Act gives commissary, other benefits

  • Published
The fiscal 2004 National Defense Authorization Act offers reservists and their families unlimited commissary privileges, better health benefits and an overall average military pay raise of 4.15 percent.

President George W. Bush signed the defense bill Nov. 24. It allows reservists in the Selected Reserve, reserve retirees under age 60 and their families to have access to commissaries on the same basis as active-duty people, retirees and their families.

The act authorizes a minimum pay hike of 3.7 percent with additional increases to midgrade and senior noncommissioned officers and midgrade officers.

To improve readiness, the law allows Department of Defense officials to provide immediate medical and dental screenings and care to reservists who are assigned to a unit that has been alerted or notified of mobilization. Reservists can obtain improved TRICARE coverage until Dec. 31, 2004, under the following circumstances:

-- Nonmobilized reservists and their families can enroll on a cost-share basis if the reservist is unemployed or the employer does not offer health insurance.

-- Coverage for mobilized reservists and their families can begin up to 90 days before the start of the reservists' active duty. Previously, coverage started only when the active-duty period began.

-- Coverage can continue up to 180 days after separation from active duty. Previously, coverage lasted up 60 or 120 days after separation, depending on the years of service.

Another change expands eligibility for family members to enroll in DOD Dependents Schools on a space-available, tuition-free basis. In the past, this benefit was limited to families of reservists who were recalled from an overseas location. The change also allows DODDS enrollment if reservists are recalled from a continental U.S. location. (Courtesy of Air Force Reserve Command News Service)