April 15, 2009

Extra Pay for Federally Employed Reservists
By Stephen Losey | Federal Times 
Federal employees who previously received pay cuts when they were called up for Reserve and National Guard duty will now receive salary supplements to make up the difference, beginning with the pay period that started March 15. The Office of Personnel Management announced the policy April 3 after Congress made it law last month with the passage of the 2009 omnibus appropriation bill.
Guard and reserve advocates hailed the change, calling it long overdue. “One of the principal provisions [of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act] is that the federal government should be a model employer. The fact that the government is doing it is great, but they’re late coming to the game,” said retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Dennis McCarthy, executive director of the Reserve Officers Association. 
 Click here to Read OPM's directive
 Click here to read the law review
 Click here for the Federal Times story

NATIONAL CONVENTION UPDATE:
Join Us in Orlando, Fla., for the Final ROA Summer Convention as We Honor the HEROES AMONG US—Our Nation’s Citizen Warriors 
In what is scheduled to be the last large-scale summer annual meeting for the Association—and a new national meeting format in which the convention will move to Mid-Winter and the National Council meeting will move to the summer beginning in 2010—ROA will hold elections and conduct other Association business, along with a slate of national security briefings, armed services and policy updates, and education programs, including the Joint Officer Leadership Training Seminar.
 For registration information, visit ROA's Orlando Web page  

NEWS FOR CITIZEN WARRIORS:
Tax Rates Change for Retirees, Annuitants (AFNS)
Moving Beyond the F-22 (submitted by Michael Donley, Secretary of the Air Force, and Gen. Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the Air Force to Washington Post)
Air Force Reserve commander Meets with Deployed Reservists (AFRC News)
First Army Preparing To Reorganize Training (Army Times)

COMMUNICATIONS UPDATES:
Highlighted on ROA's Web Site: DEF Resource Room
Visit the Defense Education Forum Resource Page for presentations and programs from past events. Don't forget to check out for the upcoming events! 
 DEF Resource Room

Great American Video of the Week
Tune in to watch this week's Great American video: Fallujah Medical - Videographer of the Year 2009. The Visual Information Awards Program is designed to recognize, reward, and promote excellence among military photographers, videographers, journalists, and graphic artists for their achievements in furthering the objectives of military multimedia. The winner is MC2 Andrew Carlson, USN.    
 Watch this week's video
 Upload your videos on the Great Americans Web site

ROA News:
Ten-Miler Sold Out in 6 Days
The 2009 Army Ten-Miler race registration sold out in a record breaking six days with 30,000 runners signing up by 10:05 a.m., Monday, April 6. This year celebrates the 25th anniversary of the “Army’s Race.” If you have already signed up, and wish to join the ROA team, please contact John Nolan. 
 For continuing information on the race, to include race weekend and race day activities, go to the Web site. 

Voices of My Comrades: America's Reserve Officers Remember World War II
"Voices of my Comrades features so many exhilarating and untold accounts, it is as if the story of the war were being told for the first time." -- Andrew Carroll, author of War Letters and Behind the Lines. Part of your purchase price goes to support the ROA.
 Voice of My Comrades on Amazon.com

ANNOUNCEMENT: 
Free Clear Membership for Uniformed Military Personnel
Verified Identity Pass, Inc. recently made its "Clear Card" program free for military personnel. "Clear Card" holders avoid regular security lines in many large U.S. airports. To apply for the card, follow the directions on the Web site, or call 1 (866) 848-2415. Normally, this program costs $199 annually. You will still have to input credit card information, but your card will not be charged after showing your military ID during the in-person portion of the application process. This program applies to all Uniformed military Personnel including Guard and Reserve.

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