MEET OUR SPEAKER    Our Speaker in March is Judge Jim Coronado. Judge Coronado is the Criminal District Court Magistrate for Travis County. He has served as a Judge for over 17 years.     He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas Law School.; a Director of the State Bar of Texas, and serves on its Executive Committee. Judge Coronado is a fellow of the State Bar Foundation, Chairman of the State Bar Board Committee on Legal services to the poor, and a Master in the Robert Calvert INN of Court.     He is a member of the Board of KLRU Public Television and a member of the board of The Austin Project.     Judge Coronado has lived in Austin for over 35 years. He is married to Dawn Dittman Coronado, and they have a seven year old son.     In the next election. Judge Coronado is running for Justice of the 3rd Court of Appeals here in Austin, the position held by the late Justice Mack Kidd who died last year.     Please come prepared to ask questions— You will find that the Magistrate's job is very interesting and very people intensive. Excerpt from 'The ADVOCATE'—Feb, 06  On March 29, MOAA council presidents and national board and staff members will storm Capitol Hill. In one day, we will visit almost every key U.S. senator and representative. Our mission this year will be to urge passage of two final fixes to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) system:

[1] end the unfair dollar-for-dollar offset of SBP for surviving spouses who draw Dependency and Indemnity Compensation; and [2] set a date for instituting 30-year, paid-up SBP for military retirees who've paid SBP premiums for 30 years. Also, we will push hard for helpful legislation to cure the still existing myriad of problems with the Tricare system, and, equally important, we will fight to fend off any congressional attempts to increase fees our younger members currently pay for health care. To meet this mission, we need the help of every chapter and every member, and that help must begin now. Here are four points essential to our success.  1. READ. Study your Military Officer' magazine to learn the issues and know what to tell your legislators. Pay particular attention to the issues devoted to Storming the Hill.  2. RESPOND. React to the magazine's call to action. Mail pull-out cards and e-mail your three legislators . Encourage family and friends to send e-mails, and use MOAA's toll free Capitol Hill hotline. Call (866) 272-6622 [MOAA], ask the operator for your legislator's office, and tell the person who answers that you'd like to speak to the aide who handles your issue.  3. WRITE. Before we arrive to storm the Hill, either the chapter President or legislative affairs chair should write to the legislators we plan to visit. Explain that a team representing both the national and state levels of MOA will seek an appointment to discuss the issue or issues you've read about. Tell them you support the team's issues and that the team is speaking for you, your chapter, and your fellow chapter members.  4. REVIEW. If your legislator is in your district during the run-up to Storming the Hill, make a personal call to review our issues. If the lawmaker is away, call on the district staffer. Thanks for your help. If you accomplish these four points, we'll hit the deck running March 29.

 

MRS DIANNE ARMSTRONG USAF LTCOL RONALD BANDSUCH USAF COL FRED BANGASSER USA MRS EDITH BERGEN USA MRS MICKEY BURR1LL USN MRS MARY ELIZABETH CHRISTIAN USAF MRS SANDRA DIDLAKE USAF MGEN GEORGE EDWARDS, JR USAF MRS MARSHA HORNER USA MRS KAREN KELLEY USAF MAJ CHRISTON KLOTZ USMC MRS DIANE KLOTZ USMC LTCOL WALLACE KULCZYK.JR USAF MRS GAYNELLE LESCHER USAF COL GEORGE LEWIS USAF MRS DOROTHY LINEBAGK USA MRS LYNN LORD USA CAPT EDWARD MARSYLA USN LTCOL ROBERT MCPARTLAND USAF COL BEN MEHARG USMC MRS ELINOR PUSIN USAF COL MAURICE QUIGLEY USA MAJ JOHN REESING USA MRS SHER1 TQLER USAF LTGEN RICHARD TRZASKOMA USAF MRS LEE WALTERS USA Congratulations and Happy Birthday to all. You have 1 chance in 26 to win a birthday present if you are present at the dinner meeting. You also have 3 chances to win a door prize. Horse sense is what keeps horses from betting on what people will do.                                        Raymond Nash from Bits & piece —Have you paid your Annual DUES???

 

THE BULLETIN BOARD     DINNER MEETING -  Wednesday, 15 March, 2006     BAE Systems Dining Hall         6500 Tracor Lane (Highway 183, South of Webberville Overpass, Just off Ed Bluestein Blvd)                       1830 hours Attire:  Men: Business Casual or Uniform always appropriate Ladies: Business Casual Dress, Pant suit or Uniform Charge: $20.00 per person [check payable to AMOAA ] 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 the aforementioned time. Individuals who do not honor reservations will be billed.

 

-COME AND JOIN YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS - SUPPORT MOAA!" You can celebrate St. Patrick's day without it's costing an arm and a leg. We don't guarantee GREEN BEER-but everyone can be Irish for one day and wear your GREEN. Not the day for Texas Orange. Find a new member to bring with you. We are no longer a "retired" organization-we are a dynamic one.!!! A TALK WITH THE PREZ——— Recently Colonel Bill Del Vecchio, USA., Ret., called MOAA in Alexandria, VA., to order ROTC/JROTC medals and certificates for our 2006 awards program. After completing the order, Bill was unexpectedly transferred to the office of Vice Admiral Norb Ryan, Jr., USN-Ret and had a pleasantly surprised conversation on several topics about the Austin Chapter. About a week later, Col Del Vecchio received a note from the Prez who expressed his gratitude on the success of the ROTC program and for having the Texas State Adjutant General as a recent guest speaker. He also indicated that he would try to make it to Austin in the future. I guess one can call this Admiral Ryan's "Open Door Policy". Contributed by Col Del Vecchio

 

PROGRAM——— , Do you know what the distinction is between a Judge and a Court Magistrate?. Most judges are sleeted (up TO the federal level)-Magistrates are usually appointed by the Judges of the courts with which they are affiliated. Should you be unfortunate enough to land in jail for any reason you can expect a hearing in Magistrates Court. Your editor had a long telecon with Judge Coronado and she guarantees you a most interesting program. DON'T MISS IT.  See you an the 15th. Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about?  It just makes me feel glad to be alive-it's such an interesting world.               Lucy Montgomery [1874-1942] Writer Don't forget - lf you are not being called about the dinner meeting on the third Wednesday of the month, check with your service representative and ask to be added to someone's list. Your Service Rep is listed elsewhere in the bulletin. 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 ;o take your reservation. Just, please do make a reservation if you plan to be there. Permanent name tags-contact Ben Meharg at the meetting or call 280-2569. E-mail BenM@austin.rr.com—keep in mind that Ben has a paying job in the daytime.

ORDER OF THE EVENING SEATING CHARTS WILL BE PLACED ON TABLES AT 1830 HOURS 1830-1900: -Social Period - Bar Open--  Pay for Dinner, Check in with Service Representative, Select Seats (sign form on table)  1900-1910 : Invocation Pledge of Allegiance National Anthem  1910-2000: Dinner and Door Prizes 1940 - 2230 Speaker MENU Spinach Salad w/ Blue Cheese and Almonds  Corned Beef Pastrami  Roast Roasted Potatoes and Apples  Cider and Beer Glazed Cabbage  White Rolls and Butter  Lemon Bundt w/ fresh berries and Cream Coffee-Tea-Iced Tea ATTENTION-SINGLES We try to sit together at MOAA dinners. Look for the sign SINGLES-and sign your name if you want to sit with us. -You do not have to sit there. -----

 

CHAPTER OFFICERS 2005-2006 President Capt. James D. Brotherton USN  394-9381 email Duties First VP Col Seldon P. Graham USA  452-4000 email Duties Second VP Col. Ben A. Meharg USMC 280-2569 email Duties Third VP Major Rylen B. Rudy USMC  452-9923 email Duties Secretary   Patricia O. Eagan FMS 894-4036 email Duties Treasurer LtC. Rogerio Rabago USAF 345-8193 email Duties USA Representative Col. Bill Del Vecchio USA 244-3248 email Duties USAF Representative LtC. J. R. Howard USAF 716-4224 email Duties USN/USMC/USCG/USPHS/USNOAA LCdr. Joyce Hoover USN 452-9786 email Duties Immediate Past President Col. Maurice Quigley USA 327-0285 email Duties

 

Appointed Board Members
Chaplain	LtC. Ernest S. Dean	USAF	477-5390	email	Duties
Assistant Chaplain	Col. Leon Holland	USA	335-1224	email	Duties
Personal Affairs Officer	Capt. William K. Brown	USN	345-5420	email	Duties
Austin Military Coalition Representative	Col. Bruce Conover	USAF	282-1844	email	Duties
Legislative Affairs Officer	LtC. Carlos W. Higgins	USAF	258-3564	email	Duties
ROTC Awards Coordinator	Col. Bill Del Vecchio	USA	244-3248	email	Duties
Newsletter Editor	LtC. Mary Kelso	USA	345-7140	email	Duties
Webmaster	LtC. J. R. Howard	USAF	255-2206	email	Duties

RETIRED OFFICERS WIVES CLUB Friday,-24 March, 2006—Luncheon at the Austin Woman's Club               708 San Antonio Street               Social time-10:45 a.m.                Luncheon-11:30 a.m.                Program— Design on a Dime with Rachel Hensley—                    (A Little Change Goes a Long Way)                 For Reservations Contact: Martha Kirby— 259-0423                                                         Jo Jean Gillespie—345-3069  Caring and Sharing Widows Group-first Monday of each month-l:00 PM.      -LUBY'S CAFETERIA ON STECK AVE (OFF MESA OR MOPAC)       Contact Genevieve Bruce (453-0871)  BRIDGE  Second Friday of each Month  —0915 hours  Bridge—Cafeteria in the Headquarters Building of CAMP MABRY  Contact—Shirley Bone (246-9829)  MOAA ROTC/JROTC PROGRAM— The purpose of the MOAA ROTC medal/certificate is to recognize an outstanding ROTC cadet or midshipman or JROTC cadet, in his next-to-last year in the program, who shows exceptional potential for military leadership (exceptional academic achievement, in the case of the Marine Corps JROTC program). The medal cannot be used for any other purpose. The candidate must:  1. Be in the next-to-last year of the ROTC or JROTC program (customarily in the junior year of college or high school.  2. Be in good academic standing.  3. Be of high moral character.  4. Evidence a high order of loyalty to his unit, school and country.  5. Show exceptional potential for military leadership.  Interested in being a Presenter???  Contact COL Bill DelVecchio, USA. Ret.  (colonelbd@sbcglobal.net) or phone 244-3248 TRICARE UNDER ATTACK  By Carlos Higgins    Our military organizations are astir and trying to energize us to do something about the impending TRICARE increases. Apparently, the increases are forecast to be substantial. We're gonna pay more!     MOAA has provided post-card form letters to us to mail in. They are pre-addressed to make it easy. But if you feel strongly about this issue, you are much more likely to get the attention of your Congressman by taking the time to pen your very own letter, in your own words.     Arguments against the changes are essentially these: 1. We were promised life­time health care for our service, and 2. (MOAA position.) Military people already pay larger premiums for their health care than civilians ever have or will - through extraordinary personal and family sacrifices.     Whether these arguments are good enough remains to be seen. Unfortunately, there may be somewhat of a disconnect between most people in our society today, and those of us past and present who served in the military. Sadly, the gap between our Washington leadership and our military also seems to be growing.     One study found that fewer than 6% of Americans under age 65 have served in the military, that fewer Congressmen and women have served in the armed forces, and that less than one-third of Congress are veterans. As to the younger generation, the study found that high school students do not relate to the military, and most students claim that their grandfather served in the military but their parents did not.     The US Comptroller offers dire predictions about our national economy, in the face of the huge and growing national debt and escalating costs of medical care and social security. These economic realities, combined with a society less sensitive - or at least less attuned - to concerns of the military community do not offer a whole lot of encouragement.     In NASA jargon, Houston, we have a problem. And it's growing. All of us need to do a better job of speaking up, not only for ourselves, but more importantly for our active duty and reserve troops. If we sit silently by while disdain for our military grows, that cannot be a good thing at all for our country. (When colleges block recruiters from the campus, that is disdain for our military.)     We earned our health-care benefits, and we should not be timid about saying so. The shameful claim by DoD that our health costs compete with weapons programs (as related by MOAA) is a false premise that should not be tolerated. Whatever our country spends for weapons competes with everything spent by this country - certainly not just the military health benefits.     Conclusion: It's time to speak up, for ourselves and for all those who serve our country in uniform. War is costly. And those costs should without a doubt include decent medical care for those who carry so much of the load for our nation — all those in uniform, past, present and future. What keeps you from believing that the universe is yours?   Reach out, embrace it. I say, "the sky's the limit!"   So get your bag, get your stuff, and head for the stars.......I'll meet you out there-           Maura Beatty,     Life management expert

DUES FORM Please fill in the form below, detach it, and mail it with your check (payable to AMOAA) to: Military Officers Association of America P.O. Box 1071 Austin TX 78767-1071 o New Member          o  Returning Member     o Current Active Member Dues for 1 Jan thru 31 Dec            are $ 17 for Officers and $ 12 for Widows and Widowers   Name, Rank, Service ___________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________ City ___________________________________________ State _______________Email________________________ Telephone no. _______________ Fax________________________