[navy] Digest (11/16/2001 18:01) (#2001-55)
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(#2001-55) - Topics This Issue:
1) NavNews 83/01 (Nov. 14, 2001)
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Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2001 15:17:24 -0800
Subject: NavNews 83/01 (Nov. 14, 2001)
NAVAL MEDIA CENTER NavNews by e-mail:
NavNews (NNS) is the official newsletter of the U.S.
Navy, and is a product of the Naval Media Center, 2713
Mitscher Rd. SW, Anacostia Annex, D.C., 20373-5819. Reprints
should be credited to NNS.
Submit news content to mailto:pu...@mediacen.navy.mil.
Contact Lt. Brook DeWalt at DSN 288-4380, (202) 433-4380
or mailto:dew...@mediacen.navy.mil for further NavNews
information.
For all other Navy information-related questions, call
the Navy News Desk at (703) 692-6704/5/6/7.
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Table of contents for NavNews 83/01 (Nov. 14, 2001)
NNS8301. SGLI Spousal "Opt-Out" Deadline Extended to Dec. 31
NNS8302. The Armed Forces Retirement Home: The Navy Taking Care of its Own
NNS8303. Naval Reserve Force Leaders to Discuss Mobilization and Other Issues During Live Broadcast
NNS8304. Kitty Hawk Sailors Mourn the Loss of a Shipmate
NNS8305. Australian Chief of Navy Visits Great Lakes
NNS8306. VA Unveils Plans for National Museum Honoring Veterans
NNS8307. This Week on Navy/Marine Corps News
NNS8308. This Week in Naval History
More News at: http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/news/.www/news-prod.html
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NNS8301. SGLI Spousal "Opt-Out" Deadline Extended to Dec. 31
By Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Troops who don't want spousal
coverage in the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program
now have until Dec. 31 to cancel at no charge. This is a one-
month extension on the initial Nov. 30 opt-out deadline
widely reported in October.
New rules effective Nov. 1 provide SGLI participants with
free $10,000 coverage per child and low-cost spousal
coverage of up to $100,000.
Service members with personal SGLI coverage of $100,000
or more are automatically enrolled for the maximum $100,000
spousal coverage, said Navy Capt. Chris Kopang, DoD
director of compensation. The accompanying premium will be
deducted from military pay each month.
Spouse's coverage can be no higher than the member's, and
so is limited if the member carries less than $100,000
personal coverage, he explained. Spouse coverage must be
elected in $10,000 increments. Premiums are based on coverage
and the spouse's age:
Spouse's age--Rate per $1,000--Maximum Monthly Premium
Under 35 $.09 $9
35-44 $.13 $13
45-49 $.20 $20
50-54 $.32 $32
55+ $.55 $55
Coverage for children up to age 18, or 23 if a full-time
student, is free and automatic, so long as the member
participates in SGLI, Kopang said. Eligible Reserve
component members receive the same family-member coverage
with premiums being deducted from their drill pay, he said.
But what if service members don't want spousal SGLI
coverage? No problem -- opt out of the Veterans
Administration-sponsored coverage.
Kopang said troops who don't want spousal SGLI coverage
need to visit their military personnel office to fill out and
submit an "8286A" form. The forms are also available on the
VA Web site at
http://www.insurance.va.gov/sglivgli/sglifam.htm. Those who
cancel in time will be reimbursed for any premiums
inadvertently withheld from their pay.
Members should carefully weigh their choice, Kopang
advised, especially if they currently have no spousal
insurance.
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NNS8302. The Armed Forces Retirement Home: The Navy Taking
Care of its Own
By Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Well into their golden years, Ray
Colvard and his wife Jo are living what they consider the
"good life," having their needs met and doing it in style
because they live in the U.S. Soldiers' and Airmen's Home
(USSAH) in the nation's capital.
"This is not just a military community. It's a community
of people who share common experiences," said Colvard, a
retired Navy chief petty officer.
Colvard was promoted to chief in 1943, and his wife
served in the Women's Army Corps (WAC). Because they are both
veterans, they are able to live there.
The Colvards have lived at the home for the last eight
years after moving from San Diego, Calif., where Ray taught
history in Navy ships for the Program for Afloat College
Education (PACE).
"We moved here for many reasons: good climate and
amenities, the relatively low cost of living, and the freedom
to come and go. The cost of living here is far less than that
of a modest retirement home," Colvard added.
USSAH has been serving military personnel like the
Colvards since 1851, when Congress approved a bill to
establish the Soldiers' Home. Established as an "asylum for
old and disabled veterans," and situated in the heart of our
nation's capital, the 320-acre park-like setting is home to
nearly 1,300 veterans. Approximately 8 percent of the
residents are Navy and Marine Veterans.
The U.S. Naval Home (USNH) is the only other veterans'
and retirees' home in the United States, and is located in
Gulfport, Miss., where nearly half the population comes from
the sea services.
Originally located in Philadelphia, the Naval Home was
opened in 1834 as a naval command and is the oldest
continuously operating retirement community in the United
States. The Naval Home relocated to its present location in
1976. In 1991, the two homes were merged into an entirely new
entity, the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH).
The homes are supported by a permanent trust fund
established nearly 150 years ago and is fed by a 50-cent
monthly payroll deduction from active-duty enlisted
personnel, a monthly fee paid by residents of the home and
interest on the trust fund.
"Everyone comes to the Soldiers' and Airmen's home for
different reasons," Colvard said. "Living here is a wonderful
opportunity and you get what you put into it."
The two homes continue the proud tradition of the Navy
taking care of its own by offering excellent services and
care to veterans like the Colvards and many others.
For more information on the USSAH and USNH, visit
http://www.afrh.com and select "U.S. Naval Home."
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NNS8303. Naval Reserve Force Leaders to Discuss Mobilization
and Other Issues During Live Broadcast
By LIFELines Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The LIFELines Services Network, along
with Navy Live, the mobile live television production service
of the Naval Media Center, will broadcast an informative live
town hall meeting Nov. 17 for Naval Reservists and their
families.
Members of the Naval Reserve Force and their families
will have the opportunity to hear and ask questions at the
town hall meeting concerning issues relating to mobilization,
the state of the Naval Reserve Force and current events.
LIFELines, the Navy's quality-of-life network, will host
Vice Adm. John B. Totushek, commander of the Naval Reserve
Force, and chief of the Naval Reserve; Force Master Chief
(AW/NAC) Tom Mobley; and Yonna Diggs, Reserve Force
ombudsman, by way of a satellite and live webcast from Naval
Air Facility, Washington, D.C.
Titled "United States Naval Reserve: The Fleet, the
Families, the Mission," this 90-minute town hall meeting will
give the leadership the opportunity to address issues and
answer questions posed by Naval Reservists and their
families.
The broadcast will begin at 2 p.m. EST, and will end at
3:30 p.m.
For those who have access to the DISH Network or Direct
Broadcast Satellite, the program will be carried on channel
9601. Sailors and their families can also access it by way of
the Web through http://www.lifelines2000.org/home.asp or
http://www.roa.org. Viewers can submit questions before the
broadcast by e-mailing mailto:lifelin...@hq.navy.mil.
During the program, viewers may submit questions by e-mail,
by calling 1-800-887-LIVE or faxing to 1-800-577-6099.
This is an excellent opportunity to get up-to-date
information on Reserve Force issues. Reservists are
encouraged to participate, and Vice Adm. Totushek has
authorized that drill time be credited for this broadcast.
For more details about the broadcast or LIFELines,
contact Capt. Bill Hendrix at commercial (202) 433-3974 or e-
mail at mailto:hendrix...@hq.navy.mil, or contact Cmdr.
Rudy Brewington at commercial (202) 433-3865 or e-mail at
mailto:brewingto...@hq.navy.mil.
For more information on the Naval Reserve Force, go to
http://www.navres.navy.mil/navresfor.
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NNS8304. Kitty Hawk Sailors Mourn the Loss of a Shipmate
By Journalist 2nd Class James D. Kimsey, USS Kitty Hawk
Public Affairs
USS KITTY HAWK, At Sea (NNS) -- During a Nov. 10 memorial
service, Machinist's Mate Fireman Apprentice Bryant Leroy
Davis was remembered as a religious young man who was a very
happy person and always had a smile on his face. Davis'
shipmates gathered in USS Kitty Hawk's (CV 63) Hangar Bay 1
to honor the 20-year-old Chicagoan who was lost at sea Nov.
7.
Davis enlisted in the Navy Nov. 15, 2000, and reported
Aug. 4 to Kitty Hawk. He is survived by his mother, Sandra
Davis, and sister, Paris Davis.
"To me, I didn't lose a shipmate, I lost a son," said
Machinist Mate 1st Class Fitzroy Woods, who was a mentor to
Davis. "He wanted to learn, he wanted to be a good engineer.
He would always ask, `What's next, what do you want me to
learn? What do I need to know?'"
Search and recovery teams spent two days trying to
recover Davis after he fell overboard. USS Kitty Hawk, USS
Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), several aircraft and small rigid hull
inflatable boats conducted the search, which was called off
after an exhaustive 48-hour effort. Davis was officially
declared deceased Nov. 10 by the Department of Defense.
The incident of Davis' death remains under investigation.
Cmdr. Patrick Hahn, one of the ship's chaplains, knew
Davis from having shared several conversations together.
"As a young man, he had so much to offer, so many people
yet to love and to care for, so many things to learn and
experience," Hahn said. "Life can be fleeting, especially in
our business."
"He was a young man who had complete confidence in his
future. He looked forward to returning back home to Chicago,"
Hahn said. "He was a man of great faith. Whenever you saw
him, he had a little scripture stuck in his pocket and he was
reading it constantly. He trusted in God. He always had a
smile on his face. His faith enabled him to really care about
people."
Kitty Hawk's commanding officer, Capt. Thomas Hejl, said
Davis is gone, but not forgotten.
"He made great sacrifices for his shipmates and his
country," Hejl said. "None of us can understand why he was
taken so young. All we can do is hope to accept his
departure, affirm what we're feeling at his loss and
acknowledge his accomplishments."
USS Kitty Hawk is currently participating in Operation
Enduring Freedom. More information about the carrier is
available at http://www.kittyhawk.navy.mil.
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NNS8305. Australian Chief of Navy Visits Great Lakes
By Chief Journalist Rhonda Burke, Naval Training Center Great
Lakes Public Affairs
GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- Naval Training Center Great
Lakes had a visit from "down under" recently, when the base
hosted Vice Adm. David Shackleton, chief of the navy for
the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). He is the highest ranking
officer in the RAN, and is the Australian equivalent of the
Chief of Naval Operations in the U.S. Navy.
Shackleton toured Navy recruit and technical training
and visited with Australian Sailors training at Gunner's
Mate "A" School during a stopover of his nationwide tour of
U.S. naval facilities.
"I was told a visit to the U.S. Navy facilities is not
complete without seeing Great Lakes," Shackleton said. "And,
I'm not disappointed. I'm impressed with the way you conduct
training here, and I knew I would be."
During his day-long tour of the Navy's largest training
center, Shackleton ate lunch with recruits and toured
facilities at the Recruit Training Command. He also received
a brief from Service School Command, home to 15 of the Navy's
"A" Schools.
At "Gun School," Shackleton had the opportunity to meet
with five Australian Sailors attending the school, speaking
to them about their training and the role the Australian Navy
is playing in the war on terrorism.
"It was a chance for me to see the great training they
are getting and to bring them an update on what is happening
in the Australian Navy and what our mission is in this new
war," Shackleton said.
During his visit, Shackleton had the privilege of
notifying RAN Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Mark Jorgensen that
he has been selected to chief petty officer in the Australian
Navy.
"It's pretty exciting to hear the news from the admiral,"
Jorgensen said. "It is a big step forward for my career."
Shackleton has commanded the RAN since July 1999.
For more information on NTC Great Lakes, go to
http://www.ntcgl.navy.mil.
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NNS8306. VA Unveils Plans for National Museum Honoring
Veterans
By Veterans Affairs Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Plans for a museum dedicated to
America's veterans and their accomplishments were unveiled
Nov. 8 at a reception in the nation's capital hosted by the
museum's chief proponent, the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA).
"Our nation's veterans have made tremendous contributions
to our country and its history," said Secretary of Veterans
Affairs Anthony J. Principi. "This new museum will tell that
story to generations of Americans, both born and not yet
born."
The National Veterans Museum, to be located in the
District of Columbia at VA's headquarters building at 810
Vermont Ave. NW, will tell a story of homecoming: the
universal experience shared by every soldier returning from
war, and the challenges they face as they return to family,
friends and community.
Exhibits will discuss the impact on American society of
such seminal events as the Bonus Army of 1932 and the GI Bill
of 1944. Other exhibits will explain the role of the
Department of Veterans Affairs and its missions, and the many
innovations for which VA employees are responsible.
In remarks at the reception, attended by members of
Congress and leaders of America's veterans service
organizations, Principi expressed his hope that the new
museum will be "world-class" in scope and design. He vowed to
create an institution where veterans and their families can
feel at home while in the nation's capital, and where they
can reconnect with old friends and comrades.
Principi also plans to link the museum with the capital's
great veteran memorials, including the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial; the Korean War Veterans Memorial; the Women in
Military Service to America Memorial; and the World War II
Memorial, which is currently under construction.
He proposes interactive learning areas for visitors, and
places set aside for lecture and discussion. His highest
priority, however, is to create a site for students of all
ages to visit, along with their parents and teachers.
A timetable has not yet been prepared for construction of
the museum, but a contractor, Lord Cultural Resources
Planning and Management, Inc., has been retained to assist in
museum planning.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has responsibility for
providing federal benefits to America's 25.5 million living
veterans and their dependents.
VA is the second largest of the 14 cabinet departments,
and operates nationwide programs of health care, financial
assistance and national cemeteries.
For more information on the Department of Veterans
Affairs, go to http://www.va.gov.
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NNS8307. This Week on Navy/Marine Corps News
By Naval Media Center Staff
Look for the following stories and more on next week's
Navy/Marine Corps News show:
- The homecoming celebration for USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
includes a visit from the Secretary of the Navy;
- Marines in California are learning the ins and outs of
surviving in the mountains;
- Modern technology helps EOD units get their jobs done
safely;
- Sailors in Yokosuka, Japan, step up their force protection
skills with some help from a few Marines.
Compiled on tape #2001-47, the show is on its way to the
fleet now.
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NNS8308. This Week in Naval History:
- Nov. 19, 1969: Apollo 12's all-Navy crew -- Commanders
Charles Conrad Jr., and Alan L. Bean -- are the third and
fourth astronauts to walk on the moon. Cmdr. Richard F.
Gordon Jr., the command module pilot, remained in lunar
orbit. During the mission, the astronauts recovered 243
pounds of lunar material. Recovery was by Helicopter Squadron
4 from USS Hornet (CVS 12).
- Nov. 20, 1856: Cmdr. Andrew H. Foote lands at Canton,
China, with 287 Sailors and Marines to stop attacks by
Chinese on U.S. military and civilians.
- Nov. 21, 1918: U.S. battleships witness the surrender of
the German High Seas fleet at Rosyth, Firth of Forth,
Scotland, to the U.S. and British fleets.
- Nov. 22, 1914: The title "director of naval aeronautics"
is established to further the Navy's progress in building and
sustaining a naval air force.
- Nov. 23, 1940: President Franklin D. Roosevelt appoints
Adm. William D. Leahy as U.S. ambassador to Vichy, France, to
try to prevent the French fleet and naval bases from falling
into German hands.
- Nov. 24, 1852: Commodore Matthew Perry sails from Norfolk,
Va., to negotiate a treaty with Japan for friendship and
commerce.
- Nov. 25, 1961: USS Enterprise (CVA(N) 65), the first
nuclear powered aircraft carrier, is commissioned at Newport
News Shipbuilding in Virginia.
Visit http://www.history.navy.mil for more information
about the Naval Historical Center and naval history.
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