30th anniversary: Retiree council recommends health care improvements

Army, Oct 2002 by Dubia, John A, Hall, Robert E

This year marked the 30th anniversary of the Army Chief of Staff's Retiree Council. When it reported to the chief at the close of its annual meeting on April 19, 2002, the council applauded health care successes of TRICARE Senior Pharmacy and TRICARE for Life and recommended health care improvements.

Despite the good news, this year's meeting was the saddest in the council's history. It was the first meeting since we lost Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel Lt. Gen. Timothy Maude, retired Lt. Col. Gary E Smith and retired MSgt. Max J. Beilke, chief and deputy chief of Army Retirement Services, in the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. They were at a meeting discussing a new system that would help soldiers and family members anticipate their retirement benefits when the terrorists struck.

The month before, Gen. Maude sent a memorandum to Army leaders underlining the importance of supporting the Army Retirement Services program and installation Retirement Services officers and retirees. He told the leadership, "Retired soldiers and their families are a vital part of America's Army. They continue to provide valuable resources, time and experience to the Army community. Maintaining a positive bond between today's soldiers and those who previously served provides a vital link toward ensuring these former soldiers and family members maintain a positive attitude that enhances recruiting and retention for America's Army. ... Experience indicates that supporting retirement programs with a knowledgeable experienced individual and providing sufficient funding for retiree appreciation days and other retiree events returns big dividends to the Army community."

Both Gary and Max had devoted many years to serving their fellow retirees. Gary became chief in 1989 when he was still on active duty and continued at that post through almost ten years of retirement. Max became deputy chief in 1984 and spent long hours coordinating the Chief of Staff, Army (CSA) Retiree Council meeting. Many soldiers and retirees met Gary and Max when they spoke at retiree appreciation Days worldwide or when they manned the Army retirement services booth at the annual AUSA convention. They both worked hard to make life better for Army retirees and their families and those preparing to rep tire. They will be missed.

The new chief and deputy chief of Army Retirement Services are retired Col. John Radke and Avis S. Allen. Radke retired from the Army in November 2000 after a 29-year career as an Adjutant General officer. Before coming to Retirement Services, Radke worked for InService America.

Allen was already part of Army Retirement Services where she served for eight years as the survivor benefit plan (SBP) program manager. Before that, she was assistant Retirement Services officer at Carlisle Barracks, Pa. This year's council meeting was also the first for the new cochairman, retired SMA Robert E. Hall, who served as Sergeant Major of the Army from 1997 to 2000. He succeeds retired SMA Richard A. Kidd.

As current cochairmen, retired Lt. Gen. John A. Dubia and retired SMA Hall salute retired SMA Kidd for his ex traordinary contribution to the welfare of the retired community. Kidd served for four years as cochairman, initially with retired Lt. Gen. Ellis D. (Don) Parker. He provided outstanding leadership for the CSA Retiree Council and represented the Army's 675,000 retirees and their families exceptionally well. SMA Kidd spent countless hours pursuing retiree issues as well as speaking to and meeting with retiree organizations and congressional, military and community leaders. Retirees, active duty soldiers and family members are all indebted to him for his dedication and willingness to continue to serve.

This year marked the council's 30th anniversary and 42nd meeting. The first meeting of the CSA Officer and Enlisted Retiree Councils was held at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., on June 5-9, 1972. In 1985, meetings changed from biannual to annual events, with a midyear meeting with CSA and the cochairmen.

The CSA Retiree Council began its 2002 annual report to the chief and the meeting of the council cochairmen with the vice chief of staff by extending its sincere gratitude to Congress and DoD and Army leadership for TRICARE for Life (TFL) and TRICARE Senior Pharmacy programs. The council expressed concerns that program refinements continue to be made and that present and potential participants be educated.

The council urged the chief to promote equity between military and other federal retirees by supporting concurrent receipt of military retired pay and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation; to support enhanced cooperation between the DoD and VA health care systems to improve benefits without forcing military retirees to choose one of the systems; and to remain vigilant to any reduced access to or service at military commissaries. The council also underlined the importance of fulltime installation Army Retirement Services officers and urged that these positions not be outsourced or otherwise reduced.