ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
The Retiree Activities Office is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can visit the office in room A200A, 1535 Command Dr., call us at 301-981-2726 or e-mail us at rao@andrews.af.mil. Recommend you call us prior to coming here to ensure someone will be on duty. You may access our Web page at http://www.andrews.af.mil/. In the top right corner, click on "Retirees."
Issue: I lost my Identification Card.
The widow of an Air Force retiree called our office and stated she lost her ID card and wanted to know how to obtain a new one. People must bring two forms of identification, such as a driver's license, passport, social security card or some other document issued by a government agency, to the Military Personnel Flight at 1414 Arkansas Road.
In order to gain access to the base, people must bring a copy of their or their spouse's DD Form 214, Report of Transfer or Discharge and a valid drivers' license to the Visitors Center. The Security Forces will then allow access to the base.
Issue: Does your spouse know what a DD Form 214, Report of Transfer or Discharge is? Do they know where it is located?
If you answered no to either of these questions, please take the time to show your spouse what the form looks like and where it is located. Our office receives numerous calls from the surviving spouse of the military member and they have never heard of the form, do not know what the DD Form 214 is or where it is located. This makes it hard for the surviving spouse.
Issue: Can I enroll in the TRICARE Retiree Delta Dental program?
The wife of a retiree wanted to know if she could enroll in the Delta Dental program if her husband was not enrolled in it. I contacted Michelle Banks-Gainer, Regional Marketing and Communications Representative for Delta Dental of California in the Federal Services division for the answer.
The military retiree has to be enrolled in order for the spouse to enroll unless:
1. The retiree is receiving ongoing dental care from the Veterans Affairs.
2. The retiree is offered dental coverage through their employer and is not offered to the spouse.
3. The retiree has an ongoing medical or dental condition wherein they cannot benefit from the TRICARE Dental Program.
Those are the three limited circumstances. Unless the military retiree meets either of those criteria, the military member will have to enroll in order to enroll the retiree spouse. Of course, documentation of qualifying circumstances is required upon application for enrollment. If you have any questions about eligibility requirements of the program, you can call their Customer Service department at 888-838-8737.
Issue: Do you use ICE?
In the monthly meeting at the police station, an officer informed us of an accident she was called to where the sole person in one car was unconscious and transported to the emergency room. The officer tried to find a next of kin to contact but could not find anything on the person about who to notify "in case of emergency" or ICE. The officer looked in the person's cell phone but there was no ICE heading.
If you have a cell phone, then you should include an ICE in it with the name and phone number of the person to notify in case of an emergency.
Issue: What is your address?
Retirees will be receiving their yearly retiree account statement this month showing the cost of living increase plus other forms for income tax purposes. Is your current mailing address at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service correct? If you have moved since last year, did you send a correction to DFAS? If not, send it now to:
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
US Military Retirement Pay
PO Box 7130
London, KY 40742-7130