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Don’t throw a fit — get fit

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LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, ARIZONA — It’s a controversial topic that has been brought up by many Airmen — changing the abdominal circumference standards on the Air Force fitness assessment test.

After months of debate, it was decided by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III that the standards will stay the same.

For one Luke Air Force Base first sergeant, Welsh’s decision to keep the current abdominal circumference standards was a wise decision.

“Concerning the decision made by General Welsh, like he said in the article, he’s not a very small guy and he has to abide by the same standards that everybody else does,” said Master Sgt. Carmina Beedle, 56th Fighter Wing staff agencies first sergeant. “I know he didn’t go into that decision blindly. He did his research and consulted with people to come to that choice.”

Although it’s expected for Airmen to comply with Air Force abdominal circumference standards, those with possible medical conditions should see their doctor before their test.

“I don’t think it’s unreasonable for an individual not to pass the waist measurement,” Beedle said. “For some, it’s justified. It could be a medical condition preventing them from passing. These individuals should get medically evaluated to be exempt from the abdominal circumference portion of the test, if necessary.”

For Airmen who fail the waist measurement portion of the fitness assessment test, there is a way they can pass the PT test.

“If an Airman fails the abdominal circumference component of the fitness assessment, then fails to comply with Air Force standards, he fails the test,” said Senior Airman Philemon Sehne, 56th Force Support Squadron fitness assessment cell monitor. “However, there is one exception to this rule, if an Airman scores 75 out of 80 points on the rest of the test, then they are eligible to have their body fat percentage measured. If they pass that screening, they’ll pass the overall test.”

To date, no one at Luke who has failed the abdominal circumference has been able to score high enough to qualify for the body fat percentage measurement.

There are many ways one can prepare for the abdominal circumference portion of the fitness assessment test.

For those who feel they are borderline in the abdominal circumference or other components of the test, Master Sgt. Vikram Sachan, 56th Force Support Squadron fitness assessment cell manager, recommends first finding out what your waist measurement is.

“If you know or feel that you will fail the abdominal circumference portion of the test, have your unit’s PTL measure your waist as soon as possible to allow for sufficient time to reduce your waist size,” Sachan said. “Some ways you can go about this is taking nutritional classes available at Health Promotions, which used to be referred to as the Health and Wellness Center, working out or getting involved in some kind of physical activity. Your success is also dependent on the amount of effort you put into your health and fitness goals.”

Sachan recommends finding a running mentor if it’s the cardio portion of the test one struggles with.

“What will help you on the run is learning from those who run well,” Sachan said. “A lot of people I test do not run correctly. Just learning the right way to run will decrease your run time. There’s more to running than most think — the way you breathe, move your legs, land your feet and how you carry your hands will play a great role in your performance.”

In addition, Sachan advises running at least three times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes.

For the two strength components of the fitness assessment, practice is key.

“For pushups, I advise people to ensure they are doing them properly and breaking 90 degrees,” Sachan said. “The best thing is to do them at least three times per week. For sit-ups, I recommend doing them after cardio so muscles are loose and warmed up. If you’re not sure how to perform the exercises, talk to the unit PTL.”

Staying fit should be a personal goal.

“It’s good to stay in shape for yourself,” Beedle said. “Ensuring you’re in shape for the Air Force fitness assessment test is one thing but for your own health down the road, it’s beneficial to stay in shape now.”

Local Briefs 06/19/2015

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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL

*The March Commissary, Fitness Center and Base Exchange are partnering to present a Healthy Lifestyle Festival from July 1-3. There will be a free BBQ at the commissary between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily, as well as healthy food demonstrations and samples. Holly the calf will be the star at the commissary’s free petting zoo Friday only, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will also sponsor a watermelon-eating contest at 1 p.m., Friday, July 3.

*The Base Exchange will feature sports-related apparel and athletic shoes as well as items such as fitness monitors. There will also be items to help you cook healthier, like BBQ grills.

*The Fitness Center will offer fitness demonstrations on July 1, for Core & More, fitness bands, fitness ball, spin, as well as sponsor some giveaways that day.

COMMISSARY NEEDS STOCKERS

The March Commissary is looking for vendor stockers to work between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. nightly. The pay varies for each vendor. Weekend work is a requirement. No experience. On-the-job training provided. Sign up at the ID desk or email your phone number to HYPERLINK “mailto:cyndy.fults@deca.mil” cyndy.fults@deca.mil for a phone interview with the hiring official.

RIDE A BIKE ON UTAs

Outdoor Recreation, in conjunction with the Fitness and Sports Center, offers FREE bike rentals to UTA members from now through September. Male and female beach cruisers, including helmets and locks will be located in front of the Fitness Center and issued by Force Support Squadron fitness personnel. Due to a limited supply, only 10 bikes will be made available each UTA weekend. Mountain bikes are available by special request only through Outdoor Recreation. For more information, call ODR at 951-655-2816 or the Fitness Center at 951- 655-2292.

BASE FOD WALK SCHEDULED FOR JULY 1

The next Base Foreign Object Walk is scheduled for Jul 1 with a show time of 7:15 a.m. sharp at the old Air Passenger Terminal building on the flight line side. Please bring a plastic trash bag, like the one in your shop/office trash can. The walk will begin at 7:30 a.m. Be on time.

Carpooling is encouraged. Safety first! Thank you for your support!

CCAF GRADUATION CEREMONY

Please join us in celebration as the next group of Community College of the Air Force graduates receive their diplomas. The event will be at the Cultural Resource Center on base on July 12, 2015 at 10 a.m. Uniform of the day.

AIRMAN & FAMILY READINESS CENTER CLOSURE

The 452nd Air Mobility Wing Airman and Family Readiness Center will be closed Wednesday, June 24, for training. Normal business will resume on Thursday, June 25.

FREE BASEBALL, MILITARY MONDAYS

Are you a Military Member or do you know one? The Lake Elsinore Storm, baseball affiliate of the San Diego Padres, proudly offers 4 FREE tickets every Monday for military personnel as a huge thank you for your service. Every valid (current or retiree) military ID card presented at the Storm ticket office will receive this honorable deal.

BACK STREET CAFÉ UTA SCHEDULE

The Back Street Café has begun renovation of the dining area. Food operations have relocated to the Wright Brothers Bar located on the east side of the Hap Arnold Club. Entrances from Adams Ave. can be used as well as available parking across from the Ballroom entrance.

Food operations begin for the A-UTA weekend on June 6 and will continue throughout the renovation. Operating hours will remain the same and a limited menu will be available with most of your favorite items, excluding pizza.

An express food service will be available in the Atrium as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining room.

The newly renovated state-of-the-art facility will feature new lighting and furniture, an improved serving line, digital menu boards, a revamped menu, and new stations such as a self-serve salad bar and Starbucks coffee stations.

We appreciate your patience during this renovation and are committed to continue to provide quality service and support to the Team March community.

Visit MarchFSS.com or “Like” them on Facebook at “MarchFSS” to stay up-to-date.

LOCAL TRAFFIC IMPACTED 4TH OF JULY

Please be aware of the Fourth of July Parade activities that could have traffic impacts on your operations and access to your facilities or the front gate.  The City of Moreno Valley has designated the corner of Cactus Avenue and Veterans Way as the check in location for their 4th of July Parade floats/participants.

Parade check in on Saturday, July 4, begins at 7:30 a.m. and the parade starts at 9:30 a.m.

Parade check-in traffic will be directed to proceed south on Interstate 215 and exit east on Cactus Ave. to Veterans Way. Traffic checking in and coming from other routes will be directed to travel south on Day St. to east on Alessandro to south on Elsworth to east on Cactus to Veterans Way; or south on Graham to west on Cactus to Veterans Way; or west on Cactus from points beyond to Veterans Way. 

In addition, the widening of the eastbound lanes on Cactus Avenue is in progress, so please plan accordingly.

FITNESS CENTER NEWS

The March Fitness Center has received the Wellbeats Virtual Group Fitness Kiosk. This kiosk allows members to participate in virtual fitness classes.

Daily Fitness Schedule is:

Mondays: 6 a.m.—Virtual Fusion Yoga; 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.—Intro TRX; 11 a.m.—Virtual Spin

Tuesdays: 11 a.m.—Virtual Strength “Fit for Duty;” 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.—Circuit Training

Wednesdays: 6 a.m.—Virtual Fusion Yoga; 11 a.m.—Zumba; 12:15 p.m.—Virtual Fusion Yoga; 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m—Battle Ropes Circuit Training

Thursdays: 11 a.m.—Virtual Spin; 12:15 p.m.— Virtual Strength “Fit for Duty;” 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.— Circuit Training

Fridays: 10 a.m.— Zumba; 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.— Intermediate TRX; 11:15 a.m.— Virtual Cardio

UTA Saturdays: (A UTA) 5 p.m.—Virtual Strength “Fit for Duty;” (B UTA) 5-7 p.m.—Pick-up Basketball

Daily activities include: 

For more information, visit the Fitness Center or call 951-655-2284.

CONSTRUCTION AT CACTUS AVE & RIVERSIDE DR:

The City of Moreno Valley has removed the “No Right Turn” sign at Cactus/Riverside (east bound) and will see how it goes. They warned that during construction, the turn radius is not enough for tractor trailer/delivery trucks and it will be a problem for those vehicles. Please have your delivery trucks use the Heacock/Meyers entrance to the area to avoid problems with the construction crew. If a problem arises with the vehicle traffic while the construction crew is relocating the traffic signal and installing traffic modifications at the Riverside/Cactus intersection the “No Right Turn” sign will be put up again and enforced. Hopefully this will make things easier for all while the street widening project is going on. If you have any questions contact the March Community Planner and Liaison at 951-655-2236.

THE 452ND AIR MOBILITY WING’S 2015 MILITARY BALL

The 452nd Air Mobility Wing’s 2015 Military Ball is scheduled for Saturday, November 21. This year’s location remains the Riverside Convention Center, and this year we will have a Holiday Theme. This will be a fantastic evening and one you do not want to miss.  Tickets are still $65 per person. See your first sergeant to purchase tickets or contact SMSgt. Griffin at 951-655-3999. There are 40 rooms available at the Marriott for $110 each, and 50 rooms available at the Hyatt Place for $105 each (the Hyatt Place price includes breakfast). When you call to make a reservation, mention the 2015 Military Ball to get the correct rate. You can contact The Marriott at 1-800-228-9290 or (951)784-8000 for reservations and The Hyatt Place at  1-888-553-1300 or (951)321-3500.

FOURTH COMBAT CAMERA TO INACTIVATE JULY 11

March Air Reserve Base’s 4th Combat Camera Squadron is scheduled to inactivate at a ceremony held in Hangar 452 on July 11, 2015 at 10 a.m. Team March members are invited to attend the ceremony and congratulate them on a job well done.

BEACON OMMISSION

The June 12, 2015 article on page six, “Drought exposes Civil War veteran’s grave in Monterey County lake,” was written by Kerry Klein, San Jose Mercury News.

GRILL NIGHT AT SALLY’S ALLEY

Every Wednesday night starting at 4 p.m., Sally’s Alley is open for business with Grill Night. Sally’s Alley is also now open every Pre-UTA Thursday at 4 p.m. For more information, call them at 951-653-2121.

452nd Air Mobility Wing crew experiences 71st Anniversary of D-Day

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U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Megan Crusher

Amid hundreds of children and adults waiving and taking photos through a fence at the small airport, a C-17 Globemaster III aircrew from March Air Reserve Base was welcomed to Cherbourg, France, to fulfill their mission of bringing more than 100 Army paratroopers home after their participation in the 71st D-Day remembrance ceremonies held throughout Normandy, France,  Festivities in the region began May 24, with the majority of events occurring between June 3-8 and the final ceremony honoring the Air Force’s 358th Fighter Group, concluding July 11.

More than 300 paratroopers participated in static line jumps and were featured in various ceremonies and parades during the week-long celebration in France.

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Herbert Bailey flew with the C-17 crew on invitational travel authority because of his close ties to the Association Picauville Se Souvient, which translates to Picauville Remembers, where Bailey is an honorary member.

“Picauville is pretty much an epicenter of combat in terms of the airborne and the airborne invasion,” he said.

Five military aircraft crashed in the area and the society created a memorial to honor the memory and sacrifice of the service members who perished.

Bailey became involved with the Association in 2004, when he met Denis Dennebouy, founder and president of Picauville Remembers. They quickly became friends and Bailey was amazed at how pure the Association was in its intent to preserve the memory of what transpired so many years ago, he said.

“Their whole being in this society is to perpetuate the liberation, the war and the people who died to the children so the children don’t forget,” Bailey said. “Once the next generation forgets, it’s done, nobody else is going to remember and that’s the significance of the name, Picauville Remembers.” 

Years after they met, Dennebouy requested a flyover from Bailey who was an Air Reserve Technician at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. He referred Dennebouy to March ARB and in 2007, a C-17 from March flew over Normandy to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the invasion.

Lt. Cols. Keith Guillotte and Mike Fick were two who piloted those flyovers. They were excited to be able to fly this mission back to France, interact with a thankful community and re-connect with old friends, Guillotte said.

During the short time the crew was in France they attended a parade in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, featuring U.S., French and German service members, where the mayor personally thanked the U.S. military.

“We are overjoyed to express and re-express our gratitude,” the mayor said. “Their sacrifice was monumental. Many of their friends gave their lives. It was not in vain. The mission was accomplished, and all we can say to them is thank you.”

The mayor’s gratitude was evident throughout the short visit, as locales and others approached Soldiers and Airmen to say thanks.

Marla Coloma, who lives in Spain and whose mother was American, shook the hands of U.S. service members and thanked them for their service. Her grandmother was a U.S. military nurse during the war and Coloma was dressed in her grandmother’s uniform. She said she and her husband travel to France every year to honor her grandmother, remember those who sacrificed their lives and thank service members for their contribution to freedom.

Sgt. First Class Mike Lewis, paratrooper, 82nd Airborne Division, participated in D-Day events for the first time in his 18-year career as a paratrooper, and said he was amazed at the welcome and support the French people had for the U.S. military.

“Never in my life, have I ever had to turn down so many drinks,” he said. “They were so grateful.”

After the parade the aircrew was driven to Picauville to meet members of Picauville Remembers. During the drive they were taken to several points of interest in the area, including the memorial to the Battle of La Fiere, the Picauville Memorial, and the road named after famed paratrooper, Cpl. Jack Schlegal.

“This is probably the best trip I’ve ever been on,” said Lt. Col. Andres Hau, commander, 729th Airlift Squadron. As a history buff, it’s been amazing to be able to see some of the sites, and the hospitality of the French people has been wonderful,” he said.

After the whirlwind tour of the area, the French treated the Americans to dinner and a ceremony to thank Bailey and the entire aircrew for their service, and for spending the day experiencing the events and historical sites.

Before leaving, Guillotte thanked the society on behalf of the March crew for making them feel so welcomed, and Bailey presented Dennebouy with a framed lithograph, drawn by Bailey, as a token of appreciation for his impact in preserving the past for future generations.

“Our thanks from us, for his efforts to perpetuate the memories of people he never knew, but who died so they could have the freedom to live like they used to and still do now,” Bailey said. “You have indeed chosen the right name for your society. I will never forget.”

(Read more about the Special Operations Forces commemorative high-altitude, low-opening jump over Mont Saint-Michele, France, at www.af.mil.)

Teamwork, commitment, goals, success

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(Courtesy photo/Linda Welz)

The start of my freshman year, at a new school and not knowing a single student, was terrifying. Going from a small, private, Christian elementary school and middle school to a public high school was going to be a life changer. I wasn’t a very social person and making friends was going to be a challenge for me. My mom told me the easiest way to make friends and feel like a part of something was to join a sport and get involved so, that is exactly what I did.

I was never the athletic type and did not want to be the laughing stock of a sports team. Regardless of my fears, I took the risk and joined water polo. I instantly fell in love with being in the water and working out as a team. I was not the best, but I had a positive attitude and learned quickly. I made amazing friends that always kept me laughing and excited to go to practice. As a freshman, water polo taught me how to manage my time and stay dedicated to things I had committed to doing. Having to wake up at 5:30 every morning before school to jump into the freezing depths of the school pool gave me discipline, and taught me to breathe and swim through the hard times. The most memorable thing for me as a freshman was seeing all the seniors play in league games. I idolized them as they swam through the pool with amazing speed, and shot the ball in the goal with an immense amount of power. They always seemed so in-sync with one another and so aware of their surroundings. I was inspired to play like them by the time I was a senior. Little did I know, I had just set one of the biggest, toughest goals of my high school career.

I worked hard on JV my freshman year, and by my sophomore year I was on the varsity team, practicing with the varsity coach. The season was long and difficult, and by the end I was glad it was over. I had not reached my goal of playing like one of “those seniors” but I was not stressed because I knew I still had one more year to improve. Then I found out our coach was quitting.

Going into my junior year without a coach was a horrible experience. My team was falling apart and playing like one of “those seniors” I had idolized so much seemed almost impossible. Before the season started, a new coach was hired and we managed, along with the help from our new coach, to pull our team back together. I earned most-improved my junior year thanks to our coach, and was on my way to being captain of the team my senior year. I was stoked and knew that with a little more work and help from my coach I could achieve my freshman goal of playing like one of “those seniors,” and be captain. Devastation hit when my team and I found out our coach was leaving to take a job at another school by the end of the summer. He had rallied us and brought the team together while he was with us. Sadly, once again my team and I were left wondering who would coach us and when for the second year in a row. I felt my goal sinking below the surface.

The 2014/15 season was my final year of high school, my senior year, the year I planned to achieve my goal. Not everything had gone as planned but going through constant, crashing waves of team drama, and new coaches, taught me to just keep swimming through the rough waters. I suddenly realized that I was one of “those seniors” that everyone looked up to. Sure, maybe I was not as good of a player as the ones I had idolized, but I still had younger girls looking up to me. Seeing this made me realize that I had indeed reached my goal. I was fast, strong, and good at water polo and I did not need to be one of “those seniors.” I was a senior in my own right who had younger girls looking up to me for advice and help.

I didn’t know what the future season held or what our new coach would be like but I did know that I reached my goal. I couldn’t wait for the new season, my senior season. I was still going to work hard and improve as much as I could but I knew that I didn’t need to compare myself to “those seniors” anymore.

This experience has helped me grow into a young, confident adult and become my own person. I am proud of the challenges I conquered, the friends I gained, and the person I have become. Water polo is a life journey I will never forget.

(NOTE: In spite of having a new coach each year, Welz and her teammates remained the undefeated, varsity girl’s water polo team in the Sunbelt League through her four years at TCHS, where she was co-captain of the team her senior year.)

Website offers Airmen state-of-the-art medical, mental health support online

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The Air Force Medical Service’s Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia (CEMM) offers links to websites for Airmen and their families dealing with men’s health, and many, many other health issues from head to toe, including the recently added pregnancy A-Z.

The men’s health site features videos discussing prostate disease/cancer and testicular cancer. In addition to videos, the pregnancy site features 3-D animations and step-by-step information from conception to delivery.

“The fundamental purpose of the CEMM websites is to empower patients through self-efficacy,” said Lt. Col. Constance Smith, director of the CEMM. “The CEMM does this by providing a robust inventory of tools to assist patients with developing self-management skills and behaviors to successfully manage their conditions and diseases.”

Other sites available deal with low-back pain, women’s health, asthma and skin cancer, to name a few. A full list of sites can be found at www.cemmlibrary.org.

The CEMM promotes the Air Force Surgeon General’s vision of “Trusted Care Anywhere” and makes available products to both military treatment facility staff and their patients.

Military Treatment Facility personnel interested in more information on ordering educational products and videos for Airmen should visit www.CEMM.org.

(Jon Stock, Congressional and Public Affairs, Office of U.S. Air Force Surgeon General, contributed to this article.)

163rd Reconnaissance Wing’s 2013 wildfire efforts honored

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The Air National Guard’s 163rd Reconnaissance Wing, March Air Reserve Base, was honored by the Flight Test Historical Foundation (FTHF) at the foundation’s 5th annual Excellence in Aviation Awards banquet June 13, in Los Angeles.

The 163 RW made history when its members remotely piloted the MQ-1 Predator to provide civil support for CAL FIRE to battle the “Rim Fire” surrounding Yosemite National Park in 2013, where more than 250,000 acres were burned.

Colonel Keith Ward, 163 RW vice commander, accepted the honor on behalf of the wing.

“This is a great night,” said Ward. “The 163rd was able do our job, and it wasn’t (just) me. It was everyone.”

For the first time in the nation’s history, a combat asset was transferred to the State Governor’s control to be deployed to battle fires, said Angella Raisian, an FTHF board member.

During an open forum for questions, Robert Baird, CAL FIRE fire marshall,  expressed his gratitude for the 163rd team.

“The support the 163rd provided is groundbreaking,” Baird said, regarding the use of the Predator to battle fires and provide civil support with a combat asset. “It is the future, and it is appreciated by those of us who have to put ourselves and others in harm’s way.”

The Predator was used to capture up-to-the-minute video of forest hotspots, helping firefighters know where to concentrate their efforts. Actual footage gathered from the Predator was shown at the banquet so the audience could see the 163rd’s contributions and accomplishments first-hand. by Staff Sgt. Tiffany Lindemann

452 AMW public affairs

The Air National Guard’s 163rd Reconnaissance Wing,March Air Reserve Base, was honored by the Flight Test Historical Foundation (FTHF) at the foundation’s 5th annual Excellence in Aviation Awards banquet June 13, in Los Angeles.

The 163 RW made history when its members remotely piloted the MQ-1 Predator to provide civil support for CAL FIRE to battle the “Rim Fire” surrounding Yosemite National Park in 2013, where more than 250,000 acres were burned.

Colonel Keith Ward, 163 RW vice commander, accepted the honor on behalf of the wing.

“This is a great night,” said Ward. “The 163rd was able do our job, and it wasn’t (just) me. It was everyone.”

For the first time in the nation’s history, a combat asset was transferred to the State Governor’s control to be deployed to battle fires, said Angella Raisian, an FTHF board member.

During an open forum for questions, Robert Baird, CAL FIRE fire marshall , expressed his gratitude for the 163rd team.

“The support the 163rd provided is groundbreaking,” Baird said, regarding the use of the Predator to battle fires and provide civil support with a combat asset. “It is the future, and it is appreciated by those of us who have to put ourselves and others in harm’s way.”

The Predator was used to capture up-to-the-minute video of forest hotspots, helping firefighters know where to concentrate their efforts. Actual footage gathered from the Predator was shown at the banquet so the audience could see the 163rd’s contributions and accomplishments first-hand.

Spelunking at 165 feet below

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Courtesy photo

Senior Airman Kenneth Moore, 452nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, shows no sign of being claustrophobic at 165 feet below the cavern surface during a spelunking (cave exploration) trip June 12-14 at Moaning Caverns in northern California, sponsored by March Outdoor Recreation. Moore said it was his first time doing anything like this and that “it was a great time with great people.”

Riverside County announces opening of cooling centers

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Officials in Riverside County have announced the locations of several cooling centers as the Southland continues to deal with triple-digit temperatures in some areas.

The centers will be open Thursday and Friday at least, authorities said.

Officials are asking those who are especially vulnerable to the heat to seek relief.

Individuals susceptible to excessive heat, include the elderly and families with young children. Cooling centers will provide snacks and water, in addition to activities and resource information.

Riverside County health officials are urging residents in the Coachella Valley and desert areas to be especially careful. High temperatures can pose dangers even to those who believe they are acclimated to the heat.

“When you get temperatures like those being predicted, it presents a particularly dangerous situation,” said Cameron Kaiser, public health officer for Riverside County. “Taking extra precautions can make a big difference.”

Kaiser reminded those who will be driving long distances to check their vehicles to make sure they are running properly and to carry extra water. Drivers also are urged to never leave children, the elderly or pets in a parked vehicle even for a short period of time.

For more information call (888) 636-8676. For the cooling center closest to you, visit www.rivcohealthdata.org/home/index.php/cool-centers.

Speech or hearing impaired individuals may call TTY (951) 955-5126.

New military retirement system gets Pentagon OK

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After months of official silence, the Defense Department on Wednesday sent to Capitol Hill its formal recommendation for transforming military retirement benefits, a move that is likely to clear the way for major changes to become law.

The Pentagon is officially backing a “blended” system that would shrink the size of the current pension by about 20 percent yet supplement that benefit by offering government contributions to individual retirement investment accounts.

The proposed system would provide for the first time a modest retirement benefit for the vast majority of service members who leave the military before reaching 20 years of service to qualify for the traditional pension.

The Defense Department’s recommendations are mostly similar to the legislation that is gaining steam on Capitol Hill and comes at a time when lawmakers are hammering out the details of their annual defense policy bill.

“We believe very strongly in this and I hope that this does become law,” Laura Junor, the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told Military Times in an interview Wednesday.

The Pentagon on Wednesday sent top lawmakers a six-page “white paper” outlining in detail the military’s official position on the retirement reform efforts. Top defense officials will begin meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Thursday to discuss the details and specific legislative proposals, Junor said.

The Pentagon agrees with Capitol Hill that a future military retirement system should involve individual investment accounts for all troops and provide government contributions to those accounts as part of a Thrift Savings Plan. Money put in a TSP is not available without tax penalties before age 59 and a half.

In effect, the new retirement system would significantly reduce monthly pension income for so-called working-age retirees, but it would restore that money — and potentially more — after veterans reach age 60.

The Defense Department is also urging some modest changes to Capitol Hill’s military retirement reform bills. That includes eliminating a feature backed by the Senate that would give service members retiring after 20 years of service the option to forgo traditional monthly pension checks and instead receive a lump-sum immediately upon leaving military service.

That lump-sum option was criticized as being a bad deal for troops and, in concept, resembling pay-day lenders that charge exorbitant interest rates. The military essentially agreed, noting in it’s memo to Congress that such a lump-sum payment is a “smart financial decision in very limited circumstances” and “proposed computation methodologies … result in relatively small lump sums, while forgone annuities are significant.”

The Pentagon’s new recommendation also includes a substantial adjustment to the lump-sum “continuation pay” bonus that is part of the current proposals.

Specifically, the bills pending before Congress would provide a lump-sum cash payment at the 12th year of service contingent upon service members agreeing to stay in uniform for an additional four years. Those bills guarantee troops a cash payment of at least 2.5 times their monthly basic pay, and the services could increase that for troops in high-demand career fields.

The Pentagon’s proposal, however, would eliminate that guaranteed minimum payment for troops and seeks more flexibility for the services to determine when and how much continuation pay to offer individual troops.

The Pentagon’s “continuation pay” proposal would look similar to the current system of retention bonuses. But the continuation pay would result in more and higher cash payments going to midcareer troops, said Anthony Kurta, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for military personnel policy.

“This is the cost of doing business under a blended retirement system,” Kurta said in an interview.

“As soon as you reduce [the fixed-benefit pension] particularly in those middle years, the eight to 16 years, you are going to lose retention because the pull to 20 [years] from that retirement is less,” he said.

“That is how the whole system works. We have taken some future compensation and we’ve moved it into current compensation — the current compensation is that continuation pay. Without that, and without talking about that, the new system doesn’t work,” he said.

The push to reform military retirement got a boost in January after the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission completed its two-year study and sent a slate of detailed recommendations to Congress.

For months, the Pentagon avoided taking a position on the proposals and allowed lawmakers to begin crafting legislation. Both the House and the Senate included many elements of the commission’s recommendations in their current bills.

Now the Defense Department’s recommendations, approved by the top officers from each service, are likely to influence Congress as it works toward a final, single compromise version to send to President Obama.

The military’s recommendations include:

•Shrinking the size of the current pension by 20 percent

•Automatically creating TSP accounts for all troops and beginning government contributions equal to 1 percent of basic pay.

•Automatically setting troops’ voluntary personal contributions to the TSP at 3 percent of basic pay.

•Allowing troops to opt out of that 3 percent voluntary contribution of basic pay only after completing financial literacy training at their first duty station.

•Allowing the TSP to “vest” and be legally transferred to individual service members after two years of service.

•Beginning the government’s dollar-for-dollar match of individual troops’ out-of-pocket TSP contributions, up to 5 percent of basic pay, after individual troops complete four years of service.​

• Allowing the individual military services to offer “continuation pay” to boost retention in specific career fields for troops with between eight and 16 years of service.

•Allowing government contributions to TPS accounts to continue for the duration of service. (Initial proposals called for stopping those payments after 20 years of service.)

The result would provide government funding up to 6 percent of basic pay for those troops who agree to contribute up to 5 percent of their own pay.

A grandfather clause will give current service members a choice.

The Pentagon recommends a new retirement system taking effect in January 2018 and giving current troops at that time two years to decide whether to opt into the new system and begin accruing money in a TSP or to exercise the grandfather clause and remain under the current system.

Defense officials say the proposed plan does not amount to an overall reduction in the benefit.

“One of the joint chiefs’ requirements was that whatever blended plan we came up with, it has to preserve a nearly equivalent lifetime benefit,” Junor said.

The value of the government benefit will depend on the extent troops contribute their own out-of-pocket cash.

“If you completely opt out and never get anything more than 1 percent, obviously you will be worse off than the current plan,” Junor said.

“But even if you hold tight at 3 percent, you will be about the same [as the current system] over your lifetime,” she said. “For those who are financially savvy and contribute 5 percent, they will do a lot better than the current system.”

Adopting a new system will probably save some money for taxpayers, but how much remains unclear. The initial projection is that adoption of the Pentagon’s proposed system would save less than $1 billion each year initially and about $1.2 billion annually in the long run.

The Defense Department projects it will have to pay out matching TSP contributions equal to about 4 percent of total basic pay, but that will depend on the decisions made by millions of service members.

“The likelihood is that it will save us money, but we can’t really forecast with great accuracy how much because of the labor market variable, because of the opt-in rates in the short run,” Junor said.

“We are reasonably sure that it is not going to be an additional bill to the department.”

Design contest for AirFest poster open to all

By
Aerotech News
-
0

March Air Reserve Base is holding a design contest for the “March Field AirFest 2016: Thunder Over the Empire” poster. Everyone is eligible to enter. The winning designer will receive a 2016 AirFest package for a family of four. The package includes VIP parking for one vehicle (excluding RVs); four tickets to the pre-show dinner party on Friday, April 29, 2016; four tickets to the show-center, Chalet tent; a guided base tour between June – December 2016 to be scheduled with public affairs a minimum of 30 days in advance.

Keep in mind:

— March Field AirFest 2016 is the name; Thunder Over the Empire is the theme.

–The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds may be the headliner, and there will also be many other air and ground acts.

–March Field’s 452nd Air Mobility Wing is home to the C-17 Globemaster III and the KC-135 Stratotanker.

–March Field is the original name of the base and how it is sometimes referred to today. March Field was established in 1918. The current and complete name of the base is March Air Reserve Base.

–The design will be made into posters and post cards for marketing purposes. They will be available to local communities to post. The design will also be posted to the Internet, social media sites and print news, with attribution to the artist.

–The winning design will be selected by vote of the AirFest executive committee sometime in August 2015. Winner will be notified by the committee at that time.

–There is no entry fee and the prize has no value as our airshows and base tours are free and the pre-show dinner is sponsored and by invitation only.

–The winning designer must sign a statement giving up all rights and/or residuals to the design forever. The design will become the property of the U.S. Air Force.

–In the event of a cancellation, the contest and prize becomes null and void.

Contest rules:

1. All graphic art/photography used must be your original work. Do NOT use anything that is copyrighted, registered or developed by someone else in part or entirety. You will be required to sign a statement as to the validity of your work.

2. There is no minimum or maximum age to submit an entry. Only one entry per person, so make it your best!

3. All entries must be submitted to 452amwpa.web@gmail.com (Subject: “Entry – AirFest 2016”) and received not later than midnight, August 1, 2015. Your entry MUST include your full name, address, email and phone number. We will respond with the validity of work statement and a request for further information if needed.

4. If you have any questions, please email them to 452amwpa.web@gmail.com (Subject: “Question – AirFest 2016”)

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