Austin, Texas Chapter

The Association for all Military Officers
Companion Bulletin-November 2006

Commander's Comments   Thanks to our First Vice-Commander, Companion Stanley Bollard, we are blessed with very interesting programs. Texas Army National Guard LTC Jeanne Arnold gave us a candid view of the current life and times in Afghanistan at our last meeting. With talent like she has, LTC Arnold should be a member of our Chapter. She has all the correct connections. We should not forget that Colonel Ladd Pattillo will brief us on the latest in Iraq at our next meeting. December's meeting will be at the Austin Club where Companion Bullard is arranging for a musically entertaining evening. This end of the year festive event is scheduled for Thursday the 14th. You should mark your calendars now. January starts our Junior and Senior ROTC awards program that culminates in the awarding of 26 MOWW Certificates and Medals during the months of April, May and early June. All awards should be presented by a member of our Chapter to be effective. All that is required is a military uniform or a business suit. Several of the high school ceremonies have on site complementary meals. Each ceremony is a mark of our support for the ever critical Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Each award certificate with its folder and the MOWW medal cost the Chapter approximately $10.00.

Our companions normally defray the expense of this program by purchasing one or more award sets through contributions to the Chapter Treasurer. And speaking of the Chapter Treasurer, none other Naval Academy graduate. Past Austin Chapter Commander, retired U.S. Navy Captain James T. Burrill has volunteered for and is our new treasurer. Has anyone noticed that the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have a significant active membership in our Chapter? Thank you very much. Sir!   Meeting, 9 Nov. 2006 Holiday Inn Northwest (Mopac & Hwy 183) The cost for the evening is $18.00. If you are not called by 5 Nov., 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 Sliced Roast Beef with Hunter Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Fresh Vegetables Speaker COL Ladd Pattillo

Chaplain's Selection "For the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart."-1 Samuel 16:7 Legislation * A bill pending in the House would bestow a Cold War Victory Medal on GIs who served in the armed forces between Sept. 2, 1945 and Dec. 26, 1991. The bill—H.R. 2568—is included as a section of the 2007 Defense authorization bill (H.R. 5122). * Two bills pending in Congress would pay $20,000 each to the 3,000 surviving WWII vets who were held as POWs and used as slave laborers by the Japanese. The total cost would be some $60 million. E.R. 5972 requires the Pentagon to compensate the POWs but also calls on some 52 Japanese companies, such as Kawasaki, Hitachi and Mitsubishi, to contribute. S. 3811 also calls for $20,000 compensation for each POW but does not ask for help from the Japanese companies. As of Aug. 3, both bills had been referred to their respective Armed Services committees. * Congress agreed and passed the annual cost-of-living-adjustment for disabled veterans. The bill, - S. 2562, increases the rates of disability compensation for service-connected veterans and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for the survivors of certain disabled veterans.

The rate, determined by the increase in benefits provided under the social security index looks to be about 2.9 percent. The rates are effective December 1, 2006. The President is expected to sign the bill soon. Items of Interest * Navy personnel, who patrolled off Vietnam during the war but never set foot on land, are eligible for VA disability compensation related to Agent Orange exposure. The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims decision could affect thousands of Vietnam War sailors. * Among the hottest issues facing Members of Congress in their Grafting of the Defense bills this year was how to deal with DoD's proposals for certain TRICARE fee increases. Congress chose to put these proposals on hold pending a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study. It thus prohibited any increase in TRICARE enrollment premiums for TRICARE Prime and Reserve Select for the coming fiscal year. It also prohibited any increases in co-payments for drugs purchased through TRICARE retail pharmacies.

Darfur In an Arab-dominated country, Darfur's population is mostly black African. For years, there have been tensions between the mostly African farmers and the mostly Arab herders, who have competed for land. Opposition groups in Darfur say the government neglects their province, and discriminates against black Africans. The conflict began in 2003, when rebel groups began attacking government targets. In retaliation, the government launched a military and police campaign in Darfur. More than 2m people fled their homes. Many spoke of government aircraft bombing villages, after which the Arab Janjaweed militia would ride in on camels and horses to slaughter, rape and steal. The refugees and some western observers said there was a deliberate attempt to drive black Africans out of Darfur. The government admits mobilising "self-defense militias", but denies links to the Janjaweed and says the problems have been exaggerated. Those who fled the violence are now living in camps across Darfur. About 200,000 refugees have crossed the border into Chad. Those living in camps now depend on food aid from international donors. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that continuing violence is making it difficult, or impossible, for them to provide the displaced people with the help they need.

Attempts by the African Union (AU) - a grouping of African states - to end the conflict resulted in a peace deal being signed in 2006. The Sudanese government backed the deal, but only one rebel faction - Minni Minawi's faction of the Sudan Liberation Army - signed up. As part of the deal, the government agreed to disarm the Janjaweed, but there is little to suggest that this has happened. At the same time, Minni Minawi's men now seem to be fighting on the side of the government against the other rebel groups. All this means that violence has actually increased since the peace deal was signed. The AU has sent 7,000 soldiers to try to -monitor a ceasefire. The Sudanese government agreed to allow this force to operate. But this relatively small force has not managed to end the violence. Britain and the US have been pushing for the United Nations to take over the peacekeeping mission and the AU is happy to stand aside. Sudan, however, says it will not allow a UN force on its territory.-BBC  NOTE:  The COLA will be 3.3%, effective December 1, 2006. It will first appear in the January 2 checks.

 

Quote to Ponder He who wishes to fight must first count the cost. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.  Again, if the campaign is protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain. Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor dampened, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue... In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns. - Sun Tzu, the Art of War Staff Meeting The next staff meeting will be at the call of the Commander.

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 Austin Chapter Website   If you have items for the website contact LTC Howard (255- 2206 or email: jr99howard@austin.rr.com).