AMOAA CONNECTION NEVER STOP SERVING

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1 AMOAA CONNECTION NEVER STOP SERVING NOVEMBER Volume XXIX, Issue 9 November is ELECTION MONTH - President and Vice-President of the United States, 1/3 of the Senate, all of the House of Representatives, members of the Georgia Legislature - and officers of the Atlanta Chapter of MOAA. All citizens should exercise the privilege of the Ballot Box, and the ones most likely to do so are veterans of the uniformed services. Early voting is now open. GMOAA CONVENTION Thank you Savannah MOAA for hosting a very fun and productive GAMOAA convention. Savannah weathered Hurricane Matthew very well and the city received us with open arms! Friday night the team attended Rewind, the Soundtrack of your Life in the Historic Savannah Theater. Saturday morning was dominated by our semiannual business meeting complete with outstanding speakers including Congressman Buddy Carter (Georgia 1st Congressional District). MAJ Bill Howerton, USA-Ret Saturday concluded with a catered meal inside the museum rotunda. MOAA President Dana Atkins highlighted the evening. Dana spoke about several important MOAA issues including a TRICARE Update, the Widow s Tax (SBP/DIC), and the discontinuation of the MOAA leadership medals and gold bar programs. Chapter representatives urged Gen. Atkins to have the staff revisit that decision for the 2017 school year. Convention pictures are posted on our website. Chapter Luncheon... 2 South Satellite... 3, 4 Sponsors... 3 Legislative Update... 4 Rest in Peace... 4 Wreaths Across America Membership Application and 2017 Dues Statement... 7 Members with internet access can read timely news releases and legislative updates on our website ( by clicking on News at the top of the page. We encourage everyone to log on and keep your contact information updated. The Chapter Board will meet on Wednesday, USAA Wealth Management 3050 Peachtree Road NW, Suite 150 Atlanta, Georgia In case of illness or death of member or spouse, please advise Col. Dan Holtz: Phone: (648) laurohn@bellsouth.net

2 AMOAA CONNECTION Vol. XXIX, #9 Please mail, pay online, or bring your $20, plus an additional amount for our ROTC scholarship fund, to the next meeting. Use the form on p. 7 to update your information. Surviving spouses over 70 years of age are considered life members without further dues payments. When SATURDAY 19 NOVEMBER 11:30 AM 1:30 PM Where Brio Tuscan Grille 2964 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta, GA NB: Enter on north side; complimentary valet parking. DO NOT PARK in Publix parking lot. Menu 1ST COURSE Chopped Salad 2ND COURSE Campanelle Carbonara or Grilled Chicken Marsala or Grilled Salmon Entree Salad with Soup of the Day 3RD COURSE Crème Brulee Cost $26.00 per person* *Check or exact cash Spouses, guests, and prospective members are always welcome Reservations Please make reservation not later than Noon, Monday, November 14 with Rosalie Castleberry Phone: rosalienorthcastle@gmail.com Guest Speaker Sue Verhoff Atlanta History Center Topic Veterans Oral History Project Coming in December The Past-Presidents Luncheon meeting will be on Saturday, December 10 at Petite Auberge November 8: ELECTION DAY 11: Veterans Day 12: Veterans Day Parade and Freedom Ball 24: Thanksgiving Day Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. President John Quincy Adams. Keep us updated If you change your contact information, please keep us informed so you will continue to receive the AMOAA Connection and other important notices. Chapter secretary LTC Brad Lord bradford.j.lord@gmail.com Stay Informed Sign up to receive the MOAA Messages, the Council and Chapter Update, and the Legislative Update by visiting or by calling MOAA s Member Service Center at MOAA (6622). The Legislative Update informs you of time-sensitive legislative alerts weekly; the Council and Chapter Affairs Updates reaches you monthly. 2

3 Vol. XXIX, #9 AMOAA CONNECTION Southside Satellite (S 2 ) SOUTH SATELLITE SUPPER November 8 (Election Day) Veterans Day Brotherhood and Fellowship This month s meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m. Charlie's Country Home Cooking 115 Marquis Dr., Fayetteville GA, Telephone: (770) Please RSVP with HERSHEL WEBB webbhershel@bellsouth.net Phone: In addition to attending our Chapter and/or Satellite meetings, please consider helping our local AMOAA chapter by volunteering as a Veteran's Treatment Court mentor, JROTC coordinator, or Legislative contact for the new Congressional 3rd District Representative after the November election. Your support for Veterans is a valued aspect of your MOAA membership! Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting. - Franklin D. Roosevelt LIST YOUR SERVICES IN THE AMOAA CONNECTION and E-CONNECTION. You can have your company, books, or services listed in this newsletter and/or the electronic version and/or on our webpage, and be welcomed into the homes of more than 700 MOAA members and spouses. Contact Col. Robert Certain, (770) or via amoaa@att.net. VetJobs is the leading military job board for transitioning military, veterans, DOD civilians and their family member. Get help and search openings at CAPT Ted Daywalt, USN-Ret tdaywalt@vetjobs.com UNCHAINED EAGLE By Col. Robert Certain When combat troops come home from war, we have been profoundly changed. This book is the story of one warrior's journey from the prisons of North Vietnam to full freedom decades later. Available as a Kindle book at Amazon.com for $2.99 Exceptional Senior Living Parc at Duluth Independent and Assisted Living 3315 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Duluth, GA AMOAA NAME BADGES Order from Graphic Engraving 6061 Buford Hwy Atlanta, GA minimum order of two badges Indicate logo preference with Services or without 3

4 AMOAA CONNECTION Vol. XXIX, #9 The Atlanta Chapter of the Military Officer Association of America (AMOAA) South Satellite Group held their monthly meeting in Peachtree City on 4 October Almost twenty MOAA members met for supper at the Speedi-Pig Barbeque restaurant in Fayetteville for "BBQ & Benefits". Ms. Tincie Lynch present a thoughtful overview of programs and services provided by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Ms Lynch, a retired Army veteran, is the Congressional Liaison and Senior Outreach Coordinator for the Atlanta VA Medical Center (AVMC). Tincie encouraged us to help them make the VA better! If we are note happy with the service you receive from the VA, don't leave without seeing a supervisor. You should give them immediate input and feedback so that corrections are made at the lowest level. She offered a great way to connect locally is by attending a monthly Veteran Town Hall meeting like the one scheduled for 24 September at the VAMC. The audience included MOAA members from all services who had not attended previous meetings and several "regulars". Attendees that also contributed to the discussions were Lisa Sullen, Air Force Veteran and Nurse Manager for the Newnan VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC); James Ruvalcaba, Lt Col(ret) USMC and field representative for Congressman Lynn Westmoreland in the Georgia Third District; and Raymond DeVoe, LTC(R) US Army, Atlanta representative to the Fort Benning Retiree Council. Vote in the General Election on 8 November We'll have to wait at least a few more weeks before Congress makes final decisions but we can be pretty sure of at least some of the changes affecting military members, veterans and their families. TRICARE: The new version of TRICARE Standard/Preferred will have an annual enrollment requirement. Starting in 2017, retirees and family members under 65 will have to sign a document to enroll in either the version of Standard/Preferred or TRICARE Prime. If you don't actively enroll in one or the other, you and your family won't be covered by TRICARE. So you'll need to pay attention to notices about the annual enrollment period, starting next year. SBP-DIC Survivors: We fully expect the current Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) - $310 per month as of this month - won't be allowed to expire next year. It will be extended for at least one year, which gives us another shot at seeking a further extension and continued increases in the SSIA amount to make more progress toward eliminating the SBP-DIC offset, which is our ultimate goal. Commissaries: The commissary system will be testing house brands and a variable pricing system. Col. Barbara J. Steadman was born on October 19, 1933 and passed away on Saturday, September 3, Col. Steadman was a resident of Chatsworth, Georgia at the time of her passing. She served over 24 years in the United States Air Force as a nurse and administrator. Funeral services were September 9, :30 at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton with full military honors. At the November Luncheon, members will select two vice-presidents, a secretary and treasurer. The Board proposes this slate: 1 st VP: Keith Walters 2 nd VP: Shirley Quarles Treasurer: Tina Klein Secretary: Bob Certain Nominations may be made from the floor 4

5 Vol. XXIX, #9 AMOAA CONNECTION Sponsor a Wreath Today for the 2016 National Remembrance Ceremony Name: Address: City: State: Zip Phone: Do we have permission to publicize your name? Yes OR No, I wish to remain Anonymous. Marines at Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq Wreaths Across America Ceremony 2006 *Sorry- we are unable to accept grave specific requests through the main office* Sponsorship Levels Price Qty Total Individual= 1 Wreath $15.00 Family= 4 Wreaths $60.00 Small Business= 10 Wreaths $ Corporate= 100 Wreaths $ Wreaths Across America (A Non Profit Corp.) Grand Total Group ID: GA0017P Location ID: GANCCA REMEMBER, HONOR & TEACH National Remembrance Ceremony DECEMBER 17, 2016 Cut Here for Reciept Please make checks payable to Wreaths Across America and mail to: Wreaths Across America P.O. Box 249 Columbia Falls, ME Any questions please call Wreaths Across America would like to Thank you for your wreath sponsorship. Date: Name: of City: has Made a donation of (Total Wreath Sponsorships) $ to Wreaths Across America of Columbia Falls, ME. Wreaths Across America is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. You should always consult a tax professional. 5

6 AMOAA CONNECTION Vol. XXIX, #9 Arlington Wreath Project Worcester Wreath Co. and its involvement with the Arlington project was inspired when at the early age of 12 years old, as a Bangor Daily News paperboy, Morrill Worcester won a trip to the Nation s Capital. It was a trip he would never forget, and Arlington National Cemetery made an indelible impression. In later life, he recognized that his success as a businessman was in large part, due to the values of this Nation and the Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. In 1992, Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine found themselves with an excess of wreaths nearing the end of the holiday season. Seeing an opportunity to make a boyhood dream a reality, efforts to do something special with those wreaths began in earnest. With the help of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe and the Maine State Society of DC, arrangements were made for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington. Again an impression was made and he vowed to bring the wreaths every year. In 2006, in response to thousands of s and letters, Worcester Wreath expanded its wreath donations nationwide. With the help of the Civil Air Patrol and many others, ceremonies were held simultaneously at 230 locations. From the snow banks of Alaska to the sands of Iraq our Nation s heroes were honored. From here Wreaths Across America was born. In 2015, with the help of thousands of individual and, corporate sponsors and volunteers, over 900,000 wreaths were donated and placed at nearly 1100 participating locations. A group in your area is seeking sponsorships for wreaths that will be placed on veterans graves during a nationwide remembrance ceremony at a location near you. Please send the completed form (inside) along with a check or money order to Wreaths Across America P.O. Box 249 Columbia Falls, ME If you prefer to pay with a credit card, please visit our web site at for a secure transaction Please note: Wreaths Across America s national office is unable to accept requests to place wreaths on specific graves. This local group, or the location, may be willing to honor your request. Use the Identification Number on the order form to look up their contact information on our web site. Remember~ Honor~ Teach Thank you. Wreaths Across America By early 2007, with so many requests for cemetery wreaths, the Worcesters reached out to the community and the nonprofit group Wreaths Across America was formed. Mr. Worcester doubled his yearly pledge to Arlington to 10,000 wreaths and continued his tradition of sending 2,500 to the Maine Veterans Cemetery along with providing wreaths for the veteran s graves in the local communities of the small county he grew up in. Again in 2010 Ceremonial wreaths for each branch of the military were sent to all of the participating State and National cemeteries along with many local town cemeteries and monuments. Wreaths will also be provided for 24 offshore cemeteries, including Normandy Beach and a large Veteran s commemorative wreath will be sent to each state s State House for the ceremony on the Monday prior to the WAA Saturday event. Inspired by his commitment Wreaths Across America has turned its attention to answering the requests of many to emulate the Arlington project at their State veteran s cemeteries. By offering sponsorships to the public, Wreaths Across America hopes that one day every veteran s resting place will be adorned with a wreath. We need your help to make this a reality. Your wreath sponsorship places a wreath on a Veteran s grave and helps to fund Veteran and educational outreach. State House Ceremony December 12, Noon EST National Remembrance Ceremony: DECEMBER 17, 2016 For more information on the program or to honor a Veteran, visit us on the web at: 6

7 Vol. XXIX, #9 AMOAA CONNECTION Military Officers Association of America If you are already a national member of MOAA, please enter your membership number on this application. Atlanta Chapter annual dues are $ Surviving spouses of deceased MOAA or Atlanta Chapter members (or of any deceased individual who, if living, would be eligible for membership) are also eligible for Chapter membership. Annual dues for Surviving Spouses is $ Surviving Spouses over the age of 70 are Life Members with no dues required. NAME RANK: BR/SVC STATUS oactive - oreserve - o Guard - oretired - oformer Officer osurviving Spouse osurviving Spouse over age 70 ADDRESS CITY: STATE: ZIP: HOME PHONE: OFFICE: CELL ADDRESS (FOR CHAPTER NEWS) DATE COMMISSIONED: SPOUSE S 1 ST NAME NATIONAL MEMBER? ono* oyes - MOAA MEMBER NUMBER: REFERRED BY: *************************************************************************************** JROTC SCHOLARSHIP AND AWARDS FUND Please help to support our chapter s annual JROTC Scholarship Fund and Achievement Awards to deserving cadets. Please enclose $5.00, $10.00, or $ *************************************************************************************** Mail this application/dues statement with your check payable to AMOAA to AMOAA PO BOX ATLANTA, GA *We strongly encourage all eligible applicants to become national members of MOAA 7

8 The AMOAA Connection is published by the Atlanta Chapter MOAA, an affiliate of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). The Connection is published monthly except for July and August. MOAA and its chapters are non-partisan and articles, opinions, and comments are solely those of the authors and do not express policy or opinion of MOAA. MOAA VISION STATEMENT Promote and protect a strong national defense and lead our Nation to honor its commitments to all who serve. MOAA MISSION STATEMENT To advocate for our community and connect it to the Nation we serve. WE NEVER STOP SERVING The Atlanta Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America is a non-profit veterans association dedicated to maintaining a strong national defense and to preserving the earned entitlements of members of the uniformed services and their families and survivors. Membership is open to anyone who holds, or has ever held, a commission or warrant in any component of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and their surviving spouses. We strive to foster fraternal relations among active, reserve, National Guard, retired and former commissioned and warrant officers of the seven uniformed services. Our chapter adheres to the principles and goals of the Military Officers Association of America. The Atlanta Chapter of MOAA, Inc. P. O. Box Atlanta, GA31146 FIRST CLASS MAIL