Marshall Islands Social Security Administration

Branch Operations (Ebeye)

Branch Operations (Ebeye)

Ebeye Branch Personnel, Left to right: Rooney Milne (Tax Compliance & I.T. Supervisor), Bernadette Kabua (Branch Manager), Pauline deBrum (Administrative Assistant), and Rustin Jatios (Logistics Support)

Since 1987 MISSA operates a branch in Ebeye, Kwajalein Atoll which has successfully collected an average of about $3 to $3.5 million annually. This represents about 20% of MISSA’s total annual collections for both Retirement and health Funds.

The majority of Ebeye’s collections come from Raytheon, the main contractor of the United States Army in Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA), until 2002. In early 2003, Raytheon was replaced by a new contractor. Kwajalein Range Services (KRS). Later, another contractor, Chugach Development Corporation started its operations in USAKA.

Aside from the 2 main contractors in USAKA, about 120 employers operate in the island of Ebeye, comprised of mostly mom and pop stores, schools, transport and other services.

The operation of MISSA’s Ebeye branch is basically similar to that of its head office on Majuro:

  • Issuance of SS cards for employees and EIN cards for employers (the numbers are generated from the head office on Majuro)
  • Receiving of claims for retirement, disability, survivor and lump sum benefits
  • Customer service
  • Distribution of benefit checks to Ebeye beneficiaries
  • Tax compliance
  • Collection of contributions and issuance of cash receipts
  • Accounting and administration

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MISSA appoints new Branch Manager for Ebeye

The MISSA Administrator approved the promotion and appointment of Bernadette “Bernie” Lojkar as Branch Manager for Ebeye effective June 1, 2008.

The promotion and appointment of Bernie was the result of the resignation of Harden Lelet, MISSA’s former Branch Manager for Ebeye, who accepted an offer to be the new Ombudsman between the RMI workforce on Kwajalein and Kwajalein Range Services (KRS). KRS is one of the two main contractors at USAKA.

Newly appointed Branch Manager, Bernie Lojkar (right) and former Branch Manager for Ebeye, Harden Lelet (left)

Prior to her promotion, Bernie served MISSA in various capacities. She first joined MISSA-Ebeye in October 2004 as Administrative Assistant and performed multiple functions for customer service, claims and benefits, treasury and accounting. In September 2007, Bernie was promoted to Tax Compliance Supervisor, a post she held until Harden Lelet’s resignation.

Bernie’s all-around experience in MISSA operations coupled with her good relationship with local and traditional leaders in Ebeye made her an ideal candidate for the said post.

In a related development, the Administrator also approved the promotion of Rooney Milne from Administrative Assistant to Tax Compliance Supervisor for MISSA Ebeye. Rooney will also act as I.T. Specialist and perform administrative functions.