NARFE service center offers help to members and survivors

Friday, Nov. 6, 2009

Are you aware that since 1995 the St. Mary's County Chapter 969 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association — NARFE — has been operating and staffing NARFE service centers providing assistance to members, their survivors and all other federal and District of Columbia retirees?

We offer help in obtaining the benefits to which they are entitled as former employees of the U.S. and D.C. governments as well as helping survivors understand the forms and procedures required to ensure they receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

Are you aware that, after you retire, your service center becomes your personnel office?

One service center is located in Lexington Park in the Human Resources Center at Patuxent River Naval Air Station (in the old Frank Knox School), Room 114. It is located on Route 235, south of Pax River's Gate 2 entrance at Great Mills Road. The center is open from 9 a.m. until noon each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The telephone number is 301-757-4121. While walk-ins are accepted, appointments are recommended.

Our second service center is available on an appointment only basis and can be found at the Northern Senior Activity Center on 29655 Charlotte Hall Road in Charlotte Hall. An appointment can be made with a representative by calling 301-884-9502.

There are currently more than 30 trained, capable and qualified federal government retiree volunteers waiting to assist you and to act as a retiree personnel specialist. These volunteers can provide assistance in procedures needed to help overcome delays and problems encountered in annuity and survivor benefit inquiries, federal procedures governing delivery of annuity checks, insurance and retired federal employee health benefits procedures, survivor benefits under current laws administered by the Office of Personnel Management, change of beneficiary procedures, rights of divorced spouses to survivor benefits, death benefits, state and federal income taxes as related to federal annuities and withholding, Social Security referral information, Medicare at age 65, veterans' benefit information and other services that may be needed.

Our motto is "We are here to serve and assist." The service centers also have various publications, handbooks, pamphlets, guides, forms and NARFE applications.

You are invited to drop by and see how you can get help whenever there is a special need.

You do not have to be a NARFE member to use the center services.

Bernie Goldsborough, Hollywood

Glenn Weder, Lexington Park

The writers are NARFE, Chapter 969 service center officers.