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Cover design by Jim Richards

COLUMNS8 Message From the

National President

28 Managing Money

30 LiveWell

32 Alzheimer’s Update

44 From the Secretary’sDesk

47 Report From theRegions

visit us online atwww.narfe.org

For Active and Retired Federal Employees

RETIREMENT LIFE SEPTEMBER 2008, Volume 84,Number 9

SPECIALSECTIONS

48 Federation Presidents

50 2008 FederationConvention Reports

LEGISLATIVE REPORT10 Congress OverridesVeto of Medicare Bill,

Prevents Cut in Medicare Physician Pay

14 House Passes Parental Leave Bill Affecting Feds

14 NARFE Conventioneers: Plan Ahead forSeptember Congressional Primaries

16 Taking Stock of ‘Premium Conversion’

18 OPMReport: Monthly Annuity Amounts

20 MarkYour Calendars! NARFE Legislative TrainingConference Set for March 2009

21 Civics 101: Presidential Debates

33 Questions &Answers

42 Faces of NARFE

43 Out &About

54 NARFE News

56 Letters

60 For the Record: COLAChart,TSP Investments, Milestones

61 At Last! Past Times & Present Pursuits

62 Brain Game & Bookend

DEPARTMENTS

COVER STORY24 The Power of Pets: Although animals make great

companions for people of any age, they haveimportant benefits for older adults.

EditorMargaret M. Carter

Assistant EditorDonna J. St. John

Contributing DesignersCharlene Gridley

Jim Richards

Editorial Board:Margaret L. BaptisteNathaniel L. Brown

Richard C. Ostergren

Editorial OfficeNARFE, Attn: NARFE magazine

606 North Washington St.Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

Phone: 703-838-7760Fax: 703-838-7781E-mail: [email protected]

Advertising SalesWarren Berger

Media People Inc.122 East 42nd Street, Suite 725

New York, NY 10168212-779-7172, ext. 223

E-mail: [email protected]

National HeadquartersNARFE Phones Open

8 a.m.—4:45 p.m. (ET) Monday—FridayTelephone: 703-838-7760

Fax: 703-838-7785E-mail: [email protected]

The Association, since July 1970, has beenclassified by the IRS as a tax exempt labor or-ganization [not a union]; however, dues andgifts or contributions to the Association arenot deductible as charitable contributions forincome tax purposes.

Web site: www.narfe.org

Change of Address: 800-456-8410

NARFE on Tape

Monthly issues of NARFE magazine are avail-able on cassette in selected areas of thecountry through the National Library Servicefor the Blind and Physically Handicapped.To find out about availability in your area,call toll-free 800-424-8567 and ask for theReference Section.

REGIONALVICEPRESIDENTS

NATIONALOFFICERSMARGARETL. BAPTISTE, President

[email protected]

NATHANIELL. BROWN, [email protected]

RICHARDC. OSTERGREN, [email protected]

NARFE (ISSN 0034-6179) is published monthly by the National Active and Retired Federal EmployeesAssociation (NARFE), 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria,VA 22314. Periodicals postage paid atAlexandria, VA, and additional mailing offices. Members: Annual dues includes subscription.Non-member subscription rate $33. Postmaster: Send address change to: NARFE Attn:Member Records, NARFE, 606 N.Washington St., Alexandria,VA 22314.To ensure promptdelivery,members should also forward changes of address without delay. Because of thevolume involved,NARFE cannot acknowledge nor be responsible for unsolicited pictures

and manuscripts, although every reasonable precaution is taken.All submissions become the property of NARFE.Contents of this magazine are copyrighted © 2008.Advertisements in the magazine are not endorsements ofproducts and/or services by NARFE,unless officially stated in the ad.We shall accept advertising on the same basisas other reputable publications: that is,we shall not knowingly permit a dishonest advertisement to appear inNARFE,but at the same time we will not undertake to guarantee the reliability of our advertisers.

REGION I Augie Stratoti(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, NewHampshire, New York, Rhode Island andVermont)16 Birch Hill DriveNashua, NH 03063-2537Tel: 603-889-1073Fax: 603-882-8144E-mail: [email protected]

REGION II CharlesW. Saylor(Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland,New Jersey and Pennsylvania)205 E. Joppa Road, Apt. 1509Towson, MD 21286-3225Tel: 410-938-8783E-mail: [email protected]

REGION III Robert S. Harrell(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi,Puerto Rico, South Carolina and VirginIslands)25112 Kingston DriveAthens, AL 35613-7382Tel, Fax: 256-232-2013E-mail: [email protected]

REGION IV Tom Johnson(Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio andWisconsin)10429 Oak Branch TrailStrongsville, OH 44149-1278Tel: 440-878-1833Fax: 440-268-9540E-mail: [email protected]

REGIONV RichardG. Thissen(Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota)P. O. Box 485Lake Ozark, MO 65049-0485Tel: 573-365-5679Fax: 573-964-5074E-mail: [email protected]

REGIONVI JerryD. Hatfield(Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma,Republic of Panama and Texas)231 Inwood RoadTexarkana, TX 75501-9082Tel, Fax: 903-832-1120E-mail: [email protected]

REGIONVII Russ Boor(Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah andWyoming)5843 Agave LaneLas Cruces, NM 88012-7002Tel: 575-382-7478Fax: 575-382-2145E-mail: [email protected]

REGIONVIII ForneyA. Lundy(California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevadaand Republic of Philippines)769 Ambrose DriveSalinas, CA 93901-1061Tel: 831-758-4888Fax: 831-758-6308E-mail: [email protected]

REGION IX LannyG. Ross(Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon andWashington)7450 Illahee Road NEBremerton, WA 98311-9431Tel: 360-692-9741Fax: 360-662-0384E-mail: [email protected]

REGIONX JosephA. Beaudoin(Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee,Virginia and West Virginia)527 Old Fort RoadWinchester, VA 22601-2913Tel: 540-665-9715Fax: 540-722-2290E-mail: [email protected]

4 SEPTEMBER 2008 | NARFE

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For help with any Association issue,

CALL NARFE AT 703- 838-7760

When writing to NARFE Headquarters,use the following address:

NARFE (specify officer, department or staff member)606 NorthWashington St.,Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

If you have e-mail access, use the following listto direct your inquiries or comments.

BUDGETANDFINANCE:

[email protected]

COMMUNICATIONS:NARFE magazine’s editorial andprint production operations

[email protected]

FEDERATION AND CHAPTER SERVICES:Officer ros-ters (F-7 & F-7A), chapter openings/closings, bylaw revi-sions, anniversary & distinguished service certificates

[email protected]

HUMANRESOURCES:[email protected]

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:

[email protected]

LEGISLATION: Legislative efforts, state taxation of annu-ities and Social Security issues

[email protected]: Fulfillment of F-18 orders for printed supplies

[email protected]

MEMBER RECORDS: Change of address, membershipstatus, dues, and death notification

[email protected]

NARFE PROGRAMS:Calendar & Greeting Card Program,Disaster Fund, Scholarship Program, Pre-Retirement Sem-inar Program

[email protected]

NATIONAL PRESIDENT:NARFE-Alzheimer’s [email protected]

NARFE PERKS:NARFE-sponsored services; see NARFEPerks pages in this issue

[email protected]:

[email protected]

PUBLIC RELATIONS:Media inquiries, general public re-lations information and assistance

[email protected]

RECRUITMENT & RETENTION: Pre-retirement seminarmaterial and information, table top displays, and generalrecruiting and retention assistance

[email protected]

RETIREMENT BENEFITS: Annuities, Medicare and fed-eral health and life insurance benefits, federal taxes, thriftsavings and court ordered benefits; service officers

[email protected]

To obtain NARFE’s Legislative Hotline by phone, call:

(TOLL-FREE) 1-877-217-8234

HERE’S HOWTO CONTACT US:CHANGE OF ADDRESS: If you change youraddress, please notify Member Records toll-free at1-800-456-8410, send an e-mail message [email protected], or mail the notification toNARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Member Records.Q&A: To obtain an answer to a retirement benefitsquestion, call 703-838-7760 and ask for theRetirement Benefits Service Department, send an e-mail to [email protected], or mail your questionto NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Retirement Benefits.Out & About: Submit photo and caption informa-tion by mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Outand About, or by e-mail to [email protected] Milestones: Submit names (both firstnames), wedding anniversary (50th only) and chap-ter name/number/state by mail to NARFEHeadquarters, ATTN: Anniversaries, or by e-mail [email protected] to the Editor: Letters may be edited forgrammar, clarity and length. Because of the volumereceived, they will not be acknowledged. All lettersmust be signed. Mail to NARFE Headquarters,ATTN: Letters to the Editor, or e-mail, [email protected].

NARFEWelcomesYour Input and Questions

To receive the Legislative Hotline and important feder-ation information by e-mail, please ensure that youre-mail address is accurate on your NARFE membershiprecord. To add, change or remove your e-mail address,use the Join GEMS or Update Your Record link underMembership Tools on the NARFE Web site,www.narfe.org, or call or e-mail Member Records.

HowToContactUs


As you read this column, summer is prac-tically over. Of course, that does notmean that there won’t be some hotdays ahead, but perhaps the worst is be-hind us.

September also brings us to the 2008NARFE National Convention. I am really ex-cited about this year’s convention for a numberof reasons, not the least of which is the oppor-tunity to see many old friends and, I hope,make lots of new ones. Seeing friends andmaking new acquaintances are also some ofthe positives of visiting federation conventionsevery spring.

An equally important reason for my lookingforward to the convention is the interest I seein our members. We had filled our hotel roomblock by mid-June–almost unheard of for aNARFE National Convention–and had to bookrooms at some nearby hotels. We’ll have to waituntil we visit with those at the convention tofind out why there is so much interest in thisevent. But I think two of the reasons will beLouisville’s central location and the importanceour members place on the business at hand.

While I know we have had some great con-ventions in both the eastern and western sec-tions of the country, I sometimes wish we couldkeep the host cities more centralized. I know itmakes it easier on our members to attend, es-pecially as it appears that the cost of fuel and airfares is goingnowhere but up. But that’s a subject for a future discussion.

From what I heard during my federation conventionvisits, there is a lot of interest in the key decisions that thedelegates will be making in Louisville–we’ve written aboutthem in past columns–and they want to be in on thatprocess. I’m pleased to hear that because it bodes well forthe future of NARFE.

Also coming in September will be the announcement ofthe winners of the 2008 NARFE-FEEA Scholarships. SteveBauer at the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund(FEEA), which administers our program, tells me that the

number of applications is up this year–to 636, from 521 lastyear.

Those of you who have read my columns for the fouryears that I was your National Vice President and my yearsas National President know that I cherish our relationship

with FEEA. It is because of NARFE’s strong tieswith FEEA that we can offer our own scholar-ship and disaster relief programs.

The NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Awards Pro-gram allows us to offer 60 $1,000 scholarships(six in each of our 10 regions) to the children,grandchildren and stepchildren of NARFEmembers who will be starting college in the fall.

The severe spring flooding in the Midwestand deadly tornadoes in several parts of thecountry earlier this year remind us that thereare fellow NARFE members who might needour help. The NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund pro-vides help to any NARFE member whose prop-erty (main residence) is damaged in a federallydeclared natural disaster.

Both programs are funded totally throughthe tax-deductible donations of our members.Information can be found on page 43 of thisissue of NARFE magazine.

One other sign of September is the arrival ofthe NARFE Photo Contest Calendar at yourhome. The calendar is one of the most popularitems NARFE has ever sent to members, andthousands of you have responded by sending

a voluntary donation each year. There are great photos inthis year’s calendar (I know, I say that every year), and I’msure you’ll display it proudly. Please remember that thesecalendars are sent to our members at no obligation. If youwould like to respond with a donation, we thank you. Ifnot, please enjoy the calendar, with our compliments.

Welcome to Fall

AMessage From theNational President

NARFE’Sstrong ties withFEEA allow usto offer ourscholarshipand disaster

relief programs.

Margaret L. [email protected]

Whether you alreadyexercise regularly or wantto get started towards ahealthier lifestyle, GEHAinvites you to join ourHealthy Steps WalkingProgram. GEHA will even send you a freepedometer to help you get started. Log onto geha.com/walking for your free gift andtake the first step towards better health.

Sign up for your free pedometer by

September 5 and we’ll send you early

notification of GEHA’s 2009 rates and benefits.

(877) 550-GEHA | www.geha.com

GEHA offers federal health plans through the FEHB program and federaldental plans through the FEDVIP program. The FEHB and FEDVIPprograms are separate and require separate enrollments. For moreinformation, please contact GEHA Connection Dental Federal atwww.gehadental.com, (877) 590-GEHA. Contact GEHA healthplans at www.geha.com, (877) 550-GEHA.

With GEHA,staying healthy is

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© 2008 Government Employees Health Association, Inc. All rights reserved.


Congress overrode a presidential veto on July 15 to pre-

vent a 10.6-percent cut to physician reimbursement

rates in theMedicare program. The legislation passed

by substantialmargins in both theHouse and Senate,

representing a congressional rebuke to the Bush administration.

� Baby boomers andmembersof GenerationY have vastlydifferent ways of participatingin and getting informationfrom the federal government.A recent survey found that 46percent of GenerationY’ersuse the Internet to get asignificant portion of theirinformation regarding thegovernment and federalpolicy.For baby boomers,thenumber is 21 percent.

� A separate survey suggeststhat in the workplace,thesetwo generationsmight havemore in common thanmostthink. The Center forCreative Leadership askedpublic- and private-sectoremployees what they value ina job,an employer and life ingeneral.Many listed the sametop 10 values,regardless oftheir generation.

LEGISLATIVE HOTLINEToll-free! (24 Hours):1-877-217-8234Legislative Action Center:www.narfe.org

After President Bush vetoed thebill in the morning, the House voted383-41 to override his veto in the af-ternoon. Ninety minutes later, theSenate followed suit, on a 70-26 vote.A two-thirds vote in both chambers isnecessary to override a presidentialveto; this is the fourth of the Bushpresidency.In June, theHouse had overwhelm-

ingly passed the Medicare bill (H.R.6331) in the face of a threatened pres-idential veto. The 355-59 vote saw anumber of congressional Republicansfleeing from the administration’s side,which caught many by surprise. Thisprompted the Senate to hold a dra-matic procedural vote on July 9 toallow the previously blocked measureto come to the Senate floor for consid-eration. That procedural measurepassed on a vote of 69-30.In prior attempts, theWhite House

had been able to rely on Senate Re-publican allies to keep the bill fromad-vancing, to the frustration of congres-sional Democrats. This time, half waythrough the routine roll-call vote,ailing Sen. EdwardM.Kennedy, D-MA,

who had been away from Capitol Hillrecovering from surgery for braincancer, entered the Senate chamber—surprising fellow senators, aides andgallery watchers—assuring that themeasure would receive the needed 60votes to allow floor consideration ofthe Medicare bill. The bill itself ulti-mately passed by voice vote.

EFFECT OF THE BILLAs a result of the veto override, the

bill immediately became law, blockinga scheduled 10.6-percent payment cutfor physicianswho treatMedicare ben-eficiaries. The cutwould have been ef-fective July 1, 2008. Instead, doctorsnow will receive a payment freeze forthe rest of 2008 and a 1.1-percent in-crease in pay rates for 2009.In late 2007, Congress approved a

limited six-month payment increasefor doctors after failing to craft alonger-termcompromise acceptable tolawmakers, the White House andphysicians. However, that law expiredon June 30. The Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS) had de-layed processing physicians’ claims as

LEGISLATIVEREPORT

Congress OverridesVeto ofMedicare Bill VotePrevents

Cut inMedicarePhysicianPay

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of July 1, as lawmakers grappledwith the issue. Thenew lawwill provide stable payments to physicians for 18 months,throughDecember 2009.The new law pays for the physician payment increase in

part by reducing the government’s payments to MedicareAdvantage plans (Medicare Part C). Indirectmedical educa-tion program payments will be reduced for these privatemanaged care plans and new requirements will be estab-lished for private fee-for-serviceplans, resulting in $12.5 billion insavings over five years, according totheCongressional BudgetOffice. Billsupporters believe theMedicareAd-vantage managed care plans havebeen overpaid compared to the re-imbursement levels currentlyawarded to Medicare’s traditionalfee-for-service providers (MedicarePart B).The veto override marked an

ideological win for lawmakers skep-tical ofMedicare privatization, whohave long battled the president and his congressional al-lies for their creation, support and promotion of MedicareAdvantage plans. Proponents of the traditional, public fee-for-serviceMedicare program believe the overly generousMedicare Advantage reimbursement payments threatenthe fiscal future of the entire program. A June 2008 Gov-ernment Accountability Office report confirmed that be-cause Medicare Advantage plans “spent less revenue onmedical expenses than projected, they earned higher av-erage profits than projected.”

POSITION STATEMENTSIn his veto message to the House, the president stated

that he supported the legislation’s goal of stopping the cutto Medicare physicians’ payments, but that he objected tothe reduction in payments to the private Medicare Advan-tage plans. He said he believes the private sector providessolutions for the future of theMedicare program.In the aftermath of the override, Senate Majority Leader

Harry Reid, D-NV, said: “Wewastedno time in reversing thepresident’s carelessness and protecting our nation’s doctorsand the patients they treat—and this responsible andoverdueMedicare fix is now law.”A futureCongress and presidentwill have to take up the

issue ofMedicare physician pay because doctors face a 20-

percent cut to their rates in 2010. These cuts are required aspart ofMedicare’s cost-control formula, established in 1997as part of the Balanced Budget Act (P.L. 105-33). Accordingto the act, the pay formula requires cuts when spending onphysician services grows too much, which it began to doin 2002.NARFE supported the Medicare bill, H.R. 6331, and

sought its passage on Capitol Hill, along with the 52 othergroups that work together throughthe LeadershipCouncil of AgingOr-ganizations (LCAO). LCAO is a coali-tion of national nonprofit organiza-tions concernedwith thewell-beingof America’s older population and iscommitted to representing their in-terests in the policy-making arena.In addition to NARFE, LCAOmember organizations includeAARP, theMilitaryOfficers Associa-tion of America, the Alliance for Re-tired Americans, the NationalCouncil onAging, theAmerican So-

ciety on Aging and the American Geriatrics Society. LCAOsupports reduced reimbursement payments to MedicareAdvantage plans, and member organizations extensivelylobbied members of Congress on this issue throughout2007 and 2008.NARFE’s Legislative Program for the 110th Congress,

adopted by members at the Association’s 2006 NationalConvention in Albuquerque, NM, states: “NARFE supportsprotecting Medicare’s guarantee of basic health securityfor older Americans at affordable and predictable prices;and preserving the current Medicare fee-for-service pro-gram, including the ability to select the physician of yourchoice.”In NARFE’s view, H.R. 6331 accomplished two tenets of

NARFE-endorsed policy: preserving the traditional fee-for-service program by ending higher reimbursement ratessolely toMedicare Advantage and sustaining doctor partic-ipation in theMedicare program. In order for theMedicareprogram to function as intended for beneficiaries, physi-cians must participate in the program and, therefore, mustbe compensated adequately. In addition to urging law-makers to support this legislation, NARFE joined its LCAOcoalition partners in sending joint letters to both chambersadvocating passage of themeasure.

By Jill Crissman,Assistant Legislative Director


LegislativeReport

NARFE SUPPORTED theMedicare bill and sought itspassage onCapitol Hill,alongwith the 52 other groups thatwork together through the

LeadershipCouncil ofAgingOrganizations.

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Federal employees would be eligible for paid ma-ternal or paternal leave under a bill recentlypassed by the House. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY, introduced themeasure,H.R. 5781,which the

House approved June 19 by a vote of 278-146. The billwould allow federal employees to take up to four weeks ofpaid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child.Current parental leave regulations, enactedby the Family

and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA),allow employees to use annual leave, sickleave and unpaid leave toward their 12-week allowance for the birth or adoption ofa child. The FMLA applies to all employeeswho work for companies with more than50 employees and have logged at least1,250 work hours in a year’s time. Em-ployees can use up to 13 sick days towardparental leave butmust provide evidence of medical need.The new bill, which applies only to federal employees,

would make four of those 12 weeks paid and would allowFeds to use unused sick leave—without the requirement toshow need—for up to four additional weeks.

PRESIDENTIAL VETO THREATENEDTheWhite House has threatened to veto theHouse bill,

citing concerns over cost—an estimated $850 million overfive years. As an alternative, the administration has pro-posed allowing federal employees to purchase a short-termdisability insurance benefit for parental leave, accidents orillness. The insurance benefit would provide 60 percent ofthe employee’s salary for 12weeks and40percent for an ad-ditional 12 weeks.

The bill’s supporters in the House say a veto override ispossible, citing a scant five additional votes needed for thetwo-thirds required for an override.In the Senate, Sen. JimWebb, D-VA, introduced a similar

bill, S. 3140, which would give federal employees up to 21days of paid parental leave. Thebillwas referred to theCom-mittee onHomeland Security andGovernmental Affairs buthas not been scheduled for action. Supporters in the Senate

have suggested attaching the provision to another bill thatis alreadymoving through the Senate.NARFE supports paid parental leave legislation and has

worked with leaders on Capitol Hill to urge its approval.NARFE National President Margaret L. Baptiste wrote tocongressional leaders in support of the bill, emphasizingthat “NARFE believes that extending paid parental leave tofederal employees will assist federal agencies in their on-going recruitment and retention efforts.” Baptiste also urgedleaders to consider adding a provision that would extendparental leave to federal employees caring for elderly par-ents. While this provision was not included in the House-passed version, it could be added to the Senate measure orin a final version sent to President Bush.

By Laura Scott,LegislativeAssistant

LegislativeReport


Parental Leave Bill Passes House

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES would be eligible to takeup to fourweeks of paid parental leave for thebirth or adoption of a child and use unusedsick leave for up to four additional weeks.

SeptemberCongressional PrimariesNine states and theDistrict ofColumbia conduct congressional primaries during September: Arizona,Tuesday,Sep-

tember 2;Louisiana,Saturday,September 6;Delaware,theDistrict ofColumbia,Minnesota,NewHampshire,NewYork,Rhode IslandandWisconsin,Tuesday,September9;andHawaii,Saturday,September20.Sevenof these primaries occur duringNARFE’sNationalConvention in Louisville,KY,September 7-12.If they take

immediate action,NARFEmemberswho live in these states or theDistrict ofColumbiamay still be able to cast a pri-mary ballot via early voting or by obtaining an absentee ballot.Formore information,visit the FederalVotingAssis-tance ProgramWeb site at www.fvap.gov.Under“Quick Links,” click on Get theVoter Registration/Absentee BallotRequest Form.This site is designed formilitary personnel and citizens living overseas,but it provides information foruse by the general public.

Found! The Last Morgan Silver Dollars

Amazing Discovery Hidden in Midwest Farm Cellar

Indiana. A farmer in America’s heartland recently cashed in his long-forgotten savings, hidden away for decades in a dustycrate in his cellar—a hoard of the last Morgan Silver dollars minted by the U.S. Treasury before theyceased production for good, in 1921.

Originally purchased from a local bank for facevalue, the farmer had tucked them away forhis retirement. Now these glittering chunksof nearly uncirculated silver history, are being released to the public byGovMint.com. While they last, you can acquire these brilliant, lustrous silver coins for as low as $29.50 apiece. Twenty-coin Bankers rolls and 10-coin Half Rolls are available.

Survival Against All OddsBy all rights these silver dollars should have been destroyed decades ago.Government silver melt-downs, including the 1918 Pittman Act, which alone destroyed270 million Morgans, have decimated supplies.Millions more were called in by the governmentand melted for their silver content between 1921 and1965. Today private hoards account for virtually all the surviving coins. And of those, only a fraction survive in the Virtually Uncirculated condition so coveted by collectors.

Prized Last Year CoinsThese last year 90% pure silver beauties still dazzle with their Mint lusterand heft. Weighing in at 26.73 grams and a diameter of 38.1 mm, they arethe largest American silver coins ever to circulate. Struck from silvermined from the western Mother Lode, they are the legendary coins thatbuilt the West. Master engraver George T. Morgan fashioned a radiantprofile of Lady Liberty and a majestic eagle as symbols of our nation’sstrength and prosperity. Today, the long-gone Morgan silver dollars are among the most sought-after coins in America.

Hot Silver Market, Hot Silver ValueSilver prices have jumped over 140% in the last two years fueling the frenzy among avid collectors, investors, and the 130 million new collectors created by the U.S. Mint’s highly successful state quarters program.

Today, the market is hot for Silver coins in any condition. This same1921 Morgan Silver Dollar currently sells elsewhere in the same gradecondition for $55 apiece.But while supplies last you can get this originalVirtually Uncirculated 1921Silver Morgan for as little as $29.50 each, in quantity!

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Prices subject to change without notice.Past performance is not an indicator of future performance.

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L

LegislativeReport


W hile efforts to advance “premium conver-sion” legislation (H.R. 1110 and S. 773) con-tinue in thewaningdays of the 110thCon-gress (2007-2008), it is time to take stock of

the progress made on, and challenges faced by, one ofNARFE’s priority bills.Section 125 of the U.S. tax code allows employers, both

public andprivate, topermit their employees topay their em-ployer-providedhealth insurancepremiumswithpretaxdol-lars (wages excluded from both income and Social Securitypayroll taxes). This premium conversion benefit was ex-tended to federal civilian workers in 2000, but it was not of-fered toannuitants. In fact,no retiredemployees—ineither thepublicorprivate sector—have thisbenefit. In recentyears, fed-eral annuitants have seen their incomes eroded by double-digit increases inFederal EmployeesHealthBenefits Program(FEHBP)premiumsand, therefore, couldgreatlybenefit frompremiumconversion, as couldmost other retirees.

FIRST STEPSThe House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce,

chaired by Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-IL, moved first on H.R.1110by approving it on September 18, 2007. The fullHouseCommittee onOversight andGovernment Reform,with thesupport of Chairman Henry A. Waxman, D-CA, andRankingMinorityMemberThomasM.Davis, R-VA, followedupby passing the bill by voice vote twodays later. Since themeasure amends the tax code, the legislation must also becleared by theHouseCommittee onWays andMeans or in-cludedby the panel in a larger tax bill. Premiumconversionalso could be added as an amendment to tax legislationbeing considered by theHouse, but notwithout at least theacquiescence of Ways and Means Committee ChairmanCharles B. Rangel, D-NY.Historically, the challenge of getting theWays andMeans

Committee to act on premium conversion has been objec-tions to thebill’s price tag—$12.7billionover10years—and theconcern that the benefit is extended only to federal andmil-itary retirees, not their fellow retirees in state and local gov-ernment or the private sector. The bill’s cost is viewed onCapitol Hill through the prism of the growing $400 billionfederal budget deficit and the “pay as you go” rules adoptedby the 110th Congress, which require offsetting spendingcuts or revenue increases to pay for tax relief bills like pre-miumconversion.

A NEW APPROACHThe NARFE Legislative Department, in cooperation

with Davis and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD, startedworking in June 2007 to address such obstacles bydrafting an alternative version of premium conversion leg-islation, which would cost less than the existing bills andwould be based on the precedent set by the new retiredpublic safety officer health insurance premium tax exclu-sion, included in legislation approved late in the previousCongress (2005-2006).The Pension ProtectionAct of 2006made retired “public

safety officers” of federal, state and local governments eli-gible to exclude from federal taxes up to $3,000 of monieswithheld from their retirement annuities for their share ofemployer-sponsored health and/or long-term care insur-ance premiums. The retired public safety officer health taxexclusion provides similar, but not identical, tax relief as isoffered to most public- and private-sector workers as pre-mium conversion benefits.

VAN HOLLEN PUSHES ALTERNATIVEIn November 2007, Van Hollen, a member of the House

Ways andMeans Committee, asked Rangel to include thealternative to premiumconversion in legislation thatwouldhave temporarily reformed the Alternative Minimum Tax(AMT). Unfortunately, the Maryland lawmaker was turneddown on the grounds that the non-AMTportions of his billwere limited to other tax bills that had already passed theHouse.In May 2008, Van Hollen asked Chairman Rangel to in-

clude the alternative proposal in this year’s AMTbill. But hewas told the legislation was limited to the extension of ex-piring tax policies, and the committee did not support pre-mium conversion, or an alternative, for now.Despite the fact that the cost of the alternative bill is

about half of the current premium conversion legislationand that it builds on the precedent set by the retired publicsafety officers tax relief, the committee had concerns aboutthe proposal’s cost and that private-sector and state andlocal government retirees (other than state and local publicsafety officers) were not included.Besides VanHollen, NARFE has sought the assistance of

other Ways and Means Committee members to persuadeRangel to giveNARFE’s proposal favorable consideration (33of the41committeemembershave cosponsoredH.R. 1110).

Taking Stock of ‘Premium Conversion’

NARFE | SEPTEMBER 2008 17

Although much of the premium conversion advocacyhas been focused on the House, NARFE has not neglectedcolleagues in the Senate and specifically on the Senate Fi-nanceCommittee,whichhas jurisdiction over S. 773 (which12 of the 21 Finance Committee members have cospon-sored). Retiring Sen. JohnWarner, R-VA, sponsor of S. 773,andNARFEhaveurged FinanceCommitteeChairmanMaxBaucus, D-MT, and Ranking Minority Member Charles E.Grassley, R-IA, tomove his legislation or attach it to a largertax bill. In response, Baucus and his key staff voiced con-cerns similar to those of their House counterparts.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE?With 333 House and 61 Senate cosponsors (at press

time), majorities of the tax-writing committees supportingthe legislation, and champions like Davis, Van Hollen andWarner, what elsewill it take tomove premiumconversion?Although cosponsorships are necessary to build support forlegislation, they alone do not ensure action, particularlywith the previously described challenges facedbypremium

conversion. And while District of Columbia metropolitanarea delegationmembers likeVanHollen,Davis andWarnerare dedicated champions, NARFE needs more championsamong friendly lawmakers, especially on the tax-writingcommittees, who will “go to the mat” on behalf of the billwith the key chairmen. That’s what it will take.It won’t be easy finding legislators with federal con-

stituencies as large as their colleagues in the Washingtonarea. Yet, there are sizeable pockets of federal retirees andworkers outside the Beltway represented by lawmakerswho should be more active on issues important to Feds.While recruiting additional champions is an ongoing goalof the NARFE Legislative Department, Association officersand members throughout the country must support thiseffort by proving that NARFE is a substantial and vocalconstituency in their home congressional districts andstates. Our collective efforts will help bring this initiativeforward and provide much needed relief to every federalannuitant.

By DanAdcock,Legislative Director

LegislativeReport


CSRS/FERSEmployeeAnnuitants byAmountofMonthlyAnnuityNONDISABILITY DISABILITY

MonthlyAnnuity

Under $100$100 - $199$200 - $299$300 - $399$400 - $499

Subtotal:Under $500$500 - $599$600 - $699$700 - $799$800 - $899$900 - $999Subtotal:Under $1,000$1,000 - $1,199$1,200 - $1,399$1,400 - $1,599$1,600 - $1,799$1,800 - $1,999

Subtotal:Under $2,000$2,000 - $2,199$2,200 - $2,399$2,400 - $2,599$2,600 - $2,799$2,800 - $2,999

Subtotal:Under $3,000$3,000 - $3,499$3,500 - $3,999$4,000 - $4,499$4,500 - $4,999

Subtotal:Under $5,000$5,000 -AboveTOTAL

Number

7,77325,98635,10740,89038,458

148,21438,51137,52736,56740,84044,926

346,585101,395121,595116,650119,471123,287

928,983120,767110,74993,25676,20863,826

1,393,789124,63191,40066,70847,915

1,724,443104,0731,828,516

Percentof Total

0.41.41.92.22.1

8.12.12.12.02.22.5

19.05.56.66.46.56.7

50.86.66.15.14.23.5

76.26.85.03.62.6

94.35.7

100.0

Percentof Total

0.41.51.92.11.8

7.61.81.81.71.92.0

16.94.65.55.86.57.0

46.27.06.55.54.53.8

73.57.55.64.12.9

93.66.4

100.0

Percentof Total

0.41.12.33.54.0

11.44.34.13.84.65.4

33.612.615.110.46.75.3

83.64.03.02.21.61.2

95.62.01.10.60.3

99.60.4

100.0

Number

6,81023,43529,94332,98929,299

122,47628,73928,31327,88430,43932,667

270,51872,92087,43693,151104,396111,371

739,792111,760103,97388,36872,57761,002

1,177,472120,14488,96565,29447,164

1,499,039103,1501,602,189

Number

9632,5515,1647,9019,159

25,7389,7729,2148,68310,40112,259

76,06728,47534,15923,49915,07511,916

189,1919,0076,7764,8883,6312,824

216,3174,4872,4351,414751

225,404923

226,327

OPMReport:Monthly Annuity Amounts

The chart below lists numbers and accruing percent-ages of Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) andFederal EmployeesRetirement System (FERS) annu-

itants andsurvivorsbymonthly income levels and typeof re-tirement. This informationwascompiledby theOfficeofPer-sonnelManagement (OPM)and reflects data asofOctober1,


2006. It was released byOPM inmid-2008.The last two tables from OPM list the total number of

CSRS and FERS employee and survivor annuitants on theretirement rolls by percentage, and bothmean andmedianannuities.

Themean or average annuity of all retiree annuitants asof October 1, 2006, was $2,239 per month. The medianannuity amount of the retiree in the exactmiddle of the in-come scale was $1,977. The mean andmedian for survivorannuitants are also shown. �

CSRS/FERSSurvivorAnnuitants byAmountofMonthlyAnnuity

MonthlyAnnuity

Under $100$100 - $199$200 - $299$300 - $399$400 - $499

Subtotal:Under $500$500 - $599$600 - $699$700 - $799$800 - $899$900 - $999

Subtotal:Under $1,000$1,000 - $1,199$1,200 - $1,399$1,400 - $1,599$1,600 - $1,799$1,800 - $1,999

Subtotal:Under $2,000$2,000 - $2,199$2,200 - $2,399$2,400 - $2,599$2,600 - $2,799$2,800 - $2,999

Subtotal:Under $3,000$3,000 - $3,499$3,500 - $3,999$4,000 - $4,499$4,500 - $4,999

Subtotal:Under $5,000$5,000 -AboveTOTAL

Adults Children

Number

5,69815,68822,97425,03126,473

95,86428,97537,22040,15738,92338,463

279,60276,81962,52544,90333,27124,000

521,12018,08613,94210,4587,9716,467

578,04410,3105,1612,291787

596,593455

597,048

Number

134174234421

21,555

22,5181,188

23,706

Percentof Total

1.02.63.84.24.4

16.14.96.26.76.56.4

46.812.910.57.55.64.0

87.33.02.31.81.31.1

96.81.70.90.40.1

99.90.1

100.0

Percentof Total

0.60.71.01.890.9

95.05.0

100.0

EmployeeAnnuitants ontheRetirementRolls

On the rolls Monthly annuity

Type Number Percent Mean MedianFERS 249,803 13.7 $ 896 $ 617CSRS 1,578,713 86.3 2,452 2,152TOTAL1,828,516 100.0 $2,239 $1,977

SurvivorAnnuitants ontheRetirementRolls

On the rolls Monthly annuity

Type Number Mean MedianFERS 23,867 $ 375 $ 284CSRS 596,887 1,189 1,053TOTAL 620,754 1,157 $1,022

The 2009 NARFE Legislative Training Confer-ence is just around the corner! It will be heldSaturday,March 7, throughTuesday,March 10,2009, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, in Ar-

lington, VA.The Legislative Training Conference is held biennially

and is open to all NARFEmembers. One of its goals is to ed-ucate members on NARFE’s legislative agenda and theoverall political process inWashington. Another is to enableattendees themselves to become first-class advocates forNARFE and to conduct advocacy training and grass-rootsorganizing for othermembers.The conferencewill beginonSaturday,March7,with late-

afternoon registration andan informal buffet dinner. SundayandMondayactivitieswill includegeneral informational ses-sionswithmultiple speakers andbreak-out training sessions.Past topics for break-out training sessions have includedHealthCare, theU.S. Budget, Social SecurityOffsets, NARFE-PAC and Contacting Congress. On the final day of the con-ference, Tuesday, March 10, transportation will be providedto and from theU.S. Capitol for “NARFE’s Day on theHill.”The 2009 NARFE Legislative Training Conference room

ratewill be$159,plus10.25percent stateand localoccupancytaxes, for a total of $175.30 (single- and double-room occu-pancy). The conference registration fee is $150. This fee in-

cludes threebuffetbreakfasts, two full lunchesandonebuffetdinner (full dinner). NARFEmemberswillnot be able to reg-ister or make hotel reservations at this time. Notice will beprovided tomemberswhen registration is available.

HOTEL INFORMATIONLocated in theCrystalCity sectionofArlington,VA, off Jef-

fersonDavisHighway (Rt. 1), theHyatt RegencyCrystal Cityhas two restaurants on the hotel premises, a lobby bar, acoffee/snack bar and in-room dining. Additionally, there arerestaurants locatedwithinwalking distance. Thehotel offerscomplimentary shuttle service every half hour to and fromtheCrystal CityMetrorail station,which is a 10-minutewalkaway. Complimentary shuttle service also is available to andfromRonald ReaganWashingtonNational Airport.

Please note: The hotel is adjacent to the Ronald ReaganWashington National Airport. It is 30 miles from Wash-ingtonDulles International Airport and 36miles fromBalti-more/WashingtonThurgoodMarshall International Airport.Pleasemark your calendar now forMarch 7-10.More in-

formation, including the registration form, will appear inNARFEmagazinewhen it is time to register andmakehotelreservations. This information and the registration formalsowill be made available in the October issue of QuarterlyNews and onNARFE’sWeb site, www.narfe.org. �

LegislativeReport


Please send check, money order or creditcard information to:

Attn: Budget & FinanceNARFE

606 N. Washington St.Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

Card Type: � Mastercard � VISA� Discover � AMEX

Card #

Expiration Date

Name on Card (Print)

Signature Date

I support NARFE•PAC, the Retiree’s Fund for the FutureI support NARFE•PAC, the Retiree’s Fund for the Future

Enclosed is my NARFE-PAC contribution: $Enclosed is my NARFE-PAC contribution: $

Federal law requires political committees to report the name, mail-ing address, occupation and name of employer for each individualwhose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 in a calendar year.

Please circle: Mr. Mrs. Miss Ms.

Name

Address

City, State, ZIP

NARFE Membership #

� For my contribution of $20 or more, please send a NARFE-PAC pin.

Only members of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association may contribute to NARFE-PAC. NARFE will neitherfavor nor disadvantage anyone based on the amount of a contribution, or the failure to make a voluntary contribution to this non-parti-san political action fund. NARFE-PAC contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.

Mark Your Calendars! LegislativeTraining Conference Set for March


Both major party candidates for president arerunningbiographical ads in battlegroundmar-kets, like Ohio and Florida. In this election,more paid advertisingwill run than in any pre-

vious election–some positive but much negative. Candi-dates control much of what targeted viewers see and hear,butmany adswill be paid for by single-issue organizations,such as the 2004 “Swift Boat Veterans” andmoveon.org.

CIVIC ALTERNATIVEIf you’d like a good reason to tune out that media noise

and employ another strategy, plan now to watch the presi-dential debates. Three debates will feature the candidatesfor president and onewill feature the yet-to-be-named vicepresidential candidates.

COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATESLast November, the Commission on Presidential Debates

(CPD) announced thedates and sites of the fourdebates (seechart). The CPD also announced formats for the debates. Alldebates will be 90 minutes in length and start at9 p.m. Eastern Time. Each debate will be administered by asinglemoderator. The first presidential debate will focus ondomestic policy, and the third presidential debate will focuson foreign policy. The second debate will be in a town-hallmeeting format, andwill include issues raisedbymembersofthat audience and via the Internet. The vice presidential de-batewill focus on domestic and foreign policy questions.Except for the second debate, the candidates will be

seated at a table with themoderator and, for the first time,the debate will be divided into eight 10-minute issue seg-

ments. The moderator will introduce each segment withan issue on which each candidate will comment, afterwhich the moderator will facilitate further discussion ofthe issue for the remainder of the segment, including di-rect exchange between the candidates. Time will be re-served for closing statements by each candidate in eachdebate. The second departure from past CPD formats willbe the introduction of Internet access during the presi-dential town-hall meeting debate. Questions solicited byInternet will be included with those from citizens on thestage with the candidates.

15-PERCENT TESTIn addition to being constitutionally eligible, candidates

must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to havea mathematical chance of winning a majority vote of theElectoral College and have 15-percent support in nationalpolls before the debates.

TV AND RADIO COVERAGEAt present, coverage by both broadcast and cable televi-

sion is expected. C-SPAN is committed to live and repeatcoverage, and radio coverage similar to what occurredduring the 2004 election is anticipated. Moderators for thefour debates are still to be chosen.To find additional information about the presidential

debates, go to the CPD’sWeb site, www.debates.org. To ob-tainmore information on the likelymajor party nominees,go to www.johnmccain.com/ or www.barackobama.com/about/.

By Christopher Farrell,Legislative Representative

Presidential DebatesT H E I N F O R M E D C I T I Z E NC I V I C S 1 0 1 :

First presidential debate:Friday,September 26University of Mississippi,Oxford,MS

Vice presidential debate:Thursday,October 2WashingtonUniversity,St.Louis,MO

Second presidential debate:Tuesday,October 7BelmontUniversity,Nashville,TN

Third presidential debate:Wednesday,October 15Hofstra University,Hempstead,NY

CandidateDebates

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PetPP wweerr


IT’S A COMMON SCENARIO all across America. Divorce ends mar-

riages, children move, family and friends pass away and, as we age, lone-

liness and depression become all too familiar. But many older Americans

have found a way to combat isolation—by adopting a pet through their

local shelter.

COMBATING LONELINESS, IMPROVING HEALTH “Emotionally, pets can bring new meaning and purpose to the life of a senior who is living far

away from friends or family,” says Kelly Connolly, the Humane Society of the United States’ issuesspecialist for companion animals. “The unconditional love and commitment to their owners isalmost like free therapy. They can act as friends, entertainers and warm, fuzzy bundles of joy.

“Having a pet in an older person’s life can offer them a sense of well-being, a sense of encour-agement and even a reason for living. Being responsible for another life often gives new meaningto the lives of those who are living alone or far from loved ones. Caring for and providing a lovinghome to a companion animal also helps older adults to remain active and stay healthy.”

In addition to easing loneliness, pets may also make people healthier. Studies suggest thatcontact with animals can lower blood pressure. Research also indicates a link between pet own-ership and an increased survival rate for cardiac patients. Other potential health benefits can in-clude decreased stress, reduced bone loss, lowered cholesterol levels and improved blood cir-culation.

“For years, it’s been medically documented that companion animals—such as dogs, cats and rab-bits—help people live longer and healthier lives,” says Connolly.

TAKING THE NEXT STEP Although animals make great companions for people of any age, pets can have important ben-

efits for older adults. But before adopting a new companion, people need to understand the amountof dedication that goes into caring for an animal. They need to be sure they have the time and themeans to care for a pet, both physically and financially.

It’s also important to consider the kind of pet to adopt. Animal care professionals often advise

By Rebecca Simmons


older adults to consider adopting an adult dog or cat. An older animal may be a better fit for theirlifestyle than a puppy or kitten. (See sidebar, below.)

“Unlike a puppy or kitten, adult animals are more likely to be calm, already housetrained andless susceptible to unpredictable behavior,” says Connolly.“Older pets are often more easily physically managed by sen-iors than a stronger, more excitable younger animal.”

READY, SET, ADOPT Once the decision to adopt a pet has been made, there are

many programs out there to help. As more people discoverthe benefits of animal companionship for older Americans, re-sources and programs have emerged to make finding andkeeping a new pet much easier.

The first place to which people should turn is their localshelter. Adopting from a shelter has its advantages. Not onlydo shelters have a great selection of adult animals for adop-tion, but they also have purebred animals. In fact, on average,purebreds account for about 25 percent of a shelter’s dogpopulation.

Mature Pets for OlderAdultsSeveral months before her husband died in 2003,

Gayle Thompson noticed footprints in the snow ofsomeone who had walked close to their house inHeathsville, VA. Five weeks after her husband’s death, sheadopted Sam, a one-year-old black Lab mix, from thelocal animal shelter. “I just decided that I wanted to havesome notice of anyone around my house,” Thompsonsays. “He has just been a wonderful dog.”Three years later, she adopted Sassy, a five-year-old golden retriever mix. By that time,

Thompson, past president of Northern Neck Chapter 1823, had become very active in volun-teering at the Northumberland County Animal Shelter, in addition to her work as a NARFEchapter officer, and she wanted Sam to have a companion when she was away from the house.Thompson is a big advocate of mature pets for older adults. “When people come into the

shelter, I always suggest adopting an older dog,” she says. In most cases, she explains, they arehousetrained, and they are not as rambunctious as puppies. “Older people, particularly, need tobe concerned about tripping and falling over a puppy,” she says. “Puppies always seem to be rightunder your feet—they need that touch. The older dogs are more used to being at a distance.” She emphasizes that shelter volunteers try to determine an animal’s personality and make

sure that it is appropriate for the person seeking a new pet. There are any number of reasons a mature pet could end up in a shelter, she says. She recalls

a 94-year-old man who closed his antiques store and needed to find a new home for the store’s12-year-old cat. “He had other cats at his home and didn’t think he could introduce this cat, so hesurrendered her,” Thompson says. “We adopted her out to an older woman, who fell in love withher. I have talked to her several times since then; she is delighted with the cat.”

Gayle Thompson adopted both of her dogs, Sassy and Sam, asadult animals from her local animal shelter. Now, she’s a regularvolunteer at the shelter and recommends adoption of older ani-mals.

PetP wer


Therapy Dog at Your ServiceSchatzi is a busy dog. He regularly visits three nursing homes, a general hospital and a reha-

bilitation hospital. And, lately, he’s become a welcome patron of the local library. The eight-year-old German shepherd is a “therapy dog,” registered under the auspices of Therapy Dogs In-ternational (TDI), a volunteer organization dedicated to regulating, testing and registering

therapy dogs for the purpose of visiting nursing homes, hospitals andother institutions (www.tdi-dog.org). Schatzi’s owner, Harry D. White, president of NARFE Chapter 300

in Texarkana, TX, is a certified TDI evaluator. To be a TDI therapy dog,dogs must be at least a year old, certified healthy annually by a veteri-narian, and undergo a temperament evaluation—among other things,evaluators gauge the dog’s behavior around people using service equip-ment, such as wheelchairs and crutches. They also must pass the Amer-ican Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Test (www.akc.org/events/cgc).“There is a demand for them,” says White. Dogs earn certificates aftercompleting a certain number of visits. Schatzi has more than 300 visitsunder his collar. Nursing home residents are some of Schatzi’s biggest fans. “Some

of these people, those are the only visits they get,” White says. “Theyget to know those dogs.” One time when he arrived at a nursinghome at his appointed time, White saw an ambulance in thedriveway—not an unusual sight. But what he saw in the foyer was re-markable: a woman on a stretcher waiting to say goodbye to Schatzibefore she would allow the ambulance to take her to the hospital. This year, White and Schatzi have started participating in a new

children’s program at the local library. The children in the programare reluctant to read aloud in front of other people but shed this in-hibition when they read to a dog, White explains. The program re-quires that the dog be able to lie still for a long period of time. The chil-

dren sit in a chair or on the floor next to Schatzi, White says. “They will get there and startreading to that dog, and by the time they finish, you will see the self-confidence. I just could notbelieve it.”

If you have a specific breed in mind that’s not availableat your local shelter, breed placement groups (often referredto as “rescues”) are also a reliable option.

Adopting from a shelter is not only a great way to help ahomeless animal, but it’s also cost-effective. Adoption fees,which are extremely low compared with the cost of pur-chasing an animal from a pet store or breeder, typically in-clude vaccinations as well as spay or neuter procedures.

Check with your local shelter to see if it has a seniors pro-gram. If not, shelters can still offer a wealth of informationand support to new pet owners.

Rebecca Simmons writes for the Companion Animals sec-tion of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS),www.hsus.org. Reprinted by permission of HSUS.

Harry White and Schatzi, a therapy dog, are busy visit-ing nursing homes, hospitals and the local library.

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Stretching Dollars for Your Heirs

Tax-deferred savings vehi-cles, such as the ThriftSavings Plan and IRAs,can be powerful tools for

accumulating retirement savings.With proper beneficiary planning,they also can be used as effectivetools for transferring wealth.When an IRA or a retirement plan

owner passes away, the Internal Rev-enue Service (IRS) is there to makesure that the beneficiaries follow strictdistribution rules. After all, with distri-butions being taxable, retirement plansrepresent a potentially large source oftax revenue. However, with a thor-ough understanding of the numerousbeneficiary distribution rules and nu-ances, you and your family can usethese rules to save thousands of dollarsin taxes and keep your hard-earnedwealth in the family.One of the best ways to maximize

the power of an IRA is to take advan-tage of the tax benefits of the “stretchIRA.” The stretch IRA can extend thetax-deferred compounding of IRA as-sets potentially across multiple gener-ations by allowing the beneficiary tostretch thedistributions over his or herown life expectancy.If you want your beneficiaries to be

able to take advantage of the stretchIRA, you will need to make sure yourbeneficiary is a “designatedbeneficiary.”A designated beneficiary must be anactual person–someone with a pulseand a birthday. If the beneficiary doesnothaveboth, thebeneficiary falls intothe “nonhuman” category and is desig-nated as simply “beneficiary.” Examplesof this type of beneficiary would in-cludeyour estate, a charityor anyother

nonperson, such as a pet.You may think the difference is

simply amatter of semantics, but onlydesignated beneficiaries can stretch therequireddistributions over their life ex-pectancies. A beneficiarywill be forcedto liquidate the account on a much

shorter schedule, with the exact timedepending on whether or not the IRAowner had died before or after his orher required beginning date (RBD).The RBD is the date the IRA ownermust begin takingminimum distribu-tions. With an IRA and most otherplans, theRBD isApril 1 of the year fol-lowing the year you turn age 70-1/2.For example, if the IRA owner dies

prior to his or her RBD, a nondesig-nated beneficiary must liquidate theaccount by the endof the fifth year fol-lowing the year of the IRA owner’sdeath, effectively wiping out the taxdeferral forever.If the IRA owner passes away after

the owner’s RBD, the beneficiary is al-lowed to take withdrawals based onthe IRAowner’s life expectancy. For ex-ample, if the IRA owner were age 85,the longest the beneficiary could takethe distributions would be over theIRAowner’s remaining 7.6-year life ex-pectancy. While this is somewhatbetter than the five-year rule, it can bedecades shorter than the life ex-pectancy of a child or grandchild.Perhaps the most common way

that IRAowners unknowingly ruin thestretch opportunity is by naming theirestate as the beneficiary. Not only willthe assets have to pass through thetime-consuming and costly probateprocess, but because the estate is not aliving person, the heirs also will losethe ability to stretch thepayments overtheir respective life expectancies.Stretch IRA planning is relatively

straightforward for sole-designatedben-eficiaries–simply name the individual,and the stretch option is available tohim or her (assuming the custodian ofthe IRA account allows it). However,extra care and attention is requiredwhen there are multiple beneficiarieson one account. In this case, the bene-ficiariesmustbreakout their shares into“separate accounts” byDecember 31 ofthe year after the IRA owner’s death.If the beneficiaries fail to meet this

deadline, the distributions must bebased on the eldest’s life expectancy.This may not be such a big deal if thebeneficiaries are all close in age. How-ever, consider the lost potential if youname your 35-year-old child and nine-year-old grandchild, and they fail tocreate separate accounts. Based on re-maining life expectancies, your grand-childwould lose out on25years of tax-deferred growth.

By MarkA.Keen,CFP®

ManagingMoney

ONE OF THE BESTways tomaximize thepower of an IRA is totake advantage of thetax benefits of the“stretch IRA.”

To complicate the issue further, ifthere is a nondesignated beneficiaryalongwith a designated beneficiary orbeneficiaries, the nondesignated bene-ficiary’s sharewill need to be separatedout by September 30 of the year afterthe IRA owner’s death. Otherwise, allbeneficiaries–even thedesignatedben-eficiaries–will have to follow the lessthan generous nondesignated benefi-ciary distribution rules.To simplifymatters for your benefi-

ciaries, youmaywant to split your IRAand name sole beneficiaries to eachIRA. For example, if you havean IRAwithmultiple beneficiaries, saytwo children, you could split the IRAand name each child as a sole benefi-ciary to one of the IRAs. It may meanmore paperwork, additional state-ments and extra custodian fees, butthese inconveniences pale in compar-ison to the extra taxes and to the tax-deferred growthpotential theywill loseif they fail tomeet the deadlines.It is important to note that not all

custodians are friendly to the splittingstrategy. Vanguard, for example, sentletters last fall to its IRA customers no-tifying them that they will not be ableto have IRAs of the same typewith dif-ferent beneficiary designations. Fortu-nately, most IRA custodians are notthis restrictive.Whether you are an IRAowner or a

beneficiary yourself, knowing the ben-eficiary distribution rules is perhaps

the best defense you have to protectfromexcessive taxation the assets thatyou and your family have spent a life-time accumulating.Start planningnowand then review

your beneficiary designations annuallyto ensure your intended heirs inherityourmoney–not Uncle Sam.

Mark A. Keen, CFP®, is managing

director of Bennett Financial Advisorsin Fairfax,VA, and an investmentadviser representative and registeredrepresentative of The StrategicFinancial Alliance, Inc. (SFA). Securi-ties and advisory services are offeredthrough SFA. He is a member of theNational Capitol Area Chapter of theFinancial Planning Association. E-mail:[email protected].


Current federal employees alert! If you are interested in learningmoreabout yourCivil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Em-

ployees Retirement System (FERS) retirement benefits,ask your agencyhuman resources personnel if they will be providing any pre-retirementseminars.Then suggest that they contact NARFE for information abouttheNARFEPre-RetirementSeminarProgram.Formore information,visittheNARFEWeb site,www.narfe.org,or call 703-838-7760.

Ready toRetire?

Miss an Issue?Back issues of NARFE magazine

are available at the NARFEWebsite,www.narfe.org.Sign inasamember; under “Departments,”click on“NARFEmagazine.” Under“Archives,” click on“Downloadableversion in PDF format.”


Diabetic neuropathies area group of nerve disor-ders caused by diabetes.Diabetes, defined by per-

sistently high blood glucose (sugar)levels, damages the nerves that carry

messages from thebrain and spinalcord to other partsof the body. Nervedamage from dia-betes can occurthroughout thebody and lead toproblems in everyorgan system.Some people with

nerve damage have no symptoms, butothers may have pain, tingling ornumbness (loss of feeling) in thehands, arms, feet and legs. Othersmay

have nerve problems affecting the di-gestive tract, heart and sex organs.Up to seven out of 10 Americans

with diabetes have some form of neu-ropathy. The risk of neuropathy riseswith age and duration of diabetes, andthe highest rates of neuropathy areamong people who have had diabetesfor at least 25 years. Diabetic neu-ropathies appear more often in peoplewho have problems controlling theirblood glucose levels, have high levelsof blood fat and blood pressure, andare overweight.Symptomsdependonwhichnerves

are affected andmay include:• Pain, tingling or numbness in the

toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands and arms;• Muscle loss in the hands or feet;• Indigestion, nausea or vomiting;• Constipation or diarrhea;•Dizziness or faintness from a drop

in blood pressure after sitting up or

standing;• Problems with urination;• Erectile dysfunction in men or

vaginal dryness in women; and•Weakness.The diagnosis of diabetic neu-

ropathy is based on symptoms and aphysical examination. The exammayinclude checking bloodpressure, heartrate,muscle strength and reflexes, andsensitivity to position changes, vibra-tion, temperature and light touch. Ex-perts recommend that people with di-abetes have a comprehensive footexam every year to check the skin,muscles, bones, circulation and sensa-tion of the feet for peripheral neu-ropathy. Other tests thatmay aid in di-agnosis include:•Nerve conduction velocity (NCV)

tests use a tiny probe to stimulatenerve fibers electrically to determinethe type of nerve damage.

By Marilyn S.Radke,M.D.

LiveWell

The Nerve Damage of Diabetes

TakingCareof YourFeet

Following these nine steps will help to ensure your feet get proper care and prevent more serious problems fromdeveloping.•Cleanyour feetdaily,usingwarm–nothot–waterandamild soap. Avoid soakingyour feet.Dry themwitha soft towel

and dry carefully between your toes.• Inspectyour feetandtoeseveryday forcuts,blisters,redness,swelling,callusesorotherproblems.Useamirrororget

help from someone else if you cannot see the bottomsof your feet.Tell your health care provider of any problems.•Moisturize your feetwith lotion,but avoid getting the lotion between your toes.•After a bath or shower,file corns and calluses gently with a pumice stone.• Eachweek orwhen needed,cut your toenails to the shape of your toes and file the edgeswith an emery board.•Always wear shoes or slippers to protect your feet from injuries.Prevent skin irritation bywearing thick,soft,seam-

less socks.•Wear shoes that fit well and allow your toes tomove.Break in new shoes gradually by first wearing them for only

an hour at a time.• Before putting your shoes on,look themover carefully and feel the insides with your hand tomake sure they have

no tears,sharp edges or objects in them thatmight injure your feet.• If you need help taking care of your feet,make an appointment to see a foot doctor (podiatrist).

Source:National Institute of Diabetes andDigestive andKidneyDiseases


• Electromyography (EMG) in-volves inserting a fine needle into amuscle tomeasuremuscle response toelectrical signals transmittedbynearbynerves. EMG can help distinguish be-tweenmuscle and nerve disorders.• Heart rate variability testing

showshow theheart responds to deepbreathing and to changes in bloodpressure and posture.• Ultrasound uses sound waves to

provide an image of internal organs todetermine if they are affected bynervedamage.The first step in treatment is to bring

blood glucose levels within the normalrange to help prevent or delay furthernerve damage. Quitting smoking is im-portantbecause smokingdecreases theblood supply to the nerves, and in-creases the risk of foot problems andeven amputation. Additional treatmentincludes pain relief and other medica-tions, asneeded, dependingon the typeof nerve problem.Oralmedicationsused tohelp relieve

diabetic nerve pain include antidepres-sants, anticonvulsants (anti-seizuremedicines), opioids (morphine-likedrugs) and opioid-like medicines. Theantidepressant duloxetine (Cymbalta)and the anticonvulsant pregabalin(Lyrica) are approved specifically fortreatingpainfuldiabeticperipheralneu-ropathy. Some experts recommendavoiding over-the-counter painmedi-cines, such as acetaminophen and

ibuprofen, because they maynotworkwell onnervepainandcan have serious side effects.Pain medications applied to

the skin (typically to the feet) includecapsaicin cream and lidocaine patches(Lidoderm, Lidopain). Nitrate sprays orpatches for the feet may relieve pain.Alpha-lipoic acid andeveningprimroseoil (dietary supplements) may help torelieve symptoms and improve nervefunction.Other possible pain therapies in-

clude acupuncture, biofeedback, phys-ical therapy, electricalnerve stimulation,magnetic therapy, laser light therapy,and a bed cradle to keep bed linensfrom touching sensitive feet and legs.The long nerves to the feet are com-

monly affected by neuropathy. When

sensation in the feet is lost, in-juries or sores may not be no-ticed, andmaybecome infectedand lead to amputation.

Inspect your feet and toes daily forcuts, blisters, redness, swelling and cal-luses (see sidebar, p. 30). If necessary, layamirror on the floor to see thebottomsof your feet. Notify your doctor or po-diatrist (foot doctor) of any problems.The best way to prevent diabetic

neuropathy is to keep your blood glu-cose levels as close to the normal rangeaspossible. If youdevelop symptomsofdiabeticneuropathy, seeyourdoctor forevaluation and treatment.

Marilyn S. Radke, M.D., is board cer-tified in preventive medicine andpractices in Atlanta, Ga.

ToLearnMoreFor more information,write to

theNationalDiabetes Informa-tion Clearinghouse, 1 InformationWay, Bethesda, MD 20892-3560;orcall800-860-8747;orvisit theWebsite at www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov.


One subject that is certainto come up at the Na-tional Convention is theNARFE Alzheimer’s pro-

gram. Some NARFE members thinkthat we should shift our support to-

ward somethingother thanAlzheimer’s re-search. Othershave suggestedthat we need towork more on ourown issues.The NARFE

Alzheimer’s pro-gram is a cause that enables us tohelp not only ourselves but also tohelp others. Member support of theNARFE Alzheimer’s program alsobrings NARFE national name recogni-tion and high-quality public relations.Alzheimer’s disease affects, or will

soon affect in some way, nearlyeveryone in this country, includingmanyNARFEmembers. It has nowbe-come the sixth leading cause of deathin the United States, surpassing evendiabetes. It affects one out of everyeight Americans over age 65. That’swhy it’s so important for NARFE tocontinue to fundvital research into theprevention and treatment of, and even-tual cure for, this devastating disease.NARFE has embraced Alzheimer’s

research as a program since 1986.Every member should be proud thatwe have contributed to progress inAlzheimer’s research that two decadesago was only a dream. We are recog-nized as one of theAlzheimer’s Associ-ation’s leading supporters. This is awonderful way to show that NARFE

members care about others and,through our many volunteer hours, italso shows that we care about ourcommunities.The generosity of NARFEmembers

has helped raise awareness of our As-sociation, in addition to all that wehave done to lead the fight againstAlzheimer’s. It would be amajor loss todrop this cause now, only to start overon something else. I would hope we

could leave a legacy, just like theShriners havedonewith their hospitalsfor children or the Lions Clubs withtheir eye health program. Everyoneknows about those charitable efforts. Ihope that someday everyone willknow thatNARFEhad a role in riddingthis world of Alzheimer’s disease.To aid us in our efforts, I’m pleased

to announce that we have newNARFE-Alzheimer’s Association pro-motional material available to us. Anew, large vinyl banner has beenshipped to each federationAlzheimer’scoordinator, who in turn can loan it toany chapter that schedules afundraising event or public rela-tions/recruiting event. We also haveposters available to any chapter re-questing them. These items andmorewill be on display at our booth at theNational Convention.Imentionedvolunteer hours above.

Let me remind you to turn in all ofyour Alzheimer’s/NARFE volunteerhours to your local Alzheimer’s Asso-ciation chapter. Not only do

Alzheimer’s chapters valueNARFEvol-unteers, they also welcome the statis-tical information from our chapters.On a final note, I’d like to remind

you about the Alzheimer’s raffle at theNational Convention. We hope eachfederation will provide one item, witha value of at least $50, for the raffle.Something unique to your state is al-ways appropriate. Wait until you seewhat the “big ticket item” is this year!

See you at the raffle table, and don’tforget to bring your supply of personalmailing labels for the backs of all of thetickets you’ll be buying.Let’smake theNARFENationalCon-

vention in Louisville the best one yet!

Barb L. Pretzer is chairman of theNARFE-Alzheimer’s National Com-mittee. E-mail: [email protected].

Alzheimer’sUpdate

By Barb L.Pretzer

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE affects,orwill soon affectin someway,nearly everyone in this country,includingmanyNARFEmembers.

Continuing the Alzheimer’s Fight

NewGuide

NARFEhas justpub-lished a new ver-

sion of its brochureNARFE’s Participationin the National Alz-heimer’s Research Pro-gram (FH-12).To order copies,

chapters should usethe Requisition forPrinted Supplies (F-18). It also isavailable at www.narfe.org.


SS EARNINGS LIMITSQUESTION:What are the earningsincome limits for my Social Securitybenefits?Response: The retirement earnings testapplies only to people below normal orfull retirement age (FRA), which rangesfrom age 65 to 67, depending on year ofbirth. The Social Security Administra-tion (SSA) withholds benefits if yourearnings exceed a certain level, calleda retirement earnings test exemptamount, and if you are under your FRA.One of two different exempt amountsapplies, depending on the year youreach your FRA.

Whenearnings exceed the lower ex-empt amount, the SSA withholds $1 inbenefits for every $2 of earnings in ex-cess of the lower exempt amount.

When earnings exceed the higher

exempt amount, the SSA withholds $1in benefits for every $3 of earnings inexcess of the higher exempt amount.

Earnings in or after the month youreach your FRA do not count towardthe retirement earnings test.

The annual retirement earnings testexempt amounts for 2008 are: $13,560for the lower amount; $36,120 for thehigher amount. Note: The loweramount applies during the years priorto attaining your FRA. The higheramount applies in those monthsduring the year you attain your FRA.

SSDISABILITYQUESTION: My wife is age 57, dis-abled and receives Social Security dis-ability benefits. I understand that atsometime(age62),herdis-ability payment willstop, and she willinstead get re-tirement bene-fits. Her full re-tirement agewouldhavebeenage66 if shehadcontinued towork. Does the conversionfromdisability toretirementunder Social Security happen at age62? If not,when does it happen in hercase?Response: When an individual reachesfull retirement age, nothing will changeexcept his or her benefits will be calledretirement benefits instead of disabilitybenefits for Social Security purposes.Your wife does not need to take any ac-tion. The full retirement age for an indi-vidual with a year of birth between1943-1954 is age 66.

DIVORCED FEDAND SSQUESTION: I am divorced after 20years of marriage. I have not remar-ried. I understand that the Social Se-curityAdministration will usemy ex-

spouse’s private-sector earn-ings/contributions to calculatemySo-cial Security benefits as a divorcedspouse because I am not coveredunder Social Security.Is this correct?Response: You are entitled to a divorcedspouse’s insurance benefits on theworker’s Social Security record if:

1. The worker is entitled to retire-ment or disability insurance benefits;

2. You have filed an application fordivorced spouse’s benefits;

3. You are not entitled to a retire-ment or disability insurance benefitbased on a primary insurance amountthat equals or exceeds one-half theworker’s primary insurance amount;

4. You are age 62 or older;5. You are not married; and6. You were married to the worker

for 10 years before the date the divorcebecame final.

Note: You are not entitledbefore age 62, even if youhave an entitled childunder your care.

The divorced spouseof a worker who is notentitled to retire-ment or disability

insurance benefits but who hasreached age 62 and is fully insured canbecome independently entitled to ben-efits on the worker’s earnings record.To do so, however, the divorced spousemust meet the requirements in items2-6 above and have been divorcedfrom the worker for not less than twocontinuous years.

If you receive a government pen-sion, certain circumstances cause anoffset against your Social Security ben-efit. Benefits payable as a spouse, di-vorced spouse, surviving spouse, sur-viving divorced spouse or a deemedspouse may be reduced if the personreceives periodic payments based onhis or her own employment in the fed-

NOTE: The following Questions &Answers were compiled by Retire-ment Benefits Service Departmentstaff. These are real questionsreceived by the Department andreal answers, based on themembers’ personal circumstances.The answers are not universal andmay include information that isrelevant to the correspondent’sparticular situation.NARFE does notprovide legal advice or assistance,does not provide financial planningadvice or assistance, and does notprovide tax advice or assistance. Forlegal, financial planning or taxadvice/assistance,NARFE recom-mends members contact anattorney, financial planner or certi-fied public accountant/tax adviser. QA&

Questions &Answers

RETIREES


eral government, state or political sub-division that was not covered underSocial Security.

FEDDISABILITYQUESTION: As a result of usingfirearms without proper ear protec-tion years ago, I left the federal gov-ernment based on hearing loss.Whataretherequirements for filing foradis-ability?Response: Disability retirement is basedon an inability to perform the duties ofyour position. The law requires that anapplication for disability retirement befiled within one year of the date of sep-aration if you were mentally competent.Even though you may have had prob-lems prior to your retirement, the med-ical condition must have been so severeas to cause a documented deficiency inyour service while you were working. Ifyou meet both the time limit and theguidelines above, contact the Office ofPersonnel Management (OPM) at 888-767-6738 to obtain a disability retire-ment application.

TSPWITHDRAWALSQUESTION:Last year,I startedwith-drawing frommyThrift Savings Plan(TSP) account on amonthly basis.Mycalculationwas such that it would last10 years at a certain amount permonth, including federal tax with-holding.Will the fluctuations in thestockmarket affect the amount I re-ceive?Response:With regard to the fluctuationin the stock market and its effect on theamount you receive, the determiningfactor is basedonwhich fundsyouhaveselected to allocate your money. If youinvested your funds in a no-risk fundlike the G fund, then the stock marketwould not affect your TSP. However, ifyou have your funds allocated to otherfunds thatwouldbeaffectedby the fluc-

tuation in the stock market, the amountyou receive will be affected. If you needfurther clarification, contact the TSP at202-942-1640 or 877-968-3778.

HMOANDMEDICAREQUESTION:Iwasenrolled inahealthmaintenanceorganization (HMO) foralmost 30 years.In 2007,I enrolled ina preferred provider organization andMedicare.I amconsideringgoingbacktomy previousHMOduring the nextOpen Season.However,I am leery ofdropping Medicare Part B (in casetherearedrastic changes in the futureof theFederalEmployeesHealthBen-efits Program[FEHBP]),but I amnotclear on how the HMO plan (Kaiser,High option) will be different if I keepMedicare.Will I seeadifference inget-ting care underKaiser and the cost,ascompared with before I enrolled inMedicare?Response: Your FEHBP plan is your sec-ondary insurance coverage afterMedicare Part B. While an HMO pro-vides good coverage, HMOs have re-strictions on which doctors and facili-ties you can use. The Part B coveragecould be used to help cover nonemer-gency medical services while travelingoutside of the HMO service area. Also,Part B could be used to cover claims forspecialists you may want to use whoare outside of the plan’s network. Nor-mally, the combinationof Medicare PartB and FEHBP coverage, whether it is afee-for-service plan or an HMO, willcover much or all of your medical ex-penses. But you don’t want to overpayfor coverage and, with both coverages,the high-option premiums would notbuy you any additional benefits. If youdecide to keep your Medicare Part B,

you should consider looking at lower-cost premium options during the up-coming FEHBP Open Season.

REMARRIAGEAND SURVIVORANNUITY

QUESTION: It is my understandingthat a survivor annuity will not termi-nate upon remarriage once the sur-vivor annuitant reaches age 55, andthere is no requirement that remar-riage be delayed until the end of theyear in which the survivor annuitantreaches age 55. Is it correct that im-mediately upon the survivor annui-tant’s birthday,the survivor annuitantcan remarry and retain his or her sur-vivor annuity?Response: Yes. There is no requirementthat remarriagebedelayeduntil theendof the year in which the survivor annui-tant reaches age 55. In other words, im-mediatelyupon the survivor annuitant’s55thbirthday,heor shecanremarryandretain the survivor annuity.

SURVIVOR BENEFITSQUESTION:Is thechoice toprovideasurvivor annuity irrevocable? Mywifeand I both are Civil Service Retire-ment System annuitants.There is nolonger a financial need for a survivorbenefit for her.Response: You had up to 30 days afterreceipt of your first regular annuity pay-ment to change your election regardingsurvivor benefits. After that, your elec-tion is permanent, unless the marriageends in death or divorce.

ANNUAL LEAVEQUESTION:I did not see any figuresconverting my annual leave for pur-posesof calculatingmyretirementan-

Questions &Answers

IMMEDIATELY upon the survivor annuitant’s 55thbirthday,he or she can remarry and retain thesurvivor annuity.


nuity.I am fairly certain that I did nottake the annual leave in a lump sum,but I amnot positive.Response: The Office of Personnel Man-agement isnot theagency for issuing thelump-sum payment for your annualleave. Your final lump-sum payment isissued by the agency where you wereworking when you retired. If you haveyour final leave and earnings statement,you should contact your former agencyfor an explanation to determine if youwere paid for your annual leave.

SURVIVORS AND FEHBPQUESTION: My wife and I retiredunder the Civil Service RetirementSystem.We both chose not to electsurvivor annuities. I am the primaryfor coverage under our Federal Em-ployees Health Benefits Program(FEHBP) plan. If I pass away,will shestill be covered under the plan?Response: If you did not elect to provideher with a survivor benefit, your enroll-ment in the FEHBP will end upon yourdeath, and she will not be eligible tocontinue that coverage. But she mightbe eligible to enroll for FEHBP coverageas a retiree in her own right if at thetime she retired she met the require-ment of five years of continued FEHBPcoverage, either as an enrollee or as adependent covered under another’sFEHBP enrollment. If your wife is eli-gible in her own right, she can enrollherself in the FEHBP whenever sheloses coverage as a dependent underyour family enrollment. This also wouldbe true if you both decide to change en-rollments from family coverage to twoself-only coverages, which many federalretired couples do to save on premiumcosts.

DENTAL PLANSQUESTION: I recently learned of amorecomprehensivedental coverage

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plan.Would you please provide infor-mation on theNational Program forDental andVision?Response: We think you must be re-ferring to the Federal EmployeesDental and Vision Insurance Program(FEDVIP)–first made available to fed-eral employees and retirees in 2006.Retirees can sign up for one of theplans offered during the annual Fed-eral Employees Health Benefits Pro-gram Open Season. You should knowthat under this program, there is nogovernment contribution to the pre-mium costs. Costs for the dental plansvary by geographical location. To learnmore, go to the following link on theOffice of Personnel Management Website: www.benefeds.com/BenefedHelp/more_info/dental.htm. You will find allof the dental plans available to federalemployees/retirees, along with aphone number for each plan. You cancall to ask questions about the indi-vidual plans, as well as the amount theplan will cover for your specific dentalneeds.

OPMPINQUESTION:Apersonal identificationnumber (PIN) is sometimes requiredwhen contacting the Office of Per-sonnel Management (OPM).How doyou obtain a PIN fromOPM if you ei-ther have never received one or re-ceived aPINand forgotwhat it is?Response: In either case, to obtain anew PIN you must contact OPM. Byphone, you may call OPM at 888-767-6738. Because of the extremely heavyvolume of calls OPM receives everyday, your best chance to get throughto OPM is between 7-7:30 a.m. EasternTime or in late afternoon/earlyevening. You also may write to the Of-fice of Personnel Management, Retire-ment Operations Center, P.O. Box 45,Boyers, PA 16017.

REPORTINGDEATHQUESTION: What organizationshould Iormembersofmy familycon-tact to report the death of an annui-tant?Response: You should first contact yourlocal NARFE chapter service officer,who can assist in obtaining benefits forsurvivors of annuitants. If that is notpossible, you will need to contact theOffice of Personnel Management (OPM)directly to report the death. You canwrite to the Office of Personnel Man-agement, Retirement OperationsCenter, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017.The other options are to send an e-mailto [email protected] or call 888-767-6738.

SURVIVOR BENEFITQUESTION: If someone under theCivil Service Retirement System(CSRS) takes $1 out of his or her re-tirement annuity for the spouse’s an-nuity,would thespousestill receive thesameFederal EmployeesHealthBen-efits Program (FEHBP) coverage asthe spouse would receive if he or shetook out the 55-percent spouse’s an-nuity?Response: Yes. The survivor would stillhave the same FEHBP coverage as thesurvivor would receive under a full sur-vivor election. An election to use $1 asthe base for reduction will allow a sur-viving spouse to continue FEHBP cov-

erage if the annuitant had family cov-erage at the time of death. The survivorwould need to pay the FEHBP pre-miums directly to the Office of Per-sonnel Management since premiumscould not be withheld from the sur-vivor annuity. We advise that beforemaking such an election regarding sur-vivor benefits, you consider the fol-lowing:

• Your spouse’s future retirementbenefits based on his or her own em-ployment;

• Other sources of income;• Whether the other sources of in-

come are protected against inflationwith cost-of-living adjustments; and

• Your spouse’s need for continuedcoverage under the FEHBP.

CSRS annuitants who elect no re-duction or a partial reduction to pro-vide survivor benefits at retirementhave an opportunity to increase sur-vivor benefits within 18 months afterfinal adjudication of their annuities.However, this election may be moreexpensive than if the same electionhad been made at retirement.

LEAVEWITHOUT PAYQUESTION: I work for the FederalBureau of Investigation and have aquestionconcerning leavewithoutpay.I am in 1811 status and can retire atage50with20yearsof service.If I havetaken leave without pay, does thatchange my retirement date? I havetakentwoweeksduringmycareerandmaysoonneedto take12weeks.Doesthat change anything?


Questions &Answers

NARFE SERVICEOFFICERS are available to answer questions and toassist in helping with a variety of benefit matters.Check your chapter newsletterfor the name and phone number of your service officer.Call NARFE toll-free at

1-800-456-8410for the nearest service officer.NARFE Service Centers are also available in someareas.Use the Service Center listings on ourWeb site,www.narfe.org.

ACTIVEEMPLOYEES

Response: No. If you have taken onlytwo weeks of leave without pay duringyour career and plan to take only 12weeks at the most in the future, yourretirement benefits will not be af-fected. Periods of leave without pay orother nonpay status of up to sixmonths in any one calendar year areconsidered creditable service for re-tirement purposes. Coverage underthe retirement system continues at nocost (retirement contributions) to theemployee while in nonpay status.When employees are in nonpay statusfor only a portion of a period, their re-tirement contributions are adjusted inproportion to their basic pay.

SPECIAL RETIREMENTSUPPLEMENT

QUESTION:Is the special retirementsupplement (SRS)anaddedbenefit tothe basic Federal Employees Retire-ment System (FERS) benefits forthosewhoretirebeforeage62?At theminimum retirement age (MRA),what is theminimumnumberof yearsof servicerequiredtobeentitled tore-ceiveSRS? I amage58andwill have17years of service. I would like to knowthe amount of retirement benefits Ican expect if I retire with 17 years ofservice.Response: The SRS is provided in addi-tion to the regular FERS benefit to makeup for the fact that Social Security–animportant part of the total FERS retire-ment package–is not payable until theretiree reaches age 62. It is available tothose who retire under age 62 at theirMRA with 30 years of service; or at age60 with 20 years of service; or on earlyvoluntary retirement (age 50 with 20years of service or at any age with 25years, but only if authorized by youragency or the Office of Personnel Man-agement); or on an involuntary retire-ment. If you were to retire with 17 years


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of service, you would be retiring undertheMRA+10provision.Noonewhore-tiresunder thatprovision is eligible to re-ceive the SRS. Further, your annuitywouldbe reducedby5percent for everyyear you are younger than age 62.

OVERTIME OR CREDIT HOURSQUESTION:Are overtime pay andcredit hours included in the computa-tion of an annuity estimate?Response: Unless you are in one of thespecial groups (e.g., firefighter, law en-forcement officer, etc.), your annuity iscomputed using your high-three av-erage salary–that is, your basic pay fora regular 40-hour week. Overtime payand credit hours are not included in thecomputation of your annuity, but lo-cality pay is. For a list of what is ex-cluded from basic pay, see p. 3, Chapter30, of the Office of Personnel Manage-ment’s CSRS and FERS Handbook forPersonnel and Payroll Offices. The link iswww.opm.gov/asd/hod/pdf/c030.pdf.

RETIREMENT IDCARDSQUESTION:Iwill beretiring fromtheDepartment of Defense (DOD) thisyear and am trying to find out if thereis a retirement identification card is-

sued bymy agency.Response: DOD Civilian PersonnelManagement Service, Field AdvisoryService, is the DOD Headquarters Per-sonnel Office. This office will work withall DOD organizations to establish astandard procedure for DOD civilian re-tirees to obtain an ID card. With theadded security procedures establishedat each federal agency, the authoritywas delegated to each command andwas eventually delegated to the lowestpossible level. Each retiree, therefore, isrequired to contact independently theparticular installation the retiree wantsto enter after retirement to find outabout the installation’s policy.

You also might contact your agencyhuman resources office for a point ofcontact at the installation you are plan-ning to frequent after retirement.

TAXESQUESTION:I am considering whereto livewhen I retire.Please provide in-formation on which states have nostate tax or sales tax.

Response: Most states tax federal retire-ment benefits, often with some exemp-tions. But there are some states with noincome tax and some that exempt pen-sions. Visit the NARFE Web site and logon to the NARFE Legislative Depart-ment’s home page, then click on “StateTaxation” at the end of the middlecolumn. States exempting the totalamount of civil service annuities in-clude Alabama, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas,Kentucky (for those retired before Jan-uary 1, 1998), Louisiana, Massachusetts,Michigan, Mississippi, New York, NorthCarolina (for those with five years ofservice as of August 12, 1989), Oregon(if retired before October 1, 1991) andPennsylvania.

You can change the amount of stateor federal tax withheld from your an-nuity by calling the Office of PersonnelManagement (OPM), Retirement Infor-mation Office, at 888-767-6738. Youshould be ready to provide your CSAor CSF retirement claim number andyour OPM-provided PIN.

Federal income tax treatment ofyour civil service retirement is ex-plained in the IRS Tax Guide to U.S. CivilService Retirement Benefits, Publication721. You can obtain this free bookletfrom the IRS by calling 800-829-3676.

If you have tax questions, you alsocan call the IRS at 800-829-1040 orcontact your local IRS office.

Visit the IRSWeb site atwww.irs.govand scroll down to “More Forms andPublications” on the left of the homepage. OPM’s retirement Web page alsohas some tax help at www.opm.gov/retire. You can compute the tax-freeportion of your annuity under the sim-plified method or estimate income taxwithholding on this Web site.

YOU CAN CHANGE the amount of state or federaltaxwithheld from your annuity by callingOPM’sRetirement InformationOffice.

Questions &Answers

NewSSARetirementPlanningTool

TheSocial SecurityAdministration (SSA) recently launched its newonlineretirement planning tool,“Retirement Estimator,” atwww.socialsecurity.

gov/estimator.Itusesactualearningsrecordstoprovideapersonalizedestimateof futureSSAretirementbenefits.It is no longer necessary to write or call SSA for a statement to find out

what your benefits will be.The Retirement Estimator provides an estimateof benefits if you take an early retirement with reductions, if you wait untilyour full retirement age and if you delay applying for benefits until age 70.Itis not for use by those already receiving benefits, those who do not haveenough credits for benefits or those subject to theWindfall EliminationPro-vision (WEP).It allows users to compare retirement options by entering dif-ferent work-stop dates or expected earnings.

CSRS INTERIMAND FERSQUESTION:I amtrying to resolve anissue that affects many employeesmade permanent in the time frame1984-1986.I was hired in a temporaryposition in 1982. I was made perma-nent during the period Civil ServiceRetirement System (CSRS) Interimwas in effect.Are there official guide-lines onCSRS Interim?Response: The Office of Personnel Man-agement (OPM) Web site provides ex-cellent information. CSRS Interim is aversion of CSRS established pendingcreation of the Federal Employees Re-tirement System (FERS) for employeesfirst hired after December 31, 1983,and certain rehires. When FERS be-came effective, employees with CSRSInterim coverage acquired either FERSor CSRS Offset coverage. CSRS Offsetwas created in 1987 and generally ap-plies to employees who had a break infederal service after 1983 that lastedlonger than one year and who had atleast five years of civilian service as ofJanuary 1, 1987. It also applies to em-ployees who were hired into a civiliancareer before 1984 but did not acquireretirement coverage until after 1984and had at least five years of service asof January 1, 1987. For more detailedinformation, go to the OPM link atwww.opm.gov/benefits/correction/faq/general.htm. �


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7


It’s no secret thatNARFE’sBien-nial National Convention con-venes in Louisville, KY, thismonth. It’s alsonosecret toany

member who has been part of aNARFE state, regional or nationalconvention that a lot of hard workhasgone intopreparing for this event.Muchof the planninghas beendoneby the ConventionHost Committee,chairedbyKentuckyFederation PresidentMarlene Bunten.Andwhile she is thefirst to admit thatshe’s had somegreatfolks working withher over the pastyear and a half, wesalute all of thosewho worked on thisconvention by fea-turing Marlene as the September“Faces of NARFE.”

She was born Marlene Hemsathin Covington, KY, shortly after thedevastatingOhioRiver floodof 1937.

Marlene went to work for the In-ternal Revenue Service (IRS) in 1967as aGS-2 in themailroom. She spent30 years with the IRS, includingthree years managing the TaxpayerServiceOffice inColumbus,OH. Sheretired as the problem-resolution of-ficer, now called the taxpayer advo-cate. As such, she traveled toWash-ington every year to meet withmembers of Congress, especiallythose representing Kentucky andOhio.

Marlene joined NARFE not longafter herMay1, 1997, retirement, be-coming a member of CampbellCounty Chapter 1760. By January

1998, she was president of thechapter, beginning anuninterruptedstretch of serving as aNARFEofficer,which continues today. In fact, Mar-lene figures that the only time shewasn’t an officer for the chapterand/or federation was during herfirst six months as amember.

Her path to becoming chair of theConvention Host Committee was

not an intentional one. In fact, shewas shocked that Louisvillewon thevote of delegates at the 2004 Na-tional Convention in Reno to hostthis year’s convention. She recallsthat it was only after it was an-nounced that there would be a run-off election between Dallas andLouisville that the Kentucky groupdecided to print up fliers to try tosway some votes. She says she wassurprised by the delegates whoasked, “Where is Louisville?” but setthem straight by telling them tothink “Kentucky Derby.” Louisvillewon the vote overDallas, and itwasup to the Kentucky Federation tobegin long-range plansfor the convention.

At that time, shehadno idea shewould be fed-eration president, let alone

the chairperson of the convention.She was elected federation presidentin May 2007 for a two-year term.Then, the person who was to chairtheconventionhad to stepdowndueto health problems, and Marlenefound herself federation presidentand 2008 convention chair.

While it has been amonumentaltask, she thinks that NARFE mem-

bers who come toLouisville in Sep-tember will likewhat they see. Andshe admits that shehas had an amazingcommittee to workwith, giving specialmention to MarjFair, who took onthe job of putting to-gether the conven-

tion book, with ads, booster lists, anagenda–everything you want toknow about the convention.

Marlene also admits that therehas not been a dull moment. Whileit has been a lot of work, it also hasbeen a lot of fun. So when you seeMarlene and her host committee atthe convention, thank them for all oftheir hard work–even if it was fun!

By ChuckTimanus,Public Relations Director

MARLENE BUNTEN . . .chairof the National ConventionHost Committee andpresident of the KentuckyFederation

Faces ofNARFE

She’ll Be Your Host in Louisville


Out&AboutWith the Chapters

Juanita Brady holds the painting shepurchased at the Alzheimer’s benefitauction sponsored by Chapter 164,Harrisonburg,VA. Rev. Sonny Hinklewas auctioneer.

Officers of Chapter 609,South Brevard, FL,celebrate the chapter’s 50th anniversary.Left to right:Alberta Terry,2nd vp;PatO’Brien,1st vp;Roy Rochon,president;andPhyllis Walker, secretary.

New officers of Chapter 2229, Frankfort, KY,pose at a recent meeting. Left to right, seated:Oram Wright, president; and Richard Crane, vp;standing:Terry Chism, secretary; NancyEdwards, publicity; and Ira Linville, treasurer.

NARFE-FEEAPROGRAM FUND CONTRIBUTION FORM

YOUR CHARITABLECONTRIBUTION IS TAX

DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULLESTEXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.

Make check payable to:NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund orNARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund

Please mail couponand check to:

FEEA8441 W. Bowles Ave., Suite 200

Littleton, CO 80123-3245

YES! I would like to help with my contribution.Pleasecheckappropriatebox(es); tomakecredit-cardcontributions,call 1-800-323-4140.Scholarships are available to children and grandchildren of federal civilian retirees andcurrent federal employees who are NARFE members.

� NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund Amount $� NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund Amount $

Name

Address

City State ZIP

RIGHT: Chapter 2345, Stennis SpaceCenter, MS, participated in a SeniorFair Day in Picayune. Left to right:Rhett Hamiter, secretary; JimmieGlydewell, president; and Belinda

Clark,Alzheimer’s chair.

LEFT: Region III Vice President RobertHarrell, right, presents a plaque to JoeHofsash, recognizing his 25 years ofservice to Chapter 1020,WarnerRobins, GA, 15 of them as sgt.-at-arms.


Feedback fromFederationConventionsBy Nathaniel L. BrownNational [email protected]

Each year as yourNationalSecretary, I have the oppor-tunity to attend several fed-eration conventions. As I did

last year, I want to expressmy thanksto federation officers and delegates for

the hospitality andcourtesy shown tomeduringmy visits. Ialso thank them forthe e-mails, notes andpictures they sentaftermy visit. Each ofthese follow-up con-

tacts brought back fond and pleasantmemories.

It is always gratifying tomeet withand talk to federation and chapterleaders, as well as members, and tolearn how excited they are aboutNARFE. I continue to be impressedwith the quality of leaders, and theirdedication to promoting the goals ofNARFE and providing service to ourmembers. It is also gratifying for meto know that we havemanydedicatedmembers.

While visiting federationconventions, a number of delegatesdiscussed several issues withme.Many of those with whom I talkedexpressed concern about the futureof NARFE chapters. In addition, Imade several observations aboutsome of the activities that took placeduringmy convention visits. I wouldlike to share two of my observationswith you.

The first observation pertains to adiscussion by three federations on a

resolution that proposed going froman annual to a biennial federationconvention. Some delegatesindicated that the cost of holding aconvention was amajorconsideration, as well as a lack of asufficient number of members toplan and carry out the activities for asuccessful convention. Otherdelegates indicated that annualconventions provided opportunitiesfor chapter members to share andexchange ideas and, therefore,should be continued.

While both reasons should beconsidered inmaking a decision,each federation should decide whatis best for the chapter members oftheir federations. To lower costs,some federations have reduced thenumber of days for their convention.Others plan some kind of trainingduring the off year, so that chaptermembers will have an opportunity tomeet and exchange ideas. Thirteenfederations now hold biennialconventions. It may be helpful tocontact them to obtain informationon how biennial conventions areworking for their states.

The second observation relates toa concern somemembers hadregarding the number of memberswho attendmeetings, and the smallnumber of members who are willingto plan and become involved inchapter activities. In essence, theywere concerned about the continuedviability of chapters. The averageattendance at chapter meetings isapproximately 10 percent. Membersdo not attend chapter meetings for avariety of reasons–competingpriorities, work schedules or medicalconditions, and some just don’t liketo attendmeetings.

Whatever the reasons, chapterofficials need to ensure that their

meetings consist of activities thatare informative and enjoyable.However, I do share the concernsexpressed about the small numberof members who are involved inplanning chapter activities. The lackof a sufficient number of membersavailable to carry out chapterfunctions could have a significantimpact on the viability of a chapter.Perhaps chapter officials need tofind ways to get those memberswho do not attend meetings on aregular basis involved in planningchapter activities. There usually is acore group of members that keepsthe chapter going. I am sure that ifwe could periodically find two orthree more members to become apart of this core group, there wouldalways be a sufficient number ofmembers to ensure the viability ofchapters. May we set that as ourgoal each year! �

From the Secretary’s Desk

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Advertiser Index


JoinJoin NARFENARFE Today!Today!

� Complete the application on the reverse side.� Enclose payment information, bill pay, check or moneyorder payable to NARFE, or request to be billed.

� Or go to our Web site at www.narfe.org and join today!

*Prior to October 1, 1987

Membership is open to civilians in any agency of the federalor D.C.* governments including:

� Retirees� Active federal employees� Spouses and former spouses of active and retiredfederal employees

� Former employees eligible for deferred annuity� Survivors of those eligible to join NARFE

Who can join?

To apply:

Enrollment includes membership in a local chapter and the nationalassociation, plus a subscription to NARFE’s monthly publication, NARFE magazine.

Dues Withholding Application (Retirees Only)Dues Withholding Application (Retirees Only)

Be sure to fill out both sides of this form and mail to: Attn: Member Records, NARFE,606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314 (Do Not Send Money With This Form)

(Please Print)

— — ——

Social Security Number (9-digits)

(Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms.)

Address Telephone

City, State, ZIP E-mail

Date of Birth NARFE Membership Number NARFE Chapter Number

C SCivil Service Annuity Number(Include prefix CSA or CSF)

(Include prefix applicable suffix)

—


AuthorizationI authorize the United States Office of Personnel Management to make appropriate deductions from my annuity payments, not to exceedthe amount certified by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association as the amount of dues for which I am annual-ly obligated, in accordance with elections I make below and to pay the deducted sum to the National Active and Retired FederalEmployees Association (NARFE). This authorization shall also apply to any and all dues changes certified by NARFE membership inaccordance with elections I make below:

Do You Authorize Your Spouse’s Dues to Be Withheld from Your Annuity? �� Yes �� NoIf YES, enter your spouse’s name and membership number below. You authorize:

National dues of $24.60 plusChapter dues of record to be withheld annually.

I understand that this authorization shall be valid until NARFE receives & processes my written notice of cancellation in accordancewith its agreement with the Office of Personnel Management & that any disputes regarding this authorization shall be a matter betweenNARFE & myself. I hold the Office of Personnel Management harmless for any erroneous allotment deduction made pursuant to thisauthorization. I also authorize the Office of Personnel Management to disclose any information necessary to execute this request.

Dues payments & gifts orcontributions to NARFE arenot deductible as charitablecontributions for federalincome tax purposes.

Signature of Annuitant or Survivor-Annuitant Date

Name Number

1. �� Please enroll me in NARFE chapter __________________(leave blank if not known).�� Also enroll my spouse.

2.

3. $33 x =Membership fee

per personno. of

people joiningTotal payment

�� Total payment (check, bill pay or money order payableto NARFE)

�� Bill me�� Charge to my credit card

Credit Card Information:Card type: �� MasterCard �� VISA

�� Discover �� AMEX

Card no. _________________________________________

Expiration Date ______________

Name on Card (Print) _______________________________

Signature ____________________________ Date _______

The first year membership fee is in lieu of national and chapterdues. Upon renewal you will be billed for national and chapterdues at the prevailing rate on your anniversary date.

CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY: �� Retiree�� Spouse�� Survivor

�� Active employee�� Former spouse�� Former employee

(mm) (yy) Mail to:NARFE Member Records

606 N. Washington St.Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

Fax: 703-838-77831Q

Full Name: Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms.

Street Address Apt./Unit

City/State/ZIP

Home Telephone Number

E-mail Address

Federal Agency

Retirement Date

Date(s) of Birth

Recruiter’s Membership and/or Chapter Number

Contact Information:

NARFE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONwww.narfe.orgFor Active and Retired Federal Employees

name

Do Not Send Money With This Form


The Importance ofMembership GrowthBy Tom JohnsonRegion IV Regional Vice [email protected]

T he summer is slowlycoming to an end, and Ihave been reflecting onNARFE membership is-

sues that I believe need attention in Re-gion IV. These issues are mirrored in

problems nationwide.While there havebeen several recentcolumns on recruit-ment and retention, Idon’t think it hurts tocontinue to empha-size just how impor-

tant membership growth is to NARFE. Our national Recruitment and

Retention Section does an excellentjob in recruiting new members, andwe in the field have pockets ofsuccess. But we all need to focus moreon membership recruitment andretention throughout our chapters.The biggest concern I hear from somemembers is, “We don’t have any

retirees to draw from in our area.”Well, that may be true in some places,but we also have majorconcentrations of retirees, as well asactive federal employees and spouses,who are not members of NARFE.

Statistically, NARFE membershipincludes about 15 percent of thecurrent federal retiree population.That means, of course, that 85percent of federal retirees are not onboard. (And this doesn’t even takeinto account active federalemployees or spouses. Why we havenot increased our efforts to sign upspouses is a mystery to me.) Of that85 percent of retirees out there whoare not NARFE members, I’m certainthat each of us knows a few of them.We need to contact them and bringthem into the NARFE family. What’sthe reaction you might get if you tryto recruit? Either “yes” or “no.” But ifwe don’t ask, we won’t know, and itcertainly doesn’t hurt to ask.

The second part of themembership issue is retention. It isn’thard to understand that if we don’tkeep members from dropping theirmemberships, we will not be

achieving our membership goals.Each chapter’s goal should be to havemore members on board at the end ofthe year than it had at the beginning.Offering informative meetings onissues of importance to NARFE as wellas on the organization’saccomplishments will help membersto recognize the importance ofremaining with NARFE andcontinuing to benefit from theprotection that membership provides.

As members, each of us has anobligation to recruit and retainmembers. Why? Because it is in ourbest interests to increase membershipin our organization so we can increaseour political power. We all need to doour part and help in any way that wecan. Each chapter and federationshould set membership targets andwork toward the goal of having moremembers at the end of each year thanat the start.

So let’s all get enthused abouthelping NARFE grow as anorganization and sustain ourstrength so we can continue topreserve the benefits of federalretirees and their survivors. �

Report From the Regions

Your charitable contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Write your chapter number on check; make it payable to: NARFE-Alzheimer’s Research

and mail to: Alzheimer’s Association

225 N. Michigan Ave., 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601-7633

SUPPORT ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH

Enclosed is my NARFE Alzheimer’s contribution: $ . Every cent that is contributed is used for research.

Please circle: Mr. Mrs. Miss Ms.

Name

Address

City State ZIP

Chapter number

NARFE members contributed

for Alzheimer’s research:

$8 Million Fund

$7,548,155**Total as of June 30, 2008

100% of all contributed fundsgo to Alzheimer’s research.

If you have any qquueessttiioonnss,, write to:

National Committee, Chairman

Barb L. Pretzer, 4817 Rockridge Court,

Manhattan, KS 66503

FEDERATION P


ALABAMAMargaret A. Billingsley3524 Hualapai CircleGuntersville,AL [email protected]

ALASKAJames L. Oliver Sr.P.O. Box 872026Wasilla,AK [email protected]

ARIZONAMervyn Stuckey2272 E. Buster Mountain DriveOro Valley,AZ [email protected]

ARKANSASCharles R. Schmieder809 Meredith St.White Hall, AR [email protected]

CALIFORNIAH. Ray Harrington6203 Posey LaneParadise, CA [email protected]

COLORADOMartha E. Leiker945 W. 96th Ave.Denver, CO [email protected]

CONNECTICUTCatherine B. NasinP.O. Box 33Willimantic, CT [email protected]

DELAWAREWalter T. Berwick37818 Cedar RoadSelbyville, DE [email protected]

DISTRICTOF COLUMBIACurtis P. Brisbon4319 Burns St., S.E.Washington, DC [email protected]

FLORIDADonald E. Stewart531 Sevilla Ave.Coral Gables, FL [email protected]

GEORGIANoel H. Green309 Norwich St.Brunswick, GA [email protected]

HAWAIISherri Clark6710 Hawaii Kai Drive,Apt. 110Honolulu, HI [email protected]

IDAHORobert I. Conquergood9401 Clarkview PlaceHayden Lake, ID [email protected]

ILLINOISArlen E. Lash37 W. Crownview DriveMt.Vernon, IL [email protected]

INDIANADarrel L.Thomas917 Evensview DriveGreencastle, IN [email protected]

IOWARonald L. Larsen202 BentonCouncil Bluffs, IA [email protected]

KANSASMary E. Fritzson11755 School Creek RoadSt. George, KS [email protected]

KENTUCKYMarlene A. Bunten911 Outlook RoadVilla Hills, KY [email protected]

LOUISIANABobbie E. Guillory3448 Louise St.Harvey, LA [email protected]

MAINELorraine R. Noel11 Cedar St.Augusta, ME [email protected]

MARYLANDRichard L. StrombotneP.O. Box 83519Gaithersburg, MD [email protected]

MASSACHUSETTSGilbert W. Blaisdell3 Larnard’s CourtAmesbury, MA [email protected]

MICHIGANEd Kessler1952 Pinecrest DriveE. Lansing, MI [email protected]

MINNESOTAFrank J. Boys1711 James CourtN.Mankato, MN 56003-2010507-388-4466

MISSISSIPPIMary P. Pierson4003 Glover St.Gulfport, MS [email protected]

MISSOURILinda Kurz7425 Highway FFLonedell, MO [email protected]

MONTANABilly E. ButtsP.O. Box 2843Columbia Falls, MT [email protected]

PRESIDENTS


NEBRASKARaymond H. Hogrefe6335 Perry CircleLincoln, NE [email protected]

NEVADAThomas R. Prettyman17 Windtree CircleCarson City, NV [email protected]

NEWHAMPSHIREJames P. Crawford95 Ridgeview DriveBristol, NH [email protected]

NEW JERSEYMichael Demski148 Cedar Ave.Hawthorne, NJ [email protected]

NEWMEXICOMary E.McKay1380 Via NorteLas Cruces, NM [email protected]

NEW YORKBarry L. Rock81-15 156th Ave.Howard Beach, NY [email protected]

NORTHCAROLINAElaine C. Hughes107 Willow Lake DriveAsheville, NC [email protected]

NORTHDAKOTALeon T. Lauer916 28th Ave., S.Grand Forks, ND [email protected]

OHIODennis Petrack408 W. Gorgas St.Louisville, OH [email protected]

OKLAHOMAJefferson Vaughan7440 N. 420 RoadHulbert, OK [email protected]

OREGONDonald R. Strathdee13405 S.W. Scotts Bridge DriveTigard, OR [email protected]

PANAMALorenzo I. QuarlessQuintas De Monticello IISantos Spirith, [email protected]

PENNSYLVANIAAnthony Filardi2124 Parklyn St.Pittsburgh, PA [email protected]

PHILIPPINESFidel T. Dayrit#608 Rose St., Pineda Subd.Dau,Mabalacat, 2010 PampangaPhilippinesPhone: 011-63-45-331-2514

PUERTORICOLuis Arroyo-MedinaP.O. Box 360787San Juan, PR [email protected]

RHODE ISLANDJessie E. Leonetti19 Henry St.Westerly, RI [email protected]

SOUTHCAROLINAJohn W. Geiger260 Willow Lake DriveAiken, SC [email protected]

SOUTHDAKOTAArlowine A.Weigel825 15th Ave., S.E.Aberdeen, SD [email protected]

TENNESSEECarey Frazier6025 Murray LaneBrentwood,TN [email protected]

TEXASJerome S. Smith5900 Raleigh DriveTyler,TX [email protected]

UTAHCarol P. Elkins189 S. Sunset DriveFarmington, UT [email protected]

VERMONTRobert E.Tucker279 Sunnyside LaneWilliamstown,VT [email protected]

VIRGINIAR. David Smith13921 Krim Point TrailMidlothian,VA [email protected]

WASHINGTONDale Brighton3375 Alcoa HighwayMalaga,WA [email protected]

WEST VIRGINIAJohn L. Sheely427 S.Tennessee Ave.Martinsburg,WV [email protected]

WISCONSINCharles C.Anderson277 Schrader Ave.Shawano,WI [email protected]

WYOMINGDonald F. Ryan12562 Wyoming Highway 26Riverton,WY [email protected]


ALASKAFairbanks Chapter 2076 hosted 42 dele-gates and guests representing all of thefederation’s five chapters April 26-27 inFairbanks. Guest speaker was LegislativeRepresentative Jill Crissman and RegionIXVP Lanny G. Ross.Officers: President James L. Oliver,Executive Vice President AlbertBuffington, Secretary Marlene Lewis,Treasurer Edward Grey.

ARIZONATempe Chapter 1505 hosted 124 dele-gates and guests representing 25 of thefederation’s 26 chapters May 4-6 inMesa. Guest speaker was LegislativeDirector Judy Park.Officers: President Mervyn Stuckey, FirstVice President Harold E. Roberts,Secretary Karyle Stuckey, TreasurerMary E. Jensen.

ARKANSASCentral Arkansas Chapter 966 hosted170 delegates and guests representing21 of the federation’s 30 chapters May22-24 in Conway. Guest speakers wereDirector of Membership DevelopmentJohn Clements and Region VI VP JerryD. Hatfield.

Officers: President Charles Schmieder,Executive Vice President Winston Wolfe,Secretary Anna M. Crow, TreasurerRonald L. Lambert.

COLORADOUpper Arkansas Valley Chapter 2286hosted 75 delegates and guests repre-senting 20 of the federation’s 26 chap-ters May 5-7 in Buena Vista. Guestspeakers were Assistant Legislative Di-rector Dan Adcock; Region VII VP RussBoor; and Bennie Millinier, communityliaison, office of U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar.Officers: President Martha E. Leiker,First Vice President Jack G. Powell,Second Vice President Betty LuceroTurner, Secretary Dorothy C. White,Treasurer Eva C. Heller.

FLORIDAThe Florida Federation hosted 283 dele-gates and guests representing 62 of thefederation’s 77 chapters May 20-22 inAltamonte Springs. Guest speakers wereNational Secretary Nathaniel L. Brown,Region III VP Robert S. Harrell andDirector of Retirement Benefits ServiceDavid Snell.Officers: President Donald E. Stewart,Executive Vice President Wallace W.Roepke, Vice President Kenneth A.Carter, Secretary William H. Leatham,Treasurer Ruth W. Blackwell.

ILLINOISLake County Chapter 441 hosted 113delegates and guests representing all ofthe federation’s 31 chapters May 14-16in Gurnee. Guest speakers wereNational Secretary Nathaniel L. Brownand Region IV VP Tom Johnson.Officers: President Arlen E. Lash, First

Vice President Raymond L.Cunningham, Second Vice PresidentRichard F. Kraus, Secretary Margaret M.Murphy, Treasurer Richard A. Castle.

INDIANAChapters 381, 944, 1677 and 1777 host-ed 130 delegates and guests represent-ing 25 of the federation’s 29 chaptersApril 9-11 in Clarksville. Guest speakerwas Region IV VP Tom Johnson.Officers: President Darrel L. Thomas,Executive Vice President Andy F. Whitt,Second Vice President James G.Hawkins, Secretary Grace Maxine Ross,Treasurer James P. Fischer.

IOWADavenport Chapter 279 hosted 130 dele-gates and guests representing all of thefederation’s 30 chapters May 19-21 inDavenport. Guest speakers were Nation-al President Margaret L. Baptiste; RegionV VP Richard G. Thissen; Barb Pretzer,NARFE-Alzheimer’s National Committeechair; Davenport Mayor William Gluba;Penny Vacek, U.S. Sen. Grassley’s office;Tom Larkin, U. S. Sen. Harkin’s office;Pete DeKock, U. S. Rep. Braley’s office;and Iowa Rep. Jamie Van Fossen.Officers: President Ronald L. Larsen,First Vice President Larry Moore, SecondVice President Lyle R. Mackey, SecretaryJeaneen M. Kain, Treasurer Emmett J.Stevermer.

KANSASSalt City Chapter 537 hosted 190 dele-gates and guests representing all of thefederation’s 45 chapters April 27-29 inHutchinson. Guest speakers were PublicRelations Director Chuck Timanus andRegion V VP Richard G. Thissen.Officers: President Mary E. Fritzson,First Vice President Robert Cranmer,Second Vice President Elizabeth M.Bornman, Secretary Carol R. Ek,Treasurer Madelyn Brown.

LOUISIANACenla Chapter 502 hosted 72 delegatesand guests representing 12 of the feder-ation’s 16 chapters April 9-10 inAlexandria. Guest speakers wereNational Secretary Nathaniel L. Brownand Region VI VP Jerry D. Hatfield.Officers: President Bobbie E. Guillory,First Vice President Helen J. Scott,Second Vice President Joseph Landry,Secretary Marilyn P. Daniel, TreasurerRobert J. Rolfsen.

MAINEMidcoast Chapter 2169 hosted 51 dele-

2008 FEDERATION

These compilations were takenfrom F-7A and F-22 reportsforwarded to NARFE NationalHeadquarters.

CONVENTIONREPORTS

National President Margaret L. Baptiste installed new officers of the Iowa Federation.Pictured (left to right) are: front row,Treasurer Emmett Stevermer, 2ndVP Lyle Mackey,President Ron Larsen, 1st VP Larry Moore, Secretary Jeaneen Kain and Baptiste; back row,District Vice Presidents Karl Griffith,Marlys Pope, Joy Bridenstine,Alberta McMullin,Madonna Nisson and Edgar Fairchild; and Immediate Past President Darlene Freeman.

gates and guests representing 10 of thefederation’s 11 chapters April 23-24 inRockport. Guest speakers were NationalPresident Margaret L. Baptiste andRegion I VP Augie Stratoti.Officers: President Lorraine Noel, FirstVice President Frank Ashnault, SecondVice President Susan Hyde, SecretaryRichard Neal, Treasurer Charles Kyes.

MASSACHUSETTSClipper City Chapter 1568 hosted 118delegates and guests representing 19 ofthe federation’s 21 chapters May 1-2 inDevens. Guest speakers were LegislativeRepresentative Christopher Farrell,Region I VPAugie Stratoti and U.S. Rep.Niki Tsongas.Officers: President Gilbert W. Blaisdell,First Vice President William L. Wayne,Second Vice President Kenneth D.Nolan, Secretary W. Gene Holt,Treasurer Marie E. McTighe.

MICHIGANJackson Cascades Chapter 25 hosted 62delegates and guests representing 21 ofthe federation’s 37 chapters June 5-7 inJackson. Guest speakers were NationalTreasurer Richard C. Ostergren andRegion IVVPTom Johnson.Officers: President Ed Kessler, ExecutiveVice President John Kibler, SecretaryGwendolyn Walker, Treasurer GladysHurd.

MINNESOTAWhite Bear Lake Chapter 1232 and St.Paul Chapter 140 hosted 102 delegatesand guests representing 22 of the feder-ation’s 27 chapters May 20-22 inMankato. Guest speakers were NationalTreasurer Richard C. Ostergren; RegionV VPRichard G. Thissen; and BarbPretzer, NARFE-Alzheimer’s NationalCommittee chair.Officers: President Frank J. Boys, FirstVice President Mary Burkett, SecondVice President Ed A. Keyser, SecretaryMary Ann Kelly, Treasurer AudreyGilbertson.

MISSOURIJefferson City Chapter 313 hosted 172delegates and guests representing 43 ofthe federation’s 45 chapters April 16-18in Jefferson City. Guest speakers wereLegislative Director Judy Park andRegion V VP Richard G. Thissen.Officers: President Linda Kurz, First VicePresident Grant Peters, Second VicePresident Elbert G. Williams, SecretaryMargaret E. Hudgens, Treasurer HenryS. Garcia.

NEW HAMPSHIREConcord Chapter 302 hosted 73 dele-gates and guests representing nine ofthe federation’s 10 chapters May 18-19in Concord. Guest speakers wereLegislative Representative Jill Crissman;Region I VPAugie Stratoti; GilbertBlaisdell, Massachusetts Federation;Lorraine Noel, Maine Federation;Roland Sasseville, Rhode IslandFederation; U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter;and Liz McConnell and SusanAnthouiak, Alzheimer’s Association.Officers: President James Crawford, FirstVice President Carol French, Second

Vice President Raymond Murphy, ThirdVice President Nell R. Shea, Secretary M.Eileen Monroe, Treasurer JanetteCrawford.

NEW MEXICOAlamogordo Chapter 698 hosted 132delegates and guests representing 20 ofthe federation’s 22 chapters April 17-19in Alamogordo. Guest speakers wereLegislative Representative Jill Crissmanand Region VII VP Russ Boor.Officers: President Mary Ellen McKay,Executive Vice President SharonWilloughby, First Vice PresidentBealquin Gomez, Secretary Gloria M.Delgado, Treasurer Gerald K. Fleenor.

NEWYORKThe New York Federation hosted 87 del-egates and guests representing 27 of thefederation’s 30 chapters May 13 inAlbany. Guest speakers were Director ofRetirement Benefits Service David Snelland Region I VP Augie Stratoti.Officers: President Barry L. Rock, First

Vice President Frank E. Roggenkamp,Second Vice President Anthony F.Montoro, Secretary Charles Newkirk,Treasurer O. John Muench.

NORTH DAKOTAValley City Chapter 1839 hosted 82 del-egates and guests representing seven ofthe federation’s eight chapters May 7-9in Valley City. Guest speakers werePublic Relations Director ChuckTimanus; Region V VP Richard G.Thissen; and Ellen Chaffee, president ofValley City State University.Officers: President Leon T. Lauer, First

Vice President Larry Leier, Second VicePresident Christian W. Wingire,Secretary-Treasurer Richard A.Cunningham.

OHIOChapters 226, 317, 630, 1136, 1856,1862, 2170 and 2278 hosted 155 dele-gates and guests representing 44 of thefederation’s 47 chapters April 24-26 inLima. Guest speakers were AssistantLegislative Director Dan Adcock; RegionIV VP Tom Johnson; Jane Rodgers,Region IV Alzheimer’s coordinator; LimaMayor David Berger; Ohio Rep.Zehringer; and Ohio Sen. Faber.Officers: President Dennis Petrack, FirstVice President Marilyn Schaub, SecondVice President Edward Konys, ThirdVice President Michael Webb, SecretaryDiana Diller, Treasurer Shirley Flagge.

OKLAHOMAOklahoma City Chapter 184 andEastern Oklahoma City Chapter 1621hosted 161 delegates and guests repre-


CONVENTION REPORTS

Members of Chapter 1082 in Summerville, SC, enjoy the South Carolina FederationConvention. Clockwise from bottom left:Mable Coller, chaplain; Barbara Bryan,president; Freda Connell, treasurer; David Unwin, legislative officer; Betty Unwin, greeter;Charles Giavelli, service officer; Nancy Brown, guest; and Robert Brown,member.


senting 25 of the federation’s 39 chap-ters April 24-26 in Oklahoma City.Guest speakers were National SecretaryNathaniel L. Brown; Geneva Howe,Region VI Pre-Retirement Seminar coor-dinator; Jerome Smith, Texas Federation;and Bobbie Guillory, LouisianaFederation.Officers: President Jefferson W.Vaughan, First Vice President Dale A.Cassel, Second Vice President CharlesStanphill, Secretary Nancy Stanphill,Treasurer Robert G. Oltmanns.

PENNSYLVANIALebanon Valley Chapter 458,Mechanicsburg Chapter 1816 andWest Shore Chapter 1465 hosted 178delegates and guests representing 51 ofthe federation’s 52 chapters April 27-30in Mechanicsburg. Guest speakerswere National President Margaret L.Baptiste and Region II VP Charles W.Saylor.Officers: President Anthony Filardi, FirstVice President Maria I. Ritzman, SecondVice President Theodore D. Mason,Secretary Virginia L. Giordano, TreasurerStanley Ostwinch.

SOUTH CAROLINAAiken Chapter 934 hosted 115 dele-gates and guests representing 19 of thefederation’s 21 chapters April 16-18 inMcCormick. Guest speakers wereNational President Margaret L. Baptiste;

Region III VP Robert S. Harrell; MichaelOana, Team Oana Investment Advisors;Richard Strombotne, MarylandFederation; Curtis M. Loftis, director,Office on Aging; Jane Goolsby, office ofU.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.Officers: President John W. Geiger, FirstVice President Jeanette M. Keepers,Second Vice President Sally M. Depreker,Secretary Esther L. Crandall, TreasurerAlbert R. Mizelle.

SOUTH DAKOTAAberdeen Chapter 584 hosted 101 dele-gates and guests representing 13 of thefederation’s 17 chapters May 12-14 inAberdeen. Guest speakers wereLegislative Director Judy Park andRegion V VP Richard G. Thissen.Officers: President Arlowine (Patsy)Weigel, First Vice President Sharon L.Reidinger, Second Vice President ArleneD. Elliott, Secretary Bonnie M. Lund,Treasurer Glen (Dave)Matson.

UTAHLogan Chapter 735 hosted 26 delegatesand guests representing six of the feder-ation’s 11 chapters May 14-16 in Logan.Guest speakers were AssistantLegislative Director Dan Adcock; RegionVII VP Russ Boor; Martha Leiker,Colorado Federation; Lloyd R. Hunsaker,professor emeritus, Utah StateUniversity; and Shawna Peterson, nutri-tionist with Utah Aging Services.

Officers: President Carol Elkins, FirstVice President Blaine Busenbark, SecondVice President Harold J. Webster,Secretary Marla Ramey, Treasurer LowellW. Kenedy.

VERMONTBrattleboro Chapter 659 hosted 40 dele-gates and guests representing all of thefederation’s five chapters May 20 inRandolph Center. Guest speakers wereLegislative Representative Jill Crissman;Region I VP Augie Stratoti;and representatives from the offices ofU.S. Sens. Sanders and Leahy.Officers: President Robert Tucker, FirstVice President Robert Morancy, SecondVice President Nathan Wakefield,Secretary-Treasurer Marie Brouillette.

WASHINGTONWalla Walla Chapter 237 hosted 145delegates and guests representing all ofthe federation’s 23 chapters May 19-21in Walla Walla. Guest speakers wereLegislative Director Judy Park; Region IXVP Lanny G. Ross; GenevieveBoguslawski, Region IX Alzheimer’schair; and Washington Secretary of StateSam Reed.Officers: President Dale Brighton,Executive Vice President Sandra S.Cagle, Secretary Victor J. Rohret,Treasurer Rex E. Tauscher.

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Members whose plans for thewinter months include anextended stay away from

home might want to check out NARFEchapter meetings in their vacation loca-tion.

The NARFE Web site, www.narfe.org, provides a “Local ChapterLocator” at the bottom left side of thehome page. Chapters are listed by ZIPcode and by state. All listings provide

the name and address ofthe chapter president;some provide an e-mailaddress. With this infor-mation, members can con-tact the chapter and inquireabout meeting dates and times.

What better way to make newfriends, find out about the area fromlocal residents, and keep up onNARFE news and activities? �


NARFENews

Watch forYour 2009Photo Contest CalendarIf it’s September, a new NARFE

Photo Contest Calendar is boundto show up in your mailbox soon.

NARFE Photo Contest Calendars havealways had some great images, and theone for 2009 is no exception. Andevery photo was taken by your NARFEcolleagues!

As in previous years, these calen-dars are being sent free of charge toNARFE members. But we hope thatmembers will send a contributionusing the card and envelope thatcome with the calendar. In years past,members have been very generouswith their gifts tohelp enhanceNARFE’s imageand support ourprograms.

Here is a listof the NARFEmembers whosephotos appear inthe 2009 NARFEPhoto ContestCalendar:

Front Cover: Oscar Krosnes, Her-mitage, TN, Chapter 1576

January: William L. Witmer, Lake-wood, CO, Chapter 1085

February: Duane P. Shaw, El Paso,TX, Chapter 1495

March: Carolyn Jackson, Gaithers-burg, MD, Chapter 1887

April: Stephanie Keilholtz, Rockville,MD, Chapter 1127

May: Kathleen Fosselman, BoyntonBeach, FL, Chapter 1088

June: David Bender, Mesa, AZ,Chapter 1469

July: Kirk Lucius, Cumming, GA,Chapter 1750

A u g u s t :Richard A.Adams, Green-town, PA,Chapter 2259

September:Jordan Tuller,Stevensvil le ,MD, Chapter1372

October: Gail

Philippi, Ocean Pines, MD, Chapter2274

November: Carol Tyler, Loveland,CO, Chapter 821

December: James L. Benoit,Burlington, VT, Chapter 208

Back Cover: Judy Ellen Nelson, Port-land, OR, Chapter 29.

Submissions are now being taken(until February 13, 2009) for the 2010NARFE Photo Contest Calendar.

Send photos to: NARFE Photo Con-test, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria,VA 22314. Electronic submissions willnot be accepted.

For more information, contact theNARFE Public Relations Departmentby phone, 703-838-7760, ext. 268; or bye-mail, [email protected]. �

NARFE ResourcesHow toContact Us . . . . . . . . . . . .6

NARFE-PACCoupon . . . . . . . . .20

NARFE-FEEAFund . . . . . . . . . . . .43

MembershipApplication . . . . . . . .46

Alzheimer’s Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

LifeMemberApplication . . . . . . .55

NARFEPerks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

[email protected]

Getready.Responding tomembersuggestions,NARFE is nearly fin-

ished with a redesign of theAssocia-tion’sWebsite,www.narfe.org.

The new design promises to bemuch easier for members to navi-gate and find what they are lookingfor.

Please watch NARFE magazinefor additional information on thelaunch date and guidance on how touse the new site.

Wintering Elsewhere?Drop in on a NARFE Meeting


Name:

Address:

City: State: ZIP:

Date of Birth:

Amount: National + Chapter =TotalPayment Type: �� Check/Money Order �� Credit Card

Credit Card: �� Mastercard �� VISA �� Discover �� AMEX

Card#: Exp:

Name on Card (Print):

Signature: Date:

Recruiter ID# (if applicable):

NARFE NATIONAL LIFE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Please Mail Life MembershipApplication and Payment to:

Attn: Member RecordsNARFE

606 N. Washington St.Alexandria, VA 22314

Thank you for becoming aNational Member for Life. Youwill receive a membership card,certificate and special lapel pin.Please allow six weeks for pro-cessing.

See Reverse for More Information.

Dues payments & gifts or contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

$ $ $

NARFE Membership RecruitmentFirst Half 2008

In the first half of 2008, NARFE recruited 10,437 new members. In the second quarter, 10 federations showed a gain in recruiting compared tothe second quarter of 2007. They are: Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.

—Jacqueline Johnson-Bryant, Membership Development

REGION IConnecticut . . . . . . .54Massachusetts . . . .182Maine . . . . . . . . . . . .52New Hampshire . . .53New York . . . . . . ..390Rhode Island . . . . . . .35Vermont . . . . . . . . . .20Total . . . . . . . . .786

REGION IIDist. of Columbia . . .99Delaware . . . . . . . . .52Maryland . . . . . . . .745New Jersey . . . . . .265Pennsylvania . . . . . .482Total . . . . . . . .1,643

REGION IVIllinois . . . . . . . . . . .314Indiana . . . . . . . . . .152Michigan . . . . . . . . .179Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . .290Wisconsin . . . . . . .160Total . . . . . . . .1,095

REGION VIowa . . . . . . . . . . . .164Kansas . . . . . . . . . .146Minnesota . . . . . . .251Missouri . . . . . . . . .213Nebraska . . . . . . . . .61North Dakota . . . . .85South Dakota . . . . . .72Total . . . . . . . . .992

REGION VIIArizona . . . . . . . . .194Colorado . . . . . . . .227New Mexico . . . . .102Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . .71Wyoming . . . . . . . . .32Total . . . . . . . . .626

REGION XKentucky . . . . . . . . 118North Carolina . . . 233Tennessee . . . . . . . . 157Virginia . . . . . . . . . . 929West Virginia . . . . . . 77Total . . . . . . . . 1,514

REGION VIIICalifornia . . . . . . . .813Guam . . . . . . . . . . . .15Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . .74Nevada . . . . . . . . . . .65Philippines . . . . . . . . .0Total . . . . . . . . .967

REGION IXAlaska . . . . . . . . . . . .52Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . .72Montana . . . . . . . . .100Oregon . . . . . . . . . .139Washington . . . . . .314Total . . . . . . . . .677

REGION VIArkansas . . . . . . . . . .86Louisiana . . . . . . . . .92Oklahoma . . . . . . .164Panama . . . . . . . . . . . .6Texas . . . . . . . . . . .485Total . . . . . . . . .806

REGION IIIAlabama . . . . . . . . .222Florida . . . . . . . . . .550Georgia . . . . . . . . .293Mississippi . . . . . . . .88Puerto Rico . . . . . . .21South Carolina . . . .127Total . . . . . . . . . .1,301

FOREIGN30


1S

Please Note:• Chapter membership dues are added to the initial

payment for both single or quarterly installmentspaid by new members. For active members, chapterdues will continue in the usual cycle.

• “A life member, who was or is a Chapter member atthe time that a National Life membership was or ispurchased, shall maintain membership in a Chapter.Failure to do so shall result in suspension of Chaptermembership rights and privileges.”

30-3940-5051-5556-6061-6566-7071-7576-8081-9091-100

$1,3201,015783664557452373292197107

$331.25255.00197.00167.25140.50114.2594.5074.2550.5028.00

Ages Single orPayment

QuarterlyInstallments

LIFE MEMBERSHIP FEE SCHEDULESEFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2004

1. For active NARFE members:Membership # _________________

2. For new members:Membership is open to civilians in any agency of the federal or D.C. governments eligible for a federal annuity. Please check one:� Active employee� Retiree� Former employee� Spouse� Former spouse� Survivor

3. I choose to join Chapter # ___________. I understand that if I don’t choose a chapter, the nearest one will be assigned. Please call 1-800-456-8410 for further information.

One Member-One Vote Outdated

The notion of one member-onevote, while noble and wellmeaning in its intent and the-

oretically plausible, actually harks backto an earlier and simpler time. A timewhen voting issues were resolved whenall of the town’s folk would gather at thetown square and directly make deci-sions affecting any and all aspects of thetown’s affairs. That kind of direct partic-ipatory democracy, while suitable for vil-lage or hamlet affairs, is not suitable forlarger, more complex organizationalstructures. That accounts for the evolu-tion to the much more effective andmanageable concept of a representativedemocracy.

Candidates for NARFE national officenormally make a presentation at the Na-tional Convention. In so doing, that indi-vidual will create and impart a presenceand persona, or lack of same. Gestures,command of the language, projectionsof sincerity and integrity, power to per-suade and depth of knowledge are a few

of the characteristics that delegates, tosome extent, can measure through di-rect observation and personal interac-tion. None of these qualities can even re-motely be evaluated from the comfort ofone’s living room couch.

Neither idealism nor wishfulthinking for a return to a romanticizedpast can serve as a substitute for soundjudgement as it pertains to the realities

of a modern society, along with its in-creasingly complex institutions. It is pasttime for us to drop our preoccupationwith this outdated idea and direct ourenergies into more pressing areas.

David Adams, President, Chapter 89,

Detroit, MI

Tip of the Hat

Ihave just received the July 2008 edi-tion of NARFE magazine, and I con-sider the topics covered to be not

only timely but outstanding in theirdepth of details. A tip of the hat to youreditor! This was by far the best magazineput out by your organization since Ihave been a member, some 14 years.

There is one request for you to con-sider, however, and that is the topic of“reverse mortgages,” discussed in thesame depth and detail that was dis-played in this edition on long-term care,WEP, GPO and CPI articles.

Keep up the excellent reporting, andkeep us informed. Knowledge is power!

John R. James,Anniston, AL

Letters

REMINDER: Check your mailboxin September forthe NARFE 2009Photo ContestCalendar. Our

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NARFEPerks are designed to provide NARFEmembers with a quality option in their search for

commonly used products and services.NARFE makes no guarantee on any products and services listed

below and encourages its members to shop and compare before making a decision on any financial matter.

NARFEINSURANCESERVICES:1-800-233-5764

Insurance plans designed and admin-istered exclusively for NARFE members.Call for information on Whole and TermLife, Hospital Indemnity, Accidental Injuryand Death Plan, Dental Plan and CancerCare Plan. For information on Long TermCare call the Long Term Care Unit at 1-800-358-3795.

GEICO: 1-800-368-2734NARFE members with good driving

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NARFEMEMBERHOMEBENEFITS1-800-823-0646

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BEKINSVANLINES1-800-456-6832

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counted pricing forall interstate ship-ments. Discount will apply to packing andmoving services and valuation protection.All intrastate shipments, locals and inter-national moves will be competitive in costbased on your geographical location.Mention you are a NARFE member andtransportation agreement #00930.

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Medical Air Services Association hasbeen the industry leader in prepaid emer-gency assistance services for more than30 years. NARFE members have experi-enced MASA’s “peace of mind” servicessince 2001. Now NARFE members areentitled to even more: air ambulancetransportation, helicopter transportation,ground ambulance, vehicle return, mortalremains transport, and much more!CallMASAToday. ItCouldSaveYourLife!

EMERGENCY SERVICES

IDENTITYCHECKPRINTERSIdentity Check

Printers now offersofficially-licensedbank checks andaccessories fea-turing the NARFElogo. Choose fromthree check de-signs, each with coordinating address la-bels and Identity Cards. A printed leathercheckbook cover featuring the NARFElogo is also available. Support NARFEwith every check you write. Order today!Visit www.identitychecks.com or call toll-free 1-800-874-5910. Use OFFER CODE9KG482 and receive FREE standardshipping on your order.

HEARING BENEFITS

NARFE’S OFFICIAL CREDIT UNIONAs a member of NARFE, you have

the privilege of joining NARFE PremierFederal Credit Union, which has beenserving members since 1935. We offerextensive services at competitive ratesto members nationwide. Accounts areinsured by NCUA up to $100,000.

For more information, call 1-800-328-1500 / 703-914-8700 (DC metropolitanarea), e-mail [email protected], or visit our Web site at www.narfepremierfcu.org.

CHOICEHOTELS INTERNATIONALChoice Hotels International® is proud

to offer NARFE members discounts atover 4,000 hotels in 40 countries. Mem-bers may receive a 20% discount at par-ticipating hotels or rates at or below perdiem, whichever discount is the greater.Choice brands include: Comfort Inn®,Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®,Clarion®, MainStay Suites®, EconoLodge® and Rodeway Inn®. This offer issubject to availability. Advance reserva-tionsarerequired.Tomakereservationscall800-258-2847andmention ID#00801967.

WYNDHAMHOTELSGROUPMemberscannowsave10%offbest-

available rates at over 6,000 participatinghotels. Whether you are looking for aluxury hotel, an all-inclusive resort, orsomething more budget-conscious, wehave the right hotel, in the right place, forthe right price. To receive discountedrates, NARFE members must useMember Benefits ID #20672 and thespecified toll-free numbers. Advancereservations required.

HOTELS

ALAMO/NATIONALCARRENTAL

1-800-354-2322—www.alamo.comWelcome to Alamo Country. Where

NARFE members get unlimited mileageand year-round discounts off Alamo’salready great rates. Book with yourtravel agent or Alamo®. Be sure to re-quest I.D. Number 262544 and RateCode BY (A-1 for weekend rentals) atthe time of reservation. (Same IDnumber and code applies to NationalCar Rental.)

HERTZ1-800-654-3131—www.hertz.comHertz is proud to be a preferred car

rental partner of NARFE. As a memberof NARFE, you will receive discountedrates, unlimited mileage for mostrentals, special offers, upgrades and feewaived #1 Club Gold program enroll-ment. Remember to include yourNARFE Corporate Discount Number252137when making reservations.

AVIS: 1-800-331-1441The employees/owners of Avis offer

guaranteed low rates and quality serv-ices to members of NARFE. MentionID# A991900. Bankof America: 1-800-414-4229

Add strength and stability to your sav-ings portfolio by opening a NARFE-spon-sored Certificate of Deposit (CD) orMoney Market account offered by Bankof America. Receive High Yields and thesecurity of FDIC insuranceup to the max-imum amount allowed by law. For everyNARFE-sponsored deposit with Bank ofAmerica, the bank will make a contribu-tion to NARFE for the advancement ofprograms and services at no additionalcost to you.Use source codeHA029.

CAR RENTALS

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Bank of America now offers the offi-cially approved credit card program forNARFE, featuring the Platinum Plus®MasterCard® with WorldPoints. This isthe only credit card that helps supportNARFE every time you use it to make apurchase–at no additional cost to you.

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PersonalMilestonesOnly member 50th wedding anniver-saries are accepted. Submit names (bothfirst names), wedding anniversary andchapter name/number/state by mail toNARFE Headquarters,ATTN: Anniver-saries, 606 N.Washington St.,Alexandria,VA 22314, or by e-mail to [email protected].

Nello and Lorraine Allori, Licking CountyChapter 310 Ohio;Leonard and Darlene Babb,Vallejo Chapter16 California;Jim and Gwen Brady, Columbine Chapter2339 Colorado;Sidney W. and Beatrice H. Darrah, Bruns-wick-Golden Isles Chapter 1075 Georgia;Harry and Marilynn Doering, El CajonValleyChapter 669 California;Ben and Evelyn Epperson, Ilini Chapter 348Illinois;Arlen and Marcia Frank, Slidell Chapter1396 Louisiana;Frank and Mary Ann Heller, Michael P.Palazzotto Chapter 1264 NewYork;Thomas and Maggie Johnson,WichitaChapter 138 Kansas;Gerald A. and Sylvia Kendzior, Eau ClaireChapter 371Wisconsin;Lloyd and Barbara King, Klamath FallsChapter 1003 Oregon;Charles and Margaret Marx,White BearLake Chapter 1232 Minnesota;David and Alma Nigh, Heart of AmericaChapter 1794 Kansas;Robert and Elizabeth Osborn, SpringfieldChapter 893Virginia;Paul and Joyce Prigge,Vancouver Chapter131Washington;Gerald and Marilyn Root, Louisa Chapter2065Virginia;James and Eretta Ryan, Jacksonville Chapter172 Florida;Sigmund and Consolata H. Salmento,OceanCity Chapter 1468 New Jersey;Earl and Joan Sengstock, Charlotte Chapter754 Florida;Walt and Ann Sikora, Port Orchard Chapter888Washington;Bill and Nancy Spilde, Northeast IowaChapter 875 Iowa;Dave and Midge Stork,Ventura CountyChapter 190 California;Jim and Betty Whitten, High Point Chapter668 North Carolina.

For theRecord

Thrift Savings Plan Investments*

*This chart is provided as a service to NARFE members who enrolled in the Thrift Savings Plan whileemployed by the federal government. Retirees are not eligible for enrollment. These returns are net ofthe effect of accrued administrative expenses and investment expenses/costs. Percentages in ( ) arenegative. Source: tsp.gov.

Month G Fund F Fund C Fund S Fund I Fund2007 August 0.33% 1.23% 1.54% 1.38% (0.71%)

September 0.41% 0.78% 3.76% 2.97% 5.36%October 0.41% 0.86% 1.58% 2.83% 4.49%November 0.33% 1.88% (4.20%) (5.65%) (3.72%)December 0.41% 0.25% (0.66%) (0.40%) (2.25%)

2008 January 0.33% 1.76% (5.98%) (6.27%) (8.52%)February 0.24% 0.16% (3.28%) (2.05%) (0.66%)March 0.32% 0.33% (0.46%) (1.43%) 0.18%April 0.24% (0.16%) 4.94% 5.30% 5.55%May 0.32% (0.74%) 1.27% 4.88% 1.09%June 0.32% (0.08%) (8.41%) (7.63%) (8.15%)July 0.40% (0.01%) (0.80%) (0.79%) (3.72%)

Last 12 Months 4.15% 6.42% (10.99%) (7.61%) (11.64%)

Month L Income L 2010 L 2020 L 2030 L 20402007 August 0.61% 0.73% 0.80% 0.88% 0.90%

September 1.13% 1.78% 2.68% 3.09% 3.45%October 0.82% 1.29% 1.84% 2.09% 2.37%November (0.44%) (1.21%) (2.33%) (2.94%) (3.36%)December 0.07% (0.13%) (0.54%) (0.63%) (0.82%)

2008 January (0.97%) (2.07%) (3.90%) (4.71%) (5.37%)February (0.22%) (0.59%) (1.25%) (1.51%) (1.80%)March 0.23% 0.07% (0.06%) (0.18% (0.29%)April 1.20% 1.93% 3.23% 3.74% 4.26%May 0.59% 0.78% 1.23% 1.48% 1.65%June (1.47%) (2.65%) (4.97%) (5.88%) (6.70%)July 0.00% (0.23%) (0.82%) (1.07%) (1.31%)

Last 12 Months 1.52% (0.43%) (4.36%) (5.95%) (7.41%)

The Consumer PriceIndex for Urban WageEarners and Clerical

Workers (CPI-W) increased 1.1percent in June to 215.2, ac-cording to the Bureau of LaborStatistics. To calculate the nextcost-of-living adjustment (COLA),the indices of July, August andSeptember 2008will be averagedfor a third-quarter determinant,which will be compared with the2007 third-quarter base index of203.6. June’s index is up 5.7 per-cent from the base.Benefits awarded under the Federal

Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA)to individuals sufferingwork-related in-juriesor illnesses are adjustedaccording

to each calendar year’s percentagechange in the CPI-W. The June index is4.6 percent higher than the December2007 base index of 205.7. �

InflationAdvances SharplyThe chart below tracks the CPI-W, the monthlyinflation change, and the cumulative percent-age gain for the next CSRS and Social SecurityCOLA.

CPI-W MONTHLY % CHANGE% CHANGE FROM 203.6

October 204.3 +0.2 +0.3November 205.8 +0.8 +1.1December 205.7 -0.1 +1.0January 206.7 +0.5 +1.5February 207.3 +0.2 +1.8March 209.1 +0.9 +2.7April 210.7 +0.7 +3.5May 212.8 +1.0 +4.5June 215.2 +1.1 +5.7


AtLast!PastTimes & PresentPursuits

Following the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor onDecember 7, 1941, the Army Air Defense ControlCenter created the Women’s Air Raid DefenseDetachment in Hawaii. Made up of local volunteerswho were inducted into the civil service, the womenreplaced men for forward area duty.“We wore uni-forms, lived in quarters and worked in shifts aroundthe clock in the Fort Shafter tunnel for the SignalCorps on Oahu, Honolulu,” recalls NARFE memberLoreen (Ahlborn) Nelson of Santa Rosa, CA.“Wetracked planes within a radius of 250 miles of theHawaiian Islands. If there was a ‘bogey’ flight, the airraid sirens were activated.” The women, code-named“Rascals,” talked with distant radar operators, code-named “Oscars,” and moved small markers on a plot-ting board to show the location of the planes.

‘Rascals’atThe Ready

Photo

cour

tesy

ofLo

reen

(Ahlb

orn)

Nelso

n

THEWAYWEWORKED

By Judy Lockhart DiGregorio

A fter 27 years as a trainingspecialist, I retired fromOakRidge (TN) Operations, De-

partment of Energy, in 2004. Just beforeI retired, I began attending writing con-ferences and submitting articles to nu-merous publications, hoping free-lancewritingmight becomemynew career.After many rejection letters, I finally

received a note from an editor namedBetsy at Field & Stream magazine. Al-though she chided me for not payingmoreattention to the submissionguide-lines, she actually wrote the word“Retry” at the end of her scribbled note.I thought this was my big break.Someone fromanationallyknownmag-azinehad recognizedmy talent, andmynamewould soonbeahouseholdword.I shared thegoodnewswithmyhus-

band. Then I kissed the letter and rever-

ently stuck it in my pocket so I couldread and reread that magical word—“Retry.” That evening, I sat in my arm-chair and gazed lovingly at the editor’sencouraging note. Suddenly, I noticedtheword “Retry” in another spot on theletter—in the signature block. I glancedat the editor’s first name—Betsy. I lookedagain at the handwritten note at thebottom of the page. Tomy horror, I re-alized that the word under the notedidn’t say “Retry” at all; it said “Betsy.” Inmy desperation to be published, I hadmisread the editor’s signature.Thankfully, I did finally have some

success. First, the Army Times pub-lished one of my stories; then the localpaper gave me a monthly humorcolumn. In all, I have published morethan 200 columns since I retired, in-cluding several in theChicken Soup forthe ... Soul series. As a result, I am fre-

quently invited to speakon localmedia,at writing workshops and to manyclubs. My Web site, Just Judy, http://home.comcast.net/~digregorio5/, helpsme publicizemywriting.I never dreamed that awomanwith

small talents andbig feetwould endupas a humor writer in retirement.Humor writing is much more difficultthan making people cry, but it’s alsomuchmore satisfying.

Tell us about your “Pursuit.” Write toNARFE magazine, Attn: “Pursuits,”NARFE, 606 N. Washington St., Alexan-dria, VA 22314; or e-mail, [email protected].

Did you know that ...... Audio tapesofNARFEmagazineareavailable.Seepage4 fordetails.

Read It and (Don’t) Weep


A 56 127 65 80 20 111 158 38 75 9 88Portuguese explorer (5, 2, 4)

B 27 153 85 73 124 108 20 25 140 160 136 63 148 54 132

60Amorous suitormay say this to the person he adores. (1, 4, 3, 2, 4, 2)

C 34 154 46 133 64 16 99 5 139You check that youhave _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to reach your destination by car. (6, 3)

D 70 142 49 120 47 118 122 13 156Contributes to the decoration of a room.

E 4 81 112 161 15 102 7 145 97 51 11 59 44If rescued fromavalanches, thesemay give you a shot. (5, 8)

F 93 126 157 2 45 146 5 18 91Also known as “German Shepherds.”

G 102 36 57 21 29 155Short-legged petwith droopy ears.

H 107 61 113 149 54_ _ _ _ _ Smith. Hall of Fame shortstop.

I 110 105 25 28 147 58 100A small guitar fromHawaii.

J 101 152 68 134 42 129 8Fighters, popularwith female felines?

K 66 135 123 22 39 114 6 60 1 96 82Pet—well known for its grin. (8, 3)

L 17 98 148 67 74 10 115 121Speaking in favor of a cause or policy.

M 40 24 14 3 109 37 130 137A slow-moving color for a pet.

N 117 122 93 143 112 90 50Another petwith droopy ears.

O 81 143 33 131 11 17 104 127 84A long-haired petwith the same fur as some goats and rabbits. (6, 3)

P 97 160 145 26 72 94 27 103 154 78 77 86 141 109 48

150 62 138Scandinavian hunting dogs. (9, 9)

Q 119 75 53 89 118 12 37 152 159 47 31 76 116 51 19

67 35Spotted pet (9), plus a description of its color scheme. (5, 3)

R 111 42 134 141 92 71 48 30 55Badger hunter fromGermany.

S 63 133 43 125 106 2 73 19 114 18 151Due to being exceptional.

T 144 6 69 23 16 24 110 150 79 52These are the fastest of pets.

U 83 146 96 132 87 128 95 41 10 32An oriental pet with blue eyes. (7, 3)

1 K 2 FS 3 M 4 E 5 CF 6 KT 7 E 8 J

9 A 10 LU 11 EO 12 Q 13 D 14 M 15 E 16 CT 17 LO

18 FS 19 QS 20 AB 21 G 22 K 23 T 24 MT 25 BI

26 P 27 BP 28 I 29 G 30 R 31 Q 32 U

33 O 34 C 35 Q 36 G 37 MQ 38 A 39 K 40 M

41 U 42 JR 43 S 44 E 45 F 46 C 47 DQ 48 PR

49 D 50 N 51 EQ 52 T 53 Q 54 BH 55 R

56 A 57 G 58 I 59 E 60 BK 61 H 62 P 63 BS 64 C

65 A 66 K 67 LQ 68 J 69 T 70 D 71 R 72 P

73 BS 74 L 75 AQ 76 Q 77 P 78 P 79 T 80 A

81 EO 82 K 83 U 84 O 85 B 86 P 87 U 88 A

89 Q 90 N 91 F 92 R 93 FN 94 P 95 U 96 KU

97 EP 98 L 99 C 100 I 101 J 102 EG 103 P 104 O

105 I 106 S 107 H 108 B 109 MP 110 IT 111 AR

112 EN 113 H 114 KS 115 L 116 Q 117 N 118 DQ 119 Q 120 D

121 L 122 DN 123 K 124 B 125 S 126 F 127 AO 128 U

129 J 130 M 131 O 132 BU 133 CS 134 JR 135 K

136 B 137 M 138 P 139 C 140 B 141 PR 142 D 143 NO

144 T 145 EP 146 FU 147 I 148 BL 149 H 150 PT 151 S 152 JQ

153 B 154 CP 155 G 156 D 157 F 158 A 159 Q 160 BP 161 E

MACROSTIC by JAMIEFEN

HOW TO SOLVE:Transfer the answers to the clues into the grid using the numberunder each letter.Twoanswersmay share the samenumber.Thereceiving square showswhich clue(s) provides its content.Wordsemerge between the black squares,continuing from line to line.If you guess emerging words, insert the extra letters found backinto the answers.When all the clues are solved,the grid reads asa paragraph whose title is the first letters of the clue answersreading downward. Stumped? E-mail Macrostic creator JimCowie,[email protected],for suggestions to improveyour chances of success in solving these puzzles.(Solution,p.52.)

By James Cowie, [email protected]

BrainGame& Bookend

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___ ___ ___

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___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

On‘TheRock’Itwas known as“The Rock,” the federalmaximum-securitypenitentiaryonAlca-trazIslandinSanFranciscoBay,andsomeofthe country’s most incorrigible criminalswere housed there. JimAlbright,a guardwith theBureauofPrisons,andhis familyalsolivedontheisland—voluntarily.Albrightwent toAlcatraz in 1959 as a 24-year-oldwith

no prior law enforcement experience.He didn’t leaveuntil 1963,when the prison closed.He writes about hisfour-year stint onTheRock in Last Guard Out.Included inhis recollections is the 1962 breakout of three inmates,whichwas thebasis of themovie“Escape fromAlcatraz.”AmemberofNARFEChapter 327 inTerreHaute,IN,

Albright retired from theBureau of Prisons in 1985.“Al-though my 26 years of prison service were filled withmanymemories, Alcatraz will always remain the high-light ofmy law enforcement career,” hewrites.An autographed copy of the Last Guard Out is available

fromtheauthor for$24 ([email protected];812-299-2726).It alsomay be purchased fromwww.authorhouse.com,www.amazon.comorwww.barnesandnoble.com.

Tressie Muldrow, Ph.D. Chair

Emmitt Carlton Director

Randolph EarnestVice Chair

Lynn Ross, Ph.D.Director

Vincent DonahueTreasurer

Richard OstergrenDirectorNARFE National Treasurer

Alan RothenbergAssistant Treasurer

Nathaniel BrownDirectorNARFE National Secretary

Margaret Baptiste AdvisorNARFE National President

Richard FerrisSecretary

and partnering with you to make your goals a reality. Visit us at the National Convention, September 7-12, 2008. Credit Union representatives will be available to assist you and your

Not planning to attend the National Convention? Call us anytime at 800.328.1500 to learn how the credit union can help you save money today. Visit NARFEpremierFCU.org to learn more or to apply for membership.

Board of Directo�Board of Directo�

™

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