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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 35-NO 2
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ONE POWERFUL VOICE
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MARCH 2011
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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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25
March Luncheon
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| The luncheon will be held at the Atlantic
Shores Community , Magnolia Room. The guest speaker will be CW4
Phillip M. Brashear, son of MC Carl Brashear. Philip is a CH-47D helicopter
pilot attached to the 5-159th Aviation Regiment at Fort Eustis, VA.
He is shown with the current Joint Chief of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen
in Al Anbar Province, Iraq in 2006. He is also the President of the
Carl Brashear Foundation, and will discuss the Legacy of Carl Brashear
and the proposed Foundation. (Photo from
Foundation files) |
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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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29 April Luncheon
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| The Luncheon will be held at the Founders
Inn on Indian River Road in Virginia Beach. HRCMOAA Community
Affairs with multiple speakers from organizations we contribute to and
support ( e.g. Vets House, Equi Vets, JNROTC, Wounded Warrior, Honor Flight.)
The speakers will be announced. |
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President’s Message
Fellow Officers and Spouses:
As most of you are aware the Virginia Assembly
is in session for the next couple of months. On Monday, 24 January 2011,
the Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC) of MOAA and the 22 other veteran
organizations that make up Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service
Organizations (JLC) “Stormed the Hill." This is a day set aside for the
members of the 18 Virginia chapters of MOAA to meet with our state senators
and delegates to push our agenda for the state of Virginia. (We will do
the same sort of thing later in the year in conjunction with National headquarters
to push our national agenda.) The six state legislative objectives we lobbied
for are as follows:
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Alternate dedicated revenue sources for veterans
programs.
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Restore staffing DVS Benefit Services Program.
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Provide additional funding for state veterans
cemeteries to bring them up to national shrine standards.
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Special judicial procedures for veterans and
military service members.
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Provide additional funding for the Virginia
War Memorial.
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In-state tuition for veterans.
In these legislative affairs, our chapter
has been very ably represented by two of our members, Capt. Jim Jones,
USN (Ret) and Col. Jack Hilgers. Capt. Jones is our VCOC representative
who, at his own expense, goes to the quarterly VCOC meeting and any ad
hoc events called by VCOC. There he helps draft the goals for state wide
MOAA chapters and JLC. Col. Hilgers is our Legislative Affairs representative
and will spend the next couple of months in Richmond, helping to protect
veterans programs as well as lobbing for the six afore mentioned goals.
Jack is well known to our local representative having a long association
with most of them and is highly respected by them for his "straight shooting."
These are "interesting times." So hang
in there and keep the faith. As a MOAA member you are helping preserve
this country's freedom just as you did on active duty.
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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| Help Protect TRICARE
and TFL |
| The February Military Officer magazine
contains four tear-out letters addressed to the leaders of the House and
Senate Budget committees, who will soon begin crafting the FY2012 Budget
Resolution.
The letters ask these four key leaders
to resist incorporating deficit commission proposals in the budget resolution
that would add thousands of dollars a year in extra costs for TRICARE and
TRICARE For Life beneficiaries.
If you haven't done so already, please
sign, stamp, and mail these four letters today. If you no longer have your
magazine you can print the letters at our website. (Add extra punch to
your letters with a hand-written "p.s.") |
| 2011 Defense Spending Bill - Finally? |
| Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned
Congress that failure to move on this year's defense spending package threatens
the military's readiness to fight. "I have a crisis on my doorstep," he
said bluntly. The current temporary spending bill -- the fourth in
a series of short-term funding bills since FY2011 began last October 1st
-- expires in early March.
Meanwhile, defense appropriators have been
working behind closed doors to firm up a separate FY2011 Defense Appropriations
Bill that will fund defense programs for the remainder of the fiscal year.
According to several sources, the proposed bill is a near copy of last
year's bipartisan omnibus legislation the lame duck Congress couldn't agree
to pass in December.
The new bill would prorate the remaining
7-8 months of the fiscal year and may reflect some of the Pentagon's proposed
changes in the 2012 budget. In addition, the bill will be without
earmarks (also known as "pork"), reflecting Senate Appropriations Chairman
Daniel Inouye's (D-HI) announcement that the Senate Appropriations Committee
will implement a two-year moratorium on earmarks for the FY2011 and 2012
spending bills. |
| Why Did My Tax Withholding Go Up? |
| Many MOAA members have called to ask why
federal income tax withholding on their military retired pay increased
this year. It's not that there was some nefarious new tax hike, or that
you fell through some crack in the recent tax cut extension.
It's because the two-year Making Work Pay
(MWP) tax relief program enacted in 2009 expired at the end of 2010.
MWP cut tax withholding rates from checks in 2009 and 2010. The program
wasn't extended to 2011 so the tax tables reverted back to the old higher
levels. The MWP program was designed to act as a special stimulus
payment to help kick-start the country out of recession by putting some
extra money in citizens' hands right away. Technically, the MWP provision
was intended only to apply to qualifying taxpayers still earning wages.
However since DFAS uses the same tax tables and pay systems for retired
pay as it does for active duty pay, the system didn't discriminate between
retired pay and wages. This doesn't mean that you owe more or are
paying higher taxes—it's just that DFAS has returned to withholding the
pre-stimulus amount from each deposit. If this results in too much money
being withheld, you will receive any overpaid amount via a tax refund.
If the change causes you some problem, you can submit an IRS form W-4 to
DFAS or your pay agency to change your withholding amount.
Changes can also be made to DFAS using
the on-line 'My Pay' system. Just remember that changing your withholding
won't change your actual 2011 tax liability. If you have too little withheld,
you'll have to pony up the rest (and any applicable penalty, if you under-withheld
too much) when you file your 2011 federal income taxes. |
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| From The Editor
CDR John E. Vermillion, USN, Ret |
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| Should you get a new military ID card
at age 65 or not? |
| MOAA recommend yes. Technically, it’s
not required but it may save you some grief down the line. ID cards
for retired military members have an “indefinite” expiration date on the
front of the card. On the back of the card is an expiration date for medical
benefits that expires the month prior to you turning age 65. While your
entitlement and access to medical benefits do not end after the expiration
date, it could cause problems if you don’t update your card.
We recently received an email from a member
who told us of his trip to the base pharmacy. He still used his original
retired ID card with an expired medical date on the back. His card was
confiscated by the pharmacy. Turns out, the base hospital implemented a
local policy to confiscate cards in an effort to get cards updated for
those over 65 years old. In this fast paced, ever changing world,
military ID cards have undergone several updates over the years, photos
get old, and some service providers won’t understand the date on the back
doesn’t render the card expired. People aren’t ID card experts. An expired
date means one thing to most; game over. Save yourself the potential grief
and get a new card.
The plan to remove Social Security Numbers
from military ID cards continues. The plan is in three stages.
Stage One was implemented as of 2008; the removal of SSN from DEPENDENT
ID cards. As dependents update their cards on normal expiration dates,
their new cards will not have SSNs. Stage Two is under way; the replacement
of SSN on military member’s ID Card with a new DOD ID number. Stage
Three is replacing the SSN in ID card bar coding systems. Total completion
date is 2012.
See this DOD memo for the details:
http://www.cac.mil/assets/pdfs/SSN%20Memo%20Signed.pdf.
Each base is proceeding at different speeds
so we don’t know the implementation status at each base. Expect differences.
Want to find out the status at your base? Search for your nearest
ID card office and phone number on this site and call the ID card office
for details; http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home
(Published by Shane Ostrom,
CFP® at 12:45 pm under Military Pay and Benefits) |
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Princess Anne High School Awards
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| Each year your Chapter presents the JNROTC
awards at the annual Drill Off, held at the Little Creek Gymnasium.
Thirteen Area High Schools participated this year. The top
picture shows your President CAPT Holly Hollandsworth presenting
the Top Individual Academic Award to Cadet Davis from Kecoughtan
High School. In the bottom picture, Holly presents the Top Team Academic
Award to the First Colonial H.S. representative. |
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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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Champagne Brunch Sundays at Ft. Monroe
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| Would you like to enjoy that fellowship
and atmosphere more often? There is a Champagne Brunch most Sundays at
Ft. Monroe—from 11 am to 2 pm. at the Bay Breeze Community Center. The
food includes a buffet with both breakfast and dinner choices, including
a salad bar and an omelet and waffle station. There is always a nice assortment
of desserts and the price includes beverages: champagne, juices, milk,
coffee and tea. There is music and dancing by Roberto, El Romantico. His
music is very pleasant and easy to dance to. John and I go every Sunday
that we can and always thoroughly enjoy ourselves. The cost is $12.99 and
is open to all. Each person should have a picture ID and cars without a
military sticker will need to stop at the gate for a day pass. Reservations
are recommended. You may do so by calling Bay Breeze or by emailing Roberto.
Call Bay Breeze Community Center: (757) 788-2406. E-mail Roberto:
robertoinc@aol.com
Due to the BRAC closure of Ft. Monroe,
May 29 will be the last brunch. |
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HRCMOAA Planned Community Affairs Events – 2011
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Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award and Gold Bars and Membership to Hampton Roads NROTC Battalion Ensign
commissioning to be held at NSU on Sat. 23 April.
Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award to ODU Army ROTC outstanding cadet to be held at ODU on Thurs. 21
April.
Honor Flight Departure Ceremony
to be held at the Park & Ride I-64E Indian River Road (Exit 286A) on
Sat. 30 April.
Presentation of MOAA Gold Bars
and Membership to ODU Army ROTC 2nd LT commissionings at ODU on Fri. 6
May.
Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award to NSU Army ROTC outstanding cadet at NSU on Fri. 6 May.
Presentation of MOAA Gold Bars
and Membership to NSU Army ROTC 2nd LT commissionings at NSU on Fri.
6 May.
Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award to First Colonial High School Navy JROTC outstanding cadet at First
Colonial High School in May.
Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award to Green Run High School Navy JROTC outstanding cadet at Green Run
High School in May.
Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award to Landstown High School Navy JROTC outstanding cadet at Landstown
High School in May.
Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award to Princess Ann High School Navy JROTC outstanding cadet at Princess
Ann High School in May.
Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award to Salem High School Navy JROTC outstanding cadet at Salem
High School in May.
Memorial Day Ceremony – Virginia
Beach at the War Memorial located near the Convention Center, on Tues.
30 May.
Memorial Day Ceremony – Chesapeake
at City Hall in Chesapeake, on Tues. 30 May.
Presentation of MOAA Leadership
Award to Norfolk High Schools Navy JROTC outstanding cadet, TBD in June.
Veterans Day Parade and luncheon
– Virginia Beach War Memorial on Fri. 11 Nov, parade starts on Atlantic
Ave and proceeds down 19th St. to the reviewing stand. Lunch is at
the Double Tree Hotel.
Veterans Day Ceremony – Chesapeake
City Hall, located in Great Bridge, Chesapeake on Fri. 11 Nov.
YMCA Military Family Recognition Luncheon
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Date and place, TBD in Nov.
Toys for Tots and Business Meeting
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Date and place, TBD in Nov.
Please contact David Wade if you
can help with the Honor Flight Departure on Sat. 30 Apr. 2011.
549-2123. or dcwade@cox.net . |
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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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Vets House
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| Your Chapter President, Holly Hollandsworth
and Community Affairs Chair, David Wade visited the Vetshouse, Inc.
to provide the Executive Director with a check for $200. Director
Willard Smith is shown above accepting the check from Holly.
Vets House serves homeless veterans in this area. The address is
200 North Oceana Blvd. near Va Beach/Laskin exit off I264. Vetshouse,
Inc. is a nonprofit 501c(3) organization that provides housing, food, clothing,
counseling and other assistance to homeless veterans of the US Armed Forces
in order to facilitate their return to gainful, independent, responsible
and productive lifestyles. Visit the website at www.vetshouseinc.org.
The website provides information on how to donate. |
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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 _______________________________________________________
Phone _______________________
Email_______________________________________
HRCMOAA Member Yes ___ No ___ |
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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. |
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| March 25th - Luncheon at Atlantic
Shores. Speaker is CW4 Brashear, 5-159th Av Reg Ft Eustis and son
of MC Carl Brashear, Navy Master Diver. |
| April 29th - Luncheon at Founders
Inn. HRCMOAA Community Affairs with multiple speakers from organizations
we contribute to and support ( e.g. Vets House, Honor Flight, Wounded Warrior). |
| May 27th - Luncheon at Atlantic
Shores. Disaster preparedness and planning/Red Cross (Hurricane season
prep). |
| June/July – BREAK (other
social event/activity) |
| August 26th - Luncheon at Aberdeen
Barn. Congressman Scott Rigell as Legislative guest. |
| September 23rd - Luncheon at Atlantic
Shores. National MOAA representative (ADM Ryan/Travel Benefits Advisor/or
available representative). |
| October 21st - Luncheon at Westin
Town Center. Financial Planning Panel with an attorney, CPA, and
two planners. Aaron Zielinski will moderate the panel. |
| November 18th – Luncheon at Seal
Heritage Center, Little Creek. Speaker - CAPT Tim Szymanski, USN.
Museum tours will also be available. Planning for ROTC participation/invite
to this event. Toys for Tots support also at this event. |
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| VCOC Schedule |
| 6 Ap r – Charlottesville,
Central Virginia Chapter. |
| 3 May – Congressional Luncheon,
Cannon Caucus Room, Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. |
| 7 July – Richmond, Virginia
War Memorial. |
| 13 October – Biennial Country Club
of Petersburg. |
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| Contact Jim Jones, 777-5872 for
details and transportation. Dates may change. |
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“NOTICE”
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Any Chapter Member who flew the B-58,
B-47, or the B-36, please contact LCOL Edward “Buck” Cummings, USMC
Ret. His email is terriermac@cox.net.
Also info CDR John Vermillion,
USN Ret. at vermillj@cox.net. |
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21 January Luncheon
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| Shown above is Holly Hollandsworth,
Chapter President, presenting the Jefferson Cup to Admiral Arthur
“Blackjack” Johnson, Commander of the Naval Safety Center. The
Admiral discussed our Navy today, Forces, Operational Capabilities, and
Control of the waterways. He indicated that 40% of our compliment
is at sea or on deployment at all times. The Naval Winter Safety
Campaign was successful with 2010 being the safest year for
Naval Aviation. |
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Working Together
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| On Friday, January 28th and Saturday,
January 29th , the Hampton Roads Chapter and the Virginia Peninsula Chapter
manned a Give Me Ten Recruiting table at the USAR 80th Training Command
Conference held at the Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center in Virginia
Beach, Virginia.
Shown above on the left,, left to right,
is Col Don Klovstad, USAF-Ret., and VIPMOAA Membership, Col Jim
Pauls, USAF –Ret. VIPMOAA Past President, CAPT Jack Colgan,
USN-Ret. HRCMOAA Membership, and CAPT Paul Hollandsworth, USN-Ret.,
HRCMOAA President. “Friday Team” |
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| Shown above on the right, left to right, CDR Bert Ortiz, USN-Ret.
HRCMOAA Second Vice President, Maj Frank Ducket, USAF-Ret., VIPMOAA
President, COL Jim Edge, USA-Ret. HRCMOAA Treasurer, and COL
Jim Smith, USA-Ret., HRCMOAA Board Member. “Saturday Team” |
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| Shown on the left is CAPT Jack Colgan, USN-Ret, HRCMOAA Membership
Chairman handing a MOAA handout to COL Greg Wyman, USA and Brigade
commander 800th LSB, 80TH Tng Cmd Oklahoma City, OK, On the right
is CAPT Paul Hollandsworth, Chapter President. The HRCMOAA
signed up twenty new members on Friday and Saturday. |
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IN MEMORIUM
There are no Chapter deaths to report this period.
Let us take the opportunity to remember all of our members
who passed away during the past year.
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