Army introduces new pin for retired Soldiers
The Army has created a new pin for retired Soldiers to emphasize your lifelong bond with the Army. The pin combines the Army logo with the word “retired” emblazoned above.

Why a new pin? The Army Chief of Staff’s (CSA) Retiree Council recommended replacing the “Retired, Still Serving” lapel pin. The Council asked for a larger pin that could be recognized from afar, be worn on clothing other than a suit jacket, and that would show the continuing bond between the retired Soldier and the Army.

Will you get one? Over the next few months, a packet containing the new pin will be mailed to retired Soldiers. It will also include a letter from the CSA and the Sergeant Major of the Army, underlining the unending commitment between the Army and its retired Soldiers. Completing the packet will be news on the Army Strong theme and the recently increased recruiting referral bonus. It will be sent to the correspondence address on file at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s Retired Pay Center.

The mailing will occur over four months so you may hear from retired Soldiers who receive the pin before you do. A goal is to have all pins in the mail by late spring. Be looking for your special mailing.

How the National Defense Authorization Act could affect retired Soldiers and families

Following are sections of the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (Public Law {PL} 109-364, Oct. 17, 2006) which could affect retired Soldiers and families.

Many of these provisions involve health care — what it costs the government, what it costs beneficiaries, and the benefits it provides. These provisions were Congress’s response to DoD's proposal to partially offset rising costs by increasing fees for retirees and families who were not yet Medicare-eligible. (Medicare-eligible retirees and family members are covered by TRICARE for Life which was not included in this proposal.)

In addition to health-related topics, the 2007 NDAA also addressed ID cards, the recruiting referral bonus, and Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) insurable interest elections.

We will report any updates that occur between now and the next issue of Echoes in the Current News section of our homepage at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/RSO/currentnews.pdf.

Health care
P.L. 109-364:

§ states that DoD may not increase TRICARE fees, deductibles or copayments, including pharmacy, until after Sep. 30, 2007.

§ transfers $186,000,000 to the DoD Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Fund.

§ states that employers may not give TRICARE-eligible employees financial incentives for not enrolling or terminating enrollment in a group health plan which would be a primary plan. States that TRICARE-eligible employees should have the same opportunity to participate in a group health plan as employees who aren’t TRICARE-eligible.
This does not apply to employers with fewer than 20 employees. This section is effective Jan. 1, 2008.

§ requires that a task force be established within 90 days after the enactment of the Act to examine the future of military health care and requires the task force to report within 12 months of appointment. (Note: DoD created this task force in January.)

§ requires an audit of DoD health care costs and DoD's proposed cost-saving measures, known as “Sustaining the Benefit”, by the Comptroller General and Director of the Congressional Budget Office. The audit will examine the calculations used in creating “Sustaining the Benefit”, including the figures used in comparing benefits provided by DoD in 1995 and 2005.

§ directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study of the DoD pharmacy program, including the success of the uniform formulary, in achieving savings, and the composition of the boards that recommend the status of drugs in the formulary. This report must be completed within nine months.

§ requires a demonstration project which would allow particular over-the-counter drugs to be included in the uniform formulary. Drugs in the uniform formulary are usually available at military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) and through the TRICARE Retail and Mail Order Pharmacy for a copayment. The law states that this project must begin by May 1, 2007 and may include all TRICARE regions or a limited number of sites.

§ requires that, within 180 days of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense submit a report to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on actions taken in response to the July 2001 DoD Healthcare Quality Initiatives Review Panel report.

§ directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study of providing chiropractic health care services and benefits which would include retirees and eligible family members.



Other topics

Other changes made by NDAA, by topic, are as follows:

ID cards for disabled dependents
§ authorizes issuing permanent ID cards to permanently disabled dependents of retirees. Note: DoD is writing the policy and software changes needed before this new law can take effect. We will report any update in the next Echoes and in the Current News section of our homepage http://www.armyg1.army.mil/RSO/currentnews.pdf. Reminder: A previous law change authorized permanent ID cards for retirees’ dependents age 75 and older.

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
§ permits SBP participants with insurable interest elections to elect a new beneficiary if the insurable interest beneficiary dies. This election must be made within 180 days of the death of the previous beneficiary.

Recruiting Referral Bonus
§ increases the Recruiting Referral Bonus to a maximum of $2,000. See the second article in this homepage/e-mail issue for more information.

Bonus for mobilized retirees
§ authorizes the Secretary of Defense to pay a bonus to a retired member who agrees to serve on active duty to alleviate the need for members in high-demand, low-density military capability or in any other specialty designated by the Secretary as critical to meet wartime or peacetime requirements. This bonus may not exceed $50,000.

(Note: Although Congress authorized this bonus, it did not provide funding. DoD is determining whether this bonus would support the Military Services’ needs and whether or not it can be funded under current funding levels.)

Armed Forces Retirement Home
§ requires the Secretary of Defense to report to the Congressional Defense Committees on the leadership and management of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, especially the effects of recent changes in management structure and the current composition of the board of trustees.

Proposals that were NOT in the final 2007 NDAA
Why are we reporting on what was NOT included in the final 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)? We are reporting on these provisions because they were part of earlier versions of the bill and we want to make sure you know their final status. The NDAA, like other laws, goes through many changes from the time the original bills are proposed in the House and Senate until they're combined to form one bill, approved by Congress and signed into law by the President.

As the 2007 NDAA developed, you may have read about provisions that were changed or taken out before it became law. Here are examples which could have affected retired Soldiers and families, but DID NOT become law:

§ The law does NOT eliminate the reduction of the SBP spouse/former spouse annuity by the VA's Dependency and Indemnity (DIC) Compensation.

§ The law does NOT move up the SBP “paid-up” effective date. (It's still Oct. 1, 2008 for those who have paid premiums for 360 months and reached age 70.)

§ The law does NOT give immediate concurrent receipt to those rated 100% Unemployable by the VA. (The effective date for that change is still Oct. 1, 2009.).

§ The law does NOT lower the Reserve retirement age.

§ The law does NOT provide additional incentive payments to doctors to take TRICARE patients in areas with physician shortages.

§ The law does NOT mandate use of TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy for all refills of maintenance medications.

§ The law does NOT eliminate TRICARE copays for most drugs dispensed through the mail-order system, and it does NOT require drug companies to give TRICARE-equal price discounts on drugs dispensed through retail pharmacies.

SBP annuities to increase with May check
April 1^st will mark another step in the phase out of the reduction of Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity for annuitants age 62 and older.

Originally, annuitants received 55% of the base amount selected (usually, but not always, the retired pay amount) until age 62 when the benefit was reduced to 35% of the base amount as eligibility for Social Security began. Congress changed the law to eliminate this reduction and to phase in the increase at 5% increments.

This April, the post-age 62 benefit will increase to 50% of the base amount, which annuitants will see in your May check. The final increase will take place Apr. 1, 2008, when all SBP annuitants will receive 55% of the base amount elected, regardless of age.

(Note: A small group of annuitants who had their post-age 62 annuity calculated using the old Social Security offset method may already be receiving 50% of the base amount. If you are an SBP annuitant who is already receiving 50% of the base amount, your benefit will not change this April. It will increase to 55% in 2008. No annuitant will lose any benefits.)

Have you received your 1099R?
Have you received your 1099R (tax statement) yet? The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) finished mailing paper copies of retiree and annuitant tax statement by the end of December. If you're expecting a paper copy of your 1099R, you should have received it by now.

If you have not received your 1099R, don’t wait until April to request a replacement. Call DFAS at 1-800-321-1080 or go online to myPay (https://myPay.dfas.mil) where you can access your pay or annuity record and print your 1099R. myPay users were able to access their tax and pay statements online at the beginning of December. Note: myPay users will not receive a 1099R through the mail unless they use myPay to request a hard copy.
DFAS also mailed the retiree and annuitant account statements in December. These statements can be accessed through myPay.



What else can you do through myPay? You can view your account information from any computer with Internet access, virtually 24/7. You can also change your correspondence address; change your federal or state tax withholding; and start or change your allotments from your retired pay (this option does not apply to annuitants). Currently, 34% of retirees and 7.5% of annuitants use the myPay system. For myPay support, call 1-888-332-7411 or (216) 522-5096.

Retroactive payment of CRSC, CRDP
DFAS and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are reviewing records of retirees receiving Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) or Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP) to determine who might be owed back pay. Note: If you are not receiving either CRSC or CRDP, you are not affected by this situation.

Of about 130,000 retired pay accounts to be reviewed, more than 42,000 had been completed as we went to press. More than 10,000 of these accounts had been found up-to-date, requiring no retroactive payments. The remainder of this group will receive back pay from DFAS, the VA or both. Accounts found in need of a retroactive pay will be corrected with a single lump sum payment.

DFAS and VA officials won't know if a payment is due until a pay account has been reviewed. Retirees entitled to payments will be notified when payments are made to explain why they are receiving the additional money.

Why the additional payments? Under previous law, your military retired pay and VA disability compensation together could not be greater than your retired pay. This meant that your military retired pay had to be reduced by your disability payments. The laws creating CRSC and CRDP ended that limit on military retired pay. However, DFAS and the VA continued to use the payment policy designed for the old law. They were starting VA payments, and offsetting retired pay, on the date of the VA disability pay decision, not on the eligibility date.

This system worked under the old law when you couldn't begin disability pay until retired pay had been reduced. However, since CRDP and CRSC allow retirees to receive a greater total benefit than retired pay alone, the old system could result in some retirees receiving less than they were entitled to, specifically for the time between the eligibility date for a disability rating and the decision date for that rating.

This policy disparity has been corrected. Those retirees receiving both military retired pay and CRSC or CRDP are having their records reviewed. More complex cases involve those retirees whose disability rating entitling them to CRSC or CRDP was later increased by the VA. In these cases, a review must be made for the initial period, as well as for each time the disability rating was increased. Also cases for qualified Chapter 61 (disability) retirees and retirees with Former Spouse and Garnishment payments are considered complex cases.

Retirees who are found due retroactive payments could receive additional money from DFAS, from the VA or from both. DFAS and the VA initially estimated a six-month period (which began in September for DFAS and October for the VA) for completing most reviews and payments. More complex cases may take an additional six months.

Who to call
For issues concerning entitlement to back pay, call 1-877-327-4457 (it's called the VA Retro Pay number), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern). For questions concerning VA disability ratings or other VA issues, call 1-800-827-1000. For questions regarding regular CRSC, CRDP or other retired pay issues, call 1-800-321-1080.


New claim form makes it easier to apply for CRSC
Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) provides dual compensation for eligible military retirees with combat-related injuries. This benefit provides a monthly tax-free compensation for certain military retirees that supplements VA disability payments and military retired payments.

The Army’s CRSC Division reports that it hears from retired Soldiers that the CRSC claim form (DD Form 2860) is too difficult and time-consuming to complete. Many tell the CRSC Division they have started the claim form and set it aside because it was too overwhelming, they did not understand the supporting documentation requirements, or it was just too hard to read.

Based on feedback from all branches of service and numerous military retirees, DoD has made several improvements to the CRSC claim form. The new form makes it easier than ever to apply for this compensation. As we went to press, the new form was expected to be available in the near future at http://www.crsc.army.mil or by calling the CRSC Service Center at 1-866-281-3254.

What's different
Simple changes such as a larger font and text boxes will make it easier to use the form. The new form also takes claimants through a sequence of eligibility questions and prompts them for documentation every step of the way.
For example, under the “Preliminary Requirements” section, the first question for Active Duty retirees asks “Did you serve at least 20 years on active duty?” and then tells applicants to attach a copy of their DD214(s) proving 20 years of active duty service. Now, there is no question of the supporting documentation needed for the CRSC claim. Everything an applicant needs to know is on the form itself.

If you still have questions, you can visit the CRSC Web site. Once there, you can click on “Retired Veterans” to obtain information on eligibility criteria, the claim process, answers to frequently asked questions, claim resources; or even to apply online. You can call the CRSC Service Center at 1-866-281-3254.

You can be part of Soldier Registry
Retired Soldiers can record details of your service for future generations on the Registry of the American Soldier, an online database managed by the Army Historical Foundation (AHF) of Arlington, VA.

Retired Soldiers can enroll in the Registry of the American Soldier by logging on at http://www.armyhistory.org. Spouses, parents, children and friends can also enroll retired Soldiers, living and dead. There is no charge for enrollment.

The Registry is a celebration of the service and sacrifice of Soldiers from 1775 to the present day. Since the May 2006 activation of the Registry, more than 32,000 currently serving Soldiers and Army veterans have enrolled to record their service histories in their own words. Online, you can use the Registry by searching for individual names.

The Registry will be displayed at the National Museum of the United States Army which is scheduled to open in 2011 at Ft Belvoir, VA. The Registry will also remain accessible via the Internet for those not able to visit the museum.

When and how can retired Soldiers wear medals?
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson recently urged veterans to show your pride in their service by wearing your medals on Veterans Day. He said he hoped this display of military decorations, which he called the “Veterans Pride Initiative,” would become a traditional part of Veterans Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and other patriotic observances.

When can retired Soldiers wear medals on civilian clothes? According to Army Regulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, retired Soldiers “may wear all categories of medals (described in this regulation) on appropriate civilian clothing. This includes clothes designed for veteran and patriotic organizations on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and Armed Forces Day, as well as at formal occasions of ceremony and social functions of a military nature. Personnel may wear either full-size or miniature medals. Personnel who wear medals on civilian clothes should place the medals on the clothing in approximately the same location and in the same manner as on the Army uniform, so they look similar to medals worn on the Army uniform.”

Nursing home, long-term care –- what’s covered?
TRICARE – While TRICARE covers medically-necessary, skilled nursing care, it does not cover long-term care. If skilled services are no longer medically-necessary, but long-term care services are needed, beneficiaries will be responsible for all expenses.

TRICARE usually covers medically-necessary skilled nursing facility care if beneficiaries meet the following criteria:

• Hospitalized for at least three consecutive days, not including the day of discharge;
• Admitted within 30 days of hospital discharge (with some exceptions);
• Determined by a doctor to need medical rehabilitation and skilled services; and
• Being cared for at a facility that is both Medicare-certified and a TRICARE-participating provider.

During a skilled nursing facility stay, staff members regularly review beneficiaries’ health care needs to determine the type of care required. If staff members determine beneficiaries need enough skilled services to meet the defined skilled nursing facility requirements, Medicare and TRICARE pay the facility a set amount. However, beneficiaries pay for noncovered services and appropriate cost shares and deductibles.

When beneficiaries primarily need help with “daily living activities,” such as bathing, eating, dressing, personal hygiene, walking, etc., they typically transfer to a long-term care facility. As TRICARE does not cover long-term care, beneficiaries may want to consider other coverage options, such as:

1. Commercial Long-Term Care Insurance, which lets beneficiaries choose coverage; or
2. The Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program (which can be purchased by retired military). For more information, visit http://www.opm.gov/insure/ltc/index.asp, or call 1-800-582-3337.

For more information on TRICARE coverage, check with your TRICARE regional contractors, or http://www.tricare.mil.

TRICARE Uniform Formulary update
TRICARE has reviewed drugs in three categories — Thiazoladinedione Drugs (for Type II diabetes), Antilipidemic Agents (for high cholesterol) and Histamine-2 Antagonists and Other Gastrointestinal Protectant Agents (for digestive problems) and designated them formulary or nonformulary.

Only two Antilipidemic Agents, Caduet® and Crestor®, were declared non-formulary, effective Feb. 1, 2007. This means these drugs won't be available at military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) unless medical necessity is established and the prescription is written by an MTF provider. They will be available through the TRICARE Retail Pharmacy Network (TRRx) and the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP) for a $22 copayment.

If you're taking one of these drugs, you should ask your health care provider if a formulary alternative could produce the same results or if medical necessity could be established. For forms and criteria, go to http://www.tricare.mil/pharmacy/medical-nonformulary.cfm.

The other drugs were placed in the first or second tier of the formulary. First tier drugs (formulary generics) are available through TRRx for $3 for up to a 30-day supply and through TMOP for $3 for up to a 90-day supply. Second tier drugs (formulary brand-name) cost $9 for the same number of days. Beneficiary copayments are higher at non-network retail pharmacies.

(Note: Not all formulary drugs are available at MTF pharmacies. For more information, go to http://www.tricareformularysearch.org/dod/medicationcenter/default.aspx.)

The Histamine-2 Antagonists and Other Gastrointestinal Protectant Agents reviewed — Axid®, Carafate®, Cytotec®, Pepcid®, Tagamet®, Zantac®, all with generics available — were placed in the formulary's first tier.

All of the Thiazoladinedione Drugs reviewed — Actoplus Met®, Actos®, Avandamet®, Avandaryl®, Avandia® were placed in the formulary's second tier.

Of the remaining drugs in the Antilipidemic Agent category, four drugs, all with generics available — Mevacor®, Niacor®, Pravachol®, and Zocor® — were placed in the first tier. Eight drugs — Advicor®, Altoprev®, Lescol XL®, Lescol®, Lipitor®, Niaspan®, Vytorin®, and Zetia® — were placed in the second tier.

For more information, go to http://www.express-scripts.com/TRICARE, or call 1-866-363-8667 for TMOP or 1-866-363-8779 for TRRx.

TRDP offers preventive care
Early diagnosis and prevention of dental disease are key to good dental health. The TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) provides the coverage necessary to help enrollees maintain good oral health which often prevents the need for major dental treatment down the road.

(Note: TRDP premiums will increase slightly in May; however the rates were not available as we went to press. We will report this at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/RSO/currentnews.pdf as soon as it’s available.)
Benefits available to TRDP enrollees include diagnostic and preventive care such as regular oral exams and x-rays, routine cleanings and fluoride treatments.

Diagnostic dental procedures such as oral exams and x-rays — which are covered by the TRDP at 100% of the program’s allowable amount and are not applied to the annual deductible and maximums — help the dentist screen for changes and detect some diseases at a stage when they can be more successfully treated.

TRDP also covers preventive services such as cleanings and fluoride treatments for adults and children at 100% of the allowable amount, with no applicable deductible or maximum.

TRDP also offers coverage for major services like crowns, bridges, partial and full dentures, and even braces for both children and adults.

Visit http://www.trdp.org for more information, or call Delta Dental of California, the TRDP contract administrator, toll-free, at 1-888-838-8737.

Part B premiums based on income
Medicare Part B premiums are now based on income, effective Jan. 1, 2007.

While most are paying the standard monthly Part B premium of $93.50 this year, some people are paying a higher premium based on their modified adjusted gross income.

Your monthly premium is higher if you file an individual tax return and your annual income is more than $80,000, or if you are married (file a joint tax return) and your annual income is more than $160,000.

If your Part B premium was going to increase based on your income, you should have received a letter from Social Security at the end of 2006 which also told you what to do if you disagreed. For more information about Part B premiums based on income, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.

Remember; once you are Medicare-eligible, you must be enrolled in Medicare Part B in order to be eligible for TRICARE for Life.

New TRICARE Standard handbook
TRICARE is making a new, more detailed, handbook available to all beneficiaries covered under TRICARE Standard.

Although the handbook is full of useful data from what’s covered to how to file a claim, it does not include cost information. Because of annual cost changes, TRICARE created a separate summary of beneficiary costs flyer. TRICARE will update the flyer whenever the rates change.

Beneficiaries can call your regional contractor for copies of the handbook or the summary of beneficiary costs flyer at the following toll-free telephone numbers:
(Note: The states for each region are listed on page 10 of Echoes.)

North region, 1-877-874-2273;
South region, 1-800-444-5445;
West region, 1-888-874-9378

Beneficiaries may also obtain the documents from a local TRICARE Service Center or view and download them at http://www.tricare.mil/TRICARESmart/default.aspx. Basic information on TRICARE Standard and other fact sheets are available at http://www.tricare.mil/Factsheets.

TRICARE merges Web sites
TRICARE has merged its Web sites to make things easier for users. You can go to one site
(http://www.tricare.mil) to find benefit information, schedule an appointment or track claims.

Areas of interest to retired Soldiers and spouses are:

• My Benefit – TRICARE benefit information
• My Health – you can schedule and view appointments (you will need to register to use this function); access personal health information; use pharmacy tools; check medications; and more.

In the next phase of Web site improvements, beneficiaries will be able to enter your profiles and receive benefit information tailored to you. TRICARE expects this feature to be available in winter 2007.

VA announces annual insurance dividends
More than a million veterans will be sharing $369 million in annual insurance dividends during 2007, according to the VA.

Dividends are paid each year to veterans holding certain government life insurance policies, who served between 1917 and 1956.

These dividends will be sent to about 1.2 million holders of VA insurance policies on the anniversary date of their policies.

Dividend amounts will vary based on the age of the veteran, the type of insurance, and the length of time the policy has been in force. Dividends will be sent automatically through different payment plans. You do not need to apply for the dividend.

VA officials caution veterans about a long-running scam in which various groups charge fees to “locate” veterans who are eligible for the dividends. Veterans eligible for the dividends have had VA life insurance policies in effect since they left the military and have received annual notifications from VA about the policies.

The dividends come from the earnings of a trust fund into which veterans have paid insurance premiums over the years, and are linked to returns on investments in U.S. government securities.

Veterans who have questions about their policies can call 1-800-669-8477, or send an e-mail to VAinsurance@va.gov. You can also visit the Internet at http://www.insurance.va.gov.

VA goal: ‘Employer of choice’ for disabled vets
The VA is among the top three cabinet-level departments in employing disabled Americans. About 16,000 of VA’s 235,000 employees — or 8% of its work force — are persons with disabilities, including the Hon. Gordon H. Mansfield, VA’s Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who sustained a spinal cord injury in Vietnam in 1968 and uses a wheelchair for mobility.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson recently reaffirmed his commitment to make VA the “employer of choice” for disabled veterans — and to help disabled veterans find productive jobs throughout our society.

“By increasing awareness of hiring programs for veterans, training our disabled veterans and assisting them to find jobs, we can significantly increase the employment of disabled veterans,” Nicholson said.

For more information on VA hiring programs, go to http://www.va.gov and click on "VA Jobs”. For information on VA training for disabled veterans, click on “Benefits" and then click on “Vocational rehabilitation”.

VA also tops the federal sector in contracting with businesses owned by disabled veterans. For more information, go to http://www.va.gov and click on “Business Opportunities”. The VA also maintains a site for veterans who want to start or expand a business at http://www.vetbiz.gov.

You can call the VA at 1-800-827-1000.

Not updating retired pay records can cost benefits
Too often, we hear about survivors who have been denied Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) benefits because the retiree failed to update retired pay records when the retiree married, divorced, remarried, was widowed or gained a child. We hear from surviving spouses who did not receive the retired pay for the portion of the last month the retiree was alive because this money went to someone else whom the Soldier had named at retirement.

We hear from former spouses who lost SBP benefits because neither the former spouse nor the retiree notified DFAS within a year of the divorce that SBP was part of the divorce by sending a letter and a copy of the decree.

To make sure your spouse (or former spouse) is prepared, keep a file of information that your spouse (or former spouse) will need when you die. Make sure your spouse (or former spouse) knows what benefits to expect or not to expect.

Clip this article to your files as a reminder to keep your retired pay records current when your status changes.

Note: The SBP "paid up" provision which allows retirees to stop paying SBP premiums after 360 months of paying premiums and reaching age 70 does not go into effect until Oct. 1, 2008.

Walter Reed stops ‘Any Soldier’ mail program
WASHINGTON – Walter Reed Army Medical Center has been overwhelmed by the tens of thousands of cards, letters, care packages and more sent to Wounded Warriors there. This has heightened security concerns, increased administrative burdens, drained resources and limited other functions. Therefore, the medical center is phasing out its "To Any Wounded Soldier" mail program.

To continue to support troops, both at Walter Reed and throughout the military, the Center suggests using Web sites such as http://www.americasupportsyou.mil; http://www.usocares.org/src/uso_donate.htm; http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/tooursoldiers/; http://www.redcross.org.

For those without computer access, contacting the nearest military installation, the local National Guard or military Reserve unit to ask about supporting the troops may offer an alternative to mailing packages to Walter Reed.

“Our patients, military and civilian staff members and hospital leaders appreciate everything the general public has done to support our Soldiers,” MG George W. Weightman, Commanding General of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command, said. “This generosity is truly the embodiment of the American spirit.”

Walter Reed has treated 5,400 patients from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom since the Global War on Terror began, 1,730 of whom have been battle casualties.