On Base

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island played host last week to two distinguished guests, including the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in nearly four decades, according to base officials.

Sgt. Maj. Micheal cq Barrett, the Corps’ top enlisted man, and Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota Meyer attended the depot’s morning colors and recruit graduation ceremonies Friday, according to Parris Island’s Facebook page.

By TOM PHILPOTT

Many military homeowners whose homes plummeted in value during the financial crisis still can't get relief from "underwater" mortgages that leave families owing more to loan servicers than their homes are worth.

The situation is especially difficult for the military where families must move every two to four years. Some affected members, on receiving orders to new assignments, are leaving families behind in these homes to avoid a hard hit to family finances or loan defaults, which would harm credit ratings.

By TOM PHILPOTT

Congress has known for a decade that the formula it set in 1997 for adjusting physician payments under Medicare -- and by extension the fees paid to civilian doctors under TRICARE, the military's health insurance program -- is seriously flawed and can't be allowed to take effect.

But rather than replace the formula, which the American Medical Association says would have cost $48 billion in 2005 but would exceed $300 billion today, Congress chooses year after year to delay its effect.

By TOM PHILPOTT

Congress is about to elevate the position of Chief of the National Guard Bureau to full membership on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joining the JSC chairman, vice chairman and four service branch chiefs as top military advisers to the president and his national security team.

Lowcountry residents will get a little help attaining the holiday spirit, from the Parris Island Marine Band.

The band, which performs regularly at recruit graduations and other community events, will hold its only public holiday concert next week, according to a base spokesman.

The band will host its third annual Lowcountry Christmas Concert at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Community Bible Church on Parris Island Gateway in Port Royal.

The 90-minute concert will largely feature traditional holiday favorites, according to the base.

Beaufort-area Marines paused Thursday to join their fellow servicemembers in celebrating the 236th birthday of their beloved Corps.

It was in 1775 that the Continental Congress passed a resolution to create two battalions of Marines to fight the British.

The Corps began celebrating its birthday in 1921 when then-Commandant Gen. John Lejeune ordered Marines everywhere to pause Nov. 10 to celebrate “the birthday of our Corps by calling to mind the glories of its long and illustrious past.”

Navy and Marine Corps leaders urged Congressional leaders this week not to make significant cuts to the service’s big-ticket arms projects, such as Joint Strike Fighter and the MV-22 tilt-rotar aircraft.

The Marine Corps Times is reporting that Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos testified before Congress on Wednesday, and said cuts to those programs would threaten the Corps and the nation’s industrial base.