THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 4, 1995 TAG: 9501040428
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICHARD GRIMES, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
I am the widow of an retired Army soldier and I have received benefits since he died. How can I find out if I'm eligible for other benefits?
The state Department of Veterans Affairs runs a hot line staffed by benefits counselors for just this reason. The number is (800) 827-1000. As with most useful phone numbers, there may be a wait. Have the veteran's claim or Social Security number handy.
If you have a question about pensions, a call to the Finance and Accounting center in Indiana may help. Their number is (317) 543-7388.
How do I replace military medals from World War II?
The Navy Exchange now carries medals, and anyone with exchange privileges can buy them. The exchange carries all full-sized medals, except for those given by the president - the Medal of Honor or the Presidential Unit Citation, for instance.
Although it would be nice to have your medals replaced for free, the basic rule is that the government gives ``one medal, one time.''
Why are baggers allowed to shop at the commissary?
A spokeswoman for the Defense Commissary Agency says that while baggers perform an important service for commissary customers, their work does not entitle them to shop in the commissary. Only baggers with the proper affiliation to the military are allowed to shop at their stores.
Anyone suspecting that an unauthorized shopper is using the commissary should notify the commissary officer.
Is the Navy giving a cost-of-living increase in 1995?
It depends on whether you're referring to a Cost of Living Allowance, usually given only to retirees, or the pay raises that active duty personnel receive.
Active-duty personnel overseas sometimes draw a cost-of-living allowance if they live in an expensive area overseas - Japan, for instance - but generally, an overseas cost-of-living allowance is different.
In the 1995 Defense Appropriations Bill, retirees who are 100 percent disabled received a 2.8 percent increase effective Dec. 1, 1994. All other retirees will receive the same increase on March 1, 1995.
The active-duty pay raise is 2.6 percent, effective Jan. 1. In addition, the bill gives Department of the Navy civilians a 2.5 percent pay raise that becomes effective April 1.
Does the government have a policy requiring the military to buy from small businesses rather than large businesses?
It's called Small Business Set-Aside program. Every procurement under $25,000 should be bought from a small business unless a small business can't provide it. Further, at least three bids from small businesses should be solicited for the purchase, unless there's fewer suppliers of that product.
The government modified this position in October with the Acquisition Reform Act, which says that any purchase under $2,500 can be procured from any supplier and that can be done without a bidding process. MEMO: Hot Line runs every other week. To submit your questions, see the
INFOLINE box at left.
by CNB