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 SIDE BY SIDE WE ST AND
WITH PRIDE
Newsletter of the Wisconsin National Guard Enlisted Association Auxiliary
October 2014 MOV ING F ORWARD
TO GE THE R
Next Quarterly Meeting: Saturday, October 18, 2014 9:30 A.M. at JFHQ, 2400 Wright Street, Madison, WI (Room 105) WNGEA Executive Council and the Auxiliary will meet in Room 105 as one group to start the meeting. Hope to see everyone at the meeting on Saturday, October 18, 2014 in Madison! Committee chairs, please email your reports to Roxie at [email protected] before the meeting date if you are unable to attend. Thank you. Notes -­ 43rd EANGUS Conference -­ 2014 Phoenix, AZ I finally made it to the EANGUS conference in Phoenix! So glad Don was able to be at the conference this year! We attended the 1979 EANGUS conference in Phoenix and this year the EANGUS conference was also at the Hyatt, but with many updates! Enlarged (not by much) swimming area with southwestern touches (cactus, adobe touches, and wrought iron fencing). Reservation was great although there was a big rainstorm and had almost three inches! Haven't been that soaked since Boston 1986! Rain was expected on Tuesday night. Someone told me not to worry, there were areas outside and inside. Well, when I think of inside I think "roof over my head" – well inside was a courtyard! Still had fun and food was great as usual for each area. The conference center was easy access with escalators (I took the elevator!) and signage for meeting rooms was excellent. Banquet was nice. Instead of worrying about what you would be getting for dinner, everyone had the same thing, steak and chicken, didn't hear any complaints at our table. Table decoration was a southwestern cowboy boot. They told us to look under our chairs for the winner at each table. Something wrong at our table, four had pieces of paper—three of us had "chairs dist. by Green Bay, Wi." Oops! Guess we didn't win! but had a good laugh. So many people attending the Opening Ceremony there were not enough chairs but that was later rectified. MSG Freddie Hatathlie of MTC-­‐L at Camp Navajo, delivered a traditional Navajo Blessing in the Navajo language at the opening ceremonies on August 10th. I stayed until after the blessing. We didn't go to the Lucky Strike Bowing Lounge for opening night. Some reported single-­‐serving line and long wait (45 minutes) and they ran out of food. Food was good and bowling teams had fun. I attended the 41st Annual EANGUS Auxiliary meet-­‐ ing at the 43rd EANGUS conference in Phoenix, Arizona as the only auxiliary delegate from Wisconsin. There were 60 delegates, four officers and eight Area Directors in attendance, along with members and guests. Minutes of the Auxiliary's first and second meeting sessions will be printed in The Signal. If you don't receive The Signal, please go to www.eangus.org, click About Auxiliary, click on Publications and current and past Signals are listed. Of course, it was hot! Everyone kept saying but you won't have the humidity! Well, with the crazy weather, humidity one day was 55 to 77%! Tuesday hospitality night at Papago Arizona Military Bucky's Auxiliary News – Page 1 – October 2014
During the Memorial service, a candle was lighted for Wisconsin Past President and Past Legislative Chair and Life Member Adele Cywinski (WI). Adele passed away July 17, 2014. The Auxiliary had election and installation of officers and Area Directors: Judy Wood (AL) President; Connie Myers (MS) Vice President; Vivian Taylor (MS) Secretary and Cora Sower (WI) Treasurer. Angele Kennebeck was elected to a two-­‐
year term as Area V Director. Chris Sower is in the second half of his two-­‐year term. The Silent Auction amount collected was over $3600 and there were still a few items left if anyone would be interested. Total will be in The Signal. This year credit cards were accepted. Have to get that more publicized in the future. Thanks to our Cora for making this happen. Area V Caucus Meetings: John Harris, running for EANGUS President (and subsequently elected) told us the 2016 EANGUS conference in New Orleans may have registration fee of only $75.00 person! Hope this remains so! Dean Kennebeck of Iowa was elected Area V Director. Dean was previously elected Area Director when in West Virginia and had to resign when he was deployed. Area V Caucus is May 2, 2015 in Indianapolis. Karen Vicento graciously volunteered to be Area V Point of Contact for Area V Legislation. [Wisconsin Members, please keep track of your legislative contacts, i.e. letters, emails, telephone calls, visits, responses and send them (snail or email) or bring to our January meeting so I may forward to POC Karen Vicento by whatever date she determines in January. Roxie Barwick [email protected]] Toiletries collected and brought to conference will be distributed in the Tucson area and funds raised recycling pop-­‐tabs and donations by members and states will be divided evenly between Tucson Ronald McDonald's House and Fisher House in Salt Lake City, Utah. [WNGEA Auxiliary donated $50 directly to Fisher House of Wisconsin in July.] There was no Wisconsin auxiliary scholarship recipient this year. There will be four auxiliary scholarships next year. Watch for future Signal issues for complete info. President Lainhart announced Publication award winner for Category Seven (EANGUS Area Auxiliary Newsletters) was Area V Is Alive! I did not attend the Auxiliary luncheon buffet. At the 44th Conference in Indianapolis, there will be no luncheon. Tentative plans is for a continental breakfast at no cost to auxiliary members (anticipated to be picked up by sponsors and this was put into the budget.) The three hotels are all connected to the conference center in Indianapolis. Again, watch for future Signals for information. Registration for Indianapolis is on EANGUS website. Registration is $175 before July 1, 2015. Monday Open night: Wisconsin and Iowa had a pizza party in the Area V hospitality room. EANGUS OFFICERS 2014-­2016 President–CMSgt John Harris (Ret)(LA); Vice-­‐President–SGM Andrew Scott Evans (UT) Treasurer–1SG (Ret) Brad Howell (UT) Secretary–CSM (Ret) Karen Craig (AZ) EANGUS AUXILIARY OFFICERS 2014-­2016 President-­‐Judy Wood (AL) Vice President-­‐Connie Myers (MS) Treasurer-­‐Cora Sower (WI) Secretary-­‐Vivian Taylor (MS) Karen Vicento presented Chris and Cora Sower each a Burden Bear. Committee chairs and members on each committee were released. For those wanting to be a chair of committee or on a committee had to submit their info about what committee they wanted to be chair or member. When these committees are in The Signal, first double-­‐check if the info is correct, if not let President Judy Wood know. Websites: WNGEA http://www.wngea.org EANGUS: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61285710694 EANGUS Auxiliary: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eangus-­ Auxiliary/22856509049162 Bucky's Auxiliary News – Page 2 – October 2014
44th 2015 EANGUS Conference & Expo Indianapolis, Indiana August 9-­‐12, 2015 Hotels for EANGUS is Westin & Hyatt 2015 EANGUS Attendee Registration
Ticket before July 1, 2015 is $175.00 • Registration includes admission to these functions: • Welcome Night (Sunday) • All Area Hospitality Night (Tuesday) • All States Awards and Recognition Banquet (Wednesday) Register at EANGUS.org
(There will not be an Auxiliary Luncheon) LEGISLATION Can't Congress pass annual appropriations bills and quit doing stopgap measures in joint resolutions every year! The 2014 Veterans’ Compensation Cost-­‐of-­‐Living Adjustment Act (S. 2258) was signed into law by the President. The legislation increases the COLA for vets’ disability benefits starting December 1, 2014. The rate of the increase will be the same as the cost-­‐of-­‐
living adjustment for Social Security recipients and also affects the disability payments and compensation for vets’ surviving spouses and children. [The Consumer Price Index dipped in August. It now stands 1.6 percent above the FY2014 COLA. The July, August, and September CPIs will be used to calculate the 2015 COLA. Prediction is the 2015 COLA to fall somewhere between 1.6 and 1.8 percent.] Congress sent stopgap measure to keep the federal government running through the November election and the President signed the temporary funding on September 19th. This temporary measure only funds the federal govern-­‐ment through December 11 at FY 2014 budget levels, leading to another budget debate during the lame-­‐
duck session. The continuing resolution (CR) includes temporary funding for the military to equip and train Syrian rebels, $88 million to assist in the Ebola catastrophe in West Africa, and additional funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs disability claims processing.
Bucky's Auxiliary News – Page 3 – October 2014
THINGS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW OR MAY NOT OR MAY NEED TO KNOW! WISCONSIN -­ UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR EX-­SERVICEMEMBERS (UCX) Members of the military leaving active duty discharged under honorable conditions unable to find employment may be eligible for UCX. Application for Unemployment Insurance, including UCX, is made by telephone. To file a new claim application: Madison: (608) 232-­0678 Milwaukee: (414) 438-­7700 Toll-­free: 800-­822-­5246 Have the following available: (1) Form DD-­‐214, (2) Social Security number, and (3) Wisconsin Driver's License number (if you have one). Filing process: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/ucx.htm
NEW BURIAL REGULATIONS New burial regulations effective July 7, 2014 will now allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to automatically pay the maximum amount allowable under law to most eligible surviving spouses more quickly and efficiently, without the need for a written application. This automation enables VA to pay a non-­‐service-­‐
connected or service-­‐connected burial allowance to an estimated 62,000 eligible surviving spouses out of a projected 140,000 claimants for burial benefits in 2014. Surviving spouses will be paid upon notice of the Veteran’s death using information already in VA systems. The burial allowance for a non-­‐service-­‐
connected death is $300, and $2,000 for a death connected to military service. Under former regulations, VA paid burial benefits on a reimbursement basis, which required survivors to submit receipts for relatively small one-­‐time payments that VA generally paid at the maximum amount permitted by law. This revised regulation will further expedite the delivery of these benefits to surviving spouses, reduce the volume of claims requiring manual processing, and potentially make available resources for other activities that benefit Veterans and their survivor. “VA is committed to improving the speed and ease of delivery of monetary burial benefits to Veterans’ survivors during their time of need,” said Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson. “The recent changes allow VA to help these survivors bear the cost of funerals by changing regulations to get them the benefits more quickly.” For more information on monetary burial benefits, visit http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/claims-­
special-­burial.asp USING TRICARE FOR LIFE, MEDICARE AND OTHER HEALTH INSURANCE: A beneficiary can have TRICARE for Life, Medicare and other health insurance. • If the beneficiary has employer sponsored insurance based on current employment, the other health insurance pays first Medicare pays second and TRICARE pays last. • If the beneficiary is retired or not working and has other health insurance, Medicare pays first, the other health insurance pays second and TRICARE pays last. You must submit your paper claims to the TRICARE for Life contractor along with a copy of your provider's itemized bill, the Medicare Summary Notice and explanation of benefits from all other health insurances. You must file TRICARE for Life claims within one year from the date of care. For more information visit: http://www.tricare4u.com or 866-­‐773-­‐0404 MILITARY YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED! The Wisconsin National Guard (WI NG) Child and Youth Program is recruiting military connected teens between the age of 13-­‐17 years to be members of the WI NG Youth Advisory Board. They are looking for military teens with strong leadership abilities to act as the liaison between military youth in the state and leadership. If you know a military teen that may be interested, please contact the Child and Youth Program Staff today! Tina Jeffords [email protected] (608) 242-­‐3466 or Shawna Wyman [email protected] (608) 242-­‐3483. WNGEA AUXILIARY – (email: [email protected]) SECRETARY PRESIDENT -­ Shirley Spitz TREASURER -­ Marie Traxler LEGISLATION/PUBLICATIONS [email protected] [email protected] Roxanna Barwick VICE PRESIDENT -­ Cathy Berry SUNSHINE -­ Susan Lieven [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Bucky's Auxiliary News – Page 4 – October 2014