CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
More than 250 retirees from the local area attended the Charleston AFB and Naval Weapons Station Charleston Military Retiree and Spouse Appreciation Day Oct. 4 at the Charleston Club.
The military retirees and their family members received up-to-date information from keynote speaker, Steve Williams, health administration chief at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in North Charleston, S.C.
During the presentation, Mr. Williams spoke about the benefits currently offered by the VA medical center and about how retirees need to be informed about the changes to VA eligibility.
"Our job is to make sure the veterans are taken care of," said Mr. Williams. "However, they need to be aware that the VA eligibility requirements change yearly and the more informed they are now, the better prepared they will be to make those important decisions later.
"Days like today are extremely important because this is a great way to make sure the most current information is given," he added.
The retirees and their family members also received firsthand information about upcoming changes to Charleston AFB and NWS Charleston from Col. Frank Jones, 437th Mission Support Group commander and Capt. Glen Little, Naval Weapons Station Charleston commanding officer.
Colonel Jones said that today's functions and information are for the retirees and their families.
"The purpose of today is not just to recognize our veterans and their families, but also to inform them of the services we can provide them," said Colonel Jones. "Today's activities were designed to inform the retirees in the local area about health care benefits and provide a forum where they could ask their questions and get answers directly."
Retired Chief Master Sgt. Charles Short, director of retiree activities on Charleston AFB, said retirees in the local area need to stay informed not only the about events and updates happening on the base, but also on their benefits.
"Today's military retiree has a constantly changing environment," said Mr. Short. "This is what this event was for ... to keep the more than 14,000 retirees in Charleston and surrounding areas informed about their benefits and make sure they aware of the services available for them and their families."
In addition to the briefings, Airmen from the 437th Medical Group and the 437 AW Legal Office provided free medical information and assisted the retirees in legal matters.
Also, more than 20 booths were set up to provide information to the retirees. Representatives from organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Tricare and Delta Dental had representatives available to give the retirees the most current and up-to-date information about memberships and medical and dental services.
The 437 AW Retiree Activities Office serves as an information center for retirees of all services and their family members. They also provide volunteer support to many of the 437 AW activities around the base. For more information about the RAO, call 963-2228.