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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 2010, a Runner Up Printed Newsletter 2010, and Winner E Newsletter
2010.
Serving Chesapeake,
Norfolk, and Virginia Beach since 1959
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VOL 36-NO 3
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ONE POWERFUL VOICE
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MAY 2012
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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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18
May Luncheon, Atlantic Shores Community
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| Our guest speaker will be Elisabeth
Mancano, from the Virginia Governors Office of the First Lady of
Virginia. She is responsible for Policy Liaison. She will
discuss the “SOS” program.
First Lady Maureen McDonnell launched Serving
our Service Member Families “SOS” following her husband’s inauguration
in 2010. The SOS partnership network is focused on serving and supporting
service men and women and their families. SOS connects these families with
businesses, churches, and civic and volunteer organizations to meet their
needs while a service member is away on duty or wounded while serving.
As a military wife and a Blue Star Mom, First Lady Maureen McDonnell understands
how difficult it is on the family when a loved one is away. |
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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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 Luncheon,
22 June
Guest Speaker, National MOAA representative,
CAPT Bud Schneeweis, USCG (Ret), MOAA’s Director of Benefits Information
and Financial Education. Location undetermined. CAPT Bud Schneeweis
has over 20 years' experience in human resources management and has worked
extensively with military personnel issues. He counsels service members
about finances and benefits; researches and writes articles regarding military
benefits, health care and survivor issues. |
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President’s Message
Fellow Officers and Spouses:
Lord, we are the nation! We celebrate our
birthday on July 4th, 1776, with the Declaration of Independence as our
birth certificate. The bloodlines of the world run in our veins because
we offer freedom and liberty to all whom are oppressed. We are many things
and many people. We are the nation.
We sprawl from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
to Alaska and Hawaii. three million square miles throbbing with industry
and with life. We are the forest, field, mountain and desert. We are the
wheat fields of Kansas, the granite hills of Vermont, and the snow capped
peaks of the Sierra Nevada. We are the Brooklyn Bridge, we are the grain
elevators in the farm belt, we are the Golden Gate. We are the nation.
We are 213 million living souls, and yet
we are the ghosts of millions who have lived and died for us. We are Nathan
Hale and Paul Revere. We are Washington, Jefferson and Patrick Henry. We
are Lee, Grant, Abe Lincoln and George Bush. We are the famous and the
unknown. We are presidents, we are paupers. We are the nation.
We stood at Lexington and fired the shot
heard around the world. We remember the Alamo, the Maine, Pearl Harbor,
Inchon and the Persian Gulf. When freedom calls, we answer. We left our
heroic dead at Belleau Wood, on the rock of Corregidor, on the bleak slopes
of Korea, in the steaming jungles of Vietnam and under the rubble of Beirut.
We are the nation.
We are schools and colleges, churches and
synagogues. We are a ballot dropped in a box, the harmonious voice of a
choir in a cathedral, the crack of a bat and the roar of a crowd in a stadium.
We are craftsmen, teachers, businessmen, and judges. We are laborers and
nurses. We are parents and we are children. We are soldiers, sailors and
airmen. We are peaceful villages, small towns and cities that never sleep.
Yes, we are the nation, and these are the things that we are.
We were conceived in freedom, and dear
God, if you are willing, in freedom we will spend the rest of our days.
May we always be thankful for the blessings you have bestowed upon us.
May we be humble to the less fortunate and assist those in need. May we
never forget the continuing cost of freedom. May we always remember that
if we are to remain the land of the free, we must continue always to be
the home of the brave. May our wishbone never be found where our backbone
should be. May we possess always, the integrity, the courage and the strength
to keep ourselves unshackled, to remain always a citadel of freedom and
a beacon of hope to the world.
We are the nation.....this is our wish...this
is our hope and this is our prayer...Amen
Commander
John "Bug" Roach
United States Navy
1944-1991
On 2 October 1991 while on an adversary
flight in an A-4E off the coast of Southern California, CDR Roach was killed
when his aircraft lost power and he was unable to successfully eject from
the stricken aircraft.
God bless,
Holly |
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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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| Are you and UFUNDED LIBILTY?
By Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF-Ret.
In reading an (already dated) article about
the long-term cost of war, one sentence jumped out at me. It cited
an “unfunded liability” of $1.3 trillion (with a “t”) to provide future
disability and burial benefits for veterans — and that figure didn’t include
health care. Health care costs, the writer indicated, could approach
another $1 trillion over the next 40 years for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans
alone.
One source cited in the article asserted,
“This is another entitlement program that could break the bank …”
Pardon me while I take a deep breath …
On one hand, this is what economists do
— project long-term costs of current issues. On the other, it’s a perfect
illustration of how distorted the world can look when viewed through an
economist’s prism. Let’s start with the fact that these unfunded
liabilities are people, not widgets. Second, let’s recall that these
unfunded liabilities acquired this distinction solely because of government
orders.
Finally, assigning them to the unfunded
liability bin utterly ignores the flip side of the coin: the often terrible
and permanent physical, psychological, and financial liabilities incurred
by the people who followed those orders — up to and including the deaths
that inflict those costly burial benefits on the taxpayers.
Unfortunately, the unfunded-liability perspective
almost certainly will grow more prevalent as the nation’s budget problems
worsen in coming years. Today’s amputees receive wonderfully crafted
(and expensive) prostheses. When they need to be replaced years down the
road, will the country still be willing to cover the cost? Some have
proposed addressing the future funding need by establishing a trust fund.
But a trust fund is only a tool, not a cure. Most existing trust
funds (Social Security, Medicare, TRICARE For Life, among others) already
are under attack for being unsustainable or costing too much. Further,
trust funds carry with them special congressional rules that make solving
any funding problems even harder.
It’s a hurtful truth that serious budget
problems all too often cause government leaders to do callous things to
serve short-term needs.
As stewards of those who served with us,
before us, and after us, we’re obligated to call a foul on those who would
reduce wounded, ill, and injured protectors of the nation to mere unfunded
liabilities. |
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| From The Editor
Community Affairs
COL David Wade, USA-Ret.
Hampton Roads Chapter ROTC Scholarship Fund.
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| The board has made an important decision
and approved the initiative to create an ROTC Scholarship Fund. This fund
will support qualified ROTC cadets with financial support in the form of
low interest loans and grants. Those cadets selected will be from our chapter
area. MOAA will administer the fund for the chapter which will dramatically
reduce the effort required to manage such an effort. This is a commitment
to fund the scholarship fund at $25,000 in 5 years. That translates into
$5,000 per year. The fund will be funded primarily from membership
donations. Member donations can be made as follows:
Members who already donate to the national
MOAA Scholarship may continue to do so. They just need to note on the check
that it is for the Hampton Roads Chapter ROTC Scholarship Fund. MOAA will
continue to send receipts to the donors.
Members may submit to the chapter treasurer,
Col. Jim Edge, by mail (628 Secotan Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451-7107)
or in person at lunches or may be submitted to any board member. The checks
will be consolidated and submitted to MOAA who will send receipts to the
donors.
This is an important effort. The fund will
be used to support cadets in need. We have developed and maintain a strong
relationship with our local ROTC programs. Members have been made aware
of the many joint activities and have met cadets at our luncheons. Please
support this initiative. We will monitor funding and donations and
keep the membership informed. Also, recognition of those who donate will
be included in the newsletter each month. (Of course, donors can elect
not to be recognized.)
See example check below. |
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Tracking Chart
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Hampton Roads Chapter ROTC
Scholarship Fund
Goal for 2012: $5,000.00
PLATINUM $500 and above
GOLD $250 to $499
SILVER $100 to $249
CDR Bert Ortiz, USN-Ret.
LtCol Jim Dellaripa, USAF-Ret.
CAPT Jack Colgan, USN-Ret.
CAPT Holly Hollandsworth, USN-Ret.
COL Jim Edge, USA-Ret.
COL David Wade, USA-Ret.
Bronze Under $100
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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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Veterans Benefits Offices
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The Virginia Department of Veterans Services
operates veterans benefits offices to assist veterans file their benefits
claims correctly and assist with appeals, if necessary. There are
five offices located in Hampton Roads located at:
Hampton
2019 Cunningham Dr, Ste 105
Hampton, VA 23666
757-825-7839
Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center
100 Emancipation Dr Bldg 43, Room 114
Hampton, VA 23667
757-722-9961
Portsmouth Naval Hospital
620 John Paul Circle, Bldg 3, 7th Floor
Portsmouth, VA 23708
757-953-6205
Norfolk (Tidewater)
6350 Center Dr, Bldg 5, Ste 100
Norfolk, VA 23502
757-455-0814
Virginia Beach
287 Independence Blvd,
Pembroke Two, Ste 130
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
757-552-1884 or 552-1885
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NEW HRCMOAA POSITION
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| HRCMOAA is currently seeking an eligible
volunteer to help serve as the Chapter’s Active Duty Military Liaison.
This new position will help ensure the Chapter maintains a strong tie to
officers who are actively serving, to include those in the Reserves and
National Guard. The person chosen will be responsible for representing
MOAA and HRCMOAA to the active duty community in our area. They would assist
in informing and recruiting active duty officers of MOAA and HRCMOAA programs
and activities which is essential to the future growth of the Chapter and
sustaining its military culture and identity.
This position will be directly responsible
to the Chapter President and would include meeting and coordinating with
HRCMOAA Membership and Programs Chairs to assess active duty involvement
and participation in the chapter. They would help develop programs
to encourage active duty participation in HRCMOAA sponsored activities.
They would also attend civic and other events as a HRCMOAA representative
and a member of the active duty force, as appropriate. If you are
willing and ready to contribute to making your chapter more responsive
to the active duty community, please consider volunteering for this position.
Your help is much needed and appreciated. The Chapter has developed
general qualifications to be considered for this position which includes,
but is not limited to:
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Current member of National MOAA and HRCMOAA
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Computer access and reasonably computer literate
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Be able to attend 85%-100% of Board, and membership
meetings
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Support the planning process as needed
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Current or recent active duty experience
If interested, please contact CAPT Jack
Colgan, USN (Ret), HRCMOAA Membership Chair at 757-496-9524, email:
john.colgan@verizon.net
or
CAPT “Holly” Hollandsworth, USN (Ret), HRCMOAA President at 757-496-9248,
email: hollynav@aol.com for more
information. |
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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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Hampton Roads Naval ROTC Unit’s
Midshipman and Officer Candidate to the Rescue
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Photo by Midshipman Megan
Forrest. |
| Hampton Roads Chapter MOAA recognized
two students from the Hampton Roads Naval ROTC Unit, during their weekly
Battalion Drill Period, for their collective acts of bravery. Midshipman
Jason Benning and Officer Candidate Joshua Moore, in keeping
with the highest traditions of Naval Service, rescued a woman and a child
from a burning vehicle on Interstate 64 Wednesday 1, February 2012.
MOAA is proud to show it’s gratitude and
thanks, to these students, for an exceptional job well done by putting
their own personal safety aside in accomplishing this heroic feat.
The Unit has submitted, for consideration, a summary of action and citation
for the Life Saving Medal to be awarded to both students.
In the photo: (L to R) Hampton Roads MOAA
Chapter Board of Director CAPT Mike “Breeze” Barea, USN (Ret), Midshipman
Jason Benning, Officer Candidate Joshua Moore. |
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Virginia Wounded Warrior Program
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How can I help?
The Virginia Veterans Services Foundation
is available to receive contributions to support the Program.
The program will 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.
Please provide the following;
Name(s) ______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
Phone _______________________
Email_______________________________________
HRCMOAA Member
Yes ___ No ___
You may also donate on line by visiting
the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation at;
www.vvsf.org |
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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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Luncheon, 18 May, Atlantic Shores
Elisabeth Mancano from the Virginia Governors
office. |
Luncheon, 22 June
Guest Speaker, National MOAA representative,
CAPT Bud Schneeweis, USCG (Ret), MOAA’s Director of Benefits Information
and Financial Education. Location undetermined. |
| Vacation: July and August. |
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| Virginia Council of Chapters Schedule |
Congressional Luncheon
The luncheon will be held on 8 May at
the Capitol Hill Club, D.C. |
8 AUG 2012 - VCOC MEETING - 3RD QTR
(tentative date)- Location to be Determined. |
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| Contact Jim Jones, 777-5872 for
details and transportation. |
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17 February 2012 Luncheon
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| HRCMOAA president, CAPT Holly Hollandsworth,
USN-Ret. presented the Jefferson Cup to CAPT Charles Stuppard, USN
the Commanding Officer of the Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek/Ft
Story. He gave a great presentation on how they supported all of
our deployed forces at the many overseas bases. |
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HRCMOAA
Vets House Check presentation.
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| Shown on the left is Vets House Director
Willard
Smith receiving a check for $250 from our first Vice President,
Aaron Zielinski. The check is used to help with the Vets House
operation. The presentation took place on 13 March. |
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23 March 2012 Luncheon
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| Shown is our president, CAPT Holly
Hollandsworth, USN-Ret. Presenting the Jefferson Cup to Mr. Edward
Coryell, Marketing analyst at the Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth.
He covered all of the Tricare options after retirement and changes that
can be expected. He stressed the importance of keeping your ID card
and DEERS information up to date. He also covered the TRICARE for
Life and Medicare. |
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| Community Affairs Chairman, COL David
Wade, USA-ret., provided information on the new Hampton Roads Chapter
ROTC Scholarship Fund for 2012. Members are encouraged to contribute
by writing a check when checking in for luncheons. |
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IN MEMORIAM
CWO4 Jerry S. Stanley, USN-Ret.
RADM Thomas Meinicke, USN-Ret.
CDR Henry Conger, USN-Ret.
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