THE BUGLER April 2016

Transcription

1 THE BUGLER April 2016 Military Officers Association of America, Citrus County Post Office Box 637, Lecanto, Florida CAPTAIN S CALL CAPT Thomas T. Holme Jr. USN Ret It s been a busy four weeks since I last sat down to write this column and the next weeks promise to be even busier. We were privileged to have Commissioner Joe Meek come to talk with us at our last monthly meeting. He shed some light on the seriousness of budget issues in the county. The lack of diversity of sources for tax revenue is a serious concern. Also, the impact fee controversy doesn t make it any easier. I was amazed to hear that ( given current revenue streams) the schedule for resurfacing local (non-state or federal) roads is once every 100 plus years! I don t envy the Commissioners their jobs and I think we will all miss Joe as we miss J.J. On St. Patrick s Day, 32 of us including many wearing the green traveled to the Show Palace Dinner Theater for a matinee performance of the Adams Family. This musical comedy was great fun and the food was terrific, too. Everyone managed fo find their way to the Hudson Theater although some more quickly than others;). I m certain there is support from those who attended to do it again next year amd maybe we can fill another table. Remember that our April Meeting is on the 7 th, the 1 st Thursday, of the month and not the usual 2 nd Thursday. This is our annual joint meeting with the Kingdom of the Sun Chapter. KOS is our mother chapter that gave birth to our chapter a little over 25 years ago. The luncheon meeting at Stumpknockers on the Withlacooochee River is always fun. This is primarily a social rather than a business meeting. We will have a speaker. This year Barbara Mills will make a brief presetnation on Honor Flight plans for the coming season. The cost is $20 pp including gratuity. Be sure to call Arlo Janssen at ( ) or him at adjanssen@aol.com. NLT April 4 th with your reservation and choice of Catfish, Beef or Chicken) Joe Meek and Capt Holme April and May also mark the season when our chapter sends a representative to each high school JROTC unit s awards banquets to present the MOAA JROTC Medal to one of their cadets and a check to the unit. The banquets will be on Sunday, 24 April Crystal River US Navy; Friday, 29 April Citrus High School for the Air Force and Thursday 5 May, Lecanto Army. If you are interested in making the presentation please contact me. May 12 th is our annual Scholarship Luncheon at Citrus Hills Golf and Country Club. The cost is $17.50 pp. You may begin making your reservations now by ing me at tholme@tampabay.rr.com. You may pay at the door on the 12 th. Your entrée choices are Sliced London Broil or Baked Tilapia Almondine. I must have reservations NLT May 5. March membership meeting Also, don t forget the State Convention in Lakeland May There is still time to make reservations although hotel space is going fast. Go to: Please join Mac, Marge, Mark and Mary, Tom and Pat, Ron and Mary, Joy and me. Tim

2 MOAA of Citrus County Operating Officers President: CAPT Thomas T. Holme Jr. USN (RET) (352) / tholme@tampabay.rr.com V. President: LCDR Merrill Schlegel USN (RET) (484) Merrill.Schlegel@1967.USNA.com Secretary: Vacant Treas: COL Thomas E. Green USA (RET) (352) / gtapgreen@aol.com Legislative Officer: 1 st LT Ronald Lundberg. USA (Ret) / rjlundberg@embargmail.com Membership:Col. Mark Bodenheim. USA (RET) (352) / markboden@hotmail.com Chaplain: The Rev. Frederick C. Ohsiek II, Capt. USAR (352) / fohsiek@yahoo.com Auxiliary Liaison and MOAA Ladies President: Ms. Louise Maroc Hogberg, Auxiliary Member: (352) aussie90@tampabay.rr.com Newsletter Editor: Col Dianne Tiano, USAFR (RET) (352) / dtiano1@tampabay.rr.com Web Master: Vacant Immediate Past President LTC Norm Cooney USA (RET) (352) / Norm66@tampabay.rr.com The Members of the Board of Directors are: RADM Mac McLeod, USN (RET) CDR Gary Runyon, USN (RET) CPT Jim Echlin, USAF, (RET) LTC Marge Blunk USA (RET) Mrs. Barbara Lincoln CW4.Kenneth Sumners Jr. USA (RET) MOAA, Citrus County Chapter, Inc. is affiliated with Military Officers Assoc. of America whose offices are located in Alexandria, Virginia. Florida. MOAA, Citrus County Chapter, Inc. is also a member of MOAA Florida Council of Chapters. MOAA of Citrus County is a 501 (C) 3 Not for Pofit Corporation registered in the State of Florida Our Website: INSIDE THIS ISSUE Captain s Call 1 Officers 2 Upcoming Events 2 Financial Report 3 Surviving Spouses 4 Show Palace 5 Membership 6-7 Veterans Pantry 8 UPCOMING EVENTS April Meeting 7 Stumpknockers on the Withlacoochee River May Board Meeting 5 May Monthly Meeting 12 Scholarship Luncheon Citrus Hills Golf and Country Club FCOC State Convention Lakeland, Florida May

3 3 FINANCIAL REPORT The Military Officers Association of America, Citrus County Chapter General Fund 29 February 2016 Receipts Disbursements Thomas E. GREEN COL. USA. RET Treasurer Item Amount Item Amount Dues $ Dinner Theater Tickets $ 1, Wise Scholarship Fund Theater Gratuity Communtity Service Fund 5.00 Theater Collection 1, MOAA National TOTALS $ 2, $ 1, Income/Interest $.10 Community Service Fund Petty Cash Fund Transfer In $ Speaker s Lunch $ 7.00 SUMMARY General Fund: 1 Feb $ 8, TOTAL ASSETS Receipts 2, Disbursements 1, Balance: 29 Feb * $ 9, $ 9, CFS: 1 Feb $ 1, Interest.10 Balance: 29 Feb** $ 1, $ Petty Cash Fund: $ Receipts Disbursments 7.00 Balance: 29 Feb $ WISE CD s Interest $ 2, $(5,621.90)*** $ 2, GRAND TOTAL $13, *Includes $ of Maurice Wise Scholarship Funds **Community Service Fund owes General Fund $ ***Total Value of WISE Fund Submitted: Thomas E. Green COL USA RET Treasurer Approved: Thomas T. Holme Jr. CAPT USN RET President USA, Ret

4 4 SURVIVING SPOUSES OF MOAA Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) By Kathy Prout, Surviving Spouse Committee Advisor The Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) was established in October 2008 as a first step toward eliminating the Survivor Benefit Plan/Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (SBP/DIC) offset. SBP is an annuity purchased upson retirement to ensure the spouse will continue to receive income ( 55 percent of the retiree s elected amount of coverage) in the event the retire pre-deceases his or her spouse. SBP also is awarded automatically to: Surviving spouses of retirement-eligible servicemembers (i.e with 20-plus years of service) who died on active duty before Sept. 11, 2001 and Surviving spouses of all sevicemembers ( regardless of length of service) who died on active duty after Sept. 11, If the servicemember s death was caused by a service-connected illness, then the surviving spouse is eligible for DIC from the VA in the amount of $1, 254 per month. DIC is deducted from SBP dollar-for-dollar,up to the full amount of SBP. Congress agreed this offset was wrong but was unable to come up with the funding to fully eliminate the offset. They instead created SSIA. It was a 10-year allowance, which started at $ 50 a month and is currently $275 a month. It wil increase to $310 by The problem is current statutory authority to pay the SSIA is set to expire Oct It is important for SSIA to be extended and increased in this year s Defense Aurhoirization Bill if the funds to eliminate the SBP/DIC offset are not found. Otherwise, 63,000 surviving spouses affected by the SBP/DIC offset will see a $3,720 reduction in Two Bills, H.R and H.R.4493, were introduced by Rep. Alan Grayson ( D-Fla.) in the House of Representatives to increase and extend SSIA as follows: H.R would increase SSIA over five years: $400 in 2018; $475 in 2019; $600 in 2020; $700 in 2021; and $ 800 in H.R would increase SSIA to $400 a month for one year in This bill is a backup bill to H.R in case funding for the five-year bill cannot be found. SSIA then would end in 2019 and again have to be addressed if the offset was not eliminated. If monies to eliminate the SBP/DIC offset cannot be found, it is imperative SSIA not only be extended but also increased. Pursuing SSIA increases does not remove the goal to eliminate the SBP/DIC offset completely. SSIA s principal purpose is twofold: (1) to provide at least partial, immediate reimbursement to SBP/DIC survivors until full repeal of the offset can be achieved, and (2) provide an additional option to attain repeal of the offset through a phasedin approach, with steady increases to the annual SSIA amounts. Please support the elimination of the SBP/DIC offset by asking your congressional representatives to co-sponsor H.R in the House and S.979 in the Senate. Also, seek support for H.R Use the toll-free Capital Hill line (866) 272- MOAA (6622). To call congressional representative today. For additional information regarding SBP/DIC offset, vist the Suvivor Advocacy Issues section of MOAA s Web Base.

5 5 Members: Harrison, Lundberg, Schlegel and Echlin Members: RADM McLeod, Lee, Cooney and Blunk. MBRS: Van Schenkoph, Hubbartt, Adamkewicz, Marr and Lincoln Members: Green, Tricca and Deblitz

6 6 MEMBERSHIP CORNER Chapter Meetings Mark BODENHEIM, Col, USA, RET Try to attend the next chapter meeting if you can. They are a wonderful source of comradery and of information. We had good attendance for our March meeting which included a fantastic presentation of the issues and solutions facing Citrus County Board of Commissioners. Just a reminder, our April meeting will take place on April 7 th at Stumpkumpkers on the River. Reservations are required and the deadline is Monday, April 4 th. The cost is $20 per person paid at the door. For reservations, call or Arlo Janssen by April 4 th at ( ) or at adjanssen@aol.com. This is the 5 th annual joint chapter meeting with the Kingdom of the Sun chapter which was our parent chapter. Barbara Mills will be our guest speaker talking about the Honor Flight ). Program. Also a friendly reminder that the MOAA Florida Council of Chapters (FCOC) 2016 Annual conference takes place May This is a very unique format for this convention as events will take place in different venues over the three days. Bus transportation from the convention hotel, The Hampton Inn & Suites, will make sure you can attend any venue you desire. For specific details, go to the FCOC website at: CHAPTER DUES REPORT Local chapter dues deadline is April 1st. As I am preparing this article, 18% of our membership have not paid their 2016 local chapter dues. In the January and February Buglers, I explained how to pay dues by mail or on-line If you have any questions about about your dues, please contact me by phone ( ) or markboden@hotmail.com. As former military officers, we should all be meeting the dues suspense date without delay. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. CHRONICLE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES In January, I began submitting our local chapter events with photos to the local Citrus County paper, the Chronicle. Our chapter has now had two of the five newspaper submissions printed in the Chronicle. Even though these articles were printed up to 8 weeks after the event took place, we are happy to get our chapter name into the public arena. Look for MOAA Citrus County Chapter event in future additions of the Chronicle (hint: The past two have been found in the Veterans section of the Sunday Edition). That s it, until we meet again. Mark Bodenheim M0AA Chapter Membership Chairman Never Stop Serving

7 7 PAYMENT COUPON Dues are $15.00 per year for regular members and $6.00 per year for surviving spouses. The dues are to be paid during the month of January each year. If you have a national MOAA local chapter dues voucher, this must be mailed to the chapter in order to receive credit for the dues. Dues are delinquent on April 1 st of each year. Late dues reminders will be sent by in February and also in March of each year. Mail dues to: MOAA Citrus County Chapter PO Box 637 Lecanto, FL Please consider supporting the Bud Wise Scholarship fund as well as the Community Service Fund at the same time you pay your annual dues. Clearly mark on your check and dues payment coupon how much you want for each dues and contribution item. Dues X( number of years) X ($15.00 or $6.00)... Contribution to the Bud Wise Scholarship. Contribution to the Community Service Fund Total

8 8 Citrus County Veterans Coalition Veterans Helping Veterans The Veterans Food PANTRY is in need of donations and food staples. The CCVC, is operating a food PANTRY for needy veterans and has a new location, time and criteria. The food PANTRY will be open Tuesday between the hours of 9:00am and 12:00pm. Request emergency food by calling (352) Located at: Disabled American Veterans 1049 North Paul Drive (Corner of US 41 and Independence Avenue) Anyone wanting to volunteer or help feed our hungry veterans can drop off food at the DAV chapter on Tuesday or call Richard at Bonnie Lee Ladies OF ELKS Bonnie had to have an emergency appendectomy on March 24th. She had been experiencing back and stomach pain and went to her doctor and was admitted to Oak Hill Hospital. Kathy Manning will be bringing her home from the hospital and her daughter will be coming to stay with her while she recuperates. If you would like to send Bonnie Lee a card her address is, 8 Milbark Ct. S. Homosassa, Fl