Page 12 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings 10-30-15

Desert Wings October 30, 2015

12 www.aerotechnews.com/edwardsafb facebook.com/EdwardsDesertWings

412th SFS picks pumpkins for party

by Rebecca Amber the kids can go in and get all the Air Force photographs by Rebecca Amber
Staff writer pumpkins out,” said Ashley Har-
ris, 412th SFS key spouse. “It is a 6HQLRU0DVWHU6JW'HVKDQ:RRGVWK6HFXULW\)RUFHV6TXDGURQ¿UVWVHUJHDQWDQGKLVGDXJKWHU6XPPHU
ROSAMOND, Calif.—Each lot of pumpkins; it’s kind of over- choose pumpkins for the 412th Security Forces children’s Halloween party at Tapia’s Pumpkin Patch in Rosamond,
year when October rolls around, whelming how nice it is.” Calif.
pumpkin season begins. There are
pumpkins for carving and deco- According to Senior Master Sgt. “It was such a small operation,
rating, pumpkin-spiced drinks, Deshan Woods, 412th SFS first they actually would hand people
pumpkin pies and much more. sergeant, Security Forces is the ÀDVKOLJKWVVRWKH\FRXOGJRLQDQG
According to the United States largest squadron on Edwards with pick out their pumpkin at night,”
Department of Agriculture, 192.2 374 members. The key spouse said Benson about the early days
million pounds of pumpkins were events allow spouses of their de- at the pumpkin patch. “Since then
produced in California in 2014. ployed members to “connect, in- we’ve added lighting and grew 10-
teract and meet new people.” fold. We have several acres here
This year, Tapia’s Pumpkin and we just keep expanding.”
Patch on Rosamond Blvd. donated Oct. 22, Tapia’s Pumpkin Patch
around 65 of their locally grown hosted the October Hearts Apart Today, they have bouncy hous-
pumpkins to the 412th Security activity. More than a dozen chil- es, train rides, a petting zoo and
Forces Squadron children’s Hal- dren and their parents were given a pumpkin launcher. According
loween party. Three families of the complimentary wristbands for un- to Benson, everything but the hay
412th SFS came to the pumpkin limited activities and each child bales is grown locally in Rosa-
patch Oct. 28 to pick pumpkins for took home a free pumpkin. John mond with 16 different varieties of
the party. Benson and his wife Cindy, the pumpkins and squash. Every year
pumpkin patch volunteers who the volunteers spend three months
The party will be held Oct. 30 at hosted the group, purchased pizza setting up and stay open for the
the Chapel 1 Annex, and is hosted for them. month of October with their last
by the squadron’s key spouses day on Halloween.
primarily for families of deployed “It’s just our way of saying
members, but is open to anyone in thanks to them,” said Benson. “Es- “We do it for the community,”
the squadron. pecially where one of the parents VDLG%HQVRQDGGLQJWKDWWKHSUR¿W
LVJRQH¿JKWLQJIRURXUIUHHGRPV they make helps pay for harvest-
There will be crafts, games, fighting for us to be having this ing the pumpkins for the next year.
food and even a pumpkin patch fun. It’s a small way to thank the
created with the donated pump- families.”
kins.
Tapia’s Pumpkin Patch has been
“[Using hay bales] we block in Rosamond for about 20 years,
off a section in the courtyard and started by owner Charles Tapia
then put all the pumpkins in and and his family.

Tapia’s Pumpkin Patch in Rosamond, Calif., donated around 65 pumpkins Master Sgt. Scott Harris, 412th Security Forces Squadron, loaded
to the 412th Security Forces Squadron Oct. 28 for their children’s Halloween pumpkins into their vehicle at Tapia’s Pumpkin Patch with the help of his
party to be held Oct. 30 at the Chapel 1 Annex. daughter, Ava, for the squadron’s Halloween party.

TRICARE Young Adult premiums to increase Jan. 1

Premiums for the Military Health System’s benefit plan E\WKHSURJUDP¶VEHQH¿FLDULHV3UHYLRXV\HDUV¶SUHPLXPVZHUH them to stay on,” said Justis. “But they do have options.”
for adult children between 23 and 26 years old have been an- ORZHUEHFDXVH75,&$5(GLGQRW\HWKDYHVXI¿FLHQWFRVWGDWD 2WKHUKHDOWKFDUHRSWLRQVIRU\RXQJDGXOWEHQH¿FLDULHVLQ-
nounced. WRVHWDQQXDOSUHPLXPV7KLVFRPLQJ\HDUPDUNVWKH¿UVWWLPH
clude:
The premiums for TRICARE Young Adult program will in- TRICARE has had enough actual cost data to set the premiums ‡3XUFKDVLQJ7<$6WDQGDUG²ORZHUSUHPLXPVKLJKHUFRVW
crease on Jan. 1, 2016 to $306 per month for TYA Prime, and
$228 per month for TYA Standard. based on actual costs rather than predicted cost. shares — instead of TYA Prime
‡(QUROOLQJLQDSDUHQW¶VFLYLOLDQKHDOWKLQVXUDQFHSODQLI
“Offering the option to have young adults covered under these “We are required by law to be cost-neutral to the govern-
plans falls in line with what all Americans are able to do with available
their adult children under the Affordable Care Act,” said Mary ment, so the premiums had to be raised to cover the actual cost ‡3XUFKDVLQJFRYHUDJHWKURXJKWKHFROOHJHRUXQLYHUVLW\LI
Kaye Justis, director of the TRICARE Health Plan. “We want
to make sure those wanting this coverage know all the facts as of care,” Justis said. enrolled
they go into the open enrollment season for health care plans ‡3XUFKDVLQJDSODQRIIHUHGWKURXJKWKH+HDOWK,QVXUDQFH0DU-
in this country.” TYA offers very generous, competitive coverage for young
ketplace at www.healthcare.gov.
Justis explained the increase is due to the requirement in the adults, Justis said. Although the premiums do not go into effect
National Defense Authorization Act of 2011 that TRICARE Lower cost plans may be available depending on income and
set TYA premiums to cover the full cost of health care received until Jan. 1, 2016, TRICARE leaders want to make sure TYA
EHQH¿FLDULHVKDYHDOOWKHIDFWVQRZWRPDNHWKHEHVWGHFLVLRQ residence, and assistance paying premiums may be available if
EHQH¿FLDULHVTXDOLI\IRUJRYHUQPHQWVXEVLGLHVWKURXJKFRP-
possible, based on their needs and circumstances, during the
mercial plans.
open enrollment season from Nov. 1, 2015, through Jan. 31,
Visit www.tricare.mil/TYA for more information.
2016.

“We like having young adults in our system and welcome