Issuu

PARTNERSHIP PAYS

MAY 2026

VOLUME 102 ★ NUMBER 4

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Jenn Rafael

CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER

Beth Bedard

SENIOR CONTENT MANAGER

Matt Sanderson

ADDITIONAL GRAPHIC DESIGN TGD

EDITORIAL BOARD

William Shackelford, Cindy Reneé Blythe

NARFE Magazine

606 North Washington St.

Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

Phone: 703-838-7760 Fax: 703-838-7781 Editorial: communications@narfe.org

Advertising Sales: mprimuth@narfe.org

NARFE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

ON THE TELEPHONE: This publication can be heard on the telephone by persons who have trouble seeing or reading the print edition. For more information, contact the National Federation of the Blind NFB-NEWSLINE® service at 866-504-7300 or go to www.nfbnewsline.org.

ON DIGITAL AUDIO: Issues of NARFE Magazine are also available in audio format through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). For availability, call 202-727-2142 or your local NLS service provider.

The Association, since July 1970, has been classified by the IRS as a tax-exempt labor organization [not a union]; however, dues and gifts or contributions to the Association are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

NATIONAL OFFICERS

WILLIAM SHACKELFORD President; natpres@narfe.org

CINDY RENEÉ BLYTHE Secretary/Treasurer; natsectreas@narfe.org

TO JOIN NARFE, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR FIND A LOCAL CHAPTER:

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TO REACH A FEDERAL BENEFITS SPECIALIST: EMAIL fedbenefits@narfe.org

NARFE HEADQUARTERS

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Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS

REGION I Jeff Anliker (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) Tel: 413-813-8136

Email: jeff.anliker@outlook.com

REGION II Paul Schwartz (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) Tel: 240-838-2200

Email: schwartzpaul02@gmail.com

REGION III Lynn Harper (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Puerto Rico) Tel: 478-951-3260

Email: lynnlarry79@outlook.com

REGION IV Ed Konys (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin) Tel: 937-207-6087

Email: rvpkonys@outlook.com

REGION V Linda Sawvell (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) Tel: 563-340-4823

Email: Lsawvell262@gmail.com

REGION VI Patsy Ashton (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Republic of Panama and Texas) Tel: 504-452-3870

Email: rvp6@narfe.org

REGION VII Sharon Reese (Colorado, Southwest, Utah and Wyoming) Tel: 575-649-6035

Email: sreese346@gmail.com

REGION VIII John Almquist (California, Hawaii, Nevada and Republic of Philippines) Tel: 949-246-4378

Email: almquistjw@yahoo.com

REGION IX Steven Roy (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) Tel: 425-344-3926

Email: stevenroy1@yahoo.com

REGION X Robert Allen (Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) Tel: 757-404-3880

Email: rvp10@narfe.org

NARFE’S MISSION STATEMENT

To support legislation and regulations beneficial to federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants under any federal civilian retirement system and to oppose those detrimental to their interests.

To promote the general welfare of federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants, to advise and assist them with respect to their rights under retirement, health and other employee and retiree benefits laws and regulations, and to represent their interests before appropriate authorities.

To cooperate with other organizations and associations in furtherance of these general objectives.

NARFE Magazine (ISSN 1948-4453) is published monthly except in February and July by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA, and additional mailing offices. Members: Annual dues includes subscription. Nonmember subscription rate $48. Postmaster: Send address change to: NARFE Attn: Member Records, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. To ensure prompt delivery, members should also forward changes of address without delay. Because of the volume involved, NARFE cannot acknowledge nor be responsible for unsolicited pictures and manuscripts, although every reasonable precaution is taken. All submissions become the property of NARFE. Copyright © 2026, NARFE. Advertisements in the magazine are not endorsements of products and/or services by NARFE, unless officially stated in the ad. We shall accept advertising on the same basis as other reputable publications: that is, we shall not knowingly permit a dishonest advertisement to appear in NARFE Magazine, but at the same time we will not undertake to guarantee the reliability of our advertisers.

2 NARFE MAGAZINE MAY 2026

ADefending Feds Through a Workforce Caucus

fter a year of deep disruptions to the career civil service, several members of Congress have created a bicameral Federal Workforce Caucus to defend federal workers and modernize the systems everyone relies on. John Hatton, NARFE staff vice president for policy and programs, and I attended the press conference on Capitol Hill announcing the formation of the caucus in February. The goals of the caucus range from protecting nonpartisan public service to improving pay, retention, and professional development. Since NARFE is a major force in uniting others and offering our cooperation in working for the common good as your national president, I welcome the formation of the caucus and look forward to engaging in areas consistent with our strategic priorities and the overall NARFE mission to strengthen executive leadership across federal agencies. One of the leaders behind the effort is Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-VA, who is also a NARFE member.

RECRUITMENT VS. RETENTION

Thanks to our engagement with Street Level Studio, NARFE has been able to stem the decline in membership it has experienced over several years. Most of the success is due to an energetic effort to recruit new members. However, recruitment does not solve the whole problem. While the decline has slowed, we cannot forget that our membership numbers will require constant attention from everyone. As NARFE continues to recruit new members, we must remember that retention is important and that we must work harder to stay even.

In a recent article published by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), it was pointed out that “the first renewal is worth more than all the others. On average, a new member is 50% likely to renew, and they will be 80% likely to renew the following year.” Our chapter and federation coordinators cannot be solely responsible for retention efforts. The ASAE article also stated, “It is only a slight exaggeration to say that by the time you send your renewal notices, it is already too late to make a difference. Most of the renewal decisions were determined in the first few months of membership.”

VALUE OF NARFE MEMBERSHIP

The solution to strong retention is membership engagement, which makes individuals aware of the value of their NARFE membership. The upcoming 2026 mid-term elections provide us with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the value of NARFE membership. You can remind them that the NARFE Advocacy Department continuously sets

the stage for representing the interests of all federal civilian employees and annuitants on Capitol Hill. Encourage all members to support these efforts by continuing to write letters, make telephone calls, send e-mail messages, and contribute to their members of Congress. Another way to engage is to encourage new members to bring fresh ideas that will help us grow, continue our strong advocacy program, and keep NARFE the primary resource for the entire federal community.

PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK (PSRW)

PSRW will be celebrated from May 3-9 in Washington, D.C., and in communities across the nation. We are proud of the work active federal employees do today for our nation. And we are also proud of the work our loved ones, or we did as federal employees. At NARFE, we celebrate the service of federal employees every day.

FEDCON26

I hope that many of you will consider joining me and other members of your National Executive Board and NARFE Headquarters staff at FEDcon26 in August. This event will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis, Indiana. Check your NARFE Magazine for more information in future issues.

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OPM Issues Final Rule Creating Schedule Policy/Career, Undermining Merit-Based Civil Service

On February 6, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a final rule, effective March 9, 2026, to create Schedule Policy/Career, setting the stage for the reclassification of more than 50,000 nonpartisan civil servants into a new excepted service category, without enforceable protections against politically based termination.

NARFE National President William Shackelford stated opposition to the final rule, arguing it “paves the way for this and future administrations to remove competent, nonpartisan, professional civil servants and replace them with political cronies who are more apt to be incompetent or corrupt.”

NARFE also continues to challenge the legality of the policy via a lawsuit, the proceedings for which had been postponed pending the issuance of the final rule, and the expected issuance in March of an executive order reclassifying positions into the new excepted service schedule.

At press time, that had not yet occurred.

The administration is targeting positions it will claim are “policy-influencing,” even if the policy is determined and decided upon by political appointees. Per OPM’s own estimates, this will cover as many as 50,000 federal employees, or more. By stripping away enforceable protections against partisanbased terminations, the reclassification will essentially expand the current scope of political positions massively beyond its current level of about 4,000.

MAY ACTION ALERT: ENCOURAGE SUPPORT FOR THE SAVING THE CIVIL SERVICE ACT!

Visit NARFE’s Legislative Action Center at www.narfe.org to send a message to your lawmakers urging them to cosponsor the Saving the Civil Service Act, H.R. 492/ S. 134. The Trump Administration finalized a rule to facilitate its plan to strip more than 50,000 federal employees of critical competitive service protections that ensure firings are based on merit, not political affiliation. The final rule creates a new excepted service schedule, Schedule P/C, formerly known as Schedule F, which will lead to the reclassification of tens of thousands of positions into the schedule. The Saving the Civil Service Act, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA, and the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (now sponsored by Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-VA), would prohibit the implementation of Schedule P/C, ensuring the public’s expectations of a system that is efficient, fair, free from political interference, and staffed by honest, competent, and dedicated employees. Protect the merit-based system today and encourage your lawmakers to cosponsor the Saving the Civil Service Act!

Under the final rule, employees reclassified to Schedule P/C would lose their right to appeal terminations based on politics or other prohibited reasons (i.e., not based on merit) to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) – an independent body with Senate-confirmed board members who can only be removed with cause. Instead, appeals will be dealt with at the agency level, allowing politically motivated firings to be approved by political appointees.

The final rule also removes employees’ right to appeal the decision to reclassify them into the new Schedule Policy/Career, and the administration is requesting that reclassified employees sign an acknowledgment that their positions have been moved to the new excepted service schedule.

It would also eliminate standard whistleblower protections, reassigning enforcement of prohibitions on retaliation from reporting waste,

MYTH VS. REALITY

MYTH: Civilian federal employees have not served in the military’s uniformed services.

REALITY: More than 580,000 federal employees are veterans, representing 28% of the entire federal workforce.

fraud, abuse and illegal conduct from the Office of the Special Counsel to internal agency decision-makers.

UNDER THE FINAL RULE, EMPLOYEES RECLASSIFIED TO SCHEDULE P/C WOULD LOSE THEIR RIGHT TO APPEAL TERMINATIONS BASED ON POLITICS OR OTHER PROHIBITED REASONS (I.E., NOT BASED ON MERIT) TO THE MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD (MSPB)

NARFE supports the Saving the Civil Service Act (H.R. 492 / S. 134), which would prohibit (or now nullify) the establishment of Schedule Policy/Career for the excepted service to ensure

merit-based hiring and firing of civil servants.

As NARFE argued in its comments in opposition to the proposed rule, the creation of Schedule P/C threatens the return of a spoils system and political cronyism within the federal government, stating:

“Expansion of political cronyism increases the risk that executive actions will be decided by the size of political contributions rather than the faithful execution of the law. That increases the risk of politically motivated enforcement of laws, threatening individual liberty; politically determined tariff exceptions and contract and grant awards, threatening greater corruption and waste of taxpayer dollars; and politically selective provision of services, threatening failure of government operations for disfavored groups or localities.”

—BY JOHN HATTON, STAFF VICE PRESIDENT, POLICY AND PROGRAMS

Extended Homeland Security Shutdown Shows No Sign of Ending

At press time, the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continued into its fourth week, as Congress and the president failed to extend DHS funding ahead of a February 13 deadline. While both sides appeared to be negotiating in good faith over the details

and conditions of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), no deal had yet been reached as of March 10, 2026, and there had not been significant reported progress in the last week or two.

NARFE National President William “Bill” Shackelford urged

Congress to continue goodfaith, bipartisan negotiations and to support funding for the noncontroversial elements of DHS, such as the Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Federal Emergency

SEE SHUTDOWN ON P. 10

NARFE GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

LEARN MORE about how you can take action to protect your earned pay and benefits by reviewing NARFE Grassroots materials at www.narfe.org/advocacy.

Grassroots Targeting: Understanding Committee Assignments and Which Are Relevant to NARFE

Members of Congress, regardless of political affiliation or seniority, are bound by chamber-specific rules governing committees, as well as rules imposed by their respective party organizations.

For chamber-imposed rules, for example, representatives may serve on no more than two standing committees. No more than four subcommittees, and Senators have a tier system with “A,” B,” and “C” committees, where senators must serve on two “A” committees, are limited to only one “B” committee, and can join any amount of “C” committees. However, exceptions to these rules are possible in both chambers through various procedures, such as through party caucus recommendation or formal approval.

In addition to rules, there are usually minimum dues requirements imposed by party organizations for certain “more desirable” committees. For example, according to an Issue

One report, the eight lawmakers who held leadership positions in the four top House committees (Ways & Means, Appropriations, Energy & Commerce, and Financial Services) collectively transferred over $5.2 million from their own political funds into the accounts of their respective parties’ campaign arm in 2022. So, while all members of Congress want to serve on committees most pertinent to their constituents, not

all of them have the bank accounts to do so.

As it relates to NARFE priorities, here are some of the more important committees that have jurisdiction over topics relevant to NARFE members:

HOUSE

• Oversight & Government Reform

• Appropriations

• Budget

• Ways & Means

SENATE

• Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs

• Appropriations

• Budget

• Finance

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have jurisdiction over federal workforce and benefits policies. The Appropriations Committees provide funding for annual agency budgets. If their bills don’t pass, the government shuts down. The Budget Committees may set overall spending levels or provide directives to cut spending, which could impact federal retirement and health benefits. House Ways & Means and Senate Finance have jurisdiction over Social Security, Medicare, and taxes, including those related to retirement savings.

Knowing which committees oversee NARFE’s issue areas is key in understanding where to target

our messaging for certain priorities, as well as recognizing when your specific Members of Congress have more or less power on an issue.

For example, during the budget resolution process, we focused most of our efforts on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (OGR), because that committee has jurisdiction over federal retirement and health benefits. When OGR initially drafted its budget language, it included proposed cuts to benefits, such as eliminating the Federal Employee Retirement System program (FERS) annuity benefit and increasing retirement contributions for current employees. In response, NARFE’s grassroots efforts were directed at the committee members to urge them to remove these provisions. As we saw with the passage of H.R. 1, our focused advocacy efforts were successful, and these detrimental changes were not included in the final bill.

As we continue to lobby the 119th Congress and prepare for the 120th, being aware of your members’ committee assignments will help you tailor your messaging and develop specific asks. If one or more of your elected officials sit on the relevant committee above, you have the unique opportunity to influence the lawmakers whose actions directly affect you and your fellow NARFE members, and we encourage you to take advantage!

—BY NICOLE BLACKSTONE, GRASSROOTS AND POLICY MANAGER

Federal Workforce Caucus Launches

On February 4, NARFE

National President William “Bill” Shackelford joined Reps. James Walkinshaw, D-VA, and Steny Hoyer, D-MD, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD, for their announcement of the formation of the predominantly Democraticled Federal Workforce Caucus. This new caucus is dedicated to strongly defending federal workers’ rights and fortifying the merit-based civil service system. According to Walkinshaw, the caucus is committed to ensuring public servants can serve the American people free from political interference. The group intends to lead efforts to protect the integrity of public service, promote policies that aggressively

improve recruitment and retention, boost morale, and modernize compensation and professional development for federal employees.

Other lawmakers, including caucus members Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA, and Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-VA, are committed to firmly opposing recent Trump administration workforce overhauls, such as the rollback of civil service protections, restrictions on collective bargaining, and changes to federal hiring practices. In addition to addressing these immediate challenges, the caucus has set a clear agenda to advocate for long-term, impactful reforms to strengthen employee recruitment, retention, and

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morale across the federal workforce.

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), along with several prominent federal unions and employee organizations, has joined forces with the caucus to advance robust legislation and forwardthinking workforce policies. Their collective efforts are focused on driving long-term, meaningful improvements to the career civil service. NARFE President William Shackelford delivered remarks at the launch event, reiterating the importance of unified advocacy for federal employees.

—BY ELLIE DORSEY, FEDERAL BENEFITS INSTITUTE MANAGER

Occupation: Employer:

To comply with federal law, we must use our best efforts to obtain, maintain and submit the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 each calendar year. NARFE-PAC is for the benefit of political candidates and activities on a national level. NARFE members have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal, and NARFE will neither favor nor disadvantage anyone based on the amount of a contribution or failure to make a voluntary contribution. The suggested amounts are only suggestions and not enforceable. Only members of NARFE may contribute to the PAC. Contributions from non-members will be returned. NARFE-PAC contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. q Charge my credit card

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LEGISLATIVE RESOURCES

NARFE NewsLine – A weekly newsletter that goes out to NARFE members on Tuesdays and includes weekly recaps of legislative news, compiled by NARFE’s advocacy and communications teams.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER – A one-stop site to send a letter to Congress, and more, at www.narfe.org

Public Service Recognition Week: Showcase Your Dedication!

Every year, we honor the Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) by celebrating the invaluable service of federal employees and annuitants at all levels. This year, May 3-9, marks 2026’s PSRW, and we want to

acknowledge and commend all our NARFE members who spent their careers as public servants to our country.

Public Service Recognition Week is an opportunity to highlight the impact that the federal community has on the

daily lives of every American. Our federal family ensures the safety and security of our nation, fosters educational growth, protects public resources, and so much more.

—BY NICOLE BLACKSTONE, GRASSROOTS AND POLICY MANAGER

Highlight Your Service Through Letters to the Editor

During PSRW, we encourage our members to participate by writing letters to the editor (LTEs) to their local media outlets. This is an excellent way to highlight your efforts and the critical role public servants play in society. Writing an LTE not only elevates the visibility of public service but

also educates the community on the ongoing commitment of federal employees and retirees and shows the federal community that they are seen and appreciated.

Writing an LTE is a powerful way to voice your experiences and influence public perception of policy matters, and it can be

used to highlight the importance of public service. In a time where public servants have been under attack, LTEs can help to shape the narrative around the value of government work and ensure that a broader audience hears our members’ stories.

—BY NICOLE BLACKSTONE, GRASSROOTS AND POLICY MANAGER

Management Agency (FEMA). NARFE also urged passage of the Shutdown Fairness Act to pay federal employees during an ongoing shutdown.

As negotiations continued, the shutdown’s impact expanded. Federal workers affected by the DHS shutdown were set to miss their first full paycheck, and service disruptions had begun to pile up. Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-ME, highlighted long TSA security wait times. Despite those impacts, she

had been unable to broker a compromise needed to reopen the government. The Trump Administration also suspended the Global Entry program and FEMA’s non-disaster-related activities. It had temporarily threatened to pause TSA PreCheck, but reversed course on that decision.

—BY NICOLE BLACKSTONE, GRASSROOTS AND POLICY MANAGER

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS ACT? Visit NARFE’s Federal Benefits Institute to find frequently asked questions our staff is compiling at https://www.narfe.org/advocacy/ social-security-fairness-act-frequently-asked-questions/. Members may also call 1-800-456-8410, and press 2 for federal benefits experts, or email fedbenefits@narfe.org.

Don’t Miss NARFE’s Upcoming Webinars

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2 P.M. ET Membership Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention for Chapter Leaders with NARFE Staff

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2 P.M. ET Managing Military and Civilian Benefits with Tony Opat

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2 P.M. ET Understanding Alzheimer’s with Olivia Williams

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2 P.M. ET AMS and Microsites Training with NARFE’s Configuration Advisory Board (CAB)

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2 P.M. ET Should I Stay or Should I Go? with Tony Opat

THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2 P.M. ET Prepping for Retirement with Tony Opat

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2 P.M. ET The Retirement Process with Tony Opat

Online Q&A sessions follow each webinar. For details and to register, visit NARFE.org/webinars.

Call: 800-456-8410 x1

Email: memberrecords@narfe.org

Online: www.narfe.org/webinars NOT A MEMBER? Join NARFE today at NARFE.org/Join

NARFE BILL TRACKER

THE NARFE BILL TRACKER IS YOUR MONTHLY GUIDE TO LEGISLATION NARFE IS FOLLOWING. CHECK BACK EACH ISSUE FOR UPDATES.

ISSUE BILL NUMBER / NAME / SPONSOR WHAT BILL WOULD DO

H.R. 491 /S.624: Equal COLA Act/ Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-VA-11 / Sen. Alex Padilla, D-CA

Cosponsors: H.R. 491: 63 (D) 1 (R) S. 624: 13 (D) 2 (I)

Provides full cost-of-living adjustments, based on the relevant change in consumer prices, to Federal Employees Retirement System annuities.

LATEST ACTION(S)

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 1/16/2025

ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Mr. Walkinshaw asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 491, a bill originally introduced by Rep. Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection. Action By: House of Representatives 09/16/2025

FEDERAL ANNUITIES

H.R. 1522: Federal Retirement Fairness Act / Rep. Emily Randall D-WA06

Cosponsors: 107 (D) 18 (R)

Provides that civilian service in a temporary position after December 31, 1988, may be creditable service under the Federal Employees Retirement System, and for other purposes.

Read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 02/18/2025

ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Ms. Randall asked unanimous consent that she may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 1522, a bill originally introduced by Representative Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection. 07/22/2025

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 02/24/2025

FEDERAL COMPENSATION

H.R. 7480 / S. 3823: Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act(Support) / Rep. James Walkinshaw D-VA-11 / Sen. Brian Schatz D-HI

Cosponsors:

H.R. 7480 – 20 (D) 1 (R) S. 3823 – 10 (D) 1 (I)

Increases the rates of pay under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 4.1 percent in 2027, and for other purposes.

H.R. 7480 – Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 02/10/2026

S. 3823 – Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 02/10/2026

NARFE’s Position: Support Oppose No position

ISSUE

FEDERAL BENEFITS

NARFE BILL TRACKER

BILL NUMBER / NAME / SPONSOR

H.R. 1: One Big Beautiful Bill Act / Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-TX-19

WHAT BILL WOULD DO

The Senate-amended, final version of the bill that passed both chambers and was signed into law by the president did not contain any of the objectionable federal workforce provisions NARFE opposed throughout the process.

The House-passed version of this budget reconciliation bill, passed pursuant to the instructions of H.Con.Res.14, would (i) eliminate the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity supplement as of January 1, 2028, cutting back vested benefits earned based on past service for individuals at or approaching retirement eligibility age; (ii) require new federal employees to choose between retaining merit systems protections or accepting a 5% pay cut via increased contributions toward retirement without any additional benefit; and (iii) institute a fee to appeal adverse actions to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).

The original version of the bill would have also (i) increased employee contributions toward retirement by up to 3.6% without any added FERS benefit, and (ii) calculated federal annuities under FERS and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) based on the highest five years of salary rather than the highest three years of salary. Those provisions were eliminated via amendment prior to House floor consideration.

LATEST ACTION(S)

Senate-amended version (without objectionable federal workforce provisions) passed the Senate on 7/1/25, passed the House on 7/3/25, and was signed into law by the president on 7/4/25.

H.Res. 70 / S.Res.147: Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-MA-8 / Sen. Gary Peters, D-MI

Cosponsors: H. Res. 70: 209 (D) 21 (R) S. Res. 147: 3 (D) 4 (R)

Expressing the sense that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the federal government and is not subject to privatization.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 01/28/2025

Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 03/27/2025

NARFE’s Position: Support Oppose No position

ISSUE

NARFE BILL TRACKER

BILL NUMBER / NAME / SPONSOR

H.R. 2550/S.2837: Protect America’s Workforce Act / Rep. Jared Golden, D-ME02 / Sen. Mark Warner, D-VA

Cosponsors:

H.R. 2550: 216 (D), 9 (R) S. 2837: 44 (D), 2 (R), 2 (I)

H.R.492/S.134: Saving the Civil Service Act of 2025 / Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-VA-11 / Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA

Cosponsors:

H.R. 492: 92 (D) 3 (R) S. 134: 21 (D) 2 (I)

Overturns a recent executive order that targeted certain unions due to opposition to administrative actions via public statements and lawsuits, ending collective bargaining for covered federal employees.

Prohibits the establishment of Schedule F of the excepted service, to ensure merit-based hiring and firing of civil servants.

H.R. 2550 passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 231-195. 12/11/25. Received in Senate 12/15/25.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 09/17/25

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 1/16/2025

ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Mr. Walkinshaw asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 492, a bill originally introduced by Representative Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.

Action By: House of Representatives 09/16/2025

FEDERAL PERSONNEL POLICY

H.R. 5249: Limit on Sweeping Executive Reorganization Act / Rep. James Walkinshaw D-VA-11

Cosponsors: H.R. 5249: 4 (D)

Requires the President and Executive Branch to provide Congress with a Reorganization Impact Report to which Congress must approve before the President may enact major federal employee terminations.

Read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 1/16/2025

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 09/10/2025

H.R. 4440: Protecting Federal Employee Rights to Personnel Files Act / Rep. Julia Brownley D-CA- 26

Cosponsors: 17(D)

Requires agencies to provide official personnel record files to Federal employees and former Federal employees, and for other purposes.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 07/16/2025

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SPECIAL AGENTS MUTUAL BENEFIT ASSOCIATION

AQTHE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS & ANSWERS were compiled by NARFE’s Federal Benefits Institute experts. NARFE does not provide legal, financial planning or tax advice or assistance.

I signed up for the Special Agents Mutual Benefit Association (SAMBA) employee benevolent fund. Will I be able to carry it into retirement?

The SAMBA Employee Benevolent Fund (“EBF” or “Fund”) is designed to provide immediate money (usually within 24 hours) upon the death of a Federal employee. To enroll for coverage, the employee must meet the following qualifications:

1. Individuals must be permanent full-time or permanent part-time

2. Employed by one of the 51 participating agencies, including most federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies

3. Actively at work at the time of enrollment

4. Enrollment within 60 days of hire/entry on duty or during the open enrollment period

Unfortunately, the fund terminates upon leaving active employment. Still, you can convert the coverage to an individual policy with Prudential Insurance Company of America by applying within 31 days of the date your active employment ends, maintaining your death benefit without new medical underwriting. To learn more, visit https://www. sambaplans.com/employee-benevolent-fund/ eligibility-requirements/

FERS ANNUITY SUPPLEMENT

QIf I decide to work for a nonprofit after I retire, how will that impact my Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) Supplement that I am eligible to receive until age 62?

AEarnings from nonprofit employment are included in the earnings test for the FERS Annuity Supplement in the same way as they are when you receive Social Security benefits before reaching your Full Retirement Age (FRA), regardless of whether Social Security taxes are deducted from the wages or you pay them as “self-employment” tax. Social Security provides a Fact Sheet titled, “If You Work for a Nonprofit Organization.” https://www. ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10027.pdf

The FERS Annuity Supplement earnings test is patterned after the earnings test applied to Social Security benefits. If a retiree’s earned income, including salaries, wages, and self-employment income, exceeds the established annual limit ($24,480 in 2026), the FERS Supplement is reduced by $1 for every $2 earned above this threshold. These reductions are applied in the year following the year in which the earnings were made. The supplement ends the month following your 62nd birthday.

At that time, individuals may apply for Social Security retirement benefits at www.ssa.gov or delay their application to receive a larger portion of their full benefit (at age 62, the full benefit is reduced by 25% to 30%, depending on their year of birth). Retirees are required to report their earnings each year to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) using Form RI 92-22, Annuity

Supplement Earnings Report, found at https:// www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/ri92-022_2021.pdf

Visit OPM’s Frequently Asked Questions about the FERS Annuity Supplement survey at https://www.opm.gov/support/retirement/faq/ fers-annuity-supplement-survey/

There is no application required to receive the FERS Annuity Supplement; it is included with your FERS basic retirement benefit when OPM determines whether you are entitled to it. Be sure to review the “Information for FERS Annuitants” pamphlet for more information at https://www. opm.gov/retirement-center/publications-forms/ pamphlets/ri90-8.pdf.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE PROGRAM

QWill I continue to receive Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) coverage as a retiree? Will the premium remain the same?

AYour FEDVIP dental and vision Insurance coverage will continue into retirement, and you may enroll in a FEDVIP plan in retirement. However, while you are receiving interim payments, you are responsible for paying premiums directly. BENEFEDS will send direct bills for dental and vision premiums, which must be paid promptly to maintain coverage. Once OPM completes the processing of your retirement, deductions will switch to your annuity, but it is your responsibility to manage these payments during the interim phase.

If you do not receive a bill while in interim status, please get in touch with BENFEDS at 1-877-888-FEDS to arrange payment of the premiums.

The premiums are deducted from your retirement benefit monthly, instead of being the same as those deducted on a biweekly basis from your paycheck. Unfortunately, in retirement, the premiums are deducted on a post-tax basis. The same payment arrangement pertains to premiums for the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP)

See more information from BENEFEDS on the transition of these benefits into retirement: https://www.benefeds.gov/learn/fltcip/ fltcip-transition-to-retirement

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN

QAt what age can I begin receiving a monthly benefit from the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) without the 10% early withdrawal tax penalty?

AThis depends on whether you are withdrawing money from your “traditional” (pre-tax) TSP funds or your Roth (after-tax) funds. With the recent change allowing in-plan conversion of traditional funds to Roth, there are new tax rules. Your earnings, as well as Roth money that you have contributed from your basic pay or converted from your traditional balance, have different tax rules related to distributions from your Roth TSP balance. Be sure to consult the publication “Tax Rules about TSP Payments (TSPBK26)” https:// www.tsp.gov/publications/tspbk26.pdf, which includes information about this new in-plan Roth conversion option, updated on January 28, 2026. It is also recommended that you discuss this option with your financial or tax advisor before converting traditional TSP funds to Roth or taking distributions of money before age 59 ½

COUNTDOWN TO COLA

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased by 0.47% in February 2026. To calculate the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the 2026 third-quarter indices will be averaged and compared with the 2025 third-quarter average of 317.265, which is 2.8% greater than the average CPI-W for the third quarter of 2024 of 308.729. As a reminder, the COLA will be 2.8% for Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) annuities and Social Security benefits and 2% for Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) annuities.

The CPI represents purchases of food and beverages, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication, and other goods and services.

Because there was no data collected for October 2025 due to a lapse in government funding, the monthly percentage change for November 2025 is calculated based on a two-month change from September 2025.

For FECA COLA updates, visit narfe.org and search for FECA.

or before five years have passed since January 1 of the year of your first Roth contribution or the conversion.

For your traditional TSP money, the distributions will be free of the 10% early withdrawal penalty if you are at least 59 ½ years old. If you receive a TSP distribution or withdrawal before you reach age 59½, in addition to the regular income tax, you may have to pay the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty tax on any taxable portion of the distribution or withdrawal that you do not roll over to an IRA or eligible employer plan. There are several exceptions to this penalty.

The most common exception to this early withdrawal penalty is met if you separate from federal employment during or after the year you reach age 55. If you are a public safety employee, such as a law enforcement officer or a firefighter, distributions are free of this penalty if you separate during or after the year you reach age 50 or have 25 years of service. TSP Annuity payments are also not subject to this penalty. Refer to TSPBK26 mentioned above for the full list of exceptions to this penalty.

RETIREMENT

RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT

QI retired from the federal government last year (2025). I am considering applying for a federal government job to return to federal employment. I understand that I would be considered a “re-employed annuitant” if I came back. These rules seem complicated, and I am not sure I understand what will happen to my FERS annuity, health insurance, and life insurance if I accept reemployment with the federal government.

AUnder FERS, your annuity is only terminated upon reemployment in the Federal service when the annuity is based on disability, and OPM has found you recovered or restored to earning capacity. There is no provision in FERS to terminate annuities based on voluntary or involuntary separations, or upon receiving a presidential appointment. These rules differ for Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) retirees who return to federal employment. Although your retirement benefit continues, your new salary will be offset by the amount of your annuity. For instance, if your

annuity is $30,000 and your new federal salary is $95,000, you would only receive $65,000 in salary ($95,000 minus $30,000) of your new salary.

If the type of appointment you have makes you eligible for FEGLI coverage as an employee, Basic Life insurance, Standard Optional insurance (Option A), and Family Optional insurance (Option C) are suspended. They will be resumed at the same rate when the reemployment ends, except for any applicable reductions that normally begin at age 65. Additional Optional insurance (Option B), if you have it, will continue to be withheld from your annuity payment unless you request that it be suspended so you can retain this insurance as an employee.

You may be eligible to transfer your Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage to your employing agency to allow the premiums to be deducted from your pay on a pre-tax basis by participating in premium conversion. When you separate from reemployment, your coverage will transfer back to your retirement.

DEATH OF A SPOUSE

QMy father has been retired from the federal government for many years and is receiving a monthly annuity check from OPM. His wife, my dear mother, passed away recently. What, if any, changes should be made in reference to his annuity and/or benefits because of her death?

AFirst, let me say that we are sorry for your loss. This must be a difficult time for your family, and we are here to help. To report your mother’s death, send a copy of her death certificate to OPM at this address:

U.S. Office of Personnel Management Retirement Operations Center Post Office Box 45 Boyers, PA 16017

Let’s look at each of your father’s benefits separately.

• If your father chose to provide a survivor annuity for your mother at the time of his retirement, his monthly annuity payments were reduced to cover this benefit. Since your mother has passed away, your father may elect to stop the reduction to his annuity, which would increase his annuity payments once the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has verified her death.

OPM will need a copy of your mother’s death certificate, along with a written statement clearly expressing his intent to discontinue the survivor annuity election. This will allow OPM to process the adjustment to his annuity payments accordingly.

• If your father carries FEGLI Option C , life insurance coverage for a spouse and eligible dependent children, he will need to file a claim to receive this benefit. The form used for this is Statement of Claim – Option C, Form FE-6DEP. Completing this form will allow him to receive the payment associated with the loss of his spouse. The form includes detailed instructions for claiming this benefit and can be completed here: https:// www.opm.gov/forms/pdfimage/fe6dep.pd f To cancel Option C coverage, your father must send a letter with his signature to OPM at the address above. Any cancellation or reduction of life insurance must be in writing and require the original signature of the insured retiree. Be sure to include his retirement claim number (CSA number or Social Security number) and specify what action you want to take.

• If there are no other eligible family members, your father should ask OPM to change his health benefits to a selfonly enrollment. Annuitants can reduce their coverage at any time, and this may automatically happen when your mother’s death is reported to OPM.

• The loss of a family member is a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) under FEDVIP. This allows a change to self-only to be submitted to BENEFEDS at any time starting 31 days before the event. There is no time limit. Your father can make this change by logging into his FEDVIP account at Benefeds.gov or by calling BENEFEDS Customer Service at (1-877-888-3337) Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. (ET).

• Updating beneficiary designation forms may be necessary. Ensuring that these designations are up to date will help ensure that benefits are distributed according to his wishes.

◊ FEGLI (life insurance): Designation of Beneficiary (FEGLI) form SF 2823. This form allows him to specify who will receive life insurance proceeds upon his passing. https://www.opm.gov/forms/ pdf_fill/sf2823.pdf

◊ CSRS or FERS retirement so that any funds remaining in the retirement account at the time of death and any unpaid annuity may be distributed to his loved ones. CSRS or FERS Retirement System Designation of Beneficiary form SF 3102. https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/ sf3102.pdf.

◊ The TSP has transitioned to a paperless process for beneficiary designations. To update or add beneficiaries, your father will need to log in to his TSP account online through My Account. This digital approach streamlines the process and ensures beneficiary information remains up to date.

• Lastly, he may want to change his federal or state income tax withholding. He can call OPM to make this change, but it is much easier if he can log in to his Retirement Services Online account and make the tax change with a few clicks.

If your father has become mentally or physically unable to handle his own money, a family member or someone who can help should contact OPM as soon as possible. OPM will provide full instructions on what to do, and you will be asked to provide identifying information, such as his retirement claim number, his full name and Social Security Number, as well as your name and address. OPM does not recognize a Power of Attorney, so you may need to apply to become his “representative payee.”

If the TSP receives a qualifying court order authorizing another individual to act on a participant’s (or beneficiary’s) behalf, it will not accept any documents signed by the participant (or beneficiary) after the date of that court order. Read the TSP booklet Court Orders and Powers of Attorney https://www.tsp. gov/publications/tspbk11.pdf to learn what the TSP must find in documents that grant a power of attorney (POA)—or in a guardianship or conservatorship order—that empowers someone other than a TSP participant to transact business with the TSP.

To obtain an answer to a federal benefits question, NARFE members should call 800-456-8410 and select option 2 for the Federal Benefits Institute; send the question by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Federal Benefits; or submit it by email to fedbenefits@narfe.org.

DLeave Government But Not Retire: What Are My Retirement Options?

id you leave your federal career in 2025 under the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP)? Between January 20, 2025, and the end of January 2026, there were 264,228 fewer federal employees in the federal workforce. This represents the net change in the workforce that includes the new hires in addition to the resignations, involuntary separations, and retirements. Under the DRP, employees agreed to separate by September 30, 2025 (or by December 31, 2025 if retirement-eligible), and 123,801 employees voluntarily exercised this option. Not everyone who left was eligible for retirement—at least not right away.

Let’s explore the options that these former feds, who are eligible for retirement, may have in the future based on their length of service at the time they left.

LESS THAN FIVE YEARS

Regardless of age, employees must complete at least five years of creditable service to be eligible for retirement, so they can apply for a refund of their Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) contributions and forfeit their right to a future FERS retirement benefit.

• If you return to federal employment, you may redeposit the refund with interest so that the prior federal service may be used to compute your new entitlement to a retirement benefit.

• A refund does not need to be repaid to use the service for eligibility for a future retirement benefit if you return to federal employment.

• You may delay requesting a refund if you are considering a return to federal employment. A refund of deductions cannot be paid before 31 days after the date of your separation or within 31 days before the earliest commencing date of any annuity for which you are eligible, including one subject to an age reduction.

BETWEEN FIVE AND 10 YEARS

If you separate from your federal career before age 62, but have at least five years of creditable civilian employment, you have earned entitlement to a deferred FERS retirement benefit at age 62. If you are 62 or older at the

time of separation, you may apply for immediate retirement.

10 YEARS OR MORE

If you separated with 10 or more years of service and did not qualify for an immediate retirement because you were either too young or didn’t meet the longer service requirements, you would be entitled to a deferred retirement benefit as early as your minimum retirement age (MRA). If born in 1970 or later, your MRA is 57. Those born earlier have an MRA between the ages of 55 and 56 and 10 months.

Former feds may apply for a deferred retirement benefit as early as their MRA. Depending on the length of service completed, your benefit may be reduced by 5% for each year under age 62 (pro-rated monthly).

See chart on pg. 21

RESOURCES:

• Application for a Deferred or Postponed Retirement, Form RI 92-19 https://www.opm. gov/forms/pdf_fill/ri92-19.pdf

• OPM publication, Applying for a Deferred or Postponed Annuity, RI 92-19a https://www.opm. gov/retirement-center/publications-forms/ pamphlets/ri92-19a.pdf

• Application for Refund of Retirement Deductions – FERS, SF 3106 https://www.opm.gov/forms/ pdf_fill/sf3106.pdf

—MERCEDES JOHNSON IS A RETIREMENT AND BENEFITS SPECIALIST WITH RETIRE FEDERAL.

BENEFITS RESOURCES

NARFE

of information

federal

Visit www.narfe.org/federal-benefits-institute.

you left federal service before your MRA with this much service:

30 or more years The first day of the month following the month you reach

The first day of the month, which is at least 31 days after OPM receives your application but before your 62nd birthday

20 or more years The first day of the month after your 60th birthday

Note: Be sure to apply for your retirement benefit approximately 60 days before you want your retirement to commence. Keep a copy of the application and send it with the return receipt requested.

Health Plan Choices Three

Advice, cost analysis, and the pros and cons of FEHB plans, Medicare Advantage plans from FEHB carriers, and Commercial Medicare Advantage plans

BY KEVIN MOSS

Choosing the right health insurance is never simple, but for federal annuitants and employees nearing retirement, that decision becomes even more complex. Not only do you need to find a plan that fits your needs, but you also have to decide how Medicare fits into the picture.

Signing up for Medicare Part A is usually an easy decision since it’s premium-free for most federal annuitants with at least 10 years of service. The tougher choice is Medicare Part B, which hinges

Part B benefits include:

• Lower out-of-pocket costs: Some FEHB plans eliminate the plan deductible and member cost share for Part B services.

• Greater access to doctors: If your plan doesn’t include out-of-network provider coverage, you can use Part B to see any doctor that accepts Medicare. In this case, you would have to pay the Part B deductible and 20% cost of service, and these costs wouldn’t count toward your FEHB catastrophic limit.

on two key factors: whether you can afford the premium and whether the additional coverage is worth the price.

Part B benefits include:

• Lower out-of-pocket costs: Some FEHB plans eliminate the plan deductible and member cost share for Part B services.

• Plan flexibility: With Part B, you can enroll in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.

Of all these benefits, the last could be the most important. There are two different MA plan options available to federal annuitants with Part B:

• MA plans from FEHB carriers where you continue to pay the FEHB premium.

• MA plans in the private commercial market where you suspend FEHB coverage and stop paying the FEHB premium.

Historically, Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans has published yearly cost estimates for MA plans offered by FEHB carriers to help annuitants compare them with traditional FEHB options.

As part of this NARFE report, we’ve included private commercial MA plans in our analysis for the first time, modeled in one geographic market, to provide a more complete picture of the choices available to federal annuitants enrolled in Medicare Part B.

There are three different options to consider: FEHB plan (Medicare primary, FEHB secondary) Medicare Advantage plan from an FEHB carrier Medicare Advantage plan in the private commercial market

For each, we’ll present estimated annual costs along with the key advantages and disadvantages, helping you make an informed decision about which approach best fits your needs.

Methodology

We used the same user profile to calculate yearly cost estimates for all three plan types: a 65-year-old federal annuitant living in Fairfax County, VA (ZIP code 22035), who is enrolled in Medicare Parts A & B, with income below $109,000 and not subject to the Part B or Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), who expects average healthcare expenses in 2026.

OPTION 1

FEHB Plan

primary, FEHB plan secondary)

Option 1: FEHB plan (Medicare primary, FEHB plan secondary)

Among nationwide FEHB plans, the three with the lowest estimated costs for annuitants with Medicare Parts A & B are Aetna Direct CDHP, MHBP HDHP, and GEHA Standard.

For Part A & B services, all three eliminate the deductible and out-of-pocket costs when using in-network providers. Additionally, Aetna Direct CDHP and MHBP HDHP include a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) contribution that can be used to offset Part B premiums.

ADVANTAGES OF THIS CHOICE

The Comfort of What You Know: You get to keep an FEHB plan administered by OPM. Many federal annuitants have been in the same plan for years and know exactly how it works.

Fewer Prior-Authorization

Requirements: While all FEHB plans require approval for certain procedures, they’re often less strict than MA plans. You can review your FEHB plan brochure for details.

Broader Provider Access: FEHB plans generally offer wider provider networks than MA plans. If your current plan drops your doctors, you can switch FEHB plans every Open Season to maintain access.

Dependent coverage: Your dependent child can stay enrolled in your FEHB plan until they turn 26.

DISADVANTAGE OF THIS PLAN CHOICE

Cost: Both FEHB and Medicare Part B premiums continue to rise year over year. Sticking with an FEHB plan requires you to continue paying the ever-increasing FEHB premium, and only a handful of FEHB plans offer Part B premium reimbursement (two nationwide PPOs offer this benefit, BCBS Basic and GEHA High).

HOW TO OPTIMIZE THIS PLAN CHOICE

Start by choosing an FEHB plan that eliminates out-of-pocket costs when Medicare is primary. To confirm, review Section 9 of the official FEHB plan brochure.

Next, check to see if your preferred doctors will be in-network and whether your prescription drugs are covered. You’ll also want to use the prescription drug cost tools on carrier websites to see how much you’ll pay out-of-pocket.

There are three different options to consider:

• FEHB plan (Medicare primary, FEHB secondary)

• Medicare Advantage plan from an FEHB carrier

• Medicare Advantage plan in the private commercial market

OPTION 2

Option 2: Medicare Advantage plan from FEHB Carrier

Medicare Advantage Plan (from

FEHB Carrier)

MA plans offered by FEHB carriers can often be the cheapest option within the FEHB program. They typically have $0 out-of-pocket costs for most approved services when care is provided by doctors who accept both the plan and Medicare (the Kaiser Standard MA2 plan does not waive these out-ofpocket costs). Additionally, they usually include some level of Part B premium reimbursement, which can significantly reduce your overall costs.

For our example user profile, the three lowestcost MA plans are:

• Kaiser Standard Medicare Advantage 2 – Offers $200/month in Part B premium reimbursement, covering nearly the entire Part B premium.

• Aetna Advantage Medicare Advantage – Offers $100/month in Part B reimbursement.

• UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus Retiree Advantage – Offers $150/month in Part B reimbursement.

Note: Kaiser and UnitedHealthcare MA plans are not available in all areas, while Aetna Advantage MA is offered nationwide.

ADVANTAGES OF THIS CHOICE

Lower Total Costs: Many MA plans offered by FEHB carriers cost less than traditional FEHB plans. This is largely because MA plans often include more generous Part B premium reimbursements while still providing the same $0 out-of-pocket costs for approved healthcare services—just like FEHB plans that waive out-ofpocket expenses when Medicare is your primary coverage. This leaves prescription drugs as the main expense in MA plans, which are limited to the Part D catastrophic limit of $2,100/year.

MA Supplemental Benefits: Many of the plans provide a quarterly benefit that can be used for over-the-counter pharmacy items. In our example, Aetna Advantage Medicare Advantage offers $30 per quarter, and UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus Retiree Advantage includes $40 per quarter. Depending on the plan, you can also find meal benefits after an inpatient hospital or skilled nursing care stay, SilverSneakers or other gym membership programs, and non-emergency transportation to and from doctor appointments.

Non-Medicare Beneficiary Coverage: You can still cover dependents or a spouse who is not yet a Medicare beneficiary while enrolled in these MA plans. Since you continue paying the FEHB premium while keeping the same enrollment type, the Medicare beneficiary receives MA plan benefits while the non-Medicare family members get the regular plan benefits.

MA plans offered by FEHB carriers can often be the cheapest option within the FEHB program. Additionally, they usually include some level of Part B premium reimbursement.

Enrollment Flexibility: MA plans from UnitedHealthcare allow members to opt in or out of benefits at any time during the year. If you are on the fence about Medicare Advantage, this option allows you to exit immediately without waiting until Open Season. This is not available with commercial MA plans in the private market where you would have to wait until the next Medicare Open Enrollment Period to switch to a different MA plan or return to FEHB.

If a plan member decided to opt out of the MA plan outside of Open Season, they would revert to primary coverage under Original Medicare with secondary coverage from the FEHB plan that offered the MA plan. This enrollment flexibility does not allow you to switch to a different FEHB plan. UnitedHealthcare operates MA plans with APWU High, Compass Rose High, GEHA High and Standard, SAMBA High and Standard, and UnitedHealthcare Choice plans.

Note: If you return to a UnitedHealthcare Choice plan with Medicare primary, the plan does not waive out-of-pocket costs.

DISADVANTAGES OF THIS PLAN CHOICE

Prior Authorization: MA plans tend to have more prior-authorization requirements, which could cause delays in receiving care or a higher risk of denied claims.

Provider Access: MA plans may have narrower provider networks compared to some of the FEHB provider networks.

HOW TO OPTIMIZE THIS PLAN CHOICE

First, review which MA plans are available in your area. Next, visit the carrier website to find out if your providers are in-network, how your prescription drugs will be covered, and how much you’ll pay for them out-of-pocket. This review, along with the consideration of the FEHB plan premium, Part B premium reimbursement, and other MA plan benefits will help you narrow down plans.

ENROLLMENT INSTRUCTIONS

There is a two-step process to enroll in an MA plan from a FEHB carrier. First, you must enroll with OPM in the FEHB plan that offers the MA plan. After you’ve completed that step, you must go to the carrier’s website or call directly to enroll in

OPTION 3

Commercial Medicare Advantage Plan

Option 3: Commercial Medicare Advantage plan

Tucked away in every FEHB plan brochure in Section 9 “Coordinating Benefits with Medicare and Other Coverage” is the following: “If you are an annuitant or former spouse, you can suspend your FEHB coverage to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, eliminating your FEHB premium.”

Checkbook has long wanted to model this plan choice against the other plan options available to annuitants. Our theory that suspending FEHB coverage to enroll in a commercial MA plan would be the lowest cost option for annuitants in at least some markets was proven correct.

ADVANTAGES OF THIS PLAN CHOICE

The Lowest Total Cost: The Humana Direct Choice Giveback plan is the cheapest option available using our sample user profile. This estimate is about $1,400 less than the least expensive MA plan from an FEHB carrier. Depending on your current FEHB plan, you could enjoy thousands of dollars of savings enrolling in a low-cost commercial MA plan.

DISADVANTAGES OF THIS PLAN CHOICE

Prior Authorization: MA plans tend to have more prior-authorization requirements, which could cause delays in receiving care or a higher risk of denied claims.

Provider Access: MA plans may have narrower provider networks compared to some of the FEHB provider networks.

No Family Coverage: Suspending your FEHB coverage to enroll in a commercial MA plan means that you would no longer be able to cover a dependent child or spouse. This plan choice works best when you no longer have dependent children and where both spouses qualify for Medicare.

More out-of-pocket costs: Unlike MA plans offered by FEHB carriers that waive almost all outof-pocket medical costs except for prescription drugs, commercial MA plans still have them. And while many commercial MA plans have no or a very low premium, you are trading premium savings for higher out-of-pocket costs. Because of this, if you were to have high healthcare expenses, instead of average, the cost savings would evaporate and you’d likely have higher expenses in one of these plans compared to FEHB options that eliminate out-of-pocket expenses.

Higher Catastrophic Limit:

If you have a worst-case year, you’ll probably have higher costs in a commercial MA plan compared to most FEHB or MA plans offered by FEHB carriers. That’s because the catastrophic limits tend to be higher compared to the other plan types. For example, the Humana Direct Choice Giveback catastrophic limit is $9,250 for in-network care, whereas the Aetna Direct CDHP catastrophic limit is $6,000.

HOW TO OPTIMIZE THIS PLAN CHOICE

Use Medicare Plan Compare found on Medicare. gov for your plan research; broker sites may not represent all plan choices available to you. Also make sure to use the filters to only review plans that offer prescription drug coverage. In our review, any MA plan that offered significant Part B premium reimbursement and didn’t charge a premium resulted in the lowest costs. If you’re looking for a less expensive option, see if you can find a similar plan in your area.

ENROLLMENT INSTRUCTIONS

To enroll in a commercial MA plan, start at the Medicare Plan Compare website to review your choices. Once you’ve found the plan that’s right for you, enroll on the Medicare website.

Next, you’ll want to suspend your FEHB coverage so you can stop paying the premium. You must complete form RI 79-9 and return it, along with documentation of your MA enrollment, to OPM.

Note: Make sure that you suspend and not cancel your FEHB coverage. While suspended you can reenroll in FEHB during a future Open Season (or outside of Open Season if your MA plan is terminated or you move out of the service area of the MA plan), while canceling FEHB coverage is a permanent decision.

The health plan that served you well during your working years may not remain the best choice in retirement. Once you become eligible for Medicare, it’s essential to consider how your FEHB plan coordinates with Medicare, and whether an MA plan could offer better value.

SUMMARY

Our analysis of plan options in one geographic market shows that MA plans often provide substantial financial savings, with some commercial MA plans offering the lowest overall costs for an average healthcare expense year. However, these savings come with trade-offs and won’t be the right choice for all federal annuitants. You’ll need to weigh the likely financial savings against factors like provider access and prior authorization, which is typically more common in MA plans and can sometimes lead to delays in care or denied claims.

However, the decision to enroll in a commercial MA plan carries far different long term implications than it does for retirees without employer sponsored coverage. FEHB offers a unique and powerful safety net: annuitants may suspend FEHB to try a commercial MA plan and, if their needs change, unsuspend FEHB during any future Open Season. That option simply does not exist for most retirees outside the federal system.

This flexibility matters because FEHB plans

issue protections. At that point, insurers are allowed to medically underwrite, meaning they can raise premiums or deny enrollment altogether based on your health status.

In practical terms, this means federal annuitants can explore MA without the same irreversible risks faced by other retirees. The ability to return to FEHB during any future Open Season represents a significant advantage, one that should be factored into your evaluation of plans.

—KEVIN MOSS IS A SENIOR EDITOR WITH THE GUIDE TO HEALTH PLANS FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES PROVIDED BY CONSUMERS’ CHECKBOOK. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GUIDE AT GUIDETOHEALTHPLANS.ORG . NARFE MEMBERS RECEIVE A 20% DISCOUNT TO PURCHASE THE GUIDE BY USING PROMO CODE 20NARFE

FEDCON26 BREAKOUT SESSION TRACKS

Attendees will choose from at least six options during each breakout session timeslot, with session tracks for Advocacy, Active Federal Employee, Federal Benefits, NARFE Leadership, and Lifestyle. Illustrative examples of session topics (i.e., not confirmed yet) within featured tracks are listed below:

ADVOCACY TRACK

Advocacy Update: What’s the Latest and What’s Ahead

Advocacy is Personal: How to Be A NARFE Advocate Using Your Own Story

Leading NARFE-PAC in 2026 and Beyond

NARFE LEADERSHIP TRACK

Membership Recruitment

Leadership Succession Planning

Chapter Officer 101

Federal Officer 101

Best Practices for Chapter/Federation Communication

Understanding the AMS and Zoom platforms as a Chapter/Federation Officer

FEDERAL BENEFITS TRACK

Federal Retirement Bootcamp

Getting Your Affairs in Order: Estate Planning for Feds

Roth Conversions

Medicare and FEHB/PSHB

ACTIVE FEDERAL EMPLOYEE TRACK

Career Management Strategy

Proactive Leadership and Prioritizing What’s Important

Workplace Rights and Protections

LIFESTYLE TRACK

How to Declutter Your Life and Reduce Stress

Managing Medicine and Chronic Disease with Nutrition and Exercise

Meditation and Yoga

Learning the 7 Pillars of Wellness

Book your hotel by July 29 in order to take advantage of NARFE’s special group rate of $179 per night.

Civil Service The

After Trump 2.0

BY DAVID TOBENKIN

PART TWO

This is the second half to last month’s NARFE Magazine story examining reforms to the federal civil service in the first year of the second Donald J. Trump administration. Last month’s story focused on reductions to the size of the federal civil service, agency eliminations and reorientations, and impacts upon federal agency delivery of services. This story focuses on politicization of the federal civil service, greater control over federal agency actions, federal employee and union rights, and what the next year may hold. Similar versions of both stories were previously published in NARFE NewsLine and narfe.org.

Aside from efforts to reduce its size, perhaps the most notable reform to the civil service in Donald J. Trump’s first year in office in 2025 was an effort to ensure ideological conformity of civil servants with Trump’s priorities.

The administration sought to rework rules governing rank-and-file civil servants to pursue its objectives, contrary to precedent of just changing a top tier of political appointees between administration switches.

Among the reforms sought were greater control of employees through the right to appoint and remove employees outside of traditional civil service restraints, as announced in an April 2025 Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed rule: “Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service,” 90 Fed. Reg. 17182 (April 23, 2025). The administration proposed a new Schedule Policy/Career (P/C) job classification, a slightly reworked reintroduction of a Schedule F initiative from the first Trump administration, that sought to reclassify a large swath of policy-related positions at agencies into a new category without civil service protections, such as notice, a right to appeal adverse actions, and reduction in force rules that sometimes allow displaced federal employees to secure other federal positions.

OPM issued its final rule on February 5, 2026.

“Not only do we believe this is a disastrous policy for our nation, but we also believe it is contrary to the

Civil Service Reform Act and illegal,” said NARFE National President William Shackelford in a released statement. “Our attorneys will continue to make that case in court.”

A question will be how many employees are reclassified into such positions, and whether a large number of new hires will be directed into such positions as opposed to traditional schedules that retain civil service protections. The administration also announced a new category, Schedule G, for shortterm policy employees that could allow rapid hiring and firing of such employees without civil service requirements.

“Schedule Policy/Career lets you remove folks; Schedule G would let you bring in folks without the civil service guardrails,” says Jenny Mattingley, vice president for government affairs at the Partnership for Public Service (Partnership) federal policy think tank.

Based on past administration actions and statements, Donald Kettl, professor emeritus and former dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, says he believes that the administration ultimately may attempt to hire most employees at the GS-11 level and above as policy positions and possess

the ability to fire them at will, particularly at agencies and in areas in where the administration considers there to be hidden reserves of “woke warriors.”

In 2025, President Shackelford challenged the basis for the reforms in testimony on the proposed rule.

“This proposal destabilizes the career workforce, politicizes the day-to-day work of government, and erodes the very idea of a professional, independent civil service,” he wrote in submitted official comments in opposition to the proposed rule.

Workforce hiring reforms also included asking candidates to write essays about their favorite Trump initiatives and how they would advance them, which led to criticisms of politicization of the hiring process. OPM later clarified that responses were voluntary and candidates would not be penalized for not responding.

Federal agencies were politicized in many respects over the past year. During the shutdown, for example, federal agency website landing pages contained content blaming the shutdown on the Democrats, including in the bounceback messages of employees who had these messages set by the agency, not themselves, a step not taken during previous shutdowns. It was one that some critics alleged violated the federal Hatch Act generally prohibiting many political activities in federal workplaces. Too, federal service cuts during the shutdown were specifically targeted at blue Democratic states, senior administration leaders said in public statements.

While affirmative action has always been a lightning rod issue that separates the two political parties, that was particularly so over the past year. The administration directed agencies to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion activities, and Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity, and employee affinity groups related to individual minority group activities and positions.

Data-driven agencies were held responsible for undesired reported outcomes, such as the August firing of Dr. Erika McEntarfer from her role as the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) after a jobs report released by the BLS earlier that day included numbers that were, Trump asserted, “rigged in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad.” Some interviewed said that they feared that such actions could lead employees to skew unpopular results to save their jobs and could ultimately undermine the credibility of agencyreported numbers.

“If you divide what the Trump administration has done into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ actions, I put that under the bad category,” says Ron Sanders, a retired senior human resources executive at several federal agencies, including OPM, and chairman of the U.S. Federal Salary Council in the first Trump administration. “I know the BLS folks and worked very, very, very closely with them when I was chair of the Federal Salary Council in Trump 1.0. They are people with a great deal of integrity who report on whatever their surveys show them. I don’t think they slant those statistics to make it seem like one economic policy or administration is better than another.”

Also unusual was the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staff’s unprecedented access to much confidential federal data regarding citizens and, in particular, federal employees that had previously been carefully compartmentalized and subjected to extreme security, in some cases prompting the administration to dismiss senior agency executives who declined to comply with DOGE requests. The seeming overlap of Elon Musk company personnel with employees of DOGE led union and federal employee advocates to express concerns about the sharing of such data with Musk organizations, about the security of federal employee

and general public data security more generally, and to file a related lawsuit. In December, a Department of Justice court filing said the Social Security Administration (SSA) had made two Hatch Act referrals to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel related to DOGE team activities at SSA.

Kettl notes it was a missed opportunity that a tech giant like Musk focused his efforts primarily on downsizing the federal government rather than upon reforms to federal IT practices, an area that has been a perennial challenge for federal agencies.

On the other hand, Sanders says other administration initiatives have been positive, in particular those relating to hiring.

“Several memos and executive orders together have improved federal hiring, such as by ending degree requirements and making applicants write essays to demonstrate their qualifications,” notes Sanders.

Sanders also praised an October 15 executive order requiring, within 60 days of the date of the order, for agencies to establish annual staffing plans, in coordination with OPM and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to ensure that new career appointments in the upcoming fiscal year are in the highest-need areas and aligned with the priorities of the administration. Sanders says that such targeting hiring would close skill gaps caused by federal employee separations and would help ‘reshape’ agency workforces.

“We want to make sure the government has the right talent focused on the key priorities of the administration and that we are eliminating wasteful taxpayer expenses in areas that are inefficient, no longer required, or in direct contradiction of

administration priorities,” OPM Director Scott Kupor said in his November 21 blog post. “Simply put, we want agencies to focus their headcount resources on the most critical objectives that deliver maximum value to the taxpayer.”

Kupor also appeared to suggest that agencies might prospectively have more flexibility in headcounts.

“There are no prescribed reductions in headcount … the goal is not to focus on the raw number of FTEs, but rather to focus on great service delivery with maximum efficiency,” Kupor said. “Thus, to the extent agencies can deliver a better service to the American people at lower cost by substituting FTEs for contractors, agencies have the flexibility to do so.”

Limitations on Agency Actions

Targeting a bureaucracy that he contended was out of control, Trump pledged to reduce rules on the books and to limit the ability of federal agencies to pass new rules without White House oversight. A January 20, 2025 executive order directed all executive agencies to not propose or issue any rule without the approval of an appointed agency head or the President. And an February 18, 2025 executive order, “Ensuing Accountability for all Agencies,” required all agencies, including independent agencies, to submit all significant regulations to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Executive Office of the President (EOP) before publication in the Federal Register.

On January 31, 2025, the Trump administration released an executive order, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” that directs executive agencies to repeal at least 10 regulations for every new regulation publicly proposed. The executive order

also required the total incremental cost of all new regulations in 2025 to be “significantly less than zero.”

Federal Employee and Union Rights

The Trump administration took a variety of actions that significantly reduced federal employee protections from adverse actions and increased expectations for federal employees.

Perhaps most dramatically, the administration directed many agencies to curtail interaction with and rights accorded to federal employee unions, such as collective bargaining and the right for union representatives to be present during adverse actions, on national security grounds, despite protections for union activities contained in the Civil Service Reform Act. This included repudiating previously agreed-to collective bargaining agreements.

“If they’d simply taken collective bargaining from a few parts of the Department of Homeland Security or a few more parts of the Department of Defense, for actual national security reasons, which other presidents have done, I don’t think we’d be even having this conversation,” says Ward Morrow, formerly assistant general counsel at American Federation of Government Employees and now a partner at the federal employment law firm of The Law Office of John P. Mahoney. “But they took collective bargaining from entire agencies when there was just no nexus at all to national security.”

Federal employees’ ability to challenge adverse actions was reduced by Trump administration’s removal of members administering those processes, such as at the MSPB.

areas—simply because people can no longer arbitrate and people are looking for some forum to take their situation to,” Morrow says.

That may increase litigation over adverse actions at federal employee appeals process bodies like the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Morrow says.

“If you’re going to take away union contracts, and thus take away the grievance process, and take away arbitrations, then you’re going to naturally see an increase in MSPB filings and EEO filings—and we are seeing an increase in those

The ability of federal employees to challenge adverse actions was reduced by Trump administration removal of members administering those processes, such as at the MSPB. There, Trump removed Democrat Cathy Harris, leaving the body without a quorum and unable to issue final decisions until a new member was added in October. He also removed two Democratic members of the EEOC, ending its quorum. In many cases, lack of a quorum combined with rapid dismissals meant that employees facing removal would have to support themselves, pay their own legal counsel, and face long delays in having positions and or compensation restored, even if they eventually prevailed. The administration also directed the EEOC to target enforcement actions against what it asserted

was diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-motivated race and sex discrimination.

The administration also directed agencies to reduce other union perquisites such as the ability to deduct union dues from federal paychecks and to use federal office space and time for union activities. Jeff Neal, a former Defense Logistics Agency director of human resources, noted that the unions had served as helpful partners in agency implementations of workforce reforms in the past when he was at the agency.

Telework, greatly expanded during COVID, and reduced by the Biden administration somewhat thereafter, was greatly curtailed in 2025 as Trump directed federal employees to report to their offices five days a week, even for agencies that had previously agreed to extend employees significant telework and remote work options in exchange for surrendering their offices. In part this responded to large amounts of unused federal office space. That in some cases led to termination or resignation of employees unable or unwilling to comply, such as in the case of employees with young children or who had moved far from duty stations.

In January, the U.S. Congress’s Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report finding that the Social Security Administration is “at risk of skills gaps in key occupations, in part because its employees are seeking greater telework flexibility elsewhere.”

OPM instituted new performance metrics for the top tier of civil servants, those in the Senior Executive Service (SES), that requiring the forced distribution of executive performance ratings, which it said was done to combat widespread rating inflation, boost accountability, and ensure only truly top performers receive the highest awards. Executives of the SES membership professional organization, the Senior Executives Association (SEA), disagrees this policy change would effectively address the concern.

“There is minimal evidence in leadership or business literature that forced distribution of ratings is an effective or sustainable performance management practice; rather, such systems have been found to foster a lack of trust,” said Marcus Hill, president of the SEA, which represents the interests of over 8,000 career federal executives in the SES, and to Senior Level (SL), and Scientific and Professional (ST) employment categories. “Ultimately, this leads to executives competing amongst themselves for favor from leaders, versus focusing on demonstrating performance that exceeds expectations.”

The administration appears to be broadening such requirements across the civil service. In an OPM memoranda issued in July, agencies were directed to give out fewer performance bonuses and require more for top performance ratings. In February, the administration released related proposed rules to eliminate a ban on “forced distribution” of federal employee performance evaluations,” according to a Government Executive report.

Many beyond the administration and its supporters agree there is a need to expedite separations of problematic employees, which past Federal Employees Viewpoint Surveys (FEVS) have identified as a need identified by surveyed federal employees themselves, and to expect more from federal employees’ work performance.

The Trump Administration cancelled the annual FEVS, a key metric used to measure employee workforce satisfaction, for the 2025 year. It also paused the Presidential Rank Awards that has honored top senior federal achievers, declining to issue awards in 2025.

Employee pay stagnated, though existing benefits were generally retained. Employees received a glimmer of good news when Republican budget proposals to reduce retirement benefits were beaten back and they were awarded a 1.0 % pay raise for civilian federal servants for 2026, though that was far lower than inflation and the 3.8% pay increase approved for military personnel.

In any era of retrenchment of federal employee protections, merely maintaining existing benefits was an accomplishment, John Hatton, NARFE’s staff vice president, policies and programs says, noting that NARFE had successfully pushed back legislative attempts to reduce federal annuities and to dismantle the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

Many interviewed, including Kettl, wondered whether collectively the many adverse actions

against employees, particularly younger ones such as probationary employees, will deter a new generation from entering federal service. Sanders agreed long-term federal service may become less common, but said this may be because of younger generation preferences for more career mobility.

Looking to 2026

As to the fate of the civil service during the remainder of the Trump term, administration statements and many interviewed suggest a general progression in the same direction. In December 2025, OMB issued an updated Presidential Management Agenda, a blueprint for the administration’s agenda, a brief two-page document that generally seemed to prioritize further implementing the first year’s plan.

Kettl expects continued aggressive actions by the administration to increase executive power and control over the federal service. An example, he says is an advanced notice of proposed rule to fundamentally challenge the reduction in force rules that provide process to removals from federal service, which would allow more rapid removal from federal government for those not included in at will categories such as Schedule P/C. The rules would prioritize performance over seniority in RIF formulas, exclude certain positions, and allow downgrades to lower-paying positions upon a showing of erosion of employee duties over time.

Given even many federal employee and agency advocates concede that numerous areas of the federal civil service do need modernization, some

Kettl expects continued aggressive actions by the administration to increase executive power and control ovwer the federal service.

groups are now renewing effort to work with the administration or legislators to modernize the civil service.

In November, the Partnership launched a new program to modernize the Federal Civil Service, “Government for a New Era,” found at https://neweragov.org/. Neal, for his part, noted that civil service reforms in Tennessee in 2012 created a hybrid state employment system in between at-will employment and a traditional civil service that has been effective. It could provide a model for federal civil service reforms that would address some criticisms.

As noted, a large number of Supreme Court appeals of Trump Administration actions are pending. A question mark is whether the Supreme Court will decide to intervene to limit executive power and assert its authority as an independent body.

“[The Supreme Court] has dipped its toes in the water but whether it will it intervene in a major way is the question,” Kettl says.

On the other hand, delays in court rulings may be a good thing, Morrow says.

“The interesting thing is that now is probably the best time to try to be fighting these fights, because the administration doesn’t seem to care about the rules and due process,” he said. “And so while it may take a long time to get a decision, in a way, if enough time goes by, you may see a change in administrations and courts over the next three or four years that may rule that administration decisions were improper. So the fact that something takes a long time may actually turn out to be a good thing. We saw at the VA with a whole bunch of people that had filed things, the VA and Trump Administration were relying on some laws to try to get rid of people faster without due process or bargaining. And many of those appeals eventually turned into a settlements where a lot of people got money and jobs back.”

As the 2026 mid-term elections approach, many are watching to see if administration civil service actions become a campaign issue.

“If the Republicans lose control of the House or the Senate, then a lot of [the Trump reforms] can be brought to a halt,” said Neal.

Even if the election goes Democrats’ way, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to reverse the reforms, says Kettl.

The underlying reasons for passage of the Pendleton Act in 1883, which launched the current federal civil service, ultimately could temper how strongly the administration wishes to continue pushing for executive branch consolidation of power and politicization of the civil service, he notes.

to get paid or to get the actions you need taken done. A lack of expertise could, simply, just screw up the delivery of services.”

In December testimony by the GAO before Congress, the Comptroller of the United States and head of the GAO, Gene Dodaro, indicated that some agencies, including the Departments of Energy, Housing and Urban Development, General Services Administration, and Office of Personnel Management have likely had more than a quarter of their employees separating from the agencies since February and that GAO had ongoing work that will examine those workforce decisions. A February 2025 GAO report provided detailed information on federal agency workforce changes from January through June 2025: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-26108719.pdf.

—DAVID TOBENKIN, IS A FREELANCE WRITER BASED IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA.

“The reason why we created the Pendleton Act was it was getting really unpleasant for elected officials to have to deal with all the demands for jobs from political supporters,” said Kettle. “It led to frustrations culminating in the assassination of President Garfield [by a supporter who sought a civil service job under the spoils system], and it also failed to produce the competence of government that was needed. There were big swings of experts and managers and policymakers from administration to administration, which weakens the federal government’s policy and policymaking and the ability to expect much from those in government. If you’re a major defense contractor, and you’re sitting across the table from somebody who is a political hack, you might be able to get a decision that favors you but they may not be able to move the paper through the bureaucracy

Active and Retired Federal Employees–Join NARFE (or Renew) Today!

The only organization dedicated solely to protecting and preserving the benefits of all federal workers and retirees, NARFE informs you of any developments and proposals that affect your compensation, retirement and health benefits, AND provides clear answers to your questions.

Who Should Join NARFE?

If your future security is tied to federal retirement benefits—federal retirees, current employees, spouses and individual survivors—you should join NARFE. Membership expiring? Renew now!

NARFE MEMBER BENEFITS

• Understand benefit changes and key aspects to stay on top of with NARFE’s monthly webinars, held on a variety of topics such as Thrift Savings Plan, health insurance options and long term care insurance updates

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• Topical and robust articles on new legislation, and topics like car buying tips and finding your path in retirement, and the ever popular Q&A section addressing your most burning benefit questions in NARFE Magazine

• Support from your peers with access to FEDHub, the only national online community for the federal community, and local chapters, where you can meet feds in a neighborhood near you

• Weekly news roundup email called Newsline, with helpful tips and updates from NARFE on the work we are doing to support you

• Discounts on popular national brands with NARFE Perks

• Powerful advocacy and alerts to take action on important legislation pending in Congress and our advocacy team that protects your benefits every day!

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IRoth In-Plan Conversions Vs. TSP to Roth IRA Conversions: Which is Better?

n last month’s column, I introduced the Thrift Savings Plan’s (TSP) new Roth in-plan conversion feature. While it’s a welcome addition that makes converting more convenient than ever, there are several structural differences to consider that may ultimately make converting to a Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) the better choice in certain situations.

Before exploring these differences, it’s worth noting that active feds under 59½ cannot take an in-service withdrawal and therefore cannot convert their TSP to a Roth IRA. For them, the in-plan conversion is currently their only Roth conversion option.

For starters, investment control and flexibility should play a major role in the decision. When selecting TSP investments, traditional and Roth balances must share the same allocation. This restriction may work for some, but for others, different allocations for traditional and Roth balances may better align with their objectives.

Because most non-spouse beneficiaries must liquidate inherited retirement accounts within 10 years, Roth conversions are often used as a wealth-transfer strategy to mitigate the tax cost of that compressed distribution period. To that end, Roth accounts are often created to be untouched during the owner’s lifetime and instead used to pass assets to beneficiaries. In that case, it can make sense to invest those Roth dollars more aggressively for longterm growth while positioning traditional balances more conservatively to meet current income needs. This asset location strategy is not possible with a TSP Roth in-plan conversion

when both a Traditional and Roth balance exist.

Furthermore, Roth IRAs offer more investment choices than the TSP’s lineup of funds. For retirees focused on goalbased investing and tax-aware asset location, the flexibility and control of a Roth IRA may better align with their objectives.

Another important difference applies when taking withdrawals from a Roth IRA. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has specific ordering rules that state contributions are deemed to come out first, followed by conversion dollars, and finally earnings. Contributions and conversion dollars have already been taxed and may always be distributed tax-free. Earnings, however, are only tax-free if withdrawn as part of a qualified withdrawal, which generally means the Roth account has been open for at least five years and the owner is age 59½ or older. Since earnings are the last funds distributed from a Roth IRA, an owner may withdraw contribution and conversion dollars tax-free before meeting the requirements for a qualified withdrawal. It’s also worth noting that a separate five-year rule applies to each Roth conversion for owners under age 59½: those dollars must satisfy their own five-year period before

withdrawal without incurring the 10% early distribution penalty, though this becomes irrelevant once the owner reaches 59½.

Roth TSP distributions, however, are allocated pro rata among contributions, conversion dollars, and earnings, and each withdrawal includes a proportionate share of all three sources (assuming all three are present). Because earnings are included in each distribution, those earnings are taxable unless it’s a qualified withdrawal. In other words, unlike a Roth IRA, it is not possible to access Roth TSP dollars tax-free before meeting the requirements for a qualified withdrawal (again, assuming earnings are present).

The difference in distribution ordering rules can be important depending on the circumstances. Consider a 70-year-old retiree planning for a large expense, such as a down payment on a retirement community. Rather than wait until the year the money is needed and take a large traditional TSP withdrawal— potentially triggering higher tax rates and Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharges—the retiree implements a series of annual Roth conversions beginning four years before the down payment is needed to manage tax exposure. Although the Roth IRA has not yet satisfied the five-year requirement for a qualified withdrawal, the retiree may take tax-free distributions up to the value of the conversion dollars in the Roth IRA—a flexibility the Roth TSP does not provide.

BENEFITS RESOURCES

NARFE OFFERS MEMBERS a wide range of information on federal benefits. Visit www.narfe.org/federal-benefits-institute

Another rule to consider is the TSP’s time requirement for non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit a TSP account, which applies to both traditional and Roth balances. In this case, the non-spouse beneficiary has 90 days to initiate a payment and may request that it be transferred to an inherited IRA or paid directly to them. If no payment is requested within that window, the TSP will automatically issue a lump-sum distribution. Afterward, the funds can no longer be transferred to an inherited IRA, and any future tax-advantaged growth is lost. Many IRA custodians do not impose this strict time requirement, and some participants may prefer to avoid this risk altogether.

None of this suggests the TSP is inferior. The plan offers extremely low costs, strong federal creditor protections, and administrative simplicity. For many participants, keeping retirement assets

consolidated may be appealing, and the new in-plan conversion feature makes it convenient.

Still, the decision should not be based solely on convenience. These differences in investment flexibility, withdrawal strategy, and beneficiary outcomes mean that where the Roth dollars reside may merit as much attention as whether to convert in the first place.

MARK A. KEEN, CFP®, PARTNER, KEEN & POCOCK. SECURITIES OFFERED THROUGH THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ALLIANCE, INC. (SFA), MEMBER FINRA/ SIPC. ADVISORY SERVICES OFFERED THROUGH STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT, LLC AND THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ALLIANCE, INC. MARK KEEN IS A REGISTERED PRINCIPAL OF SFA AND AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR REPRESENTATIVE OF SFA AND STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT, LLC. SFA AND STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT ARE AFFILIATED THROUGH COMMON OWNERSHIP BUT OTHERWISE UNAFFILIATED WITH KEEN & POCOCK. NEITHER STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT NOR SFA PROVIDE TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE.

Top NARFE Recruiters Bring in 345 New Members!

It is time for our Fall Recruitment Drive (FRD) update! The FRD started on September 1, 2025, and concluded on December 31, 2025. Below are our recruiting superstars who achieved the three or more new member target:

Thank you to our amazing members who were busy recruiting new members and introducing NARFE to so many more people this past year. Your dedication and hard work help ensure that NARFE is strong and enduring for years to come.

There were 352 total members who recruited at least one member in 2025. There were 226 recruiters who participated in the Recruiter Rewards promotion from September 1 through December 31, 2025, recruiting a total of 345 members! Top recruiters will win cool NARFE swag. Below are the superstars who recruited three or more new members:

• Joanne Smith

Rosyletta Simms

• Olivia Street

• Cheryl Molnar

• Paul Roznowski

3 NEW MEMBERS:

• Wanda Faulkner

• James Gearhart

• Cynthia Housh

• Ted Genengels

• Merry Byrum

• Thomas Keating

• Cathy Linta Leader

• Louis Bornman

• Johanna Caylor

• Doris McAdams

• Steven Johnson

• Scott Stover

And a note to our 2024 recruiters: We apologize for any inconsistencies that appeared in the acknowledgment of our top recruiters last year. We believe we have resolved the reporting issues and should be accurately listing the recruiter moving forward.

Finally, we want to honor the loss of Yoggi Riley, who passed away in 2025 and was one of NARFE’s most steadfast recruiters. Her legacy will span for years to come with the members that she brought to NARFE and help us grow and endure.

—BY NORA MACDONALD, SENIOR DIRECTOR, MEMBER ENGAGEMENT

NEW BANNERS ADDED TO NARFE HEADQUARTERS

We want to give a big thank-you to our partners at Street Level Studio for preparing these new banners that went up at NARFE Headquarters in Alexandria in February!

FEDERATION CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS

MARYLAND FEDERATION BOARD MEETING: May 5-6. The Comfort Inn & Conference Center, 4500 Crain Highway, Bowie, MD 20716. More information to come.

NEW YORK FEDERATION CONFERENCE, ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION: May 6, Crowne Plaza Albany —The Desmond Hotel, 660 Albany Shaker Rd, Albany, NY 12211. Please visit www.narfe.org/ny or contact NY Federation Secretary Linda Suchocki at narfenyfederation@gmail.com for more information.

WEST VIRGINIA FEDERATION CONFERENCE: May 13-14 Best Western, Bridgeport, WV. Contact: bkuennecke@yahoo.com. More information to come.

DAKOTA FEDERATION CONFERENCE (COMBINED NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA FEDERATIONS): May 15-16, Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, Pierre, SD Please visit www.narfe.org/sd for more information.

MICHIGAN FEDERATION CONFERENCE: May 19-21, Frankenmuth, MI Please visit https://www.narfe.org/mi/ or more information.

MASSACHUSETTS FEDERATION CONFERENCE: May 21, Virtual conference. Please visit https://www.narfe. org/ma/ for more information.

COLORADO FEDERATION BOARD MEETING: June 26, Winsor Gardens, Denver, CO, For more information go to http://www.narfe-colorado.com

IOWA FEDERATION CONFERENCE: September 22-23, Meskwaki Hotel and Convention Center, 1504 305th St, Tama IA 52339, Contact: Harry Healey Irish13155@yahoo.com

REGION IX SYMPOSIUM: ALASKA, IDAHO, MONTANA, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON: Oct. 1-3, Ellensburg, WA For more information go to https://www.narfe.org/region09/symposium2026

CONNECTICUT FEDERATION CONFERENCE: October 14, Wallingford, CT. More information to come.

After Weeks of Delays, OPM Mails 1099-R Forms to Federal Retirees

The complaints piled up on NARFE’s phone lines, email and social media for weeks at the start of 2026: many retirees still had not received their 1099-R tax documents in the mail as they typically would ahead of filing taxes. These documents are essential for reporting pension and annuity income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

These mailing delays most likely stemmed from processing bottlenecks and logistical issues affecting the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) related to its updated 1099-R form delivery policy announced earlier this year. Annuitants who have provided an email address received their 1099-R forms electronically, unless they opt to receive them by mail through their OPM online account. Individuals without internet or computer access should contact OPM’s Retirement Services to request a mailed copy of their 1099-R forms.

SPECIAL REFERENDUM RESULTS: MOTION PASSES

The results of the 2026 NARFE Referendum are in. NARFE is grateful to the more than 9,000 members who cast a vote. The motion passed 7,922 (85.83%) to 1,308 (14.17%).

For more information, visit www.narfe. org/2026-referendum/.

As a result, some retirees received their forms later than expected, well into mid-March. This anxiety greatly affected their ability to prepare and file their taxes by April 15, the deadline for filing income taxes. The 2025 tax filing season is the first since OPM updated its delivery policy for 1099-R forms, which are required for reporting federal retirement-related distributions. In past years, OPM has mailed out the forms to all annuitants by Jan. 31.

If retirees who requested a physical copy of their 1099-R form did not receive it by March 18, they should email OPM, “so that we can look into it and help get you your form,” according to OPM. Retirees were advised to use OPM’s online portal to access digital copies of their 1099-R forms, where available, or to contact OPM’s customer support at 888-767-6738 for assistance if the documents have not arrived. Despite OPM saying the policy change was an effort to ease and

expedite processes, NARFE’s Staff Vice President of Policy and Programs John Hatton called this year’s shift to a digital delivery system a “mess.”

“Too many retirees have been unable to acquire their 1099-R in a timely manner, or without exhaustive effort,” Hatton said in an interview with Federal News Network.

“Many retirees have difficulty accessing Retirement Services Online, yet that was their only option, even when they previously received forms via mail. It has been nearly impossible to reach OPM via phone, and even if so, OPM has required the switch back to mail delivery to be done via the difficult-for-many-to-access Retirement Services Online platform.”

While tax season is over, this issue should remain a priority for preparation next year for the 2026 tax season.

—BY MATT SANDERSON, SENIOR CONTENT MANAGER

2026 NARFE NATIONAL ELECTION INFORMATION

Visit NARFE’s 2026 National Election page, where we provide links and resources for members related to the upcoming election.

All candidates who wish to run for NARFE national president, national secretary/treasurer or regional vice president in 2026 must submit a candidate statement. All candidate statements must be submitted by 5 p.m. ET on Monday, June 15, 2026. Bylaws amendments proposals will be published June 1.

For more information, visit https://www.narfe. org/2026-narfe-national-election/?.

to NARFE programs Donate

Donate to NARFE

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: NARFE

PLEASE MAIL COUPON AND CHECK TO: NARFE / 606 N. Washington St. / Alexandria, VA 22314 or donate online at www.narfe.org/ donate

With NARFE’s thanks, you will receive a NARFE Photo Calendar

NARFE safeguards the earned pay and benefits of America’s five million federal workers, retirees, their spouses, and survivors. NARFE is YOUR legislative voice and tireless advocate. NARFE contributions are NOT tax-deductible.

Enclosed is my NARFE Contribution: $ __________________

All donations go to the NARFE General Fund to support NARFE Programs and operations.

Name:

Address:

City: State: ZIP:

Credit Card Information: q M/C q VISA q Discover q AMEX

Card Number:

Expiration Date: (mm)/ (yy) Security Code:

Signature: Date: / /

Name: (please print)

Support Alzheimer’s Research

NARFE members contributed for Alzheimer’s research: $17 Million Fund $16,993,292.53

*Total as of February 28, 2026. All contributions go directly to Alzheimer’s research, with the exception of funds given to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s or The Longest Day.

If you have any questions, write to: National Committee Chair

Olivia Williams PO Box 2175 Columbia, SC 29202

OR E MAIL: oeashf3@gmail.com

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO:

NARFE-Alzheimer’s Research (w rite your chapter number on memo line)

PLEASE MAIL COUPON AND CHECK TO: Alzheimer’s A ssociation 225 N. Michigan Ave., 17th Floor Chicago, I L 60 601-7633

Your charitable contribution is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Enclosed is my NARFE-Alzheimer’s contribution: $ Every cent that is contributed is used for research.

Name:

Address:

City:

State:

Chapter number:

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: NARFE-FEEA Fund

PLEASE MAIL COUPON AND CHECK TO: FEEA

1641 Prince St. Alexandria, VA 22314

Your charitable contribution is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

ZIP:

Credit Card Information: q M/C q VISA q Discover q AMEX

Card Number:

Expiration Date: (mm)/ (yy) Security Code:

Signature: Date: / /

Name: (please print)

The NARFE-FEEA Fund supports NARFE members during disasters; provides scholarships to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and funds other programs to support NARFE members at the direction of NARFE and FEEA.

Enclosed is my NARFE-FEEA Fund Contribution: $ ________

Name:

Address:

City:

Email:

To make credit card or e-check contributions, visit www.feea.org/givenarfe.

ShopNARFE

NARFE.org/shopnarfe

NEW! Retractable banners available

- Quick and easy to set-up

- Packs down easily

- Attractive silver hardware

- Table-top version measures 11”w x 19”h

- Floor version measures 60”w x 83”h

NARFE

Merch

- Table coverings for events and health fairs

- Polo shirts/t-shirts/jackets/poplin shirts

- Bumber stickers/lapel pins/auto magnets

- Mugs/tumblers/license plate frames/pens

- Chapter and Federation Officer Badges

- Cooler tote bags And more!

What is dues withholding?

NARFE’s Dues Withholding Program

It is a dues-payment method available to retired NARFE members, their spouses and annuitant survivors giving them the option to have their annual NARFE membership dues deducted from their annuities each month.

Advantages

• Save more than 10% off your annual NARFE dues

• Sign up your spouse and double your savings

• You’ll never get another dues reminder from us

• Your monthly payment is affordable and convenient

• You may cancel your dues withholding at any time

How does it work?

One-twelfth of your total dues is automatically deducted from your monthly annuity. Your monthly deduction is determined by the following formula: ($42 NARFE dues ÷ 12) + (Chapter dues - if applicable ÷ 12) = total monthly deduction

How do I sign up?

Complete the Dues Withholding Application below. Send no payment. It may take 60 to 90 days before auto-deduction starts. Your membership starts as soon as your application is received. To learn more about dues withholding, call 800-456-8410

NARFE Dues Withholding Application for NARFE Members who are Retirees, Spouses of Retirees or Annuitant Survivors

STOP! Complete this section ONLY if you are signing up for Dues Withholding. If so, DO NOT send payment

o YES. I want to enroll in NARFE’s Dues Withholding Program. NARFE dues of $42* and chapter dues, if applicable, to be withheld annually. (*Dues-withholding members save more than 10% off the regular NARFE dues rate.)

Social Security Number (9-digit number)

o Mr. o Mrs. o Miss o Ms.

Full Name

Street Address

Apt./Unit

City

State ___________ ZIP

Phone (__________)

Date of Birth _________ /_________ /

Civil Service Annuity Number

(Include prefix, CSA or CSF) (Include any applicable suffix)

NARFE MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

NARFE Membership ID

NARFE Chapter Number

o YES. I also authorize my (NARFE member) spouse’s dues to be withheld from my annuity. (Additional annual dues of $42 and chapter dues, if applicable, to be withheld annually. If YES, enter spouse’s information below.)

Spouse’s Name

Spouse’s Membership ID

Spouse’s Email

AUTHORIZATION (Withholding will begin in 60-90 days). Send NO PAYMENT with Dues Withholding Application!

I authorize the United States Office of Personnel Management to make appropriate deductions from my annuity payments, not to exceed the amount certified by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association as the amount of dues for which I am annually obligated, in accordance with elections I made above, and to pay the deducted sum to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). This authorization shall also apply to any and all dues changes certified by NARFE membership in accordance with elections I made. Please allow 60-90 days for processing.

I understand that this authorization shall be valid until NARFE receives and processes my written notice of cancellation in accordance with its agreement with the Office of Personnel Management and that any disputes regarding this authorization shall be a matter between NARFE and myself. I hold the Office of Personnel Management harmless for any erroneous allotment deduction made pursuant to this authorization.

Signature of Annuitant

or Survivor-Annuitant

Date

Dues payments and gifts or contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

MAIL

this form

Use your NARFE Perks and your membership will more than pay for itself!

THE TOP-6 MOST POPULAR NARFE PERKS

As the largest operator of senior living communities in the US, Brookdale has over 600 locations all across the country. Members are eligible for 7.5% discount at Brookdale Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care communities and 10% discounts on Brookdale Private Duty Home Care. Discounts are for new move-ins/customers only.

Brookdale Senior Living Communities 877-713-2762 | www.brookdale.com/narfe

With 6,400 hotels throughout the world, Choice Hotels offers something for everyone. As a member, receive 20% off your next stay at participating hotels when you use Special Rate ID 00801967. Choice Hotels International | 800-258-2847 www.choicehotels.com

With over 160 tours to all 7 continents and travel styles varying from small group to river cruising, Collette offers something for everyone. As a NARFE member, you receive an additional $50-$100 off all tours including sales and offers! Just use your member benefit code NARFESAVE or let our reservation agent know you are a NARFE Member when booking. Collette Travel | 844-311-6563 www.narfe.org/gocollette

Designed exclusively for NARFE members, (plans administered by AMBA Administrators, Inc.) Senior Age Whole Life Insurance, Senior Term Life Insurance, Hospital Indemnity and Short Term Recovery Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, AssistPlus, Discount Prescription Plan and Pet Insurance. NARFE Insurance Services | 800-233-5764 www.narfeinsurance.com

At Wheaton, we know interstate relocation is much more than trucks and boxes. With a network of top-quality agents throughout the United States, Wheaton provides peace of mind with every relocation.

Wheaton World Wide Moving | 800-248-7960 narfe@wvlcorp.com

Life Line Screening, America’s leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will conduct health screenings using state-of-the-art ultrasound technology in your neighborhood. Operator code BKHN075. Life Line Screening | 800-324-9906 www.lifelinescreening.com/NARFE

OTHER FAVORITE PERKS

IDShield monitors your identity from every angle, not just your Social Security number, credit cards and bank accounts. We make sure everything connected to you is safe, including your passport, email, phone numbers, driver’s license number, medical IDs and more. IDShield | 410-419-7130 | www.legalshield.com/info/narfe

Whether it’s big, small or somewhere in between, you have affordable legal help when you need it. Members receive the discounted rate of $18.95 for families of 10 (two adults and up to 8 children) when you sign up through the website above.

LegalShield | 410-419-7130 | www.legalshield.com/info/narfe

Renting with Alamo is easy and affordable. Book now! At Alamo Rent A Car, save more so you can see more and take advantage of a wide selection of vehicles for all your car rental needs. Reference Contract ID 262544 when you call or visit our website today.

Alamo Rent-A-Car | https://partners. rentalcar.com/narfe

See how much you can save at www.NARFE.org/memberperks

(Previously Office Depot/Office Max) ADDITIONAL

Educating the Public, 1941

This August 1941 photograph shows U.S. Forest Service Ranger Raymond McKinley demonstrating how to rake a fire-line at the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. This was part of the training the Forest Service provided to prevent and control forest fires. These particular trainees were campfire girls from Camp Toccoa, a summer organization camp located in the forest. As custodians of 193 million acres of land, the U.S. Forest Service has, over its history, engaged in numerous activities to educate the public about national forests, including how to prevent and mitigate forest fires.

PHOTO from the Records of the National Archives, courtesy of the National Archives History Office, in collaboration with the Society for History in the Federal Government (SHFG), bringing together government professionals, academics, consultants, students and citizens interested in understanding federal history work and the historical development of the federal government. To join, visit www.shfg.org.

DID YOU KNOW?

Whether fighting fire, managing the land or helping Americans recreate across the country, U.S. Forest Service staff are adept at managing what could otherwise be chaos. The agency is also the unsung hero in establishing today’s standard for emergency response: incident management teams. The Forest Service invented the concept in the 1970s after Southern California suffered a wave of destructive fires, and Congress tasked the agency to design a system to effectively coordinate interagency actions following disasters. The result was the Incident Command System.

Visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/ about-agency/features/120years-forest-service.

Are you missing the friends you used to work with every day in the office? Find a local NARFE chapter convenient to you! Are you looking for a way to get involved with local feds in your community?

Visit www.narfe.org/chapters to find the chapter that’s right for you, and then call us between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET at 800-456-8410. Then dial 1 for membership and we’ll get you signed up right away.