December 2018 MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, SENCLAND CHAPTER P.O. BOX 10015 WILMINGTON, NC 28404 SENCLAND.ORG EDITOR: HARRY L. BRUD DEAS III BRUDDEAS@GMAIL.COM (910) 338-0409 December Meeting - Submitted by Jim Jackson, Program Chair Our 04 December Holiday meeting will be at the beautiful Bluewater Grill on Wrightsville Beach, beginning at 1130 hours. Our special Holiday luncheon is priced at $25 and includes the entrée of your choice, soft beverages, coffee and tea. Cocktails, beer and wine are available for purchase. Luncheon entrees include salad and dessert, plus your choice of entrees below. Payment for luncheon is made at check-in. Entrees Grilled Salmon Flat Iron Steak Chicken Marsala Dessert Caribbean Fudge Pie Our special Holiday Program for December will feature Wilmington s very own Harmony Belles, a light-hearted group of twelve ladies who have been singing acappella 4-part harmony in the area since 1986. Please RSVP NLT Friday, 30 November, to JoAnn Doleman via email: jdoleman522@gmail.com, or 910-540-8459. Upcoming Programs for 2019 08 Jan Overview of MOAA Outreach/Scholarship Programs including representatives from four area institutions (North Brunswick HS, Brunswick Community College, Cape Fear Community College and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington) We are firming up many unique programs for 2019, so stay tuned! Message from SENCLAND Chapter President, Ken Klassen November was a month packed with activities, ceremonies, programs, an election and hurricane recovery. Thanks to all for your participation, assistance to friends, neighbors and chapter members. Our November 6 th meeting was the annual business meeting to receive committee reports, vote on the updated SENCLAND Chapter By-Laws and listen to a well prepared and delivered presentation from New Hanover Regional Medical Center CEO and President, John Gizdic. If you are interested in more information, please go to www.sencland.org. I have posted the By-Laws on the Website in the About SENCLAND Tab and one of John Gizdic s Power Point Slides in the News and Events Tab. Treasurer David Gould presented the FY 2019 Budget with details on goals for expenditures including Scholarships and Outreach. We have budgeted $7100 for those categories but are setting a goal of distributing $12,100 from anticipated corporate sponsorships in 2019. If more is received, we will increase distributions to JROTC, Veteran students and Outreach to Community Veteran Organizations. Plans are in work by the Board of Directors to pursue corporate sponsorship from NHRMC, SAS, MOAA Community Grants, USAA, Landfall Foundation and the Mercer Insurance Co. Donations from SENCLAND members are still the primary source for funds, so please continue to contribute generously before the end of the year and in 2019. Dues for 2019 paid before the end of 2018 are also appreciated. You can either donate and pay dues online, bring to the December luncheon, or mail to: SENCLAND MOAA, P.O. Box 10015, Wilmington 28404.
If you are planning to enroll in the new FEDVIP Dental/Vision Insurance plans offered to eligible retirees, you must do so before Dec. 10 th. A very helpful article was published in the Military Officer Magazine, November 2018 issue. A snapshot of some of the plans is on p. 34-35. You can also go to www.moaa.org for the latest. Administrative assistants at your local dental office are also very helpful sorting through your options. There are openings for Chapter Leadership positions beginning in 2019. Please consider getting involved in keeping SENCLAND a leader in NC and nationally to support Veterans and MOAA s mission of Never Stop Serving. We need assistants in training to become future board members for Public Affairs, Newsletter Editor, Membership, Benefits and Resources, and Surviving Spouse Liaison. Contact the current leaders for more information. Thanks! Lastly, you are all to be congratulated for your participation in making SENCLAND the first-time recipient of MOAA s 5 Star Level of Excellence Award. A medallion is now attached to our Chapter streamer. At the MOAA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ on Nov. 1-2, I was honored to receive the award for 2017. Thanks to all who submitted input to the application, especially Ritt Schiano, PAO and Jim Brumit, Past President for their efforts. 4 NC Chapters Displaying Excellence Awards at MOAA Annual Meeting in Phoenix Legislative Affairs - Submitted by Barry Coyle, Legislative Affairs Chair As I write this on 17 November, the 2018 elections are being finalized. Counting of absentee and provisional ballots is complete. Canvassing is underway and election results should be certified by Thanksgiving. I hope you took the opportunity to vote and make your voice heard. Newly elected officials will take office in January. I will update the contact information for our local, State and U.S. representatives when that information is published. In Washington, the 2019 Authorization and Appropriations Bills for DoD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs and Military Construction were all signed into law by President Trump prior to the start of FY 2019 on 1 October. Most of MOAA s 2018 Goals were achieved within those laws. After a break for the elections, Congress re-convened on 12 November, with the most important business being passing funding bills for the rest of the Federal Government, including the Coast Guard and Dept. of Homeland Security. Current funding for these agencies expires 7 December. Don t forget that Open Season for the newly available FEDVIP dental and vision insurance expires 10 December. You can only select new plans during the Open Season. The Tricare Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) expires 31 December. If you were using that program, you will need to select new dental insurance, either through a private party or FEDVIP, which also offers vision insurance. If you were not using TRDP, you can still enroll 2
in FEDVIP, if that is favorable for you. The November issue of Military Officer Magazine has an excellent article covering the many different FEDVIP plans, including a cost comparison. If you missed this article you can check out FEDVIP at www.tricare.benefeds.com. If you are using TRICARE Select or Prime for other medical needs, and want to make any changes to your coverage, that must also be done during the Open Season that runs from 12 November to 10 December. Research your options at tricare.mil/openseason. In North Carolina, the General Assembly will reconvene on 27 November for the final meeting of the 2017 2018 Legislative Session. The calendar for this session has not yet been published, so it remains to be seen if any significant legislation will be introduced. Membership Dues & Donation Information Submitted by Dave Gould, Treasurer 2019 SENCLAND Chapter Dues Though payment of dues is required during January 2019, early collection has commenced. If you have a question about your payment status, please contact Al Schroetel at downeast@bellsouth.net, or 910-686-6905. Our Chapter derives its funding for Chapter activities almost exclusively through membership dues. The annual dues ($20 for members and $15 for surviving spouses) are among the lowest in the State. Chapter dues pay for representational items at military and veteran functions, special events like our WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam Veterans Recognitions, MOAA logo gifts for luncheon speakers, membership in the North Carolina MOAA Council of Chapters, website maintenance, mailing costs, and other operational expenses. Dues are waived for the following two categories of members: All members 90 years of age or older New chapter members for the remainder of the calendar year in which they join; thus, if a member joins in January, dues are waived for the entire year. Donations Please consider donating to the Chapter's Scholarship & Outreach Programs that provide support for local veterans and military members and their families and/or Junior ROTC and Veterans Scholarships. There are two ways to pay your dues and make donations: On-Line: Open the Chapter's website, http://www.sencland.org, Click on the word Membership in the menu on the left side of the home page. On that new page, there are two separate choices; one is to pay Chapter dues, the other is to make a donation. Continue by clicking on the appropriate "Buy Now" button and follow the prompts. If you have questions about this process, please contact the Chapter Treasurer, Dave Gould, at dgould321@yahoo.com or 910-319-7021 Mail in a Hard Copy: Please print the following form and mail your dues and donations to: SENCLAND CHAPTER MOAA P.O. Box 10015 Wilmington, NC 28404 Name: Address: Email Address: Telephone number Dues $ 3
Donation Total $ $ Please indicate where there are changes such as phone number or a new address. You may also bring the completed form and payment to the monthly luncheon Membership Updates Submitted by Al Schroetel, Membership Chair We are pleased to report that the following are new SENCLAND Chapter members: - Susan Cunningham, Lt Col, USAF (Ret.). Susan and her husband Evelio Gonzalez live in Bolivia, NC - Evelio ("Gonzo") Gonzalez, Major, USA (Ret). lives in Bolivia, NC with his wife Susan Cunningham - Thomas R. Hale, CAPT, USCG (Ret.). Tom and Marybeth live in Southport, NC. - Patrick Hogan, CDR, USN (Ret.). Pat and Elaine live in Wilmington - Craig Park, MAJ, USA (Former officer). Craig and Louise live in Leland, NC. - Gary Scheer, CDR, USCG (Ret.). Gary and Kelly live in Leland, NC Please continue to invite friends and neighbors that are current, former or retired military, Public health or other Uniformed Service members to a luncheon so that they can benefit from participation with the Chapter. Virtually all guests that have attended in the past have joined, keeping the Chapter strong, purposeful and fresh. Deceased Members We are saddened to report the passing of Katherine "Kitty" Johnston, a long time SENCLAND Member. Kitty was the surviving spouse of CDR Bruce Johnston. Outreach Initiatives - Submitted by LtCol Larry Wilson, Outreach Chair Chapter members can take great pride in the level of Outreach support we have provided to veterans in our area in 2018. We provided grants totaling $2,000 to eight military and veterans organizations, including community and civic groups that support veterans and the military. Of particular note is the $950 that was granted to three colleges, Brunswick Community College, Cape Fear Community College, and University of North Carolina Wilmington, subsequent to Hurricane Florence. The grants went to veterans at those colleges that were impacted by the loss of property, reduction of income due to closed businesses, need to relocate to temporary lodging or other unexpected expenses. Funding for the Outreach Program is only possible due to the generosity of our members, thank you. Here is a summary of the grants distributed this year: BRUNSWICK COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION - $190 CAPE FEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE VETERANS CENTER - $285 CAPE FEAR PURPLE HEART FOUNDATION - $300 NAVY LEAGUE DILIGOLF CHARITY EVENT - $250 NEW HANOVER COUNTY GOLD STAR MONUMENT - $100 NEW HANOVER COUNTY VETERANS COUNCIL STAND DOWN - $300 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON MILITARY AFFAIRS - $475 VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA CHARITY GOLF - $100 4
Veterans Scholarships- Submitted by COL Chrissy Sanford, 2 nd VP We will be awarding academic scholarships to students who are veterans at Cape Fear Community College, UNC Wilmington, and Brunswick Community College in December. Please let me know if anyone is interested in attending these presentations with us. It usually takes about an hour and seeing the joy from the recipients makes us realize how much appreciated SENCLAND MOAA is and the difference we make in the student's lives. Email me at chrissysanford@gmail.com for more information. SENCLAND Chapter Website Information If you have logged onto the Chapter Website (www.sencland.org) over the past few months, you have read coverage about a busy summer of special events plus legislative updates. There are numerous pieces in the News and Events, Legislative Affairs, Photo Gallery and Our Heritage tabs for your review. Also, numerous new members have joined and their contact info is available in the roster that is available to members only. If you need help logging onto the website for roster info, please call or email Ken Klassen, Webmaster, at 910-791-3999 or kwkswk@att.net. Chaplain s Corner Chapter Chaplain Charles Lewis sends this reminder - In the event of a serious illness, or a death, in the case of a Chapter member or spouse, please make sure to let our Chaplain know of the specific mailing address for family members who should receive get-well or sympathy cards from SENCLAND Chapter. This is a vital communication process - we want our membership to know that we sincerely care. Additionally, the Chapter is working with Lower Cape Fear Hospice to honor veterans who are members of SENCLAND Chapter, MOAA, when they are admitted to hospice. A pin and certificate will be presented, and the family members will be invited to attend the presentation. This program is expected to kick off in the January-February timeframe. Chaplain Charles Lewis was busy during the Veterans Day Parade. He and a few other folks had the honor of assisting 98-year-old CPO Bill Hendley, a survivor of USS Oklahoma (BB-37) at Pearl Harbor. Bill is a member of American Legion Post 129. Editorial Policy and Comments The SENCLAND SENTINEL Newsletter is published by the SENCLAND Chapter, which is an affiliate of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). MOAA and its affiliated chapters and councils are independent, nonprofit, and politically nonpartisan organizations. As a part of MOAA s efforts to advance legislation and budgets that would be in the best interests of military members, retirees, and their families, there is an ongoing initiative to create awareness on many important topics, and to provide members with easy ways to give their input to state and national legislators. The following link will take you directly to MOAA s legislative activities and provide access to congress. http://capwiz.com/moaa/home/. SENCLAND Sentinel Our Chapter s Voice Our newsletter is published monthly (except July & August) in sufficient time to provide information on upcoming meetings. We want this newsletter to be of value to you, but we do not aim to compete with established print, broadcast, or online media, and we do not simply distill what MOAA National is publishing in Military Officer each month. What we want to do here is keep you informed about the chapter and our SENCLAND efforts to stay connected with each other and support our local military and veteran communities. To that end, we encourage you to provide content for publication in our newsletter and online. Simply send your notices, letters, articles, and photos to our editor, Brud Deas, (bruddeas@gmail.com) as you collect them. Everything submitted by the 15th of the month will be considered for inclusion in the following month s newsletter. All items are subject to editing. 5
SENCLAND Sentinel accepts sponsorships from our members and other supporters. You can see a full listing of current sponsors at the end of each newsletter. Soliciting sponsorship in this way provides a way to recognize our sponsors while allowing us to keep our dues the lowest in the state. If you would like to discuss sponsorship opportunities for yourself, your company, other veteran fraternal and support organizations, or anyone else that appreciates the mission of SENCLAND MOAA, please email Brud. Cash sponsorships in excess of the cost of publishing this newsletter in its current format will augment our local military and veteran outreach activities, increasing the positive effect that we have on our local community. Consider inviting your neighbors to participate by sharing this newsletter with them and talking about MOAA SENCLAND. Whenever possible, please patronize our sponsors and let them know we all appreciate their support of our important initiatives. 6
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THE SENCLAND CHAPTER of the MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA P.O. BOX 10015 Wilmington, NC 28404 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED December 2018 SENCLAND Chapter (MOAA) Membership Application Form Date of Application: Active Duty Active Reservist Retired Former Officer Name: Rank Service Street Address: City State Zip+4 Date of Birth MM/DD/YYYY: Spouse s Name: Home Phone: Email: Are you a National MOAA member? Annual Life Member Note: It is not necessary that you be a member of National MOAA in order to join the local chapter although we strongly encourage you to become a National MOAA member. Your National MOAA membership number (on magazine label): 8 Annual chapter dues of $20.00 are waived for the current calendar year for new members! Please complete this form and mail to the return address above. Call Al Schroetel, Membership Chairman, at 910-686-6905 or email downeast@bellsouth.net if you have any questions. We look forward to meeting you!