BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. –
News Briefs is a list of unit events and information for 940th Air Refueling Wing personnel.
Medical Clinic hours
The medical clinic will be open from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 4. The clinic will be closed Sunday, Oct. 5, for training. Services include physical and occupational examinations and the Immunization Clinic.
Worship service
There is no 940th ARW chapel service scheduled for this UTA. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing chapel schedule is provided for anyone wishing to attend a service:
Protestant:
Praise Worship Service, Foothills Chapel, Sundays, 9 a.m.
Gospel Worship Service, Valley Chapel, Sundays, 11 a.m.
Catholic:
Sacrament of Reconciliation, Foothills Chapel, Sundays10 a.m.
Eucharist (Mass), Foothills Chapel, Sundays, 10:30 a.m.
Catholic daily Mass, Foothills Chapel, Mondays through Fridays, 11:30 p.m.
Islamic Prayer, Valley Chapel, Fridays, 1 to 2 p.m.
Reserve Personnel Center offers more support
The Reserve Personnel Contact Center changes support beginning this weekend, Air Reserve Personnel Center officials in Denver, Colo., said. Starting Oct. 4, customer service counselors are available the first three Saturdays of each month to support Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve unit training assemblies from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. MT. While federal holidays may alter the schedule, this enhanced customer service gives drilling Citizen Airmen the opportunity to speak with a customer service counselor during their UTA weekends. Counselors can be reached by calling 1-800-525-0102 (preferred) or DSN 926-6528. Airmen can always request assistance 24/7/365 by logging onto virtual Personnel Center-Guard and Reserve, the customer service Web portal for personnel support, online at http://arpc.afrc.af.mil/vPC-GR/.
Get education benefits back
In Accordance with the new Post 9/11 GI Bill Program, signed June 30, 2008, the 14 year window of eligibility for Montgomery GI Bill Reserve Chapter 1606 Benefits has been eliminated. Reservists who are eligible for the Chapter 1606 Reserve MGIB Program, now remain eligible for their entitlements until they use all of their benefits, or separate from the Selected Reserve. Members with expired eligibility can be paid for education or training classes that they started on or after 30 June 2008. They will not receive benefits for education/training classes completed between their date of expiration, and June 30, 2008. For example, a members eligibility for benefits expired on Mar. 5, 2000. Any classes taken between that date and June 30, 2008 are NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PAYMENT. The Department of Veterans Affairs is responsible to pay members for classes taken after June 30, and will now make adjustments to member's records reinstating their eligibility, when benefits are applied for.
If you have questions about the number of months of eligibility you have left, contact the VA at 1-800-827-1000 or 1-888-442-4551. If you have lost, or need to re-accomplish your DD Form 2384-1, Notice of Basic Eligibility, contact Mr. Harold Butler at the Wing Education Services office, 634-1844.
If you have any other questions, or require additional information also contact Mr. Butler, or Chief Primrose at 634-1844/1842.
Military One Source teams with YMCA
The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) announced a new $31-million initiative with the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide eligible military families and active duty personnel with access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs through memberships at community YMCAs nationwide. Membership fees will be underwritten by the DoD and administered through Military OneSource. This initiative, which will take effect October 1, 2008, will also offer respite care to families of deployed Guard and Reserve personnel and independent duty personnel with children up to age 12 in DoD-approved states and discounted memberships at local fitness facilities (e.g. Gold's Gym/Bally's/24 Hour Fitness, etc) for single active duty personnel at independent duty stations. The membership form and directions for enrollment in the program is available for download on Military OneSource Online: www.militaryonesource.com.
Healthcare insurance available
The majority of Reserve members may now be eligible to purchase health care coverage under the restructured TRICARE Reserve Select program. Qualification is determined by members' DEERS status. For more information about TRS visit, www.tricare.mil/reserve/reserveselect.
Cell phone use while driving
All vehicle drivers must use a "hands-free" device to talk on a cell phone while driving off and on Beale Air Force Base. The state of California began requiring hands-free cell phone devices July 1, 2008. For more information regarding the base law, please contact the 940th Judge Advocate at 634-1824. For more information regarding the state law, please see the department of motor vehicles website at www.dmv.ca.gov/.
Early receipt of RESERVE retired pay announced
Effective Jan. 29, 2008, a new law approved early receipt of Reserve retired pay for some members of the Ready Reserve who perform specific types of service. This law is not retroactive to any periods of service before that date. The statute allows credit for specific kinds of tours. To help identify qualifying tours, order publishing authorities should ensure proper statutory authorities are included on orders and encourage Airmen to maintain copies. However, if Airmen performed 90 days of active duty service since January of this year, and are approaching age 60, they should contact ARPC to determine if their tour qualifies them for an early retired pay effective date.
SGLI premiums decrease
Effective July 1, 2008, the SGLI premium rate will be decreased from the current level of 7 cents per month per $1,000 of coverage to 6.5 cents per month per $1,000 of coverage. This will decrease the premium rate for a service member with the maximum coverage of $400,000 from $29 to $27 a month. The premium includes an additional
$1 per month for Traumatic Injury Protection coverage (TSGLI), which is mandatory and added automatically. For information visit the ARPC Web site, http://www.arpc.afrc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=8313#C
California Army National Guard positions
The California Army National Guard has positions available in Northern California as well as Guard bonuses, flying positions, the Warrant Officer program and Commissioned Officer positions. For more information, please call Sgt William Jones, 530-237-6183.
Time for employment review
All Airmen in the Ready Reserve, whether the Air National Guard or the Air Force Reserve, are legally required to update a civilian employment information review (CEI) annually. Airmen failing to do so could face administrative action or a charge of dereliction of duty. Accessing the self-service application at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/Guard-ReservePortal only takes a few minutes.
California aerospace museum free admission
The Aerospace Museum of California located at Sacramento's former McClellan Air Force Base, Calif. is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p. m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p. m. Military members with ID and their families are free! Tickets currently cost: Adults $8, seniors 60+ $6, youth ages 13-18 $6, children ages 6-12 $5, children 5 and under free. Museum members are free with a membership card. Visit the museum website for more information: http://aerospacemuseumofcalifornia.org/home.html.
Make the Perfect Transition: Become a Teacher
As America's children return to school this fall, thousands of classrooms will be without highly qualified teachers. To help meet the need for new teachers, the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) is offering a $100 fee savings on our online program, designed to attract more career-changers to the teaching profession. ABCTE's program is ideal for military personnel and spouses who want to change careers and teach. ABCTE certification is affordable and flexible. You can prepare for certification on your own time and at your own pace from any location in the world, using preparation materials available from a variety of sources. Candidates for ABCTE certification must hold a bachelor's degree, demonstrate mastery on examinations of subject area and professional teaching knowledge and pass a federal background check. No additional college courses are required. For more information, visit www.abcte.org or call 1-877-669-2228 today. To enroll, visit www.mypass.abcte.org and enter the code BTS100 on your enrollment form before Sept. 30, 2008 to save $100.
Red Ribbon National Campaign
The Assistant Secretary of Defense designated Oct. 21-31, 2008 as Red Ribbon Week -- the celebration of drug abuse prevention and education in the military services. The week sets aside time to emphasize the benefits of pursuing a drug-free lifestyle. Marine Corps substance abuse counseling centers have information and catalogs for ordering Red Ribbon Week materials. To obtain further information, contact the Bureau for At-Risk Youth at (800) 431-1934, the National Family Partnership at (800) 705-8997, and the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at (800) 729-6686.