AFSA Chapter 985 members, there are three bills in the House right now that deserve your attention. Thank you to SSgt Tiffany Gordon for bringing them to our attention.
Many of you have heard me compare being a member of AFSA to brushing your teeth every day. You don’t wait for your teeth to start falling out to start brushing your teeth, so don’t wait until you need one of these benefits to start fighting for them. Please call, write, or e-mail your elected officials and ask them to support this legislation.
Visit the AFSA HQ letter constructor for help on writing the letter.
- H.R. 4007 – The Amerasian Paternity Recognition Act: This bill would ensure certain immigrants born in Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea or Thailand who were born to US Servicemen during war are provided citizenship. If I understand it correctly this must be closing some sort of loophole… children of US citizens are normally granted US citizenship regardless of birthplace.
- H.R. 1538 – Wounded Warrior Assistance: This would improve outpatient medical care of service members by providing them a case manager and a service member advocate. I will be sending letters about this- while I was at Walter Reeds Army Medical Center I saw the care being provided to wounded soldiers. Some of them were assigned outpatient status and lived in dormitories by the hospital for a year without progress. This act helps ensure progress is made towards getting them medically cared for and sent home to their families. November is wounded warrior month but I haven’t read anything about this bill specifically on the AF portal.
- H.R. 6686 – Combat Act: This increases the maximum monthly rate of special pay such as hostile fire pay, imminent danger pay, hazardous duty pay, family separation pay and others. I will be sending letters about this as well, some of the increases are very significant! I was surprised that I hadn’t heard about this before.
