for both current and future Retired Soldiers, according to
the Chief of Staff, Army, (CSA) Retiree Council. The Council
marked its 50th meeting, Apr 26-30, 2010, in the Pentagon.
The Council, chaired by LTG (Ret.) Frederick Vollrath and
SMA (Ret.) Jack Tilley, is made up of seven Retired officers
and seven Retired noncommissioned officers. Council
members represent
Retired Soldiers and
Families worldwide.
At their annual
meeting, they reviewed
32 issues submitted
by installation Retiree
councils, nine of
them dealing with
health care.

In its report to the CSA, the Council praised ongoing
health care initiatives including preventive health care,
case management, quality outcomes and consistent
communication, saying they would enhance health care
for all Retirees and their Families. These initiatives were
briefed by Army Surgeon General LTG Eric Schoomaker
and TRICARE Deputy Director Navy RADM Christine Hunter.
Briefings from DoD, Army and other leaders, along with
pre-meeting research are the tools the Council uses
when preparing its report.
Stating that attempts to reduce the level of benefits of the
Military Health Care System raise concerns that the earned
entitlement will be eroded based strictly on budgetary
constraints, the Council made the following health
care recommendations:
•

to create the physician network needed to make care
accessible for all beneficiaries.
• Support legislation to authorize pretax payment of
TRICARE Prime enrollment fees and premiums for
TRICARE supplemental, long-term care, and TRICARE
Retiree Dental Insurance.
•

through a self-funded voluntary Optical Insurance
Plan similar to the Retiree Dental Insurance Program.
Retirees have long advocated a low-cost option
that allows them more choices than the standard
brown Army frames currently available at Medical
Treatment Facilities.
•