Since the last issue of the TROA BULLETIN, we have had two well-attended social events.  On June 23 we had over 50 attendees on a lunch cruise aboard the Spirit of Norfolk, where we enjoyed a trip around the harbor and down to the Naval Station. The weather was wonderful and the food was very good.  The picnic on 13 July at Fort Story was also a well-attended affair with members of the Retired Officers' Wives Society (ROWS) joining with us.  We are planning on more coed events with them in the future.  We had over 110 attending and, from the comments heard, everyone had a good time.  The next planned social will be at Oceana NAS with a guest speaker talking about Long Term Health Care, a subject in which most of us are vitally interested.

     It looks as if the Congressional bills concerning Concurrent Receipt for severely disabled retirees have hit another snag.  The problem is with the budget -- it is projected to cost too much.  As I understand it, the Budget Committee has not fully approved it, nor has the Administration come on board because of the cost.  Be optimistic, but don't expect anything soon.

     Need dental work?  The Naval Dental Center in Norfolk is allowing all space-A eligible patients to receive dental care at its location at 1647 Taussig Blvd., Norfolk.  Questions?  Call LT Hamilton at (757) 314-6504.

     If you are traveling around the country and experience the need for health care, be sure to inform whoever assists you that you are covered under the TriCare System and that your supplementary provider is the PALMETTO Government Benefits Administrators.  This will save you a lot of time and effort.

     This month, don't forget to vote on your choice for the proposed change of name for TROA.  All necessary details will be in the August issue of The Retired Officer magazine. Also, we will be electing new Officers and Board Members for our Chapter in November. If you know of anyone, or if you wish your name entered, contact CDR Pat Grillo, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, at 481-5577 with your nominations.  In addition, nominations will be accepted from the floor (with agreement from the nominee) in November. So far, it looks as if we are in store for an outstanding slate of candidates.

Nominees for CY-2003 positions are:
 

President	CDR John E. Vermillion, USN
1st Vice President	CAPT Raymond J. Hart, USN
2nd Vice President	LCOL James M. Dellaripa,Sr., USAF
Director	COL James A. Smith, USA
Director	LTC Loren D. Peele, USA

Other positions are not scheduled for rotation.

                                                     CDR Pat Grillo, USN
                                                     Committee Chair

     Ah, the expression, "last call." It conjures up memories of our youth when we could actually stay awake long enough to close an officers club and still get up the next morning to perform our duties. But, as pleasant as those memories are, that is not the last call I had in mind.

     This is the last month before we get to vote on changing our name. I know that all of us have been deluged the last several months with information on why TROA's board of directors recommended that we change our association's name to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). I'm hopeful you have read or listened to the rationale and given it your astute consideration.

     I know it's not easy changing something that has served us so well, something we have become attached to. Knowing the members of the board of directors who served on the Name Change Committee as I do, I can tell you that they initially felt the same way. After all, although they are elected to our board of directors, they are really just like you and me. They realized how traumatic a change this would be, but once they analyzed all of the relevant factors (aging constituency, declining membership, declining recruitment, and the potential for long-term growth), they bit the bullet and made the recommendation. Our hats should be off to them for this hard decision.

     Now it's our turn. We've had an opportunity to study the recommendation and the reasoning behind it. We either trust the wisdom of our elected members of the board or directors or we don't.

     They are all unpaid volunteers -- just like each of you. They have no hidden agenda, they don't get a bonus if the vote to change the name passes. Likewise, they don't get canned if the vote fails. I mention these last points because on some (fortunately) rare occasions we receive mail suggesting that the financial success of our organization has a direct impact on the financial success of our board members. To which I respond "rubbish" (or words to that effect).

     So there you have it. I've explained in previous columns how I think (and yes, hope) a name change will affect our chapters. Many of you have signaled your agreement with my assessment.

     Now I need to ask you, for the last time -- the last call, if you will -- to encourage your members to vote. I know that our board members, most of them chapter members or past chapter or council officers, have solidly supported this recommendation and are counting on each of us to vote for the name change. And, because we need a two-thirds vote of the membership for this initiative to succeed, it is even more important that your members, those who are always the most involved in supporting  TROA, vote for the name change.

     Thanks for your support on this subject and for all you've done for our great organization. I know that whatever the outcome of the vote, you will continue to support TROA or MOAA in our efforts to preserve military retiree benefits and entitlements.

                                           Col. Chris Giaimo, USAF-Ret
                                           Director
                                           Council and Chapter Affairs
                                           (From August 2002 TROA-GRAM)

     Every Friday, TROA publishes a legislative update which summarizes the action and outlook for relevant legislation.  This is an excellent source of information on where matters stand and are expected to go.

     To subscribe/unsubscribe or change your email address for the legislative update, please go to http://www.troa.org/email. If you are a TROA member you will need your membership number to sign in to the site. If you are not a TROA member, and you have not already completed the guest form and received a customer number, please go to the Guest Form and provide the requested information on the "Sign Up" page to receive your customer number before signing on to the site.

     If you have questions regarding the content (ONLY) of the update, please send an email to legis@troa.org (subscriptions and changes will NOT be processed through this address).

Do you need transportation to meetings? If so, please call John Vermillion at 382-9843
or Email "THRCOTROA" <hrmoaa@cox.net>.

Selected items from the National TROA TROAGRAM are reprinted in THRCOTROA printed bulletin which is mailed to members.  Use the link, www.troa.org/Publications/TROAGRAM to visit the National TROA site for the most current information on a wide range of topics relavent to chapter members.  The TROAGRAM is published monthly whereas THRCOTROA bulletin is only published every other month.  Visit the national web site to get the news before it is sent through the mail.