INTERCOM. The. Cape Canaveral Chapter, Inc. Military Officers Association of America Visit us at

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1 Five-Star Chapter Since 2004 The INTERCOM Cape Canaveral Chapter, Inc. Military Officers Association of America Visit us at Serving the Space Coast VOL. 43 NO 8 Issue Editor: 1LT Beverly Durham, USA (Ret) AUGUST Ensure any TRICARE reform sustains access to topquality care. 2. Prevent disproportional TRICARE fee increases. 3. Sustain military pay comparability with the private sector. 4. Block erosion of compensation and non-pay and quality of life benefits. 5. Protect military retirement and COLAs. 6. Sustain wounded warrior programs and expand caregiver support. 7. End financial penalties to survivors and the disabled. 8. Ensure the Guard and Reserve system adequately supports the requirements for an operational reserve. 9. Ensure spouse and family support programs are aligned with current and emerging needs of an all-volunteer force. 10. Ensure timely access to VA health care and preserve earned veterans benefits. 2 TMBC, 19th Hole IRCC 9 TMBC, 19th Hole IRCC 14 On-The-Go, River Rocks, p5 15 TMBC, 19th Hole IRCC 16 Current Affairs Forum, p5 17 Army Wives, Summer Hiatus, p4 21 MOAACC Luncheon, Colony Hall IRCC, p16 23 TMBC, 19th Hole IRCC 24 Navy Wives, Summer Hiatus, p4 30 TMBC, 19th Hole IRCC Our speaker for the August Luncheon is Chief Warrant Officer David G. Ladomirak, the Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral. Chief Ladomirak joined the United States Coast Guard in January Early assignments included conducting Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations tours on the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless and a year and a half of periodic temporary duty assignments operating high performance race boats while conducting counter narcotic operations off the coast of Haiti, Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas. In March of 1999, he was assigned as Executive Petty Officer of Aids to Navigation Team Miami. During the end of his tour there, he was selected as the Group Miami enlisted person of the year and was given a proclamation by then Miami Mayor Alex Penelas proclaiming April 3, 2002 as David Ladomirak Day for his community services. In 2005, he received his commission to Chief Warrant Officer and was assigned to the Seventh Coast Guard District as the small boat manager; this led to his selection as Commanding Officer of Station Fort Pierce where he led his crews in various complex missions off the Treasure Coast and Lake Okeechobee. Following his command tour, he was transferred to Maritime Safety and Security Team, Kings Bay in Saint Marys, GA and served as the Deployable Team Leader for numerous nationwide anti-terrorism and port security missions in support of national special security. In June of 2015, he assumed command at his current position as Commanding Officer Station Port Canaveral. Chief Ladomirak is an honor graduate from the Chief Warrant Officer Professional Development Course. He has a Bachelor s degree in business management. His personal awards include four Coast Guard Commendation medals with the operational distinguishing device, and three Coast Guard Achievement medals with the operational distinguishing device, among other various unit and service awards. Chief Warrant Officer Ladomirak is a native of Hillside, New Jersey and has been married for 23 years to the former Claudia Suzanne Tate of Miami, Florida. They have a 15-year-old son, Josiah. Please make your plans to attend the 21 August 2018 luncheon at the IRCC Colony Club. As usual the luncheon will begin at 1130 and end at approximately Make your reservation now by using the form on back of The Intercom or by contacting Mary McIntyre at or by at mmcintyreluncheon@gmail.com. You can also make your reservation online at For your convenience, you can pay at the door with cash or check, but prior reservations are required!

2 The Intercom NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE EDITOR 1LT Beverly U. Durham, USA CIRCULATION MANAGER CDR William Cox, USNR WEBSITE MAILING LIST Col Larry G. Sills, USAF ADVERTISING MANAGER Col Susan B. Neugebauer, USAF CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS JULY st Lt Gloria Makowski Col Jeffrey C. Rogers LTC Harry Skip Taylor EDITORIAL CONSULTANT CAPT Alfred W. Schumann, USN PRESIDENT Col Gary D. Eppler, USAF FIRST VICE PRESIDENT (Programs & Speakers) CW3 Daniel L. Smith, USA SECOND VICE PRESIDENT (MEMBERSHIP & SUPPORT) MAJ Timothy D. Pishdad, USA SECRETARY COL Thomas M. Rozek, USA TREASURER COL Jerry M. Gill, USA ASSISTANT TREASURER LTC William L. Bill Vanasse MASTER-AT-ARMS CPT John A. Jack Kerns, USA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Term Expires January 2019) CPT R. Scott Robinson, USA RADM Wayne E. Justice, USCG COL John C. Murphy, USAR LTC Harry Skip Taylor, USA (Term Expires January 2020) Eleanor Joy, Sp Mbr CWO4 Dan S. McIntyre, USCGR MOAACC Membership as of 30 June 2018 was 1396 of whom 334 are Life Members, 297 are Auxiliary Members and 43 are Spouse members. AUXILIARY (AUX) LIAISON Mary E. Dunagan, AUX AWARDS Nominating Committee Maj Joseph J. Oblack, USAF CW4 Robert E. John, USAR CDR A Courtney Yelle, USN BREVARD VETERANS COUNCIL LCDR Dean Schaaf, USN BUDGET AND FINANCE COL Jerry M. Gill, USA LTC William L. Vanassee USA CW3 Daniel L. Smith, USA CAPE CANAVERAL LADIES LIAISON Cozette Merritt, AUX COAST GUARD LIAISON CW04 Dan S. McIntyre, USCGR CHAPLAINS CH (Lt Col) Thomas Unrath, USAF CH (MAJ) William P. Adams, USA CH (CDR) Mark Moreno, USNR CH (MAJ) William H. Otis, USA ENTERTAINMENT Chairperson: Vacant Mary E. Dunagan, AUX Cozette Merritt, AUX FACEBOOK Administrator MAJ Timothy D. Pishdad, USA HEALTH OF THE CHAPTER Capt Jody J. Jessen, USAF HISTORIAN Capt Larry C. Jackson, USAF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS RADM Wayne E. Justice, USCG LUNCHEON COORDINATOR Mary McIntrye, Spouse MEDICAL AND VA CLINIC LIAISON 1LT Cheri M. Hawes, USA MEMBERSHIP MAJ Timothy D. Pishdad USA COL Jeffrey C. Rogers, USA (Vice) Janis E. Clark, Honorary (Secretary) MILITARY AFFAIRS COUNCIL/CBRCC LIAISON MAJ Timothy D. Pishdad, USA NAME TAGS COL Patrick J. Keane, USA Naval Ordnance Test Unit LIAISON COL Patrick J. Keane, USA PAFB CMDR S RETIREE COUNCIL LTC William A. Hampton, USA Capt David F. Conroe, USAF PROGRAMS CW3 Daniel L. Smith, USA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CDR William Cox, USNR SHIRTS & CAPS FACTORY Capt Jody J. Jessen, USAF SPEAKERS BUREAU Maj Andrea M. Eufrazio, USAFR STUDENT AFFAIRS (JROTC & ROTC) CWO4 Dan McIntyre, USCGR LTC Harry Skip Taylor, USA CDR William Cox, USNR SURVIVOR ASSISTANCE Lt Col Charles Shaw, USAF CAPT Don R. England, USN CAPT Robert C. Houle, USCG LTC Harry Skip Taylor, USA CH (Lt Col) Thomas Unrath, USAF TRANSITION & CAREER SUPPORT Capt Robert P. Hanrahan, USAF Col William W. Brandon II, USAF VET RESOURCE COUNCIL/MelB CC LIAISON LCDR Dean Schaaf, USN VETS BACK TO CLASS/JOE FOSS Inst CPT Donn Weaver, USA WEBMASTER CAPT Robert C. Houle, USCG Ruth M. Oblack, Sp Mbr, Asst WELCOME/LUNCHEON CHECK-IN CPT Jack Kerns, USA Gail Holder, Spouse Eleanor Joy, Sp Mbr Patricia A. Kerns, Sp Mbr Cozette Merritt, AUX Ruth M. Oblack, Sp Mbr Carlie Rogers, Spouse NOTE: Throughout THE INTERCOM, if a phone number is listed without the area code, the area code is 321. Be aware that some cellular services require that you use the 10-digit phone number (including the area code) to complete the call.

3 I would like to take a minute to direct you to the listing of MOAA s Top Ten Goals for 2018 on page 1 of this issue of The Intercom. If you want to become more knowledgeable, check out the January issue of Military Officer. Additionally, MOAA will provide updates to these goals with a round target symbol with the words ON OUR RADAR. Should be interesting to follow. So, what has MOAACC been doing lately? Well in July, MOAACC awarded ten $3,500 scholarships to senior college and graduate students see the awardees in the center spread of this issue. The $3500 is a $500 (17%) increase per scholarship Col. Gary D. Eppler, USAF (Ret) By RADM Wayne Justice, USCG (Ret) Greetings engaged MOAACC members! The Military Times reports Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Robert Wilkie promised lawmakers this week (11 July) that suicide prevention will remain the department s top clinical priority and transgender veterans will not see any benefits changes if he is confirmed for the post. Wilkie, 55, was advanced by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee members on Tuesday, likely setting up a full chamber vote on his appointment later this month. He listed his top policy priorities as implementing the new VA Mission Act an overhaul of the department s Be Informed Visit moaa.org/takeaction to send a message to elected officials asking them to support key legislation that affects the military. over years past. Thanks to everyone who contributed. A great showing by MOAACC as we pay forward & invest in America s future. We have revised the by-laws and will hold a membership meeting on September 20 to take a vote on the new by-laws. Prior to the vote, you will be able to review the old by-laws alongside the new by-laws. Then next, even bigger effort will be the revision of the handbook while we work on modernizing the MOAACC web site. Our requested two-day visit by MOAA s Senior Director of Council and Chapters, Terri Coles, was completed in July. This gave members an opportunity to hear community care health programs and modernizing veterans electronic medical records, as well as reducing benefits backlogs and reforming VA s human resource system. Wilkie said that his top clinical priority will remain suicide prevention. Suicide prevention ties into many veteran issues, such as opioid abuse, mental health, PTSD, homelessness, he said. VA s number one clinical priority has to be to reduce suicide and suicidal behavior, and that requires a focused, national approach to engage with all veterans whether or not they receive care in the VA. Shifting gears, the week of 11 July this year s National Defense Authorization Act had its Senate version approved and went to House/ Senate conference. MOAA National s NUMBER ONE action item is grave concern for yet even more TRICARE fee increases, as proposed in the Senate version. Here s once and interface directly with a senior MOAA representative. Several MOAACC members and wives attended the interment of 21 unclaimed cremains of American veterans and one spouse at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery. It was a very impressive ceremony yet a little sad also to realize something like this is necessary in America. Ceremonies like this are taking place all over our county. In August, MOAACC will again become very active when school starts. We provide mentors for one high school, have 17 members volunteering under the Vets Back to Class Program, always something the school district supports, and provide support to a total of 22 area JROTC/ ROTC, Civil Air Patrol and Sea Cadet Programs. Let s get ready to Never Stop Serving! Consider becoming involved somehow. again MOAA National: Action Item: Ensure any TRICARE reform sustains access to top-quality care and avoids disproportional TRICARE fee increases. Who is Affected? All military beneficiaries, including active duty troops and retirees and their family members and others entitled to DoD s health care The Issue: Reforms to the Military Health System must sustain an operationally ready force with a ready medical force. MOAA strongly agrees the military s health care system needs to evolve beyond what it is today into a modern, high-performing, integrated system. However, this interdependent relationship between health care and the readiness-laden infrastructure must not lose sight of either imperative. The health care benefit is a commitment our nation makes to servicemembers and their families, military retirees, and survivors for their years of service. Any reform of TRICARE must take into account the decades of service that constitute a prepaid, in-kind premium worthy of a top-tier health benefit. Over 80 Continued on page 12 3

4 M O A A C C First VP, CW3 Daniel Smith, USA greets MOAACC s June luncheon speaker Capt Jason Wartell, USN, a career submarine warfare officer. At TMBC on Thursday 5 July, MOAACC President Gary Eppler presented the MOAACC Award to Webmaster Robert Houle for his great work on the moaacc.org website. & Both of these groups are on Summer Hiatus. Their monthly luncheons and activities will resume in September. George Rosenfeld received a new 10th Mountain Division Hat from MOAACC President Gary Eppler. Lt Col Robert H. Clark, Intercom Circulation Manager, is retiring after over 20 years of service to MOAACC. Every month Lt Col Clark had the responsibility of picking up the printed copies of The Intercom from our printer, Minuteman Printery, and delivering them to our mailing service, Address-N-Mail. Lt Col Clark also delivered extra copies to the TMBC meeting, to various MOAACC members and to designated locations in Brevard County. As President Gary Eppler stated in his announcing Lt Col Clark s retirement, we want to thank Bob Clark for being the MOAACC Circulation Manager for all these years. Everyone could count on him for delivering The Intercom in a timely manner. The entire Intercom Staff wants to extend its Thanks and Best Wishes to Bob Clark for his outstanding service. We are also grateful to CDR William Cox, USNR, for volunteering to take over the position of Circulation Manager. Welcome Aboard Sir! 4

5 On The Go L uncheon Meets the Second Tuesday each Month Date & Time: 14 Aug., Tues. -11:30AM Cost: Per Individual Location: River Rocks 6485 S. HWY 1 Melbourne, FL For Reservations or additional information: Phone: Mary Dunagan at (321) Cut off for reservations, cancellations Friday 10 August The Intercom is published 12 times annually by the Cape Canaveral Chapter, Inc. an affiliate of the Military Officers Association of America of Alexandria, VA. Contents of The Intercom articles are the opinions solely of the authors and do not necessarily express the policy or official views of MOAA or the Cape Canaveral Chapter. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Mailing Address: P.O. Box Patrick AFB, FL intercom.moaacc@gmail.com The regularly scheduled meeting of the Current Affairs Forum scheduled for Thursday, 20 September 2018, has been cancelled. The next meeting of the Current Affairs Forum will be Thursday 15 November The Current Affairs Forum meets on the 3rd Thursday every other month starting January (odd-numbered months) at the 19th Hole, IRCC immediately following TMBC. For more Information, contact CAPT Ernest H. Joy II, USN Page Entry Correction Cleland, Gary S Fredericksburg, VA Kendall, John W APO, AE Puncke, Jr, Rick D CAPT USA Ret New Address effective 6/16/2018 Roseland, VA New Address effective 6/17/2018 University Place, WA Puncke, Jr, Frederick D CAPT USN Ret If you have additions or corrections to the 2018 Member Directory, please them to intercom.moaacc@gmail.com. Note that physical street addresses will not be printed in The Intercom due to privacy concerns, but the information will be provided to the Directory committee. HELPING FAMILIES: Estate Planning Long Term Care and VA Qualification Probate / Probate Avoidance Guardian Advocate Elder Law Discount for MOAA Members For more information visit our website at For more information call us at: or call us at (321) Our New Location: 2627 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Suite 105 Melbourne, FL (Offering a 25% Discount to Military Personnel) 5

6 The Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) is a benefit for surviving spouses who receive a Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity that is offset by a Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payment from the VA. SSIA is now a permanent benefit. The benefit will now be paid at $310 per month plus a cost-of-living adjustment each calendar year. The cost-of-living adjustment will begin in It can be confusing to understand how SBP, DIC, and SSIA are paid, and how the laws and regulations treat different situations. Here are the basics: Spouse SBP annuitants, except for those who remarry after age 57 (or in other specific circumstances), cannot receive full SBP and DIC at the same time (DIC payments made directly to children, or to a guardian on behalf of children, do not affect SBP child annuity payments). When we are informed by the VA that a spouse receiving an SBP annuity is receiving DIC, the law requires that DFAS deduct the amount of DIC received from the amount of SBP payable and pay the remaining amount of the SBP to the annuitant. This is called the SBP/DIC offset. If the SBP payment is greater than the DIC payment, a partial refund of premiums paid into the program during the service member s retirement will be made to the spouse. If the DIC payment is greater than the SBP payment, SBP will be stopped completely and all eligible basic spouse premiums paid into the program during the service member s retirement will be refunded. When a spouse is eligible to receive SBP and DIC, and those payments are subject to the SBP/DIC offset, the spouse will also receive the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA). As with other laws and regulations, there are many exceptions and special circumstances that apply to these benefits. For additional information, please see the dfas website at: 6

7 On June 23, 2018, there was a unique military funeral service at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery (CCNC) in northern Brevard County. For the first time in the history of our area, 21 veterans and one veteran spouse whose cremains had been abandoned at funeral homes, in several cases for decades, were given the solemn burial with military honors all veterans earn. These ceremonies were performed at no cost to any surviving family members. More than 250 people attended this special ceremony, and many veteran organizations in the county gave their support, the MOAACC Good Deeds Foundation (GDF) provided funds and seven MOAACC members were in attendance. The Veterans Memorial Center, along with some of its tenant veteran organizations, had more than 30 members there and set up one of the tents that offered some protection against the brutal heat conditions that morning. The Missing in America Project (MIAP) was formed in California in 2009 and is gradually spreading across America. MIAP Florida began researching the history of unclaimed cremains to confirm veteran status in funeral homes in Jacksonville and Miami. They began holding services 3 years ago. MIAP has now come to the Space Coast and we are forming a MIAP-FL support committee for future services and local research. Thus far we are focused on MOAACC GDF, the VMC, the American Legion, Rolling Thunder FL-1 and the support committee of the CCNC. You can learn all about the national program on MIAP s website home page at miap.us The cremains of more than 4000 veterans in Florida are estimated to be unclaimed and languishing in funeral homes and mortuary storage. The cremains might be from a homeless veteran, the last in a family line, an emotional abandonment case, or many other reasons. Often, there are unpaid cremation expenses or no funds for burial by relatives unaware that VA burials are available at no charge. Our Space Coast MIAP-FL support team will begin research in area funeral homes in August after the volunteers have been trained and received certification. The next MIAP-FL Military Burial Ceremony is expected at CCNC in November 2018, with 3-4 expected every year for many years ahead. The ceremonies will continue until all abandoned veteran cremains are identified and laid to rest in a dignified manner next to thousands of other veterans and spouses already resting in honor at CCNC. Support for the MIAP-FL local program is needed as volunteers are needed to act as pall and flag bearers, along with other roles, for each ceremony. Folks unable to actively participate in the ceremony are invited to attend and help honor the veterans with their presence. And of course, financial support is always welcome. Funds are collected to cover the costs of researching, obtaining copies of records, and providing appropriate urns and other needs not covered by the VA at CCNC. Contact Donn Weaver, , for more information. Submitted By: Lt Col Chuck Shaw, USAF, Ret. One of the benefits of a MOAA Premium or Life membership is having easy access to a treasure trove of information pertinent to active duty and retired officers. Part of the mission statement of the MOAACC Survivor Assistance Team is to help you and your family prepare for the inevitable. Many of us are not familiar with Military Burial benefits. The SAT Lesson Learned for August is that you do NOT want to leave funeral and burial arrangements to your surviving spouse or children! However hard it might be for you to bring yourself to address those issues now, it is many times harder for your survivor(s) in the days after you pass. So, how do you ease into this task? I suggest that you and your family get informed on the topic. There are at least two ways MOAA can help you with this: 1st MOAA provides very well written publications they will send you for free. One of them is Your Guide to Military Burials. You can call MOAA at (800) to have them send you a copy. Or you can order a copy via the MOAA Website at Among many other things, this pamphlet provides eligibility criteria for being buried in a national cemetery, overseas, or at sea. It also offers guidance on how and when to make arrangements beforehand. 2nd The MOAA Transition Center provides free Webinars to Premium or Life members. These webinars are listed at My suggestion is that you review the webinar that happened on June 7, 2018 named Veteran and Survivor Services Webinar. Be sure and have the sound turned on for your computer! 7

8 GOOD D EEDS OOD EEDS FOUNDATION The amazing efforts of MOAACC, which has one of the strongest philanthropy programs in the entire country, were on full display last month when the Scholarship Corporation awarded a total of $35,000 to ten exceptional college students to continue their academic years. Now the scene shifts to our newest 501 c3 effort, the threeyear-old MOAACC Good Deeds Foundation (GDF). Last year GDF provided more than $25,000 to hundreds of veterans and young people engaged in JROTC and other military programs in Brevard. We want to do more in 2018 and had a great start with fundraising late in 2017 and last January. Staring this month, we launch a threepronged fundraising effort: A. September and October Intercom envelopes seeking member contributions in any amount. (Last year we received $5200) B. Approaches to major defense-related and other companies for direct grants to support our veteran related causes as we gain trust with a guarantee all monies go to the veterans or youth programs we support. C. Our 2018 MOAACC/GDF Golf Tournament charity event at the Cocoa Beach Country Club on Saturday 01 December 2018, starting early with a shotgun start on threee courses. Last year we earned about $9000 for GDF via the Golf Tournament. We have plans which might help us do even better this year. Golf committee meetings began last month after some TMBC meetings, so please consider helping us and/or registering to play when forms go out in September. Next month, The Intercom will feature our 2018 Good Deeds Foundation Impact List so far this year. It has been an amazing record so far, ranging from hosting a JROTC air rifle championship; to sending a volunteer to Texas for training to provide better support to the Brevard Veteran Treatment Court, to supporting a Memorial Day Ceremony at the new Cape Canaveral National Cemetery that was attended over 1000 people, and to financial and volunteer support Missing in America Project-FL, which you can read about elsewhere in this issue of The Intercom. We hope that all members are proud of your Good Deeds Foundation; our committee now has 14 active members!! If you would like to support the goals of GDF, join us, or just have questions about this newest MOAACC initiative, please contact any GDF member listed on the inside back cover of The Intercom or President, CPT Donn Weaver, USA Thank you for caring and any future support you can give to make 2018 our best year off helping many, many others yet. George Bowdren Armand C. Riopelle Anthony Saccaro MOAACC Chapter Membership Bonnie J. Enke IMO Lt Col Gerald E. Timm 8

9 Andrew Stewart Rollins College Brady Baldree University of Florida Jordyn Sheffield University of Central Florida Joseph Bosco Yale University Joshua Bontrager Taylor University Kaylee Cornish Florida Institute of Technology Kyle Gonzalez Ohio State Leonia Hunt Florida Institute of Technology Patrick Anderson Florida Institute of Technology 9 Stephen Weaver Grove City College

10 Mrs. Nancy Bailey (AUX) Satellite Beach, FL ENS Dennis Daly, USCG Merritt Island, FL Sponsor: Dan McIntyre ENS Nicolas Deltoro, USCG Merritt Island, FL Sponsor: Dan McIntyre CDR Travis Emge, USCG (Candy) Satellite Beach, FL Sponsor: Dan McIntyre LT* Rudolf A. Enders, USN (Cam) Merritt Island, FL Sponsor: Ernie Joy Mrs. Cathy Korvas, SPOUSE (Anthony) Rockledge, FL Sponsor: Anthony Korvas The Fritz Team Steve & Sheliah Fritz (LTC (R) Steve Fritz, MOAACC member) CDR Dennis McNeilly, USN Ret (Linda) Melbourne, FL Sponsor: George Bowdren Mrs. Daphne E. McSwain (AUX) Merritt Island, FL ENS Michael Melampy, USCG Cocoa Beach, FL Sponsor: Dan McIntyre CWO3 Benjamin Mills, USCG (Jessica) Rockledge, FL Sponsor: Dan McIntyre Mrs. Barbara Olsson, SPOUSE (John) Viera, FL Sponsor: John P. Olsson, Jr. Coldwell Banker Paradise Our Specialties: Working with Military Families Out of Town/State Transactions Investment Properties YOUR REFERRALS WILL GENERATE $$$ DONATIONS TO MOAACC! Ask how a home sale or purchase with us would benefit MOAACC Florida Highway A1A Satellite Beach, FL (Cell) (Cell) (Office) Fritz.homes4u@gmail.com 10 ENS Samantha Penate, USCG Cape Canaveral, FL Sponsor: Dan McIntyre COL Michael J. Schroeder, USA Ret (Lisa) Indialantic, FL Maj Jeffrey Smith, USAF Ret (Kristin) Merritt Island, FL CW4 James P. Speller, USA Ret Melbourne, FL Sponsor: Dan Smith SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP PROJECT: Capt William Cahill, USAF Ret (Susanne) Melbourne, FL Lt Col Jill Schmidlkofer Merritt Island, FL LTC Christine Schverak, USA Ret (Jeff) Satellite Beach, FL

11 Eugene B. Sterling Maj Gen, USAF, Ret. 31 May, 2018 Arbie V. McInnis CW5, USA, Ret. 4 June 2018 TAPS Dorothy H. Barker Auxiliary Member 11 June 2018 William F. Ward MG, USA, Ret. 21 June 2018 Please send your inputs, comments and suggestions to: intercom.moaacc@ gmail.com Suntree Medical Associates Carl Saladino,MD Internal Medicine-Primary Care Board Certified-Practicing in Suntree since 1990 We take the time to listen, explain, and answer all of your medical questions. Let us serve you with same day appointments and a helpful staff. WE accept ALL TRICARE Programs Medicare & most insurances accepted CALL FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY We are ACCEPTING New Patients (321) rd Street #104, Off Suntree Blvd Routine Gynecologic care available Cynthia Williford, ARNP Susan Haines, NP-C Evelyn Torres, ARNP A Clean Pool is Good Clean Fun! Estate Planning Medicaid Planning Probate Probate Avoidance Certified Pool Operator Clean Skim Brush FREE Chemicals Vacuum & Filter Servicing ph Balancing Equipment and Safety Assessments Summer Promo! $9.95 a week for the first 4 weeks! John C Murphy, Esquire Former MOAACC President Colonel (Ret), US Army Special Forces Former County Court Judge Call for an appointment. (321) Website: Office: 5575 US 1, Rockledge 11

12 Legislative Continued from Pg 3 percent of those in Congress have not served in uniform and likely do not understand the toll service has on individuals and military families. The Remedy: Personal stories from constituents have a lot of impact on Capitol Hill. MOAA s members, councils, and chapters are a great source of grassroots support. Remind congressional legislators that any TRICARE reform not only must serve to strengthen the interdependent relationships between health care and readiness but also take into account that veterans prepaid for their health benefits through decades of service and sacrifice. ACTION: Go to the MOAA.org TAKE ACTION button, then to the LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER, and Take Action on the Stop another year of Tricare fee increases. This directly affects you! Thank you for STAYING ENGAGED! Scholarship Thank You Letter Dear MOAAC Scholarship Committee and Reception Attendees I wish I were able to be there to thank all of the people who made this award possible, but unfortunately my sponsor and I couldn t cancel a prior obligation. Nevertheless, I d like to take the time to mention a few names. Thank you to Captain Ernie Joy for all of the work he put into coordinating and facilitating the entire process. Thank you to Donn Weaver for accepting the scholarship on my behalf. Thank you to my grandfather, Joe Bosco, for being such a tremendous professional and personal role model. And thank you to all of the MOAACC members for your enduring commitment to service. The fact that you have continued to give back to your community even after serving speaks volumes about the depth and sincerity of your dedication to this country. This very dedication is what allows so many of us where we are today: pursuing passions and chasing dreams through higher education. If it wasn t for the generosity of scholarship programs like the MOAACC s, I would undoubtedly not have been able to take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities I ve been afforded at school. I wouldn t have the friends I have, be taking the classes I m taking, or even be on the same career path that I am now. As I continue to grow over my last two years as an undergraduate, and even as I transition into the working world, I will have the MOAACC to thank for the ability to pursue my dreams. Thank you so much to the scholarship selection committee and everyone else who has worked so tirelessly to make this scholarship possible. Best Regards, Joseph Bosco 12

13 Submitted By CH (Lt Col) Norman Desrosiers, (USAF Ret) While sitting here enjoying my retirement, I looked out the window and found myself recalling a song that came out in my late teen years. The lyrics went something like, roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Of course, there is more to the song as it mentions something about pretzels and beer, etc. but for now I want to focus on the lazy, hazy, crazy days. I was always told that Florida is just too hot in the summer. That may have been a true statement in years gone by, but the more I look at how the climate has changed over the years, it is a lot hotter in areas north of Florida than it is in our own state. A priest friend of mine showed a picture of the altar of his church in Long Island, New York and the candles had melted completely in half. Maybe Floridians survive these hot summers because we know how to deal with the heat. It is more than going to the beach or basking in the pool, we know how to find the air conditioning. We will spend hours walking in malls or many of the stores in the area. We run from our air-conditioned cars to our air-conditioned houses. We find ways to keep cool and not complain about the heat and humidity. After all, that is why we live in Florida. Surely, we slow down considerably so that we can pace ourselves in these warmer months. Summer might be a good time to take a hard look at our spiritual life as well. Since we aren t running so fast or filling our lives with so much to do, maybe we can consider what we are doing to further our relationship with God. I don t know about you, but sitting around the pool with a good book is great, but what if that book were the Bible or the Torah. Maybe we could begin to accomplish that goal of reading the scripture all the way through. We might take some of that time that we spend lounging around and enhance our prayer life by making a list of the people we know whom we could pray for. I am sure they would appreciate our efforts of prayer. We might also think about attending church on Saturday evening or Sunday. After all, the church or synagogue is air-conditioned. It would be a great place to gather and be with family and friends. I am sure it will be a lot more comfortable than standing in the heat of a golf course. Whatever your plans for these lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, include time to grow in your spiritual journey. The rewards will be many. May God keep you each safe and sound this summer and touch your lives in powerful ways. Contact us at FREE CONSULTATION FOR MOAA MEMBERS, PLUS A 25% DISCOUNT ON SERVICES Wills & Trusts Special Needs Trusts for Disabled Children & Adults Guardian Advocacy & Guardianships Full Service Probate & Trust Administration Medicaid Qualification for Nursing Home Placement VA Aid & Attendance Robin M. Petersen, Former JAG Officer Military Brat Board Certified in Elder Law by the National Elder Law Foundation VA Accredited Attorney MOAA Lifetime Member Tracy A. Glover, Esq. Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army JAG, retired MOAA Member 321 Sixth Avenue Indialantic, FL ElderLawCenterBrevard.com 13

14 Last month COL John Murphy, USA (ret) shared with us in his first financial literacy article (of this series) some timely advice on how to pass along to our survivors more of our wealth by avoiding probate. That s timely if you take action on his advice while you are alive and competent to make these decisions. After you die, it s too late. Hopefully his article spurred you into action. In a future article he will share with us more about what happens if we die without a trust (that s bad) or without a will (that s worse). If the attractiveness of a well-constructed trust doesn t motivate you into taking action I m sure that article will. But that s all about taking action before we die to control and pass along our wealth to those people or causes we care about when our turn comes up. This article is about sharing your wealth with others now, before you die. No, not about charitable donations, generation-skipping tax avoidance, gifting, or any of the other myriad topics related to transferring as much of your hard-earned cash to others as possible without cutting in Uncle Sam (good ideas for future articles). No, it s not about money but about knowledge about money -- financial literacy. This article is about sharing your knowledge wealth, about what you and your spouse did to accumulate your financial wealth (or, what you in hindsight should have done, to have something to pass along). This is a continuing theme from our financial literacy articles over the last By CAPT Bob Houle, USCG, Retired year and will continue along with tips on what you can do. As we start our second year of the MOAACC s Financial Literacy program let s reflect on where we (the baby boomer generation) are, and what we are facing. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, the authors research found that more than 40% of households headed by people aged 55 through 70 lack sufficient resources to maintain their standard of living in retirement. This cohort brings in a median income of under $8,000 for a household of two. And things are likely to get worse for a broader swath of Americans your children, their children and on and on. Hopefully you can say, that s not me! Most likely, you d be right since many of us have a military retirement annuity, second career retirement benefits, investments in 401k/TSP accounts and/or social security. But it s not about us (or it shouldn t be). It s about your progeny and your responsibility to be financially literate so you can guide and motivate them. What a legacy! The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) June 23-24, 2018 Time Bomb Looms for Aging America article is a must read and to share. This lengthy article is easy to access. Most public libraries carry a WSJ subscription and provide their members digital login access. If they do not provide digital access, you can read the print version in the library itself. Never Stop Serving! 14

15 August 2, 1776: Formal signing of the US Declaration of Independence August 2, 1909: Army Air Corps formed as Army takes 1st delivery from Wright Brothers August 3, 1914: 1st seaworthy ship passes through the Panama Canal August 3, 1934: Adolf Hitler declares himself Führer August 4, 1790: US Coast Guard founded as Revenue Cutter Service August 4, 1914: WWI US declares neutrality August 5, 1964: US begins bombing North Vietnam August 6, 1945: Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the US B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay August 7, 1782: George Washington creates the Purple Heart medal (original name Badge of Military Merit) August 7, 1990: Operation Desert Shield begins - US deploys troops to Saudi Arabia August 8, 1945: President Truman signs the United Nations Charter August 9, 1945: US drops 2nd atomic bomb Fat Man on Nagasaki August 9, 1974: Richard Nixon resigns as US President August 10, 1776: Word of the United States Declaration of Independence reaches London. August 11, 1988: Al-Qaeda formed by Osama bin Laden, Zawahiri and Dr Fadl in Peshawar, Pakistan August 12, 1972: Last American combat ground troops leave Vietnam August 13, 1898: US forces under Admiral George Dewey capture Manila during Spanish-American War August 14, 1945: Japan surrenders unconditionally to end WW II (V-J Day) August 15, 1914: Panama Canal opens August 17, 1863: Federal batteries & ships attacked Fort Sumter in SC August 18, 1914: President Wilson issues Proclamation of Neutrality August 19, 2010: Operation Iraqi Freedom ends. August 21, 1963: Martial Law is declared in South Vietnam August 22, 1944: Hitler orders Paris to be destroyed August 23, 1921: US formally ends war with Austria, with Germany (on the 25th, and with Hungary on the 29th August 24, 1814: British forces capture Washington, D.C. August 25, 1814: British forces destroy Library of Congress August 26, 1895: Electric generator at Niagara Falls produces first power August 27, 1776: British defeat Americans in Battle of Long Island August 28, 1864: First Geneva Convention signed by 26 nations August 29, 1786: Shay s Rebellion August 30, 1862: Confederates win the 2nd Battle of Bull Run in Manassas VA August 31, 1940: US National Guard assembles Scholarship CorpORATION Board of Directors Brig Gen Gordon P. Masterson, USAF Secretary Roslyn Bates, AUX Treasurer LTC Steven G. Turner, USA CAPT Ernest H. Joy II, USN Col Susan B. Neugebauer, USAF CDR Fred J. Reeg Jr., USN CDR A Courtney Yelle, USN Scholarship Finance Committee Treasurer LTC Steven G Turner, USA Assistant Treasurer Roslyn Bates, AUX Scholarship Selection Committee CAPT Ernest H. Joy II, USN LT Cheri M. Hawes, USA CDR Charles R. McRae Sr., USN Cozette Merritt, AUX Lt Col Joseph G. Tichich, USAF Scholarship Donor Relations Committee CDR A Courtney Yelle, USN Contributions to the MOAACC Scholarship Fund should be sent to: P.O. Box , Patrick AFB, FL Good Deeds Foundation 2018 President CPT Donn Weaver, USA Vice President CAPT Scott Hartley, USCG Treasurer RADM Wayne Justice, USCG Assistant Treasurer Lt Col Brian Whalen, USAF Board Members Lt Col Bob Carpenter, USAF Cheri Hawes, USA CW4 Robert John, USAR COL Thomas M. Rozek, USA LTC Harry Skip Taylor, USA Student Affairs LTC Harry Skip Taylor, USA Active Duty Outreach CW4 Robert John, USAR Golf Tournament COL Thomas M. Rozek, USA Historian/Records 1LT Cheri Hawes, USA At Large COL Jerry Gill, USA MAJ Norm Easton, USA MAJ Mike Kahanca, USA LT Paul Van Hemel, USMC Chapter Club Activities THURSDAY MORNING BREAKFAST CLUB TMBC meets each Thursday at 0800 at the 19th Hole, Indian River Colony Club (IRCC). Col Gary D. Eppler, USAF MONTHLY LUNCHEON - 11:30 AM Meets the 3rd Tuesday at Colony Hall IRCC. Reservation Form, Program and Menu on page 16. Mary McIntyre (mmcintyreluncheon@gmail.com) CURRENT AFFAIRS FORUM Meets 3rd Thursday every other month starting January (odd-numbered months) at the 19th Hole, IRCC immediately following TMBC. CAPT Ernest H. Joy II, USN ON-THE-GO Meets 2nd Tuesday for lunch at local restaurants. Details on page 5. Mary E. Dunagan, AUX NOTE: Throughout THE INTERCOM, if a phone number is listed without the area code, the area code is 321. Be aware that some cellular services require that you use the 10-digit phone number (including the area code) to complete the call.

16 The Military Officers Association of America, Cape Canaveral Chapter (MOAACC) P.O. Box , Patrick AFB, FL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/DIRECTORY UPDATE Please mail to above address or register online at moaacc.org New Chapter Annual New Chapter Life Change of Information Name Spouse s Name Street Address City Telephone Rank Check appropriate boxes: State Service Zip Member DOB Retired Active Duty Widow(er) Spouse of Member Regular Reserve MOAA National Membership No. Sponsor s Name Nat l Gd. Former Officer (See MOAA magazine label) Chapter Membership $20 Active Duty/Drilling Reserve: First Year - No Cost Life Membership Age Fees Age Fees $ $ $ $ $ No Cost $235 Life Membership payable over three consecutive months. Make Check payable to MOAACC or pay online at MOAACC.org Dues and Fees include subscription to THE INTERCOM. Luncheon Reservation Form (At Colony Hall, IRCC) (11:30 AM) Reservations must be made by completing this form and mailing it to: MOAACC Attn: Mary McIntyre, P.O. Box , Patrick AFB, FL or RSVP/pay on line at moaacc.org or by calling Mary Mcintyre at or at mmcintyreluncheon@gmail.com. How many? Check Enclosed $ Pay at the door Regular Lunch Name Light Lunch Singles Table (Print Please) Reservations must be received no later than Thursday prior to date of Luncheon. Cancellations will be accepted through Thursday prior to luncheon date by calling Mary McIntyre at LUNCHEON - August 21, 2018 Indian River Colony Club is located at 1936 Freedom Drive, Viera (Melbourne), FL Colony Hall, IRCC (11:30 AM) Program: Discussion of Coast Guard Station Cape Canaveral Operations Menu: Hot Meal: Salmon with Dill Sauce, Rice & Vegetable Salad Meal: Chef s Salad All: Pecan Pie Price: $16 Make/Cancel reservations by Thursday 16 August. Contact Mary McIntyre at Home Instead CAREGivers can provide a variety of services. Some include: Companionship Care Personal Care Meals & Nutrition Transportation Household Duties Respite Care Hospice Care Support Services Laundry Call for a free, no-obligation appointment