Dear Military Spouse,

Good News!

You'll see several improvements in the quality of life for military members, spouses and children in 2009 and beyond, thanks to the defense bill that the House and Senate adopted last week.

Here at MOAA, we’ve been working to get you: More financial help. More career support. More educational enhancements.

The results of these family-focused initiatives can be found in the new defense bill with its PCS improvements, additional financial support for parents of disabled children, paternity leave, and a higher pay raise than even the President wanted.

As a military spouse, you deserve to know about what will affect your life. Check out some of the other improvements in the Defense Bill.

And check out the issues below for some more news you should know about...and urge your friends to email familyaction@moaa.org and sign up for MOAA's legislative updates and alerts so they can help improve quality-of-life issues for military families, too!

Are Out-of-State Tuition Rates - Out of Date?
September is almost over and school is in full swing. Many military parents who left a college student behind when they PSCed felt financial pain when their son or daughter's tuition jumped to out-of-state rates. Will this be the last fall term when 13 hold-out states can charge military students more when their parents PCS?

Spouses to Benefit from New Civil Service Appointment Rule
A Presidential order signed on September 25 authorizes non-compete civil service appointments for some spouses and survivors.

Children of Retirees Need Extended Health Care Benefits
Active duty families with a disabled child can take a big financial hit upon retirement under current TRICARE Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) program rules. MOAA is pushing legislation to address this inequity.

Insurance Coverage Expanded to Stillborns
Should military parents be able to receive insurance payouts for stillborn children? Legislation awaiting the President's signature would authorize it.

Sincerely,

Joy Dunlap
Deputy Director, Military Family Issues
Government Relations Department