Retiree Newsletter Sep-Dec 1997

Published By the MEARNG Retiree Council

Volume2, Issue 5

Commentary:

This is the sixth Retiree Newsletter and the first covering four months. Our purpose is to keep you informed and provide you a continuing sense of belonging to the Guard after retirement. we hope the newsletter helps accomplish that purpose. Let us know what you think of the newsletter and how we can improve it. we value your opinion. If you have information you would like published please send it to the Retiree Council, Camp Keyes, Augusta, ME 04330.

We are continually trying to up-date our mailing list to include all MEARNG retirees. If you know any retiree(s) who are not receiving the newsletter, please send their name to a member of the Retiree Council or e-mail us at ngrass@ainop.com. If you do not wish to continue receiving the newsletter, contact a council member.

At a recent meeting of the Retiree Council, it was decided to publish the Newsletter three times a year - Dec, Apr & Aug. The Council will continue meeting every other month.

If you'd like to communicate with other retirees by e-mail, please furnish us your address and we'll publish it in the newsletter.

Information is furnished through various sources. Please advise of any errors or omissions to the Council.

Our apologies for not updating the internet web page for the Jul-Aug issue. It should be online now and we have taken steps to insure the Newsletter will be posted as soon as it is mailed out.

RETIREE COUNCIL UPDATE

At the Dec. 16th Council Meeting, a new set of By-Laws were adopted. Also at that meeting the following members were elected to the Council for one year:

Romain Savoie

Gautrey Musk

Albert White

James Laflin

Donald Laflin

Ed Davis

Nathan Grass

Robert Weymouth

Douglas Welsh

Martin Asdourian

The following officers were elected for two years:

Chairman - Romain Savoie

Vice Chair - Robert Weymouth

Secretay - Albert White

Membership - James Laflin

Asst. Mmbrshp - Donald Laflin

Newsletter Ed. - Gautrey Musk

Asst. NL Ed. - Ed Davis

RETIREMENT BENEFITS
TRI-CARE is the health benefits program for all the uniformed services. all retirees and their families and survivors who are not eligible for Medicare may participate. Additionally, those individuals under age 65 who are eligible for Medicare because of disability or end-stage kidney disease may participate.
There will be three health care options:
TRI-CARE PRIME
TRI-CARE EXTRA
TRI-CARE STANDARD
TRI-CARE will be available to Region 1 in mid '98. Information meetings are planned for retirees next spring. We will keep you informed as to where and when.

ORGANIZATION

An updated wire diagram of the Maine Army National Guard units is enclosed with this newsletter.
Thirty-nine soldiers from the deployment to Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Guard returned to Maine on 28 Oct. via a Maine Air National Guard KC 135 Tanker. The soldiers have been on federal status since February. Our soldiers received major commendations for their "super construction support" WELCOME HOME!

Recent or anticipated change of Commands
None announced

TRANSITIONS

Retirements

None Reported

Taps

BG Paul R. Day (former TAG)
CW4 Benjamin Moore
SGT Tammy Cote
CW4 David Smith
1SG Bruce Whittier
SFC Wesley Pelletier
SFC John "Jack" Rogers
1SG Robert Decker
SGT Marcel Gagne

Other - None

LEGISLATIVE ACTION - None

VETERAN'S CORNER

IDs FOR "GRAY-AREA" WIDOWS

Two years after the law was changed authorizing ID cards for widows of "gray-area" reserve members, many of them are still unaware of their entitlement to this privilege. Gray-area reservists are those who completed at least 20 qualifying years of active and reserve service but died before age 60, when they would have qualified for reserve retired pay.

The Military Coalition campaigned successfully to authorize ID card privileges for all widows regardless of their husbands' Survivor Benefit Plan decision.

If you know of a gray-area widow who may qualify for a new ID, urge her to contact the ID Card Issuing Office at the nearest military installation about getting a determination of eligiblity and restoration of benefits.

(reprinted, in part, from the Retired Officer Magazine)

MISCELLANEOUS

Maine ARNG Retiree Gathering - The MeARNG Retiree Council is considering the idea of hosting a retiree gathering in the future. The Council requests input as to your desires. Please send a letter to: MILITARY BUREAU, HQ, Maine National Guard, Camp Keyes, Augusta, ME 04330, Attn: Retiree Council. The letter should address such things as time of year, location, time of day, type of function and anything else you would like to mention.

Following are the 1998 dates of the Retiree Council meetings. Generally, the Council meets at 0900 in the TAG conference room, Camp Keyes, Augusta.
17 Feb, 21 Apr, 23 Jun, 18 Aug, 20 Oct, 15 Dec

Any retiree is welcome to attend Council meetings.

Please keep us informed if your mailing address has changed due to 911.

UPCOMING EVENTS

NICE TO KNOW INFORMATION
Thanks to BG Albert white for the following info:

Military Flights from Navy Brunswick (BNAS)
Flights eligible for space - A passengers are posted in Operations at BNAS. Persons may call BNAS at 921-2689 (recording) to get the same information as posted in Operations. Retired military are on the bottom of the "Totem Pole" as far as getting a flight. Be prepared to fly commercial if you are bumped.

The Loring Rebuild Facility (Maine Center of Excellence), located at the Loring Commerce Center, celebrated its Grand Opening on 06 Nov. Attending were MG Adams, COL Dow (Maine State Police), members of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee plus many prominent area citizens and former guard members.

The facility is impressive and it is hoped that the state will obtain more contracts for vehicle rebuilds based on lower production costs.

RETIREES SHARING E-MAIL ADDRESSES

SGT Donald Crossman - milomet@agate.net