Military Officers Association of America

Transcription

1 Military Officers Association of America Grand Strand Chapter MOAA Award Winning Website Next Dinner Meeting will be Tuesday Sept. 15th 5:30PM Golf Outing Starts at 2:00 Pine Lakes Country Club Early Fall 2015 MOAA Award Winning Newsletter 5 Star Chapter of Excellence U. Help our area Homeless Veterans at upcoming Stand Down Myrtle Beach Stand Down 2015 is just around the corner. Thanks to all of our MOAA Chapter members and/or significant others who have volunteered their time and energy for this year s second annual Stand Down event. As briefed during the August 19, 2015 Partners/Committee meeting #2 and published under an earlier AARP SC State office press release, a summary of associated activity is as follows Event setup will take place Thursday, September 17, 2015 from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Volunteers will help unload donated items that include Army Surplus goods from our storage POD in Conway, then stuff bags, organize and set up material and or equipment. We will have tables/chairs available for all groups and we will be asked for help to pick up large donations if needed. Donated items are still coming in and include blankets ("See sample picture of blanket with MOAA Logo"), toiletry kits, vouchers for eyeglasses and clothing, CoastRTA passes, sandwiches and fruit for veteran's to take with them when they leave the event, T-Shirts and crew socks (a large portion donated by Trinity Church of Myrtle Beach in support of our MOAA efforts), knitted and felt caps, toothbrushes and toothpaste, nonperishable foods, etc. Many of the groups from last year will be participating again this year. Along with our Chapter, new supporters this year include Horry Georgetown Technical College, the American Legion Auxiliary of Conway, and the Lions Club. The Charleston, SC Veterans Affairs office, and local MB Vet Clinic and Vet Center will support the event with official VA eligibility and record checks, plus limited counseling services. Our local HGTC Market Common, Dental Technicians School, will provide dental screenings. On Friday the 18th, the Stand Down event begins. The morning volunteer shifts begin at 7:00 am, Stand Down begins at 8:00 am and will conclude around 2:00 pm. We will have breakfast (and coffee!) as well as lunch for all. Contact has been made with our current list of volunteers throughout the Summer. However, should anyone have added questions, please contact myself, Rufus T. Manning at or Harry DuBose at First Annual Leadership Retreat Held at Heritage GC A Leadership Retreat was held at Heritage Golf Course on August 25 th. The meeting was focused on evaluating the progress of the Chapter in meeting last year s objectives, team building, and effectively prioritizing the establishment of our objectives for next year. In attendance were 15 members of the BOD and the Auxiliary. This was the first Chapter retreat of its kind and resulted in effectively reviewing and discussing many critical issues that have contributed to accomplishing our Chapters mission, and to the recognitions that we received. In this Issue Page 2: From the President s Desk Page 3 First Annual Leadership Retreat Contiuned on Page 3 Page 8: Membership Application, Mission and Purposes Some of the participants, Greg Youngman, Peggy DiVivo, Bill Stewart, Tom Middleton, Tony Prince Page 4: Grand Strand Chapter Membership, State Recognizes Chapter as a Charity Page 5: Medal of Honor Museum, New Website Page 6: Auxiliary News and Chaplain s Corner, Board of Directors and Editorial Policy Page 7: Legislation Tidbits, and MOAA s Take Action alerts

2 From the President s Desk It is an exciting time of year, as the MOAA Grand Strand Chapter begins our fall meetings and celebrates our 55th year. Last year we set high standards for ourselves, and your work and commitment was recognized over the summer by MOAA National. In mid-august we once again were recognized as a Five Star Level of Excellence Chapter by National! This is our fourth consecutive award. As many of you know, the criteria set by MOAA National were strengthened this year in all areas of the evaluation process. We are one of three Chapters throughout SC to receive this prestigious award and the only one in our specific category (Level IV). Additionally, due to our increased membership (currently 155 members) with 22 new members this year, we are one of two Chapters within the State to receive an incentive monetary award from MOAA National. Both awards speak volumes to our Chapter s commitment to excellence and its ongoing contributions to veterans and veteran affairs along the Grand Strand. Congratulations to all of you for a job well done! As we all know, the success of any organization comprised solely of volunteers is based both on its membership and those individuals willing to serve as leaders. We are blessed with both a strong membership and a strong leadership team. Our members and Board of Directors accomplished a great deal last year. We successfully held our second golf tournament as our major fundraiser (netting close to $6600). We also made noteworthy contributions to the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center in Little River and funded breakfasts for our Wounded Warriors last fall and during Military Appreciation Days (Scents for Soldiers). For the first time, we awarded four $2000 scholarships to deserving JROTC seniors attending college next year. No other Chapter in our SC Council can claim that accomplishment. Our liaison with the Coastal Carolina University ROTC program also was significant. We presented gold bar awards to 7 senior cadets in April. Additionally, our members volunteered to lay Wreaths Across America and support the annual Golf Tournament and Military Appreciation Days. We presently have 26 members volunteering to assist Grand Strand homeless veterans in the second annual Stand Down on September 17 and 18. We are blessed with members who are active, care a great deal about the support and welfare of our fellow veterans, and are willing to volunteer their time and finances to support our Chapter objectives. At our recent Leadership Retreat held on August 25 th, our BOD came together both to review our accomplishments last year and, more importantly, to clarify our objectives for the future. During that strategic planning session, our key leaders reviewed and evaluated our progress on Chapter objectives agreed upon by the membership in October and November of last year. In addition to evaluating our accomplishments in light of current finances, personnel, and measurable objectives, the leadership team evaluated potential objectives for the next year. Our well-attended Leadership Retreat kept its focus on our central mission of serving veterans and veterans affairs in the greater Grand Strand area. During the coming year, Grand Strand Chapter meetings will remain focused on bringing expert speakers to our meetings to update us on military affairs, upcoming legislation, health-care issues affecting our members and their spouses, and initiatives supporting veterans along the Grand Strand. Doris Gleason, AARP liaison for the Annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down, will kick-off our fall meetings at our September 15th dinner meeting, just two days before the Stand Down. I would like to close by thanking our current Executive Officers, Board of Directors, and Members for your continued and unselfish dedication to our Chapter. As we begin this new year, I am confident that your continued support will enable the MOAA Grand Strand Chapter to make remarkable progress on our mission to support all veterans in the Grand Strand area! President Page 2

3 Continuation of First Annual Leadership Retreat Held at Heritage GC from Page 1 The format of the program was broken down into three segments. The first was a presentation articulating the following objectives: Pause and reflected on where we are as a Chapter; Secondly, evaluate what worked well as we accomplished our fourth Five Star Level of Excellence award; and, finally, are we on the right path for continuation of meeting our mission and serving the needs of our members? Initial presentations were led by the Executive Officers as they led discussions on reviewing our objectives from last October and how we have met those objectives in each of the following areas: Re-energizing our chapter members, broadening our involvement in veteran community affairs, solidifying our relationship with JROTC and ROTC programs; reaffirming our relationship with other Veterans organizations in the greater MB area; and finally how are we accounting for our financial responsibilities as a 501(c)3 organization. The participants were also given an update on the accomplishments of the following objectives throughout the summer months: Golf Tournament financial status and plans for next year s outing, scholarship payments, newsletter updates (including first Auxiliary publication), new website conversion, our application and approval as a SC Secretary of State notfor-profit charitable organization, Medal of Honor (ground dedication) and contribution ceremony, increased involvement with Wreaths Across America, and update on the volunteers and planning for the 2nd annual homeless Veterans Stand down on September 18th. Finally, we reviewed the recognition and awards received from National announcing our fourth Five Star Level of Excellence award and a monetary incentive for registering twenty-two new members during the year. The second part of our leadership objectives dealt with reviewing our current initiatives in many important areas. Discussions were focused on potentially introducing an annual Leadership Scholarship that would be presented to a highly qualified JROTC cadet who met stringent leadership qualities and demonstrated high academic criteria. This scholarship would be separated from the highly selective academic focused scholarships that are currently presented. JROTC school visits were also recommended for the upcoming school year to advocate for more scholarship applications in addition to the enrollment of JROTC officer instructors in our Chapter. It was also recommended that we evaluate the current JROTC program and report back to the BOD. Legislative Affairs was another important area that was reviewed and evaluated. Recommendations developed will not only increase our connectivity with key legislatures, but additionally with the potential establishment of a new chapter Legislative Affairs Advisory Group. Additionally, a master calendar was introduced and feedback was provided on the importance of identifying and scheduling keynote speakers that represented the needs of our members. Critical meeting dates have been identified with the luncheon dates and evening meetings finalized. Once the annual Chapter calendar is approved it will be available on the website. The final portion of the Retreat dealt with the recommendation of Chapter Objectives for the 2015/16 calendar year. The following are a few of the recommendations made by the participants: 1.) Strong Educational Programs for our Members: Legislative, Budget, Personal Data security and website breaches, and Health Care 2.) National Security concerns for the Services under sequestration and its overall effect on our country and personal security threats. 3.) Communication ( improving visibility within our community) 4.) Define our expected relationships with the CCU ROTC program and 18 area JROTC programs 5.) Identify continued needs of Veterans in the greater MB area 6.) Encourage further Officer education/training of our youth (speakers at local HS venues) Throughout this strategic planning session, our key leaders reviewed and evaluated our progress on the scope of our objectives, while critically evaluating our future. In addition to reviewing our accomplishments in relationship to our current finances, personnel, and measurable objectives, we also evaluated new objectives or liaisons that the Chapter should explore. It was not only well attended, but it also spoke volumes to keeping our mission focused on continuing to become a major voice for Veterans affairs in the greater Grand Strand area. Although a great deal was accomplished, a more comprehensive development plan will have to be accomplished in articulating our objectives for the future. Page 3

4 Grand Strand Chapter Membership Bob Hawkins 2015 is another great membership year!! We currently have 155 members on our roster. We already have 22 new regular members; and 7 CCU ROTC cadets have also joined our Chapter. Our goal is to recruit another 10 new regular members this year while also increasing the number of Grand Strand members who are also Premium or Life members of National. [We will be conducting a survey, soon, to determine which of our recruiting methods is most beneficial.] We need your help. If you are one of our twenty-eight (28) 2014 members who have not renewed yet, please do so now. And, if you know of any other eligible officers who could benefit by joining our 5-star Chapter of Excellence, please encourage them to attend a meeting and join. If questions, please do contact me ( ; rhawkins21@sc.rr.com). The Chapter has its own recruiting brochure. Contact Bob if you would like copies for your neighbors and other officer friends, who are not members of our chapter. Chapter members attended MOAASC Quarterly Council President Greg Youngman, along with Tony and Leslie Prince, attended the MOAASC Quarterly Council meeting on Saturday, 8 August onboard USS Yorktown (CV-10) at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant. Most South Carolina chapters were represented and participated in a full agenda. MOAASC President Dale Ellenburg recognized three state chapters for outstanding recruitment during Low Country, Charleston, and Grand Strand were singled out as having the most productive recruitment programs with Grand Strand adding 22 new members during Grand Strand was also recognized for receiving the MOAA Five Star Level of Excellence Award for the 4th straight year Each chapter in attendance presented overviews of their chapters activities for the year. Greg Youngman reviewed the Grand Strand Chapter s highlights which include our partnership with AARP supporting the 2 nd Annual Veterans Stand Down planned for 18 September 2015, successful Level of Excellence attainment, finalist in the MOAA National Communications Award, strong recruitment results for 2014, and our support of 18 local JROTC programs, as well as, our increased involvement with the ROTC program at Coastal Carolina University. Finally, the Low Country Chapter representative described the planned events for the MOAASC biennial State Conference scheduled for 9-11 October in Beaufort, SC. Secretary of State Gave our Chapter the Green Light In addition to being approved as a 501(c)3 non-profit charity by the IRS, it is also important to be fully recognized as a state approved charitable organization. An organization must apply for SC Secretary of State registration and be approved to receive this designation and be listed on the State web site. Thanks to the efforts of President Youngman and Treasurer Tom Satterfield (and our pro-bono CPA), our Grand Strand Chapter was approved and listed in July. This achievement assures that we can continue to conduct our community focused fund-raising activities (to include monthly 50/50 s). BAD IS NOT ALWAYS Bad by Hans Duerr Germany is known for its many spa resorts which are named BAD (for bath), followed by the name of the town (BAD Homburg, for example). My first Army assignment brought me to one such place, called BAD Hersfeld, a lovely town on the (then) East-West German border. Stationed with us were some American school teachers, one of whom wrote to her mother in the States: Well, mom, here I am in BAD HERSFELD. Upon which the mother replied in a return letter: Give the place a chance, girl, you have only been there a week! Page 4

5 The Military Officers Association of America/South Carolina (MOAASC) recently donated $3,500 in support of the new National Medal of Honor Museum The Military Officers Association of America/South Carolina (MOAASC) recently donated $3,500 in support of the new National Medal of Honor Museum in Mount Pleasant, SC. Dale Ellenburg, President of the MOAASC, presented the check to Medal of Honor recipient Gen. James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret.), a member of the Museum Foundation Board of Directors. The presentation was made at the site of the new museum at Patriots Point on the Charleston Harbor. Thanks to a private foundation that has asked to remain anonymous, all donations to the museum project are currently being matched, dollar-for-dollar. (News release from The National Medal of Honor Museum, Tuesday 11 August 2015). President Greg Youngman and 1 st Vice-President Tony Prince attended the event and were on hand for the MOAASC check presentation. September Chapter meeting - Stand Down information Ms. Doris Gleason, AARP Stand-down project manager, will be our special guest speaker at our first Fall dinner meeting on September 15th, at Pine Lakes Country Club. She will be providing updated information on all aspects of the Stand-down scheduled on Friday, September 18th, at the Reserve Center, on the Market Common. Wounded Warriors will visit again in October Christina Shealy, (Scents for Soldiers Founder and CEO), has informed us that the next Wounded Warrior visit is scheduled for October 9th - 13th. More information will be provided as soon as details are known. Food Drive President Youngman and Outreach Program coordinators Rufus Manning and Harry DuBose are developing plans to implement a food drive in November, which will be focused on all area Veterans who are in need during the upcoming holiday season. Chapter Has New Web Site Peggy DeVivo - Webmaster As of the 1 st of August The Grand Strand Chapter website [ ] has a new look and feel. In an effort to make the website more user-friendly, a few of the new additions are: 1. The Navigation bar is across the top of the page with drop-down menus for you to click on to open the page for more information. 2. The Events tab consists of upcoming membership meeting information as well as community military events that may be of interest to you. When possible, directional maps have been added to the notice. You can also add the event to your own calendar by clicking on the words add to my calendar on the right hand side of the page. 3. The Contacts page not only includes the Board and Committee chairs, but a new page has been added for information to contact the Personal Affairs Liaison. 4. We will be able to add photos of events and member participation. This is a work-in-progress as more information including TOPS, ROTC/JROTC, and Scholarship info are added. My hope is that you will enjoy using the website for information. Page 5

6 President: Greg Youngman, 1st Vice President & Program Chairman: Tony Prince, nd Vice President & Membership Chairman: Bob Hawkins, Treasurer: Tom Satterfield, Secretary: Jerry Terwilliger, Chaplain: Greg Hill, Editoral Policy: Board of Directors T.O.P.S.: Bill Stewart, Social Director: Tom Middleton, ROTC/JROTC: Dean Brown, Fund Raising: Gerry Sherwin, Legislative Affairs: Jimmy Jacobs, Historian: Clay Baker Chair/Scholarship Committee: Hans Duerr, Newsletter Editor: Bill Walsh, Assistant Newsletter Editor: Tom Minton, Auxiliary Coordinator: Joan Perry, Webmaster: Peggy DeVivo, Past President: Roger Pilcher, Personal Affairs/Out Reach: Rufus Manning, Sr. The Coastal Tide Newsletter is published by the Grand Strand Chapter, which is an affiliate of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). MOAA and its affiliated chapters and councils are nonpartisan. The advertisements that appear in this publication/website do not reflect an endorsement by a MOAA affiliate. Auxiliary News Joan Perry It was a good summer for all of us. We gathered for lunch August 29, to catchup on our escapades. There were a few items of concern. As we travel, there may be a need for a visit to an Urgent Care Center. We must insure that the Center accepts Medicare and Tricare read the facts; otherwise a large bill may arrive in the mail. Other topics discussed: Beware of Medical ID Fraud and be sure to review your renewals for insurance. One member was being charged for two Homeowner s policies. Our group looks forward to assisting with the Stand-down for Veterans program. Once again, in September, we begin our collection for Wreaths Across America. Let s be a sponsor again this year. We are all reminded to Squirrel away some cash in case of an emergency. The ATMs will not be useful if we have no electric, as was seen during Hurricane Katrina ten years ago. Chaplain s Corner Chaplain Greg Hill As we begin a new program year for our MOAA chapter, I believe it is appropriate for us to consider the meaning of the holidays/observances in September. September 7: Labor Day. When we honor the social and economic achievements of American workers. September 11: Patriot Day. Our National Day of Service and Remembrance in memory of the 2,977 killed in the 2001 September attacks. September 14: Rosh Hashanah. The Jewish New Year. September 17: Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. Commemorates the formation and signing of the Constitution (September 17, 1787) and those who have become US citizens. September 23: Yom Kippur. Also known as Day of Atonement and is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people. I pray God s richest blessings upon you and yours as we enjoy one another s fellowship, honor our past service, learn from our speakers, and be in service to others. Page 6

7 Legislation Tidbits Jimmy Jacobs At our recent Executive Leadership Planning Retreat, I was asked by our President to address the Legislative Affairs efforts by: 1) Where we are currently 2) Where we should go, and 3) where do you need assistance. A recap of my comments are below and I ask that you note the last item and the intent to form a Legislative Committee. If you have interest/expertise in this area, please contact me. Where we are currently? Consists of daily/weekly review of legislative material from variety of sources not limited to MOAA-Early Bird-AUSA-VFW-AARP-AmLegion-VA-State MOAA, etc. Capture relevant items for info/action and publication in our newsletter or periodic separate chapter . Support MOAA National on "Call for Action" packages to general membership and occasional petitions. Major SC legislative item currently pending exempt military retirement pay from state income tax (Unanimously passed the House and pending in Senate Finance Committee Key successes include chapter overall involvement in numerous veteran support organizations, publication of letters to editor and chapter enormous support of the petition supporting retirement pay exemption. Where we should go? Continue on current path and expand efforts. Work to establish relationship with elected national, state and local officials and staff to support our national, state and local efforts to benefit veterans and their families. Establish contact list of key staffers and communicators to periodically call/liaison with and include on distribution for our mailings and newsletter. As appropriate, invite to dinner meetings. Establish what's important to the membership for emphasis and research: 1) Items that affect pay and benefits of retirees and families 2)Items that affect military/defense overall 3)Items that affect all Veterans 4) A mix of all. Where do you need assistance? Establish Legislative Committee with joint service (one from each service) and auxiliary membership. Assist in relationships with contacts. Provide recommended input for Legislative Update section of Chapter Newsletter. Committee volunteers should be members not currently involved in other chapter committees. MOAA s Take Action legislative alerts and information Don't Cut the Troops' Pay Raise It looks like the president will use his executive authority to limit the 2016 military pay at 1.3 percent, rather than the 2.3 percent provided under current law. This will be the third consecutive year of capping military pay. Ask your legislators to preserve the 2.3 percent military pay raise. See more at MOAA s Take Action web site: Current updates: Page 7

8 Chapter Application ONE POWERFUL VOICE Grand Strand Chapter MOAA: Membership Application Renewal Change of address Check one. Chapter dues: $15.00 a year for regular membership. Auxiliary: $15 per year. Multiple year dues are encouraged to reduce costs. Make check payable to: Grand Strand MOAA. Mail to: MOAA Grand Strand Chapter, P.O. Box 15842, Surfside Beach, SC Last name First name MI DOB Rank Service Spouse s name Address City State Zip Home phone Cell phone address Are you a member of National MOAA? If yes, please provide membership number: Status: Retired Active Reserve National Guard Former Officer Auxiliary ROTC JROTC {My signature verifies that the above information is accurate and that I am eligible for MOAA Chapter membership.} Dues for year(s) Amount: $ Signature Grand Strand Chapter website: MISSION/Purposes: To best serve our officer members, member families and other area Veterans. Foster fraternal relations (and mutual support) among retired, active duty, and former officers of the uniformed services and their National Guard and Reserve component counterparts, ROTC Cadets, and their families and survivors; Assist community organizations that support service members and veterans and their families; Raise funds to provide for college scholarships for area high school seniors (normally JROTC students); Conduct fund-raising to support other service member and veterans programs (e.g. Wounded Warrior visits); Provide annual MOAA leadership awards to graduating cadets in all area high school approved/active JROTC programs; Participate, collaboratively, in coastal community events and activities, as priorities and resources permit; Maintain a proactive chapter affairs program that supports members during health and other family emergencies. Promote the aims and objectives of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA); and, the aims and objectives of the SC MOAA Council of Chapters. Tidelands Ford Lincoln 9387 Ocean Highway Pawleys Island, SC Insurance And Financial Services Page 8