MOAA PRESIDENT TO SPEAK AT NOVEMBER MEETING

Transcription

1 The Star Spangled Banner Chapter BALTIMORE JULY-AUGUST 2013 *** NEWSLETTER MOAA PRESIDENT TO SPEAK AT NOVEMBER MEETING Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN (Ret.), President of the national association MOAA, will be our guest of honor and speaker at the chapter meeting on November 19, This will be our Annual General Membership Meeting and Banquet. (Please save the date. See Chapter Event Calendar for more details.) June 18 Meeting at Aberdeen Ironbirds vs. Hudson Valley Renegades After the rain enjoying the game are new Ironbirds fans MAJ Bill Shea, USMC, and Carol; LtCol Burt Meyer and Jane. Friends from the Susquehanna Chapter, Chapter President LtCol Jeff Brock, USAF, with daughter Amy and Maryland MOAA Council President MAJ John Whitman, USAF. Twenty-two optimistic members and guests made the trip to Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. And they were right! See clouds breaking up in photo to the left. With just a few minutes delay, the buffet line started up and so did the game with plenty of Italian sausage, hamburgers, hot dogs, salads etc. We did manage to conduct a little business to certify our new treasurer s access to a new chapter bank account. MAJ Russ Allen USA, our treasurer, now operates with appropriate fiduciary authority. The game: Not a pitchers duel! with the Ironbirds coming up short at the end. Star Spangled Banner Chapter Officers President, CAPT Mike DeHaemer, USN (Ret.), , mike.dehaemer@gmail.com 1 st Vice President, Memberships: COL James Shelley, USA, , james.m.shelley@gmail.com 2 nd Vice President, Programs: COL Randy Everett, USA (Ret.) ,william.r.everett@us.army.mil Secretary: MAJ Ernest W. Schultz, USAF (Ret.) , eschultz_jr@yahoo.com Treasurer: MAJ Russell Allen, USA (Ret.) , allenrussell@hotmail.com 1

2 CHAPTER EVENT CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 IS A DOUBLE HEADER DAY. Maryland Council of Chapters 3 rd Annual Congressional Luncheon, Room 2168 Sam Rayburn Building on Capitol Hill, The point is to interact with our state s Congressional Delegation to impress them that their constituencies have voters who are strongly interested in (1) national defense, (2) support of veterans, and (3)maintenance of promised benefits for those who have served. CAPT Bud Wanner, USPHS, is our chapter coordinator. His phone is We need 3 or 4 more members and/or spouses to attend. A group will travel down to DC from Penn Station on the Metro and return for the evening chapter meeting. Price of the luncheon is $38. Deadline for reservations is August 17. Please mail your registration form and check made out to the Star Spangled Banner Chapter for $38 per person to: Capt. Charles R. Wanner, USPHS (Ret.) 8209 Parkway Rd Clearwater Beach, Md Registration Form is at bottom of last page of this newsletter. SECOND HALF OF THE DOUBLE HEADER: SEPTEMER 17, Chapter Dinner Meeting and Program. Meeting is at Barrett s Restaurant, beginning with a social hour at 6.00 pm. See page 5 for details and making a reservation. We expect a great dining experience at this new venue to be accompanied by an exceptional program. ANNUAL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING & BANQUET: NOVEMBER 19, 2013 The banquet meeting will be at 6.00 pm at the Blue Stone Restaurant, 11 West Aylesbury Road, Lutherville-Timonium, MD Meeting will open with a presentation of colors by Milford Mill Academy's Marine Corps JROTC. The short business program will provide the state of the chapter to the members and outlook for 2014 as we kick off the Chapter s 50 th Anniversary Year. Our guest speaker, Vadm Ryan, USN (Ret.) is noted by congressional circles as one of the leading and strongest spokespersons for military personnel. We expect some insight from his many years of dealings at the highest levels with both the legislative and executive branches. DRESS: business suit/ / cocktail dress WELCOME NEW MEMBERS TO THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER CHAPTER!!! COL Cabra J. McDonnell, III, USA (Ret.), Ann Marie CDR Robert Brannan, USN (Ret), Hollie LTC Leslie J. Sklenar, USA (Ret.) LCDR Thomas M. Volatile, USN (Ret.) 2

3 THE SUSQUEHANNA CHAPTER INVITES US TO CRUISE WITH THEM Dinner Cruise on the Lantern Queen When: Saturday, September 7, 6:30 8:30 pm Boarding begins at 6:00pm. Where: the Docks at Frank J. Hutchins Memorial Park, Congress St. waterfront, Havre de Grace Cost: $45.00 per person Menu: Buffet with choice of Roast Beef with Gravy or Chicken Marsala. Salad, Roll, Dessert, Beverages. CASH BAR Reservation for Susquehanna Chapter Dinner Cruise on the Lantern Queen Please RSVP by August 23 NAME: # Attending Guest(s): X $45.00 Total Please make checks payable to MOAA Susquehanna Chapter Mail them to: Brian Lantz, 335 Bounding Home Ct, Havre de Grace, MD tel: CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP DRIVE Nine members and spouses (and two puppies who ate some of the postage stamps) have just stuffed and mailed 340 invitations to invite MOAA Premier Members in our area to join the chapter. We are 75 strong now, hoping to get to 100 members this year. We can use every member s personal contacts to generate some more members. We hope to do more service to our veterans and communities with a few more hands heaving on the lines. CHAPTER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED To adequately serve our mission to the community, we need some assistance from members or spouses of members to take on the duties of several vacant positions. I know most have little extra time, but any amount of time will be better than the current situation. Needed are chairs for Public Affairs, Auxiliary Liaison, Veterans Jobs Transition, Community Out Reach, and Web Master. I have secured the domain name of StarSpan.org but I haven t time to develop an internet site for us. This will be a fun project and I will work with you to get stuff online. And we can always use another editor for the newsletter. Please call me, Mike DeHaemer, , mike.dehaemer@gmail.com, if you are able to help out. TRAIN TO BE A VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER (VSO) MOAA is offering a short training course to certify volunteer VSOs. The objective is to certify volunteers for work in the states veterans support offices. Maryland offices will be seeking volunteers to work one 3

4 day per week to assist veterans with applications and claims for medical benefits and other needs. Contact is Capt Dave Peterson NOAA (Ret.) at the Maryand Veteran s Commission, kmpdhp@comcast.net. AUGUST IS A GOOD TIME TO CALL ON YOUR LEGISLATORS (In recess this month.) Some issues: Avoid the catastrophic sequestration cuts, pass an alternative debt reduction deal, that is well thought out and doesn t put the burden of the operating forces, nor on those who have served. Sustain the military pay raise at 1.8 percent. Approve the current house bill. The military is still at war. Pay caps adversely impact retention of the most needed experienced enlisted and junior officers. SEPTEMBER IS A STAR SPANGLED BANNER MONTH FOLLOWING EXCERPTED FROM MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY PLANS Defender's Day is Baltimore's oldest holiday. It honors the successful defense of the city from British attack and the writing of the National Anthem in This year we will celebrate Defender's Day on the weekend of September 13-September 15. Maryland Historical Society is partnering with Fort McHenry National Monument and Shrine, the United States Mint, and the U.S. Army to put together a truly unforgettable weekend. Friday, September 13, a full size replica of the Star Spangled Banner, hand stitched by hundreds of volunteers, will be taken in procession from the Maryland Historical Society with the U.S. Army Old Guard to Fort McHenry! Friday Evening, September 13, the public is invited to participate in unfurling the Star-Spangled Banner flag at Fort McHenry. And at Federal Hill cannon will be fired, just like it did back in 1814, when it sounded the alarm of the arrival of the British fleet. Eighty Living Historians will place a wreath at the monuments to General Sam Smith and Major George Armistead am on Saturday, September 14, beginning at 8am at Fort McHenry: New Fort McHenry quarters will be available (while supplies last)! That's right. The newest quarter in the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program for 2013 features Fort McHenry and the Star-Spangled Banner! You can exchange cash for new Fort McHenry quarters in $10 increments (while supplies last), courtesy M&T Bank. There is a $10, one roll minimum and $100, 10 roll maximum. Beginning at 6pm on Saturday, September 14, there will also be a concert by the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers' Chorus, followed by a symbolic ship-to-shore "bombardment" of pyrotechnic "bombs bursting in air" over the Fort and cannon thunder replies. Then more fireworks! Mark your calendars now for our Defender's Day celebration! MEMBER NEWS Congratulations! On recent promotion to Colonel. COL James Shelley, USA, a past Chapter President, now serving as 1 st VP and Membership Chair. The Star Spangled Banner Chapter Newsletter and Archives online: Newsletter Production President, CAPT Mike DeHaemer USN (Ret) Editor and Producer, CDR Wally Dann (Ret) Distribution, LtCol: Charles R. Meyer USAF (Ret) 4

5 NOAA Atmospheric Scientist Matthew Seybold on NOAA Satellite Operations Weather Prediction Surface and Atmosphere Data Coverage of Natural Disasters Saving Thousands of Lives! Tuesday, September 17, 2013, at 1800 Barrett s Restaruant 118 Shawan Road Hunt Valley, MD Matthew Seybold, NOAA Atmospheric Scientist, will present highlights from the nation's 17 environmental satellites, which are operated at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland. These satellites provide the daily weather images seen on broadcast television every day, as well as the data used in numerical weather prediction models, and also imagery of environmental hazards around the globe including Hurricane Sandy, Deepwater Horizon, Snowmageddon, Eyjafjallajokull Volcano, Sendai Tsunami & Fukushima Daiichi, and Colorado Wildfires. Matthew will also discuss The NOAA Corps, the seventh Uniformed Service of the United States, whose Officers operate ships, fly aircraft, facilitate research projects, conduct diving operations, and serve in staff positions throughout NOAA. Special for Star Spangled Banner Chapter Members ****** Tour of NOAA Operations. Schedule will be announced at meeting. Matthew will be happy to respond to your questions. Check some of these fascinating and awesome NOAA videos online. Search these titles on You-Tube or use link. Green Tour of Our Planet Earth: XpBMfyI Arctic Sea Ice X7ChjtxY Imagery of Hurricane Sandy Land Fall Hm5KaeM RESERVATION INSTRUCTIONS, MENU, PRICE ON BACK OF THIS PAGE. 5

6 MEETING RESERVATIONS, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 Barrett s Restaruant 118 Shawan Road Hunt Valley, MD (Near movie theater) 1800 Cocktails & Social, Cash Bar 1845 Brief Business Meeting 1900 Dinner Served 1945 Program FIXED PRICE $45 per person, includes gratuity, coffee, tea, soft drinks. Cash Bar. Choice of Salad: Classic Caesar or House Salad ENTRÉE (Choice of) Filet Mignon Grilled Salmon Herb Crusted Chicken Sides of Broccoli Floret, Chef s Seasonal Vegetables Mini Bread Pudding Dessert ======================================================================================== DINNER RESERVATIONS FOR MEETING AT BARTLETT S RESTAURANT SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 FIXED PRICE $45 per person, includes gratuity, coffee, tea, soft drinks. Name Guest Name(s) Names will be used to prepare name tags and table cards. Make check to STAR SPANGLED BANNER CHAPTER. Check amount for dinner reservations $ Mail to: COL Tom Seybold USA (Ret.) Gent Road Reistertown, MD ========================================================================================= Reservation for MARYLAND COUNCIL CONGRESSIONAL LUNCHEON SEPTEMBER 17, 2013, ROOM 2168, RAYBURN BUILDING MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO STAR SPANGLED BANNER CHAPTER. MAIL REGISTRATION FORM AND CHECKS TO: CAPT CHARLES WANNER, USPHS (RET.) 8209 PARKWAY ROAD CLEAR WATER BEACH, MD (Last Name First Name ) (Rank) ( ) (Street Address) Check Amount: $ (Telephone) City & Zip Code MOAA Leadership Position STAR SPANGLED BANNER CHAPTER-BALTIMORE Your Congressional District 6