The conference report on the National Defense Authorization Act for 2017 is published and on its way to becoming law. The House of Representatives approved it on Friday, December 2nd, passing the annual defense policy measure overwhelmingly by a vote of 375 to 34, a veto-proof margin. The Senate will take up the bill this week. Here’s some of the more interesting topics addressed in the bill, besides the 2.1 percent pay increase:
SURVIVORS BENEFITS
Section 642 addresses the past inequity of survivor’s benefits for line of duty deaths occurring during inactive duty training, and resolves that inequity by making survivors benefits equal to that of active duty deaths. EANGUS testified in the Senate and House earlier this year for resolving this inequity.
CALIFORNIA BONUSES
Section 671 provides relief to the California National Guard (and other) members who are subject to collection actions based on erroneously paid bonuses.
TRICARE REFORM
Sections 701-706 documents the reform of the TRICARE military health care system, specifically TRICARE Standard and Extra. TRICARE Prime and TRICARE for Life are generally unaffected by the reform, with the exception of a slight increase in enrollment fees and co-pays for working age retirees. TRICARE Standard, Extra, Young Adult and Reserve Select programs will be no more. TRICARE Select will replace them. There are no enrollment fees for those who choose TRICARE Select over TRICARE Prime unless the enrollee is retired. There are co-pays and deductibles. Annual increases of enrollment fees for retirees will not be greater than the percentage of the cost of living increase for that year. Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) must provide urgent care until 11:00 pm or contract with a civilian provider for urgent care until 11:00 pm without a requirement for a referral. It also requires expansion of office hours for primary care at night and on weekends. Additionally, it requires the revamping of the online and telephone appointment systems to allow for follow up appointments to be made at the same time as the original appointment.
The reform includes allowing National Guard AGR/FTNGD members who are called to state disaster response duty to maintain their TRICARE coverage, with the state government reimbursing DOD for the cost of the healthcare. It requires a study on allowing Federal employees who are reservists (read mil techs here) to also purchase TRICARE as an option to Federal employee’s health care plans. And it allows DOD to charge separately for a member plus one enrollment as opposed to member plus family enrollment.
MILITARY TECHNICIANS
Section 932 gives the Chief, National Guard Bureau, the authority to employ, administer, detail, and assign Title 5 civilians in addition to Title 32 civilians, an authority formerly held only by the service secretaries. The Chief may delegate that authority to the state Adjutants General.
Section 1084 delays the implementation of the conversion of dual status military technicians in administrative office occupations from January 1, 2017 until October 1, 2017. However, it alters the conversion of non-dual status military technicians from attrition-based conversion to complete conversion on October 1, 2017. Section 512 allows appeals of adverse actions for military technicians to the Merit Systems Protection Board or Equal Opportunity Commission. Section 513 stops the payment of military leave for those military technicians who accept an AGR tour of duty.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Section 516 allows the NORTHCOM Deputy Commanding General to be a reserve officer in addition to being a National Guard officer. Section 502 removes the requirements for the positions of Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Guard and Reserve Matters.
Section 501 reduces the overall number of general officers by 110 officers and Section 502 removes the statutory requirement for the Vice Chief and Directors of the Army and Air Guard to be a lieutenant general.
Section 527 establishes a three-year pilot program to consolidate Army marketing and recruiting efforts.
Section 332 calls for a report on the average travel costs of reservists and Section 352 calls for a study on the space available travel system. Section 594 calls for a report on the electronic tracking of reserve component active service.
Section 5102 clarifies the applicability of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to inactive duty training.
