At Your Service
For and about Hawaii's militaryBy Gregg K. Kakesako
Sunday, September 2, 2001
[In The Military]
For Your Benefit
DeploymentsLT. COL. John S. Bly has become the 21st commander of the Pacific Army Reserve's 800-member 411th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy). New commander
takes charge of Pacific
Army Reserve battalionBy Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.comHe succeeds Lt. Col. Frank M. Kislan, who has commanded the 411th since September 1999. Kislan will move to Europe to work with the Army's morale, welfare and recreation program in Garmisch, Germany.
In his civilian occupation, Bly is a senior project manager with the engineering firm of C.H. Guernsey and Co. in Honolulu. Bly is married to the former Dr. Lia Dominici of Panama City, Panama. They have three children, Santiago, 16, Scotty, 9, and Nicolas, 4.
The 411th Engineer Battalion is located at Fort Shafter Flats and has units located on Oahu, Maui, in Alaska, Guam and American Samoa.
A U.S. District Court judge in Louisiana has signed a judgment favoring an Army Reserve soldier who suffered financial ruin while deployed to Bosnia. The Army News Service reports that the court found that the rights of Lt. Col. Stewart Cathey were violated under the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act when his bank refused to lower his interest rate to 6 percent when he deployed in 1996. The act protects qualifying service members by providing reduced interest rates on mortgage payments, credit card debt and other individual loans or obligations; protection from eviction if rent is less than $1,200; and a delay in all civil court actions such as bankruptcy, foreclosure and divorce proceedings. It covers members of the armed services on active duty.
The House Armed Services Committee has rejected a Pentagon request to authorize awards of the Bronze Star Medal to members outside of combat zones. The Department of Defense had hoped to overturn a provision of the fiscal 2001 defense authorization bill which restricted eligibility to those receiving hostile-fire pay or imminent-danger pay. Pentagon officials insist that because of today's warfare, many members outside of combat zones perform duties equivalent to those that would earn a Bronze Star if carried out in the combat zone. The next step will be when the Senate Armed Services Committee writes its version of the defense bill.
Marine commandant Gen. James Jones has approved a gold-colored pin for Marines who are qualified as combatant divers. The pin, which depicts a mask and oxygen re-breather, will join ranks of jump wings, explosive-ordnance disposal pins and aviation wings.
Moving Up
Pearl Harbor: Cmdr. Brian Losey to command SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One, relieving Cmdr. Ervin Thompson.
Pearl Harbor: Capt. Carleton Cramer to command Trial Service Office Pacific, relieving Capt. Thomas Tielens.
"In the Military" was compiled by reporter Gregg K. Kakesako, who covers military affairs for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. He can be reached at 294-4075.
Question: I read that the Veterans Affairs is raising the prescription co-pay to $7 for a 30-day supply of medication. Is this true, and when will it take effect? [FOR YOUR BENEFIT]
VA may raise co-payment
for medicinesAnswer: The VA has proposed raising the co-payment for each 30-day supply of prescription drugs from the current $2 to $7, up to a maximum of $840 per year for certain categories of veterans. If approved, the higher co-payment and the cap would likely take effect later this year or early next year, and run through Dec. 31, 2002. After that, the co-payment and the cap would rise each year with the prescription component of the Medical Consumer Price Index.
The proposed legislation would not affect veterans who have a service-connected disability rating of 50 percent or more, veterans who are receiving medication for a service-connected disability or veterans with incomes below the maximum amount of VA pensions. The proposed $840 cap is to help eliminate financial hardships for veterans who in unusual circumstances need a significant number of prescriptions. It is based on a veteran who averages more than 10 prescriptions a month. The co-payment cap would not apply to veterans in Priority Category 7 since these veterans have sufficient resources to pay for VA inpatient and outpatient care.
The reason for this proposed increase is because in 1990, VA spent $715 million for pharmaceuticals. While co-payments remained the same during the next 10 years, the cost of medicines rose to $2.1 billion in 2000. During the same year, the VA collected $101 million in prescription co-payments.
The VA proposal is being reviewed by the VA and by Congress. You can submit your comments by Sept. 14 to Director, Office of Regulations Management, Veterans Affairs, 812 Vermont Ave. NW, Room 1154, Washington, DC 20420; by fax to 202-273-9289; or by e-mail to OGSregulations@mail.va.gov.
Q: I am unable to drive. Are their ways to get my prescriptions refilled without appearing in person at the VA pharmacy?
A: Call 433-0050. Enter your Social Security number on the phone keypad. You will also need to enter the prescription or RX number. Follow each transaction with a #, or pound sign. At any time you can dial 8 to speak to someone in pharmacy. Your prescription(s) will be mailed within 10 working days. You can mail in your refill slips or write out requests. You may use the address label that is given with your prescriptions.
The VA provides a 30-day supply of medicines (up to a 90-day supply of most medicines). Refills may be filled 10 days early.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran, call Fred Ballard at Veterans Affairs at 433-0049 or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.
[DEPLOYMENTS]
U.S. Navy
Western Pacific
USS Chosin (CG 65)
USS Asheville (SSN 758)
USS Buffalo (SSN 715)
USS Columbia (SSN 771)
USS Santa Fe (SSN 763)
USS O'Kane (DDG 77)
USS Olympia (SSN 717)
USS Greeneville (SSN 772)
USS Key West (SSN 722)
Hawaii area
USS Frederick (LST 1184)
USS Charlotte (SSN 766)
USS Lake Erie (CG 70)
Eastern Pacific/West Coast
USS Columbus (SSN 762)
USS Kamehameha (SSN 642)
USS Port Royal (CG 73)
USS Russell (DDG 59)
U.S. Army
Vietnam, Cambodia: U.S. Army PacificEast Timor: 9th Regional Support Command, 25th Division
Bosnia: 25th Division
Fort Bliss, South Korea: Tripler Army Medical Center
Guam, Alaska, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Kwajalein: 84th Engineers
Los Alamitos: 25th ID
United Arab Emirates, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand: Pacific Regional Veterinary Command
England: 125th Signal
Kosovo: 40th Quartermaster
Maldives: 70th Engineer Company
Hawaii National Guard
Alaska: 203rd Air Refueling Squadron, Air National Guard
Gregg K. Kakesako can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
