For Air Force retirees and annuitants already thinking about their 2008 federal income tax returns, you’ll be able to view your Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) accounts on myPay in December.

The DFAS retiree account statements will be posted Dec. 10; the Retired 1099Rs on Dec. 15. The annuitant account statements and annuitant 1099Rs will be posted Dec. 15.

MyPay maintains historical data for the current tax year (for retirees) and current tax year plus two prior years (for annuitants). If you are a retiree who receives a Form 1042-S instead of a Form 1099-R, you must call the Cleveland Contact Center for assistance.

Members wishing to establish a myPay account can find information on the Internet by clicking on the ‘‘How do I get a myPay pin” link on the myPay Web site at www.dfas.mil.

Retirees and annuitants with questions and concerns regarding incorrect tax information may call the Cleveland Contact Center at 800-321-1080, submit an inquiry through the Web site or write:

For Retirees:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service
U.S.Military Retirement Pay
P.O. Box 7130
London, KY 40742-7130

For Annuitants:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service
U.S. Military Annuitant Pay
P.O. Box 7131
London, KY 40742-7131

Airmen falling for flu shots

Feeling woozy after your latest flu shot? If you’re a military member, the odds are you are a male member of the Air Force. Ten years of records showed that 2,612 service members passed out cold – and fell down – after a nurse inserted a thin half-inch of steel into their biceps or buttocks.

Data from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center shows that the rate of Airmen who fell was twice that of soldiers and sailors. Marines fall in between and twice that many men as women were among the faint-hearted. No statistics were available for retired service members.

The overall numbers also are rising. Today’s service members are 2 1⁄2 times more likely to faint from getting a shot than they were in 1998.

While some worry about possible ridicule, there is more concern about the risk of injury. The report states this is particularly true ‘‘...when an individual’s collapse leads to forceful contact between the face or skull ... and a sharp or solid object nearby.” Researchers found 150 examples of fractures, brain injuries, open wounds, contusions, sprains and strains.

Fainting occurs when blood vessels dilate and blood pressure decreases among people who stand for too long, don’t like the sight of blood or fear pain, experts say.

e-Afterburner available

The Afterburner, an Air Force publication designed to keep members of the Air Force retiree community informed about laws, policies and procedures affecting them, continues to be available, but only online. There have been no funds to publish⁄mail hard-copy editions of the Afterburner for two years. The last hard-copy edition was published in August 2006.

To make the e-Afterburner more user-friendly for the more than 60,000 online subscribers, the format is simple and without graphics. The intent is to make reading the e-Afterburner less harrowing for those subscribers who are not computer savvy. It is suggested that those without computers, or access to one, ask friends or family members for assistance in downloading copies.

The e-Afterburner is prepared by the Air Force Personnel Center Retiree Services Section at Randolph AFB, Texas. To access the e-Afterburner, go to www.retirees.af. mil⁄afterburner.

Refurbished Intrepid Museum reopened

After a two-year bow to stern renovation, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum has re-opened to the public at the Hudson River Park’s Pier 86 in New York City. The museum features new exhibits, interactive displays and programming events.

The project included the complete rebuilding of Pier 86, refurbishment of aircraft, redesigning and installation of a new museum, and an inside-and-out paint job for the 65-year-old aircraft carrier. Total costs amounted to about $115 million.

‘‘We are so grateful for the support of our devoted board members and friends as well as the corporations and foundations that have contributed,” said Charles De Gunzburg, co-chairman of the Intrepid Museum board. ‘‘Without their help, this project would not have been possible.”

Within the ship, numerous exhibits have been re-designed and new state-of-the-art exhibits have been added, such as an interactive wind tunnel, a pinball game that explains how a spacecraft reaches orbit and a hands-on exhibit that demonstrates how the Intrepid turned salt water into fresh water.

The refurbishment required more than 6,500 gallons of paint. The ship’s hull was water blasted, primed and repainted, and the flight deck repainted and relined. Steel on the ship’s hull and superstructure was refurbished or replaced as needed. Many of the ship’s aircraft were renovated, including an A-4 Skyhawk, FJ-3 Fury, MiG-21, F-3D Skyknight, E-1 Tracer and an F11F Tiger-fighter.

Admission to the Intrepid is free for active-duty and military members. General admission for adults is $19.50; seniors (62+) $15.50. For more information on the museum and advance purchase of tickets, visit www.intrepidmuseum.org.