Admiral Denton was an original King's Grant resident, moving into his new home in 1961 when assigned to an attack squadron at NAS Oceana.  Several years later he was shot down and imprisoned by the North Vietnamese for 7 years and 7 months.  Steve Nimitz made some remarks at a civic league meeting in June that was attended by Councilman Stacy Cummings and he took the ball and ran with it.  Below is the background Steve sent to Stacy after the civic league meeting.
 

Background....

Jeremiah Denton Jr. was a native of Alabama.  He graduated with the wartime-accelerated class of 1947 from the US Naval Academy in June 1946 (side note:  Steve Nimitz's father was his classmate as was Jimmy Carter, Stansfield Turner, and James Stockdale).  He later earned his wings as a Naval Aviator.  In September 1961 he joined Attack Squadron FORTY-TWO, based at the Naval Air Station, Oceana.  His family became original residents of the new King's Grant community in Princess Anne County. 

In July 1965, Denton's A-6 Intruder, based at Oceana, was shot down on a mission while leading a bombing raid of twenty-eight jets over North Vietnam after launching from the deck of the USS Independence stationed in the Tonkin Gulf. He was held captive for seven years and seven months in Hanoi during which he endured repeated and prolonged torture, as well as solitary confinement for four years, two of which were in the notorious prison camp, dubbed "Alcatraz". While a prisoner, he was a leader of other POW's, and defied his captors' efforts to use him for propaganda purposes. In one such propaganda attempt, when asked what he thought of the Vietnam War, he replied, "Whatever the position of my government is, I support it fully. ... I am a member of that government. It is my job to support it, and I will as long as I live." While making this statement he was also blinking the word "TORTURE" in Morse code over and over, confirming for the first time to the American government that the POW's were in-fact being tortured. 

Upon release at the end of the war in 1973, he was the first to step off the plane at Clark AFB in the Philippines.  Denton spoke briefly on the tarmac as he stepped onto free soil, and, speaking on behalf of the prisoners, he expressed their pride for having had the opportunity to serve the country "under difficult circumstances" and their gratitude to the President and the nation for having secured their freedom under honorable circumstances, ending spontaneously with the words "God Bless America" and a crisp salute to the flag in a transfixing display of patriotism that brought tears to the eyes of an entire nation. He returned to Hampton Roads and was treated at Portsmouth Naval Hospital. 

Denton subsequently became Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia and thereafter retired from the Navy in 1977.  He was awarded the Navy League of the United States' John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership and cited as follows: “For his magnificent courage and leadership while imprisoned by the North Vietnamese and as a symbol of that demonstrated by both military and civilian POWs during their years of incarceration under the most difficult and trying conditions.” 

He later returned to his native Alabama and served one term as a U.S. Senator.  When he died in 2014, his memorial service was held in King's Grant.  He is buried at Arlington.

His wife, Jane Denton, was a tireless advocate for prisoners of war. She helped found the nationally-recognized advocacy group, “National League of Families of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action,” in the 1960s after her husband was captured and imprisoned during the Vietnam War.  Her efforts were credited for helping to obtain humane treatment and the ultimate release of American prisoners.

His awards, represented in the shadow box pictured below, include the Navy Cross, Silver Star (three awards), Bronze Star (five awards), Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Purple Heart (two awards), Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (two awards), and numerous other service and campaign awards.  The shadow box was presented to him upon retirement and is displayed in his son's Virginia Beach law office.

The USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) was christened at Huntington Ingalls Industries's building yard in Pascagoula MS on June 28, 2025.  It is expected to be commissioned into Navy service in 2027. The ship is a guided missile destroyer.

A survey was mailed to all chapter members on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.  Thank you to all who responded.  We received 49 responses, which is roughly a 10% response rate and is considered to be a statistically significant sample of the population.  Below is a summary of the results.

92% of the respondents said they receive the emails we send about chapter events.
8% don’t remember seeing any chapter emails.

45% of the respondents said they had attended a chapter event in the past.
55% have never attended a chapter event.

45% of the respondents visit the chapter website between 1 and 5 times per month.
43% have never visited the chapter’s website.
12% were not sure how often they visit the chapter website.

87% of the respondents said they wanted to be notified about events via email.
8% said by printed post card.
5% said by text message.

92% of the respondents said they wanted to receive a link to the newsletter via email.
8% said they wanted a printed newsletter to be mailed through the postal service.

92% of the respondents said their participation in events would not change if only emailed notifications.
8% were not sure if their participation would change if we went exclusively to emailed notifications.

26% of the respondents said they have considered volunteering to fill a board position.
9% said they have volunteered to fill a board position.
65% said they have not considered filling a volunteer position.

Other activities that were suggested for the chapter to consider scheduling included briefings on VA healthcare*, what Navy offers to >65-year-olds for healthcare (immunizations, glasses, etc), evening socials once a month, small business owner networking events, sporting events (Tides baseball, Admirals hockey and ODU sporting events), a picnic or cookout and luncheons or brunch on a weekend day vice workday.
 

*The interim director of the VA in Hampton has accepted an invitation to speak to the chapter in early 2026.

The board will review the survey results and make a decision regarding how to proceed.  As a reminder, all of the information for luncheons and other events is posted on the chapter website and readily available there.  A link to the newsletters is also posted on the website and there is an archive of past newsletters as well.

We put a lot of time and effort into making your chapter’s website an informative and valuable resource.  Please take the time to visit the website regularly:  www.hrcmoaa.org.

North Battlefield VA Clinic Now Open
Expanding Veteran Care Access Across
South Hampton Roads

By Sameria Zavala

CHESAPEAKE, VA — The Hampton VA Health Care System marked a major milestone with the opening of the North Battlefield VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), April 10. Now operational, the facility has 240 staff, enrolled 11,981 Veterans and conducted 11,965 patient visits (as of July 31), expanding access to care for Southside communities.

Interim Executive Director of Hampton VA Healthcare System, Michael W. Harper, expressed enthusiasm about this development.

“We are excited about reaching the third and final opening phase of services at our North Battlefield, Chesapeake Outpatient Clinic. This clinic significantly enhances VA’s ability to meet the needs of our ever-growing Veteran population,” he said. “Furthermore, the Clinic expands access to vital healthcare services, ensuring Veterans receive the comprehensive support they deserve.”

As we continue to grow and evolve, our focus remains on delivering high-quality care and improving the healthcare experience for all Veterans.”

Strategically located to help Veterans who previously had to navigate bridges and tunnels for health care, the North Battlefield Clinic brings a full range of VA services closer to where Veterans live.

On Track and Entering Phase 3 of Rollout
Clinic administrators followed a phased approach to ensure safe, high-quality care delivery. As of August 2025, operations remain on track, and the clinic is now entering Phase 3 of its planned service expansion.
• Phase 1 (by April 2025): Launch of Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT), mental health services, pharmacy, laboratory, and key support services.
• Phase 2 (by July 2025): This phase brings additional PACT teams, expanded mental health services, specialty care and audiology online.
• Phase 3 (by January 2026): This phase also brings additional PACT teams, radiology, audiology, a full eye clinic, expanded telehealth offerings and dental services.

“At North Battlefield Clinic, we are dedicated to meeting the scheduled rollout timeline as we add phase 3 services” said David Kim, North Battlefield acting director. 
“We are pleased to report that we are on schedule with the onboarding of committed staff and the installation of cutting-edge equipment, allowing us to continue delivering exceptional care to Veterans,” he said. “Our team is devoted to enhancing the health and well-being of those who have served our nation, and we eagerly anticipate advancing our mission with steadfast dedication and excellence.”

Appointments began April 17, and the clinic has seen strong patient engagement. Veterans can expect continuous information sharing about the clinic’s new services and accomplishments as they become available.

The clinic is located at 70 Knells Ridge Road, Chesapeake, Virginia. Operating hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To make an appointment within Hampton VA Healthcare System, please call, toll free 866-544-9961, direct 757-722-9961, or visit [https://www.va.gov/hampton-health-care/make-an-appointment/].

Attention Veterans assigned to Langley VA Clinic.

Please be advised that due to the heightened security measures implemented at military installations, Langley Air Force Base will not allow entry for Veteran patients unless they possess one of the following forms of identification:
• Active military-issued ID
• Valid (not expired) military retiree or dependent ID
• VA state-issued Real ID
 

I am pleased to share an important update that reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring our Veterans have accessible, timely, and respectful care at the Hampton VA Medical Center.

In direct response to feedback from our Veteran community, we have implemented several improvements to expand and enhance parking availability for our Veterans and visitors. Through a strategic review of existing parking assets and by relocating staff parking farther out within our campus, we have created additional space closer to our main facility where it’s needed most.

We are proud to announce the following changes:

• 70 new Veteran/visitor parking spaces have been added near the main facility.
• 59 additional general parking spaces are now available in closer proximity to high-traffic areas.
• Parking Lot 12 is now designated exclusively for Veterans and visitors from 0700 to 1600 on business days.
• Our campus shuttle service has been expanded and improved, providing more frequent and convenient access throughout the facility.
• Through a partnership with Hampton University, staff and vistiors have access to a satellite parking lot just outside our front gates on Emancipation Drive.
• You will also notice new signage throughout the parking lots clearly identifying updated parking assignments and shuttle stop locations.

Please see the below map for details on the updated parking layout, including the dedicated Lot 12.

Should you have any questions or need additional information, please reach out to our Public Affairs Officer, John Rogers, at john.rogers12@va.gov.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in serving our nation’s Veterans.

Sincerely,

V/R
Michael W. Harper, RT(R), MHR, MBA
Interim Executive Director
Hampton VA Healthcare System
U.S. Departmernt of Veterans Affairs
Office: 757-722-9961 ext. 3101

The following information was originally developed by our own Jim Daniels.  At a MEDAC Meeting I asked CAPT Gray, Commanding Officer Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, if he would sort through Jim’s research and the various contrary responses we have received on this subject.  He responded with definitive information that confirms and embellished Jim Daniels research.  The following is the information that you all should have.  It will be published in the next HRCMOAA Newsletter.

• New ID Card’s will be required by 31 December 2025.  However, it is highly recommended that retirees get the new cards as soon as possible, especially if their social security number is on their card.

• Using the old ID Card will not affect the ability to fill prescriptions.

• You must be 65 to get the INDEF ID card.

• The website to make an appointment is: https://idco.dmdc.osd.mil/idco/ 
• This will connect to NAS Oceana, NAB Little Creek, Fort Story, NS Norfolk and all Hampton Roads area ID Card offices. 

• To get an ID Card without going to the ID Card office, you will be required to create a DS Logon.
• Previous ID card photo will be used.

NAS Oceana: 757-433-2184

Norfolk: 757-444-8263

NAB Little Creek: 757-462-5319

Dam Neck: 757-492-6163

NMC Portsmouth: 757-953-7874

Langley AFB: 757-764-2270

Respectfully Submitted;
John J. Uhrin III, CDR USN (Ret.)
 

PS by Webmaster:
New military ID cards also function as a Real ID at airport TSA checkpoints.  This has been tested at two major airports in March 2025.

By: Karen Ruedisueli, Jan 15, 2025

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has once again targeted TRICARE For Life (TFL) in its biennial report outlining options for reducing the deficit.

The December 2024 report highlights savings that could be achieved by introducing a TFL enrollment fee or minimum out-of-pocket cost requirements. Similar concepts have been presented in past CBO reports, which are issued every two years to provide information to lawmakers confronting budgetary challenges.

Last year, nearly 200 MOAA members and staff took this issue to Capitol Hill as part of our Advocacy in Action campaign, ensuring elected officials understand the intense opposition to TFL fees. Retirees already have fulfilled all the requirements to earn their health care benefit, and MOAA will fight any attempts to cut it, including fee increases designed to shift costs from DoD to seniors who rely on TFL.

Click HERE to read the complete article.

Click on the December 2024 Report above and scroll down to pages 17 and 18 where you can read about the enrollment fees.