Austin, Texas Chapter
The Association for all Military Officers
Companion Bulletin-February
2007
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Companions,
Many thanks to Lt Col Juste Sanchez, commander of Texas Det. 861, AFJROTC at Westwood High School for an outstanding talk on on the merits, growth and general status of JROTC in the greater Austin area. Lt Col Sanchez gave us a good idea as to how hard it is to have a viable JROTC program in a top Texas high school and has offered to become a member of our Chapter. He will in turn receive an application for a Youth Leadership Conference scholarship for the top qualified Westwood High School JROTC cadet. We have arranged for the return of author James D. Hornfischer as our February guest speaker, who at his first visit gave our chapter a PowerPoint presentation on his best selling book The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. Since then, this book was selected by the US Navy to be included in their non-commissioned officer required reading program and placed in every Navy ship and base library worldwide. His newest book, titled Ship of Ghosts, is equally exciting and addresses the lives and fortunes of the crew of FDR' legendary lost cruiser, the USS Houston. Mr. Hornfischer will bring copies of his Book-of-the-Month selection Ship of Ghosts and will sign all purchased copies. This is a meeting that you can not afford to miss. |
Companion Chuck Szendrey, our Chapter Adjutant, is currently
recovering from his chemo-therapy in room 427 of the Trinity Care Center
at 1000 East Main Street, Round Rock. Col. Szendrey may be reached at
512-634-3060. Your calls are welcome. Ervalyn and I visited with him on
Monday, 29 January and he was very perky. Please do not forget that each of us has an opportunity to contribute to our Chapter's Junior and Senior ROTC support programs. A $10.00 contribution will just about cover the costs of the medal, certificate and presentation folder for the 25 MOWW ROTC presentations that we are projected to make in 15 ceremonies during the months of April, May and early June. Each of the 15 ceremonies requires the attendance of one of our Companions in military uniform or civilian suit. We have (8) Air Force, (3) Army, (1) Marine Corps and (3) Navy units to physically present medals and certificates. We should all be sensitive to the needs of our members that require assistance to facilitate their attendance at our meetings. Please do not hesitate to call me at 261-6272, to arrange for this service. Lt Marion Yates plans to take us up on this offer in February. May you all enjoy a Happy New Year! Andrew J. McVeigh III Chapter Commander |
| Meeting. 8 February 2007 Holiday Inn Northwest (Mopac & Hwy 183) The cost for the evening is $18.00. If you are not called by 7 February., contact LtC Howard at 255-2206. Menu |
Speaker: Schedule: |
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MILITARY LEGISLATION STATUS 13 JAN 07: Following is a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the military community that have been introduced in the 110th Congress. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process for a floor vote. A cosponsor is a member of Congress who has joined one or more members in his/her chamber (i.e. House or Senate) to sponsor a bill or amendment. The first member to sign onto a bill is considered the Sponsor, members subsequently signing on are Cosponsors. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can determine the current status of each bill and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of the bill you are concerned with. The key to increasing cosponsorship is letting our representatives know of veterans feelings on issues. At the end of some of the below listed bills is a web link that can be used to do that. Otherwise, you can locate on http://thomas.loc.gov who your representative is and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making: H.R.0109: A bill to amend the Small Business Act to make service-disabled veterans eligible under the 8(a) business development program. Sponsor: Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] (introduced 1/4/07) Cosponsors (0). **************** | H.R.0081: A bill to amend title
38, United States Code, to provide that members of the Armed Forces and
Selected Reserve may transfer certain educational assistance benefits to
dependents, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. [MD-6]
(introduced 1/4/07) Cosponsors (0). **************** H.R.0089: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to extend eligibility for combat-related special compensation (CRSC) paid to certain uniformed services retirees who are retired under chapter 61 of such title with fewer than 20 years of creditable service. Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 1/4/07) Cosponsors (1). **************** H.R.0092: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish standards of access (i.e. 30 days) to care for veterans seeking health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, would allow referral to civilian care in cases where the standard is not met, would require the VA to annually report its performance in meeting those access standards, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/4/07) Cosponsors (4). **************** H.R.0343: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refundable credit to military retirees for premiums paid for coverage under Medicare Part B. Sponsor: Rep Emerson, Jo Ann [MO-8] (introduced 1/9/07). Cosponsors (0). **************** |
H.R.0140: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to require the amounts reimbursed to institutional providers of health care services under the TRICARE program to be the same as amounts reimbursed under Medicare, and to require the Secretary of Defense to contract for health care services with at least one teaching hospital in urban areas. Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors (0). **************** H.R.0191: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the inclusion in gross income of Social Security benefits. Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 1/4/07) Cosponsors (7) **************** H.R.0207: A bill to provide for identification of members of the Armed Forces exposed during military service to depleted uranium, to provide for health testing of such members, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] (introduced 1/4/07). Cosponsors (0) **************** |
H.R.0243: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the payment of Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) to members of the Armed Forces retired for disability with less than 20 years of active military service who were awarded the Purple Heart. Sponsor: Rep Weller, Jerry [IL-11] (introduced 1/5/07). Cosponsors (0). **************** H.R.0333: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50% to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans' disability compensation, to eliminate the phase-in period for concurrent receipt, to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt and combat-related special compensation to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8] (introduced 1/9/07). Cosponsors (0). **************** H.R.0339: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve access to medical services for veterans seeking treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinics with exceptionally long waiting periods. Sponsor: Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. [TN-2] (introduced 1/9/07). Cosponsors (0). **************** |
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Quote to Ponder Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive Bugs Bunny Inspiration Selection Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Ecclesiates Ch. IX v. 10 |
Chapter Officers Commander - COL McVeigh Senior Vice Cmdr. - MAJ Bullard Junior Vice Cmdr. - COL Holland Adjutant - COL Szendrey Treasurer - CAPT Burrill Chaplain - CDR Cochran Surgeon - MG Bernstein Judge Advocate - COL Philips |
| MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan (Jan. 26, 2007) -- After
more than 40 years since its last combat deployment, an Okinawa-based medium
helicopter squadron from 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is answering the call to
support operations in Iraq. Marines with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st MAW, left for Iraq this month. The squadron will be based in Anbar province, where it will provide general air support to ground units. HMM-262 Marines will deliver supplies and assist rescue operations and raids in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. |
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— Excerpts - Brookings Institute With each passing day, Iraq sinks deeper into the abyss of civil war. President George W. Bush has staked everything on one last-chance effort to quell the fighting and jumpstart a process of political reconciliation and economic reconstruction. Should this last effort fail, the United States is likely to very quickly have to determine how best to handle an Iraq that will be erupting into Bosnia- or Lebanon-style all-out civil war. The history of such wars is that they are disastrous for all parties, but the United States will have little choice but to try to stave off disaster as best it can. To begin to help provide a solution to that dilemma, Daniel L. Byman and Kenneth M. Pollack of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution have written Things Fall Apart: Containing the Spillover from an Iraqi Civil War. This Saban Center Analysis Paper examines the history of some dozen recent civil wars to reveal the general patterns by which such conflicts can "spill over" into neighboring states, causing further civil wars or regional conflicts. Historically, six patterns of spillover have been the most harmful in other cases of all-out civil war: refugees; terrorism; radicalization of neighboring populations; secession that breeds secessionism; economic losses; and, neighborly interventions. |
From this history, the authors propose a set of policy options that the United
States could employ to try to contain the spillover effects of a full-scale
Iraqi civil war. The "baker's dozen" of policy options for the United
States are:
* Don't try to pick winners; If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it. Rev. Jesse Jackson Austin Chapter Website |