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STATEMENT OF GENE OVERSTREET

12TH SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE UNITED STATES

MARINE CORPS (Retired)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Seamless Interface between DoD and VA

• Develop and implement the Electronic Medical Record for military personnel for use by DoD and VA throughout and following the member’s military service.

• Require external review to establish effectiveness of the current Pre- and Post-Assessment self-administered deployment health assessment to determine compliance with DoD policies

• Require VA personnel augmentation determined essential at all CONUS DoD health care facilities that triages casualties from military operations. Require that VA Mental Health Services be a part of the augmentation team.

• Require electronic communication be mandated to institutionalize required demographic data from DoD health care to VA including name, social security number, gender, home of record and diagnosis.


Veteran Benefits Administration

• Open Enrollment Period for VEAP-era Non Participants

• Indexing the Montgomery GI Bill

• Removal of MGIB Delimiting Date for use of member enrollment fee

• National Guard and Reserve Montgomery GI Bill Enhancements

• Retention of DIC benefits after age 55

• Clarification of DIC Benefit and Concurrent Receipt Policy

• People are the most important resource of VBA

Veterans Health Administration:

• Access to VA Health Care

• Women Health Care build out

• Chronic Homeless Veterans

• Nursing Home and Long Term Care

• Suspension of New Priority 8 Enrollments

• Tricare+Choice Medical Health Services for Eligible but Disenfranchised Priority Veterans

• Seek legislation that designates all Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities as subcontractors for TRICARE services

• MANDATORY funding for health care services of eligible veterans

Other Issues Beyond the Purview of the Joint Committees

• Arlington National Cemetery Eligibility

• Allow military retirees to use the health system of either DoD or VA

• Full Concurrent Receipt for all disabled longevity military retirees; disability retirees with less than 20 years of military service; and those who were offered early retirement as part of a force reduction program.

• Seek Constitutional protection for the American Flag

• Seek and support legislation that will establish a Space Available (Space A) category for 100 percent service connected disabled veterans on military aircraft or government transportation afforded military retirees

The Non Commissioned Officers Association of the USA (NCOA) would like to thank Chairman Chris Smith, Chairman Arlen Specter, and the distinguished members of both committees for giving us this opportunity to present the Association’s veterans legislative goals for 2004.

I am Gene Overstreet, 12 Sergeant Major of the United States Marine Corps (Retired), President and Chief Executive Officer of the Non Commissioned Officers Association, and I am joined today by staff members from NCOA’s National Capital Office: Command Sergeant Major Robert R. Mix, USA (Retired), Executive Director of Government Affairs; Mrs. Kimberlee D. Vockel, Director of Legislative Affairs; Chief Master Sergeant Richard C. Schneider, USAF (Retired), Director of State/Veterans Affairs, and Ms. Cathy M. Cade, National Capital Office Manager.

Introduction:

NCOA represents active duty enlisted service members of all military services, the United States Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve Forces as well as veterans of all components. The association provides for these members through every stage of their military career from enlistment to their eventual separation, retirement and on to their final military honors rendered on behalf of a grateful Nation. The Association defines well its membership service as “cradle, or enlistment, to grave” and than continues to provide services to the veterans surviving family members.

The Association’s representation of enlisted members from all services and components makes it unique in that regard and enables it to provide a full and comprehensive perspective on active duty, veteran and survivor issues for the Administration and this Congress.

NCOA while relying on Legislative Resolutions developed by its membership also is especially cognizant of its vital responsibilities to be in the forefront of issues impacting the large numbers of active duty, Guard and Reserve members currently in harm’s way deployed around the world in America’s War against Terrorism. Beyond the military members deployed, this association is ever mindful of the spouses and family members on the home front. These marvelous military families live with not only the heartbreak and frustration of separation but the reality of that separation compounded with the anguish of daily televised and news reporting of personnel either killed or wounded. Truly, the media brings in real time the horrors being experienced by their military family members to their spouses and children.

NCOA is approaching the Second Session of the 108th Congress with large numbers of association active duty, Guard, and Reserve members being deployed around the world. In fact, as we meet today the largest deployment of Guard and Reserve personnel are preparing to deploy in numbers only equivalent to World War II.

It All Comes Down to Money

VA Fiscal Appropriation 2004

NCOA recognizes that the availability of an adequate annual appropriated budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs directly impacts a number of former legislative priorities sought by this Association. The Departments FY 2004 Budget only approved in the fourth month of the current fiscal year meant that VA programs for one third of the fiscal year were constrained at prior year funding levels. Interestingly, a year ago the VA Budget was provided five months into FY 2003. NCOA would obviously like the budget approved to begin at the start of the fiscal year to allow implementation of all program initiatives.

Despite the progressive work of your Committees, the Department is just now able to move the legislative agenda forward that you approved during the First Session of the 108th Congress. Constrained budget demanded either a late start in new approved program initiatives, tradeoffs in program priorities, and possibly reductions in the scope of existing programs.

The Association commends the leadership and members of the assembled Veteran Committees for its efforts over the past years to secure additional appropriations beyond that level sought by the Administration. You can be justifiably proud of your record of achievement in both legislative entitlements and securing the fiscal appropriations to care for them who have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.

To care for them who have borne the battle…
Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom

NCOA begins its presentation today focused on the countless Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen involved in operations in America’s War on Terrorism. This new type of War, the first of the 21st Century places all people, military and civilian alike, at risk of death, maiming, and psychological terror. We salute the Departments of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense for their initial planning efforts in progress to create a seamless transition for military personnel to veteran status.

NCOA as a member of The Military Coalition has endorsed the final recommendations of the President’s Task Force to Improve Health Care Delivery for Our Nation’s Veterans (May 2003). The Association strongly believes that both the DoD and the VA should have access to health, assignment locations, occupational exposures, and whatever other information is available that would lead to a better understanding of health issues affecting both individual members as well as potentially all unit personnel.

• Recommendation: That this Committee maximizes current discussions between the two Departments to fast track the development and implementation of an Electronic Medical Record available to both DoD and VA throughout and after the member’s military career.

Pre- and Post-Deployment Assessment Forms (DD Forms 2795 and 2796) were developed as personnel self-administered health assessments reviewed by medical personnel for positive responses that generate additional review and health care referral. These assessment forms are subjective in nature and personnel immediately recognize that their responses may delay deployment or upon return delay their separation process and ability to return home. Guard and Reserve personnel demobilize very quickly upon reaching their armories and reserve facilities across the nation. Their lack of continued military service as in the case of active duty personnel denies continued medical observation and military health care. The reality for many will be hastily completed assessment forms will create eventual problems in establishing service connected disabilities. It is doubtful that many, if any, active duty, Guard or Reserve Members would identify mental health, post-traumatic stressors, or other deployment health problems that could be a disincentive to a successful military career.

• Recommendation: That an external review be directed to establish the effectiveness of the current self-administered deployment health assessments and determine compliance with required DoD policies.

NCOA applauds the Secretary of Veterans Affairs efforts to assign VHA social workers and VBA claim specialists to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center to directly support wounded personnel returning from OIF (Iraq) and OEF (Afghanistan). The assignment of VA specialists are a significant and effective part of the seamless transition initiative to facilitate disability claims and ensure effective personnel transition from active duty medical care to that provided by the Veterans Health Administration.

• Recommendation: Policy direction to require VA augmentation at all CONUS DoD health care facilities that triages casualties from military operations. That Mental Health services be fully integrated into the seamless transition process.

Health care privacy is a major issue for those being treated by medical care providers. At issue is the prohibition on sharing medical information by DoD health care providers relative active duty personnel with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Seamless transition for continuity of health care delivery from DoD to VA requires communication on individual patient medical requirements and diagnosis.

• Recommendation: That electronic communication be mandated in law to institutionalize required demographic data from DoD health care to VA including name, SSN, gender, home of record, and diagnosis to project required services needed from VA.

NCOA recognizes two outstanding initiatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the record. These initiatives include:

1. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs aggressive action to immediately qualify all OIF and OEF military personnel for VHA health care for two years following separation for service-connected health problems. These veterans are classified as Priority 6 Enrollees to facilitate access for health care. During this two-year period the veterans are encouraged to file their service-connected disability claim forms for adjudication by the Veterans Benefits Administration. Veterans with service-connected medical problems are than updated in their VHA health care enrollment priority group for continued health care.

2. Bereavement Counseling authorized at Vet Centers for the families of those killed in action or who die as a result of their wounds. This compassionate service maintains the commitment of Lincoln to care not only for those who have borne the battle, but also their widows.


Veterans Benefits Administration

Educational Benefits

• Open Enrollment for VEAP-era Non Participants

A significant number of servicemembers who entered the military during the Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) era remain on active duty and have no post-service educational assistance. They have not been given the same opportunity to enroll in the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) as other VEAP-era entrants who actually enrolled in VEAP. Many VEAP-era (1977-30 June 1985) “decliners” were encouraged by Service counselors not to sign up for VEAP because the benefit was inferior, and late VEAP-era enlistees were promised the MGIB.

There have been two opportunities for VEAP enrollees to convert to the MGIB; however, there has never been an opportunity for those who did not enroll in VEAP to do so. The first VEAP conversion program was offered only to those enrolled in VEAP with active accounts of at least $1. This conversion was conducted from October 1996 through October 1997 and yielded approximately 30,000 enrollees. A second VEAP conversion was authorized for those enrolled in VEAP with zero-balance accounts from October 2000 to November 2001. 2,698 (2%) of the 108,792 eligible actually enrolled in the MGIB. With such historically modest conversion numbers, it is highly unlikely that an open-enrollment opportunity for this group of career servicemembers would require more than a modest projected increase in the MGIB fund. With the nation at war, these future veterans should be given the same opportunity to enroll (or decline) the MGIB as all other servicemembers.

Recommendation: That a one-time MGIB open-enrollment opportunity be authorized for VEAP-era non-participants this year.

• Indexing the Montgomery GI Bill

As one of the founding members of the Partnership for Veterans Education, NCOA has had a long-standing goal of benchmarking the MGIB benefits so that they keep pace with the average cost of a four-year public college education. The “Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001” (P.L. 107-103) authorized incremental increases in the MGIB, with the final increase bringing the rate for full time study to $985 per month in October 2003. This represented a 46% increase during that three-year period; however, even with this final substantial increase, MGIB benefits will account for only about 67% of the average cost of a four-year public college or university for academic year 2003-2004. The challenges of readjustment facing those separating from the military makes it is increasingly difficult if not impossible for veterans to achieve their educational and training goals.

Recommendation: That MGIB rates match the average cost of an education at a four-year public college or university, adding a benchmarking provision into the law at the end of the authorized increases to ensure that the benefit parallels the increasing education costs.

• Removal of MGIB Delimiting Date

Many active duty members separate or retire from the military and because of financial circumstances and need for employment to support their families never use their Montgomery GI Bill entitlement. Their education entitlement expires 10 years following separation from the military. Members contribute $1,200 to be eligible for the MGIB. Many of these veterans are only able to pursue educational programs or special classes later in life when their own children are grown and independent of parental support.

Recommendation: That veterans have access to the unused portion of their $1,200.00 enrollment fee after the 10-year delimiting period to pursue educational endeavors.

• National Guard and Reserve Montgomery GI Bill

MGIB benefits, authorized under Chapter 1606 of 10 USC, have not kept pace with Chapter 30 (Title 38) MGIB benefits. Only two benefit increases, other than cost of living increases, have been authorized in the reserve program since its inception in 1985. As of 1 October 2003, the reserve MGIB rates will only be worth 27% of the Chapter 30 rate--$276 compared to $985 per month for full-time study.

Recommendation #1: That this Joint Committee works with the Armed Services Committees to transfer the Chapter 1606, Title 10 reserve MGIB program to Title 38 to ensure that future increases in basic benefits can be reflected proportionately in the reserve program.

Recommendation #2: Allow active drilling Guard and Reserve personnel whose MGIB benefits entitlement is available or expired with unused remaining entitlement be granted an additional 5 years to use their MGIB benefit if activated and deployed to a combat theater.


• Retention of DIC Benefits after Remarriage

The 108th Congress authorized Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) widows who remarry after age 57 to retain their DIC benefits. This was a major change in policy, which previously did not permit reinstatement of any DIC benefit if the DIC widow remarried. NCOA continues to seek reinstatement of this benefit for a widow (er) who remarries at age 55.

Recommendation: That Congress provides funds to permit a DIC widow(er) to remarry after the age of 55 (vice 57) and to retain DIC status and benefits.

• Clarification of DIC Benefit and Concurrent Receipt Policy

During the debate on Concurrent Receipt in the First Session of the 108th Congress, NCOA was of the perception that DIC recipients who were military Survivor Benefit Program (SBP) beneficiaries would be eligible to retain their SBP entitlement without “offset.” Obviously, this consideration was never codified in law as a provision for concurrent receipt. NCOA believes that DIC and SBP entitlements are separate and distinct. SBP represents an election by the service member with concurrence by the member’s spouse at time of retirement for which a monthly premium is paid to provide a spousal annuity. The DIC benefit is authorized based on the veteran’s death from a service-connected disability. Clearly, these two programs SBP administered by the Department of Defense and DIC administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs are separate and distinct entitlements and each should be available without offset.

Recommendation: That DIC and SBP entitlements are provided the surviving spouse without fiscal offset.

• Veteran Claim Processing

NCOA is well aware that the Veterans Benefits Administration has worked diligently to move the timeliness goal in claims processing to that established by the VA Secretary.

Significant effort has been made to secure and implement improved information technology systems to expedite the management of the claim process, increase productivity through technology, and reduce errors through intelligent systems. Secondly, and as equally important to technology enhancements, has been attracting new employees to VBA and providing the opportunity for their professional growth in the adjudication and administration of an effective and efficient veteran claim process. NCOA strongly believes that motivated people armed with enhanced information systems best serves America’s Veterans.

VBA has worked diligently over the past year to reduce the backlog in the claims process. Now they face concurrently Court issues and the start of the next major veteran exodus from active duty, and Guard and Reserve deployments. Over 437,777 military members have participated in Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during the period October 1, 2002 though August 2003. That 86,158 OIF and OEF personnel have separated from the military since August 2003 and have begun to file disability claims. Already over 18,749 claims have been filed.

Recommendations:

Continued Recruitment and Training to replace an aging and retirement eligible workforce eligible to separate from VBA in the next five years.

Development of automated self-service computerized access to benefit and entitlement processes accessible 7 x 24 and through centralized email capacity to answer a significant volume of questions that would otherwise require the personal intervention of VBA benefits counselors.

Man additional outreach locations with VBA service officers to support veterans at CBOCs, VA and community homeless shelters, and veteran training programs.

Veterans Health Administration

Increased Demands for VA Service

NCOA notes that the Department’s Veterans health Administration is still in the process of transformation in its efforts to best serve America’s veterans. Its work continues to attempt to optimize efficient and timely veteran access to health care, achieve performance standards in clinical/specialty appointments. Timely access to medical care has been a matter of concern of this Association for a number of years.

Steady progress while being achieved in the transformation of VA to meet mission and service delivery requirements now takes place as large numbers of veterans return from the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. VA reports that already more than 83,000 returning veterans have sought health care at VA medical facilities for one or more medical conditions. Reports indicate that over 10,000 wounded active duty personnel are being released from military hospitals. All of these veterans have a right to expect health care over their lifetime as necessary for adjudicated service connected disabilities. These veterans are in this Association’s judgment only the start of countless hundreds of thousands of active duty, Guard and Reserve personnel whose rotation this year and in the future in support of wartime contingency requirements will make them eligible for VA health care. This new group of wartime veterans enters the system at a time when DoD, Medical Researchers and VA are still working the issue of Undiagnosed Gulf War Illnesses for those veterans who served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm over a decade ago. .

Also contributing to increased demands for VA services is:

• The growing number of woman veterans applying for disability compensation and using VA health care for their medical needs. Women make up approximately 14 percent of the military force and whose utilization of VA is expected to top 10 percent in the immediate foreseeable future. Their medical needs require logistical preparation, medical specialties, and development of quality procedures for their care.

• The health care requirement for chronic homeless veterans. VA is the leader in the Nation’s effort to eliminate Chronic Homelessness among Veterans. These veterans need to have the systems in place to ensure the full array of health care to include physical rehabilitation and mental health services.

• Nursing home and long term care arrangements for America’s aging veterans. Significant numbers of senior veterans emerge in today’s VA nationwide community with the needs for supportive nursing homes, Long Term Care, day care, hospice and other end of life support.

In 2003, VA Actions recognized that the number of veterans seeking health care appointments and the continued projected growth in service-connected and NSC veterans exceeded patient services available. These planning factors are undiminished in FY 2004 and will remain prevalent for the foreseeable future. The veteran health care system while improved still requires extraordinary efforts to be able to serve the varied medical needs of all veterans.

VA suspension of any new Category 8 veteran enrollments for VA health care and commitment to honor all currently enrolled veterans in this category was necessary to ensure the availability, effectiveness, and quality of VA health care. This VA initiative will dramatically dampen those veterans seeking VA health care for prescriptions and limited clinical services. The Association notes that the suspension was viewed as a temporary measure in the past year by the Department as it announced the coming availability of a VA+Choice-Medicare Plan. That plan would offer Category 8 veterans and other non-service connected veteran the opportunity to use VA on a Medicare reimbursement of service provision. This program has yet to be implemented since it requires Medicare access standards to both primary and specialty care that may not be achievable at the present time. NCOA supported the program concept this past year to allow temporary suspension of new Category 8 veteran health care enrollees and the implementation of VA+Choice Medicare health care support of veterans who would choose this arrangement to use VA as their health care provider. Limiting enrollment of new priority 8 veterans, initiated as a temporary measure in the past year now appears to be a permanent solution.

Homeless Veterans

The 107th Congress provided unprecedented program authorization in its enactment of P.L. 107-95 to address ending chronic veteran homelessness in a decade. This Association recognizes each of the Veteran Committees for their conviction and leadership to make P.L. 107-95, The Comprehensive Homeless Veteran Assistance Act of 2001, a reality. It is NCOA view that it is an impossible task to implement the requirements the Homeless Assistance Act without
significant additional fiscal resources included in the VA budget. The distribution of current fiscal appropriations under VERA would require significant offsets that would both hamper the current veterans’ health care program while attempting token implementation of new initiatives. It would appear that lacking adequate financial resources one could easily question when the “clock starts running” to mark the beginning of the decade to end chronic veteran homelessness.

Full Funding for VA Health Care

It is time that MANDATORY funding be provided for veterans health care. The issue of whether or not health care funding should be discretionary or mandatory is, in the Association’s judgment, secondary to securing future adequate budget authority to provide health care service to America’s veterans.

Recommendation: That Appropriated Budgets require mandatory, vice discretionary, funding for veterans health care programs.

Additionally, that VHA work to secure and implement the envisioned VA+Choice Medicare health services for Priority 8 veterans not otherwise eligible for VA enrolled health care. Likewise, that VA implement its long-standing initiative to become a TRICARE provider eligible for reimbursement for services provided.


Arlington National Cemetery

NCOA strongly believes that the existing rules for internment at Arlington National Cemetery should be changed to allow burial of retirement eligible reservists, without regard to an age limitation, reservists on active or inactive duty for training, and their eligible dependents family members should all be entitled to burial at ANC. It is reprehensible to bar any reservist the right to be buried based on an arbitrary age requirement or deny when the death results during an authorized active or inactive training period. Members of the Reserve Components need to be fully recognized as a vital element of the Armed Forces and their training periods prepares them for war and other hostilities where they are placed in harm’s way.

While Arlington Cemetery is not under the purview of your Committees, nevertheless NCOA encourages the Joint Committee seek the codification of burial entitlement for members the Uniformed Services, Reserve and Guard components at Arlington National Cemetery. Specifically:

• The burial entitlement of a retirement eligible member of a Reserve Component who at the time of death was under 60 years of age and who, but for age would have been eligible at the time of death for retired pay under 1223 of Title 10 may be buried at ANC on the same basis as the remains of members of the Armed Forces entitled to retired pay under that chapter. The remains of the dependents of a member whose remains are eligible for burial at ANC on the same basis as dependents of members of the Armed Forces entitled to retired pay under such chapter 1223.

• The remains of member of a Reserve component or National Guard of the Armed Forces who dies in the line of duty while on active duty for training or inactive duty training my be buried at ANC on the same basis as the remains of a member of the Armed Forces who dies while on active duty. Provide for the remains of the dependents of a member on the same basis as dependents of members of active duty.


CONCLUSION

The Non Commissioned Officers Association appreciates the opportunity to provide this Joint Committee with the Association’s 2004 Veteran Legislative Goals. Your work is extremely important to improving the lives of the men and women who have served their country in the armed services, but most of all, the efforts you make to improve the veteran system will send the message to today’s veterans, as well as tomorrow’s, that dutifully answering the call to protect all American citizens by serving in the armed services is appreciated and valued. Our nation must reward freedom’s protectors with significant, substantive benefits.

Chairman Smith, Chairman Specter, the Non Commissioned Officers Association asks that you be watchful of those issues that do not fall under your committee’s jurisdiction but clearly affect veterans. As advocates for veterans’ issues, NCOA asks that you take an aggressive leadership role on such issues as:

• Making military retirees eligible for VA health care choose between health systems of the DoD and VA.

• Enactment of legislation to authorize concurrent receipt of all military retired pay and VA disability compensation without offset from either for all disabled military retirees.

• Seek full concurrent receipt for those veterans retired because of physical disabilities prior to the completion of 20 years of military service and those offered early retirement at 15 years of service as a force reduction program.

• Seek Constitutional protection of the American Flag.

• Seek and support legislation that will establish a Space Available (Space A) category for 100 percent service connected disabled veterans on military aircraft or government transportation afforded military retirees

The Motto of NCOA is “Strength in Unity. The Association truly believes that the unified efforts of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees in concert with the goals outlined here today will strengthen the institutional American commitment of this nation and renew the legacy of Lincoln to:

Care for them who have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.

Thank you for the opportunity to present these legislative initiatives on behalf of the membership of the Non Commissioned Officers Association.

DISCLOSURE OF FEDERAL GRANTS AND CONTRACTS

The Non Commissioned Officers Association of the USA (NCOA) does not currently receive, nor has the Association ever received, any federal money for grants or contracts. All of the Association’s activities and services are accomplished completely free of any federal funding.

Biography
Non Commissioned Officers Association
of
the United States of America
Gene Overstreet
President/CEO

Sergeant Major Gene Overstreet, the 12th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, accepted the position of President of the Non Commissioned Officers Association on August 22, 2003 at the NCOA Business Meeting. Overstreet first joined NCOA as Vice President, Membership Recruiting on May 1, 2001.

Sergeant Major Overstreet was born December 4, 1944 in Houston, TX. He entered the Marine Corps in June 1966 and completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA, followed by Basic Infantry Training School at Camp Pendleton, CA.

Upon completion of school, he reported to Staging Battalion at Camp Pendleton, for further assignment to the 1st Military Police Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, and Republic of Vietnam. Returning to the states, he was reassigned to the Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Pendleton.

Sergeant Major Overstreet subsequently completed successful tours on the Inspector-Instructor staff, Wichita, Kansas; recruiting duty in Des Moines, IA, and Detroit, MI; then returning to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, as a junior drill instructor, senior drill instructor, Series Gunnery Sergeant and Chief Instructor. Reassigned to Drill Instructor School, he was an Instructor, Drill Master and Chief Instructor.

After completing First Sergeant School, he was assigned to Special Projects at Drill Instructor School, where he undertook the enormous task of completely transferring the Drill Manual onto videotape for more optimal use during instructional periods. His promotion to first sergeant in February 1979 led to his third assignment on Okinawa as the First Sergeant, Headquarters and Service Co. 9th Engineer Battalion.

Upon his return from overseas, he was the First Sergeant of both Company B and C, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA.

Promoted to his present rank in October 1983, Sergeant Major Overstreet became the Inspector Sergeant Major, MCAGCC, Twentynine Palms. Returning to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, he served as a Battalion and Regimental Sergeant Major in the Recruit Training Regiment. Transferring to Camp Lejeune, NC, he served as the 6th Marines Sergeant Major. This assignment was followed by duty as Regimental Sergeant Major, 12th Marines, Okinawa.

On April 6, 1990, Sergeant Major Overstreet was posted as Depot Sergeant Major at San Diego. He was selected as the 12th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps in April 1991, and assumed the post on June 28, 1991.

Sergeant Major Overstreet's personal decorations include: Distinguished Service Medal; Superior Service Medal; the Meritorious Service Medal; Navy Commendation Medal; Navy Achievement Medal; and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Upon retiring from the Marine Corps, (June 29, 1995), he worked for a commercial insurance company where he held positions as Vice President of Military Marketing, Regional Vice President for Production, and Vice President for Field Development.

He is married to the former Jeanne Miller of Plainview, TX. They have one son, Jarod.