KOS KOMMENTS Jim Chandler, CDR. USN Ret. Chapter President

Transcription

1 Vol. XXXIV No. 3 MOAA FIVE STAR AWARD 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 MARCH 2009 KOS KOMMENTS Jim Chandler, CDR. USN Ret. Chapter President A HISTORY LESSON WHO WE ARE (LEST WE FORGET) MOAA was founded as The Retired Officers Association (TROA) in 1929 to provide assistance and advice to military officers in general. At the beginning of WWII, TROA s leaders reorganized and expanded the organization, moving to Washington, D.C., in 1944 with a membership of 2,600. On January, 2003, the organization changed its name to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). Now headquartered in Alexandria, VA, its membership is open to active duty, National Guard, Reserve, retired, and former commissioned and warrant officers of the following uniformed services: Army (USA), Marine Corps (USMC), Navy (USN), Air Force (USAF), Coast Guard (USCG), Public Health Service (PHS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admininistration (NOAA). The Board of Directors may also offer Honorary Membership to officers of allied, uniformed military services. MOAA s purpose has grown to include career transition assistance, member products, military benefits counseling, educational assistance to children of military families, and strong involvement in military professionalism activities. It is currently the nation s largest and most influential association of military officers. MOAA is the leading voice on compensation and benefit matters for all members of the military community. We should all be proud of the respect gained by MOAA in our nation s capitol as a voice for military personnel in general. MOAA is an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS With about 370,000 members from every branch of service, it is a powerful force speaking for a strong national defense, and represents the interests of military officers at every stage of their career. While MOAA does advocate a strong national defense, it does not, as an association, become involved in matters pertaining to military strategy or weapons systems of the various services. While permitted by law to lobby, its status as a taxexempt veterans organization precludes it from participating in political activities. The Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA (KOS) was chartered as a corporation on 13 April 1976 by the State of Florida. In our charter, we agreed to promote the aims of MOAA, as described above, and in addition included a charge to perform services considered by our Board of Directors to be beneficial to the local community. This means we also agreed to be an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization. Thus, our status as a taxexempt veterans organization (Continued on page 3) MARCH APRIL MAY KOS Luncheon Meeting, Elks Club, Social 12:00 P.M. Lunch 12:30P.M. KOS Board Meeting, Elks Club, 12:00 P.M. KOS Plus Board Meeting, Elks Club, 10:00 A.M. KOS Plus Luncheon Meeting, Elks Club, 11:30 A.M Joint KOSKOS Plus Luncheon, 12:00 PM at Stumpknockers KOS Board Meeting, Elks Club, 12:00 P.M. KOS Plus Board Meeting, Elks Club, 10:00 A.M KOS Dinner (Scholarship) Meeting, Elks Club, Social 6:00 P.M., Dinner 6:30 P.M. KOS Board Meeting, Elks Club, 12:00 P.M. No KOS Plus Meeting, May, June, July and August

2 SUNBEAMS PAGE 2 MARCH 2009 KINGDOM of the SUN CHAPTER, MOAA P.O, BOX114, 0CALA FL SUNBEAMS is published monthly for the information of the members of Kingdom of the Sun KOS) Chapter, an affiliate of The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of either organization. SUNBEAMS is printed by the Concord Press of Ocala, Florida. KOS is a nonprofit organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on 13 April It is not associated with the Department of Defense. It is mailed as Third Class bulk mail at the U.S. Post Office, Ocala, FL under Permit #122. EDITORS: Ltc. Philip Johnson (Army), pjohnson130@cfl.rr.com Col. Tilford Smith (Army), cynford@stonecreekfl.com CHAPTER OFFICERS: President: CDR James Chandler, (Navy) st V.P.: Lt. Col. Lewis (Lew) Jones (Air Force) nd V.P.: Cpt. John Rose (Army) Secretary: CDR Robert Brurger (Navy), Treasurer: LCDR Kathryn Oswald, (Navy) DIRECTORS: CAPT Tyke Furey (Navy), CW2 Jerry Furlong (Army), Ltc. Phil Johnson (Army), Maj. Louis Share (Army) Immediate Past President Ltc. Kendall (Ken) McIntyre (Army) MEETINGS: The Kingdom of the Sun Chapter (MOAA), meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month. Dates, times and occasions are announced in advance in the SUNBEAMS. Members are encouraged to attend and guests are always welcome. Meetings are usually suspended during the summer months of July and August. The KOS Board currently meets monthly on the third Wednesday of each month at 12:00 P.M. at Ocala Elks Club. Officers and Board Members are required to attend. KOS PLUS Betty Hayes KOS Plus President We are happy to report that as of this date, our current paid membership stands at 63. A big welcome back to all 63! We'd love to see ALL of you at our March luncheon. Our thanks to: Doris Kunze, Doris Squazzo and Peggy Steck who worked diligently in contacting late paying members. Our First Vice President, Peggy Steck, has sent our current membership list to Maj. Louis Share for inclusion in the joint Kingdom of the Sun and Kingdom Plus 2009 membership directory. We will continue to accept new memberships, but they will not be listed in the 2009 directory due to time constraints for publishing. We also have sent a copy of the Bylaws, accepted by our membership at our annual business meeting on November 6, 2008, to Maj. Share to be published in the directory. We appreciate KOS extending us this courtesy. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas about the Bylaws, luncheons, or programs, feel free to contact any KOS PLUS Officer or Board member. We are all listed in the directory. You are welcome to come to a KOS PLUS Board meeting, at any time, and join your Officers and Board members as plans and decisions representing you are being made. Board meetings are held at 10:00 AM on the day of our scheduled luncheons at the Elk's Club. Our Special Projects chairperson, Marilou Truitt, has accepted the task of disseminating publicity for KOS PLUS. She will be sending press notices to various local daily/weekly newspapers announcing our luncheons/meetings. Look for one about a week before each scheduled KOS PLUS meeting and let us know when and where you've seen it. Cut it out and use it as a reminder to expect your "caller" to contact you for your luncheon reservation. If you miss your call, contact Doris Kunze ( ) she will happily take your reservation. Our Program cochairs Sharon Murry and Suzanne Smith have announced our program for March. It will be a Fashion Show sponsored by Dillard's Department Store. As always, we welcome guests to our luncheons. Bring your daughters, friends, neighbors, prospective members. It would be nice to fill the dining room at the Elk's Club again, as we did last year. The plan, at this time, is to have six KOS PLUS members informally modeling clothes that are appropriate for us and the activities that we engage in. Our treasurer, Doris Squazzo, requests that if possible please pay for your luncheon with a check. This will make the sign in procedure move along faster. A safety note: If we write a check, Doris will not have a bag full of loose money to carry to the bank after the meeting. REMEMBER: MARCH WELCOMES SPRING WITH FASHIONS! Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons! Who cares if a laser guided 500 lb bomb is accurate to within 9 feet? The easy way is always mined. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you.

3 SUNBEAMS PAGE 3 MARCH 2009 CHAPLAIN S CORNER Alan J. Heneisen, Chaplain, MAJ USAR Ret. (tkd12ocal@earthlink.net) Did you know that on March 17th the whole world will celebrate green? In America, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Japan, Singapore, and Russia people will wear green, drink green beer, kiss the blarney stone, make green paper leprechauns, and give green shamrocks to friends in celebration of St. Patrick s Day. Since the fifth century, the Irish have celebrated this day as a religious holiday by going to church in the morning, parades in the day time, and a family meal of corned beef and cabbage and Irish Soda Bread in the evening. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born in Britain. At age sixteen, he was taken prisoner by raiders from his parents wealthy estate. He was taken to Ireland and remained a captive for 6 years. He escaped, walked 200 miles across Ireland working as a shepherd. He escaped to Britain. After studying in a fifteen year training program for the clergy, he was ordained a Catholic priest. He was sent to serve the Christians and be a missionary to the Irish. He blended the Irish beliefs into Christianity by using bonfires to celebrate Easter and placed a sun on the cross which we now call the Celtic Cross. With the generations of oral legend and myth, St.Patrick s life became a natural part of the storytelling of Ireland s history and folklore. In the United States, there are nine places named Dublin, the Irish capital, and four named Shamrock, the flower emblem. Of all the immigrants admitted into the United States, the Irish are only surpassed by Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and Mexico. Have a safe St Patrick s Day. I leave you with the traditional Irish blessing: May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back.may the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of your hand. Presidentcontinued from page 1 precludes us from intervening directly or indirectly in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. While we may advocate issues, we may not advocate the election or defeat of particular candidates or political parties. Our members may not use KOS e mail, mailing lists, or its gatherings to advocate political or religious positions. In addition, your board has established standards over time so that KOS chaplains follow established military standards, requiring that chapter prayers or newsletter articles avoid promoting a specific religion. We have also established publication standards to ensure a nonbiased and legal content in our Sunbeams publication. In terms of our promise to be beneficial to our local community (which I will define as Marion County), KOS does very well. We can be proud of our scholarship, ROTC, Operation Stuff the Bus, Kiwanis Camp, Veterans Park, and many other efforts. We should certainly continue in this vein. But I think of our chapter as mainly an officer s club. I see us as a social and professional group that also carries out community service projects, not the reverse. While we may tease each other about the relative merits of our particular branch of service (like during our Army/Navy game event), we must treat all branches of service equally. While we may have earned a specific rank or status during our military careers, KOS Members are equal in status, with equal voices in determining how the chapter should be run. Continued on page 5

4 SUNBEAMS PAGE 4 MARCH 2009 LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS (Excerpts from MOAA s updates, Copyright 2004 Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) or from other sources as cited) By Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF Ret. Lobbying for military people is a rewarding business, especially when we can claim victory on a topic we ve been slogging away on for years. But sometimes all those years of plugging away at the details can have a kind of numbing effect as if articulating the rationale and the need for action so often and for so long has dulled the reality of the initiative. After beating your head against the same wall, year after year, in hopes of maybe creating a headsize hole, it s a bit of a shock when the whole wall suddenly crumbles to dust at your feet. We ve experienced this feeling before in 2001, when in the space of a few months, years of resistance wilted away, and Congress rushed to pass TRICARE For Life (TFL) and TRICARE Senior Pharmacy benefits for older military retirees. Suddenly, a million beneficiaries who had been barred from any military health coverage were handed the best Medicare supplemental coverage in the country. It took a little while for the magnitude of that change to sink in. We re in that same mode now, after having new GI Bill legislation signed into law earlier this month. A new generation of wartime veterans now is going to have the same opportunity for higher education that their parents and grandparents did in the late 1940s and 50s. They re not going to have to wonder how they can scrape together money for college. And depending on how DoD implements its new authority, many who agree to serve longer military careers will be able to pass that education opportunity on to their spouses or children. For more than a million Iraq and Afghanistanera servicemembers and their families, this is a TFLstyle revelation. It literally will change their lives and their children s lives. And in the long run, it will change the country, just as the postworld War II GI Bill did. It will generate a bettereducated America just when we need it, raising family incomes and boosting national productivity. In an era when many parents and teachers have become reluctant to recommend military service to their children and students, it creates a new and powerful incentive that will help build and sustain a strong volunteer force for the future. This isn t just another benefit upgrade. This is a lifetransforming event for millions of people and a triumph for the country. It s the TFL of the next generation. How Will The Stimulus Package Affect You? The final stimulus package agreed to by House and Senate conferees was pared back from what both the House and Senate had passed earlier, but is still a massive $780 billion package that includes funding for a variety of initiatives that will affect the military community in one way or another. As this was being written, the House was scheduled to vote on Continued on page 5

5 SUNBEAMS PAGE 5 MARCH 2009 PresidentContinued from page 3 We have been trained in the military to recognize and respect our differences, and to be gentlemen and ladies, if only by act of Congress. We can joke about that phrase, but, if we do it right, KOS can be one of the few safe havens from the strife and seriousness of the outside world that we have. Stimuluscontinued from page 4 the package on Friday and the Senate on Saturday. Here s a summary of selected provisions: Federal Income Tax Rebate: Working employees (including the selfemployed) would see a reduction in federal income tax withholding and liability of up to $400 (single) or $800 (married filing joint return). This tax credit would be calculated at 6.2% of earned income, up to the capped amount. The credit would phase out for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes above $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (married joint return). Special Payment: Social Security annuitants, disabled veterans, and certain others would be eligible for a onetime $250 payment. Anyone who is eligible for this payment and also eligible for the federal income tax rebate mentioned above would have the $250 deducted from the latter in determining the endofyear tax liability. Military Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP): HAP benefits (normally payable only at BRAC locations) are extended to certain military homeowners who bought homes before July 1, 2006 and who sell the homes before Sept. 30, To qualify the person must have received PCS orders or must have incurred a servicecaused condition during a deployment in that period that caused disability retirement. For a member who died during a deployment, the surviving spouse is eligible. The HAP authorizes the government to reimburse the homeowner for a loss on the sale up to 95% of the original value, or to purchase the home for up to 90% of the original value. Market values are determined by the Defense Department. Education Tax Credit: Taxpayers with college education expenses would receive a tax credit of up to $2,500 for the cost of tuition, books, and related expenses during 2009 and The credit would be 100% of the first $2,000 and 25% of the next $2,000. The credit would phase out for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes above $80,000 (single) or $160,000 (married). Firsttime Homebuyer Tax Credit: For 2009, the credit would be 10% of the purchase price, up to a maximum for $8,000. The previous requirement for homeowners buying homes after January 1, 2009 to pay the money back would be removed, unless the house is sold within three years of purchase. Vehicle Sales Tax Deduction: Taxpayers purchasing a new car, light truck, RV or motorcycle in 2009 will be able to deduct state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the vehicle. The deduction will phase out for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes above $125,000 (single) or $250,000 (married). Incentives to Hire Unemployed Veterans: Businesses would get a tax credit of 40% of the first $6,000 in wages for hiring unemployed veterans who are within 5 years of leaving active duty and who have drawn unemployment compensation for more than 4 weeks during the year before being hired. STUMPKNOCKERS Restaurant Featuring Our Famous ALLYOUCANEAT Catfish Casual Dining on the Scenic Withlacoochee Fresh Grouper, Snapper, Shrimp, Scallops, Oysters, Crab Legs, Frog Legs, New York Strip, Ribeye, Grilled Chicken Breast Full Liquor Bar Highway 200, at the Withlacoochee River in Dunnellon Phone DAVID J. ZANER, D.M.D., P.A. Periodontics 3I43 S.W. 32nd Avenue, Suite 300 Ocala, Florida Telephone IPLOMATE, merican oard of News from MOAA At Walt Disney World Resort in Florida From MOAA Message Center Through Dec. 23, 2009, each active or retired member of the U.S. military may obtain one complimentary 5day Disney s Armed Forces Salute ticket Continued on page 6

6 SUNBEAMS PAGE 6 MARCH 2009 DisneyContinued from page 5 with Park Hopper and Water Park Fun & More options. This ticket is valid for five days of admission into the four Walt Disney World theme parks, plus a total of five visits to a choice of a Disney water park, Disney Quest Indoor Interactive Theme Park or certain other attractions. During this offer period, active or retired U.S. military personnel may also make a onetime purchase of up to a maximum of five 5Day Disney s Armed Forces Salute Companion tickets (one theme park per day) for $99 per ticket, plus tax, for family members (including spouse) or friends. Although this ticket for family members and friends does not include either the Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More options, this ticket can be upgraded to add either such option, or both, for an additional $25, plus tax, per option. All tickets and options are nontransferable and must be used by Dec. 23, Ask about the great rates that may be available at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for active or retired U.S. military personnel during this offer period. CHAPTER HISTORY CDR Robert Buerger, USN, Ret. Chapter President Jim Chandler has appointed me KOS Chapter "Historian" in addition to my duties in the elective office of Secretary. I will be glad to take on the "Historian" job but I'll need help. I moved to Ocala in July of 2007 and joined the Chapter shortly thereafter, so don't have a lot of personal knowledge of the Chapter's history. Therefore I'm asking those of you who have been Chapter members for a long time to look in your closet, your file cabinet, old shoe boxes, etc and dig out any Chapter memorabilia you may have stashed away. I think particularly of convention program booklets, attendee rosters, memorial Service programs, etc that were published when the Chapter was host to Council of Chapters conventions. In addition, any publicity from the "Stuff the Bus" program, the Kiwanis Camp program, the JROTC awards program, and any other activity that may have generated community interest originals or copies will be OK. My plan is to collect such materials as may be available, file them in some sort of permanent archives and prepare a display to be exhibited at the annual business meeting in November. Any material and or ideas will be sincerely appreciated and credit given as to the donor's identity. My mailing address is 1727 SE 27th Loop, Ocala 34471; telephone or bobb43023@aol.com. Thank you, Bob NEW MEMBERS CAPT (MC) Frank Parisi, USN, 2845 SE 35 th St, Ocala, FL Tel: CWO4 Richard A. Russell, USA, MOAA # , 5620 SW 94 th St Unit B, Ocala, FL , Tel: He is our new Membership Chairman Q: How do you know when your date with the fighter pilot is half over? A: He says but enough about me wanna hear about my plane?

7 SUNBEAMS PAGE 7 MARCH 2009 KOS LUNCHEON MEETING OCALA ELKS CLUB (702 NE 25 th Ave, Ocala) Thursday, March 5, 2009 Social 12:00 P.M. Luncheon 12:30 P.M. Menu Shrimp Creole Potato Salad Rice Pilaf Grilled Mixed Vegetables Rolls and Butter Iced Tea and Hot Coffee Dessert Program Air Force Update Speaker: MSgt Chuck Elder, USAF Chief: Air Force Recruiting, North Florida Reservations Required $14.00 per person RESERVATION POLICY: Reservations and payment must be made no later than Monday, March 2, For reservations, please call CPT. John Rose at Telephone Please remember that a reservation made is a reservation to be paid. PLEASE CHECK YOUR MAILING LABEL If you find a red dot by your mailing label, our records show that you have not paid your 2009 Chapter dues. At the time this issue went to press, 47 members had not paid their dues. The 2009 Membership Directory cannot be completed until all members have responded. As a reminder, dues are $20.00 per year for Regular Members. Please mail your dues to: Treasurer, KOS, P.O. Box 114, Ocala, FL Anyone? If you wish to receive SUNBEAMS electronically, please send your request to Col. Tilford Smith at : cynford@stonecreekfl.com You will receive it in pdf form and save KOS postage. SICK CALL The following individuals are to some degree under the weather. Please let us know if we have forgotten anyone. Carol Munro