SEPTEMBER 2005 TO SEPTEMBER 2006
"Proud of Our Past ... Preserving our Future"
The 2005 convention was held in St. Paul, MN.
The following were elected or appointed to the Board of Directors:
President - LeRoy Riddell |
Auxiliary Board of Directors |
1st VP - Pat Corbett |
President Greta Master |
2nd VP - Lonnie Vessell |
Vice President Sandra Milner |
3rd VP - Billy Oneyear |
Treasurer Sandy Ott |
Treasurer - Marvin Stout |
Director Aleta Schott |
Director - Larry Hund |
Director/Chaplain Dora Creighton |
Director - Thomas "Butch" Liebaert |
Director Jessie Rice |
Director - Carville "Chip" Milner |
Secretary Anneita Mines |
Director - John Martinez |
APNP Linda Bogert O'Brien |
Memorial Foundation - Bill DeBoer |
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TSCL Chair - Ralph McCutchen |
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VSO - C.D. Rice, Jr. |
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Parliamentarian - Michael O'Brien |
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Chaplain - Jesse Whitfield |
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Past National President - David Washington |
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At the end of August, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, and surrounding states, causing major damage and displacing several people. The VA Hospital in New Orleans was damaged. Hurricane Rita followed at the end of September, in the Gulf Coast Region. TREA's Memorial Foundation worked with Chapter Presidents and MALs in the area, to identify TREA members in need of assistance.
In September, the Independent Presidential Appointed BRAC Commission, chaired by former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, made their recommendations and sent their report to Congress, where it was approved. All recommendations must be completed by 2011. The Commission approved 86% of DoD's original recommendations (119 no change, 45 with amendments, rejected 13 and significantly amended 13) . Of the original 33 major closures, they approved 21 and approved 7 to be aligned.
In October the 2006 COLA was announced -- 4.1%.
After convention, the Memorial Foundation authorized 5 additional scholarships, in addition to the 50 awarded prior to convention.
On January 1, 2006, a new Medicare prescription drug plan went into affect (Medicare Part D).
TREA heard the story of a severely wounded Army Medic, Alan Babin, Jr. TREA President LeRoy Riddell and Memorial Foundation Chair Bill DeBoer travelled to San Antonio, TX, to meet with him and his family at the veterans hospital. TREA "adopted" him and helped him with rehabilitation equipment in his home.
In January 2006, Placida "Flossie" Sorell, the wife of Co-Founder Dean Sorell, died.
In February, the Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, decided to stop the Joint VA Committee hearings. This was a 55-year tradition, where leaders of veterans organizations were invited to testify before the Joint group. This angered many of the veterans groups. TREA was invited and did testify in separate hearings before the two committees.
As the NDAA for 2006 was approved, we were disappointed that many of our amendments were dropped. They included ending SBC/DIC offset and moving up the paid up SBP. The date that Individual Unemployables (IU) will receive 100% of their retiree pay was moved from 2014 to 2009 (not in stepped increments). There were rumors that DoD was going to try and implement enrollment fees, deductibles, and co-pays for Tricare. By April, it was announced that there would be no fee hikes -- FOR NOW!
In March, President Bush requested a record $80.6 Billion for the 2007 Department of Veterans Affairs budget. The Defense Advisory Committee on Military Compensation released details of their year-long report. Medicare increased their Medicare Part B premiums through 2009, with "income relating" (i.e. means testing).
HR 4949 (Military Healthcare Protection Act) was introduced, with the backing of the major veterans groups. This bill would block the Pentagon from dramatically raising health care fees on military retirees by removing the Secretary of Defense's current authority to make virtually unlimited increases.
On May 1, SBP annuities increased as a result of a new law that took effect October 1, 2005. The phase-in will take 3 years.
In May, a computer was stolen from the home of a VA employee. The computer contained the personal records of 26.4 million veterans. The date included names, addresses, date of birth and social security numbers of active duty personnel, their families, and veterans.
Also in May, Executive Director of the Washington Office, Deirdre Parke Holleman, represented TREA at a White House breakfast, and at the laying of a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery. She had the opportunity to talk with several high ranking officials relating to veterans/retired issues.
In July, the FBI recovered the computer that was stolen from the VA.
In July, the BOD accepted the resignation of TREA National Treasurer, Tom O'Brien, for reasons of health. Marvin Stout or Palmdale, CA, was appointed and approved to serve the remainder of Tom's term of office.
The Scholarship Committee/Memorial Foundation awarded 50 scholarships.
Two chapters were chartered in 2006.