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THE BULLETIN BOARD | |
Some might take this time of the year to make resolutions for 2007. I prefer to define the moment as setting objectives. If I don't have several objectives for the weekend, I won't have much sense of worth on Monday. The same can be said for the week. If you have time to read this newsletter, you've got time to write down some goals for 2007. I suggest you divide up your life into several categories like self, family, church, MOAA, and friends. For yourself, it might be doing 40 sit-ups, three mornings a week; for your family, it might be doing a good deed daily; for your church, it could be fewer sleep-ins; and for AMOAA, it might be developing at least one good evening program, asking two people to come to dinner, volunteering to be a board member, attending two more meetings, and/or offering to pick up someone who doesn't drive at night. I'm looking forward to the coming year and the things that need to be done. If you don't think your city, state, and national government are going in the right direction, start making contacts and make your views be heard. Happy 2007! -- J. Robert Howard | MEET OUR SPEAKER
James Hornfischer is an author and World War II naval historian who lives here in Austin with his lovely wife, Sharon, and their three children, ages 9, 8, and 6. He is the author of the national bestseller, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, which The History Book Club Magazine called "a moving account that stands comparison with the best work of Stephen Ambrose." Bantam Books has just published Jim's second book, Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of Her Survivors. The book tells the story of the cruiser USS Houston, sunk in the Battle of Sunda Strait, whose surviving crew worked as POWs on the infamous Burma-Thailand Death Railway, the inspiration for the movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai." Jim is a frequent speaker on World War II history. He has appeared on
television on Fox News Channel's "War Stories with Oliver North" and
on C-SPAN's "BookTV." The History Channel recently aired a one-hour
documentary based on his book, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, and is
at work on another one that will also air on the History Channel. People will accept your ideas much more readily if you tell them that Benjamin Franklin said it first. |
(By Chaplain Ernie Dean) is that even if you win, you are still a rat. (Quoted in many sources) This is a significant insight for us. We Americans seem to love the treadmill
aspect of life-just hop on and let it go, go, go. But at the end you are where
you started! Gather a group and the discussion tends to focus on that which is
faddish-the latest TV show or movie, a new restaurant or vacation hot spot,
whatever is disguised as Shangri-La. Why? We are uncomfortable with, even afraid
of, silence.
Surely we do not want to waste the precious gift of time, of quiet time, that allows us to continue our work of being, of becoming. A friend of mine has discovered a technique that works beautifully for him as he seeks ways to disengage periodically from a high-pressure job. He takes off to the hill country, travels one of the back roads, searches out a small hill or knob, parks his car, climbs to the top of the hill, and ponders. |
The beauty of
creation is an awesome invitation to relax, to be quiet, to be in solitude.
Nothing man has devised can compete with nature as a soothing, affirming,
encouraging presence.
We have to be before we can do. That is what solitude can do for us, help us to be the person we want to be, that we were created to be.Then what we do is motivated from the truest and highest of our being and becomes far more meaningful, effective, and satisfying. In spiritual and psychological circles, the word solitude is important. Silence can simply mean quietness; solitude is a step up. We should be quiet for the specific purpose of becoming a stronger person. We begin to discern who we are, where we want/need to go. Then, and only then, does it make any sense to determine how to get there. Let us take time, starting today, to spend valuable and productive effort on redirecting our lives from the activity, noise and confusion of the "rat race," so that each one of us is able to achieve a level of balance and harmony that enhances meaning and purpose. We become stronger individuals and we become stronger as community. This is a win-win situation, better known in some circles as a blessing. Old World War II saying: "When the British shoot, the Germans duck, when the Germans shoot, the British duck, when the Americans shoot, everybody ducks....." Martin Luther King Day Third Monday in January. Born on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. grew to become one of the greatest Social Activists the world has ever known. At 35, he became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace prize. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 while making a speech from the balcony of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee. |
EVENTS FOR JANUARY |
TRICARE UPDATE For Maximum Allowable Charge Tables, listing over 300 procedures and amounts TRICARE is legally allowed to pay, go to http://www.tricare.osd.mil/allowablecharges
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| REACH OUT WHEN YOU NEED IT! (By Chaplain Ernie Dean) Do you, and those most important in your life, know what to do in case of the death of a military member? Periodically in our Austin MOAA newsletter, we publish important phone numbers, such as Casualty Assistance, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Veterans Affairs, Travis County Veterans Service Office, Camp Mabry Retiree Activities Office, and many others. The list will be published again soon. Share it in the family. Too often we receive inquiries from family members who have never seen the list and have no idea what to do. If you do not have current information and/or are unsure what to do, please call me. There is always a way help can be provided. |
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DINNER MEETING - Wednesday,
17 January, 2007 Note: Reservations may be made with your assigned caller or with your service representative by calling before 2100 hours on the Sunday before the Wednesday dinner. Cancellations should also be made by that time. Individuals who do not honor their reservations will be billed. |
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-- SUPPORT MOAA -- |
| Expect a call on the Sunday prior
to the Wednesday dinner-meeting, asking if you are planning to attend.
If you don't receive a call, check with your service representative and
ask to be added to someone's list. If you have not been called and wish
to attend, and cannot reach your own Service Rep, call one of the
others. They will be glad to take your reservation. Please be sure and
make a reservation if you plan to be there.
See Wes Lokken at the meeting, or call 228-4857 lokken@earthlink.net COMPUTERS http://www.main.org/moaaaustin/ Great website - Thanks to JR Howard Webmaster We try to sit together at MOAA dinners. "Unfortunately, many people do not consider fun an important item on their daily agenda. For me, that was always high priority in whatever I was doing." - Chuck Yeager. | ORDER OF THE EVENING SEATING CHARTS WILL BE PLACED ON TABLES AT 1830 HOURS
When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend. "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." - Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) "Twenty-five doesn't sound like much until you start flying them." - Capt Robert Morgan of the Memphis Belle BUMPER STICKER I DON'T SUFFER FROM INSANITY, I ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT. "Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be." -- Grandma Moses (1860-1961) | ||||||||||
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CHAPTER OFFICERS 2005-2006
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Appointed Board Members | |||||
| Chaplain | LtC. Ernest S. Dean | USAF | 477-5390 | Duties | |
| Assistant Chaplain | Col. Leon Holland | USA | 335-1224 | Duties | |
| Legislative Affairs Officer | LtC. Carlos W. Higgins | USAF | 258-3564 | Duties | |
| ROTC Awards Coordinator | Col. Bill Del Vecchio | USA | 244-3248 | Duties | |
| Newsletter Editor | LtC. John Rehm | USA | 282-0341 | Duties | |
| Webmaster | LtC. J. R. Howard | USAF | 255-2206 | Duties | |
RETIRED OFFICERS WIVES CLUB Austin Women's Club Program: To be announced BRIDGE
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Congratulations to the following members who are celebrating their birthday in January!
Member Highlight Col Charles D. Bush Charles graduated from Panhandle A & M College, Goodwell, Oklahoma in May 1965, with a BS Degree In Health & Physical Education and Industrial Arts. After graduation he coached football and taught physical education and wood shop. Charles was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps, In October 1965, and served in the U.S. Army until October 1995, when he retired. He served one tour in Vietnam & three tours in Germany, commanded at all levels from Platoon Leader to Brigade Commander, served as the 2nd Armored Division's G-4 and on FORSCOM Joint Staff, and ended his tour as Director of Logistics at Fort Hood, Texas. His awards include a Bronze Star and three Legions of Merit. Col Bush was a Senior Logistics Manager and Program Manager for General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), from 1995 until 2002. He retired from GDLS in 2002 as the Program Manager for the Fort Knox, KY Base Operations Support Contract (DOL/DPW). Charles and his wife, Jan, returned to Texas and the Hill Country during the fall of 2004. Colonel Bush received an MBA from Babson College in 1975 and completed Command & General Staff College and the Army War College. He and Jan have two daughters and are members of the Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church. Col Charles D. Bush is Third Vice President of the Austin Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America. "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." - -- Plato (427-347 B.C.) |
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DUES FORM Please fill in the form, cut out, and mail it with your check payable to: AMOAA mail to:
Military Officers Association of America o New Member o Current/Returning Member Please clearly print your information The
following information has changed or needs to be added to the database: £ Address £ Home Phone £ Cell Phone £ Email Address £ National Number £ Birthdays
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