FRA BRANCH 126 NEWS FOR JULY & AUGUST 2017 TREASURER / EDITOR WILLIAM T. KULIER EDWARD H. GRIBBIN

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1 PRESIDENT PRESIDENT FRA BRANCH 126 & SE Region VP West Jax FR HALL INC JAMES J. THOMAS ALVIN D. ROBY Phone Phone VICE PRESIDENT UNIT 126 PRESIDENT HERMAN ELROD VERALYN THOMAS Phone Phone SECRETARY LAFRA SE Region President MARTHA KLINIKOWSKI VERALYN THOMAS Phone Phone TREASURER / EDITOR WILLIAM T. KULIER EDWARD H. GRIBBIN Bkulier72@gmaiil.com begribb@att.net Phone Phone MEMBERSHIP ADDRESS ALL MAIL TO: FLEET RESERVE HALL, 7673 BLANDING BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL HALL TELEPHONE (904) BRANCH WEB SITE: JULY & AUGUST 2017 EDITION NOTICE: The items or opinions published in the Branch 126 Newsletter are those of the contributor of that particular article, and not necessarily that of the Editor, FRA Branch 126 Inc., or the Fleet Reserve Association. JULY 2017 Tuesday 04 July 0800 Independence day! Fly your Flag. Wednesday 05 July 1930 Branch Board of Directors meeting Thursday 20 July 2000 Branch meeting AUGUST 2017 Wednesday 02 Aug 1930 Branch Board of Directors meeting Friday 04 Aug Happy Birthday US Coast Guard (1790) Saturday 05 Aug Academic Postal Envelope stuffing working party (page 2, item 3) Monday 07 Aug 1930 West Jax Inc BOD Thursday 17 Aug 2000 Branch Meeting Thursday 24 Aug FRA Southeast Region Convention Branch 126 President James J. Thomas is currently the Vice President of the FRA Southeast Region comprised of FRA Branches in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. He is up for election to SE Region President at the upcoming convention in Goose Creek, SC. If elected, he will be installed during the FRA National Convention to be held in Hunt Valley, MD in September nd FRA SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CONVENTION AUGUST Hosted by FRA Low Country Branch 269 in Goose Creek, SC. The convention location is at the Double Tree by Hilton, 7401 Northwoods Blvd, North Charleston, SC. The room rate is $99 plus 13.5% plus a $1 occupancy tax per room per night includes freeparking and a Free Hot Buffet breakfast. You must make your reservations by 24 July to get the preferred rate. Call (843) and specify Group Reservations under Fleet Reserve Association Code FR1. More info is posted on the Branch Bulletin board and the FRA SE Region web page at SEPTEMBER 2017 Monday 04 Sept 1930 West Jax Inc BOD (Labor Day) Wednesday 06 Sept 1930 Branch Board of Directors meeting Tuesday 12 Sept 1400 Branch Birthday Dinner at Golden Corral Friday 15 Sept POW-MIA Recognition Day Thursday 21 Sept 2000 Branch Meeting The Korean War Veteran s Association meets at the Branch Hall on the 4 th Tuesday of each month. The hall opens at noon and the meeting starts at The POC is Shipmate Henry Moreland at (904)

2 The Editor s Column Bill Kulier.. (904) Bkulier72@gmail.com 1. Our May monthly meeting, chaired by Branch President Thomas, stared early as we had an Awards Ceremony. Each of 4 high school seniors received a $1000 scholarship. Seventeen Shipmates and ladies attended the meeting. During the June meeting President Thomas presented a recruiting Award to Shipmate William Walsh for recruiting an active duty member and a 40 years of Continuous Membership Award to Shipmate Richard E. Wood. We had 16 Shipmates and Ladies in attendance. 2. We had a turnout of 33 Shipmates and Ladies for the combined Branch/Unit installation ceremony on 10 June The 36 Shipmates and Ladies who attended the installation luncheon enjoyed an outstanding meal at Carrabba s Italian Grill. The next scheduled Branch hosted dinner will be at the Golden Corral in Orange Park, FL on 12 September We will not be participating in the Independence Day parade in Middleburg, FL this year. The parade route was changed because of construction on Blanding Blvd and there was very limited parking on the new route. 4. Shipmate VP Jack Elrod needs volunteers to come to the Hall on Saturday, 5 August at 0900 to help stuff envelopes in support of the Branch Youth Activities Program. This is an annual event where we print, stuff and mail Academic Postal Exam Forms to NJROTC Units nationwide. 5. We are now a Group Three Branch as our membership has declined to 332 members. We have a few new people attending our monthly meetings and they are becoming more involved in Branch functions. Unlike many other FRA Branches we are financially sound with sufficient active members to sustain current operations. Going forward new members will be our life blood. 2 Why Join the TRDP? Since 1998, the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) has been providing Uniformed Services retirees and their families with affordable dental care. There are no age limits for you or your spouse and you can enroll at any time. New retirees have an exclusive opportunity to enroll within four months after retirement and skip the 12-month waiting period for major comprehensive services like braces, crowns and implants. Enrolling in the TRDP can also help you: Maintain your oral health and quality of life. The TRDP offers you a wide scope of dental procedures to help you improve and maintain your oral health, with 100% coverage for routine diagnostic and preventive services like two exams, a set of bitewing x-rays and two cleanings in a 12- month period. What s more, a third cleaning is covered for diagnosed Type 1 or Type 2 diabetics. Be sure to talk with your dentist to see if a third cleaning is right for you. Save money. Choosing a dentist from our large TRDP network of dentists can save you an average of 22% on your out-ofpocket costs. Find a dentist near you. Learn how the average cost of TRDP premiums for one year compares to the cost of annual preventive care in Dollars and Sense. Access your coverage anytime, anywhere! Your TRDP coverage is portable, meaning it travels with you. Whether you live stateside or overseas, you have access to your TRDP coverage. And if you find yourself needing emergency dental services when you re traveling, you can rest assured that the TRDP s got you covered. Editor s note: I copied this from I have been enrolled in this Tricare Retiree Dental Program for over 12 years without any problems If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

3 BRANCH ACTIVITIES Branch 68 th Birthday - 12 September 2017 Wow! Branch 126 will be celebrating its 68 th Anniversary with a dinner at Golden Corral on Blanding Blvd in Orange Park, Florida from from (2 to 4 pm). The dinner is FREE for all Branch 126 members, Unit 126 members and their significant other or driver. We hope to see you there! Why do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke? 90th FRA/85th LA FRA NATIONAL CONVENTION SEPTEMBER 17-23, HUNT VALLEY, MD - The Convention venue is the Hunt Valley Inn, a Wyndham Grand Hotel, in Cockeysville, Maryland. It is newly renovated and has a rustic atmosphere; 7 miles north of Baltimore, Maryland. For more info visit the Hunt Valley Inn e at: For reservations, call (866) reference the Fleet Reserve Association Room Block to get the discounted rate, $99 per night, plus tax. For directions, visit the aforementioned hotel website or the FRA Branch 4 website and follow the link to 2017 National Convention : The West Jax Fleet Reserve Hall Inc President s Corner Al Roby The Medical Equipment locker: We have many wheel chairs loaned out with a few available for check out at this time. These are high demand items so please be sure to bring them back as soon as you are done with them. We also have a good supply of canes, crutches, potty chairs & assorted equipment to loan out. Call Shipmate Johnson at or Al Roby at Hall Upgrades: We are currently making extensive upgrades to our Hall. The kitchen floor has been replaced. The kitchen has been painted and some of the appliances have been updated. The water lines in the Hall have been upgraded to PVC and a new water heater has been installed. MEMBERSHIP Edward Gribbin Branch 126 Membership on 3 June 2017 is 332 IN MEMORY OF OUR DEPARTED SHIPMATE Senior Shipmate ADJC Max Farney, USN, retired, age 86, an FRA member since 1966, reprted to the Staff of the Supreme Commander on 22 November Chief Petty Officer Farney was a resident of Seward, NE. His passing was reported in May 2017 by a representative of his estate. New Members...0 Reinstated Members...0 Transferred Members...0 Terminated Members..2 Deceased Members 1 Non-payment of dues 1 Members Past due...2 Shipmates due to renew membership...13 Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. But we never hear about welfare or food stamps running out of money! What's interesting is the first group "worked for" their money, but the second didn't. 3

4 Need Medical Advice Late at Night? Call the Nurse Advice Line The Nurse Advice Line (NAL) gives you a medical professional that is just a phone call away. Registered nurses are available 24 hours per day and answer roughly 1,750 calls each day. When you call the NAL ( , option 1), the nurse will: - Check your DEERS eligibility - Ask questions about your medical situation - Assess if you need to see a health care provider and determine what level of care is best. In many cases, the nurse will tell you how to care for your issue on your own. If needed, the nurse will help you find the closest emergency room or urgent care center. He or she can also help you schedule a next-day appointment at a military hospital or clinic, if available. The NAL isn't a substitute for emergency treatment and not meant for emergency advice. If you have a medical emergency, call 911 or go the nearest emergency room. For more information watch the TRICARE video on NAL and read the Emergency and Urgent Care Fact Sheet. You can call the NAL at TRICARE ( ) and select option 1. I don't mean to brag, but I finished my 14-day diet food in 3 hours and 20 minutes. TRICARE Changes to Nexium Coverage Starting on June 28, 2017, TRICARE will no longer include the drug Nexium in the preferred, or formulary, drug list, and it will no longer be available in military hospitals and clinics. In order to prepare for the change, patients are currently being asked to switch to one of the following three preferred alternatives that have been shown to demonstrate effective results. Omeprazole or Pantoprazole or Rabeprazole Your doctor may determine that the preferred alternatives are not right for you and that Nexium is medically necessary. To be medically necessary means it is appropriate, reasonable, and adequate for your condition. In those cases, TRICARE will continue to cover the cost of Nexium, minus the $20 copay for a 90-day supply of home delivery and $24 copay for a 30-day supply via a retail outlet. Your doctor must submit a prior authorization and a reason why it is medically necessary via the Express Scripts doctor line in order for you to fill your prescription. For patients who continue to use Nexium with a prior authorization but WITHOUT a doctor's medical necessity determination, the non-formulary copay cost will be $49 for a 90-day supply via home pharmacy delivery or $50 for a 30-day supply via a retail outlet. Navy e-cigarette Ban - Vaping Lamp Out Throughout The Fleet The Navy has banned electronic cigarettes and vaping devices throughout the fleet, citing concerns that the battery-powered gadgets can explode and injure sailors. The new rule "suspends the use, possession, storage, and charging of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems aboard ships, submarines, aircraft, boats, craft and heavy equipment, according to a Navy press release 14 APR The FRA American Essay Contest theme is What Patriotism Means to Me. has been announced and will be posted on the Branch web site at Printed copies will be available in the Hall in July and printed in the September Branch newsletter. The Navy is increasing its High Year Tenure policy for active component and Full Time Support E-4 through E-6 Sailors by two years in an effort to improve sea duty manning. The updated policy, which sets the maximum number of years a Sailor may serve based on rank, will go into effect Aug. 1, The updated HYT changes are: - E-4: increases from 8 years to 10 years - E-5: increases from 14 years to 16 years - E-6: increases from 20 years to 22 years. 4

5 Shipmate Al Peter Tolled the bell and the names of the deceased were read during the Branch Memorial Day Service at Jacksonville Memory Gardens on 28 May NJROTC Cadets Erin Poblete, Tristan Thacker, Savannah DeGraff and Kevin Ellis from Fleming Island High School Paraded the Colors. Bugler, MU2 Stephen Delross, from Navy Band Southeast, played Taps. A Salute was fired by a rifle squad from NAS Jacksonville, Florida. Branch and Unit 126 Presidents, James J. and Veralyn Thomas placed wreaths in honor of our recently deceased Shipmates and Ladies. We thank Shipmate Elmer Wine for these photos. 5