THE SEVEN SERVICES NEWSLETTER MOAA MONTGOMERY COUNTY CHAPTER

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1 THE SEVEN SERVICES NEWSLETTER MOAA MONTGOMERY COUNTY CHAPTER Early Summer 2013 CHAPTER OFFICERS President Capt. Dave Peterson, NOAA(Ret) Vice President Lt. Cdr. Art Glover, USN(Ret) Secretary Col. Ray Surman, USA(Ret) Treasurer Lt. Cdr. Bill Schultz, USN(Ret) Immediate Past President Col. Harvey Kaplan, USA(Ret) CHAPTER APPOINTEES TOPS Liaison Maj. Jim Dittbrenner, USA CHAPTER SUPPORTS JROTC The month of May sees our MOAA chapter making award presentations at five county high schools, to recognize developing leaders. One graduating cadet receives a $50 scholarship award, while a junior cadet receives the MOAA JROTC medal. At these events, the MOAA chapter members also present a JROTC Award of Merit, conferred by the Military Order of the World Wars. Presentations are made at the following schools: Gaithersburg High School Kennedy High School Magruder High School Paint Branch High School Seneca Valley High School ROTC/Youth Leadership Col. Lou Ferguson, USAF(Ret) Auxiliary Chair Lt. Col. Mary Sanders, USAF(Ret) Chaplain/Personal Affairs Officer Capt. Jim Campbell, USAF(Ret) Newsletter Editor Patricia Snowden In the photo above, Cadet Commanding Officer Shayla Friesen (right), the MOAA scholarship recipient, cuts the cake with her relief at the Kennedy High School JROTC Change of Command Ceremony. 1

2 MAY 15TH JUNE 19TH Our May guest speaker was Ms. Natasha Sacks, the Program Director of the Life Long Learning Institute at Montgomery College. Ms. Sacks offered a full description of the program, and gave several examples of courses that may be of interest for those citizens who seek further educational enrichment in retirement. She spoke of the Institute s additional focus on workforce development and associated continuing education. We learned that the Institute is certified by the Learning Resources Network (LERN), and that the Workforce Development and Continuing Education unit of the Institute is rated as one of the leading providers of continuing education in North America. Course offering locations are scattered throughout the county to ensure the widest possible access to the public. Course offerings vary depending on the educational calendar and their start dates also vary to ensure greater access. Courses are offered in archaeology, art, interior design, literature, music, home and garden, photography, personal finance, and religion, to name just a few. As citizens of Montgomery County, we are fortunate to have such a program available to us at very reasonable cost. Ms. Sacks encouraged each of us to consider taking advantage of her Institute. Our June luncheon saw us host four Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen, ranging in age from 86 to 90, whose reminiscences took us back in time to the days during World War II when these iconic veterans struggled for recognition and legitimacy as American warriors. Doc Ivan Ware provided the largest group of luncheon attendees yet this year with the historical perspective of the Tuskegee Airmen s origins, their training period experiences, deployment, and the enviable combat record the squadrons achieved once in theater. Major Anderson, William Fauntroy, and Edward Talbert each shared vignettes of their experiences during the war and its aftermath. In the late 1940 s, the war record of the Tuskegee squadrons contributed to the eventual integration of the United States armed forces, a fact which has been a source of great pride of these men. Theirs was an inspirational story and one which we all were privileged to hear firsthand. Our Documented Tuskegee Airman Guests, with John Lass (center) (L to R) Ivan Ware, Major Anderson, William Fauntroy, and Edward Talbert 2

3 MOAA LAUNCHES WARNING ON TSP VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER PROGRAM National MOAA has launched a Veterans Service Officer Program to provide assistance with VA disability claim development, filing, and appeal before the Department of Veterans Affairs. This new program will enable MOAA to provide essential representational services not only to members but also to all veterans. As part of the program, the following services will be provided without charge: professionally trained service officers to assist veterans with filing claims, and, in conjunction with the National Veterans Legal Services Program, representation for VA claims and appeals. The initial effort by MOAA will be focused on the Washington, DC region, with plans to expand to other areas in the future. To support the program, MOAA is seeking interested volunteers to serve as VSOs. Training involves a four-week program leading to a final accreditation as a VSO. Once training and accreditation are complete, MOAA asks volunteers to donate one or two days a week to assisting veterans and other MOAA members with filing and tracking their VA disability claims. Many of our chapter members also belong to other military service or advocacy organizations, and from time-to-time we learn other bits of news worthy of sharing. Here is one from the National Military Family Association (NMFA), which gives us a caution in the digitally-connected world: There are a number of mobile applications that reference the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) and may prompt you for your TSP account credentials. These applications are NOT sponsored by the TSP. The TSP cannot endorse any information or advice provided by third-party applications. More important, providing your TSP account credentials to third-party applications may jeopardize the security of your accounts. Our presenter from March, Steve Chaikin, would certainly endorse this caution. If you do have TSP accounts, best keep that personal data personal...better safe than sorry. If any chapter members have the time and interest, MOAA would love to hear from you. Interested volunteers should contact Captain Jim Carman, USN (Ret), director of MOAA s Transition Center, by phone at (800) , ext 107, or by at tops@moaa.org The need is great, and the job is satisfying. Please consider it. 3

4 WHERE DOES MARYLAND RANK NATIONALLY? The table below was developed by MOAA National as part of the 2013 Storming the Hill package in April. It reveals some interesting information, if you compare the states. Surprisingly, Maryland ranks 7th nationally in the number of MOAA members. 4

5 SEVEN SERVICES REVIEW This issue COAST GUARD Semper Paratus Coast Guard assists 18-month-old from disabled boat near Annapolis, MD (Recall that last year we had a presentation by the Baltimore Sector Commander) The Coast Guard assisted a family May 3rd by transferring them off a disabled boat approximately 500 yards off shore from Sherwood Forest. Watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector Baltimore received notification from boaters aboard their 36-foot sailing vessel who requested assistance for their 18- month-old boy, who was having difficulty breathing and had become inconsolable. We overheard the call at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Channel 16, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Brannon Woodruff, the coxswain during the response. Sector then asked us to launch and assist. The sailboat had lost power and was anchored when the Coast Guard was asked to assist. The family was in Brewer Creek on the Severn River, said Woodruff. We arrived on scene at approximately 11 o clock, and the child was asleep. We conducted a medical evaluation and spoke to the flight surgeon. Concerned the child might wake up and still be in distress, Woodruff made the recommendation to transfer the child and his parents to shore to awaiting EMS. Once we brought him aboard he woke up and once again became hard to console, said Woodruff. When boaters are prepared and not only have the proper safety equipment, but know how to use it, our response time is that much quicker. The best way to contact the Coast Guard is to use the VHF-FM distress channel 16. 5

6 Did You Know? Retired Soldiers and the Uniform Code of Military Justice Have you ever heard a retired Soldier say, They can t touch me now; I ve retired.? Fortunately, for the sake of military justice, this is not true when it comes to retired Soldiers who violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) while they were on active duty or in a retired status. Under Article 2 of the UCMJ, the Army maintains court-martial jurisdiction over retired personnel. Army Regulation 27-10,Military Justice, states Retired members of a regular component of the Armed Forces who are entitled to pay are subject to the provisions of the UCMJ... and may be tried by court-martial for violations of the UCMJ that occurred while they were on active duty or while in a retired status. Department of the Army policy, however, does limit these trials to cases where extraordinary circumstances are present. The Army normally declines to prosecute retired Soldiers unless their crimes have clear ties to the military, or are clearly service-discrediting. If necessary to facilitate courts-martial action, retired Soldiers maybe ordered to active duty. The regulation adds that Retired Reserve Component Soldiers are subject to recall to active duty for the investigation of UCMJ offenses they are alleged to have committed while in a Title 10 duty status, for trial by court-martial, or for proceedings under UCMJ, Article 15. Forfeitures imposed under the UCMJ, Article 15 may even be applied against a Soldier s retired pay. (Source: Army Echos, May-Aug 2013) Pictures of Our Guest Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen Ivan Ware Major Anderson William Fauntroy Edward Talbert 6

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8 Upcoming Events July 17: Luncheon Our guest speaker will be Ms. Barbara Mulitz, Esq. Montgomery County Commission on Aging July 29: Chapter board meeting August 21: Luncheon Our invited guest speaker is Congressman John Delaney, Maryland 6th August 26: Chapter board meeting SAVE THE DATE Tuesday, September 17th Third Annual Maryland Congressional Luncheon Rayburn House Office Building, Room Harken ye, to truth "We should never despair, our situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better so, I trust, it will again. If new difficulties arise, we must only put forth new exertions and proportion our efforts to the exigency of the times." --George Washington, letter to Philip Schuyler, 1777 Here endth the lesson...let us all remember it 8