Austin, Texas Chapter

The Association for all Military Officers
Companion Bulletin- February 2010

Words from the Commander:   Words from the Commander; February is here and soon spring will be upon us. Not only will we have new foliage to admire, we will also need new officers to carry on the traditions of MOWW. In the past we have had several fine officers that took on these positions for several years in a row, Chuck Szendre and Andrew McVeigh immediately come to mind. These positions need to be passed around so that each person "gets the chance to serve". The positions are not difficult, but do require some of your time. Give it some thought, because we will be talking to you. When I started my 'reign as Commander' I said that one goal I would like to shoot for is to bring in 10 new members this year. So far I have signed up 3 new members, but haven't seen any others. Let's look around, we still need more. From the old farmers list of advice: "Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance".       R. B. Rudy Feb 09 1943 - WWII: Allied authorities declare Guadalcanal secure after Imperial Japan evacuates its remaining forces from the island, ending the Battle of Guadalcanal. Meeting. Our next meeting will be February  11th  at the Holiday Inn Northwest (Mopac & Hwy 183)

Program      Are you curious about the role and mission of the Office of the Police Monitor? This month we will have a chance to hear first-hand about this office and its evolution and role in our community. The OPM was created and developed to promote mutual respect between the Austin Police Department (APD) and the community it serves. Our speaker is the incumbent monitor, Mr. Clifford A. Brown, who was appointed to this position in January 2007. He will tell us about his office and will address related questions that you may have. Make your reservations early for a very informative and entertaining evening. VA SURVIVOR BENEFIT TERMINATION:  Upon the death of a surviving spouse, the VA will pay benefits through the last day of the month before the death. Since each month's payment is in advance this means that a payment made for the month in which the survivor dies must be returned to the VA. This was the situation in the case of the widow Ruth McDonald who at age 89 died on 26 JUN after she received $1,633 widow's pension from the VA. In a letter written by the VA, the agency demanded that the daughter (Flossie Crowther) return the $1,600 in benefits provided to her mother for the month of June, even though Ruth lived for 26 of the 30 days in the month.

 

MOWW Scripture and Commentary February 2010 (Chaplain Ernie Dean) Dear Friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Whoever loves is a child of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (I John 4:7-8) God created us in love and created us to love. We humans struggle with this, as good and as powerful a truth that it is. We get in our own way, we thwart ourselves by following lesser emotions. Surely, we humans can recognize the folly of being less than we were created to be. The world stumbles along from one confrontation to another as greed, power, fear, distrust and suspicion, and misplaced priorities overcome us. "When will they ever learn?" asks the folk song of the last generation. Indeed when will we ever learn that the path to harmony and peace is one of loving words and deeds, not hateful ones? Those who shout in anger and make outlandish accusations are using their fear and perceived impotence to cry out for an audience of support. When we refuse to join them, their power to break us apart or to smother love with hate will be lessened. Each one of us has the capacity to turn away from the discord and live as God intended. We love because God first loved us. If someone says he loves God, but hates his brother, he is a liar. For he cannot love God, whom he has not seen, if he does not love his brother whom he has seen. The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love his brother also. (I John 4:19-21 Who is my brother? Who is my sister? Any and every human being, because all of us are created in the image and likeness of God. (Genesis 1:26) We are called to live courageously, daringly, trustingly, lovingly. It will not be easy; it will be possible.

About Our Speaker Mr. Brown has been an Assistant District Attorney for Travis County, working in the Trial, Community Prosecution, and Juvenile Justice divisions. Most recently, he served in a newly created County position as Community Prosecutor in the North Central area of Austin. As Community Prosecutor, Brown has worked as a liaison in partnership with various community residents, groups, organizations, as well as the Austin Police Department, seeking to facilitate solutions to local concerns and strengthen neighborhoods. Prior to his service with Travis County, Brown was managing partner in the law firm of Jackson, Brown, Powell & St. George, L.L.P. in New York City. He also served four years as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx County District Attorney's Office. A graduate of Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., Brown earned his Juris Doctorate from the George Washington University National Law Center in Washington, D.C. He is a past board member of the Lake Travis Youth Association, has volunteered as a mentor at Andrew's Elementary School, and is a founding member of the North Austin Community Center Task Force. Mr. Brown and his wife Tammie have been married for 19 years. They are the proud parents of two daughters. Credit Card Charges beginning 22 February: Your credit card company has to tell you when they plan to increase your rate or other fees and how long it will take to pay off your balance. There can be no interest rate increase for the first year after you open an account. You must tell your credit card company that you want it to allow transactions that will take you over your credit limit. Your credit card company must mail or deliver your credit card bill at least 21 days before you payment due date Tricare is active on Twitter,  YouTube and Flicker, and is getting ready to launch a new media center Web page in MAR 2010

 

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.

 

A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory

Sometimes too much to drink isn't enough

 

Heaven is Where: The Police are British, The Chefs are Italian, The Mechanics are German, The Lovers are French and It's all organized by the Swiss. Hell is Where: The Police are German, The Chefs are British, The Mechanics are French, The Lovers are Swiss and It's all organized by the Italians Medicare Reimbursement Rates 2010 Update 03: A group of national organizations warned 21 JAN that If Congress doesn't intervene, a funding formula will trigger a 21% cut in reimbursements to doctors in the Medicare and Tricare programs on 1 MAR. That, the group said, will force doctors to drop out of the programs and make it tougher for elderly and military beneficiaries to get health care. :   It appears that, once again, Congress will act at virtually the last minute to stop a 21% cut in Medicare and Tricare payments to doctors scheduled to take effect on 1 MAR. Senators adopted an amendment by Sen. Reid that would put an end to the annual threats of Tricare payment cuts.  Since 1975, the Republic of Korea has been inviting Korean War Veterans, and family members, to return to Korea on a subsidized visit to thank them for their sacrifices that saved their country from Communism. Thousands of veterans, from all the Allied Countries that participated in the war, have enjoyed this sojourn to the "Land of the Morning Calm." The Korean government pays for hotel rooms and meals for 5 nights and 6 days plus in country tours

 

The Battle of Buena Vista       Wikipedia Background After the Battle of Monterrey in September 1846, most of Major General Zachary Taylor's Army of Occupation was sent to the gulf coast to become the bulk of Winfield Scott's expedition against Mexico City. Taylor felt that President James K. Polk was attempting to deprive him of any further military success which would aid in his campaign for the presidency.

Taylor decided to ignore orders to stay in Monterrey; he marched deeper into Mexico and seized Saltillo. Taylor also diverted the Center Division, under John E. Wool, from its expedition in Chihuahua to join him in Saltillo. With Wool's division, the U.S. force totaled about 4,500 soldiers, most of them volunteer units fighting for the first time. In the summer of 1846, Antonio López de Santa Anna returned from exile and quickly seized power.  When a letter from General Scott to Taylor telling of the transfer of the bulk of Taylor's army to the Gulf fell into Mexican hands, Santa Anna quickly marched north to try to knock Taylor out of Mexico while U.S. forces were being withdrawn. Taylor learned that Santa Anna was marching north and so he moved about nineteen miles south of Saltillo to Agua Nueva. Taylor sent out Major Ben McCulloch, of the Texas Rangers, to scout out the Mexican Army. McCulloch found Santa Anna 60 miles (100 km) to the south, informing Taylor on February 21. Taylor withdrew to a mountain pass at Buena Vista twelve miles north of Agua Nueva. General Wool was charged with laying out the defenses. Later that day Santa Anna arrived at Agua Nueva with 12,000 men, his force diminished because of desertion and exhaustion during the long trek from San Luis Potosí. Santa Anna perceived the U.S. withdrawal to Buena Vista as a retreat and demanded a surrender. Taylor's aide, William Wallace Smith Bliss, eloquently replied that the U.S forces declined the surrender. Taylor, worried about the safety of his supplies, rode to Saltillo that night to ensure the protection of his rear.  Battle On the morning of February 23, General Pedro de Ampudia attacked the U.S. left flank guarded by the 2nd Indiana from Joseph Lane's Indiana Brigade. The volunteers were supported by a battery of artillery but were steadily driven back along with a second line of Illinois volunteers. Wool sent a messenger to General Lane to hold the line at all costs. The Illinois volunteers managed to conduct a fighting withdrawal under the pressure of the Mexican attack. General Taylor returned to the field and made his presence known to his men; he was escorted by the Mississippi Rifles under Colonel Jefferson Davis. The Mississippians hit the flank of Ampudia's attacking column and Davis was wounded in the foot. Meanwhile Wool rallied the broken regiments using the walls of the hacienda at Buena Vista as a defensive position supported by a battery under Thomas W. Sherman and two regiments of dragoons. The 3rd Indiana was brought to the support of Davis, and the two regiments formed an inverted V. The Mexicans attacked this new line. The Hoosiers and Mississippians held their fire so long that the confused attackers paused briefly and were then hit by a wave of gunfire. About 2,000 Mexicans were pinned down. A young Mexican lieutenant attempted to trick the U.S. into a cease fire by saying that Santa Anna wished to meet with the U.S. commander. Taylor and Wool saw through the ploy, but it did buy the trapped Mexicans enough time to escape. Santa Anna renewed an attack on the main U.S. position led by General Francisco Pérez with artillery support. An artillery battery under Braxton Bragg unlimbered with orders to maintain his position at all costs. Taylor rode over to Captain Bragg, and after a brief conversation in which Bragg replied he was using single shot, Taylor ordered "double-shot your guns and give them hell, Bragg". Later this order, although misquoted as "give them a little more grape, Captain Bragg", would be used as a campaign slogan which carried Taylor into the White House. Pérez's attack was repulsed as heavy rain fell over the field. During the night Santa Anna declared victory and withdrew to Agua Nueva, after receiving a letter from Mexico City declaring that Santa Anna was needed to quell a political coup. Results  The battle was the last major battle in northern Mexico. It was Taylor's greatest battle of the war and also his last; he returned to the U.S. to pursue his political career. Santa Anna suffered great losses and withdrew to the south. His withdrawal was spurred on by political dissent in Mexico City. He was later forced to defend Mexico City against an army under Winfield Scott. Buena Vista County, Iowa, in 1859, was named in honor of the battle, as was Buena Vista Township, in Michigan's Saginaw County, and the cities of Buena Vista, Virginia, Buena Vista Oregon, and Buena Vista, Alabama, in northern Monroe County. Among notable deaths at the battle is Henry Clay, Jr., second son of American statesman Henry Clay, a vociferous opponent of the Mexican War. His death was the subject of prints by Currier & Ives, and Neale & Pate. Archibald Yell, former Governor of Arkansas, was also killed while commanding the 1st Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry.