Retiree Appreciation Day features benefit info Published Oct. 21, 2011 By Amy Rollins Skywrighter Staff WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio -- Hundreds of military retirees, spouses and widows/widowers are expected to attend Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's 2011 Retiree Appreciation Day Oct. 28 at the Hope Hotel and Richard C. Holbrooke Conference Center. Registration will start at 7:30 a.m. with refreshments available. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. The event is scheduled to conclude at 3 p.m. The free annual event, open to all branches of the military and held to recognize retirees for their service, will offer information on key topics of interest. No reservation is needed. The featured speakers are slated to be: · Col. Stephen Higgins, 88th Medical Group commander. · Master Sgt. (Ret.) Morgan Brown - Sergeant Brown will provide an overview of legislative matters, drawing on his experience as representative on legislative matters for the Air Force Sergeants Association and National Association for Uniformed Services. · Cdr. Katherine O'Neill Tracy from the Military Officers Association of America will discuss TRICARE changes and the effects of healthcare reform on the TRICARE/TFL benefit structure. · A speaker from the Defense Accounting and Finance Service will be on hand to discuss pay issues. All bases that have retiree offices show appreciation for the support that the retiree community gives them at the base, said Col. (Ret.) Paul Moore, director of the base Retiree Activities Program office. "Retroactively, the day allows the people on the base to brief retirees about things they may not know about - current changes, what's coming up, allaying some fears," Colonel Moore said. The event will include more than 50 information and provider booths, open concurrent with a $7.95, inclusive buffet lunch; medical screenings; flu shots; and door prizes. Representatives from the Social Security Administration will be on hand, and Dayton's VA Medical Center is s cheduled to bring its Veterans Mobile Clinic, providing enrollment services and exams on site. Information on the Defense Biometric Identification System will be offered. Registration has been halted to enable system upgrades. DBIDS registration will restart Nov. 1. After all upgrades have been completed, registration will be conducted at all installation gates. The Hope Hotel and Conference Center is located at Bldg. 823, adjacent to Ohio 444 in Fairborn. For more information, visit: www.wpafb.af.mil/units/rao or call (937) 257-3221.