Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs

Take advantage of the Special Enrollment Period for your HCFSA! Monday, March 3rd marked the first day of Service member enrollment for the Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA)! U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reported that on the first day of the Special Enrollment Period more than 1,040 Service members signed up for an HCFSA! Uniformed Service members have through March 31, 2025 to enroll but are encouraged to enroll early! For information on how to enroll visit Department of Defense - Office of Financial Readiness here: https://lnkd.in/eQKu_cPi

Congratulations to Two Exceptional Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Students! ??? We are thrilled to announce that Emily Wheeler from Stuttgart, Germany, and Alliyah Regala from Sasebo, Japan, have been chosen to represent DoDEA at the 63rd United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) Washington Week! Meet the students! ?Emily Wheeler: A junior at Stuttgart High School?who serves as President of Tri-M Music Honor Society and editor of the school newspaper. She is also a model U.N. delegate and participated in the Colorado Governor’s School and is a great student leader. ?Alliyah Regala: A senior at EJ King Middle High School?and serves as Student Council President and National Honor Society Secretary. She is known for her outgoing personality and mentorship role in and out of school. These exceptional young leaders will join a national delegation of 104 students from across the country, each receiving a $10,000 scholarship to support their academic dreams. They will engage with top government leaders and explore the workings of the U.S. political system in Washington, D.C. Let's celebrate their achievements and wish them success as they embark on this remarkable opportunity! Read more about the opportunity here: https://lnkd.in/dVgG6eGE

Event Recap with The American Legion at the 65th Washington Conference #WashConf25! Mr. Tim Dill, who is Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, sat down with the National Security Commission Chairman James Grenier MBA, LSSMBB to discuss #TotalForceReadiness and the call to #Service. Mr. Dill discussed how the integration of reserve and active-duty personnel enhances force readiness to secure our borders in Operation Lone Stone and Joint Task Force North (JTF-N). He also highlighted initiatives being implemented to improve quality-of-life programs for military families and communities such as: ?Military spouse telework exemptions ?Expanded child care to military families through civilian partnerships like the Armed Services YMCA in Norfolk Virginia ?United States Department of Defense Dependent Care and Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts for military families Read more about #WashConf25 here: https://lnkd.in/dmWRH_qN

??Great News for Uniformed Service Members! ?? The Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) will offer the first opportunity for eligible members of the uniformed Services to enroll in a Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) during a Special Enrollment Period, March 3-31, 2025. ?What is an HCFSA? -A pre-tax benefit account that’s used to pay for eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses that are not covered by your health care plan or elsewhere -With an HCFSA, you can use pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified out-of-pocket health care expenses ?Who is eligible? -Members of Active Components -Reserve component members performing Active Guard Reserve (AGR) duty -National Guard members performing Active Guard duty (AGR) -Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, including Reserve Component Managers, when performing active duty for more than 180 days ?Where do you enroll? For registration and FAQs, visit: https://www.fsafeds.gov/ Department of Defense - Office of Financial Readiness United States Department of Defense

??Happy 110th Birthday to the U.S. Navy Reserve! ?? On March 3rd we celebrate 110 years of service by the United States Navy Reserve which was established in 1915 as the Federal Naval Reserve. Across all 50 states and around the globe, the Navy Reserve force provides essential capabilities and expertise to support the Navy's mission – building a more lethal, warfighting culture. The Navy Reserve delivers timely and cost-effective operational capabilities. Its flexibility, responsiveness, and ability to serve across a wide spectrum of operations around the world significantly enhances the US Navy #TotalForce. The Navy Reserve maintains individual, command, and force readiness, ready to surge forward anytime, anywhere. Thank you to all the Sailors past and present for your #Service and #Sacrifice. Learn more about the Navy Reserve here: https://lnkd.in/gF3vX3jp

Discover how AI can boost your career! ?? Host Bruce Moody (MC&FP/MCO Public Affairs Specialist) speaks with Quelonda McCrae, a Navy spouse and career coach with the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program. In the podcast, they discuss using AI for developing personalized career paths, identifying skills gaps, interview practice, tailoring resumes, and more. Learn how SECO helps military spouses leverage #AI while staying authentic here:?https://lnkd.in/gEU4CXFk Listeners can find more information on Military Spouse Employment at the links below: ?MilSpouse Career Network: https://lnkd.in/eprgtAaj ?Contact a SECO Career Coach: https://lnkd.in/enwwhx8x ?MSEP Job Search: https://lnkd.in/ex_HMNyk Military Spouse Employment Partnership--MSEP

Launched on December 5th, 2024, the expansion of Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) shopping to DoD civilian employees at 16 select locations is off to a great start! ?? A little over halfway through the 120-day pilot at select DeCA stores located in the continental U.S., the Civilian Commissary Pilot program continues to show signs of success. Through February 1, pilot store sales were up 6.59% compared to non-pilot stores that were up 2.77% vs. last year. The 16 stores selected for the pilot are at the following locations: ?Alaska: Eielson Air Force Base ?California: Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and The National Training Center and Fort Irwin ?Georgia: Marine Corps Logistical Base Albany and Robins Air Force Base ?Maryland: Naval Air Station Patuxent River ?Oklahoma: Altus Air Force Base ?Texas: Laughlin Air Force Base ?Virginia: Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Joint Base Langley-Eustis (Fort Eustis and Langley Air Force Base commissaries), Fort Gregg-Adams, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (Little Creek Commissary), Naval Base Norfolk, Naval Air Station Oceana, and Norfolk Naval Shipyard To read more about the expansion, visit: https://lnkd.in/e5MkqaHu

Defense Commissary Agency Benefits for Disabled #Veterans! Tune in to the latest episode on Military OneSource to learn about the improved and expanded commissary benefits available to Veterans, including disabled Veterans. Learn more about eligibility and access to commissaries, The Exchange, and MWR facilities. Looking for more resources? Check out the information below: ?? Commissary Shopping Eligibility: https://lnkd.in/g43e6DDx? ?? Commissary and exchange privileges for Veterans: https://lnkd.in/erF4vecq? ?? Access to U.S. DOD Installations for Eligible Veterans and Caregivers Fact Sheet: https://lnkd.in/gh3vcMRM ?? Listen to the episode now: https://lnkd.in/gtiKpNUn

Check out the new 2025 POW/MIA Recognition Day poster! Since 1999, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has created a poster commemorating National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the third Friday in September (September 19th, 2025). In anticipation of the celebration later this year, the POW/MIA Accounting community released its annual edition of the poster this past weekend to honor this tradition. National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979. A national-level ceremony is held every year, traditionally at the Pentagon. There are also observances held across the world on military installations, ships at sea, state capitols, schools, and veterans’ facilities. No matter where the day is observed, these National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremonies share the purpose of honoring those who were held captive and returned, as well as those who remain missing. Order your POW/MIA Recognition Day poster at the link below: https://lnkd.in/dA5Z3Wpg

??Check out the Military OneSource Call Center! ?? Mr. Tim Dill, who is Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, poses with the Director of Military Community Support Programs Ms. Erika Slaton after touring the Military OneSource call center in Arlington, VA. Military OneSource?is a United States Department of Defense program with a 24/7 call center (800-342-9647), website (MilitaryOneSource.mil), and mobile app (My Military OneSource) providing comprehensive information, resources, and assistance on every aspect of military life at no cost to Service members and their families, including: ?Tax and financial counseling ?Health and wellness coaching ?Peer support services ?Relocation assistance ?Assistance on elder care, adoption, education, career goals, and more. Veterans, including U.S. Coast Guard, and their immediate family can access Military OneSource up to 365 days post-separation or retirement. Check out this video on the Military OneSource Call Center for more information: https://lnkd.in/eebKxiex