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Commander's Comments
Travis County Sheriff, Margo Frasier, was our guest speaker for February and was
her usual unabashed self with her presentation. This was particularly so, since
she has decided not to run for reelection, demonstrating that not all elected
officials desire to be permanent fixtures. The MOWW's Texas Compartment is
soliciting college graduate counselors for the five Youth Leadership Conferences
scheduled to be conducted in Texas this summer. The conferences are:
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1. USS Lexington at Corpus Christi | 13 - 17 June 2004 | |
2. Texas Military Institute #1 at San Antonio | 20 - 24 June 2004 | |
3. Texas Military Institute #2 at San Antonio | 11 - 15 July 2004 | |
4. Texas A&M University at College Station | 18 - 22 July 2004 | |
5. Camp Carter at Fort Worth | 29 July - 1 August 2004 |
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If you know of someone that would like to be a counselor at anyone of the above
sessions, particularly the one I am the director of at Texas A&M, please
contact me at 261-6272. The National Sojourner Chapters in Texas are also being
solicited for these important positions. Membership remains our most important
long-range goal. We need a steady flow of new members to maintain a viable
Chapter. Each of us must make a concerted effort to bring one new member into
our Chapter every two years. Some of us have fallen behind in this very vital
mission. So, keep your eyes open and be sensitive to our needs. Thanks again for your hard work! |
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Meeting, 11 March 2004
Holiday Inn Northwest (Mopac & Hwy 183) The cost for the evening is $18.00.
If you are not called by 8 February, contact COL Szendrey (388-1005).
Schedule:
1830-1900 - Social
1900-1905 - Invocation & Salutes
1905-1945 - Dinner
1945-2000 - Break
2000-2015 - Awards & Festivities
2015-2045 - Speaker
2045-2100 - Adjourn
Menu
Roasted Rosemary Chicken, Garden Vegetables & Rice
Speaker
Major Douglas K. O'Connell is Special Forces officer who was in the northern
invasion element of Iraqi Freedom.
Major O'Connell currently is a Special
Assistant US Attorney, for the Western District of Texas. | |
Chaplain's Selection
"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life,
when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic
about." - Charles Kingsley
Chapter Officers |
Commander - | COL McVeigh | | Senior Vice Cmdr. - | COL Hefford | |
Junior Vice Cmdr. - | CAPT Burrill | | Adjutant - | COL Szendrey | |
Treasurer - | LTC Kelso | | Chaplain - | CDR Cochran | | Surgeon - | MG Bernstein | |
Judge Advocate - | COL Philips | | Public Information - | Ervalyn McVeigh | |
Membership - | Vacant | | Historian - | Vacant |
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Legislation
The Medicare reform bill will relieve many TRICARE For Life
beneficiaries from
onerous Part B late enrollment penalties. The statute waives late enrollment
penalties (as of January 2004) for all TRICARE beneficiaries who enrolled in
Medicare between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2004. It also provides a
special enrollment period in 2004 for TFL-eligibles who have been holding off
enrolling in Part B.
Items of Interest
Some 150 troops in Iraq have been infected with a skin disease caused by sandfly
bites. An Army doctor predicts that number could more than double. The disease,
leishmaniasis, known to soldiers as the "Baghdad Boil" is a potentially | |
fatal condition that attacks the liver and spleen. It is characterized by
persistent fevers, but is not contagious. The military uses Pentostam,
which is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration but recommended by the
World Health Organization, to treat the disease. Only 32 cases were reported in
the 1991 Gulf War, which was fought mainly in the winter months. But sandflies
are active in the summer, which is one theory for the higher number of cases.
Tests show about one sandfly in 70 carries the infection. - VFW
By the end of November, the number of soldiers evacuated from Iraq was nearly
11,000; according to Pentagon figures obtained by United Press International The
10,854 evacuations were for both hostile and non-hostile causes. Specifically,
between March 19 and Nov. 30, the Army Medical Command reported: 2,273 wounded
in battle; 3,843 non-battle injuries; and 4,738 cases of disease. - VFW
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Analysis: Israeli,
Iran and the Nuclear Boom
Heading off Iran's attempt to attain nuclear capability is one of the Mossad's
main missions, and the foreign media is one of the most important instruments
utilized in this effort. Mossad
agents supply foreign journalists with
information about Iran's nuclear efforts; such foreign reports, the Mossad
expects, support the international campaign to thwart Iran's nuclear weapons
program. Sometimes, the foreign media are used to deliver deterrence-oriented
messages about Israel's capabilities and intentions. A number of reports
surfaced in the foreign media about nuclear matters relating to Israel and Iran.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Israel has outfitted its submarines with
modified Harpoon missiles that have nuclear warheads. Two American sources
(along with an Israeli official) cited in this report said they wanted to
caution and deter Israel's enemies, and also highlight their concerns about
Iran's hostile intentions. The level of reliability of this Los Angeles Times
report remains uncertain. Also, the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel
reported
that the Mossad has drawn up a plan whereby Israel would attack six nuclear
program facilities in Iran. This current round of reports was preceded by a
Washington Post disclosure in June 2002, which claimed that Israeli submarines
are outfitted with nuclear cruise missiles. The Washington Post report claimed
that Israel has conducted tests of its submarine missiles. | | Israel, sources
indicate, asked to carry out certain improvements on the U.S.-supplied
Harpoon
missiles - the Israeli request came in response to the sale of such advanced
missiles to Egypt last year. It is possible that sources for the Los Angeles
Times report relied on information they received about this Israeli missile
modification program; the sources might have assumed that the
"improvements" in question involved Israeli attempts to fit nuclear
warheads onto the Harpoon missiles. The information conveyed by the Der Spiegel
report was also not new. Reports about an alleged Israeli plan to strike Iranian
nuclear facilities have circulated in media outlets in the United States and
France. Officials in Israel views Iran's nuclear weapons program as the primary
threat to its survival. -Middle East Forum
Quote to Ponder
It's Tommy this, and Tommy that,
And chuck him out the brute,
But it's 'Savior of his Country,'
When the guns begin to shoot - Rudyard Kipling
Staff Meeting
The next staff meeting Camp Mabry will be at the call of the Commanders. |
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