Military Certified Housing Specialist Course

1. Welcome Military Certified Housing Specialist Course

2. Thank You! USA Cares extends its sincere gratitude to National Mortgage Professional Magazine For sponsoring the USA Cares Certified Military Housing Specialist Course

3. USA Cares Mission USA Cares is a national 501(c)3 non profit whose mission is help bear the burden of service by assisting post 9/11 military members and their families with financial and advocacy support in their time of need.

4. What Makes Us Different • The government isn’t the answer to everything. We fill the “gaps” for immediate needs. • We “grant” financial assistance. No repayment is asked nor expected. • We directly pay the creditor.

5. USA Cares operates four assistance programs • Combat Injured • Emergency • Housing • Jobs

6. Combat Injured • Provides critical assistance in areas not covered by a government program. • It pays essential household bills while a service member attends prescribed rehabilitative treatment. • Over 500 veterans helped with $1 million in direct assistance.

7. Emergency • Gives emergency financial assistance for essential bills. This program keeps the lights on, the car in the driveway and food on the family table. • Yearly request keep growing: • 2007- 4,146 • 2008 – 5,670 • 2009 – 5,877 • 2010 – 5,526 • 2011 – 6,501

8. HOUSING • Pays the rent/mortgage • Must complete budget counseling To Date: • Over 4,500 homes from foreclosure & eviction saved! • Over 6,000 children kept from becoming homeless. • Over 2,000,000 in assistance provided

9. Jobs • Reduces joblessness • USA Cares works directly with public and private businesses to develop real training that leads to a real job • Since the program’s start in 2010, 196 Veterans employed • Assistance totaling $262,747

10. Today’s Agenda USA Cares Overview • Military 101 • Rank & Language • Military Pay • Resources

11. Section 1: Military 101 • Branches of Service • Reserve Components

12. Branches Of Service ARMY AIR FORCE NAVY COAST GUARD MARINE CORP

13. ARMY • Established- June 14th , 1775 • Main ground force • Approximately 76,000 officers & 401,000 enlisted members in the active duty army • Supported by 2 Reserve Forces • Army Reserves • Army National Guard • Website: www.army.mil

14. AIR FORCE • August 1, 1907 –Aeronautical Division • (3 ½ years after the Wright brothers flew the first powered airplane at Kitty Hawk) • The Department of Air Force was Created as a result of the National Security Act of 1947 • Delivers global reach, power and engagement • Website: www.af.mil

15. NAVY • US Navy Founded October 13, 1775 • Department of Navy Established in 1798 • Three principle components: • Navy Department • Operating Forces • Shore Establishment • Deter aggression and maintain the freedom of the seas • Website: www.navy.mil

16. MARINE CORP • Continental marines • Served in every conflict in U.S. history • Rapidly responds to regional crisis • Important tool for American foreign • policy • Website: www.marines.mil

17. COAST GUARD • Five Primary Missions • 35,000 civilian volunteer branch • Responsible for approximately 18,000 highways & railway bridges in the US • Website: www.uscg.mil

18. RESERVE COMPONENTS • 39 Days of Military duty per year • Guard & Reserves • 8 Different Reserve Components • Website:www.usar.army.mil

19. What Have We Learned? • Servicemembers need respect for their voluntary service; knowledge of their pay system • As a result of the National Security Act of 1947, there are five military branches: Army; Air Force; Navy; Marine Corps; Coast Guard • The United States Army is the main ground-force of the United States military. • The Army is the largest U.S. Military Service. The Air Force defends the nation's airspace and • projects combat power in support of national • tasking.

20. What Have We Learned? • The mission of the Navy is to maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas. • The United States Marine Corps has served in every conflict in U.S. history. • The Coast Guard does not fall under the Department of Defense, but under the Department of Homeland Security. • The National Guard's -Title 32 Orders refer to a state mission; -Title 10 Orders refer to a Federal Mission.

21. Recognizing Military Rank & Status Ranking Charts Military Language Section 2 Rank & Language

22. Military Status • Rank • Commissioned Officers • Warrant Officers • Enlisted Personnel • Rate - Navy & Coast Guard Enlisted • Grade- Used for pay functions

23. Basic Allowance for Housing Cost of Living Allowance Department of Defense discharge form Defense Finance and Accounting Service Enlistment Bonus Estimated time of separation Improvised Explosive Device Leave and Earning Statement Judge Advocate General (Military Legal Dept) Permanent Change of Station Service Members Group Life Insurance Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Warrior Transition Unit Traumatic Brain Injury/ Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – invisible wounds of war BAH COLA DD214 DFAS EB ETS IED LES JAG PCS SGLI SCRA WTU TBI/ PTSD Military Language

24. What Have We Learned? • Three General categories of rank/rate: Enlisted personnel, Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers • “Grade” is used for Personnel and pay functions • Judge Advocate General refers to the military legal department • Military pay receipt is known as the LES - Leave and Earning Statement • WTU refers to "Warrior Transition Unit" • IED is an Improvised Explosive Device, found in war zone

25. What Have We Learned? • TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) are examples of invisible wounds of war • Department of Defense Discharge Form is DD214 • ETS is Estimated Time of Separation/Expiration Term of Service • SGLI is Service Members Group Life Insurance • The Air Force is the only branch of service that does not have Warrant Officers

26. Section 3: Military Pay • Overview & How to Read an LES • Factors that impact military pay • Special Pay • Bonuses • Thrift Savings Plans • Who Can Help? • Wounded Warrior Program • Disability Retirements

27. Military Pay Overview • 70 types of pay and allowances • The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) • The LES is divided into three major areas: Entitlement, Deductions and Allotments. • Pay Options (AOP/EOM) • Requesting a VOE and payroll records Accurate income calculation is imperative for the positive outcome of any loan.

30. Factors Which Affect Pay & Entitlements • Annual Pay Raise • Promotions • Longevity raises • Basic Allowance for Housing • Basic Allowance for Subsistence • Cost of Living Allowance • Military Special Pays

31. Military Special Pays • Aviation Pays • CSRC – Combat Related Special Compensation • CZTE – combat zone tax exclusion • Diving Pays • Foreign Language Proficiency Pay • Hardship Duty Pay (HDP) • Imminent Danger Pay and Hostile Fire Pay • Medical and Dental Special Pays • Special Pay for Nuclear Power Officers • Sea and Submarine Duty Pay

32. Bonus Entitlements • Enlistment Bonuses • Reenlistment Bonuses • Selective Reenlistment Bonus • Bonus Extension And Retraining (BEAR) Bonus • Career Service Bonus • Critical Skills Retention Bonus

33. Thrift Saving Plan • Federal Government-sponsored retirement savings and investment plan • Established in 1986 • Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 • Participation in the TSP is optional

34. WHO CAN HELP WITH PAY QUESTIONS? "DFAS 411" - 888-332-7411 http://www.dfas.mil/ Military Retirees - 1-800-321-1080 https://ca.dtic.mil/dfas/s-retired/ret-pay.htm Annuitants - 1-800-321-1080 (U.S.) or 216-522-5955 (Outside U.S.) https://ca.dtic.mil/dfas/s-retired/ret-pay.htm Military Former Spouses - 1-888-332-7411https://ca.dtic.mil/dfas/s-garnish/garnishinquiry.htm

35. Wounded Warrior Program Pay Purpose: To Provide accurate, real-time financial support to servicemembers Entitlements • Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) • Casual Pay • Pay & Allowance Continuation (PAC) • Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance

36. Disability Retirements • Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL) • Permanent Disability Retired List (PDRL) • Retirement Status

37. The Leave and Earning Statement (LES) is a comprehensive statement which shows the service member's leave and earnings for the month. The LES is divided into three major areas: Entitlement, Deductions and Allotments. Fields 1 - 9 contain the identification portion of the LES. Basic Pay is established by grade and pay date. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is a cash allowance intended to enable an equitable standard of living in areas where cost of living is unusually high. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), takes the responsibility of watching over America's servicemembers' payroll matters. What Have We Learned?

38. What Have We Learned? When a servicemember transfers, you can bet that their BAH and COLA will probably change. Factors that affect military pay and entitlements:Annual pay raise, longevity, BAS, BAH, COLA, promotions, and special pays. The Thrift Savings Plan offers the same type of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under 401(k) plans. Certain types of military pay are exempt from taxes. Who can help with pay problems? DFAS 411 and www.dfas.mil. Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) allows military members to exclude all or a portion of pay and entitlements earned while serving in designated combat areas from tax liabilities. LES Field 77 shows the service member's YTD Entitlements

39. What Have We Learned? • The mission of the Wounded Warrior Pay Support Team is to provide accurate, real-time financial support to servicemembers who are medically evacuated as a result of wounds, disease, or injury incurred while serving in a combat zone. • A member of the TDRL or the PDRL is a retired member of the armed forces. • If a physical evaluation board finds a member unfit to perform duties by reason of a disability which may not be of a permanent nature, he or she may be placed on the Temporary Disability Retired List.

40. What Have We Learned? • PAC (Pay and Allowance Continuation) authorizes the continuation of all pay and allowances (including any bonuses, incentive pay, or similar benefit) that were being paid to the member at the time the member incurred a wound, injury, or illness in the line of duty. • All soldiers assigned to Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) are also assigned to a Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) once they leave the initial stage of hospitalization and begin what is often a long process of rehabilitation. • Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) allows certain military retirees to receive both their military retirement pay and VA Disability Compensation. • All members of the uniformed services that have part-time or full-time SGLI are automatically covered by TSGLI while the member is in service.

41. 1 4 2 5 6 3 SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF (SCRA) LOCAL MILITARY SPECIALIST MFHEP- OPERATIONS GUIDE MFHEP- STANDARDS OF PRACTICE THE UNIFORMED SERVICES EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT OF 1994 FORECLOSURE PREVENTION & HOUSING ASSISTANCE STEPS TO FORECLOSURE PREVENTION Section 4 Resources

42. Foreclosure Prevention & Assistance Military Housing Program USA Cares Assistance Program Making Homes Affordable Program www.KnowYourOptions.com NHS.Org (Neighborhood Housing Svcs)

43. SCRA Guidelines & Benefits • Temporarily suspends legal action while on active duty & for a time thereafter • Allows for termination of leases: • Home, car, cell phone etc • Reduction of interest rates • Free legal assistance for service members through their nearest JAG office

44. USERRA* (38 USC 4301-4335) *THE UNIFORM SERVICES EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT OF 1994 • Who is covered • Basic Provisions/Requirements • Employee Rights • Notices and Posters

45. Resources • USA Cares • DFAS • USERRA • Department of HUD • Department of Veteran Affairs • Free JAG legal assistance • FDIC Foreclosure Prevention • Neighbor Works America • Homeownership Preservation Foundation

46. Course Collaterals • Certificate of Completion-Individual • Certificate of Completions-Organization • Certified Military Housing Specialist Seal • USA Cares Logo • Press Release Language

47. Thank you for caring! Joann Muncey Director of Emergency and Housing Assistance joann@usacares.org 1-800-773-0387 ext 113 Website: www.usacares.org