Austin, Texas Chapter
The Association for all Military Officers
Companion Bulletin-May 2005
In addition to performing these duties and services, our Chapter has enjoyed significant social camaraderie, outstanding guest speakers and good food at our monthly meetings. Membership has continued to grow, due to the continuing efforts of each of you. | We should all take pride in our many meaningful accomplishments
and give thanks to our Web Master, Chaplain, Treasurer and Adjutant who
diligently make these events and programs possible. I want to thank each of
you for your continued support through out this very meaningful and rewarding year. The Guest Speaker at our May meeting will be Roger Mulder, the Director of PanTex, which is a part of Texas' State Energy Conservation Office. Mr. Mulder will discuss the disassembly of nuclear weapons by his agency.
Meeting. 12 May 2005 The Austin Club (110 East Ninth Street).
Please fill out the menu form on the last page and return it to Mary Kelso,
7502 Valleydale Drive, Austin, TX 78731 to arrive not later than 6 May. For
questions, contact COL Szendrey (388-1005). |
Chapter Officers
Legislation | HR 994 would extend the same privilege to all
active and retired service members and federal civilians. * H.R. 916 would amend Title XV11 of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps on Medicare Part B. Unless Congress takes action soon. Medicare beneficiaries will have serious limits placed on their rehabilitation therapy care. On December 31, 2005 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) will implement a congressionally mandated provision of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act (BBA) implementing an annual cap of $1,500 on (1) occupational therapy and (2) physical and speech therapies combined when provided in outpatient settings. These caps will negatively impact all our nation's seniors especially the oldest and most frail. This cap does not affect care provided in hospitals, but not every senior has access to these facilities. These caps are the only caps in the entire Medicare program. Please tell your elected officials to support H.R. 916 to repeal the $1,500 cap on Medicare Part B outpatient rehabilitation services. *Note- if implemented, the cap in 2005 would be approximately $1690. Caps are raised each year to address cost increases in Medicare payments. |
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NEW RADAR TO BOOST DEFENSE AGAINST ASIAN THREATS The Pentagon has announced the completion of a new, high-powered radar vital
to the ground- based component of the emerging missile defense system.
Ultimately destined for Adak Island off the coast of Alaska, the 2,000-ton Sea
Based X-Band radar will provide data for missile defense tests throughout the
Pacific, including telemetry on target and interceptor missiles launched from
Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air
Force Base, California. Mounted on a converted oil-drilling rig fitted on two
pylons, each the size of a U.S. Trident missile submarine, the radar's giant
oceangoing platform will allow it to move throughout the Pacific Ocean. After a
series of sea trials in coming months, the radar is expected to be transported
to Adak this summer, where it will be able to track incoming missiles fired from
Asia. According to the Director of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, the
radar is expected to provide the U.S. with an "operational capability"
against a ballistic missile launched from North Korea. The radar's
"advanced tracking and decoy discrimination" capabilities, however,
also make it a key addition to American defenses against the more sophisticated
missile threat from China. - Excerpts, Washington Times | Items of Interest * The Department of Defense recently announced the creation of two campaign medals -for Afghanistan and Iraq. Presidential Executive Order 13363 established the Afghanistan and Iraq campaign medals to recognize members, who made specific sacrifices and significant contributions in these areas of operation. * The TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) has announced the new pharmacy Formulary Search Tool, which allows beneficiaries to find medication-specific information using either a drug name or a medical condition. The Formulary Search Tool can be accessed through the TRICARE Pharmacy website: www.tricare.osd.mil/pharmacy or directly at http://www.tricareforiTiularvsearch.org./. Quote to Ponder Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. - Colin Powell Thought for the Day If you consider that there have been an average of 160,000 troops in theater during the last 22 months, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000. The rate in Washington DC is 80.6 per 100,000. That means that you are more likely to be shot and killed in our Nation's Capitol, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation, than you are in Iraq. Conclusion: We should immediately pull out of Washington, D.C.
Staff Meeting |
THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE WORLD WARS MAY DINNER MEETING THURSDAY, 12 May 2005 1830-1930 SOCIAL PERIOD (CASH BAR) MENU ENTREE CHOICES -PLACE NAME BESIDE CHOICE (S) GRILLED SALMON WITH LEMON CAPER SAUCE $25.00 PER PERSON
AND HOUSE SALAD MAIL YOUR CHECK (PAYABLE TO MOWW) MARY KELSO |