12th Tactical Fighter Wing Association December 2020

12th Tactical Fighter Wing AssociationDecember 2020Message from the president/webmaster When members of the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing Association discovered the F-4CPhantom fighter aircraft on display at the Colonel Leo Sidney Boston War Memorial Park at Fremont County Airport near CañonCity, Colorado, they decided to arrange for engraving memorial bricks at the park with the names of the 109 Air Force members of the12th who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. (see wall photo page 8)After the engravings of names on the bricks were completed, a dedication ceremony was conducted at the park on 16 September 2001,supported by local government and veteran organizations, the Air Force Academy, and attended by local people and 12th Associationmembers from all over the U.S. Since that time, the 12th Association has regularly contributed toward the maintenance of the F-4Caircraft, and members from all over the U.S. have annually travelled back for a reunion and re-dedication ceremony. Because ofCOVID-19, a formal re-dedication was not practical this year. Instead, 12th associate members Charlotte and David Burrous, localresidents, conducted an informal re-dedication by placing a wreath at the war memorial park. Charlotte, Reporter and Editor-in-Chiefof The Fremont County Crusader newspaper, attended and reported on the 2001 dedication and each subsequent annual rededication.The 12th Association greatly appreciates the Colonel Leo Sidney Boston War Memorial Park and the hospitality of Fremont County,and we look forward to continued future return visits. -Ron “Rowdy” Doughty1

12th Tactical Fighter Wing AssociationDecember 20201. Notes from the Flight Surgeon: Dr. Guy S. Clark is our Chief Flight Surgeon and will supply medical comments in the newsletterwith the focus on aging issues that are affecting our demographic (ages 65 – 90). See separate attachment to this news release – FSNotes # 102. Sept. 2021 Dayton Reunion Update:A. With some good luck, the widespread distribution of safe and effective COVID vaccines and evolving herd immunity will enablethe Association to hold its reunion at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, downtown Dayton, OH on 22-25 September 2021. Members and guestshave already booked 80 rooms of our 75-room block at the hotel. If you intend to participate in the Dayton Reunion and have notmade hotel reservations, now is the time to reserve a room at the 12TFW group rate. Reunion highlights and hotel reservationsinstructions can be found on the attached reunion update flyer. As a reminder to members holding hotel reservations but not alreadyregistered, we will send you registration forms in early June 2021.B. A Call for 12TFW Association Authors: 12th TFW Assoc published authors are invited to sell/sign their works as was done atthe 2018 Tucson Reunion. Authors: please provide EJ Sherwood ( EJ12TFW@cox.net ) with a brief description of your book andpurchase details so that we may publicize your work for book signings at the Dayton Reunion. Must be attending the reunion.3. Veteran News and Information:A. IMPORTANT – VA Medical Claims associated with Agent Orange or other military service – by E J SherwoodIn the past the VA has used its DENIED rubber stamp as a first step in greeting vet claims. Due to recent congressional pressure andcomplaints from veteran service organizations, this could be a thing of the past. There are websites and forms to be completed to file aclaim. I have found the best way in moving forward is to engage with an advocate, a VSO (Vet. Service Officer), who has been trainedas an aid. These folks reside sometimes at the local VA complex or at office space in or near cities. VSO’s are sponsored by veteranservice organizations such as the DAV, VFW, VVA, and American Legion, just to name a few.Here are two recent examples from 12th Association members;1) Example Southeast: Filed the claim four or more years ago and heard nothing from the VA. Contacted a VSO within theDAV requesting a follow-up. Within a couple of months received a call from the DAV advocate stating that the member hadbeen awarded 100% disability and over 70k in back pay compensation.2

12th Tactical Fighter Wing AssociationDecember 20202) Example Southwest: Filed claims in early 2019 and all were denied. The VVA interceded on behalf of the member,challenging the VA’s decision. Within 3 months the member was awarded 50% disability and back pay compensation which isnow pending.If You have medical issues associated with your service time, ACT NOW and use a VSO to move forward with a claim. TheVSO’s will provide the forms or a web site and input your claim. The benefit may be extended to a spouse in the member'sabsence, and may be tax free.Note: For a VA claims status follow-up, call 1-800-827-1000.B. Delays in Obtaining Military Documents for Eligibility Determinations - The governments primary repository for militarypersonnel records, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), has been closed to the public since March due to the COVID-19pandemic. the NPRC has informed us they have shut down most of their remaining operations indefinitely. This decision negativelyimpacts our ability to obtain documents to determine eligibility for interment in national cemeteries. Jay Dalrymple, Director, NationalCemetery Scheduling Office, St. Louis, MO. ( usva.nca@messages.va.gov November 10, 2020 11:27 AM)C. Veteran Caregivers Compensation - Caregivers of veterans who served during the Vietnam War or earlier can now applyfor support benefits for the first time. The move could give thousands of dollars to caregivers who for years have assisted elderly andinfirm veterans without any financial assistance. Prior to this day, only caregivers of veterans injured after Sept. 11, 2001, wereeligible for the program. (VVA News 2 Oct. 2020)D. The VA Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions Update: The four proposed additions have been changed to three, and are stillpending. The additions will be Bladder Cancer, Parkinson’s like Syndrome and Hyper Thyroid. Removed from the earlier list isHypertension. (Chuck Byers, VVA Rep to the VA 23 Oct. 2020)Update 4 Dec. 2020: Bladder cancer, Parkinsonism, hypothyroidism or hypertension to the list of Agent Orange presumptiveconditions in the Defense Authorization Act now awaiting the president’s signature. (Military.com)E. Free Entrance to National Parks for Veterans and Gold Star Families - This is a good deal if one does not already have aGolden Eagle Pass.Beginning on Veterans Day, November 11, 2020, Gold Star Families and U.S. military veterans receive free access to more than2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, wildlife refuges and forests. The free access program is a way to thankAmerica’s veterans and Gold Star families for their support of our country and to encourage them to explore recreational opportunitieson their public lands and waters.One of the following is required: Department of Defense Identification Card (CAC Card)3

12th Tactical Fighter Wing Association December 2020Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)Veteran ID CardVeterans designation on a state-issued U.S. driver’s license or identification -gold-star-families-free-access.htmF. Navy Federal Credit Union lists 10 Best cities for Veterans to live - That depends on which list you look at. Charleston, SouthCarolina, has been ranked at the top of the 10 best cities for veterans list, but a separate survey had Orlando, Florida, down as No. 1.The Best Cities After Service listed by NFCU, crowns Charleston as the winner. The survey of 1,000 veterans, conducted with themarket research firm Maru/Matchbox, ranked cities on a range of factors, including cost of living, housing affordability, access torecreational activities, and proximity to health resources and transportation. (Military.com 9 Nov.2020)4. Military News;A. Aircraft Updates;1) Next Gen XF - WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force has secretly designed, built and flown at least one prototype of itsenigmatic next-generation fighter jet, confirmed to Defense News on Sept. 14. The development is certain to shock the defensecommunity, which last saw the first flight of an experimental fighter during the battle for the Joint Strike Fighter contract 20 yearsago. Almost every detail about the aircraft itself will remain a mystery, including when or where the first flight or any aspect of theaircraft’s design — its mission, whether it was manned or optionally crewed, whether it could fly at hypersonic speeds or if it hasstealth characteristics. (Defense News 14 Sep. 2020)2) B-1B Lancer - The Air Force wound up a major upgrade on its B-1B Lancer fleet that took eight years to complete. Tokeep the Lancer viable in the future battlespace, the Air Force initiated Integrated Battle Station, likely the largest and mostcomplicated modification the bomber will see in the near term -- in 2012. The B-1 fleet is expected to be fully retired by 2036.(Military.com 28 Sep 2020)3) F-35B Lost - A Marine Corps KC-130J refueling aircraft and an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter collided during an air-to-airrefueling mission, causing the stealth jet to crash. The F-35B pilot was able to eject successfully, said a spokesman for Marine CorpsAir Station Yuma in Arizona. The KC-130J made an emergency landing roughly 130 miles northeast of San Diego. All nine personnel-- one in the F-35B and eight in the KC-130J tanker -- are accounted for. (Military.com 28 Sep 2020)4) MQ-9 Reaper - A new software update allows the hunter-killer drone to carry eight AGM-114 Hellfire missiles -- double itsusual capacity, according to a service release. (Military.com 30 Sep 2020)4