Tune That Name

I was pleased to see the proposed name change for TROA. As an active duty junior officer I often get odd looks when I approach fellow officers regarding membership. I believe the name change will go a long way toward improving membership among our active duty officers.

Lt. J.J. Miller, USNR
via e-mail

Since becoming a member of TROA, I have always felt that our name was too restrictive, and I was encouraged by the action of the board in February. With members of our organization coming also from the USPHS and NOAA, would it not be appropriate to call ourselves "Uniformed" Officers Association of America since this would appear to be all-inclusive?

Lt. Col. Allan Novak, USAF-Ret.
via e-mail

The proposed TROA name change met with overwhelming disapproval at our last TROA council meeting. Key in our concern was the loss of an established and prestigious high-profile name. ...

Moreover, the "retired" aspect of TROA suggests a body of experienced professionals that one would enjoy associating with. Name changes are high-risk, too. Years ago an account of mine ... spent a fortune with a name change, only in frustration to return to the name Sunoco that won them their initial good fortune. As for Burma becoming Myanmar, it will always be Burma to me, and as a life member I will always feel the same about TROA. More TROA exposure in military and veterans' publications as to whom we want and what we accomplish may prove more beneficial than just a name change.

CWO Anthony De Angelis, USA-Ret.
Villas, N.J.

Editor's note: As you might expect, TROA has carefully considered the issue of identity. See "Securing Our Future," page 28.

As a World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam veteran, no problem with me on the name change. Something must be done to obtain new, younger members. We World War II vets are fading fast into the sunset and need to pass the torch to those following in our footpaths. ...

A TROA name change would be very helpful in this endeavor. The word "retired" leaves the young and others cold. Most active duty officers don't know how active TROA is on their and their survivors' behalf.

... Regardless, TROA will need to allocate more time and space addressing the younger group's activities, needs, and their input [and] representation. Across the board the overall local chapter general membership ... must become more actively involved. This might be the most challenging endeavor.

Lt. Col. Thomas Stephens, AUS-Ret.
Hereford, Ariz.

Concurrent Receipt Action

I am disappointed that Congress has seen fit to disregard concurrent receipt of retiree pay and veterans' disability compensation. I, for one, do not intend to vote for congressmen and senators who fail to support this legislation. I hope that all other disabled retirees will join with me.

Maj. Harold L. Starr, USA-Ret.
Columbia, S.C.

They Laughed, They Cried

For those who still have not had a smooth transition to TFL, hang in there. It will eventually happen. In my case I was "crossed over" in a timely fashion.

However, my wife was not crossed over until mid-January, even though we both had met all requirements on Oct. 1. Until mid-January, despite numerous phone calls and letters to Medicare and TFL, each agency said it was the other's fault. Their letters read like a new chapter in Catch-22.

The saving grace was that the responses from Medicare and TFL kept us laughing. (ok, occasionally we wept.) However, many thanks to TROA for its efforts in getting us this benefit.

Lt. Cmdr. Don Lidke, USNR-Ret.
via e-mail

I read about "TFL Claims Update" ["Washington Scene," February 2002] and am glad I did. My wife and I disenrolled from an hmo effective Feb. 1, 2002, and thought everything was ok. Not so—after I followed your advice and called the TFL Call Center at (888) 363-5433, I found that our records had not been updated.

It was necessary to mail copies of our disenrollment verification from the hmo to [tricare] and request our records be updated. As always, I was glad I followed your timely advice and hope that any others recently disenrolled from an hmo will get busy and make sure their records have been updated.

Lt. Col. Bill Hutchinson, USAF-Ret.
via e-mail

Coming Soon: LTC

I received a mailing today from some organization describing itself as the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in West Chester, Pa. It claims to be underwritten by John Hancock and MetLife and offers a free newsletter on a "soon-to-be-available federal long term care insurance program."

... Two problems: I haven't heard about such a program being discussed or legislated, and I don't recognize the office involved. Does TROA have any information on this?

Sounds good, but suspicious also.

Lt. Col. Channing Greene, USA-Ret.
via e-mail

Editor's note: The mailing is legitimate. We have published information on this program on TROA's Web Base, www.troa.org/legislative/healthcare/ltc.asp. Look for a feature article with more detailed information in an upcoming issue of The Retired Officer Magazine as the program nears implementation.

FTC Info on Identity Theft

I appreciated "Protect Your Identity" ["Answer Digest," February 2002]. The piece included good advice for military retirees on minimizing their risk of identity theft, but even the most conscientious consumers can still be victimized by identity thieves.

... Consumers who experience identity theft should call the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) ID Theft Hotline toll-free at (877) 438-4338 (id-theft) or visit the id Theft Web site [accessible via TROA's links page, www.troa.org/magazine/links.asp] to report the theft. Counselors will take their complaint over the phone and advise them on how to deal with the credit-related problems that can result from identity theft. Reports of identity theft are added to Consumer Sentinel, an online "cybertool" and fraud complaint database used by hundreds of civil and criminal law-enforcement agencies.

Callers can request a copy of the ftc's free publication, "Identity Theft: When Bad Things Happen To Your Good Name." This 32-page booklet details the steps that consumers should take to respond to identity theft. It includes an id Theft Affidavit Form—making it easier for consumers to dispute debts resulting from identity theft. The id Theft Affidavit is accepted by the three major credit bureaus, many credit issuers, and other financial institutions. The booklet and affidavit are also available on the id Theft Web site.

J. Howard Beales, Director
Bureau of Consumer Protection
Federal Trade Commission
Washington, D.C.