MCRA Newsletter
Marine Corps Reserve Association 8626 Lee Highway Fairfax, VA
22031-2135
Vol 2, Issue 2
The Association announced its Annual Meeting to be held on 15-17
May 2009 in the Quantico, Virginia area. Specific lodging, rates and
agenda will be provided at a later date. At that meeting changes to the
MCRA’s Bylaws will be considered. I invite you to
visit the Association Web site (www.usmcra.org)
to
view the February edition of the e-WORD for further details.
Plans for the Association Congressional Reception (by
invitation only) for March 19, 2009 are coming along well. Among the
guests who have accepted our invitation are the Commandant and the
Assistant Commandant. Also, Joe Vowell has been successful in getting
some of our old corporate sponsors to attend the event and they are
expected to sponsor us in future events.
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Our Motto
The objective of all dedicated
employees should be to thoroughly analyze all situations, anticipate
all problems prior to their occurrence, have answers for these
problems, and move swiftly to solve these problems when called upon.
Our problem has been that when you are up to your derriere in
alligators, it is difficult to remind yourself that your initial
objective was to drain the swamp.
Fortunately we have been able to keep on task and as the year
progresses, things are looking better all the time for the Association.
We thank those of you who have sent encouraging note and especially
those who have been able to send donations to keep the Association
going. We are like the Phoenix rising out of the ashes of the disaster
in Virginia Beach.
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When you visit the Association Web site, remember to visit the
Legislative News page. New information is posted on a regular basis
about bills introduced in the House and in the Senate on matters
concerning members. Contacting your Representative and your Senators on
these bills is your right and you are encouraged to exercise your right.
LPM
Free Tax Assistance for
Members of the Military
If
you or your spouse are a member of the military, you may be eligible to
receive free tax return preparation assistance. The U.S. Armed Forces
participates in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and
provides free tax advice, tax preparation, return filing and other tax
assistance to military members and their families.
The Armed Forces Tax Council oversees the
operation of the military tax programs worldwide, conducting outreach
with the IRS to military personnel and their families. The AFTC
consists of tax program coordinators for the Marine Corps, Air Force,
Army, Navy and Coast Guard.
Volunteer assistors at Military-based VITA
sites are trained to address military-specific tax issues, such as
combat zone tax benefits and the new Earned Income Tax Credit
guidelines.
To receive this free assistance, you should bring the following
records to your military VITA site:
- Valid photo identification
- Social
Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents or a social security
number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration
- Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents
- Current year’s tax package, if you received one
- Wage and earning statement(s) -- Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R
- Interest and dividend statements (Forms 1099)
- A copy of last year’s federal and state tax returns, if available
- Checkbook (to get routing number and account number for direct
deposit)
- Total amount paid for day care and day care provider’s
identifying number
- Other relevant information about income and expenses
If
your filing status is Married Filing Jointly and you wish to file your
tax return electronically, both you and your spouse should be present
to sign the required forms. If it isn’t possible for both to be
present, a valid power of attorney that allows tax preparation can be
used to sign and file the return.
There is a special exception to using a power
of attorney for spouses in combat zones that permits the filing spouse
to e-file a joint return with only a written statement setting forth
that the other spouse is in a combat zone and is unable to sign.
The above is taken from an IRS Notice.
HELP US LOCATE RECIPIENTS
The Association is trying to locate
recipients of the Non Sibi, Sed Patriae award. Perhaps some members can remember someone who
received the award. Please let us know if you or someone you know
received this award.
HELP SAVE OUR MILITARY CREDIT UNIONS FROM
DISASTER
The Secretary of the Treasury plans to force our military credits
unions to pay for the irresponsible investments made by the
"commercial" credit unions . As you know, our military credit unions
have been managed in the best interests of our military service
members. They have not participated in the "sub-prime" foolishness of
other financial institutions. Yet, the Secretary deems it proper that
the credit unions owned by our service members should pay for the
foolishness of civilian credit unions. Attached is a sample letter you
can use to ask the President to halt this robbery of our credit unions.
LPM
MORE LEGISLATIVE NEWS
New bills introduced in Congress which are of concern to our
membership. Please don't just sit on your butt about these bills. Be an
active member and express your opinion to your Representative or
Senators as appropriate.
H.R. 484 was introduced on 13 January 2009 by Rep Mike Rogers
(R-AL).
Title: To require the Secretary of
Defense to develop and implement a plan to provide chiropractic health
care services and benefits for certain beneficiaries as a part of the
TRICARE program.
Latest Major Action: Referred
to the House Committee on Military Personnel.
H.R. 917 was introduced on 9 February 2009 by Rep Brett Guthrie
(R-KY).
Title: To increase the health benefits of dependents of members
of the Armed Forces who die because of a combat-related injury.
Latest Major Action: Referred to the House Committee on Armed
Forces.
H.R. 1182 was introduced on 25 February 2009 by Rep John Carter
(R-TX).
Title: To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to
guarantee the equity of spouses of military personnel with regard to
matters of residency and for other purposes.
Latest Major Action: Referred
to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.
S. 475 was introduced on 25 February 2009 by Senator Richard
Burr (R-NC) and is the Senate companion bill to H.R. 1182 above.
Title: To amend the Servicemembers
Civil Relief Act
to guarantee the equity of spouses of military personnel with regard to
matters of residency and for other purposes.
Latest Major Action: Read twice and referred to the
Committee on Veterans Affairs.
MILITARY PAY RAISE
The President's budget
proposes a military pay raise for next year of 2.9%. This is about the
same increase in pay as the civilian sector has seen this past year.
Military association complain that it must be increased because past
pay raises for the military have lagged behind the civilian sector for
years.
Semper Fi,
Thomas "LPM" Howlett -- Editor