FederalDaily - December 30, 2005

Military Tax Statements Coming Soon

Servicemembers, military retirees, annuitants and federal civilian employees paid by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) can expect to receive their 2005 tax statements by mail soon, according to a DFAS official. Most retirees and annuitants already may have received theirs, with the last hard-copy mailings slated for Dec. 31. Mailing for active duty Army, Navy and Air Force W-2 forms won’t begin until Jan. 24, but servicemembers can access their forms on myPay beginning Jan. 21. W-2 mailings for reservists from the Army, Navy and Air Force will begin Jan. 4, but the forms will be posted online by Dec. 31. Active duty and Reserve Marines can check their mailboxes after Jan. 12 or access their myPay accounts beginning Jan. 10. Mailing for Department of Defense civilians’ W-2s will begin Jan. 10, and the forms will be posted on myPay beginning Jan. 9.

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USPS Increases Productivity, Eliminates Debt in 2005

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) ended 2005 with its sixth consecutive year of growth in productivity and eliminated its debts, according to the service’s just-released 2005 annual report. Operating revenue increased to $69.9 billion, up from $68.9 billion in 2004. USPS debt, which stood at more than $7 billion in 2003, is now at zero. USPS delivered mail to 32 million more homes and businesses than it did in 1985 with the same staffing levels. Postmaster General John E. Potter and Board of Governors Chairman James C. Miller III noted, “This reflects the strong efforts throughout the entire organization to remain focused on the transformational strategies we identified in 2002.” The financial report can be found at www.usps.com/history/anrpt05/.

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Less Sexual Harassment Seen among Reserves

Sexual harassment may be less prevalent in the National Guard and reserves, according to the results of a Department of Defense (DoD) survey released this week. Approximately 76,000 guard and reserve members participated, with 60 percent of men and 46 percent of women noting that instances of sexual harassment appeared to be declining. About 75 percent of respondents acknowledged receiving training to spot sexual harassment situations, with 90 percent of those considering the training effective. The survey also found that 19 percent of women and 3 percent of men had been sexually harassed in the past 12 months. DoD surveys taken between 1995 and 2002 showed a decline in the number of active duty women harassed, from 42 to 24 percent.

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FSI Joins in E-Training

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute (FSI) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to increase e-Training offerings to the foreign affairs community . FSI is the federal government’s training institution for officers and support personnel of the U.S. foreign affairs community, and prepares American diplomats and other professionals to advance U.S. foreign affairs interests. Under the MOU, FSI has been added to the e-Training Service Provider Consortium as a content provider. “This is a significant step forward for the e-Training initiative,” said Dr. Jeff T.H. Pon, acting project manager, OPM e-Training Initiative. “The addition of the Foreign Service Institute to the consortium will lead to increased training and services.”

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