2/162 INFANTRY RETIREES BREAKFAST CLUB
"VOLUNTEER"
Oregon Army National Guard
May 4, 2001
162 Infantry, "First to Assemble"
186 Infantry "Guardian of the Western Gate"
VOLUNTEER RETIREE BREAKFAST
AGENDA 5 May 01
RSVP: One of 3 e-mails below
09:00 INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS - Russell Bloom
T.B.D.
09:05 INVOCATION - Chaplain Dinsmore (Can Not Attend)
BREAKFAST $5.00 (Gate Way Mall)
Home Town Buffet Gen. Manager: Bob Imlach
3000 Gateway St. Suite 726 541 746-3220
Springfield, Oregon 97477
09:12 RETIREE INTRODUCTIONS - Mike Kienle
10:00 SPEAKER - Rommie Walker
Retiree Breakfast Web Page:
http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~romm/2_162%20Ret%Breakfast.htm
10:15 "GENERAL" SPEAKERS
CPT Donna Brann - (Wills) Do you have one? (Can Not Attend)
Russell Bloom: Space "A" Travel
Travis AFB: e-mail: travisafb.com
Mcchord AFB: e-mail: mcchordafb.com
Barb Weatherill:NCOA (What it is and what it can do for you)
EANGOR Life Ins: Can Not Attend (Hand Out)
Mr. Witt - Change in TRICARE (Hand Out)
ADDRESS CHANGES - Hand Out
DATE of NEXT Breakfast - Who - Where - Same Place?
CLOSING - Anyone?
Rommie Walker 541 484-4676 E-mail [email protected]
Russell W. Bloom 541 688-7000 E-mail [email protected]
Mike Kienle 541 747-2418 E-mail [email protected]
If you know anyone that would like to attend call them !!!!!
GUEST's NCOA (Non-Commissioned Officers Association) members: Roger Arnold, Chapter President, Mrs. Roger (Anna) Arnold, Mr. Jim Holman and Mr. Wilford Brown.Amber Fox, granddaughter of CSM Grossnicklaus
Retiree Breakfast Web Page: also includes Regimental Affiliation
BG Norman Hoffman introduces 2/162 Infantry Honorary Regimental Staff and reviewed what the purpose of the Regimental System is and how they are appointed. They are appointed by the Adjutant General of Oregon, MG Alexander Burgin.
Appointments are: Commander, BG Hoffman (Ret); CSM, Rommie Walker (Ret); appointments pending for Adjutant, SFC Russ Bloom (Ret); and Historian, SFC Ed Spear (Ret).
Rommie provided information on how to locate the Retiree Breakfast Club on the web and commented on keeping Email addresses up to date to stay in the loop on the Group Email list.
NCOA: Barb Weatherill: NCOA Auxiliary President (What it is and what it can do for you). Barbara discussed the benefits of NCOA membership and provided handouts for those interested.
Roger Arnold, Chapter President (Lane, Douglas and Coos counties) presented benefits and encouraged joining the organization. The chapter is located in Roseburg. Mr. Arnold encouraged the group to start a chapter in this area. There are several members locally and it takes five members to start a chapter.
The Association is a federally chartered, non-profit organization founded in 1960 to work for the benefit of noncommissioned and petty officers and their families. Membership consists of enlisted service members - active duty, veterans and retirees - from all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserve.
Website: NCOA
Website: Not your Grandfathers Guard and Reserve
Space "A" Travel: Russ Bloom gave a brief presentation and provided a hand out with Email contact information for Travis AFB: travisafb.com and Mcchord AFB: mcchordafb.com
TRICARE Considerable discussion regards TRICARE (Changes to Health Insurance). Some discussed problems they have had finding providers (doctors or clinics) that accept TRICARE. It appears one of the problems is TRICARE questions and delays payment to the extent many providers may not be paid for more than 120 days. Some of the providers have elected not to accept patients unless the individual pays for the care and then bills TRICARE on their own. Click here to go to the TRICARE website.
Thanks go to Randy Witt for providing a handout, Julie Brown for sharing some of problems they have had finding a provider, Richard Grossnickalaus for sharing information and discussing prescription information. Some others have not experienced any problems.
It was suggested Rommie Walker write Congressman DeFazio and share the concerns raised with him and other Representatives and Senators. Rommie agreed to do this if those raising concerns send information to Rommie to include as attachments to a cover letter.
Who is eligible for TRICARE? Uniformed services retirees are generally defined as those who served 20 or more years on active duty or in the reserves, and are eligible for retired or retainer pay. Legislation passed last October (2000) provides TRICARE pharmacy and medical benefits to retirees and their eligible family members who are age 65 and over and eligible for Medicare Part A. See NCOA magazine May/June 2001 issue for more detailed information.
M-Day (Mobilization Day) Retiree: is a retiree from the reserve component (a drilling guard member). Some of you have asked what the Gray Area means. The Gray Area is an M-Day retiree that has not reached age 60 and began drawing retirement pay. Some retirement benefits may be reduced or not available to M-Day retirees. At age 60, most or all retiree benefits for uniformed service retirees should be available to M-Day retirees. Exceptions for individual circumstances may happen.
EANGOR: Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States
Plan for next Retiree Breakfast. It was suggested and agreed to plan the next breakfast for mid October to mid November 2001. Russ Bloom volunteered to organize time and location.
Photos, click one of the following to see May breakfast photos.
41st SIB Brigade, Hall of Honor Ceremony
Let us know what you think. Comments and or suggestions to Rommie Walker
