THE

THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER

In May of this year, the Austin Military Officers Associ- ation of America (AMOAA) received some interesting demographic analyses on our chapter through the Texas Council of Chapters (TCC). A comparison of the data provided by the TCC, with that of our chapter necessitated some updating, yet allowed us to main- tain the integrity of the analyses. We decided to limit the information to what we felt would be of greater interest to our members, and also be consistent with the space allowed for this corner of the newsletter. Please keep in mind that the data is subject to slight changes monthly.

To start with, AMOAA membership totals approximately 310 with 243 males and 67 female members (This includes some members who are a bit late with their 2007 dues). Our youngest member is in the 40 to 44 age group; ages 45 to 59 total 11; and 52 are 60 to 69. Not surprisingly, 132 of us are in age group 70 to 79; and the seniors of the Greatest Generation who are 80 and over total 95 members. We also have 19 not age identified (apparently some shyness here in age revelation).

Military service representation shows: 171 USAF; 91 USA; 41 USN; 6 USMC; and 1 USCG members.

There are approximately 3,042 officers living in our Chapter area that are members of MOAA (national level) and 273 of us are also AMOAA members.

3,042 MOAA members minus 310 AMOAA members equals 2,732 potential members for our Chapter. As most of you know, we have sent letters to, and in some cases our service representatives have called, current MOAA members living in our area inviting them to join AMOAA. We will continue to do so in the future. This is interesting information, although not necessarily surprising to some of our members.

Remember: Support is a two-way street.

- Bill Del Vecchio

Speaking of support... Don’t forget to pick up some Raffle tickets at the dinner meeting.

$1 per ticket. Buy 5 - get 7... yes SEVEN.

MEET OUR SPEAKER

Paul Schmidt, RAC
Drug Enforcement Administration

Mr. Paul Schmidt is the Resident Agent in Charge at the Aus- tin Resident Office of the Drug Enforcement administration (DEA). He was assigned to Austin in June, 2004. Mr. Schmidt started his law enforcement career with the Colorado State Patrol in 1979.

In 1981, he became a Deputy Sheriff with the Arapahoe

County Sheriff's Office in Littleton, Colorado and continued for six years prior to his acceptance in the DEA. His employment with the DEA has included service in the Denver Field Division Office, the Seattle Field Division Office, the Miami Field Division Office, and Columbia and Venezuela.

Mr. Schmidt was promoted to Resident Agent in Charge of the DEA, Cheyenne, Wyoming Office in 1998. Since his promotion, he has completed a tour in Washington, D. C. and now oversees daily management and operations of the DEA Austin Resident Office.

Mr. Schmidt will cover an introduction into the world of the Drug Enforcement Administration regarding the history of the agency and its development; current strengths and deficiencies within the realm of " Drug Enforcement; " and will entertain questions from the members.

EVENTS FOR SEPTEMBER
19 September - Dinner Meeting - 1830 hours

BAE Systems (Tracor)

24 September - Board Meeting - 1330 hours TX Military Forces Museum - Camp Mabry

28 September - ROWC - Luncheon
Austin Women’s Club - See page 4

A complete computer collapse, the purchase of a new computer, the need to reload software and the struggle with issues of compatibility caused the Bulletin to be late this month. Please accept my apology for any inconvenience it may have caused you. --Editor

Tracers work both ways
Chaplain’s Corner

(By Chaplin Ernie Dean)

We are entering that phenomenally satisfying time of the year—autumn, or as some may say, fall. Spring time can be marvelous as new life emerges in creation. Folks have to get started with gardening, yards, farms. The good earth can be therapeutic as we plant and tend.

Summer is lived by many at a slower pace of swimming, picnicking, fishing, and vacationing. But, here in our area of the world, it is as hot as “blue blazes.” You better like heat and humidity! As for winter – do we have such a thing? Maybe it is just less hot and humid.

But autumn, brilliant colors, a little nip in the air, a time to reap the harvest, to tie up loose ends and put the earth to rest, to switch to indoor endeavors. Some tend to view autumn as the end, with nothing but cold winter to come. Others reflect on the harvest (of the earth, of their work, of their blessings) and give thanks, meditate, perhaps regroup, plan for the future, and give thanks again with the entire nation.

And so life moves on in increments, in a rhythm of cycles that goes back forever. But we who are alive in this age are not the same as our predecessors. A major difference is our “hurriedness.” How in the world did we become so driven? No one seems to know, but we live on the fast track, for the most part. Do we tend to wear out? You bet!

We can help ourselves, if we will. It is a matter of attitude. A man named Charles Swindoll is quoted as saying:

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have and that is attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.

The season is changing. As we age what we can do and not do changes. How about an attitude change? Are we due a “tune-up.” It is likely life for us would begin to appear more pleasing, hope-filled, positive, were we able to “accentuation the positive and eliminate the negative.” These words in a World War II song certainly helped our nation deal with a devastating world political situation. Welcome to autumn 2007! May it be one of the best we have ever experienced.

USS Shenandoah

The USS Shenandoah was the navy's first airship, entering service on October 10, 1923. It was 680 feet long and 68.9 feet in diameter. The airship weighed 77,500 lbs. empty, and could lift 53,600 lbs. It was based on the Zeppelin bomber of World War I, but used helium as a lifting gas, instead of hydrogen. Its most famous flight was made in 1924, when it be- came the first rigid airship to cross North America.

Flying from Lakehurst to California and back to Washington, the airship tested new mooring masts and thrilled the public.

In the fall of 1925, the Shenandoah was to make a promotional tour through the Midwest. Commander Zachary Lansdowne requested to have the trip canceled due to severe thunderstorms over Ohio. Lansdowne was only permitted postpone his departure. Early on the morning of September 3, Shenandoah encountered violent atmospheric conditions while over Noble County, Ohio.

Buffeted severely by air currents, Shenandoah's crew lost control of the airship. Rapidly rising and falling, the airship's structure amidships became overstressed, breaking it in two. As Shenandoah broke up, its external control car and engines fell free, killing Lansdowne and several of the crew. Lieutenant Commander Charles E. Rosendahl and other members of the crew were able to safely descend, flying the bow section as a balloon. All told
the crash claimed 14 dead, while 29 managed to reach the ground alive.

The crash illustrated the need for reinforcing the structure of rigid airships to protect against strong winds and weather. Following the Shenandoah crash, the Navy designed its airships with much heavier and stronger framing to prevent them from breaking apart in flight. Despite these efforts, the Navy lost two more rigid airships, USS Akron (1933) and USS Macon (1935), to severe weather. The loss of these vessels brought the Navy's experiment with rigid airships to an end in 1935.

""If a man does his best, what else is there?"
- General George S. Patton (1885-1945)

"They feed the crocodile in the hope that he will eat them last."

- Winston Churchill's observation about appeasers.

Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher - "Aim towards Enemy"

RETIREE Q & A
Q: Among retirees what is considered formal attire? A: Tied shoes.

Expect a call on the third Wednesday of the month, asking if you are planning to attend the dinner meeting. 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/

Great website - Thanks to JR Howard

Webmaster

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

Jazz sales are swinging right along. Cannonballs are simply exploding. Diamonds are starting to sparkle. Suspenders are just holding their own.

ORDER OF THE EVENING

SEATING CHARTS WILL BE PLACED ON TABLES AT 1830 HOURS

1830-1900 Hours: Social Period

Bar Open

Pay for Dinner

Check in with your service representative

Select seats (sign the form at the end of the table)

1900-1910 hours: Invocation

Pledge of Allegiance

National Anthem

1910-2000: Dinner and Door Prizes

2000 -- -- Speaker

MENU

The menu was not available as the Bulletin went to press.

The first computer "bug" was discovered in 1945 by engineers who found a moth in Panel F, Relay #70 of the Harvard Mark II system. The computer was running a test and the engineers noticed the multiplier test was wrong. A moth had become trapped in the relay.

CHAPTER OFFICERS 2007-2008

President: COL Bill Del Vecchio, USA 244-3248 colonelbd@sbcglobal.net

First VP (Program): Col Verne Phillips, USAF 458-1359 merlinphil@aol.com

Second VP (Membership): Col Wesley Lokken, USMC 288-4857 lokken@earthlink.net

Third VP (Support): COL Charles D. Bush, USA 264-2618 charles.bush1@us.army.mil

Secretary: Mrs. Patricia O. Eagan, FMS 894-4036 eaentrpr@aol.com

Treasurer: LtCol Rogerio Rabago, USAF 345-8193 rogerior@sbcglobal.net

USA Representative: LTC Fred Lord, USA 733-2422 flord@austin.rr.com

USAF Representative: Maj Norman Jefferson, USAF 257-7373 normanjefferson@yahoo.com

USN/USMC/USCG/USPHS/USNOAA Representative: LCDR Joyce Hoover, USN 452-9786

jjhoov@mail.utexas.edu

Past President: LtCol J. R. Howard, USAF 255-2206 jr99howard@austin.rr.com

Appointed Board Members

Chaplain: LtCol Ernest S. Dean, USAF 477-5390 essodean@sbcglobal.net

Assistant Chaplain: COL Leon Holland, USA 335-1224 leon.holland@alumni.utexas.net

Austin Military Coalition Representative: Col Bruce Conover, USAF 282-1844 cbcono@juno.com

Legislative Affairs Officer: LtCol Carlos W. Higgins, USAF 258-3564 carlostx@att.net

ROTC Awards Coordinator: LTC Fred Lord, USA 733-2422 flord@austin.rr.com

Newsletter Editor: LtCol John Rehm, USAF 282-0341 johnr@austin.rr.com

Webmaster: LtCol J. R. Howard, USAF 255-2206 jr99howard@austin.rr.com

(Appointed by the President as of this printing)

RETIRED OFFICERS WIVES CLUB
Friday, September 25, 2007

Austin Women’s Club
708 San Antonio Street
Social Time: 10:45 a.m. Luncheon: 11:30 a.m.

Program: Sue Patrick's Style Show .
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

Some retirees will no longer pay SBP premiums in 2008

Participants in the Uniformed Services Survivor Benefit Plan for retired military members now have a new milestone to mark on their calendars.

Effective October 1, 2008, SBP participants who reach 70 years of age and have made 360 payments (30 years), will no longer have to pay premiums for continued SBP coverage and will be placed in "Paid-up SBP" status.

Paid-up SBP provisions were mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 1999. The law also established a paid-up status, also beginning on October 1, 2008, for participants in the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan once they reach 70 years of age.

No action is required of SBP participants to be placed in Paid-up SBP status Once the eligibility criteria has been met, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will automatically stop deducting premiums from qualifying military retired pay accounts. The first retired pay payment affected will be the payment dated November 1, 2008.

-- Air Force Retiree News Service

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American... There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

-- Theodore Roosevelt 1907

DUES FORM

Please complete the form, cut out and mail with your check payable to: AMOAA mail to Military Officers Association of America, P.O. Box 1071, Austin, Texas 78767-1071.

Dues for 1 Jan to 31 Dec Officer: $17.00 Widow/Widower of Officer: $12:00

£ New Member £ 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

Name, Rank, Service: (Required)

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Home Phone: Cell Phone: Email:

National Number: Birthdays (M/D) Member: Spouse: