A history of my involvement in
The
Military Retiree Grass Roots Effort
to
Regain The Medical Care That Was Promised
to
Military Retirees Before Their Retirement
by:
Floyd Sears, MSGT, USAF, 1951-1971 (Retired)
Initial
posting - 17 December 2000
Click
here
to contact the webmaster
This is a history and commentary of my involvement in the military retiree grass roots effort to regain the medical care that was promised to military retirees before their retirement from the military. It should be noted that this is "a" history of the military retiree grass roots effort and not "the entire" history of the military retiree grass roots effort. There are several thousand military retirees that could write a similar history of their involvement in this grass roots effort.
Many folks have asked me who started the Military Retiree Grass Roots Group and who is in charge. My response is everybody and nobody. During this military retiree grass roots effort I have met and formed a partnership with hundreds of very fine people. We have worked together, each in his/her own way, and we are getting the job done.
As you review this history if you find a broken link then click here to contact Floyd Sears and let me know which link is broken.
~ THE HISTORY ~
1994: Got
involved. The medical care promise. Serve
for 20 years in the military and retire, and you will receive
full free medical care for yourself and your eligible dependents,
at military treatment facilities, for as long as you and your
eligible dependents live. When I got involved in the military
retiree grass roots effort to save the medical care we had been
promised it was very obvious that military retirees and their
dependents would lose the medical care they had been promised due
to the closing of military bases and military hospitals.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/doc04.html
- by Ollie F. (Frank) Cook
(Deceased)
27 Nov 1994: Wrote my first letter to Senator Trent Lott making him aware of my concerns. From that date forward I sent many regular mail letters and e-mails to people like President Clinton, Senator Lott, Senator Cochran, Congressman Taylor, Congressman Shows, Senator Dole, Ross Perot, and organizations like local VFW Posts, Local American Legion Posts, Elks Lodges, WLOX-TV, and WWL Radio.
- 1 Dec 1995: Tricare Prime came to Keesler AFB (KAFB) where I had received medical care under the Military Healthcare System (MHS) since my retirement in 1971. During that same month I turned 65. Since military retirees 65 and over were not eligible to enroll in Tricare Prime I had to seek medical care outside the MHS via the Medicare fee-for-service plan where I had to pay for Medicare part B and a Medicare Supplement. It should be noted that officially I was still eligible to receive medical care at KAFB on a space available basis. However, each time I called Tricare for an appointment I was told that if I wasn't in Tricare Prime then no space was available.
The medical care after retirement promise was broken.
30 June 1996:
Started writing letters to The Sun Herald.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/letters.html
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/sh-edit1.html
- 16 July 1996: CAG Lawsuit - A law suit was filed in Federal Court in Pensacola, Florida by Attorney George E. Day for monetary damages charging age discrimination, 5th amendment taking of property and breach of contract.
30 Aug 1996:
Joined the Class Action
Lawsuit initiated by Colonel George (Bud) Day on behalf of
[military retirees] Robert Reinlie and William O. Schism.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/d99-1402.html
(February 8, 2001 - decision)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/e99-1402.html
(June 13, 2001 - decision)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/f99-1402.html (November 18, 2002 - decision)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/g99-1402.html (June 2, 2003 - decision)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/cag-supreme-court-2-june-2003.pdf
(June 2, 2003 - decision)
See http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/md08_vanhollen/Class_Act_Group.html
(Congressman Van Hollen honoring the CAG)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/cag-hist.html
(Lawsuit Summary)
It should be noted that it was this Class Action Lawsuit, Tom Pentecost, Robert Reinlie, William Schism, Bob Geasland, Colonel George (Bud) Day and the group of volunteers known as the Class Act Group that got me started in the grass roots effort and provided me with the inspiration to continue.
Meet Colonel Day http://mrgrg-ms.org/col-day.html
Sept 1996: Joined the National Association For Uniformed Services (NAUS).
7 Jan 1997: A bill was introduced: To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide that persons retiring from the Armed Forces shall be entitled to all benefits which were promised them when they entered the Armed Forces.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history11.html
24 May 1997: Got on the Internet to locate other military retirees that are working the broken promise issue.
June 1997: Sent an e-mail to all Congressional Representatives with e-mail addresses (330 total). See http://mrgrg-ms.org/ltr-cng1.html.
- 10 June 1997: CAG Lawsuit - Judge Vinson ruled on the United States motion to dismiss claims brought by Colonel Day, Retired, on behalf of the plaintiffs. Judge Vinson ruled that the two strongest charges could go forward. (All others were dismissed for various reasons.) The two are: Breach of contract claim under the "Little Tucker Act" (This gets the money, and the deprivation of property claim under the Fifth Amendment for non-monetary relief).
17 Sept 1997: Got http://mrgrg-ms.org/ , the Retired Military Advocate web site, on-line encouraging Military Retirees to participate in a letter writing campaign to the U.S. Congress Respectfully Demanding Restoration of Promised Medical Care, and to the American people via the news media asking for support.
1 May 1998: Initiated a project called "Letters to the American people via the News Media".
June 1998: Joined the Augusta Group. The Augusta Group is a loose association of military retirees from Augusta, GA. It was during this time frame that I met and formed a working relationship with Colonel Richard Manion.
21 Sept 1998: From Ocean Springs, MS. Traveled to Washington DC and met with other military retirees on a project called the Convention to Educate the Congress (CEC). The CEC was organized by the Class Act Group, Ft. Walton Beach, FL and the Coalition Of Retired Military Veterans, Sumter, SC, and was supported by other Veterans Organizations and groups such as TROA, NAUS, TREA, and the Augusta Group.
22 Sept 1998:
Washington, DC, the Convention to Educate
Congress. Met with military retirees on the
Capital steps and conveyed our message to Congress. We also
visited our representatives and passed out informational
brochures.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/cec-day1.html
See http://www.nwfdailynews.com/archive/ted_raymond/991211col1.html
- This web page has been archived.
See http://augustachronicle.com/stories/092298/met_124-3204.shtml
- This web page has been archived.
See http://www.newsherald.com/archive/local/le092398.htm
- This web page has been archived.
- Oct 1997: Met and entered into a partnership with B Gen Robert (Bob) Clements, one of the true leaders of the military retiree grass roots movement.
See http://home.surewest.net/p38bob/
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/b-gn-bob.html
- 1 Dec 1998: Tricare Senior Prime (TSP), a Military HMO came to KAFB. My wife and I enrolled effective 1 Feb 1999. Since TSP was a Military HMO my wife and I were required to leave the Medicare fee-for-service plan in order to use TSP. It should be noted that a Medicare Supplement was not required for TSP so we were able to drop our Medicare Supplement, which we did. At this point my wife and I were now back in the MHS. It should also be noted that the space that was not available to me and my wife while we were on the Medicare fee-for-service plan was now available, as if by magic. Now when I called Tricare for an appointment space was available.
1 Aug 1998:
Developed a web page to advertise Military Retiree Medical Care
Resolutions and Proclamation.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/resol.html
15 Aug 1998:
Developed a web page to encourage military retirees to continue
the fight.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/no-quit.html
- August 1998: CAG Lawsuit - District Court denies CAG plaintiffs’ entire petition.
1 Oct 1998:
Initiated a project on
the internet known as the Convention to Educate Congress by Mail
(CECM), as a follow-on to the CEC event, held 22 September 1998,
in Washington DC. This project proposed that on 31 December 1998
every military retiree and their family members would send a
letter by REGULAR mail to: their 2 Senators, their
Congressperson, the Secretary of Defense, the President of the
United States, and The Washington Post. The timing of this
mailing was such that it would coincide with the convening of the
next Congress. This project resulted in approximately 65,000
letters being sent.
See http://www.ojc.org/NL/nov/wanted.html
- December 1998: CAG Lawsuit - CAG Plaintiffs appeal to US Circuit Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Washington, D.C
12 Dec 1998:
Ft. Walton Beach, FL, area at the Hurlburt
Field's Soundside Club. Met with members of the Class Act Group
and other military organizations. The purpose of this meeting
was: To explore the possibility of achieving a greater sense of
unity among the retired military veterans; To discuss ideas for
applying pressure on Congress and for gaining National Media
attention. It was at this meeting that I met and started a
working relation with JIM WHITTINGTON.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history2.html
- 21 Dec 1998: The 1st CRS Report For Congress - Military Health Care: The Issue of "Promised" Benefits, 98-1006 F, was published. See http://mrgrg-ms.org/crs1006a-the-issue-of-promised-benefits.pdf
1 Mar 1999: Assisted Jim Whittington in the organization of a Military Retirees Summit Meeting to take place in Laurel Mississippi.
27 Mar 1999: Laurel,
MS. Attended a Military Retirees Summit Meeting.
There were 477 people present at this meeting from 10 States and
the District of Columbia. It was at this meeting that Congressman
Ronnie Shows, at the request of Jim Whittington, agreed to
introduce a bill in Congress to restore the medical care that was
promised to the military retirees before their retirement.
Congressman Shows's promise was kept and resulted in the
introduction of HR 2966, HR 3573, and HR 179, The Keep Our
Promise to America's Military Retirees Act. There is little doubt
that it was the introduction of HR 2966 that provided the
catalyst which caused the military retiree grass roots community
to rally into action and is what led to the later debate in the
House and Senate which produced Tricare For Life.
1 July 1999: Joined The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), Magnolia Chapter 81, Biloxi, MS.
10 July 1999: Biloxi, MS.
Organized and participated in a military retiree picket.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/pick03.html.
28 July 1999:
Jackson, MS, Governor's Office.
Attended a meeting with Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice, Don
Bishop, Jim and Meryl Whittington, Lathan Joblin and his wife,
and Bob McNair, for the signing of a Proclamation in support of
the military retiree effort to regain promised medical care.
- 28 Sept 1999: Congressman Ronnie Shows introduced HR 2966 the "Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act".
- See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history6.html
1 Oct 1999: Jones County Junior College, near Laurel, MS. Attended a Closed Circuit TV meeting, arranged by Congressman Ronnie Shows, to discuss HR 2966. The group at the Jones County Junior College included, Jim Whittington, Don Bishop, Leon Bishop, Keith Horne, Dock Wiggins, Clayton Crane, Lee Runnels, Jim Compton, Jack Camp, Sam Monk, Charlie Rawls, Floyd Sears, and others (names not available). The group in Washington included, Congressman Shows, Phil Alperson, Chuck Partridge (NAUS), and others.
2 Oct 1999: Jackson, MS, at the War Memorial. Attended a news conference, arranged by Congressman Ronnie Shows, in reference to HR 2966. Those in attendance included Congressman Shows, Don Bishop, Jim Whittington, Meryl Whittington, Leon Bishop, Floyd Sears, the news media, and other military retirees (names not available).
(exact date not known):
Appeared on Mississippi ETV in Jackson, MS,
with Jim Whittington and I
in the studio, along with Congressman Ronnie Shows, Congressman
Gene Taylor (in Washington, DC) and Jan Ruehling (in Biloxi, MS)
via telephone. The purpose of this effort was to educate the
American people in reference to the military retiree medical care
broken promise issue, with emphasis on Jan
Ruehling.
See http://www.sunherald.com/region/docs/insure093099.htm
See http://www.sunherald.com/news/docs/insurance101399.htm
See http://www.sunherald.com/news/docs/court101699.htm
See http://www.sunherald.com/region/art/rue030400.htm
11 Nov 1999: Biloxi/Ocean Springs, MS. Helped organize, and participated in, two military retiree pickets which were held on Veterans Day, one in Biloxi, MS, and another in Ocean Springs, MS.
29 Nov 1999: Laurel, MS, at the Ramada Inn. Attended a strategy and planning meeting, arranged by Congressman Ronnie Shows, to discuss HR 2966. Those present included, Jim Whittington, Don Bishop, Dock Wiggins, Keith Horne, Sam Monk, Jim Compton, Clayton Crane, Charlie Rawls, Calvin Heptinstall, Jack Camp, Floyd Sears, and others (names not available). It was at this meeting that the phrase "RECRUITING - RETENTION - READINESS - RIGHT THING TO DO" was coined.
16 Dec 1999: Senator Lott's Office in Pascagoula, MS. Met with Senator Lott and Jim Whittington concerning the nation's broken promise of medical care to military retirees. Our concerns centered on selected items from http://mrgrg-ms.org/talking.html . In addition we discussed HR2966, the "Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act," which had been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Ronnie Shows. At this meeting Jim Whittington asked Senator Lott to introduce and/or co-sponsor a companion bill in the Senate.
- March 2000: CAG Lawsuit - Federal court hears oral arguments of the parties
25 March 2000: Huntsville, AL, at
The Von Braun Center Concert Hall. Attended
a meeting, in reference to HR 2966, HR 3573, S 2003, with many
other military retirees which was organized by Boyce Allen of the
North Alabama Chapter of the National Association For Uniformed
Services, to show the solidarity and commitment of all Veterans.
The meeting was a huge success.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history3.html
1 June 2000: Developed a web page
to support the Jack Hollinsworth managed Billboard Project.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/billbrd.html - (Phase II)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/billbrd0.html - (Phase I)
- 7 June 2000: The Senate Debate that led to Tricare for Life (TFL)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history10.html
24 June 2000: Appeared on WLOX-TV, Page 13, Biloxi, MS, with (the late) Ben Bruhnke (President of local TREA Chapter 81) as a part of our ongoing effort to educate the American people in reference to the military retiree medical care broken promise issue.
6 July 2000: Senator Lott's Office in Gulfport, MS. Participated in a military retiree picket which was organized by Jim Ayers from Lumberton, MS. See The Sun Herald article, by Reni Winter, at: http://mrgrg-ms.org/history17.html
1 Aug 2000:
Devoloped a web page to
advertise the 1st Annual Ronnie Shows Appreciation Luncheon in
Laurel, MS.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/thankyou.html
24 August 2000: Near Pascagoula, MS
- On Hwy 90 - between the Ocean Springs city limits and Hwy 57.
Participated in the raising and dedication of a "Military
Retirees Fought for Freedom - Now Congress Denies Earned
Healthcare" billboard. This event was organized by Richard
and Shirley BuBey.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/billbrd0.html
9 Sept 2000:
Laurel, MS. Attended the 1st Annual Ronnie Shows
Appreciation Luncheon hosted by Jim Whittington.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/thankyou.html
- 12 Oct 2000: The Tricare for Life entitlement was created with the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (HR 4205).
See http://www.tricare.mil/ndaa/fast_facts.htm
- 30 Oct 2000: The Tricare for Life entitlement, Public Law 106-398, was signed by the President.
See http://www.tricare.mil/ndaa/fast_facts.htm
- 30 Oct 2000: A statement by Congressman Ronnie Shows for the Congressional Record.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history4.html
- 1 Nov 2000: Letters of Commendation from Brig. General Robert Clements, General Michael E. Ryan (USAF - Chief of Staff), and General Charles T. Robertson (USAF - Commander - Air Mobility Command).
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history7.html
20 Dec 2000: Working to advertise Public Law 106-398, Tricare-for-Life.
30 Dec 2000: Working to promote
the term Military Retiree Grass Roots Group
(MRGRG) as a name for the group of military
retirees that have been working the military retiree medical care
broken promise issue since before 1995.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/gr-names.html for
a list of names.
- February 2001: CAG Lawsuit - Three-judge panel of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, Washington, DC overturns the district court decision. Finds that military retirees who entered service before June 7, 1956, had been promised free lifetime health care in return for a career of military service and were due compensation of up to $10,000 each for the government’s failure to live up to that promise.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/d99-1402.html
- 16 Jan 2001: The 2ndCRS Report For Congress - Military Health Care: The Issue of "Promised" Benefits, 98-1006 F, was published. See http://mrgrg-ms.org/crs1006b-the-issue-of-promised-benefits.pdf
7 Mar 2001: Assisted in an effort to advertise Tricare-for-Life (TFL). Passed out TFL information at the Keesler AFB Commissary. This activity was video taped by AETC Public Affairs representative Michael D. Noel II, SrA, USAF, AFNEWS/NSOE. The video tape will be used to spread the TFL word via the Air Force Television News which is aired throughout the world and on 700 local cable outlets across America. This event was a Jim Whittington initiative. Eugene Spencer, and Bob Record were co-participants.
26 Mar 2001: Started a project called PICKET by POST
CARD.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/postcard.html
1 Apr 2001: Working with Joe Priestley to advertise
the Second Annual Muster 2001 in Washington DC on 29 May 2001.
See http://www.geocities.com/seawolf46usa2001
- 1 April 2001: The pharmacy portion of the Tricare for Life entitlement started.
See http://www.tricare.mil/ndaa/fast_facts.htm
1 May 2001: Working with Jack Hollinsworth and Lonnie
Vessell to advertise THE GATHERING a REGIONAL MILITARY RETIREE
GRASS ROOTS SUMMIT MEETING in Lawton Oklahoma
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/oksummit.html
June 2001: CAG Lawsuit - The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, Washington, D.C. ordered plaintiffs L/Cols. “Sam” Schism and Robert Reinlie be re-heard in oral argument on their Feb 2001 victory in the FedCt of Appeals, March 6, 2002 at 2:00 PM, re: Military Retiree Lifetime Medical Care. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, Washington, DC agrees to a rehearing before the full (en banc) court.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/e99-1402.html
1 July 2001: Working with Jim Whittington to advertise
the Military Retiree Grass Roots Group auto tag.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/jw-tag.html
27 Sept 2001: Working with Donald L.Waterworth Sr.,
American Military Retiree Association, to advertise a earned
healthcare portable billboard project.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/amra-00.html
- 1 Oct 2001: The Medicare Supplement portion of the Tricare for Life entitlement started.
See http://www.tricare.mil/ndaa/fast_facts.htm
18 Nov 2001: Started a project to reform TRICARE
Prime, Extra, and Standard.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/reform-0.html
20 Dec 2001: Assisting in an effort to generate a
White Paper document concerning the military retiree medical care
broken promise issue.
The White
Paper document, which was completed on 20 May 2002, was prepared
by; Colonel John M. Vann (USA-Ret), Colonel Jim Engelage
(USA-Ret), LTC Tom Dooley (USA-Ret), LTC Douglas Dukes
(USAF-Ret), LTC Dave Vann (USA-Ret), Major Pete Peterson [the
White Paper web master] (AUS-Ret), SGM Floyd Felts (USA-Ret), and
MSGT Jim Whittington (USAF-Ret).
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/whitepaper.html
- 31 Dec 2001: Tricare Senior Prime (TSP) ended at KAFB. As of 1 Jan 2002 it became necessary for my wife and I to once again returned to the Medicare fee-for-service plan with Tricare for Life as a Medicare Supplement. It should be noted that with the end of TSP a new program was initiated at KAFB called Tricare Plus (TP). The TP program allows us to remain at KAFB for our primary medical care. However, if specialty care is need which is not available at Keesler we must go downtown on Medicare. At this point we are still in the Military Healthcare System with Medicare fee-for-service as a back-up. We can still make appointment at Keesler for primary care the same as we did while we were under TSP, but if we must go downtown for specialty medical care we must handle this on our own through Medicare.
28 Jan 2002: Developed a web page to promote the
TRICARE Town Meetings In Mississippi.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/townmeet.html
- 6 March 2002: CAG Lawsuit - Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, Washington, DC hears oral argument in the case.
7 March 2002: Developed a web page to capture comments
concerning the The
Class Act Lawsuit Hearing in the Federal Appeals Court -
Washington D.C. on 6 March 2002.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history5.html
15 March 2002: Developed web pages to Support Reelection
of Congressman Ronnie Shows.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/shows-01.html <== Changed 3 Dec 2002 to a
Letter of Appreciation to Ronnie Shows.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/shows-02.html <== Removed 3 Dec 2002.
1 April 2002: Developed a web page to Support
Reelection of Congressman Gene Taylor.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/taylor-1.html
12 April 2002: Developed a web page to encourage
military retirees to join the Class Action Lawsuit.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/join-01.html
19 April 2002: Posted photos of the "All Veterans
Summit and Rally 2002" on the Internet.
See http://photos.yahoo.com/fhs1713
2 May 2002: Developed a web page to advertise the
WHITE PAPER web page.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle1.html
6 June 2002: Posted down loadable copies of the WHITE PAPER on the Internet in the Adobe and MS Word format. See http://briefcase.yahoo.com/fhs1713
17 June 2002: Developed a plan (Operation TELL-EM)
designed to tell the Congress about the Military Retiree Grass
Roots Group (MRGRG) Medical Care Broken Promise Issue WHITE
PAPER.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/tell-em.html
8 July 2002: Developed a web page titled "Back to
the Basics" using information extracted from the National
Association for Uniformed Services [NAUS] Uniformed Services
Journal for September/October 1997.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/basics.html
15 Aug 2002: Completed the task of moving The Retired Military Advocate web site from http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/f/s/fsears/ to http://MRGRG-MS.org/
20 Aug 2002: Developed a web page to STOP Cuts to
Medicare Providers.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/stopcuts.html
20 Sept 2002: Developed a web page to honor Jim
Whittington.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/jw-dar.html
8 Nov 2002: Developed a MRGRG Congressional
Notification Tracking System designed to Save TFL by Stopping
cuts to Medicare providers.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/poll-01m.html (this web page has been deleted)
- 18 Nov 2002: CAG Lawsuit - Current court ruling affirming the US Government position that military retirees have no legal standing to receive the medical care promised.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/f99-1402.html
- 21 Nov 2002: The 3rdCRS Report For Congress - Military Health Care: The Issue of "Promised" Benefits, 98-1006 F, was published. See http://mrgrg-ms.org/crs1006c-the-issue-of-promised-benefits.pdf
3 Dec 2002: Changed the http://mrgrg-ms.org/shows-01.html web page to a Letter of Appreciation for Ronnie Shows.
- 12 Feb 2003: CAG Lawsuit - CAG Rally in Washington DC - A military retiree rally was held in Washington DC to protest the 18 Nov 2002 Appeals Court ruling.
22 Jan 2003: Developed a series of web pages to
explain the greatest swindle of all time... a broken contract
with America's military retirees, which explains: the difference
between a military retiree and a military veteran, the
misunderstanding, the confusion factor, the medical care promise,
the law that was changed in 1956, how and why the promise was
broken, the law was changed in 1956 but the promise was made as
late as 1991, and many other points.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/brief00.html
- 24 Jan 2003: CAG Lawsuit - A Petition for a writ of Certiorari was filed in the Supreme Court of the United States.
1 Mar 2003: Developed a web page to show photos of
the 12 Feb 2003 CAG DC Rally.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/12-feb-2003-dc-rally.html
11 Apr 2003: Established a discussion group on the
Internet to discuss the military retiree medical care broken
promise issue.
See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MRGRG-MS-TALK/
25 May 2003: Developed a MRGRG Congressional
Notification Tracking System designed to Educate the Senate.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/educate1.html
- 2 Jun 2003: CAG Lawsuit - The Supreme Court refuses to hear the CAG Lawsuit.
28 July 2003: Developed a web page to advertise the
greatest swindle of all time.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/ad-swindle-00.html
- 6 Nov 2003: HR 3474, The Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act, the revised version, was introduced by Rep Van Hollen.
See: http://mrgrg-ms.org/hr3474.html
- 12 Aug 2003: The 4thCRS Report For Congress - Military Health Care: The Issue of "Promised" Benefits, 98-1006 F, was published. See http://mrgrg-ms.org/crs1006d-the-issue-of-promised-benefits.pdf
8 Nov 2003: Developed a web page to advertise HR
3474.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/hr3474.html
15 Dec 2003: Developed a web page to assist Col Harry
Riley (USA ret), in the "Plan of Action to get HR 3474
passed".
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/hr-3474-plan.html
4 Feb 2004: For the record, this is a summary of
"A bill to restore health care coverage to retired members
of the uniformed services" extracted from THOMAS
See http://thomas.loc.gov/
- Title: A bill to restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services.
106 CONGRESS:
28 Sept 1999 - HR 2966 - Introduced by Rep Shows
24 Jan 2000 - S 2003 - Introduced by Sen Johnson
02 Feb 2000 - HR 3573 - (HR 2966 with changes) Introduced by Shows
The order HR 2966 - S 2003 - HR 3573
107th CONGRESS:
03 Jan 2001 - HR 179 Introduced by Rep Shows
07 Feb 2001 - S 278 Introduced by Sen Johnson
The order HR 179 - S 278
108th CONGRESS:
07 Jan 2003 - HR 58 Introduced by Rep Edwards
07 Jan 2003 - S 56 Introduced by Sen Johnson
The order HR 58 - S 56
108th CONGRESS:
06 Nov 2003 - HR 3474 Introduced by Rep Van Hollen
11 Feb 2004 - S 2065 Introduced by Senator Tim Johnson
11 Feb 2004: S 2065 - the Senate version of
HR 3474 - The Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act
was introduced by Senator Johnson.
See: http://mrgrg-ms.org/history8.html
17 Feb 2004: Attended the Class Act Group Conference,
in Ft Walton Beach.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history9.html
9 Mar 2004:
Added a web page
concerning the Senate Debate that led to Tricare for Life (TFL)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history10.html
11 Mar 2004:
Added a web page to show
that a bill was introduced: To amend title 10, United States
Code, to provide that persons retiring from the Armed Forces
shall be entitled to all benefits which were promised them when
they entered the Armed Forces.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history11.html
31 Mar 2004:
Jim Whittington and Floyd
Sears attend a meeting, in Jackson Mississippi, with Governor
Haley Barbour for the signing of a proclamation in support of
military retiree medical care.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/gov-barbour-proc.html
8 April 2004:
Added an Information Board
web page such that MRGRG participants can keep each other
informed concerning their lobbying activities.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/ib.html
19 May 2004:
Added a web page in honor
of Phil Alperson.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/phil-alperson.html
15 June 2004:
Changed the
"Information Board" to the "MRGRG Lobbying
Activities Record" and made it possible for MRGRG
participants to enter their lobbying activities into a data base.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/cgi-bin/mrgrg-lobbying-survey.cgi
1 Aug 2004: Created a PowerPoint presentation of "the greatest swindle of all time... a broken contract with America's military retirees". This file is available on the Internet for download at http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle.ppt. If you decide to download this file then be advised that it is a very large (13+Mbytes) file. Microsoft PowerPoint software or the Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer is required to look at and listen to this presentation.
20 Sept 2004:
Added a "NAUS TRICARE
for Life – A Brief History" web page.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history12-naus-tfl.html
26 Sept 2004:
Posted a series of 30
narrated web pages concerning the military retiree medical care
broken promise issue. This is a briefing designed to educate the
Congress, Congressional Staff Members, the News Media, the
American People, all Veterans, and all Veterans Service
Organizations, concerning the greatest swindle of all time... a
broken contract with America's military retirees. It must be
understand that there is a difference between the "military
retiree" and the "military veteran" in reference
to the medical care that was promised to each group after their
service to their country.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle00.html
28
Sept 2004:
Congressman
Norwood introduced - HR 5152 - A bill that would require the Secretary
of Defense to take such actions as are necessary to change the
reimbursement rates and cost sharing requirements under the Tricare
program to be the same as, or as similar as possible to, the
reimbursement rates and cost sharing requirements under the Blue
Cross/Blue Shield Standard Plan provided under the Federal Employee
Health Benefit program under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code.
(108 Congress)
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history13.html
23 Nov 2004:
Started the tracking of a
Tom Gould initiative, with a code name "Brown Bag
Project", which is a continuation of the initiative to
educate the Congress in reference to the military retiree medical
care broken promise issue.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history14.html for the Tom Gould "Brown Bag
Project" plan.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/educate-the-congress.html which is the web form to enter contact
data.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/cgi-bin/educate-the-congress.cgi which is a .cgi program to display the
contact data.
2 Feb 2005: Congressman Chris Van Hollen re-introduced the "Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act", HR 602 in the House.
16 Feb 2005: Senator Johnson re-introduced the "Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act", S 407 in the Senate.
- 31 Dec 2005: CAG Lawsuit - Fort Walton Beach, FL, The Class Act Group Office closed its doors.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history15.html
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/history16.html
17 Jan 2006:
Generated and posted a web page for the "Tim
Forehand"
initiated FAX A REPRESENTATIVE Project. The FAX A REP project was
designed to counter a plan by the Department of Defense to
increase the fees and copays for military retirees (less than age
65) on Tricare Prime by lobbying the Congress. This project,
along with other Military Retiree Grass Roots Groups activities,
resulted in the introduction of HR 4949, the Military Retirees'
Health Care Protection Act, to amend title 10, United States
Code, to prohibit increases in fees for military health care.
See http://mrgrg-ms.org/fax-it.html
- 19 Jan 2006: The 5thCRS Report For Congress - Military Health Care: The Issue of "Promised" Benefits, 98-1006 F, was published. See http://mrgrg-ms.org/crs1006e-the-issue-of-promised-benefits.pdf
17 Feb 2006: Attended a meeting in Fort Walton Beach, FL, designed to pay tribute to Colonel George E. "Bud" Day by establishing the Colonel George E. "Bud" Day Department of Military Science and ROTC at Okaloosa-Walton College. The Okaloosa-Walton College, located in the community where Col. Day lives with his wife Doris, is seeking funds to name the Department of Military Science. The amount needed for this endeavor is $25,000. Once raised, this amount will be matched dollar for dollar by the state of Florida. The resulting $50,000 will be endowed and the interest earned will be used to provide two annual scholarships in-perpetuity for deserving ROTC students in their first two years of college. Members of the Class Act Group and the Military Retiree Grass Roots Group are being asked to make a contribution of $100.00.
28 Feb 2007: Representatives Chris Van
Hollen (D-MD), Chet Edwards (D-TX), Jeff Miller (R-FL) and Walter
Jones (R-NC) introduced two bills in Congress today: a revised
version of the Keep Our Promise to America’s Military
Retirees Act (HR 1222) and a new bill, the Keeping Faith with the
Greatest Generation Military Retirees Act (HR 1223).
see: http://mrgrg-ms.org/history18-hr-1222-1223-intro.html
29 Mar 2008: MRGRG - still lobbying the Congress
to stop the cuts to Medicare payments.
3 April
2008: For health reasons, I must give up the fight to regain
the medical care military retirees were promised.
May God bless those that continue the fight...
(home)