March UTA Support, Increased IDT Accrual, vRed Updates, Tricare Reserve Select

  • Published
  • By Mission Personnel Flight
  • 174 Fighter Wing
6 March 2008 --  Expanded UTA Support -- The Reserve Personnel Contact Center will provide service to Citizen Airmen two UTA weekends in March. Counselors will assist customers March 1, 2 and March 8, 9. Saturday hours are 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. MST and Sunday hours are 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. MST. Counselors can only be reached by calling 1-800-525-0102 or now through DSN 926-6528.

Increased IDT Accrual -- The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act increased the number of inactive duty points that could be accrued for retirement in a year from 90 to 130. This law is not retroactive and allows accrual of 130 points for the retirement/retention year that includes Oct. 30, 2007. If Airmen have a retirement/retention year that ends on or before Oct. 29, 2007, then they can earn a maximum of 90 days. If their retention/retirement year ends on or after Oct. 30, 2007, they can earn up to 130 points.

Virtual Record of Emergency Data (vRed)/DD Form 93 -- All Reserve and Guard Airmen must personally manage their record of emergency data. Although this is an ongoing need to ensure proper notifications can occur it is now directed within the AFR to review and update vRED by April 15, 2008. To date, records indicate about 38,000 Air Force reserve members have not completed this annual requirement. We must ensure all Reservists update and have a current vRed on file.

For further information and instructions on updating vRED, Airmen should call the Air Force Contact Center at 800-616-3775, select option "3" for Reservists or "4" for Guardsmen or visit the AFPC Web site at http://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil/  and select "vMPF Self-Service Applications". Once a member's e-mail address and phone number have been verified, under "Most Popular Applications", they will find "Record of Emergency Data". Once the vRED has been reviewed, Airmen should select the "submit" button, whether information was changed or not, members are required to click the submit button to complete the update and to ensure a current vRed is documented on file.

Tricare Reserve Select -- TRS offers coverage comparable to Tricare Standard and Extra and feature open enrollment, increased availability to survivors, and no activation requirements. Tiers, service agreements and differing premium levels are no longer elements of the program. The only restriction is that Selected Reserve members eligible for the Federal Health Employee Benefits program, or currently covered under FEHB, may not participate in TRS.

Monthly premiums are $81 for servicemembers and $253 for member-and-family coverage. Reserve members can find out more about TRS and download the information through "My Benefits" portal at www.tricare.mil . Additional information is available on the "Entitlements" Web page at www.arpc.afrc.af.mil/entitlements