This bulletin update contains the following articles:

Annual Shift (Use This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Removal from Bulletin Directory (Unsubscribe procedure & AOL)
Tricare User Fees (Big increases proposed.)
VA Disability Compensation (Rates for 2006.)
VA Comp Pmt Disparity Update 05 (Claim re-submission req'd.)
Army Reenlistment Policy (Former personnel sought.)
Postal Rates 2006 (New postage rates.)
ID Card Update 01 (Biometric with fingerprint.)
TSGLI Now Available (Only $1 more.)
CRSC Update 33 (68% approval rate.)
DoD Gift Limits Update 01 (Additional clarification.)
Burial At Sea Ceremony (How it is done.)
Airport Baggage Security (What to expect.)
Veteran Web Links (Alphabetical listing.)
VA HBPC (Home care program.)
Laptop Hardware Security (Steps to take.)

Annual Shift: I will be relocating from the Philippines to the San Diego CA area in mid-DEC. Accordingly request all email communications be directed to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Anything sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it will eventually be answered but there will be a delay in doing so because of time it will take me to access this secondary line of communications.

Removal from Bulletin Directory: Recipients of the RAO Bulletin Updates are reminded that if they no longer desire to receive the Bulletin all they need do is click the "UNSUBSCRIBE" button at the end of this or any future Bulletin they receive. No message is needed. Your email addee will be deleted automatically from the directory and a confirmation email will be sent to you noting this. All Bulletin recipients should have both the email addee This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it & This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it entered into their address book to reduce the possibility of it being blocked. Any AOL affiliated users still receiving the Bulletin are advised that beginning 1 JAN 2006 purging will begin of AOL addees (about 3000) from the directory if I do not receive a confirmation message from them that they are still able to receive the Bulletin. Preliminary testing indicated that only 21 of 700 AOL addees tested could receive the Bulletin. AOL policy prohibits the majority of their customers from receiving email like the Bulletin and they apparently will not allow their customers the option of having any say in the matter. In the last six months I have been unable to communicate with the majority of the hundreds of AOL users who have requested to be placed on the directory and the number of inquiries from AOL users already on the directory asking why they no longer receive the Bulletin grows each month. Any AOL user currently in receipt of the Bulletin who does want to continue to receive the Bulletin is requested to provide an alternate email addee to send it. If this is not possible and you start being blocked by AOL you can always read the latest Bulletin at http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html.

[Source: Director, RAO Baguio 13 DEC 05]

Tricare User Fees: Defense Department officials have drafted plans to raise TRICARE enrollment fees and deductibles sharply over the next three years for military retirees under age 65 and their families (about three million beneficiaries). If the changes touted by senior Defense officials are adopted, annual enrollment fees for TRICARE Prime, the military's managed care option, would triple by OCT 08 for working-age retired officers and double for enlisted retirees. Yearly deductibles for retirees using TRICARE Standard, the fee-for-service health insurance option, would double for officers and rise by a third for enlisted. Also, for the first time retirees who use TRICARE Standard would pay an enrollment fee in addition to their deductible. Pharmacy co-payments would be raised for all retirees and their families, regardless of age, if they use the retail drug network or the TRICARE mail order program to buy brand name drugs on the military formulary.

The aim of these initiatives is to slow the projected rise in military healthcare costs by as much as $12 billion over five years and $32 billion through fiscal 2015. This would occur, proponents argue, by having working-age retirees pay a greater share of TRICARE costs and by encouraging others to switch to their employer-provided health insurance. One assumption being used to estimate cost savings is that for every 10% increase in out-of-pocket costs, the number of beneficiaries using Tricare Prime or Standard will fall by one percent. If accurate, 600,000 beneficiaries would drop out of Tricare plans by 2015. Defense officials have expressed alarm over a recent migration of retirees into Tricare and away from employer-provided health insurance.

Dr. William Winkenwerder, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, has said that some civilian employers are offering their retired military workers cash incentives to use Tricare instead of company insurance. Bryan Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, said defense healthcare spending, if left unchecked, could reach $64 billion by 2015, or 12% of total defense spending, endangering the health care benefit. In fiscal 1995, he said, healthcare was only 5% of the defense budget. He contends that a contributing factor to growth in department costs is that Tricare Prime enrollment fees of $230 a year for individual coverage & $460 for family coverage and the Tricare Standard deductible of $150 (single) & $300 (family) haven't been raised since they were set more than a decade ago. Budget documents show the TRICARE fee structure in only one-third as costly to users as equivalent civilian plans. Defense officials not only want fees and deductibles raised for retirees and their families, in three hefty annual increments, but also want fees after that indexed to inflation so they climb in lock step each year with growth in medical costs nationwide.

Some of the planned TRICARE increases won't require a change in law, only in regulation, although department plans for fees are sure to be the subject of congressional hearings in 2006. Lawmakers could step in to block or amend the plan if the planned increases seem unreasonable. Draft budget papers predict a push back from retiree organizations. The first shot was fired 8 DEC when the Military Coalition, a consortium of 36 service associations and veterans' groups, sent a letter to members of the House and Senate armed service committees urging that they oppose department plans to shift a larger share of medical costs to retirees. The coalition's position is that Congress gave military retirees better health benefits as an offset to the unique demands and sacrifices inherent in a military career. Requiring them to pay more for health care, the letter argues, is not a prudent course of action, especially when the nation is at war.

The benefit adjustment scenario being discussed, both in the fiscal 2007 budget formulation process and resource-sharing debate for the Quadrennial Defense Review, calls for and/or discusses:

• All under-65 retirees to pay more to use TRICARE Prime, Standard and Extra, the preferred provider network option, but retired officers also would pay more than enlisted retirees.
• Prime enrollment fees (now $230/$460) would be raised for retired officers to $400/$800 (individual/family) next October, to $600/$1200 a year later and to $750/$1500 by October 2008, the start of fiscal 2009. Enlisted retirees under 65 would see Prime enrollment fees climb to $300/$600 next October, to $375/$750 a year later and to $450/$900 in October 2008.
• First-ever enrollment fees for TRICARE Standard would start for officers at $150/$300 (individual/family) and rise to $225/$450 by October 2007 and to $300/$600 in 2008. Enlisted retirees would pay $100/$200 next October, rising to $150/$300 the next year and to $200/$400 in 2008.
• Annual deductibles under TRICARE Standard and Extra, now $150/$300, would climb for retired officers to $200/$400 next fall, to $250/$500 in October 2007 and to $300/$600 in 2008. Enlisted retirees would see their Standard deductible rise to $175/$350 next October, remain there for two years and rise to $200/400 in October 2008.
• Co-payments under the TRICARE pharmacy program would be reshaped to discourage purchase of maintenance medicines in the more expensive retail network. The $3 co-payment for generic drugs will rise to $5 in the retail network but would be free if order by mail.
• The current $9 co-pay for brand drugs would rise to $15 in retail network and $10 by mail.

For a detailed chart showing the proposed TRICARE Fee changes visit http://www.military.com/TRICARE_Chart.

[Source: Military Update Tom Philpott article 8 Dec 05]

VA Disability Compensation: In addition to health care for veterans who have applied for and received a service connected disability rating vets will receive a compensation check based on the disability percentage rating granted. This amount will be subtracted from any retirement pay they are entitled to unless they qualify for CRDP or CRSC. However, this amount is non - taxable which will reduce their tax liability. Additional amounts may be payable for a spouse, child, and/or dependent parent when a veteran is entitled to compensation based on combined disability(ies) evaluated as 30% or more disabling. Veterans who have received a service connected disability rating for 10 continuous years cannot have their benefits severed and veterans who have been continuously rated at or above a certain percentage rating for 20 years cannot have that rating lowered unless their was fraud involved in obtaining the benefit. The following disability compensation rate table is effective 1 DEC 05 for 2006:

Compensation Rate Table

Veteran Alone:

• [10%] $112
• [20%] $218
• [30%] $337
• [40%] $485
• [50%] $690
• [60%] $873
• [70%] $1099
• [80%] $1277
• [90%] $1436
• [100%] $2393

Veteran with Spouse Only:

• [30%] $377
• [40%] $539
• [50%] $757
• [60%] $954
• [70%] $1193
• [80%] $1385
• [90%] $1557
• [100%] $2528

Veteran with Spouse & 1 Parent:

• [30%] $409
• [40%] $582
• [50%] $811
• [60%] $1019
• [70%] $1269
• [80%] $1472
• [90%] $1655
• [100%] $2637

Veteran with Spouse & 2 Parents:

• [30%] $441
• [40%] $625
• [50%] $865
• [60%] $1084
• [70%] $1345
• [80%] $1559
• [90%] $1753
• [100%] $2746

Veteran with 1 Parent:

• [30%] $369
• [40%] $528
• [50%] $744
• [60%] $938
• [70%] $1175
• [80%] $1364
• [90%] $1534
• [100%] $2502

Veteran with 2 Parents:

• [30%] $401
• [40%] $571
• [50%] $798
• [60%] $1003
• [70%] $1251
• [80%] $1451
• [90%] $1632
• [100%] $2611

Veteran with Spouse & Child:

• [30%] $406
• [40%] $578
• [50%] $806
• [60%] $1012
• [70%] $1262
• [80%] $1463
• [90%] $1645
• [100%] $2626

Veteran with Child Only:

• [30%] $364
• [40%] $521
• [50%] $735
• [60%] $927
• [70%] $1162
• [80%] $1349
• [90%] $1517
• [100%] $2484

Veteran with Spouse, 1 Parent & Child:

• [30%] $438
• [40%] $621
• [50%] $860
• [60%] $1077
• [70%] $1338
• [80%] $1550
• [90%] $1743
• [100%] $2735

Veteran with Spouse, 2 Parents & Child:

• [30%] $470
• [40%] $664
• [50%] $914
• [60%] $1142
• [70%] $1414
• [80%] $1637
• [90%] $1841
• [100%] $2844

Veteran with 1 Parent & Child:

• [30%] $396
• [40%] $564
• [50%] $789
• [60%] $992
• [70%] $1238
• [80%] $1436
• [90%] $1615
• [100%] $2593

Veteran with 2 Parents & Child:

• [30%] $428
• [40%] $607
• [50%] $843
• [60%] $1057
• [70%] $1314
• [80%] $1523
• [90%] $1713
• [100%] $2702

Add for Each Additional Child Under Age 18:

• [30%] $20
• [40%] $27
• [50%] $34
• [60%] $40
• [70%] $47
• [80%] $54
• [90%] $61
• [100%] $68

Each Additional Schoolchild Over Age 18:

• [30%] $64
• [40%] $86
• [50%] $107
• [60%] $129
• [70%] $150
• [80%] $172
• [90%] $193
• [100%] $215

Additional for spouse requiring A/A:

• [30%] $37
• [40%] $48
• [50%] $61
• [60%] $73
• [70%] $85
• [80%] $97
• [90%] $110
• [100%] $122

[Source: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Rates/comp01.htm Dec 05]

VA Comp Pmt Disparity Update 05: Disabled veterans in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Connecticut, Ohio, and New Jersey could get larger payments from the federal government, and back compensation as well, under a provision that Congress approved recently. The provision would benefit veterans in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Connecticut, Ohio, and New Jersey who, for decades, have received less in disability payments. Under the measure the federal Veterans Affairs Department must notify veterans in the six states that they may resubmit their disability claims and perhaps receive retroactive payments. More than 4 million veterans are slated to receive letters from the VA alerting them about this provision. The letters are considered to be significant since those receiving them will nearly double the 2.5 million disabled veterans nationwide who currently receive disability. The VA letters will explain how veterans in those states can appeal rejected claims or submit new ones. The provision was included in a military spending bill that passed on 18 NOV and is headed to the President for his expected signature. The average disability payment in those six states affected is less than $7,300 a year while, nationwide, the average payment last year was $8,378 per veteran.

[Source: Military.com Veterans Report Dec 05]

Army Reenlistment Policy: The U.S. Army has sent mailings to 78,000 people who left the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps offering reenlistment at their former rank if they have not been out of the service for more than four years. Under the new program, former servicemembers from all branches of the military can join the Army at their old rank and without going to basic training again. In addition they are eligible for a signing bonus of up to $19,000, depending on their skill specialty. Former sailors and airmen would still have to undergo the "Blue to Green" training course unless they have attended Army or Marine boot camp in the past.

[Source: Military Report 5 Dec 05]

Postal Rates 2006: The U.S. Postal Service has announced that rates and fees will increase by approximately 5.4%, effective 8 JAN. This increase is the first since 2002. For additional postal information, visit the USPS website http://www.usps.com/ratecase or the USAREUR Postal Operations Directorate website http://www.1perscom.army.mil/pod Following are selected rate and fees for 2006:

• First-Class Mail Letter (1 oz.) 39¢
• First-Class Mail Letter each additional oz. add 24¢ thru 13 oz. Over 13 oz. see priority mail
• Postcard 24¢
• Priority Mail (1 lb.) and Flat Rate Envelope $4.05
• Priority Mail Flat Rate Box $8.10
• Express Mail (1/2 lb.) and Flat Rate Envelope $14.40
• Express Mail (over 1/2 lb., up to 2 lb.) $18.80
• Certified Mail $2.40
• Return Receipt (Original Signature) $1.85
• Return Receipt (Electronic) $1.35
• Delivery Confirmation Retail (Priority Mail) 50¢
• Delivery Confirmation Retail (First-Class Mail Parcels) 60¢
• Premium Forwarding Service (Weekly Fee) $10.40
• Money Orders (Up to $500) 95¢

[Source: Military Report 5 Dec 05]

ID Card Update 01: The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) has announced a new, standardized identification card is being developed for all federal employees. The new card will replace the common access cards (CAC) that military personnel, government civilians and contractors now hold. The new cards will look much the same as CACs but the color scheme of the card will be different, and more information will be embedded in it. The added info will be a biometric of two fingerprints, to be used for identification purposes, and a string of numbers that will allow physical access to buildings. The biggest change will be the addition of wireless technology, which will allow the cards to be read by a machine from a short distance away. This will make the new cards much easier to use for access to buildings than CACs, which must be swiped through a reader. The new cards themselves will not be enough to grant access to all federal buildings. Rather, they will be checked against each building's database to determine if an individual has access.

One benefit of the new cards will be that each individual will have to meet the same security standards to get the card, so there is a level of confidence implied. A prototype of the new card is being developed now and will be finalized in the next couple months. The cards will be issued starting in October to all military personnel, government civilians and qualified contractors. In the Defense Department, all employees should have the new cards within 36 to 42 months. A time line has not been set for the rest of the federal government.

[Source: American Forces Press Service 30 Nov 05]

TSGLI Now Available: The Department of Defense (DoD) announced 30 NOV the implementation of traumatic injury protection insurance under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program as enacted by section 1032 of Public Law 109-13. The program, which will be known as TSGLI, is designed to provide financial assistance to service members during their recovery period from a serious traumatic injury. On 1 DEC all members eligible for SGLI will become insured for traumatic injury protection of up to $100,000 unless they decline SGLI coverage. A flat monthly premium of $1.00 will be added to the monthly SGLI deduction, regardless of the amount of SGLI coverage that the member has elected effective 1 December.

TSGLI is not disability compensation and has no effect on entitlement for compensation and pension benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs or disability benefits provided by the DoD. It is an insurance product similar to commercial dismemberment policies. It provides money for a loss due to a specific traumatic event while disability compensation is intended to provide ongoing financial support to make up for the loss in income-earning potential due to service-connected injuries. The retroactive provision of PL 109-13 provides that any service member, who suffers a qualifying loss between 7 OCT 01 and 1 DE 05 will receive a benefit under the TSGLI program if the loss was a direct result of injuries incurred in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.

DoD developed this program in close coordination with the Department of Veteran's Affairs. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness will closely monitor implementation with the services and make necessary adjustments if required. For more information, service members should contact their individual service. Points of contact for service members are:

• USA: Jeanette Mendy at (800) 237-1336 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• USAF: Thomas Perry at (210) 565-3310 or 2410 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• USN: MCPO Ralph Gallaugher at (800) 368-3202 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• USMC: Lt. Col. Will Goldschmidt at (703) 432-9277 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• USCG: Lt. Terrence Walsh at (202) 267-1648 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
• USPHS: Lt. Cdr. Tiffany Edmonds at (301) 594-2963 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

[Source: DoD News Release 30 Nov 05]

CRSC Update 33: The CRSC approval rate has reached 68%. It's not a sure thing, but such a high approval percentage should make it worth the short time it takes to apply for tax-free Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC). The 68% rate is the figure derived by the CRSC staff at the Air Force Personnel Center, basing it on the approximately 21,000 applications submitted since JUN 03. Those who have been approved for 10% or more, are or will be reaping the benefits of additional tax-free compensation ranging from $108 to $2249 per month for 100% combat-related disabilities. The basic qualifications are:

• Be retired with 20 (or more) years of active duty or retired at age 60 from the Guard or Reserve;
• Be receiving military retired pay;
• Have a compensable VA disability of 10% or higher, and;
• Military retired pay is being offset to receive the VA disability compensation (VA Waiver).

Disabilities from injuries or illnesses incurred during armed conflict, due to exposure to Agent Orange, combat training, aircrew duties, simulated war exercises, parachuting, munitions demolition, instrumentalities of war, etc., potentially qualify for compensation. Potentially since not all injuries and illnesses will qualify, although they may have the ring of combat-relatedness to them. In case of a retiree's uncertainty it is best to submit a claim and allow the CRSC staff make the determination. Retired members thinking they meet the criteria should complete an application, make copies of required documents and mail the package to HQ AFPC/DPPDC (CRSC), 550 C Street West, Suite 6, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4708.

The CRSC team needs copies of the DD 214 or retirement order as well as VA rating decisions addressing the disabilities claimed and any other available documentation. Retired members who do not have their rating decision letters should make that known when submitting the application. The CRSC staff will work with the VA to obtain rating decisions. For more information and an application, call the CRSC staff at (210) 565-1600 or the AFPC Contact Center at (800) 616-3775. Questions and a request for an application may also be sent by E-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Information and applications are also available online at http://www.dod.mil/prhome/mppcrsc.html.

[Source: Air Force Retiree News 2 DEC 05]

DoD Gift Limits: Recent misunderstandings have surfaced from media reporting about what can and can't be donated to service members, including those who have been wounded. Federal gift-giving rules apply to all service members and their families. There is no distinction between wounded or non-wounded. In general, military personnel and their family members may accept unsolicited gifts as long as they are not offered because of their official position or from a "prohibited source." A prohibited source is any person or group that:

• Seeks official action from the employee's agency;
• Does or seeks to do business with his or her agency;
• Conducts activities regulated by his or her agency; or
• Has interests that may be substantially affected by the individual employee's official duties.

Federal rules define a gift as any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance, or other item having monetary value. It also includes services such as training, transportation, local travel, lodging and meals. The general rule is that you can't accept gifts from defense contractors. As a result, defense contractors tend to make donations to relief organizations and charitable groups that support the armed forces. Ethics officials point out that since the rules involve many exemptions and exceptions, military personnel should consult their local judge advocates, legal counsel or ethics officials before accepting gifts. Some Exceptions are they may accept:

• Coffee, doughnuts and other food and refreshments offered other than as part of a meal.
• Greeting cards, plaques, certificates and trophies and other items with little intrinsic value.
• Awards and prizes in contests open to the public.
• Gifts (other than cash) from a single source having a market value of $20 or less. However, an employee may not accept over $50 in gifts from the same source in a single year.
• Discounts from commercial companies if the discount is offered to all government or military personnel. Two of the nation's largest home-improvement retailers, Home Depot and Lowe's, for example, recently recognized Veterans Day by offering discounts for all active-duty military, reservists, retirees and their families.
• Items provided as "bulk gifts" to the military, such as 100,000 pairs of sunglasses. A service branch or appropriate commander can accept items and then redistribute them as part of authorized morale, welfare, and recreation activity or patient support service.

DoD personnel may not solicit gifts, even for others, unless the solicitation is part of an official fund raising program, such as the Combined Federal Campaign. However, they may advise groups, or individuals seeking to assist service members, of their needs. Web sites run by charitable organizations offer troops the opportunity to request specific items to match them with donations. For example, deployed troops in Iraq have identified the need for, and received, air conditioners, boots, DVD players and other items. A complete list of rules regarding gifts to service members is posted here.

The families of deceased DoD personnel, assuming they are not federal employees themselves, are not bound by these rules. Gifts of money to aid military personnel, including deployed or wounded service members and their families, should be made to private relief organizations that provide assistance to affected personnel, officials advised. These include the Armed Forces Relief Trust, Army Emergency Relief Society, Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society, Air Force Aid Society, and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. Gifts of commissary or exchange gift certificates can also be made through several organizations. Information about these programs can be found at http://www.commissaries.com/ and http://www.aafes.com/.

[Source: American Forces Press Service 30 Nov 05]

Burial At Sea Ceremony: U.S. Navy peacetime burial at sea procedures can be found at http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq85-1.htm. Personnel participating or attending the services must wear the Uniform of the Day. In preparation, the officer calls "All hands bury the dead", the ship is stopped if possible, with flags on half mast, and the crew is assembled, including a firing squad, casket bearers and bugler. The crew stands at parade rest at the beginning of the ceremony. The coffin is covered with a flag, and carried feet first on deck by the casket bearers and placed on a stand, with the feet overboard. In case of cremated remains, the urn is brought on deck and put on a stand. The ceremony is divided into a military part and a religious part. The religious part is specific to the religion of the deceased, and may be performed by a chaplain or by the commanding officer if no chaplain of the appropriate faith is available. A scripture is read and prayers are said. In wartime, attempts are made to follow the same procedure as in the peacetime burial at sea, although a ship on a combat mission may not have all the necessary resources available. After the religious ceremony, the firing party is ordered "Firing party, Present Arms". The casket bearers tilt the platform with the casket, so that the casket slides off the platform into the ocean. The flag is retained on board. In case of cremated remains, there is the option to bury the remains including the urn similar to the procedure used for caskets. Alternatively, the urn can be opened, and the remains scattered in the wind. In this case, the wind direction has to be taken under consideration before burial to ensure a smooth procedure. The firing squad fires three volleys, the bugler plays Taps, and flowers may also be dropped into the ocean. After the flag is folded, the ceremony ends. The relatives will be informed of the time and location of the burial, and given photos and video recordings if available.

Non-military burial at sea services are available at many different locations and with many different customs, either by ship or by aircraft. Usually, either the captain (or commanding officer) of the ship or aircraft or a representative of the religion performs the ceremony. Legally, a Captain can bury remains at sea, provided that environmental regulations are satisfied. In the U.S. ashes have to be scattered at least 3 miles from shore, and bodies can be given to the sea if the location is at least 600 feet (200m) deep. Special regulations may also apply to the urns and coffins. However, local laws may differ, and in the Great south Bay, New York it is legal to drop ashes right from the dock. The ceremony may include burial in a casket, burial sewn in sailcloth, burial in an urn, or scattering of the cremated remains by ship. Burial at sea by aircraft is usually done only with cremated remains. More unusual cases of burial at sea include the mixing of the ashes with concrete and dropping the concrete block to form an artificial reef.

A burial at sea ceremony may also be performed if no remains of the deceased are available. This applies to victims of disasters where the remains of the deceased could not be retrieved and buried, but instead were lost in the ocean. In this case a memorial service may be held, and flowers may be dropped in the water, often over or near the location of their death. Although this may not be considered a burial in the strictest sense, it helps the grieving relatives to see it that way. Following is a list of religions in alphabetical order that allow burial at sea, with some details of the burial. However, there are always many different beliefs even within the same religion, and views may differ according to those beliefs.

ANGLICAN: The Anglican Communion has detailed procedures for burial at sea. The ship has to be stopped, and the body has to be sewn in sailcloth, together with two cannon balls for weight.

CATHOLIC: The Roman Catholic Church prefers casket burials over cremations, but is against the scattering of the remains on the ground, in the air, or at sea. Otherwise, burial at sea in a casket or in an urn is approved. The deceased has to receive the last rites. The committal prayer number 406 §4 is to be used.

HINDUISM: Traditionally, the deceased is buried, and the bones and ashes are collected and sent to India for burial in the Ganges river, which in itself is a variation of a burial at sea. However, burial at sea is permitted, but needs consultation with a Hindu priest.

ISLAM: Burial on land is preferred, so deep that its smell does not come out and the beasts of prey do not dig it out. However, if a person dies at sea and it is not possible to bring the body back to land in time before decay, a sea burial is allowed. A weight is tied to the feet of the body, and the body lowered into the water, preferably at a spot where it is not eaten immediately by predators. Also, if an enemy may dig up the grave to mutilate the body, it is also allowed to bury the deceased at sea to avoid mutilation. It is even stated that the expenses for burial at sea are tax deductible.

JUDAISM: Both Orthodox and Reform Judaism allow burial at sea after consultation with a rabbi; however, Orthodox Judaism forbids cremation.

[Source: Wikipedia Encyclopedia Nov 05 ++]

Airport Baggage Security: On 22 DEC 05, changes to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) security procedures and updates to the prohibited items list will become effective. Having reviewed their security measures, the agency will adjust its procedures to focus on areas that pose the greatest risk. TSA has also added an element of unpredictability to the security strategy in order to deter terrorist attacks on commercial aircraft. To accomplish this objective, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) will conduct increased random screenings at the security checkpoint. In addition, small tools and scissors will be permitted on board aircraft so TSOs can focus their efforts on higher threat items.

If you intend to travel by air, time and effort can be reduced if you plan ahead on packing your baggage. These travel packing tips offered by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will reduce airport security delays and help to ensure that your bags will arrive at your destination with you.

CARRY-ON BAGGAGE is a small piece of luggage you take on the airplane with you. You are allowed one carry-on in addition to one personal item such as a laptop computer, purse, small backpack, briefcase, or camera case. Airport security personnel will screen any "carry-on" baggage that will fit through the X-ray machine, but it is up to each airline to determine whether the baggage fits the size restrictions for your flight. As part of your travel packing preparation, check with your airline to make sure your carry-on bag meets the airline's size requirements. Label your laptop computer to avoid loss or accidental "exchange" by travelers. Tape a business card or other identifying information on the bottom of your laptop

CHECKED BAGGAGE is luggage you check in at the ticket counter or at curbside. It will not be accessible during your flight. TSA advises travelers not to lock checked baggage, but if you must lock it be sure to use . a TSA accepted and recognized lock. If your baggage sets off an alarm and TSA cannot gain access to your checked bag, an unrecognized lock may be broken.. Information on these can be found at http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?content=0900051980119c07. These travel packing tips for checked baggage will help to simplify your trip and ensure that your checked bags get on the flight with you:

• Check with your airline or travel agent for maximum weight limitations.
• Don't put film in your checked baggage, as the screening equipment will damage it.
• Pack shoes, boots, sneakers, and other footwear on top of other contents in your luggage. This will make it easier for security to check your footwear.
• Avoid over-packing your travel luggage; the airport security screener should be able to easily reseal your bag if it is opened for inspection. If possible, spread the contents over several bags.
• Avoid packing food and drink items in checked baggage.
• Don't stack piles of books or documents on top of each other; spread them out within your baggage.

The following general travel packing tips apply to both carry-on and checked baggage, and will help you to move through the airport security screening process more quickly:

• Do NOT pack or bring prohibited items to the airport.
• Put all undeveloped film, and cameras with film, in your carry-on baggage. If your bag will pass through the X-ray machine more than 5 times ask for a hand inspection to prevent damage.
• Check ahead of time with your airline or travel agent to determine the airline's travel baggage policy, including number of pieces you can bring and size and weight limitations.
• Carry on personal items include laptops, purses, small backpacks, briefcases, or camera cases.
• Don't forget to place identification tags with your name, address and phone number on all of your baggage, including your laptop computer. It is a good idea to place an identification tag inside your baggage as well.
• Avoid over packing so that your articles don't spill out if your bag is opened for inspection.
• When doing your travel packing, think carefully about the personal items you place in your carry-on baggage. The screeners may have to open your bag and examine its contents.
• Consider packing personal belongings in clear plastic bags to reduce the chance that a TSA screener will have to handle them.
• Wait to wrap your gifts. Be aware that wrapped gifts may need to be opened for inspection. This applies to both carry-on and checked baggage.

[Source: Transportation Security Administration Dec 05]

Veteran Web Links: The following is an alphabetical reference list of Veteran National Service links for you to use the next time you want to research the latest on your veteran related questions:

Board of Veterans' Appeals
CARES Commission
Draft National CARES Plan
Center for Minority Veterans
Center for Women Veterans
Center for Veterans Enterprise
Clarification on the changes in VA healthcare for Gulf War Veterans
Classified Records - American Gulf War Veterans Assn
Compensation Rate Tables, 12-1-03
Department of Veterans Affairs Home Page
Directory of Veterans Service Organizations
Disability Examination Worksheets Index, Compensation & Pensions
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
Environmental Agents
Environmental Agents M10
Establishing Combat Veteran Eligibility
Evaluation Protocol for Gulf War & Iraqi Freedom Veterans with Potential Exposure to Depleted Uranium (DU)
Evaluation Protocol For Non-Gulf War Veterans With Potential Exposure To Depleted Uranium (DU)
Fee Basis, Priority For Outpatient Medical Services & Inpatient Hospital Care
Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependants 2005
Forms and Records Request
Geriatrics and Extanded Care
Guideline for Chronic Pain and Fatigue MUS-CPG
Guide to Gulf War Veterans' Health
Gulf War Subject Index
Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Q&As
Homeless Veterans
HSR&D Home
Ionizing Radiation
Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom Veterans VBA
M10 for spouses and children
M10 Part III Change 1
M21-1 Table of Contents
Mental Health Program Guidelines
Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers
MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Centers of Excellence
My Health e Vet
NASDVA.COM National Association of State Directors
National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
OMI (Office of Medical Inspector
Online VA Form 10-10EZ
Persian Gulf Registry
Persian Gulf Registry Referral Centers
VA Annual Report To Congress, Persian Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Research 1999
VA Annual Report To Congress, Persian Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Research 2002
Phase I PGR
Phase II PGR
Policy Manual Index
Project 112, Including Project SHAD
Prosthetics Eligibility
Public Health and Environmental Hazards Home Page
Public Health/SARS
Publications: Manuals
Publications and Reports, Gulf War
Records Center and Vault Homepage
Records Center and Vault Site Map
Request For And Consent To Release Of Information From Claimant's Records
Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses 2003
Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses 2004
Research and Development
The Service Officers Corner
Title 38 4.16 Total disability ratings for compensation based on unemployability of the individual. PART 4: schedule FOR RATING DISABILITIES Subpart A: General Policy in Rating
Title 38 Index Parts 0-17
Title 38 Part 18
Title 38 Part 3: Adjudication Subpart A Pension, Compensation, and DIC Compensation
Title 38 Pensions, Bonuses & Veterans' Relief (also 3.317 Compensation for certain disabilities due to undiagnosed illnesses found here)
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
VA Annual Report To Congress, Persian Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Research 1999
VA Annual Report To Congress, Persian Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Research 2003
VA Fact Sheets
VA Health Care Eligibility
Veterans Legal and Benefits Information
VA Life Insurance Handbook: Chap 3
VA Loan Lending Limits and Jumbo Loans
VA MS Research
VA National Hepatitis C Program
VA Office of Research and Development
VA WMD EMSHG
VA WRIISC-DC
VAOIG Hotline Telephone Number and Address
Vet Center Eligibility - Readjustment Counseling Service
Veterans Benefits Administration Main Web Page
VHA Forms, Publications, Manuals
VHA Programs - Clinical Programs & Initiatives
VHA Public Health Strategic Health Care Group Home Page
VHI Guide to Gulf War Veteran's Health
Vocational Rehabilitation
VONAPP online
WARMS - 38 CFR Book C
War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center - New Jersey
Welcome to the GI Bill Web Site
What VA Social Workers Do
WRIISC Patient Eligibility

[Source: American Legion Department of Connecticut email 4 Nov 05]

VA HBPC: VA Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) is a home care program that provides comprehensive, interdisciplinary, primary care in the homes of veterans with complex medical, social, and behavioral conditions for whom routine clinic-based care is not effective. In contrast to other systems such as Medicare home care (which targets patients with short-term remediable needs and provides episodic, time-limited and focused skilled services) HBPC targets patients with complex, chronic, progressive disabling disease and provides comprehensive longitudinal home care. HBPC is designed to serve the chronically ill through the months and years before death, providing primary care, palliative care, rehabilitation, disease management and coordination of care services. HBPC targets primarily three types of patients in need of home care:

• Longitudinal care patients with chronic complex medical, social, and behavioral conditions.
• Longitudinal care patients who require palliative care for an advanced disease that is life limiting or refractory to disease modifying treatment.
• Patients whose home care needs are expected to be of short duration or for a single problem not requiring an interdisciplinary team, when such services best help the facility meet the needs of this population.

The goals of care for HBPC patients are to:

• Promote the veteran's maximum level of health and independence by maintaining optimal physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning.
• Reduce the need for, and provide an acceptable alternative to, hospitalization, nursing home care, emergency room and outpatient clinic visits, through close monitoring and a creating a therapeutic and safe environment in the home.
• Assist in the transition from a health care facility to home by providing patient/caregiver education, guiding rehabilitation and use of adaptive equipment in the home, adapting the home as needed for a safe and therapeutic environment, and arranging and coordinating supportive services.
• Enhance quality of life through symptom management and other palliative care measures.
• Meet the changing needs and preferences of the veteran and family.
• Support the caregiver in the care of the veteran.
• Provide comfort by managing pain and other symptoms.

HBPC has demonstrated its ability to substantially reduce hospitalizations, hospital bed days of care and total cost of care. Medicare home care has not been demonstrated to achieve any of these outcomes. At http://www.va.gov/sta/guide/division.asp you can determine the locations & phone numbers of all VA medical centers. Contact the one nearest you and request to speak with a Social Worker for assistance if you are interested in this VHA program.

[Source: VA Web site Oct 05]

Laptop Hardware Security: A laptop computer is an essential tool, but it also creates all kinds of security problems. Think of your laptop as $1,000 in cash. Would you leave that much cash sitting on a table unprotected, n the front seat of a car, or in an unattended office or hotel room? Here are five ways to prevent your laptop from being stolen:

• Get a cable lock. Almost all laptops come equipped with a Universal Security Slot that allows you to attach the laptop to a heavy or unbreakable object. Cables cost less than $50 and can be found in any technology supply store. Use it in places like hotel rooms, conference rooms, airport waiting areas, and libraries.
• Use a docking station. If you have a lot of visitors, contractors, or housekeeping staff coming through your office, locking your laptop into a docking station is a good idea.
• Lock the laptop in a filing cabinet or other secure, out-of-sight location when you leave the office.
• When traveling with your laptop, don't carry it in a computer case. This makes you an obvious target for laptop thieves. Get a padded sleeve and carry your laptop in a regular briefcase or a backpack instead.
• Be especially cautious in airports. Don't put your laptop down or let it out of your sight through security checkpoints. There are many two-person scams involving one person creating a distraction while another calmly walks away with your laptop. Use a buddy system whenever possible, so one person can go through security, and then receive both laptops while you go through security.

[Source: NCPOA Don Harribine article Jul 05]