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Guardsmen hero exhibit
An Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom exhibit honoring guardsmen opens Dec. 6 in Washington, D.C. www.ngef.org or www.ngaus.org

Army OKs war-zone fitness waiver
the Army announced Nov. 9 that it was cutting some slack on Army physical-fitness-test requirements for soldiers deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

“The APFT requirement is waived for soldiers deployed in units unable to administer the Army physical fitness test due to mission or conditions,” the Military Personnel message reads. “Those soldiers may be recommended, considered by a board and placed on the promotion standing list, if recommended.”

The announcement follows one in October in which the Army granted a six-month grace period for soldiers who fail the tape-test standards for body fat. The Army at that time also raised weight limits for women and clarified taping procedures for all troops. Those changes apply to the entire force but only deployed troops can take advantage of the new guidance on the APFT.

Searching for bone marrow
A chief warrant officer 3 serving in Iraq is trying to find a bone marrow match for his ailing father and has turned to fellow soldiers for help.

Retired Reserve Staff Sgt. Charles Miller has been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of pre-leukemia.

Miller’s son, Ty, arranged with an Army surgeon for a bone marrow registry drive among soldiers in Iraq. So far, 150 soldiers there have registered.

Details about the military’s marrow donor program is online at www.dodmarrow.org

Survivor benefits extended for children
Children of service members who die on active duty will get enhanced health care coverage from the Defense Department under a new policy that took effect Nov. 1.

Children of service members who die while on active duty will now stay in “transitional survivor status” for health care at active-duty payment rates until they marry or reach age 21 (age 23 if they are enrolled in school full time).

Previously, children of those who died on active duty received benefits at the active-duty payment rates for up to three years after a member’s death, after which the benefits package shifted to higher retiree payment rates.

The three-year limit on active-duty payment rates remains in effect for surviving spouses.
More details at www.tricare.osd.mil/survivors/default.cfm

via www.armytimes.com