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Z-Gram #85; dated 24 May 1971

Legislation Status Report

Z 241245Z MAY 71
FM CNO (Z-85)

TO NAVOP

UNCLAS //N05860//
LEGISLATION STATUS REPORT

1. EACH OF THE CNO OFFICER AND ENLISTED RETENTION STUDY GROUPS HAS INDICATED THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR PERSONNEL ARE NOT INFORMED OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS OF DIRECT INTEREST, SUCH AS THOSE AFFECTING LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS, PAY, BENEFITS, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. THEY HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT THIS INFORMATION BE PERIODICALLY DISSEMINATED.

2. THOSE IN WASHINGTON DESIRE THAT ALL OF OUR PERSONNEL AND THEIR DEPENDENTS BE KEPT FULLY INFORMED OF ALL EFFORTS BEING MADE TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS OF SERVICE. THIS NAVOP IS THE FIRST STEP IN IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE STUDY GROUPS.

3. THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED 91ST CONGRESS PASSED SEVERAL LEGISLATIVE ITEMS WHICH HAVE LONG BEEN SOUGHT TO AID AND ASSIST NAVY MEMBERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS. THE FOLLOWING ARE A FEW OF THE SIGNIFICANT ITEMS. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE NAVY IS AUTHORIZED TO PAY THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM A MEMBER’S HOMEPORT WHEN HIS SHIP IS BEING OVERHAULED AWAY FROM HOMEPORT. PUBLIC LAW 91-210 WILL PERMIT UP TO THREE SUCH VISITS WITH A MEMBER’S FAMILY, DEPENDING ON THE PERIOD OF OVERHAUL. PUBLIC LAWS 91-529, 91-533, AND 91-534, RESPECTIVELY, AUTHORIZE PAYMENT OF A FAMILY SEPARATION ALLOWANCE EVEN THOUGH THE MEMBER DOES NOT MAINTAIN A SEPARATE HOUSEHOLD, OR HIS FAMILY IS LIVING IN GOVERNMENT QUARTERS, AND TO ALL POW/MIA FAMILIES. PUBLIC LAW 91-291 INCREASED COVERAGE UNDER SGLI FROM $10,000 TO $15,000 AND EXTENDED ELIGIBILITY FOR COVERAGE TO CERTAIN RESERVISTS NOT PREVIOUSLY COVERED. PUBLIC LAWS 91-219 AND 91-584 INCREASE AND LIBERALIZE EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS AND HOME LOANS UNDER THE GI BILL OF RIGHTS AND SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND HOME LOAN BENEFITS UNDER THE GI BILL FOR POW/MIA DEPENDENTS. IN ADDITION, THE PRESIDENT, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE FEDERAL PAY COMPARABILITY ACT OF 1970, HAS AUTHORIZED A PAY INCREASE OF 7.9 PCT FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL, EFFECTIVE 1 JANUARY 1971. A MORE COMPLETE WRAPUP OF ACTION BY THE 91ST CONGRESS WILL APPEAR IN ALL HANDS AT AN EARLY DATE.

4. LOOKING AHEAD, WE CURRENTLY HAVE UNDER STUDY OR AT VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL LEGISLATIVE ITEMS IN SUCH AREAS AS HOUSING ALLOWANCE, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE, IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN SPECIAL PAYS SUCH AS SEA AND DIVING PAY, OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE RAPID ADVANCEMENT IN RATE OR RANK, AND LIBERALIZATION OF DEPENDENT’S BENEFITS. THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE AREAS IN WHICH WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE IMPROVEMENTS DURING THE 92ND CONGRESS.

5. THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS OFTEN LONG AND ARDUOUS WITH MANY PITFALLS ALONG THE WAY. IN ORDER THAT YOU MORE FULLY UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS, ALL HANDS WILL SOON PUBLISH AN ARTICLE WHICH WILL ENHANCE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN SEEKING LEGISLATION. THEREAFTER, ALL HAND WILL CARRY, ON AT LEAST A QUARTERLY BASIS, A BOX SCORE OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AND THEIR STATUS. FROM TIME TO TIME, AS CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT, YOU WILL BE INFORMED OF MAJOR LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS. E. R. ZUMWALT, JR., ADMIRAL, U. S. NAVY, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.

BT

__________

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS:
CNO: Chief of Naval Operations
GI: government issue
MIA: missing in action
PCT: percent
POW: prisoner of war
SGLI: Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance

[END]
Published: Wed Nov 02 06:24:26 EDT 2016