, there was an article that addressed this issue. If you are a retired Sergeant and an active member of the RSA, then you may be familiar with it. Last month, the Internal Revenue Service updated Publication 3920 to clarify taxability of income from disabilities caused by terrorist attacks. Until now, it was unclear and employers and agencies at times made errors. With the help of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, IRS Publication 3920 was revised. IRS Publication 3920 was originally written to explain some of the provisions of The Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act of 2001. However, certain income was unclear on whether it was taxable, hence the revision. In summary, The Act determined the following items are NOT included in income: Certain disability payments received in tax years ending after September 2001 for injuries directly sustained in a terrorist attack. Payments from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 Qualified disaster relief payments made after September 2001 to cover personal, family, living or funeral expenses incurred because of a terrorist attack. Death benefits paid by an employer to the survivor of an employee if the benefits are paid because the employee died as a result of a terrorist attack. Subsequent to September 2001 an individual injured/disabled as a direct result of a terrorist attack can exclude from income Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) The Act also forgave income tax liabilities of those who died of certain terrorist attacks. Some Clarifications. 1 - For a person or spouse that has died as a result of a terrorist attack, there is a forgiveness of tax for the last 3 years before death with a minimum tax benefit of $10,000. Decedents whose total tax forgiveness benefit for all eligible years is less than $10,000 are entitled to $10,000 minimum relief. Even decedents who were not required to file tax returns for the eligible tax years are entitled to $10,000 minimum relief. An amended return must be filed by the April filing deadline within the year period. 2 - Companies/Agencies may have incorrectly reported nontaxable payments as taxable payments on W-2, wage and tax statements(1099-R), distributions from pensions, annuities, retirement or profit-sharing plans, IRA's, Insurance contracts etc. In order to correct this, you must file form 1040X. It is important that you contact the company/ agency to get a corrected W-2 or 1099-R. Finally, you can only amend tax returns for three years from the due date. Accordingly, if there were errors, the only years available to amend are 2011 [tax due either 4/15/12 or 10/15/12], 2012 and 2013. 3 - For those who died from the Oklahoma City attack, income tax is forgiven for 1994 and all later years up to and including the year of death. However, if you previously included it in income in 1994, your refund can only go back three years from the due date which currently only includes tax years 2011, 2012 and 2013. Form 1310 must be submitted with all returns and claims for refund. 4 - If an individual is age 58 and is receiving as a direct result of a terrorist attack, the income is not taxable. Assuming this person's normal retirement age is 66, the individual's is converted to normal retirement Social Security and may now be taxable income [you must complete the social security benefits worksheet in the tax return instructions to determine if any amounts are taxable]. Page 10 http://www.nypd-lba.org/ 10-13 Club of Northeast FL He has been in 15 gun battles and shot eight perps, including the four he killed. He collected 219 NYPD awards and 36 civilian honors, while piling up more than 2,000 arrests, 105 off duty. broke his hand twice, fractured his skull, and was smashed over the head with a tire iron. He has been stabbed, He has other ink on his chest for his years at The Bronx’s notorious 41st Precinct during the city’s most violent era. “Fort Apache ’70-’75,” it reads, using the precinct station’s old nickname, popularized by the 1981 film “Fort Apache, The Bronx.” Another tattoo on his back reads, “The rush was worth the risk.” Friedman once cut short a double date with his brother Stu, a decorated transit cop, because he suspected youths outside a deli were up to no good. The brothers hid and watched in the snow for 30 minutes. When one kid pulled a shotgun, the two arrested all three suspects before they could rob the place or fire a shot. “The ’70s were a different animal,” said Friedman, a Bronx-born DeWitt Clinton High School grad and massive bodybuilder who could once bench press 400 pounds. “You had to be combat ready.” He had no friends or family on the force — his dad was a hotel manager — but when two pals asked if he wanted to take the police test with them, he agreed. After he passed, he ditched his furniture-moving job to join the NYPD in 1968 as a trainee handling calls for the city’s new 911 system. When Friedman hit the streets in 1970 — the same year as future Commissioner Ray Kelly — he couldn’t wait to get started. “I wanted the action,” he said. He came to the right place. Fort Apache was a festival of murder, arson, drug dealing, robbery, burglaries and car theft. “It was probably the most dangerous neighborhood in the world,” he said. Cops in the 41st — like Richie Biller, who once dragged two suspects into the station house with a knife still in his shoulder — would “come in with a collar every day. These were the guys I looked up to. They made me want to be like them,” Friedman said. His first arrest was of two suspects he saw passing money and slips with numbers. When he hauled them in, a supervisor said, “Hey, kid. Do you even know what you got here?” He had no clue. “You got a KG, a known gambler.” His first shooting came in June 1971. His girlfriend called, saying she and her mom were shopping on Jerome Avenue and got into a dispute with two guys in a truck over a parking space. The men came after him with tire irons. “I’m amazed. I got a gun in my hand, and they’re swinging at me,” Friedman said. “I didn’t want to shoot.” He blocked one swing with his gun, which broke his hand, then got clubbed on the head from behind, fracturing his skull. Friedman shot the suspect in front of him. The bullet ripped through the perp’s neck, into his arm and out. The second suspect was about to hit him again with the iron when another cop intervened. “We all went to the same hospital,” Friedman said. “Everybody recovered, even the guy I shot.” Eight weeks later, Friedman was back at work. “My first day, we get a burglary run.” Someone had broken into a store. While cops rushed in, the thief came out on the roof and jumped down to the street. “He landed right in front of me. I punched him right in the face. He goes down. Right away, I knew I broke my hand again. First day back and I’m in a cast and out of work,” he said. But he soon returned to Fort Apache’s plainclothes unit. In 1972, he and partner Kalman Unger arrived at an apartment where a resident, Charles Williams, was “beating up his girlfriend.” Just as they entered, Williams “jumps out of the back and starts firing at us. We were three feet away. We all open fire. Six shots apiece, 18 bullets. Smoke everywhere. My partner’s hit seven times, once in the heart,” he said. “The guy runs into me. I grabbed him with my left, and he ran into the gun, right on his nipple. I fired. The bullet killed him. We rush my partner to the hospital. He needed 72 pints of blood in three hours. But he lived.” Somehow, Friedman was not hit. After that, he made sure to arm himself with a second gun — his “detective’s special,” a snub-nosed Colt .38 revolver strapped to his ankle. Paired with his NYPD-issued Smith & Wesson revolver, he had 12 rounds at the ready. There were two other fatal gunfights, including a rooftop scrum in the 52nd Precinct in 1977 when he and his boss, Detective Sgt. Steve Cantor, traded shots with weapons dealer Hector Nuñez, who was armed with a Winchester .30-.30 rifle. After they hit and wounded Nuñez, a second man came after Friedman with a knife. The cop put him down with a shot to the head. Friedman was more than an extraordinary gunfighter. He made headlines for dozens of drug collars and 15 bribery arrests. He foiled crooks wherever he went. While looking at holsters in a police-supply store, he nailed a shoplifter who had pocketed badges. At a baseball game, he arrested a guy for mugging a spectator. It came to an end in 1984, when another cop car rammed his as both raced to aid an officer. The impact shattered his hip and broke 22 other bones. “It knocked the s- -t out of me,” he said. The accident nearly gave Friedman what he didn’t want: the Medal of Honor, the NYPD’s highest award — given posthumously in most cases. Instead, he spent two months in traction. At the time, Friedman says, he was dating eight women — and when he woke up in the hospital, he was horrified to see them all at his bedside. “ I saw them and made like I passed out again,” he recalled. Continued on page 12 Page 11 http://www.nypd-lba.org/ DUES ARE NOW IN ORDER 10-13 Club of Northeast FL LAST NEWSLETTER FOR THE UNPAID Dues Are $30.00. Lifetime Members must pay $10.00 assessment Also passed, in 2013, was a new definition of a Lifetime Member. “Any member who has attained the age of Eighty (80) years of age, and has been a member for five ( 5 )consecutive years.” IF YOU WERE 76, 77, 78 or 79 IN 2013, YOU ARE STILL A LIFETIME MEMBER Make Check Payable to NE 10-13 and Mail to: PO Box 4025 Enterprise, FL 32725 Should a member’s dues not be paid by January 31st, a letter or email will be mailed out indicating payment is due and if not by the last day of February, said member could be removed from the Club’s rolls. From: Al McEvoy 10-13 Scholarship Reminder Dear Members, It is not too early to start thinking about the Northeast Florida 10 - 13 scholarship award for 2015. This award is given annually to the child or grandchild of a dues current member. In past years we have given two five hundred dollar and one two hundred and fifty dollar award to eligible graduating seniors who have been accepted to an accredited college. The application process consists of writing a 500 word essay and completing the application form. The applicant's high school transcript is submitted to the committee along with the essay and college acceptance letter. Albert McEvoy, Chairman ================================================================================== Scholarship Application Applicant’s Last Name:______________________ First______________ Date of application____________ Address:_______________________________ City/Town _______________________ State______ Zip Code__________ Phone Number:_________________________ Date of birth:__________ Name of Sponsoring 10-13 member:______________________________ Relationship to Sponsor: (Parent, Grandparent or Great grandparent) _____________________________ Current Grade in School:________________ Last Four Digits of Social Security Number:______________ School Currently Attending: ________________________________________________________________ College you will attend next year: ___________________________________________________________ Two $500.00 Scholarships and One $250.00 Scholarship Applications must be submitted no later than April 30, 2015 The application should consist of an essay not exceeding 500 words describing your scholastic achievements & extra curricular activities, what your goals are for college and the future. Additionally you will need to include a letter of acceptance to the college you will be attending and a copy of your high school transcript. A panel of judges will determine the winner based on the documents submitted. Results are final. Use only the last four digits of your social security number on all attached documents. Send completed application to: Al McEvoy Chairman, Scholarship Committee 10-13 Club of Northeast Florida, Inc. P.O, Box 4025 Enterprise, Fl. 32725 Page 12 support.woundedwarriorproject.org/ 10-13 Club of Northeast FL MEMBER One of them, Grace, “stuck with me” — and became his wife. Friedman says he misses the job, misses the action. “I’d go back tomorrow,” he said. “I miss it, but I can’t run.” He retired and recently moved with his wife into a new house in Danbury, Conn., where he rises at 5 a.m. to work on his 185-pound frame in his home gym. Thirty years later, he still has unpleasant dreams in which he’s shooting at a bad guy but having no effect, or he fires and watches in slow motion as his bullet slowly exits the barrel and drops. But his “4X” fatalities don’t bother him a lick. “I was never traumatized,” he said. “I never felt bad. I felt I saved my life or someone else’s life. Next Meeting, Monday March 2nd; 7pm, Elks, O. B NE FL 10-13 POB 4025 Enterprise FL 32725 From Mike Bosak Cops sit for lectures the first two days at the NYPD’s brand-new $750 million academy in Queens, and on the third day learn techniques meant to be used instead of the forbidden chokehold. About 80 percent of cops retrained after Eric Garner’s death called the threeday Police Academy program a “waste of time,” and many fell asleep in their seats, says a high-ranking NYPD official. But the cops are not put through real-life simulations, the insider complained, and the multimillion-dollarHollywood-style set at the academy which includes a bank, bodega and police cars sits unused. Cops say training after Eric Garner’s death is a ‘waste of time’ Ret Det. Ralph Friedman A day after The Post revealed that a goofball department bigwig wanted to arm LAST NEWSLETTER FOR THE UNPAID officers with breath mints as part of sweeping reforms, a disgusted member of The NYPD has already retrained 4,000 cops the brass revealed that much more is and reviewed about 2,000 surveys, the boss wrong with the program. said. Another 16,000 officers will be trained. On the first day, officers participate in “Blue Courage,”a cultural-sensitivity workshop created by a consulting group and used by other police departments . “Blue Courage is a way of being, a philosophy that inspires one to embody the noblest of character and unquestioned devotion,” The veteran boss said that the $35 million “smart policing” primer is a flop, and that eight out of every 10 cops give it give it negative reviews when they finish the training. On the second day, officers get lectures on “the legitimacy of policing — why police officers do what they do,” he said. In the final session, held in the gym, officers are taught the “high-low takedown,” In an attempt to be accommodating, the NYPD allows cops to train during the hours of their tours. With cops who work midnight shifts, “Instructors are saying that students are falling asleep,” the source said. “You wouldn’t take a college course at midnight.” A day after The Post revealed that a goofball department bigwig wanted to arm officers with breath mints as part of sweeping reforms, a disgusted member of the brass revealed that much more is wrong with the program. But the high-ranking source said the new regimen has been a bitter failure. “Officers thought they were going to get some real hands-on, quality training on how to deal with a hostile prisoner or arrestee,” the source said. “They didn’t get that.” Instead, most of the training involved eight-hour — with some cops dozing off, he said. “It’s three days, it’s boring and there’s no real tactics,” he said. “They’re not putting them in scenarios. Cops felt they would get more tactical training in light of the Eric Garner case- Page 13 http://www.nycpba.org/index-flash.html 10-13 Club of Northeast FL FEALGOOD FOUNDATION NO RESPONDERS LEFT BEHIND FealGood Foundation Press Release: Going to St. Petersburg & Stuart Florida - March 5th & 6th. Are you a Responder? Know one? Do you suffer from PTSD? Cancer? Sleep Apnea? Breathing Difficulty? This is a seminar you won't want to miss! Breakfast & Lunch will be served. Come, it's free & it's informative!! #KnowledgeIsPowerFor911Heroes WERE YOU THERE? Did you travel to Ground Zero on 9/11? The Pentagon? Shanksville, PA? Do you know someone who did? You might be eligible for a Federal program which provides Care Page 14 http://www.nycdetectives.org/ 10-13 Club of Northeast FL Help Support GOA-backed "Constitutional Carry" Bills! GOA-backed “Constitutional Carry” Bills Introduced in Congress! -- Urge your congressmen to cosponsor the Stutzman bill Not a GOA member yet? Make sure to join Gun Owners of America! From JOHN VALLES Last week, Congressman Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) introduced H.R. 923, a concealed carry reciprocity bill that will prohibit anti-gun states like New York and California from cancelling the Second Amendment rights of Americans from other states. If you have a concealed carry permit -- or if you come from a freedom-loving “constitutional carry” state that doesn't require one! -- you should be able to carry anywhere in the country without fear of losing your constitutional rights because of where you are. Stutzman Bill Protects Constitutional Carry States There are six constitutional carry states -- and about a dozen states that are considering such laws this year. The Stutzman bill is quite different from competing bills which would require states like Vermont to change their pro-gun laws so that their citizens could enjoy reciprocity. By contrast, Stutzman’s H.R. 923 imposes NO RESTRICTIONS upon pro-gun states that recognize the right of citizens to carry without a permit. To be clear, his bill would NOT force citizens living in constitutional carry states to get a permit to travel out-of-state -- something that competing reciprocity bills would do. Stutzman Bill Protects God-given Rights A few GOA members have written us, arguing that reciprocity legislation is unnecessary because the Second Amendment recognizes the God-given right to carry wherever we want. We agree that Americans have that God-given right. But sometimes a "right" -- even a God-given right - needs a mechanism to enforce it against a lawless tyrannical government and a politicized judiciary. When Shaneen Allen was arrested in New Jersey for carrying a firearm with a Pennsylvania concealed carry license, the Garden State was flagrantly denying Shaneen’s God-given rights and acting unconstitutionally. Shaneen faced over a decade in prison -- and was only exonerated when gun owners pressured Governor Chris Christie, whose presidential ambitions made him unusually receptive to our message. So consider this: When you carry concealed in New York, New Jersey, California, or another state, the fact that you are "right" isn't going to keep you from going to prison for decades -- unless the Stutzman bill is passed into law and force these lawless states to comply. On the other side of Capitol Hill, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has introduced S. 498, a companion bill to Stutzman’s. ACTION: Contact your Representative and Senators and urge them to cosponsor the “constitutional carry” friendly reciprocity bills (H.R. 923 and S. 498). Cops instructed to 'close eyes' during tense situations Cops should “take a deep breath’’ — and close their eyes — when dealing with angry people, according to the NYPD’s new “retraining’’ program. The potentially dangerous advice is part of a $35 million “smart policing’’ primer by Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton that most of the cops who have gone through it say is completely useless. One cop who sat through two full-day programs called them “not realistic’’ and “pretty silly.” Page 15 http://www.nycdetectives.org/ 10-13 Club of Northeast FL Iraq War Vet Lost Leg, Now Patrols Georgia PERRY -- When Mark Smith applied to work for the Georgia State Patrol, he wasn't sure if anyone would want to hire a trooper with one leg. Smith was a Marine serving in Iraq in 2006 when he stepped on a mine that badly mangled his leg. It eventually had to be amputated. The State Patrol agreed to give him a shot at going through trooper school, which Smith said is similar to Marine basic training, although less intense. "They said 'That's awesome that you are trying out, but don't expect any special treatment,' " Smith recalled. "I said, 'I absolutely don't expect that. In fact, I would be offended if I did receive special treatment.' I had to do everything just like everybody else." In August he became the first amputee to graduate from Georgia's school for state troopers. Smith said there may have been troopers who were hurt on the job and returned as amputees, but at his graduation he said Gov. Nathan Deal announced Smith as the first amputee to graduate from the school. Smith, who is from Macon and now lives in Warner Robins, works for the State Patrol post in Perry, which serves a four-county area. As he walked toward his patrol car to go on duty Thursday, no one could have detected he had a prosthetic leg. His gait is normal, and Smith said he is confident he can run down a suspect if he has to. In fact, he already has. When he was in field training -- riding with an experienced trooper before going out on his own -- he had a suspect run from him. He and the other trooper ran him down and tackled him together. After the suspect was in custody, Smith said another trooper asked the suspect, "Do you realize you just got outrun by a man with one leg?" Smith was an avid runner before he was injured, and he still is today. With the use of a prosthetic especially made for running, he ran a 10K (6.2-mile) race a year to the day of his injury. That was not at all what Smith thought his future would hold when his doctor first told him that amputating his leg might be the best option. Smith said it was the hardest decision he ever had to make. "When the doctors told me I had to make the decision to amputate my leg, I envisioned myself scooting around on my butt for the rest of my life," he said. "I was crushed." Prosthetics, he said, have advanced "light years" since the Vietnam War. He said his prosthetic is fairly comfortable. The one he wears on duty was especially made for that purpose, including a modification that allows him to carry a small backup pistol in a holster around the ankle. Smith would go on to serve another six years in the Marines following the injury. He wanted to return to the infantry, but he wasn't allowed. Instead he was made a small arms technician, essentially a gunsmith. So he knows his way around a weapon, and he got the shooting proficiency award in trooper school. His supervisor, State Patrol Sgt. Craig Smith, said the rookie has been a model trooper, and his handicap has not held him back at all. "Bottom line is that he has good moral character," said Craig Smith, who is not related to Mark Smith. "He has proven himself above and beyond since day one." Page 16 support.woundedwarriorproject.org/ 10-13 Club of Northeast FL My HealtheVet The Department of Veterans Affairs My HealtheVet website is designed to allow veterans enrolled in VA health care to check their health records, make and cancel appointments, or refill prescriptions from a computer or tablet. Veterans can send secure e-mails back and forth to their doctors about available treatments without having to go in for an appointment or wait for a phone call. The VA hopes to expand the program and other benefits under one specific app for Android or iPhones as early as this summer. Lawmakers Noncommittal on Military Retirement and Health Care Changes President Obama and members of Congress on Thursday were quick to praise the Military Compensation and Retirement Commission for its report -- two years in the making -- but are holding off on saying what recommendations may get passed into law. The commission laid out 15 recommendations that included overhauling the Defense Department's retirement and health care systems. It even offered a new retirement system that would enroll service members into a Thrift Savings Plan and offer new retirement options beyond the pension service members can receive after 20 years of service. For more details, see this Military.com article. Senate to Vote on Suicide Prevention Bill The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday voted to send to the floor legislation intended to help tackle suicide among veterans. The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act has been reintroduced in the Senate following its overwhelming support in the House of Representatives. The anti-suicide bill was headed for easy passage in December when it failed on a procedural maneuver. The full Senate is expected to quickly pass the bill. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that, on average, some 22 veterans take their own lives each day. Free Admission to Florida Military Museum The Southwest Florida Military Museum and Library is dedicated to preserving and displaying military artifacts and memorabilia while educating the public about our nation's military heritage. It is the largest military museum in southwest Florida. All of the artifacts have been donated or loaned by the military, government and individuals. The museum is at 4820 Leonard St., Cape Coral, Fla. It is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, visit the Southwest Florida Military Museum and Library website atswfmm.org. VFC Website Update If you've not visited our website, maybe you should visit today! Since going on-line on 10/28/12 we have been averaging between 2,800 and 5,000 visitors per day and have had 2,015,376 visitors to date. Visit today and subscribe, it's 100% FREE of charge to all! Just be sure to use a valid E-Mail address so the system can send you an authentication E-Mail. We have the largest One-Stop-Shop Veterans website available that is user friendly, offers a host of information on many topics, Several forums, Frequently Asked Questions and Answers, a massive Documents Library with more than 9,000 documents, various VA and DoD forms, over 4,000 articles which is updated at minimum every one to two days and more. www.veterans-for-change.org Army approves awards for victims of 2009 Fort Hood attack Secretary of the Army John McHugh announced today that he has approved awarding the Purple Heart and its civilian counterpart, the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom, to victims of a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, following a change in the medals' eligibility criteria mandated by Congress. Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 wounded in the attack by Major Nidal Hassan, who was convicted in August, 2013, of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder. "The Purple Heart's strict eligibility criteria had prevented us from awarding it to victims of the horrific attack at Fort Hood," McHugh explained. "Now that Congress has changed the criteria, we believe there is sufficient reason to allow these men and women to be awarded and recognized with either the Purple Heart or, in the case of civilians, the Defense of Freedom medal. It's an appropriate recognition of their service and sacrifice." Under a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015, Congress expanded the eligibility for the Purple Heart by re-defining what should be considered an attack by a "foreign terrorist organization" for purposes of determining eligibility for the Purple Heart. The legislation states that an event should now be considered an attack by a foreign terrorist organization if the perpetrator of the attack "was in communication with the foreign terrorist organization before the attack" and "the attack was inspired or motivated by the foreign terrorist organization." In a review of the Fort Hood incident and the new provisions of law, the Army determined that there was sufficient evidence to conclude Hasan "was in communication with the foreign terrorist organization before the attack," and that his radicalization and subsequent acts could reasonably be considered to have been "inspired or motivated by the foreign terrorist organization." Previous criteria required a finding that Hasan had been acting at the direction of a foreign terrorist organization. McHugh directed Army officials to identify soldiers and civilians now eligible for the awards as soon as possible, and to contact them about presentation of the awards. Soldiers receiving the Purple Heart automatically qualify for combat-related special compensation upon retirement. Recipients are also eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery
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