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THE BULLETIN BOARD |
| HOLIDAYS TO CELEBRATE IN MAY MOTHERS' DAY ARMED FORCES DAY MEMORIAL DAY |
As our year concludes and I look back at the last twelve months, I
realize once again how great a pleasure it has been to have served so fine
a group of fellow officers and spouses. I feel that we have had a good
year both locally and nationally. Among the many fine things that are
being done at the national level, I believe that the efforts to
strengthen SBP have been most meaningful and successful this year. On the
local level we have worked to build membership, and, just as important, to
retain members. We have not been as successful as we would have liked, but
a lot has been done, and our hosting of the first quarterly meeting of the
Texas Council of Chapters brought our chapter accolades from around the
state. Nothing good can come about without the help of very dedicated
members, and I would be remiss if I did not thank each of our volunteer
leaders for doing so outstanding a job in their particular assignments.
MAJ Stanley Bullard, Programs; Col Ben Meharg, Membership; LtC Hal Hampton, Support (This includes coordination our monthly
meeting logistics); our faithful Secretary, Mrs. Pat Eagan; LtC Rogerio
Rabago, Treasurer, Army Rep and ROTC Awards Coordinator, Col Bill DelVecchio; USAF Rep
LtC J Howard; USMC, USN, USCG, and myriad other services Rep LCDR Joyce Hoover;
| Chaplain LtC Ernest Dean; Associate Chaplain Col Leon Holland; Military Coalition Rep
Col Bruce Conover; Legislative Affairs Officer, LtC Carlos Higgins, and last but far
from least our dedicated and faithful and patient Newsletter Editor, LtC Mary Kelso. We were saddened by the loss of our fine Immediate Past
President, Col Harry Smith who left us with some great memories. Well, what can I say. With a crew like that a person would have to be an imbecile to have had a bad year. My heartfelt thanks to all of these, and I hope each of you will seek them out to express your appreciation. Many are staying on to help incoming President, CAPT Jim Brotherton carry on, and I am certain that they and the newly elected Board will have another great year. Each of us can help to make it a great year by inviting your acquaintances who are eligible to become members, and by being prepared to stop up and assume positions of leadership in the chapter in the future. I hope you have enjoyed the year as much as I have. Just remember, no matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously. For example, some wit said "Our bombs are smarter than the average high school student. At least they can find Afghanistan." Or, as Mark Train said, "Suppose you were an idiot......and suppose you were a member of Congress.....but I repeat myself." Join us on the evening of the 18th and enjoy the finest company to be found and a great program described in this bulletin. Maurice Quigley, Col., USA, (Ret.) President |
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MEET OUR SPEAKER Capt Eric S. Sims, United States Army Reserve, but what a career he has already had in the active Army. He is also one of us, in that he is a Texan and aside from the times when Military assignments took him away, has lived in Texas. He even graduated from Texas Tech University with a BA in Political Science. Military assignments; Fort Sill, Oklahoma [3 times] Schweinfurt, Germany Fort Knox, Kentucky (2 times] Fort Hood, Texas Fort Irwin, California Assigned Iraq 82nd Airborne G3 Section [Fallujah] Assigned IRAQ 1st Cavalry Division (Base Defense Camp Victory Complex] Capt. Sims has attended a number of Service schools; Artillery Officer Basic Course, Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Defense Course, Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Armor Officer Advance Course, Airborne School, and the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School. He has served As Platoon leader, fire direction officer and Battery commander with 155mm self propelled units in 3rd Infantry Division, 2nd Armored Division and the 4th Infantry Division. As Fire Support Officer at the company, battalion and Brigade level. As instructor/Operations Officer for Observer/Controller Team at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Capt Sims has numerous Awards and service medals , including the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. His grade is listed as Captain [Promotable], but unless the system has changed, one has to wait for a vacancy in the ranks of the Reserve unit in order to achieve that promotion. Married to Mary Kay Sims. One child age 2.75yrs. | HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE, WHO HAVE BIRTHDAYS IN THE MONTH
OF MAY-AND TO ALL THOSE OTHERS ABOUT WHOM WE HAVE NO INFO--
If we missed you, your driver's license will be ample evidence. We will draw names until we get a winner among those present and that person will receive a birthday present. Sorry, you must be present to win the present -no proxies |
| THANKS ARE ALSO DUE On behalf of the members of the Board and the
general membership, as Editor, I want to express the appreciation of all
of us to Colonel Maurice Quigley for the outstanding leadership and
inspiration which we have received throughout the past year of his second
term as President He stepped forth when someone was needed and was even
willing to take on the double job of Programs and President if that was
needed. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND INSPIRATION.--the Editor
VOLUNTEER WANTED Editor has an entire page of "useful phone numbers" that has not been updated since August, 2003, which I would like to republish in the June Bulletin. I need a volunteer who doesn't mind spending a few hours on the phone to verify these numbers as still valid or update them, as the case may be. See me at the May dinner if you would be willing to take on the project. Timely Reminder-Not always a pleasant subject to contemplate, but one which filled the verbal and written Media for several weeks and one about which we need to think- Are your end of life wishes put in writing? And. if so. do those documents still reflect your wishes? If not, now is the time to do something about it. If people are informed, they will do the right thing. It is when they are not informed that problems arise. |
An excerpt from The Affiliate" for May 2005 Rep. Jim Saxton [R. N.J.] and Sen. Jon Corzine (D., N.J.] have teamed up again to sponsor companion bills (H.R. 783 and S. 639) that would lower the reserve retirement age from 60 to 55. Lowering the reserve retirement age is one of MOAA's key goals for the Guard and Reserve community. In addition. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R. S.C.) has introduced his own "Guard and Reserve Readiness and Retention Act" (S. 337], which would reduce the reserve retirement age on a sliding scale. A reservist with 34 years of service could retire at 53; someone with 32 years of service at 54; and so on up to age 60 for those with 20 years of qualifying years of service. Graham, a colonel in the Air Force Reserve, chairs the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, which should give the initiative more visibility. MOAA thinks the reserve retirement system must be updated to recognize 21st century realities of Guard and Reserve service and sacrifice. Chapter members should immediately contact their legislators by letter, phone or other means and urge support for these initiatives. In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends. John coffins [1848-1908} critic & educator from Bits & Pieces. |
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DINNER MEETING - Wednesday, 18 MAY 2005 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! -Be an active member-You can't complain if you
don't take part. JUDGE LEE YEAKEL will be here to install our new
officers as well as those returning for another year. Let's have a
good turnout. Some of you have been absent for a long time now. Capt. Eric Sims, United States Army Reserve, was assigned to Iraq from Oct., 2003 to Oct., 2004. His hometown is Midland, Texas and he is currently living in Georgetown, Texas. His "civilian" profession is Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper. He epitomizes the many "civilian" soldiers who have been called to serve their country during the present conflict. This editor has heard Capt. Sims speak before and I think it is safe to say that you will hear a different story from what you hear in the media-one that will make you proud of your country and your services. Please make plans to join us on 18 May. -PLEASE NOTE: If you are not being called each month concerning the dinner meeting on the third Wednesday, please call your service representative (listed elsewhere in the Bulletin] and ask that he/she add your name to the calling lists. Your Service Rep Has Not changed, but your caller may have. If you have not been called by Sunday Evening and you wish to attend the dinner but cannot reach your own Service Rep., please call one of the others. They will be glad to accommodate you and turn in your reservation. | ORDER OF THE EVENING SEATING CHARTS WILL BE PLACED ON TABLES AT 1830 HOURS
MENU Waldorf Salad 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. We are not guaranteeing a singles spot- -You do not have to sit there. Do not rely completely on any other human being, however dear. We meet all life's greatest tests alone. The truth is what it is, but life is what you make it.. Contrib. by Tom Breckenridge, Canton, Ohio in Bits & Pieces |
| ------SBP needs Cosponsors- Excerpt from "The Affiliate" for May. In a continuing effort to win legislators' support for much-needed fixes to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP], MOAA presented two special SBP briefings to educate House and Senate staffers about SBP inequities that affect older retirees and survivors of active duty and retired members who die of service- connected causes. Col Lee Lange, USMC-Ret., deputy director of MOAA's Government Relations Department, explained how survivors lose a dollar in SBP benefits for every dollar of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) paid by the VA when the death is caused by military service. In many cases, these survivors are left with annuities of only $993 a month. The briefings also highlighted how Congress penalized older retirees by delaying the effective date of 30-year, paid-up SBP until 2008. Retirees who signed up for SBP in 1972 will pay six years longer and 34 percent more SBP premiums than a similar member who retired in 1978. Senators. Bill Nelson [D.FIa.] and Jon Corzine (D.-N.J. have joined to sponsor legislation (S.185) that would fix both problems, effective Oct.1, 2005. In the House, Rep. Henry Brown's (R.-S.C.) H.R. 808 would end the SBP-DIC offset. Rep. Jim Saxton's (R-N.J.) H.R. 968 would move up the effective date of paid- up SBP. The latter two bills also would make the changes effective Oct. 1, 2005. We need a flood of grassroots input to push legislators to cosponsor these bills, visit MOAA's Web site or call MOAA's toll-free Capitol Hill hot line, 877-762-8762. | Editor note-These bills affect all of us and it takes very little time
to respond with either an e-mail or a phone call- neither one costs
anything except a few moments of time. What we do now will affect not only
our own retired members, but those who will retire in the years to come.
Encourage your active duty friends or acquaintances to put in their two
cents worth. They may think these subjects only affect the retired
community, but remind them that they will be retired in time, and if we
don't get these matters corrected now, they will still be a plague 20 or 30 years from now.
-We are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not. Otherwise they turn up unannounced and surprise us.....and demand to know who deserted them, who betrayed them, who is going to make amends. Joan Didion, Writer-Bits & Pieces May 21st is Armed Forces Day-if you do not do anything else to observe it, FLY YOUR FLAG. SOME OF OUR LITERARY-INCLINED MEMBERS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ANSWERING THE LETTERS in the Letters to the Editor section of the "Military Officer" regarding what scum we are to dare ask for the things we were promised in return for our extended service, during ail of that service. |
| --ALERT-- Did you read and Heed the Alert in the Military Officer regarding New Internet fraud schemes?????? "These new Internet fraud schemes are among the worst we have ever encountered", says Michael Garcia, assistant secretary of homeland security. One scheme involves e-mails to relatives of U.S. service members killed in Iraq. Claiming to be a volunteer working with U.S. forces, the sender states that a late friend, who also was a service member killed in Iraq, was a good friend of the relatives' slain son or daughter. The sender then asks for money. Garcia says those who receive the bogus e-mails should ignore and delete them. MOAA Name tags available-Members who wish permanent name tags should contact Ben A. Meharg at 280-2563. E-mail bmeharg@austin.rr.com. The cost is $3.00, but they will last a life time-unless you lose them. |
The April meeting featured LtC Edward Marvin, President of the Texas Council of Chapters of MOAA,
He spoke to us about what the Council is and what it does. He
covered several items pending in Congress. EVENTS FOR MAY 18 MAY-dinner meeting-1830 hours -BAE systems (Tracor) -27 MAY-Friday, Board Meeting- 13:30 hours Camp Mabry Naval Reserve Building THE ABOVE IS A ONE-TIME CHANGE 27 MAY -ROWC-Luncheon- Austin Woman's Club See later Page for further details------- |
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CHAPTER OFFICERS 2004-2005
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NEW CHAPTER OFFICERS for 2005-2006
| President | Capt. James D. Brotherton | USN | Duties | ||
| First VP | Col Seldon P. Graham | USA | Duties | ||
| Third VP | Major Rylen B. Rudy | USMC | Duties |
Appointed Board Members | |||||
| Chaplain | LtC. Ernest S. Dean | USAF | 477-5390 | Duties | |
| Assistant Chaplain | Col. Leon Holland | USA | 335-1224 | Duties | |
| Personal Affairs Officer | Capt. William K. Brown | USN | 345-5420 | Duties | |
| Austin Military Coalition Representative | Col. Bruce Conover | USAF | 282-1844 | 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. Mary Kelso | USA | 346-7140 | Duties | |
| Webmaster | LtC. J. R. Howard | USAF | 255-2206 | Duties | |
THESE BOARD MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND,
AS OF THIS PRINTING THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES.
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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 o New Member o Returning Member o Current Active Member Dues for 1 Jan thru 31 Dec are $ 15 for Officers and $ 10 for Widows and Widowers
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