Austin, Texas Chapter

The Association for all Military Officers
Companion Bulletin- April 2010

Words from the Commander: April already?  What happened to January through March?  The trees popped 'green' overnight and the grass is ready to be cut for the third time this spring. It all happens so fast and so beautifully. Birds singing and building nests, and the warmer weather calling to each of us to come out and enjoy. Nature is a wonderous thing. This April brings three other things of note; if you haven't sent back the census forms, do it quickly so they don't come knocking on your door. And of course the Federal Income Tax forms are due to be mailed by midnight of the 15th. Then the third and a most important item is for you to join us at the Holiday Inn on the 8th. See you there. R. B. Rudy As the old farmer says; "If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."                                R. B. Rudy Meeting. Our next meeting will be April  8th  at the Holiday Inn Northwest (Mopac & Hwy 183) Join us for an evening of socializing, dining, and an informative presentation.

APRIL PROGRAM  Now that spring is in the air, it is fitting that our April program be uplifting. Our exciting program this month will reflect upon a different and unique perspective of flying. The speaker will share personal experiences and observations of an eight-day around the world flight as co-pilot of a single engine aircraft.  We are fortunate to have Carol M. Foy, CFIL, MEI of  Foy Aviation in Spicewood, Texas join us at the April meeting. She will share many of the details associated the meticulous planning, coordinating, and executing the world record Dash for a Cure flight in 2008.  Make your reservations early so you will not miss hearing about her exciting adventure and witness her enthusiasm for flying.  THE HURT LOCKER: Many film critics and awards voters have praised " The Hurt Locker's" depiction of the U.S. military in Iraq, often singling out the bomb disposal drama for its authenticity. But as the film emerged and won the best picture at the 2010 Academy Awards, a number of active soldiers and veterans say the film is Hollywood hokum, portraying soldiers as renegades while failing to represent details about combat accurately.

MOWW Scripture and Commentary March 2010 (Chaplain Ernie Dean)      The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it. (Psalm 24:1)    Creation is wonderful! Of all the features that make Creation wonderful, certainly a significant one is that Creation has balance and harmony, a way of keeping itself fit. That is until we humans caused disarray. A crucial aspect of our faith is that God wants us to be good caretakers (stewards) of the phenomenal gift we have in Creation. Most folks claim a belief in God and God's goodness, yet we humans allow a great deal to happen that is disruptive to our environment. If the belief those folks claim is true, then abuse of the environment amounts to sacrilegious behavior. We turn out to be our own worst enemies.    There is an on-going debate over whether or not global warming is a real issue and is caused mostly by human behavior. We should live above the debate and face the facts. While one can argue over the causes of air and water pollution, for example, no one cannot deny the existence of the problem. So with this and all aspects of pollution and contamination, let's see it for what it is, promise to do better, and get busy. Let's commit to sane, careful, wise living so we have a world that is livable for us and will be livable for the generations to follow us. Let's insist our elected leaders do the same.    The generations to follow? Note the verse above; it includes those who live in it-the marine life in the polluted lakes, rivers and oceans, the terrestrial life whose habitat is destroyed, food source polluted, and soil depleted or washed away, and us. Yes, us, all of us, those displaced by famine and war, those many impoverished by poor governance and greed of a few, and those who will inherit our messes. You get the picture-and can see how it goes on and on. God has given us a wonderful world, highly suitable for gracious living, and big enough for all of us. It is up to us to live graciously, gently, responsibly, thankfully. It is up to us to live creatively to bring about healing for the Lord's world, and those who live in it.

Our loved ones following on behind us will be ever so pleased and so much better off if we do what is right and what is most loving and healing so that balance and harmony once again exist in God's Creation. About Our Speaker      Carol M. Foy    Carol Foy of Spicewood, Texas, prefers to fly fast. Carol's active interest in flying began in 1989 when her husband bought a Mooney airplane. After several flights, it occurred to her that she should learn how to land. It only took a few lessons for her to fall in love with aviation and within two years of her private license she had acquired her commercial, multi-engine and instrument ratings. Carol entered her first Air Race Classic (ARC), an all female cross-country air race in 1992. A new passion was born, and in 2006, she won the 2,478 mile ARC race.     Carol also likes to land on the water as a float plane pilot and fly without an engine as glider pilot. A few years ago, she added her flight instructor's license and multi-engine and instrument instructor ratings to her qualifications and left her previous profession as a landscape architect behind. Carol now introduces students to the joy of flight, is a contract pilot, lives in her hangar apartment with Molly, her brown dog, the Mooney and "Fair Lady" a newly acquired 1946 Luscombe. Tricare Is Exempt: Along with the health care reform legislation the House approved last weekend, lawmakers voted 403 to zero on legislation HR 4887 <>  introduced by Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) to amend the Internal Revenue Code to term the Defense Department's Tricare military health program "minimal essential coverage." Skelton noted in  floor remarks Saturday that the reform legislation currently under review would not call for Tricare beneficiaries to purchase additional coverage. He emphasized that his bill would simply "reassure" Tricare beneficiaries "they will not be negatively affected." Defense Secretary Bob Gates issued a statement Monday, confirming that the Skelton bill "clarified" the matter, saying, "The President and I are committed to seeing that our troops, retirees, and their families will continue to receive the best quality health care."

 

Chapter Officers Commander Major Rylen Rudy 452-9923 1st Vice Commander Col Leon Holland 335-1224 Treasurer Col Andrew McVeigh 261-6272 Adjutant Mrs. Patricia Egan 750-1399 Chaplin LtCol Ernest S. Dean 477-5390 Youth Leadership Conference LtCol Thomas W. Anderson 445-4480 ROTC Awards Col Leon Holland 335-1224 Newsletter & Web Site LtCol J. Robert Howard 848-0285

Schedule: 1830-1900 - Social 1900-1905 - Invocation & Salutes 1905-1945 - Dinner 1945-2000 - Break 2000-2045 - Program 2045-2100 - Adjourn. Staff Meeting The next staff meeting will be at the call of the Commander.

 

VA HOMELESS VETS Update 14: The Department of Veterans Affairs is allocating $39 million to fund about 2,200 new transitional housing beds through grants to local providers. "VA is committed to ending the cycle of homelessness among Veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "We will use every tool at our disposal - health care, education, jobs, safe housing - to ensure our Veterans are restored to lives with dignity, purpose and safety."   HONOR FLIGHT NETWORK Update 02: Steve Coleman, chairman of the group's organizing committee, announced that Oklahoma Honor Flights is chartering a plane with space for 100 veterans, 60 helpers and 12 members of the media to go 17 MAY 2010 on an eight-hour tour of sites at the nation's capital. The group formed last year is dedicated to giving the veterans, many in their 80s, a chance to see the memorial and other significant sights at the capital. "The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire." -    Unknown Author.

President Barack Obama announced Friday that American and Russian negotiators in Geneva have agreed on a new treaty to replace the expired Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). He and President Medvedev are due to sign it Apr. 8 in Prague. The new treaty requires ratification by the Senate, as well as by the Russian Duma. Senators should closely review the agreement, for it affects issues at the core of U.S. security. To merit ratification, the treaty must answer “yes” to three key questions: Will it enhance U.S. security? Will it allow the United States to maintain an effective nuclear deterrent? Can it be verified?  ... The writer at the Brookings Institute believe the treaty does all this.