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ALEXANDRIA, Va – The Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) and its affiliate, 5Star Life Insurance Company, announced today the appointment of Major General Augustus L. “Leon” Collins, USA (Ret.) to the 5Star Life Board of Directors, effective December 1, 2020.

“It is our pleasure to welcome Leon Collins to the 5Star Life Board of Directors. His proven leadership and decades of service to this great nation make him an outstanding addition to our Board”, said General Ed Eberhart, USAF (Ret.), Chair of AFBA and 5Star Life.

General Larry O. Spencer, USAF (Ret.) President of AFBA and 5Star Life, added, “The service and protection we provide for our military members, first responders, and civilians who serve our country will be enhanced with General Collins as a member of the Board.”

General Collins retired after more than 30 years of military service as the Adjutant General of the Mississippi National Guard in 2016. His Army career included command of the 155th Brigade Combat Team, a force of more than 4,500 servicemembers in The Iraqi Theater of Operations. Collins currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of MICACT, Inc, a job training, development, and management company in Jackson, MS.

About Armed Forces Benefit Association
With the support of the General of the Army, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) was established in 1947 in the basement of the Pentagon to ease the strain on military members and their families who, at the time, could not purchase life insurance that would pay a death benefit if the member was killed in combat. Today, headquartered in Alexandria, VA, AFBA continues to honor its mission, in war and peace, promoting the welfare of its members providing death benefits and other benefits to those who serve this great nation, including members of the uniformed services, first responders, government employees, and their families. AFBA has over 650,000 members with $40 billion of death benefits in force and has paid nearly $2 billion of death benefits since inception. AFBA death benefits are underwritten by its affiliate, 5Star Life Insurance Company (a Lincoln, Nebraska domiciled company).

About 5Star Life
5Star Life Insurance Company (5Star Life) is the primary underwriter of the Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) member policies. In addition, it extends the enterprise’s mission to civilians serving our country in the workplace. As a growing provider of group and worksite voluntary products, 5Star Life serves a diverse clientele as an insurance provider to individuals and organizations and as a trusted advisor to brokers. Headquartered in Alexandria, VA, 5Star Life is currently licensed in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.

The U.S. Armed Forces continue to push technological innovation while boosting inclusion for all of its brave servicemembers. One recent example of this is how women jet fighter pilots may have a better-fitting and safer G-force suit available in the near future.

The Air Force announced the testing of a modified version of the Advanced Technology Anti-Gravity Suit (ATAGS) by five female fighter pilots in late October 2020. This is good news for the more than 800 female pilots and approximately 580 women serving as navigators or air battle managers.

Design problems with the current ATAGS

ATAGS, sometimes referred to as G-suits or anti-G suits, are worn by fighter pilots to protect them from the extremely high G-force exerted on their bodies during flights. Without these protections in place, pilots would be susceptible to losing consciousness or suffering hypoxia (a lack of oxygen to tissue cells) during maneuvers in fighter aircrafts.

One such protection includes an inflatable bladder that pushes blood toward the wearer's torso and exerts pressure on their lungs. This prevents a pilot from blacking out from the acceleration that can cause blood to pool in the bottom half of the body. 

Up until now, pilots used a version of the ATAGS that was designed in 2001 and used body specs taken from pilots in the 1960s. This means the suits were designed primarily for male bodies. Further, due to the nature of the suits' protections, they are not easy to adjust for a better fit, let alone adjust to a completely different body type. This means shorter pilots with smaller frames don't receive the full protections from the current design of the suits, such as proper performance of the waist bladder.

How the suits were redesigned

The new ATAGS design stems from the joint effort between the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) and AFWERX, a U.S. Air Force program that fosters a culture of innovation within the service, according to a U.S. Air Force news release.

The redesign addressed two key areas. The first modification includes wider lacing panels at the waist, thigh and calf. This will allow for more adjustments to accommodate a greater variety of body proportions. The second big change is that the suit now comes with a darted waist. This tailored waist design does not interfere with the inflatable waist bladder but allows for a better fit.

"In the past, some pilots with a shorter torso have had issues with ATAGS that were too large riding up and causing bruising on the rib cages, while pilots who are hard-to-fit may have had one size that fits through the legs, but need a smaller size in the waist," said Charles Cruze, an AFLCMC Human Systems Division engineer. "Now, the waist can be darted up to 3.75 inches, allowing for a more custom and accurate fit, preventing both of those issues."

Results of the new design's tests

After testing and evaluating the new suits with five pilots and one aircrew member, the results came back with overwhelming praise for the redesign.

Capt. Brittany Trimble, an F-16 Fighting Falcon instructor pilot, relayed her positive experience testing the modified ATAGS in the announcement. "I definitely noticed improvement with the new updates and the darted waist in particular," said Trimble.

Following this positive review, the 46th Test Squadron will next draft a test report on its findings. While the modified flight suit is not yet approved, the current acquisition strategy could put the updated ATAGS into use within 12 to 24 months.

This is a great step forward for the Air Force, and just one of many new improvements for ensuring the safety of its female service members.

 

Day of the Deployed is a relatively recent military observance, but it is no less meaningful to the men and women who serve on active duty, or the community members that honor their efforts on Oct. 26 each year.

Read on to learn about what the Day of the Deployed observance recognizes, how it came to be and how to support military servicemembers and their families at this time and throughout the year.

Origins of Day of the Deployed

The proposal to create a day recognizing the sacrifices and valor of servicemembers on deployment came from Shelle Michaels Aberle of Solider’s Angels, a nonprofit organization offering support to members of the military community.

In 2006, Aberle pitched the idea to then-governer of North Dakota John Hoeven, after being inspired by her cousin, LTC David Hosna, who was serving in Iraq at the time. North Dakota chose to recognize Day of the Deployed on Oct. 26 — Hosna’s birthday — and many other states quickly followed suit with their own state observances.

Several years later, when Hoeven became a U.S. Senator, he put forth a resolution to enact a nationwide Day of the Deployed. In 2011, this measure passed unanimously in the Senate.

Paying tribute to 200,000 deployed servicemembers

According to the Department of Defense, the U.S. armed forces have a presence across all seven continents, with some 4,800 defense sites across 160 countries. The New York Times estimated that roughly 200,000 servicemembers were deployed overseas as of late 2019.

When the national observance was adopted, Aberle described the state and federal recognition as “an honorable way to extend appreciation to the deployed service members and their families. Day of the Deployed is recognition for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the United States of America. This day is all about them.”

“Our U.S. service men and women currently deployed, along with their loved ones, make untold sacrifices as they serve our nation,” Hoeven remarked on the occasion. “A national Day of the Deployed pays tribute to their commitment to our country and their work to protect our freedoms. We want to ensure that our military members and their loved ones know of our appreciation and support before, during and after their service.”

Ways to raise awareness and offer support

Around the U.S. and across the globe, members and supporters of the military community can find countless morale-boosting ways to mark the occasion. Here are just a few ideas for Day of the Deployed:

• Send handwritten notes or care packages to deployed servicemembers in your life or through a nonprofit organization.
• Make a charitable donation to an organization that supports members of the armed services.
• Bring awareness to the observance and the experiences of deployed members of the armed focus and their families using the hashtag #DayoftheDeployed on social media.
• Display a yellow ribbon in support of the troops serving away from home.
• Spend time socializing with a military family — or offer support in the form of babysitting, running errands or delivering a homemade meal.

You can support a deployed servicemember in your life, or connect with a nonprofit organization to reach out to other military members. And don’t forget that your efforts need not be limited to the official Day of the Deployed.

“Even a small act of gratitude goes a long way,” Nicole Motsek of the EOD Warrior Foundation noted in an interview with U.S. Veterans Magazine. “Any time of the year is a great time to show gratitude for the deployed, but this day serves as a great reminder.”

 

September is National Suicide Prevention Month — a time for mental health organizations, advocates, suicide survivors and allies in the community to unite, share resources and raise awareness about suicide prevention.

Supported by the Suicide Prevention Lifeline and other groups, the theme for 2020 is #BeThe1To, which outlines simple actions each person can take to help save lives. Keeping with this year’s message, consider these ways to take a small step and make a big difference:

1. Be the one to ask

Studies have shown that talking about suicide with someone who is at risk may actually reduce suicidal thoughts and can even encourage them to seek help.

Directly asking “Are you thinking about suicide?” or “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” in a nonjudgmental way can let someone know you’re there to have an open conversation. Once you’ve initiated a dialogue, be a good listener as the person describes the emotional pain they’re experiencing. Pay close attention to what they say about their reasons for living and help them focus on those factors.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline advises against interjecting with your opinions about why you think they should stay alive or promising to keep someone’s suicidal intentions a secret.

2. Be the one to keep them safe

During your conversation, make an effort to learn about the severity of the person’s suicidality. Remaining unbiased and nonjudgmental, gather information about whether they have made any plans or attempts on their life prior to speaking with you. It’s also important to find out whether they have a general idea or specific plan for how the would try to commit suicide, and what this entails with regard to timing and access to their intended method.

With this understanding, you can find ways to put time and distance between the at-risk person and their plan and limit access to lethal methods. Research has shown that suicidal individuals are not likely to choose an alternative method if their original plan becomes unfeasible.

3. Be the one to be there

When people experiencing suicidal thoughts lack a sense of belonging and feel isolated from and even burdensome to those around them, they become even more at risk. Theorists have determined that being there for someone who is considering suicide can offer a critical sense of connectedness which acts as a protective buffer.

Being there for someone can mean spending time with them in person or on the phone and following through when you say you will.

4. Be the one to help them connect

In addition to showing your support, you can also help people in your life build out a safety net by connecting with resources and support services. Organizations offering confidential 24-hour hotlines and online chat services include:

• Veterans Crisis Line: Call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1.
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255.

Suicide is a national public health crisis, especially among the military and veteran communities. But stepping in to help prevent it does not require specialized training. Understanding the warning signs and showing support and compassion saves lives.

 

Aug. 14 is National Navajo Code Talkers Day. This observance recalls how approximately 400 members of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Comanche, Hopi and Navajo nations partnered with the CIA and the Marine Corps during WWII to develop a complex military code that helped the Allied Forces win.

Devising an unbreakable code

Previously, the Choctaw language was used as a code for transmitting messages during WWI, helping launch a victorious attack against German forces. When the Marine Corps sought out another Native American language to use in the Pacific Theater in 1942, the language of the Navajo Nation was nominated and selected.

The military’s code-breaking technologies used at the time could translate three lines of text into English in about half an hour. Once the new system was developed, Navajo Code Talkers could process this same amount of text in just 20 seconds.

While the Navajo Code did use various Navajo words that translated directly into English, the level of complexity went further than that. Code Talkers created a harder-to-crack system based on word association in which different birds were used to describe planes and sea creatures were used to identify ships. For example, lo-tso (whale) was code for battleship while jay-sho (buzzard) was code for bomber plane. Similarly, so-na-kih (two star) signified Major General and toh-ta (between waters) referred to Great Britain.

The Code Talkers also created an encoded alphabet in which English letters could be referenced using up to three possible Navajo words. Wol-la-chee (ant), be-la-sana (apple) and tse-nill (axe) were all code for the letter A.

A total of 411 codewords were added to the Navajo Code Talkers’ Dictionary — and the code remained unbroken through the end of WWII.

Honoring the Code Talkers

The Marines selected a group of 29 Navajo recruits for the pilot program. Once the possibilities became clear, approximately 400 Code Talkers joined the Marines from the Navajo, Cherokee, Comanche, Choctaw and Hopi Nations. They were called the Navajo Code Talkers not because of their identity, but because of their mastery of the Navajo Code.

Code Talkers participated in every Marine operation in the Pacific Theater during WWII. Over phones and radios, they conveyed top-secret tactical information to help facilitate the rapid exchange of information while keeping intelligence safe from enemy ears and eyes. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, a team of six Navajo Code Talker Marines transmitted and translated more than 800 messages, helping secure that critical victory.

The Code Talkers’ efforts weren’t recognized until the operation’s declassification in 1968. In 1982, President Regan declared Aug. 14 as Navajo Code Talkers Day, bringing visibility to the important role of the Native American intelligence experts during WWII. The program’s original 29 participants were granted the Congressional Gold Medal in 2000 by President Clinton, and the four surviving Code Talkers received their medals from President Bush during a ceremony the following year.

Considering all the challenges military families may face together, financial matters might not always be top-of-mind. But the burden of debts and late payments can have a negative impact on mission readiness, relationships, future opportunities and decision-making processes.

Personal finance is undoubtedly an important part of life. With the federal tax deadline extended to July 15, 2020, this summer is a good time for families to check in on their financial progress and revisit goals. 

These tips for boosting financial literacy, growing savings and reducing debt can help military personnel and their families achieve financial stability.

1. Explore and utilize resources from MilitaryConsumer.gov

Jointly created by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Defense, MilitaryConsumer.gov is a resource center for all matters related to personal finance for military servicemembers and families. Topics range from buying and financing a vehicle, using allotments, improving your credit rating and recovering from identity theft. Since each toolkit and guide is specifically designed with military life in mind, this site can be a great starting point when you're looking for helpful, actionable information.

2. Make military-specific deductions when you file your taxes

As you prepare your taxes, ensure that you're making all the deductions you're eligible for as a member of the military. Possible deductions include the cost of uniforms, moving expenses and civilian job search costs, to name a few.

There are other ways to get strategic with your tax liabilities. For instance, while you're serving, you and your spouse can establish your residency in a tax-free state so that, regardless of where you're stationed, you will benefit from substantial income tax breaks.

3. Contribute regularly to your retirement savings as soon as possible

The sooner you start making significant contributions to your retirement fund, the larger your savings will grow by the time you reach retirement age. Because many military service members don't stay in the armed forces long enough to become eligible for a pension, it's advisable to make your own contributions early and all throughout your career.

One military-specific option to explore is the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a defined contribution plan for retirement savings. Through this plan, members of the uniformed services can make traditional pre-tax or Roth after-tax contributions — or both. The Roth TSP option is similar to a Roth 401(k) in that there are no income limits.

4. Plan out how you'll use or transfer your education benefits

Student debt is one of the biggest financial burdens many families in the U.S. experience. Military members who are eligible for the substantial college tuition benefits available through the Post-9/11 GI Bill should carefully consider how this benefit can be used to further their own career or that of a family member. Servicemembers and veterans who don't plan to go back to school should find out how to transfer these tuition benefits to a spouse or child.

5. Familiarize yourself with the financial programs available to you

There are a number of advantageous savings and investment options available to members of the armed forces. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with all of these programs so that you can start saving and seeing growth early on. For example, you may be eligible to receive 10% annual interest on savings up to $10,000 through the DOD's Savings Deposit Program (SDP). This growth rate is unlike any traditional savings plan you'll find in the civilian world.

Another example is a new program launched in October 2019 through which you may be able to receive free electronic credit reporting services from one of the major credit reporting agencies while serving on active duty. This is a helpful resource to help you monitor for fraud and improve your credit score.

Remember that these types of programs may evolve or be expanded over the years. Make it a habit to check back in and ensure that you're getting the most out of the opportunities available to you.

Lyrics to the official Air Force song that formerly recognized the contributions of male airmen only have been rewritten to be gender-neutral. This change comes as part of the Air Force's efforts to be inclusive and to acknowledge the distinguished women airmen in its ranks.

Updates made eighty-one years after the song's initial composition

The song is officially titled "The U.S. Air Force" but is more commonly known by its first line, "Off we go, into the wild blue yonder."

It was originally written to help establish a sense of camaraderie and identity for the U.S. Army Air Corps in the late 1930s. Since the Corps did not have the budget to commission such as song, the publisher of a magazine called "Liberty" established a songwriting contest in 1938 with a $1,000 prize. The winning submission came in a couple of days before the final deadline from a musician and civilian pilot, Robert M. Crawford. Too young to enlist during World War I, he later flew for the U.S. Army Air Forces' Air Transport Command during the Second World War.

This is not the first time the song has been modified in its 81-year lifetime to better reflect the force and its servicemembers. Before the Air Force was its own independent branch, the song was titled "The Army Air Corps." It was changed to "Army Air Forces" during World War II, and the title and lyrics were rewritten once again in 1947 upon the establishment of the U.S. Air Force.

"Off we go, into the wild blue yonder" is also the U.S. Air Force Academy's official school song and is frequently sung at sporting events and during graduation ceremonies. According to Air Force Times, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy already modified their lyrics over a decade ago to better reflect the presence and contributions of women cadets.

Half a dozen gendered reference rewritten

After a series of updates that began in February 2020, half a dozen changes have now been made across the song's four verses. In the popular opening verse, "At 'em boys" is now "At 'em now, give 'em the gun." In the second verse, the phrases "Minds of men," "Hands of men" and "Souls of men" have been updated to create three updated lyrics:

• "Brilliant minds fashioned a crate of thunder."
• "Valiant hands blasted the world asunder."
• "Boundless souls dreaming of skies to conquer."

In the third verse, the lyric formerly ending in "of his brother men who fly" now goes, "To a friend we send a message of the brave who serve on high." Additionally, "men" has been changed to "those" in the verse's triumphant conclusion, "A toast to the host of those we boast, the U.S. Air Force!" And, in the final verse, "Flying men" has been removed in favor of "Fly to fight, guarding the nation's border."

Gender-neutral lyrics acknowledge that one in five airmen are women

According to Air Force demographic data, women could first begin pilot and navigator training in 1976 and 1977, respectively, and were not able to complete fighter pilot training until 1993. Nowadays, approximately one in five Air Force active-duty servicemembers are women — 68,470 women airmen total, as of January 2020. Among them, 806 serve as pilots; 347 are navigators, and 233 are air battle managers for Air Force.

Although the name given to servicemembers — airmen — remains awkwardly gendered, the Air Force considers this a step in the right direction.

"These new lyrics speak more accurately to all we do, all that we are and all that we strive to be as a profession of arms," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein said in a news release. "They add proper respect and recognition to everyone who serves and who has served."

 

The month of June is a time for recognizing and raising awareness about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Military servicemembers, veterans and first responders are among the many people whose work exposes them to traumas that can lead to PTSD. This mental health issue impacts about 8 million adults per year in the U.S., and roughly 7-8% of the population will experience PTSD throughout their lives, according to the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD), part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

What is PTSD?

The NCPTSD defines PTSD as “a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.” When a traumatic event causes prolonged symptoms and disruptions in a person’s life, it may be a sign of PTSD.

Experiencing all of the following symptoms would lead a mental health care provider to issue a PTSD diagnosis, according to the NCPTSD:

• Avoiding situations, places and experiences that could recall the traumatic incident.
• Reliving the incident through unwelcome memories and invasive flashbacks.
• Increasingly experiencing negative feelings like sadness, numbness, shame and lack of interest or trust.
• Feeling on edge or hyperaroused and being irritable or unable to sleep or focus as a result.

Anyone experiencing even one of these symptoms can benefit from speaking with a mental health professional.

What is PTSD treatment like?

Treating and overcoming PTSD can be mentally and emotionally draining, and many individuals experiencing symptoms may not feel ready to begin. However, the sooner they start working through therapeutic treatment, the more quickly they can move forward from the traumatic incident and find relief.

It is also important to note that there is nothing wrong or embarrassing about seeking out help for mental health conditions such as PTSD. Anyone experiencing tooth discomfort would visit a dentist who has the right training, tools and outside perspective to see inside their client’s mouth, pinpoint the cause of pain and begin the healing process. In the same way, anyone experiencing the disruption and pain of posttraumatic stress can enlist the help of a therapist who possesses the right training, tools and outside perspective to see into their client’s heart and mind and begin the healing process.

During trauma-focused psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, a client and therapist typically meet for about an hour and discuss the traumatic event, working from specific treatment goals. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), effective treatment methods include:

• Cognitive processing therapy: By exploring the feelings, thoughts and emotions they are left with in the wake of a traumatic incident, individuals with PTSD can work to rewrite those thought patterns.
• Cognitive restructuring therapy: By reexaming what actually happened during the event, versus what memories remain, individuals can overcome feelings of guilt, shame and responsibility for the traumatic incident.
• Prolonged exposure therapy: By revisiting the traumatic memory, individuals with PTSD can explore their emotions and reduce the overpowering impact of that memory so it no longer causes a disruption in their daily life.
• Stress inoculation training: By practicing new ways to manage posttraumatic stress and emotions, individuals can better cope with their symptoms. This treatment is often used in conjunction with other therapies.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy: By exploring negative emotions and memories while focusing on specific visual or audible cues, individuals can change how they respond when those memories resurface.
• Present centered therapy: By examining current experiences rather than the trauma itself, individuals can witness the impact of that incident on their present-day life and work to better manage those issues.
• Prescription medication: A psychiatrist may prescribe medication as part of treatment to provide their clients experiencing PTSD with more of the stress-management chemicals their brain is lacking.

The NCPTSD PTSD Decision Aid is a helpful tool for those who want to learn more about treatment options and consider which one might be the right fit.

The oldest and most senior branch of the United States military in order of precedence, the U.S. Army actually predates the U.S. itself. Congress established the First Continental Army on June 14, 1775, more than a full year before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to recruit professionally trained soldiers that could combat the British “Redcoats” in the Revolutionary War.

In the centuries since then, America’s Army has grown into a fighting force with approximately half a million active duty soldiers. And on Sunday, June 14, 2020, the U.S. Army will observe its 245th birthday, affording military servicemembers and civilians alike an opportunity to celebrate the branch’s rich history and continued role as a force for good in the world.

How to celebrate the U.S. Army’s birthday in 2020

Celebrations of the U.S. Army’s birthday will look much different this year due to the current pandemic. The Army’s birthday is not an official state or federal holiday, meaning government offices and private places of business remain open on June 14th, while Army and Department of Defense agencies typically choose to celebrate the occasion at the base or local level with special events, ceremonies, and social occasions. Additionally, a wreath will be laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia, in celebration.

The USO, AMVETS, The American Legion, VFW, and other military service organizations also usually observe the holiday on a local or agency-wide level each year. If you would like to know if and how the birthday is being celebrated in your community, you can reach out to the local chapter of your preferred Veterans Service Organization.

One unique annual celebration is the Army Birthday Ball, which is usually held at military bases, community centers, civilian hotels, and other applicable sites around the world. This black-tie formal event features military members in full-service dress, also known as “Dress Blues” or “Mess Dress,” and includes a long list of traditions that are intended to pay respect to those who sacrificed life and limb to serve and to welcome the newest members of the service and salute the future of the Army at large.

In that spirit, one of the most popular traditions at the ball is the cutting of the Army birthday cake, in which the oldest serving soldier and the youngest serving soldier use a ceremonial saber to cut the first slice. Another common tradition is the receiving line, in which Army leaders personally greet each attendee entering the ballroom, and the giving of toasts to the United States, military families and to fallen comrades, the latter toast one that is always respectfully answered in silence.

This year, the 245th U.S. Army Birthday Ball was due to be held in Washington D.C. Saturday, June 13. Due to coronavirus, however, the event has been canceled.

Additionally, private citizens can always organize events in their own community or find ways to celebrate with friends and family. The 245th anniversary of the U.S. Army provides a wonderful opportunity to both reflect on the centuries of sacrifice that have come before, and celebrate the bright future that lies ahead for America’s fighting force.