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The Bi-Monthly Newsletter
of the
Hampton Roads Chapter
Military Officers Association
of America
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A MOAA Five
Star Level of Excellence Chapter Since 2004
A Runner-Up Web
Site For 2009
A Runner Up Printed
Newsletter 2009
Winner E Newsletter
2009
Serving Chesapeake,
Norfolk, and Virginia Beach since 1959
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VOL 34-NO 5
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ONE POWERFUL VOICE
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SEPTEMBER 2010
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The Tribute
In honor of those who have
sacrificed
to keep our country free.
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Courtesy
of the Arlington National Cemetery Website Images
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Honor
Flight 2010
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| The Chapter has recently been advised
that the Honor Flight - Historic Virginia Triangle has scheduled 16 October
2010 for its second trip of the year to Washington, DC for the rapidly
dwindling number of World War II veterans in our Hampton Roads area
As earlier this year, the veterans are expected to visit the World War
II Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Korean War Veterans Memorial,
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (the Wall), and the National Museum of the
Marine Corps at Quantico. The veterans all feel a great sense of
pride and gratitude that the ROTC and NROTC cadets and midshipmen form
the Color Guard and Honor Guard are there to send them off. The HRCMOAA
coordinates this effort. The point of departure will likely remain
the same, the Park & Ride parking lot adjacent to the VDOT facility
off of I-64 Exit 286A. The three-bus convoy will depart the VDOT facility
o/a 0600. Those seeing them off should muster at about 0530. We hope as
many Chapter members as are able will participate. Please contact
COL
Jim Smith at 425-5934 or eaglenest6@juno.com. |
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| Visit our website at www.hrcmoaa.org,
read the Electronic Newsletter, access MOAA national, Service Departments,
Health and Benefit locations, U. S. Senators and Representatives
and many others. If you do not have the Members Only “Password” please
contact any of our Officers. |
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| HRCMOAA September Luncheon |
 The
Friday 17 September luncheon will be held at the Atlantic Shores Community
in the Magnolia Room. The program is Delegate Christopher P. Stolle,
83rd District. This will be our first Luncheon since
June this year. Delegate Stolle was a graduate of the United
States Naval Academy, MD with a B.S., 1981. Uniformed Services University
of the Health Sciences, MD M.D., 1988. The College of William and Mary
in Virginia , M.B.A., 2004.
Delegate Stolle served as Vice President
of Medical Affairs, Riverside Regional Medical Center, 2005-present. Commander,
United States Navy Medical Corp, retired, Chairman of the OB/GYN Department,
Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia Department Head for OB/GYN,
Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.
Committees; Health Welfare and Institutions
Education, Counties Cities and Towns
Subcommittee Assignments
Subcommittee #2
Education - Students and Day Care Subcommittee
Education - Higher Education and Arts
Subcommittee
Health Welfare and Institutions - Subcommittee
#3
We look forward to seeing you at the
luncheon.
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President’s Message
Fellow Officers:
I have more good news to share with you
about our chapter. We won the 6th consecutive MOAA 5 Star award for
the best chapter in our membership category. I received a congratulatory
letter from VADM Ryan congratulating each and every member of the chapter
for your part in having achieved this high honor.
I look forward to seeing each of you at
the luncheon with Delegate Chris Stolle and resuming the camaraderie which
we share.
LTC “Rip” Dellaripa has been appointed
to serve as Chairman of the Nominating Committee. He will have a
slate of officers and directors to announce at the October meeting to be
followed by elections in November. Nominations are also accepted
from the floor. If you would like to serve as an officer or director
or suggest someone else, please call “Rip” as soon as possible. My
understanding is that all officer positions and 4 directors will be up
for election this year.
Our Community Services Committee has looked
into the feasibility of a suggestion from a member of our chapter that
we expand our participation in Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day activities
to include the city of Chesapeake. The board of directors approved
their recommendation and we will begin with Veteran’s Day in November.
If you reside in Chesapeake or would just like to participate there please
let Dave Wade know. We will continue our participation in the Virginia
Beach Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony and the Veteran’s Day parade.
Our recruitment for national MOAA membership
under the Give Me 10 Program is progressing well again this year.
We received a letter from Col Lee Lange, USMC (ret), who is the Director
of Chapter Affairs that we have recruited over 60 members for them, through
this program. The bulk of these (55 at last count) were recruited
through our ROTC/NROTC Gold Bar program through the efforts of Dave Wade,
Jim Smith, Jim Jones and the Community Services Committee. All of
this is made possible through your support.
The brick which we donated for the walkway
at the Virginia Veteran’s Memorial in Richmond is now in place and I received
a miniature replica which I will bring to our September meeting.
It is inscribed “Hampton Roads Chapter, MOAA.”
Thank you again for your loyalty and support
to our chapter. I believe that we continue to make a significant
contribution to the active force and to our communities, and by supporting
MOAA’s lobbying efforts to protect our active force and the benefits of
us all.
Respects,
Norm
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HRCMOAA Directory
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Officers
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Directors
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Committees
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| MOAA Legislative Update
(Weekly Issue) |
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| Progress on TRICARE for Gray Area Retirees |
| On August 6 the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) released an interim final rule for the new TRICARE Retired
Reserve (TRR) program. The new program permits "gray area" National Guard
and Reserve retirees – those eligible for a retirement check and TRICARE
when they reach age 60 – to purchase TRICARE health insurance. Gray area
members who are enrolled in or eligible for the Federal Employee Health
Benefit Program are not eligible for TRR. TRR enrollment is expected
to commence this fall.
TRR coverage will be exactly the same as
TRICARE Standard (which covers 75% of allowable charges after a deductible
of $150 single/$300 family). Unlike the current TRICARE Reserve Select
(TRS) program - in which premiums are 72% subsidized by the government
- gray area retirees will be responsible for paying premiums equal to the
full cost of coverage. For 2010 the monthly TRR rates will be $388
for member-only coverage, and $976 for family coverage. In January 2011
the rates will rise 2% to $408 a month for member only, and $1,020 for
family coverage. Although comparable to Blue Cross Blue Shield rates
under the FEHB program and military COBRA rates, the new TRR rates are
substantially higher than TRS. Unsubsidized TRS premiums would be about
$177 monthly for a single servicemember and $705 for family coverage.
Reservists enrolled in TRS likely will
experience "sticker shock" when their TRICARE rates more than double -
from $177 for unsubsidized TRS coverage to $388 under TRR - the day they
take off the uniform. Full-cost TRR premiums certainly will be substantially
higher than TRS rates due to demographic differences and comparable claims
experience. We have asked DoD to provide the analysis that led to the rate-setting
for TRR so Guard and Reserve families will have a complete understanding
of the basis for the new rates.
With enactment of TRR, Congress has provided
a long-sought MOAA and Military Coalition strategic objective: the opportunity
for lifeftime TRICARE coverage options for actively serving and retired
members of the National Guard and Reserve. MOAA looks
forward to working with government officials and Congress to ensure that
the TRR program rates are fairly set and implemented in a timely fashion. |
| Board Says Military Retirement “Unaffordable” |
| On July 22, the Defense Business Board
task force recommended that the Secretary of Defense reduce the DoD civilian
workforce by more than 111,000, and laid the groundwork for potential future
recommendations to cut spending on military retirement, health care, family
support, and other programs. Additionally, the task force recommended drastic
reductions in combatant command staffing, hiring freezes, and elimination
of organizational duplication. These preliminary recommendations will be
followed in October by additional cost-cutting proposals.
For the last year, the Defense Business
Board has predicted major problems for the Defense budget as the nation
deals with deficit reduction efforts, the economic slowdown, escalating
health care and personnel costs, and the potential exit from two wars.
Board members believe that avoiding a looming fiscal crisis will require
cutting the Defense budget beyond Secretary Gates’ recently announced target
of a $100-billion reduction in “overhead” spending. The Board’s “Initial
Observations” briefing devoted an entire section to costs for military
compensation, retirement, health care, veterans affairs, concurrent receipt,
commissaries, dependent education, and military family housing. It particularly
highlighted costs associated with TRICARE For Life.
A page titled “The ‘Military Retirement’
sacred cow is increasingly unaffordable” cites increases in the number
of military retirees since 1980 (as if this weren’t the direct result of
decisions by every administration and Congress since the 1950s to induce
a large standing career force to protect America and the world) and criticizes
the 20-year retirement system (as if the military could have sustained
the force over the last 10 years of repeated wartime deployments without
it). Another cites personnel cost growth since 1998 – conveniently
overlooking that 1998 was the nadir of two decades of erosion of military
pay, retirement, health care, and other benefits and that the resulting
retention problems of that era were what sparked Congress to embark on
an extended program to fix them.
Unfortunately, the Defense Business Board
report is only one of the early shots in what likely will be years of budget
battles to reconcile military and other needs with truly daunting deficit
projections. |
| Key Panel
Approves VA Funding |
| The House Appropriations Committee has
approved $77.3 billion for FY2011 VA programs as well as $50.6 billion
in advance funding for veterans’ medical care for the succeeding fiscal
year, 2012. Advance funding is needed to sustain health care activities
seamlessly from one fiscal year to the next, because Congress rarely finishes
VA appropriations legislation by the first of the fiscal year. The
funding measure provides $48.8 billion for veterans’ medical care, an increase
of $3.7 billion above 2010. $5.2 billion of the total is to be used for
mental health services.
Other elements of the package provide:
$4.2 billion in assistance for homeless veterans; $250 million to improve
access to care for veterans in rural areas; $5.7 billion to maintain and
upgrade VA medical facilities; $590 million for medical and prosthetic
research. $2.6 billion to hire and train more than 4000 additional
claims processors to reduce the rising claims backlog and process projected
new claims; $1.5 million for Arlington National Cemetery to hire additional
personnel and address deficiencies identified by the Army Inspector General. |
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| From The Editor
CDR John E. Vermillion, USN, Ret |
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The JLC Legislative Objectives for 2011,
provided by our legislative representative, Jack Hilgers, are as
follows:
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Support Alternative Dedicated Revenue
Sources for the Department of Veterans Services (DVS)
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Restore staffing of DVS Benefits Offices
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Provide additional funding to support
State Veterans Cemeteries Requirements
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Address requirements for a Virginia
Veterans Courts Program
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Support additional funding to meet
Virginia War Memorial requirements
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Provide In-state Tuition fees for newly
retired veterans
The following VCOC Legislative Objectives
were dropped or deferred:
Employment - Dropped, current Virginia
Employment database meets veterans' requirements
Homeless Vets - Deferred due
to funding concerns
Absentee Voting - Deferred pending
the results of a District of Columbia test
The following HRCMOAA Legislative Objectives
were dropped or deferred:
Automated Claims Process and Virginia
Wounded Warrior Program - Dropped because they are in the FY12 budget.
Employment and Homeless Vets - See
above.
The JLC Point Papers are under development
and should be ready by the end of this month.
The VCOC Legislative Committee will next
meet on September 16, 2010 at the Virginia Housing Authority in Richmond.
The Committee will report to the VCOC Chapter
Representatives, and provide the JLC Point Papers on each of the objectives. |
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Military ID Card Notification Program
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| This program is designed to help Chapter
members and their dependent’s to renew their ID cards in a timely
fashion. Once you and your dependents are enrolled, you will
be notified of your impending ID card expiration date in sufficient time
for renewal prior to the expiration date.
Note: Over age 75 members, who
are eligible uniform family members and survivors of deceased personnel
are now eligible for Permanent Identification Cards. Apply within
90 days of expiration of current ID card. |
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| To enroll in this voluntary program, fill
in the form at the link below for each dependent and Send by Email or Print
and Mail to: Military ID Card Notification Program, HRCMOAA, P.O. Box 4612,
Virginia Beach, VA 23454-0612. |
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Wings for Warriors
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| Wings for Warriors is a therapeutic
riding program being planned and developed by EquiKids to provide mental
and physical therapy to recovering, convalescing and permanently injured
wounded service men and women through horseback riding. The program has
been implemented at Fort Hood and at Fort Myer in their mounted units,
and in over 50 civilian facilities throughout the United States. In addition
to its therapeutic value, it also provides recreational benefits to wounded
service men and women. EquiKids is obtaining the appropriate horses,
conducting training for volunteers and receiving donations to help underwrite
the program. It has coordinated with the Marine Battalion at Norfolk Naval
Station, the Portsmouth Naval Hospital and the Hampton VA Hospital in establishing
this program. An open house at its facility at Heritage Park on Sandbridge
Road is scheduled for September 2010, date to be determined. The open house
will provide those interested in the program an opportunity to visit the
facilities and to explain the program. For additional information please
call. (757) 721-7350. |
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| November 11 Veterans Day Parade |
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| Members are welcome to participate in
the parade, which is sponsored by the Hampton Roads Council Veterans Organization.
The Co-Sponsor this year is the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
If you would like to ride in the parade please contact John Vermillion
or any of our Officers no later than 1 October 2010. You may want
to just watch the parade which will have around 70 plus units. After
the parade a memorial service, dedicated to all veterans, will be held
in front of the Tidewater Veterans Memorial Park. Following the service
a luncheon will be hosted at the Doubletree Hotel next to the convention
center around 12:15PM. Please contact any Chapter Officer by NLT
4 October if you would like to attend the luncheon, the cost will be $20
per person. |
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Transition Officer Placement System
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| The HRCMOAA (TOPS) Liaison is Captain
Loren V. Heckelman, U. S. Navy (Ret.). Loren can be reached at email
address; Loren.Heckelman@cox.net.
Check out our Networking and Jobs page on the chapter website at www.hrcmoaa.org.
Click on the “Networking and Jobs” link on the left hand side of the home
page. |
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MOAA Scholarship Fund
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| Memorial contributions may be made to the MOAA Scholarship Fund, for
deceased members of our Chapter, at Dept 889, Alexandria, VA 22334-0889.
Contributions may also be made at www.moaa.org.
Or you may call 800-234-6622. |
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Virginia Wounded Warrior Program
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How can I help?
Virginia has provided a limited amount of funding for the Wounded Warrior
Program. The Commonwealth anticipates that its citizens will want to help.
The Virginia Veterans Services Foundation is available to receive contributions
to support the Program. The Foundation is an agency of the state
and is eligible to receive tax deductible contributions under Internal
Revenue Service Section 170 (c) and Code of Virginia Section 2.2-2719.
Donations are placed in the Veterans Services Fund and cannot revert to
the Commonwealth’s General Fund. In this case, they only can be used for
the Wounded Warrior Program. Donations to the Foundation are audited
annually by the Commonwealth’s Auditor of Public Accounts. This assures
that the maximum amount of citizens donations will go to our veterans and
not to administrative overhead. Information about contributing is
provided on the following page.
Contribution/Pledge of Support
Yes! You can count on my support to assist Virginia’s veterans, members
of the Virginia National Guard, Virginia residents of the Armed Forces
Reserves not on active federal service, and their family members, who are
dealing with the effects of traumatic brain disorders, combat stress, and
post-traumatic stress disorders resulting from their combat service and
sacrifice in the U.S. Armed Forces.
I am enclosing/pledging my most generous contribution in the amount
of:
__ $1,000 __ $500 __ $250 __ $100
__ $50 __ Other $________
Please make checks payable to:
Virginia Veterans Services Foundation
For: VWWP: 900 East Main Street, Ground Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Your contribution is tax exempt under Internal Revenue Service Section
170 (c) and Code of Virginia Section 2.2.2719. Donations are placed in
the Veterans Services Fund and cannot revert to the Commonwealth’s General
Fund. Please complete the following five lines for contributions
of checks or cash, or when making a pledge.
Name(s) ______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
Home Phone _______________________
Work Phone _______________________
Email_______________________________________
Employer __________________________
Occupation ________________________
For additional information about the Foundation or about contributing,
contact Col. Jack Hilgers (USMC, Ret) at the Department of Veterans
Services, 900 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219, 804-382-3715 or 757-481-4164
or Steven Combs at the Department of Veterans Services, 804-786-0294. |
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21 June Luncheon
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| Congressmen Randy Forbes, our guest
speaker from the Fourth District, attended with his wife Shirley
and thanked MOAA and its members for their service and family sacrifices.
He started off by saying that this country is in a dangerous place.
On the right above is Congressman Forbes with our President Maj Norm
Crews, USA Ret.
The major points stressed by Congressman
Forbes were:
1. Government
Spending: This out of control spending is jeopardizing our freedom.
We have to borrow 40 cents for every dollar we spend. The world would
be a different place if a balanced budget would have passed years ago.
Defense spending should be based on defense needs.
2. Immigration:
85% of the gang membership are illegal aliens. The MS-13 gang is
out of control. Can we at least agree that criminals will not be
allowed to stay in this country? English should be our main language.
3. Energy:
We need a new Manhattan project to explore alternative energy solutions
to decrease our reliance on oil from foreign countries but we cannot get
it passed.
4. It’s time
to quit apologizing for the U.S. The U.S. sets the standards.
The constant bashing of small businesses is hurting America and we must
remain strong. It makes the difference whether we are making the
standards instead of apologizing. One Federal Judge did away with
the terminology “In God We Trust” and Congress is attempting to instate
legislation to keep it as our National Motto. He told us a story
about how the King of Beasts, the male lion will roar loudly and be heard
for many miles. The prey hears the loud roar and in fear for their
lives, they stand frozen in fear or run away. In the meantime, the
female lions, the hunters, have already positioned themselves to capture
the prey as they run away in fear or close in on them as they are frozen
with fear. Randy said it is our responsibility to move forward toward
the roar and not stand idle in order to pass freedom on to our children.
We must stand up to it. |
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| Above left is COL Sam Wilder, VCOC President
presenting the 2009 Communications Awards to Maj Clif Furedy, USAF our
Webmaster. Col Wilder presented the 2009 Communication Awards for
our newsletter and our website. Cliff accepted both awards on behalf
of he and John Vermillion who was not in attendance. Sam Wilder also
said we were one of the best 5-Star Chapters for 2009. |
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| Long-time members and Past President CAPT
Ray Hart USN Ret. and his wife Jane enjoyed the luncheon and opportunity
to visit with other officers and wives. |
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Chapter Schedule
For the most current and up-to-date schedule
of chapter events,
click on Calendar
of Events
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| Board Meetings; normally held the
first Saturday of each month. Next board meeting will be in September. |
| September Function: The luncheon
will be held at the Atlantic Shores Community in the Magnolia Room on Friday
17 September. Chris Stolle is guest speaker.
October Function: The luncheon
will be held at the NAS Oceana Officers Club on Friday 22 October.
The guest speakers will be senior leaders from the Chapters JNROTC and
NROTC programs for the past year.
November Function: The luncheon
will be held at the Atlantic Shores Community, Magnolia Room on 19 November.
The program will be our Annual Business Meeting and the Toys for Tots event.
December Function: This will be
the ROWS Annual Dinner Dance on Friday Evening, 3 December at the Princess
Anne Country Club.
VCOC Schedule
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday
14 October, 2010 at the Country Club of Petersburg, VA. Col Sam
Wilder, USA, Ret, is inviting a MOAA Government Relations person to
lead the open discussion period. VCOC will also vote on whether to pursue
a cruise for Oct of 2011. The time will be 10 AM to 2 PM.
VCOC Legislative Committee meets separately
prior to the VCOC meeting, with primary purpose of reviewing the Point
Papers for the 2011 NATIONAL Legislative Objectives. |
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IN MEMORIUM
CAPT Adin K. Woodward, USNR (Ret)
CAPT C. Philip Machen, Jr., USN (Ret)
Mrs. Betty Gofus, AUX
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