Retired Affairs Committee Goals
Legislative Goals for 2023
Concurrent Receipt
Support legislation expanding the immediate payment of concurrent receipt of full military retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation for disabled retirees. TMC is seeking the enactment of legislation (Major Richard Star Act) that authorizes expansion of concurrent receipt of retired pay and VA disability compensation, by expanding concurrent receipt to include Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) beneficiaries who are medically retired with less than 20 years of service (Chapter 61).
Repeal 180-day Delay for Retirees
Support repealing the 180-day delay for retirees applying for Defense Department civilian positions GS-13 and below. The House passed FY 2023 NDAA includes a 180 delay for retirees joining DoD as civilian employee if they are healthcare workers.
The FY 2021 NDAA provided a partial victory in that it permits appointment of retirees to civilian DoD positions GS-13 and below without 180 delay to military depots only. The provision expires in three years. TMC will continue to work for complete repeal.
Require DFAS to give 90-days Written Notice Before Suspending Benefits
Prohibit the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) from suspending military retired pay or a military retirement annuity (SBP) until DFAS provides the beneficiary with 90-day notice to the retiree, annuitant, or their designated representative that explains the reason for the suspension.
DFAS Backlog on Reserve Component Retirement Pay
The Military Coalition is deeply concerned over the delays in processing guardsmen and reserve retired pay. These backlogs in the services’ retirement administration offices are leading to Guard and reserve retirees to wait as long as a year after reaching their qualifying year to receive retirement pay.
The TMC requests additional oversight of the Armed Services Committees to ensure the services and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) to do whatever is necessary to review and improve the process for a more timely completion of retirement pay for Reserve Component retirees.
Allow Survivors of Retirees to Draw Full Month's Retired Pay for Month in Which Retirees Die
Support legislation to allow survivors a full month’s pay for the month the retiree dies. Currently DFAS recovers all retired pay paid in month the retiree dies and later pays a final settlement for the number of days in month the retiree was alive. This often creates hardships for survivors who must wait several months for SBP benefits to be started by DFAS (joint initiative with TMC's Survivor Committee).
Uniformed Services Retirement System
Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs)
Recoupment Relief for Separated Service Members
Support legislation to exempt voluntary separation pay, or a portion of voluntary separation pay, from recoupment if they become eligible for a uniformed service retirement.
Disability Retirement Reform
Disability Severance
Require Inspection of Armed Forces Retirement Home
Require periodic inspections of Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) facilities by nationally recognized accrediting organization to ensure safe and healthy living conditions for AFRH residents.
Reduced Retirement Age for Guard and Reserve Personnel
Support legislation that recognizes the service and sacrifice of Reserve Component members, by authorizing early retirement credit for all active duty service by all Guard and Reserve members since Sept. 11, 2001.
Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA)
Pursue legislation which eliminates USFSPA inequities to include:
Permanent ID card Reform
Promote legislative changes which will lower the eligibility for permanent ID cards for all spouses and survivors of uniformed service members to age 65 (vice the current 75).
BRAC Impact on Retirees
Closely monitor the impact of base closures and realignments, and support retention of military treatment and other facilities at BRAC sites that are patronized by sizeable retiree and Reserve populations
Concurrent Receipt
Support legislation expanding the immediate payment of concurrent receipt of full military retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation for disabled retirees. TMC is seeking the enactment of legislation (Major Richard Star Act) that authorizes expansion of concurrent receipt of retired pay and VA disability compensation, by expanding concurrent receipt to include Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) beneficiaries who are medically retired with less than 20 years of service (Chapter 61).
Repeal 180-day Delay for Retirees
Support repealing the 180-day delay for retirees applying for Defense Department civilian positions GS-13 and below. The House passed FY 2023 NDAA includes a 180 delay for retirees joining DoD as civilian employee if they are healthcare workers.
The FY 2021 NDAA provided a partial victory in that it permits appointment of retirees to civilian DoD positions GS-13 and below without 180 delay to military depots only. The provision expires in three years. TMC will continue to work for complete repeal.
Require DFAS to give 90-days Written Notice Before Suspending Benefits
Prohibit the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) from suspending military retired pay or a military retirement annuity (SBP) until DFAS provides the beneficiary with 90-day notice to the retiree, annuitant, or their designated representative that explains the reason for the suspension.
DFAS Backlog on Reserve Component Retirement Pay
The Military Coalition is deeply concerned over the delays in processing guardsmen and reserve retired pay. These backlogs in the services’ retirement administration offices are leading to Guard and reserve retirees to wait as long as a year after reaching their qualifying year to receive retirement pay.
The TMC requests additional oversight of the Armed Services Committees to ensure the services and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) to do whatever is necessary to review and improve the process for a more timely completion of retirement pay for Reserve Component retirees.
Allow Survivors of Retirees to Draw Full Month's Retired Pay for Month in Which Retirees Die
Support legislation to allow survivors a full month’s pay for the month the retiree dies. Currently DFAS recovers all retired pay paid in month the retiree dies and later pays a final settlement for the number of days in month the retiree was alive. This often creates hardships for survivors who must wait several months for SBP benefits to be started by DFAS (joint initiative with TMC's Survivor Committee).
Uniformed Services Retirement System
- Oppose any initiatives which would further reduce the value of the military retirement benefit earned after 20 years of service.
- Ensure that the Department of Defense (DOD) provide a financial education program that provides both service members and their spouses with the knowledge and information necessary to help them better understand the new retirement system and to better enable them to make sound financial decisions required to achieve success under the new retirement system.
- Seek legislative change to the new blended retirement system to extend the period of government matching funds beyond 26 years to actual retirement.
- Oppose any delay of employer matching contributions for the newly created “portable” Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which starts after 3 years of service.
- Amend the new blended retirement system to increase the government matching contribution from 4% to 5%.
- Oppose any efforts to eliminate or reduce the mandatory 12 years of service bonus in the blended retirement program if the service member signs up for 4 more years.
- Ensure that “lump sum” payouts to retirees under the new blended retirement system are commensurate with the service rendered and indexed to increase with inflation.
- Protect and sustain the current retiree health care benefit, by opposing proposals to constrain the growth of health care spending by shifting an inappropriate and disproportionate share of costs to beneficiaries.
- Oppose any attempts to degrade retiree benefits associated with military commissaries, exchange facilities, family support services, and Morale, Welfare and Recreation activities.
Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs)
- Guard against any discriminatory treatment of uniformed services retired members compared to other federal retirement, or federal COLA-eligible, by maintaining/enhancing the equity of annual COLAs.
- Oppose the adoption of the proposed a “chained” Consumer Price Index (CPI) which would devalue military retirement and disability compensation.
- Monitor any proposed Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) adjustments to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculation process.
- Ensure continued fulfillment of Congressional COLA intent, as expressed in House National Security (HNSC) Committee Print of Title 37, USC: "to provide every military retired member the same purchasing power of the retired pay to which he/she was entitled at the time of retirement [and ensure it is] not, at any time in the future...eroded by subsequent increases in consumer prices."
- Ensure equal treatment of all uniformed service personnel, to include NOAA/USPHS/USCG personnel, in conjunction with any retirement/COLA legislation.
- Monitor action on Budget Resolution, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation, Social Security reform initiatives, and other proposals to guard against discriminatory treatment of uniformed services retired members.
Recoupment Relief for Separated Service Members
Support legislation to exempt voluntary separation pay, or a portion of voluntary separation pay, from recoupment if they become eligible for a uniformed service retirement.
Disability Retirement Reform
- Ensure the principles of the DOD disability retirement/VA disability compensation are not compromised.
- Ensure any restructure of the DOD and VA disability and compensation systems does not inadvertently reduce compensation levels for disabled service members.
- Oppose distinguishing between disabilities incurred in combat vice non-combat when determining benefits eligibility for retirement.
Disability Severance
- As an interim step, expand eligibility to include all combat-related injuries (not just those incurred in a combat zone), using same meaning defined under combat related special compensation (CRSC);
- Ultimately, expand eligibility to include all service-connected disabilities; there should be no distinction made between members disabled in combat vice members with non-combat, service-caused disabilities.
Require Inspection of Armed Forces Retirement Home
Require periodic inspections of Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) facilities by nationally recognized accrediting organization to ensure safe and healthy living conditions for AFRH residents.
Reduced Retirement Age for Guard and Reserve Personnel
Support legislation that recognizes the service and sacrifice of Reserve Component members, by authorizing early retirement credit for all active duty service by all Guard and Reserve members since Sept. 11, 2001.
Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA)
Pursue legislation which eliminates USFSPA inequities to include:
- Prohibiting the award of imputed income or "forced retirement" of active duty members;
- Extending 20/20/20 benefits to 20/20/15 for former spouses;
- Eliminate the "10-year Rule" for the direct payment of retired pay allocations by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS); and
- Assist DOD and the Services with greater outreach and expanded awareness to members and former spouses of their rights, responsibilities, and benefits upon divorce.
Permanent ID card Reform
Promote legislative changes which will lower the eligibility for permanent ID cards for all spouses and survivors of uniformed service members to age 65 (vice the current 75).
BRAC Impact on Retirees
Closely monitor the impact of base closures and realignments, and support retention of military treatment and other facilities at BRAC sites that are patronized by sizeable retiree and Reserve populations