News 6 Report: Oct. 28 Mashup
Wondering what is in the news? Here’s a collection of news snippets for the week of Oct. 28.
TRICARE Open Season is Nov. 11 through Dec. 9, 2019
Beneficiaries using TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select plans will be eligible to make changes during the Open Season from November 11 through December 9, 2019. This is part of TRICARE’s new Open Enrollment system that allows for changes only during the designated Open Season or after a Qualifying Life Event such as a move, changes to your sponsor’s status, or a change in family composition. Click here for more details.
Proposals Sought for $2 Billion Moving Contract
Federal News Network reported that TRANSCOM has opened up bids for a $2 billion contract to be awarded to a single moving entity. The story reports, “It would pare down the 950 vendors DoD uses to ship service members’ household goods down to just one entity overseeing multiple subcontractors by 2021.”
Army Senior Leaders to Improve Privatized Housing
Military service members and their families may now see some relief after a meeting of Army senior leadership. Ongoing struggles with privatized housing networks will be seeing some new standards. Army.mil reports, “Topics [senior leaders discussed] included the adoption of a common framework for dispute resolution, increased training for installation commanders, ensuring that commanders are increasingly involved with housing issues, improving housing market data to make BAH rates more accurate and relevant, and implementing a new framework for awarding incentive fees to hold property managers accountable for responding to work orders, better quality work, and increased resident satisfaction.”
First Enlisted Soldier to Maxes New Fitness Test
Spc. Juan Gonzalez, a scout with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-32 Infantry, was the first enlisted soldier to max out the new Army Combat Fitness Test with a perfect score of 600. The ACFT is being rolled out and will replace the Army Physical Fitness Test by October 2020. Learn more about Spc. Gonzalez and his path to a perfect ACFT score.
Just For Fun: Halloween Haunts
Military life might have enough spooky stories to keep you awake at night… Anyone else hear every single creak and bump when your husband isn’t home?! Military.com compiled eleven spooky spots on military installations around the world. Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, is officially on my Do Not Need to Visit List! Among many terrifying stories is Building 2283, a house that sits empty because of reports of a woman washing her hair in the sink, a ringing phone that isn’t actually there, bloodstains on the carpeting and curtains, and more chilling stories. Stateside, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, has a claim to fame as the “most paranormally active site in the U.S. Army” and has at least 36 haunted buildings. There is a haunted elevator in an administration building where screams have been reported despite there being no one else around. If you are more interested in meeting a famous person or two, then hightail it to decommissioned Fort Monroe in Virginia, where Edgar Allen Poe died, and other ghost reportings including Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, and Chief Black Hawk. Read all of the haunting rumors here!
