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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 First Runner
Up Web Site For 2012, a Winner Printed Newsletter 2012, and Winner
E Newsletter 2012.
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VOL 38-NO 3
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ONE POWERFUL VOICE
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MAY 2014
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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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Luncheon
30 May 2014
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| Our Guest Speaker will be Bryan K.
Stephens, President/CEO Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. The
luncheon will be held at the Atlantic Shores Community, Magnolia Room.
Bryan began serving as President & CEO of the Hampton Roads Chamber
of Commerce in November 2013. Bryan returned to Hampton Roads with
extensive leadership and business experience having most recently served
as President & CEO of Kalmar RTC in San Antonio, Texas; a major manufacturer
of material handling equipment. As President & CEO he led the
entire spectrum of marketing, sales, production, quality control, distribution,
and aftermarket parts, servicing and maintenance of Kalmar RTC’s products
worldwide. Prior to Kalmar RTC Stephens was Vice President of Military
Programs for Allison Transmission, Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana; the largest
manufacturer of military transmissions in the world. Bryan also served
as a Senior Account Manager for SAIC in Suffolk, Virginia where he supported
USJFCOM and U.S. Army TRADOC. A retired Colonel in the U.S. Army,
he served in a variety of roles over a distinguished 28-year career.
His last assignments included Infantry Brigade Commander and Division COS
for the 10th Mountain Division and Chief of Operations and Chief of Staff
at the Joint Warfighting Center, USJFCOM in Suffolk, Virginia. Coming
from a military family, Bryan is a graduate of West Virginia University
with a degree in Political Science. He also received a Master of
Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
and a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University in
California. |
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| Visit our website at www.hrcmoaa.org,
read the Electronic Newsletter, access Virginia Council of Chapters, 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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President’s Message
Fellow Officers and Spouses:
One of the most important programs your
Chapter supports is the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program (VWWP).
One hundred percent of dollars contributed to the VWWP goes to help veterans
and their families here in Virginia. The VWWP is a function of the Virginia
Department of Veteran Services and therefore, monies are not diverted for
salaries, etc., as the Program is managed by full time state employees.
For more information view the VWWP website at www.wearevirginiaveterans.org.
Examples of assistance provided are: Food, one time rent/mortgage, or utilities;
Emergency transportation and reasonable vehicle repairs; Emergency residential
assistance (i.e., heating, air conditioning, broken window, etc.); and,
Pharmaceutical/Medical/Dental expenses (excludes VAMC as a provider).
The VWWP monitors and coordinates behavioral health and rehabilitative
services and support through an integrated, comprehensive and responsive
system of public and private partnerships. For additional examples
of the support VWWP provides, view the video at https://vimeo.com/77792443.
To contribute to the VWWP please make checks payable to: Virginia Veterans
Services Foundation with VWWP noted in the “For” line. Mail donations
to the Veterans Services Foundation, 900 East Main Street, 6th Floor West
Wing, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
We have received several requests for Chapter
name tags and our former President and longtime BOD member, James (Rip)
M. Dellaripa, LtCol, USAF (Ret) has agreed to be our POC for obtaining
Chapter name tags. Rip enjoys an excellent relationship with the Virginia
Art Metal & Plastic Company that we have used for many years.
Our basic Chapter name tag has the MOAA symbol and our organization, “Hampton
Roads Chapter”. Then we add the member’s name, rank, service and
status. For example: James G. Edge – COL, USA (RET). Rip’s email
address is: jdellaripa@aol.com.
Anyone interested in purchasing a name tag, please email Rip with your
name, rank, service and status (no phone calls please as we want to avoid
any errors with names). The cost of a name tag, currently, is between $6.00
& $7.00. Rip will order and pick-up the name tags and they will be
available to the member at the next Chapter luncheon. Reimbursement
to Rip will be at this time also.
We still need volunteers for the following
functions to maintain our great 5-Star Chapter: Parade coordination,
Personal Affairs, ID Card Notification and, most critical, a back-up for
John Vermillion for our award winning Tribute Newsletter and Web Site.
Thank you,
Jim Edge |
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| Legislative Update |
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| Medicare and TRICARE
payments to physicians
April 4, 2014. For the 16th time
since the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate formula was established, Congress
voted to delay deep cuts to Medicare and TRICARE payments to physicians.
The House and Senate agreed on a one year patch, and President Obama signed
the bill into law on Wednesday that will delay the 24 percent cut in payments
until April 2015. Allowing such a deep cut would devastate access to health
care for military retirees and American seniors. MOAA and many members
of Congress hoped to pass a long term fix to this perennial problem this
year. Both S. 2000 and its companion bill, H.R. 4015 attracted support
over the past few weeks, but ultimately came up short in the end.
Congress was unable to agree on how to pay for the $138 billion fix.
Looking ahead, a new session of Congress will need to take on this contentious
issue in 2015 if a permanent fix isn’t found this year. MOAA will continue
to encourage Congress to find a bipartisan permanent solution. |
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MOAA on Commissaries
By Col. Mike Hayden, USAF (Ret)
This year’s budget submission includes
a Pentagon proposal to cut commissary subsidy funding. It is a backdoor
way to slowly kill the commissary.
Currently, the Defense Commissary Agency
(DeCA) operates 243 stores worldwide, with 178 stateside, and provides
to service members and retirees and their families groceries at-cost plus
a 5-percent surcharge. Commissaries provide a significant benefit to military
families. The average family of four who shops exclusively at the commissary
saves up to $4,500 annually and sees savings of up to 30 percent when compared
to private grocery stores.
DeCA’s operations are subsidized to the
tune of $1.4 billion a year. The proposal would eliminate $1 billion in
the subsidy over a three-year period of time. DoD reports that eliminating
the subsidy will reduce the savings commissary shoppers enjoy from 30 percent
to 10 percent over the “high-priced private” grocery stores and shoppers
will see only “modest” savings over discount grocery stores.
“We are really changing the deal,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), chair
of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, said to DoD witnesses.
“That 30 percent of groceries (savings) that you were just taking away,
that savings matters.”
Cutting the subsidy itself would significantly
hit a family of four’s pocketbook — they would lose approximately $3,000
in purchasing power annually. At real risk is patronage. Who in their
right mind is going to drive past one Giant, one Safeway, and one Kroger’s
on the way to the installation on a Saturday or Sunday to get a “modest”
savings (which can be interpreted as less than a 10 percent savings)? You’ll
waste more in gas than you’ll see in savings. Oh, and commissaries and
exchanges employ family members and retirees to the tune of 40 percent,
placing their jobs at risk.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), ranking member
of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, voiced a similar
concern saying, “Structural changes do have a ripple effect, and if the
shopping becomes less at the commissary, eventually people will be less
likely to shop at the base or post exchange.” We couldn’t agree more. This
fundamental change will have a serious ripple effect on other family support
programs on the installation: base exchanges and especially morale, welfare,
and recreation programs.
The bottom line: MOAA believes cutting
the commissary subsidy is a backdoor way to slowly kill the commissary
benefit. DOD, true to their word, said they are not directing any commissary
to be closed. Yet without patrons, commissaries will face the ultimate
“business decision” and will shutter and close. |
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| From the Editor |
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| MOAA Communications Awards for 2013
Chapters Category I (400-599 members)
Print Newsletters - 2nd Runner-Up
Hampton Roads
Chapter, The Tribute, CDR John Vermillion, editor.
Electronic Newsletter - 1st Place
Hampton Roads
Chapter, The Tribute, CDR John Vermillion, editor.
Website - 1st Place
Hampton Roads
Chapter, Maj Clifton Furedy, webmaster. www.hrcmoaa.org,
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| From Your Webmaster
The Heartbleed Bug is a serious problem
and we all need to take precautions. Here are two links to help you
assess the current status of websites that may have been affected by the
Heartbleed security vulnerability.
1. A list of common sites and their
status:
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/which-sites-have-patched-the-heartbleed-bug/
2. A site-checking tool to determine
whether other sites have Heartbleed issues.
https://lastpass.com/heartbleed/
By now many sites have posted a message
about the Heartbleed problem. For example, USAA has a link on their
home page with details.
This is the action you MUST take:
Once a website has been “patched”, you
should change your password as soon as practical. In general, don’t
bother to change your password until a site has been “patched”. If
a website remains unpatched for another week, then consider changing your
password and then changing it again once the site is finally fixed.
Example: USAA says they have implemented a patch. Now you need to
change your password. Your old password may have been compromised
prior to the patch by USAA. I know changing passwords is a pain,
but we need to do it. Websites that do not require login or password
are not an issue. |
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HRCMOAA ROTC Scholarship
Fund
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| HRCMOAA is committed to funding
the MOAA scholarship fund at $25,000 in 5 years. That translates into $5,000
per year.
Please consider contributing this year!
Members may submit to the chapter treasurer,
LT
Stephen Hackney, USN-Ret at 1736 Rally Dr. Virginia Beach, VA 23454-1233
or in person at our luncheons. The checks are consolidated
and submitted to MOAA who sends receipts to the donors.
Members who already donate to the national
MOAA Scholarship may continue to do so. You 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. |
Hampton Roads Chapter ROTC
Scholarship Fund
Goal for 2016: $25,000.00 Collected to date; $12,250.00.
Goal for 2014: $5,000.00 Collected to
date, $2,150.00.
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2014
Contributions
PLATINUM $500
and above
GOLD $250 to $499
Clif Furedy $300
SILVER $100 to
$249
Jack Hilgers $200
Bronze Under $100
Capt David Yacavone, USN-Ret
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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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Norfolk State University
ROTC Awards
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| 0n 9 April at Norfolk State University,
Colonel
Jim Smith, representing the Hampton Roads Chapter, presented the Military
Officers Association of America ROTC Medal to Cadet Shanece Adams.
Cadet Adams was recognized for having demonstrated exceptional potential
for military leadership as a member of the university's Spartan Battalion,
Reserve Officers' Training Corps. The presentation is a regular feature
of Norfolk State University's Annual President's Award Ceremony which recognizes
outstanding academic students and those who exhibit exceptional leadership
potential. |
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Community Affairs
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| The Chapter is starting a new initiative
this year in which all High School NJROTC programs are encouraged to submit
a paper, written by a cadet on military service ethos or values.
The paper will be reviewed by our team made up of chapter members.
The best paper author will receive scholarship assistance for College.
The winner will be recognized at a chapter luncheon. |
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What is VA health
care? (MOAA)
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| The VA health care system provides medical
benefits to all enrolled veterans that include preventive and primary care,
outpatient and inpatient services, and prescription drugs.
Based on your veteran’s priority status, the VA provides additional services
such as nursing home and dental care and makes these additional services
available to other veterans as space and resources permit. Inpatient and
outpatient care also are provided in the private sector to eligible dependents
of veterans under CHAMPVA. Even though the VA is the largest health
care system in the U.S., all VA medical centers or clinics are different.
Your benefits are the same but how and where they may be delivered might
vary by clinic, hospital, and region. |
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Military health care
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| Military health care; known as TRICARE,
is operated through DoD and provides medical care for active duty, activated
guard and reserve, and retired members of the military and their dependents.
Medically retired servicemembers have eligibility
for both TRICARE and VA healthcare. They can choose by an episode of care
which healthcare system they want to use. |
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| The Hampton Roads Naval
ROTC Unit Annual Pass-In-Review
The Hampton Roads Naval ROTC Unit held
its annual Pass-In-Review and Spring Awards Ceremony at Regent University,
Virginia Beach, Virginia, Saturday April 12, 2014. Over 250 midshipmen
marched in formation in front of family and friends. Regent University
joined the Consortium of universities by hosting the Spring Awards ceremony
on their campus, last year and again this year. The Hampton Roads
Naval ROTC consortium is comprised of Old Dominion University, Norfolk
State University, Hampton University, Regent University and Tidewater Community
College. It's the fourth largest NROTC in the country and the largest east
of the Mississippi River. More than 40 students were recognized for
their academic accomplishments from various Military and Civilian Organizations.
The MOAA LEADERSHIP AWARD was presented
to Officer Candidate John Plant. The award was presented by CAPT.
Mike "Breeze" Barea, USN (Ret) Hampton Roads MOAA Board of Director.
The audience was greeted with opening remarks
by Regent University's Chancellor and CEO Pat Robertson. The
guest speaker was Rear Adm. Pete A. Gumataotao, USN, Commander Naval
Surface Forces Atlantic. The Admiral was the first recipient of the
Admiral Zumwalt Award for visionary leadership in 2001. |
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| Award Ceremony
(L-to-R) Rear Adm. Pete A. Gumataotao,
USN, Commander Naval Surface Forces Atlantic; Captain Daniel Cave,
USN, Professor of Naval Science Hampton Roads Naval ROTC Unit; Captain
Mike "Breeze" Barea, USN (Ret), Hampton Roads MOAA Board of Director;
Officer
Candidate John Plant. |
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Memorial Day Celebrations
26 May 2014
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| Honor our veterans by joining our chapter
in wreath laying ceremonies in Chesapeake at the Veterans Memorial
located in front of the City Hall. The ceremony starts at 1100 hours.
A special plaque will be dedicated in honor of 25 Chesapeake Vietnam Vets
killed in Action. Call CDR Matt Krakower at 482-7990 to participate.
The ceremony in Virginia Beach will be held at the Tidewater Veterans Memorial,
located on 19th Street. The formal ceremony will commence at 1200
hours and is presented by the City of Virginia Beach Mayor’s Veterans Committee.
Opening remarks by The Honorable William D. Sessoms, Jr., Mayor.
The Keynote Address will be by CAPT Christopher W. Chope, USN, Naval
Air Station Oceana. Laying of the wreaths will follow. |
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Virginia Wounded Warrior Program
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| The Virginia Veterans Services Foundation
is taking contributions to support the Program.
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 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 30 May 2014
Our Guest Speaker will be Bryan K.
Stephens, President/CEO Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. The
luncheon will be held at the Atlantic Shores Community, Magnolia Room. |
Luncheon 27 Jun 2014
Our guest speaker will be MajGen Sturdevant,
USMC. The luncheon will be held at the VB Resort Hotel.
Unconfirmed, Larry King trying to set up. |
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VCOC Schedule
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| The Congressional Lunch will be 20 May,
Senate Bldg. Room SR325. A chance to visit with your Congressman
or Senator. The follow-on VCOC meetings are scheduled for 9 July
and 8 October. Contact our VCOC representative CAPT Jim Jones,
USN-Ret. at 777-5972 or COL Jim Edge at 434-1259 NLT 11 May for
transportation and other details. Cost is $35. |
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21 February 2014
Luncheon
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| Chapter President COL Jim Edge,
USA-Ret presents CDR Carroll Baines, USN-Ret of Patriot PAWS, with
the Jefferson Cup. Carroll was our guest speaker for the luncheon
held at the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center. Carroll
briefed Chapter Members on the Patriot Paws program which provides uniquely
trained service dogs to Veterans at no cost to the veteran, greatly enhancing
the quality of life of these heroes to bring them back into society with
dignity and independence. |
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| New Members Welcomed |
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| President Jim Edge welcomes three
new members at the 21 February Luncheon. From the left; Martha
Gnilka, AUX, USN; Col Thomas Thaler, USMC-Ret.; Phyllis Adams,
AUX, USN. |
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21 March Luncheon
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| President COL Jim Edge, USA-Ret
presents the Chapter Jefferson Cup to CAPT Jim Carmen, USN-Ret.
our guest speaker for the luncheon held at the Atlantic Shores Community,
Magnolia Room. Jim is the National MOAA Director of the Transition
Center. He covered what MOAA does for the Military in general, like
benefits, and medical care for active duty and retired members. He
also spent time discussing the Transition Center organization and how it
helps active duty members when they get ready to retire. About 60
members, including several active duty members attended. |
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IN MEMORIAM
Mrs. Christine O’Donnell, AUX
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