THE BULLETIN BOARD Austin Chapter * The Military Officers Association of America November 2007 LtC. John Rehm, Editor

 

-- SUPPORT MOAA -- Even though the "Give Me 10" Campaign ended on December 31st, you can still support your chapter by inviting an eligible friend, neighbor or coworker. COME AND JOIN YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS Enjoy the kind of people you served with.

MEET OUR SPEAKER LCDR Kevin L. Sanders, LCDR, USN-Ret. Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Stony Point High School Round Rock, Texas LCDR Sanders teachers high school as a US Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) instructor at Stony Point High School in Round Rock, Texas.     Kevin has an MBA from Webster University, is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College with advanced studies in strategic planning, operations and logistics. He also studied at the Naval Postgraduate School with an in-depth study in Aviation Safety. He has an undergraduate degree in Anthropology from the University of San Diego.     Kevin retired from the US Navy as a Lieutenant Commander. He served onboard the USS Waddell as a Surface Warfare Officer, and also transitioned to fly in the F-14 Tomcat as a Radar Intercept Officer. He deployed to the Persian Gulf five times from 1987 to 1994. He has participated in a number of operations, notably "Ernest Will" and "Southern Watch". He logged over 2,000 hours flight time and 384 carrier landings.

Thanksgiving In the United States Thanksgiving is a four day weekend which usually marks a pause in school and college calendars. Thanksgiving meals are traditionally family events where certain kinds of food are served. First and foremost, turkey is the featured item in most Thanksgiving feasts (so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes called "Turkey Day"). Stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, turnips, yams and pumpkin pie are commonly associated with Thanksgiving dinner. The first official Thanksgiving Proclamation made by the American colonies who rebelled against the Crown of England was issued by the Continental Congress in 1777. 1789 Washington designated a national thanksgiving holiday for the newly ratified Constitution, specifically so that that the people may thank God for "affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness" and for having "been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed..."

 

Chaplain's Corner (By Chaplin Ernie Dean) WHAT DO YOU THINK? Every once in a while, someone will ask you or me, "You look far, far away. What are you thinking about?" You have heard this statement any number of times: "A penny for your thoughts! "In most cases, these comments are sincere and represent love and caring. They are a type of affirmation, too, for the implication is that our thoughts are worthwhile. Are they? What do you and I think about in our deepest, most significant moments? It helps, periodically, to practice some introspection to encounter first hand the thoughts that are behind our actions. Indeed, each of us has taken some knee jerk reaction or spoken something quickly "off the top of my head". Yet, there are precious moments when thoughts and deeds are of monumental consequence to the quality of our lives and to the character of our relationships with those around us.  No single thought or spoken word or deed tells all about us, but each is an indicator. When certain indicators begin to accumulate, trends become habits and habits become manifested as behavior.

As we reflect and contemplate, we can evaluate these behaviors and ask ourselves if the person we are observing is the person we want to be. Now it is decision time. Do we deteriorate, attempt to hold to the status quo, or (hopefully) do we forge ahead as a new or renewed person? What we are doing or not doing today plants the seeds for our tomorrows. We become our actions or inactions, whether we mean to or not. Obviously, then, today is the precise time to determine who we are-deep down inside of our minds, hearts, and souls. May we encounter joy and peace as we rub against the center of our beings-joy and peace that will pull us onward to ever more joy and peace, never to an indulgent self-satisfaction. On this fantastic journey of discover and becoming, we will meet others who are on their journeys and the sharing is beautiful. Most lovely of all, however, we will meet the Holy One whom we revere as the Great Spirit, creator of life, heaven and earth, even eternity. May you be filled with an exuberant spirit of thanksgiving

 

EVENTS FOR November 14 November - Dinner Meeting - 1830 hours      BAE Systems (Tracor) 19 November - Board Meeting - 1330 hours      TX Military Forces Museum - Camp Mabry 9 November - ROWC - Luncheon      Austin Women's Club - See page 4 Tell your eligible friends why the Austin Chapter's dinner meetings are worth going out for. Tell them about the great food! Meet people with a broad range of experience. We'd like to meet them.  .And don't forget to tell them about MOAA. Support the "Give me 10" drive for new members!

 

THE BULLETIN BOARD     DINNER MEETING -  Wednesday, 14 November, 2007     BAE Systems Dining Hall         6200 Tracor Lane (Highway 183, South of Webberville Overpass, Just off Ed Bluestein Blvd)                       1830 hours Attire:  Men: Business Casual  or Uniform always appropriate Ladies:  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 that time. Individuals who do not honor their reservations will be billed.

 

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. NEED A PERMANENT NAME TAG? See Wes Lokken at the meeting, or call 228-4857 lokken@earthlink.net COMPUTERS Don't forget to visit the chapter website http://www.main.org/moaaaustin/ ATTENTION SINGLES Look for the sign "SINGLES" -- and sign your name if you want to sit with us... but you don't have to. We try to sit together at MOAA dinners. TODAY'S STOCK MARKET REPORT Running shorts are now on track.. Seat belt sales have been constricted. Building supplies are going up. Glues seem to be stuck. Candy futures are looking sweet.

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 2000- Speaker MENU Salad House Salad Entree Baked Turkey Breast Starch Roasted Garlic Potatoes Vegetable Root Vegetable Medley Bread Dinner Roll Dessert Pumpkin Cheesecake You're probably wondering what the form on the last pages for.  It's there to make it easy to send in your dues... They're due!

 

CHAPTER OFFICERS 2005-2006 President Col. Bill Del Vecchio USA 244-3248 email Duties First VP  Col Verne Phillips USAF 458-1359 email Duties Second VP  Col Wesley Lokken USMC 288-4857 email Duties Third VP  Col Charles D. Bush USA 264-2618 email Duties Secretary   Patricia O. Eagan FMS 894-4036 email Duties Treasurer LtC. Rogerio Rabago USAF 345-8193 email Duties USA Representative  LtC Fred Lord USA 733-2422 email Duties USAF Representative  Maj Norman Jefferson USAF 257-7373 email Duties USN/USMC/USCG/USPHS/USNOAA LCdr. Joyce Hoover USN 452-9786 email Duties Immediate Past President LtC. J. R. Howard USAF 716-4224 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
Legislative Affairs Officer	LtC. Carlos W. Higgins	USAF	258-3564	email	Duties
ROTC Awards Coordinator	LtC Fred Lord	USA	733-2422	email	Duties
Newsletter Editor	LtC. John Rehm	USA	282-0341	email	Duties
Webmaster	LtC. J. R. Howard	USAF	255-2206	email	Duties

 

RETIRED OFFICERS WIVES CLUB Friday, November 9, 2007 Austin Women's Club 708 San Antonio Street Social Time: 10:45 a.m.             Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. Program: Fox News Reporter Arezo Doost                                            Speaking on Afghanistan before and after the Taliban For Reservations Contact: Kitty Larson 288-2078        Jo Jean Gillespie 345-3069 BRIDGE Second Friday of each month - 0915 hours Cafeteria in the Headquarters Building of CAMP MABRY Contact: Shirley Bone 1-246-9829

 

Happy Birthday! Congratulations to the following members who are celebrating their birthday in November! We wish you a very Happy Birthday. Martha Bangasser Bill Bester Sean Blaydon Sandra Bosley Frederick Brooks, Jr. James Brotherton Stanley Bullard James Burrill Dennis Cost Arthur Day Ernest Dean, Jr. Yvonne Ferguson Gladis Fouts William Gee Glen Hellenga Edward Hill Lee Keskinen Lewis King Doris Lamb Allen Little Carolyn Munnerlyn Milton Nielson Rosa Patterson Charles Perkins Andi Petticrew Verne Phillips John Rehm Susanne Reiss Orrin Ross Pat Rudy William Russell Carol Sampson Louise Sellars Joan Smith Richard Suttle Wilfred Timmermann Janice Whitman Thomas Williams John Zubel