Greetings and a happy 2004 to all. I would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to attend our February 20th function which will be held at the NAS Oceana Officers Club. The social hour will commence at 1800 hours, followed by dinner at 2000 hours. Our social will be to honor Chapter Past Presidents and install the new Board Members for the next two years. I take this opportunity to thank all of our Past Presidents for their valued service to the Hampton Roads Chapter and to encourage all who can to attend our February function.

     Our December Toys for Tots Program was a success, with 60 attendees and lots of toys for the Marine guests. LCol Jeff DuBinok, his wife, and Maj. Pat Kirchner. Our guest speaker was Virginia's Second District Congressman, Ed Schrock, with his wife Judy.

    Our chapter representatives and I attended the VCOC "Storming of the Hill" in Richmond on the 26th of January where we visited the General Assembly. This was an opportunity to visit our elected representatives while the General Assembly is in session and focusing on legislative matters.

     TRICARE, Medicare, and You:  The Medicare Prescription Drug. Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 is extensive and complex. It is important that uniformed services beneficiaries understand the effect these changes may have on them in the near future and in the years to come. For a preliminary assessment of the bill's provisions, go to: www.tricare.osd.mil/TRI_Medicare.cfm

     Military Blood Program Seeks Donors:  The Armed Services Blood Program urges eligible donors to give blood this season to ensure that supplies are available to treat service members, retirees, and their families. Traditionally, both the military services and civilian blood collection centers experience a drop in blood collection during the holidays lasting well into January. Active duty service members, government employees, retirees, and military family members are all eligible to donate to the program. For donor locations: www.tricare.osd.mil/asbpo/donor_info/donor_centers.htm.

     Again, we would like to encourage any member, who is interested in becoming actively involved in MOAA operations, to attend our Board meetings, normally held on the 1st Saturday of every month at the NAB Little Creek Golf Course Clubhouse. The meetings start at 0830 hours. The next Board meeting will be held on 7 February.

To renew, use the form on the rear cover of the printed MOAA BULLETIN or Click here for an on-line form. Regular member dues are $12.50 per year or three years for $30.00. Auxliliary member dues are $7.50 per year. Include your National MOAA membershiop number from the upper left of your address label for The Military Officer magazine.

     The Virginia Beach Task Force on Aging is looking for help in providing transportation for people to medical appointments, physical therapy, etc.  If you have a vehicle and a few hours a week or a month you can afford, these people, many of whom are military retirees and widows, would appreciate your help. Please call Mary Katherine Dziedziak at 490-4931 or e-mail her at cchrelp@aol.com. Help someone in need!

     Your chapter badly needs the services of a Chaplain and a Publicity Chair. The first is self-explanatory, and should be a regular chapter member. The second involves publicizing our chapter functions, community affairs, and other relevant activities so as to obtain wide exposure for our efforts on behalf of the  military community, active and retired, and our civic support of activities like local ROTC and JROTC detachments in educational facilities. If a chapter member or auxiliary member is willing to undertake one of these needs, please contact chapter president John Vermillion at 382-9843 or email him at vermillj@cox.net.

     The Surface Navy Association offers a scholarship opportunity to its members and their dependents to further their college or university educational goals. Applicants must be SNA members or dependents thereof, and they or their sponsors must be in their second or later consecutive year of SNA membership.

     The award amount is $8,000 for four years of full-time college credit. Contact the SNA office at navysna@aol.com or 1-800-NAVYSNA for details. Application can be found under "Awards" at www.navysna.org. Applications are accepted through February 1, 2004.