January 2020
Biggest Military Pay Raise In Years Takes Effect Today
For the first time since 2010, troops will  see a pay raise   of more than 3.0 percent. And they may not have to wait another decade before the next one arrives.

Congress and the White House signed off on  a 3.1 percent pay raise  for troops starting on Jan. 1, a move that will produce  a significant bump  to military paychecks next year.

For junior enlisted troops, the raise amounts to roughly $815 more a year in pay. For senior enlisted and junior officers, it equals about $1,500 more.

An O-4 with 12 years service would see more than $2,800 extra next year under the increase.

Coast Guard, Congress Still Working to Address Harassment
Following an 18-month probe into how the Coast Guard responds to complaints of bullying, harassment and retaliation, and a recent congressional hearing on the matter, Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi said Congress' work is not over.
Thompson, chair of the House

Committee on Homeland Security, one of two congressional committees that spent more than a year investigating the Coast Guard, said in a recent phone interview that he foresees more hearings and continued congressional oversight.

The committees on Homeland Security and Oversight and Government Reform reviewed thousands of pages of documents, many of which were heavily redacted, from the Coast Guard and multiple interviews with Coast Guard personnel during the investigation. Thompson said more records are forthcoming.



The Dangerous Reason You Need to Stop Taking Those Silly Facebook Quizzes
If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’re likely to come across a Facebook quiz. These activities are commonly shared among friends with the tease that your answers will reveal something fun about yourself.

According to  CommonSenseMedia , hackers can create these quizzes to acquire private information from you to hack your accounts or steal your identity using personal information that Facebook provides them with.

Additionally, Facebook quizzes may lead you to a website with dangerous downloads, or have malicious links and possible viruses included in the questions.

According to a  recent report by CNN , this practice was used in a recent scandal, wherein Ukranian hackers used Facebook quizzes to install malicious browser extensions.

The best way to protect yourself is to  take Facebook scams seriously , and only click on links that you definitely trust. To stay safe, you can  report suspicious links to Facebook , and avoid websites that force you to log in or ask for an additional email address.

Just because a friend shares a link doesn’t mean you can trust it; if something looks suspicious, don’t click on it.


The CPOA USAA Credit Card
  • Use the card that shows your pride in the mission and programs of the CPOA.

  • Save on annual and foreign transaction fees.

  • Show your pride with an exclusive card design.
Commissary, Military Service Exchange, and MWR access extended to more Veterans Today
According to the Department of Defense, starting Jan. 1, 2020, all service-connected Veterans, Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war (POW), and individuals approved and designated as the primary family caregivers of eligible Veterans under the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) can use commissaries, exchanges, and morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) retail facilities, in-person and online.


TRICARE Supplement Insurance Available
If you're looking for TRICARE Supplement Insurance, take the time to check our partner, Selman & Company.
  Book of the Month
  Since Turn the Ship Around! was published in 2013, hundreds of thousands of readers have been inspired by former Navy captain David Marquet’s true story. Many have applied his insights to their own organizations, creating workplaces where everyone takes responsibility for his or her actions, where followers grow to become leaders, and where happier teams drive dramatically better results.

Marquet was a Naval Academy graduate and an experienced officer when selected for submarine command. Trained to give orders in the traditional model of “know all–tell all” leadership, he faced a new wrinkle when he was shifted to the Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered submarine. Facing the high-stress environment of a sub where there’s little margin for error, he was determined to reverse the trends he found on the Santa Fe: poor morale, poor performance, and the worst retention rate in the fleet.

Almost immediately, Marquet ran into trouble when he unknowingly gave an impossible order, and his crew tried to follow it anyway. When he asked why, the answer was: “Because you told me to.” Marquet realized that while he had been trained for a different submarine, his crew had been trained to do what they were told—a deadly combination.
Together We Served
Find Your Boot Camp Friends
   Interested to find old friends you went to Boot Camp with? If so, Together We Served has made it even easier.

  They have extended their unique "Also There" feature to find more members who were in Boot Camp at the same time as you. Even if they could not remember their training company or platoon, we can match you based on location and start month.
 
  All you need to do is enter whatever boot camp details you can recall and we will find other members who trained alongside you!
 
To obtain your Free Full Membership, please go to this   special link only for CPOA/CGEA members. 
 
 Family of deceased Coast Guard members who wish to join CGTWS to create a Remembrance Profile for their loved one should email  admin@togetherweserved.com .
 
 For more information on  TogetherWeServed.com , please view their short informational video at:  www.youtube.com/twsmilitarywebsites
Recently Retired?
If you've recently retired and were using an allotment to pay your dues, there's a good chance you are no longer an active member. Please  read these procedures  for starting, changing, and stopping an allotment in Direct Access II/Retired Global Pay Self-Service. 
  
  Or just call the U. S. Coast Guard Pay & Personnel Center 
 
1(800)772-8724
to talk to a pay technician 
Not receiving your magazine? 
 If you've recently retired and were using an allotment to pay your dues, there's a good chance you are no longer an active member. Please  read these procedures  for starting, changing, and stopping an allotment in Direct Access II/Retired Global Pay Self-Service.  
Our Sponsors


Our Partners
Member Benefits can be found our our website here
Documents:
Looking for CPOA/CGEA Swag?
Thanks for visiting our Ships Stores! Find what you're looking for yourself or great gifts for your friends. You'll find unique merchandise with the CPOA or CGEA logos on t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, and more. Just click on the graphic links above to enter!
Admin Notes: 
  • Although our e-newsletter conforms to Coast Guard directives, we request that newsletter recipients provide their home email address to alleviate any concerns. Please click the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of this newsletter to make the change.   
If, for some reason, you are no longer receiving  The Chief , send an email to:  membership@uscgcpoa.org  
Coast Guard National Retiree Website can be found  here.
You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in U. S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association or the Coast Guard Enlisted Association. The content of this message does not reflect the official position of the United States, the Department of Homeland Security, or the United States Coast Guard. Don't forget to add  coastguardcpoa@gmail.com  to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! 
 
You may  unsubscribe  if you no longer wish to receive our emails.
Mailing Address:
U. S. Coast Guard CPOA/CGEA
5520-G Hempstead Way
Springfield, VA 22151