2009, A Good Year
AFSA lobbyists continue to inform members of Congress of the sacrifices those who wear and have worn the uniform (and their families) make on a daily basis for the protection of the American way-of-life. From fighting for full pay raises for those still wearing the uniform, to full on-time cost of living allowances (COLA) for retirees, AFSA continues to lead the way to preserve and improve the quality-of-life for its members. Several other areas where AFSA has been successful the past several years include:
- Increased allowances and reduction of out-of-pocket expenses during permanent change of station moves, particularly for enlisted members.
- Increased pay and allowances and benefits for low-ranking airmen, and targeted pay increases for enlisted members.
- Approval of Career Enlisted Flier Incentive Pay.
- Approval of various health care benefit expansion demonstration projects (e.g., TRICARE Senior Prime, FEHBP-65, etc.) and achievement of an expanded pharmacy benefit and "TRICARE for Life" benefit for Medicare-eligible retirees, family members, and their survivors.
- Increased reserve component health care (medical and dental), pay & compensation, and quality-of-life benefits for reservists and their families.
- Continued protection of military stores (commissaries and exchanges).
- Elimination of Source Taxes.
- Elimination of the Social Security Earnings Test.
- Retirement protection (e.g., defeat of the "High One" retirement plan for those who entered service before 9/8/80; repeal of the "Redux" retirement plan for those who entered service after 7/31/86; protection of on-time retiree COLAs).
- Appropriation/Authorization of "Impact Aid" funding for local school districts educating the children of military families.
- Implementation of the National Mail Order Pharmacy program.