Congressional Email: Recent events have caused the United States Postal
Service and Congress to develop procedures to ensure the safety of
congressional members and staffs. Therefore, rather than mail being
delivered directly to Congress, it goes to offset locations having special
capabilities before it is delivered to the addressees. These same
procedures apply to the mail sent to the White House and Federal agencies.
While safety is increased, so is the time required for the processing and
handling of mail and thereby causing a long delay before a response is
received.  With the built in time delay and the increasing ease and access
of the general public to the Internet and electronic mail , constituents
are now using email to communicate with their congressional delegations.

      Members of Congress want to hear from their constituents. In fact,
they need to hear from them and each office receives thousands of letters
and email messages annually. The first action taken by congressional staff
member is to determine whether the communication is from a constituent.
That is crucial to determining whether that letter will receive a response.
Constituent mail is more apt to receive a reply than
non-constituents.  Therefore, your communications to members of Congress,
whether letter or email, MUST include:
n       Your name;
n       Your address; and should also include,
n       A daytime and evening telephone number at which you can be reached.
The inclusion of this common sense information will help to ensure your
input is read rather than put aside or deleted.  A convenient way to send
email to your congressman is via the NAUS website www.naus.org. It has a
link with CAPWIZ, through which Email can be sent to the President, members
of Congress and the Secretary of Defense. Email sent through the NAUS -
CAPWIZ link requires the sender to include the "must" provide information
specified above, so that constituent status can be easily determined and
helps to ensure the message is read. [Source: NAUS Leg Up 27 SEP 02]

    US Navy Email: The Baguio RAO constantly gets requests from former service
personnel attempting to locate a shipmate. Even if we have that person in
our directory of over 24,000 email addees we are prohibited from releasing
any information by the privacy act unless that individual specifically
authorizes us to. A simple alternative is for a web site dedicated to
listing former Navy personnel current email addees that will not release
addee info to scammers or generate any solicitations or advertisements to
those on the list or those accessing the list.

      A new online database meeting these requirements can be found at
www.usnavyemail.com. Only people who have registered with the service are
listed. It is not a U.S. Navy or DoD site. It is a website dedicated to
helping US Navy personnel find their shipmates and it was created and is
run by a prior-enlisted officer, currently serving in the US Navy
Reserves.  There are no fees or charges.  Navy personnel, active, reserve,
or retired can add themselves to this database.  Anyone trying to locate
these individuals can access their email addee by name or former command if
entered. Users will not be exposed to any banner ads for credit cards, job
fairs, the History Channel or anything asking them to buy anything.  Those
already registered can make changes or delete their name from the list as
desired. Not recommended for anyone who is trying to dodge creditors, the
authorities, or a current or former spouse. [Source: www.usnavyemail.com.
SEP 02]

    Military Mail & Customs: Nearly all of the military mail arriving from
overseas is now being checked by U.S. Customs agents because of recent
increases in contraband. Normal postal policy notes that all packages
coming from overseas locations are always subject to inspections by customs
agents, but recent discoveries have necessitated a closer look.  U.S.
Customs in Chicago started identifying nonmailable items coming through the
mail from overseas post offices.  The more they found, the more they
started keying in on Army and Air Force post offices in the contingency
areas.  Customs agents have found items that violate customs laws, postal
regulations and military regulations.  [Source: Armed Forces News Issue:
Sept. 27, 2002]

    MGIB-SR & Reserve Absences: Selected Reserve members who use education
benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve but fail to
participate satisfactorily in the Reserve during their obligated period of
service will have to refund their unearned benefits. Examples include
members who excessively fail to attend scheduled training, fail the
physical fitness testing, or do not complete required military courses.
Selected Reservists are generally members who have attended training one
weekend each month and two weeks a year. Reservists who accrue nine or more
unauthorized absences from drills over a one-year period are placed into
the "unsatisfactory" category. They then could be transferred to the
Individual Ready Reserve and may lose their eligibility for educational
assistance under the MGIB-SR. Such a penalty is specified in law and is a
provision of the contract Guard and Reserve members sign when joining the
Selected Reserve. [Source: Armed Forces News Issue: Sept. 27, 2002]

VA Foreign Medical Program [FMA]:  U.S. vets with service connected
disabilities who reside or travel anywhere overseas except Canada or the
Philippines can get care for their conditions through the VA Foreign
Medical Program [FMA].  Under the FMP VA will pay 100% of health-care
charges for treatment of a VA-approved, service connected
disability.  Similar health care services and payment benefits are
available for vets who live or travel in Canada or the Philippines,
although different VA offices have jurisdiction over authorizations and
claims for medical services in these countries.

      Eligible vets traveling overseas for short periods do not have to
notify FMP of their plans, but its best to do so to ensure that program
info is readily available if emergency health care is needed.  Vets
planning to work for an extended time or permanently reside overseas should
enroll in the FMP as soon as they have a permanent foreign address.  To
enroll send your full name, SSN, VA claim number, permanent mailing address
and/or overseas residence address, and a copy of your VA rating decision
letter(s) to Health Administration Center, PO Box 65021, Denver CO
80206-9021.  If you do not have a copy of the VA rating decision letter(s)
you may authorize FMP to obtain copies from your servicing VARO. After
eligibility is verified you should get a benefits authorization letter and
an FMP Handbook. It is recommended you make several copies of the letter
and store it in a safe place as you must provide a copy of the letter to
prove to overseas health care providers that you're eligible for FMP
participation.

      The Handbook has detailed explanations of covered benefits, advice on
selecting overseas health-care providers, and where and how to submit
claims.  The FMP does not contract with overseas health-care providers, nor
is it able to assist with finding providers who will accept FMP
patients.  It may be possible to obtain info on local providers who are
familiar with FMP from a U.S. embassy or consulate or a nearby U.S.
military installation.  Before getting care eligible veterans are required
to present their FMP benefits authorization letter to the overseas
primary-care provider or specialist.  There are no prior-authorization
requirements for treatment, referrals, diagnostic tests or related
services, except for the use of medical equipment valued at $300 or
more.  Only prescription drugs required to treat the service connected
disability and approved by the U.S. FDA will be covered.  Current info
about approved medications is on the FDA web site www.fda.gov.cder.

      Users are encouraged to make copies of the Fact Sheet for Office
Managers (01-17) from the FMP website www.va.gov/hac/fmp/. This explains to
providers that you have no copay, that a clinical review may be conducted
to verify treatment is related to service-connected conditions and that
preauthorization is not required. Moreover, it lists specific information
and documentation needed on payment claims, provides the address of the
claims processing unit, and advises that payment for most claims usually is
made within 45 working days after receipt. Further info on FMP can be found
at this web site or by sending an email to hac.fmp@med.va.gov.
Correspondence should be sent to same address as for enrollment.  Service
representatives are available 09-1820 EST M-R at [303] 331-7590.

      Info on how to obtain medical services and file claims in Canada is
available by mail from VAM&RO Center (136FC), North Hartland Rd., White
River Junction, VT 05009-0001 or via email request to
vavbawjr/ro/vsc@vba.va.gov. In the Philippines, write to or visit the VA
Outpatient Clinic (358/00), 2201 Rozas Blvd., Pasay City 1300, Republic of
Philippines or send an email to manlvaro.ingry@vba.va.gov. [Source: Mike
Lazorchak retiredmilitary@atpco.com article 23 SEP 02]

VA Overseas Disability Claims/Exams: Veterans living in foreign countries
other than the Philippines file their claims with the Washington Regional
Office (WRO). Their address is 1120 Vermont Avenue N.W. Washington D.C., DC
20421.  The Manila Regional Office is the only overseas VARO. It normally
only handles disability claims for veterans residing in the
Philippines.  At the Manila OPC they do sometimes conduct Compensation and
Pension examinations at the request of veterans living in other foreign
countries.  However, it becomes complicated because the ordering of the
exam must come to them from the WRO and coordinating a response from that
office has historically been difficult.  If they do conduct the exam, they
limit payment of travel expenses to the locally incurred costs directly
associated with the exam.  They would not pay for the cost of traveling
from Thailand, for example, to the Philippines.  The normal procedure is
for WRO to arrange for the exam through the US Embassy in the country where
the veteran is residing.  The results of the exam are returned to the WRO
and adjudication of the claim takes place in Washington. [Source: VA Manila
OPC Director 11 DEC 00]

Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Activities Office & U.S. Embassy Warden Baguio City RP
Email: raoemo@mozcom.com (PRI) or raobaguio@hotmail.com (Alternate)
Web:http://downloads.members.tripod.com/post_119_gulfport_ms/rao1.html
Tel: (63-74) 445-6786 or 446-2087 to record msg. or FAX 1-801-760-2430
AL/AMVETS/CORMV/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/PRA/TROA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37
member