Vol. XL No. 4 July/August 2016 KOS Honors High School Students LT GEN ATKINS HONORS KOS LTC Arlo Janssen, US Army (Ret.) President, 2015, Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA Our May and June programs were both record setting events for KOS. The scholarship dinner on May 5, 2016, was very well attended. Our Scholarship Chairperson for KOS, Larry Fagan, CAPT USN (Ret), presented seven scholarships to high school seniors from Marion County. Three of the scholarship winners have received appointments to various military academies. William Bill Murry, COL USA (Ret), presented eight JROTC Leadership Awards to seven high school juniors and one sophomore from Marion County. Gorham Black, COL USA (Ret), addressed the audience to close the program held at the Elks Club in Ocala, Fl. The Ocala Star Banner published a front page article covering our KOS Scholarship and Leadership winners on May 9, 2016. Our 40 th Anniversary Gala Celebration Luncheon was held at the Elks Club on June 2, 2016. Four charter members were honored on this special occasion. They were Nan Andrews, Margo Langstaff, Jane Melissari, and Bonnie Morris. Chip Morris was the Master of Ceremonies for this special event. The Colors were presented by the West Port High School JROTC Color Guard at the beginning of the 40 th Program. The Mayor of Ocala, Kent Guinn, gave a hearty welcome address to our members and special guests. The national President and CEO of MOAA, Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, USAF (Ret), was our keynote speaker for the event. He presented our KOS Chapter a framed 40 th Anniversary Affiliate Award. He also presented to Sharon Murry, Lt. Col. USAF (Ret), a Four Star Award for 2015 for our KOS Sunbeams Newsletter. Ralph Spiller, Mary Rose, and I attended the FCOC Convention in Lakeland, FL on May 13-15, 2016. Stuff the Bus is our big project this summer. We also have a number of great KOS Chapter events planned for our members this fall. Our Five Star KOS Chapter is certainly in Good Hands again this year. I want to thank all those who participated and supported our KOS Chapter functions this year. LTC Arlo Janssen, President, KOS/MOAA Visit our website at: http://www.moaafl.org/chapters/kosmoaa/
SUNBEAMS PAGE 2 July/August 2016 THE DISTAFF SIDE by Mrs. Betty Hayes Kingdom of the Sun Chapter, MOAA PO Box 114, Ocala, Florida 34478-0114 SUNBEAMS is published bimonthly 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 Concord Print Shop of Ocala, Florida. KOS is a nonprofit organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on 13 April 1976. It is not associated with the Department of Defense. Editor: Lt. Col. Sharon M. Murry (Air Force), 352-347-8760 Photo Editor: Dennis Rose (Air Force), 425-0500 Legislation: LTC Philip Johnson (Army), 854-3403 Publisher: Kingdom of the Sun Chapter of MOAA Chapter Officers: President: LTC Arlo Janssen, (Army) 237-9720 1st V.P.: COL Robert Schlegel (Army), 516-815-2816 2nd V.P.: Lt. Col. Carol C. Walker (Air Force), 237-6546 SECRETARY: Mrs. Betty Hayes, SS, 622-7813 TREASURER: Mrs. Linda Byrd, SS, 509-4317 Directors: LTC Philip Johnson (Army), 854-3403 CDR Thomas W. Dann (USCGR), 245-3571 CPT John Rose (Army), 307-6130 CW03 Ralph Spiller Jr. (Navy), 454-7238 Mrs. Bonnie Morris, SS, 622-8331 COL Robert Morris, Jr. (Army), 352-259-9393 Birthday Representative: Mrs. Marilou Truitt, SS, 732-6046 Distaff Representative: Mrs. Betty Hayes, SS, 622-7813 Immediate Past President Lt. Col. Sharon M. Murry (Air Force), 347-8760 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 second Tuesday of each month at 12:30 P.M. at the Ocala Elks Club. Officers and Board Members are required to attend. Our 40 th Anniversary luncheon was attended by 65 people plus guests. The Elks Club dining room was almost filled to capacity. It was a delightful and informative afternoon. Our thanks go to all of the Officers, Board members and Social Affiliates who worked so hard on all of the many tasks it took to produce this seemingly effortless function. Lt. General Atkins, the new National MOAA President, was very personable and gave a most informative speech about the current status of MOAA, and about his intention to raise the national membership number of MOAA. He shared some of his personal data. The one item that brought a smile to his face was his announcement that immediately after the luncheon he was driving to Orlando to catch a plane to Spokane, Washington, to hold his new grandson in his arms. He is a very young-looking Grandfather. There will not be any KOS luncheons or dinners in July or August. Many of our members are traveling during that time. Those of us who are staying in Florida will be trying to keep cool in the Florida summer heat and, of course, helping with our Stuff the Bus collections. Your Officers and Board of Directors will meet in August to work on finalizing activities that will start again in September. Check the September/October Sunbeams for the dates and programs. Two charter members of KOS, LTJG USN (NC) Nan Andrews and surviving spouse Bonnie Morris have been in Rehabilitation, but are now home and resting comfortably. MEMORY JOGGER: Stuff the Bus collections will be active throughout Ocala in August. See the schedule of dates and drop-off locations on page 3 of this newsletter. Please donate to Ocala s homeless kids. IN MEMORIAM Chaplain LCDR Elden H. Luffman, USN died in Ocala on Memorial Day. COL Robert M. Kilmark, MD, US Army died in Ocala in June.
SUNBEAMS PAGE 3 July/August 2016 SUNBEAMS WINS FOUR STARS FOR 2015 SUNBEAMS EDITOR Sharon Murry and Photo Editor Dennis Rose present a chocolate cake to Concord Print staff members for their part in helping SUNBEAMS win Four Stars of Excellence for 2015. Left to right, Erin Payne, owner Bill Marren, and Susie Craft. Kudos to the SUNBEAMS staff: editor Lt. Col. Sharon Murry, photo editor Dennis Rose, legislative editor LTC Phil Johnson, along with President LTC Arlo Janssen and Distaff Side s Betty Hayes. The team uses the newsletter template designed by COL Til Smith, former editor of SUNBEAMS. The MOAA award was earned by the entire team. MOAA President Thanks KOS for Leadership Lt General Dana T. Atkins, USAF (Ret.), President and CEO of the Military Officers Association of America, thanked KOS for warm hospitality and congratulated the chapter on our 40 th anniversary. In his thank-you note, he also said, I was made to feel most welcome and I was thrilled to personally greet chapter members as they made their way through the receiving line. I m always reminded as I have these personal interactions with our chapter members, the level of their commitment in supporting the mission to Never Stop Serving. He thanked us for our continued leadership. STUMPKNOCKERS Restaurant Featuring Our Famous ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT 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 854-2288 Summer Is The Time To Stuff The Bus Provide new shoes, clothes and school supplies for homeless children. Lt. Col. Carol Walker provided this schedule for Stuff the Bus stops this summer: 7/9/2016 Walmart on Easy Street (19th ST near the mall) 7/16/2016 Super Walmart on SR 200 7/23/2016 Walmart on SR 40 7/30/2016 Walmart on Bahia Dr. in the Shores Volunteers are needed on Super Tuesday (8/2/2016) for unloading the bus. Call Suzanne McGuire at 352-361-4361 for details. It is strenuous work and hot, too.
SEE AND BE SEEN Uç WxÇÇ á eéáx Scholarship dinner may 5. 2016 SUNBEAMS PAGE 4 July/August 2016 a MONTH BY MONTH PHOTO HISTORY OF KOS-MOAA. are YOU IN IT? Left photo- Bill Murry with MOAA JROTC winners. Right photo Larry Fagan KOS with MOAA KOS scholarship MOAA scholarship awardees. awardees.
SUNBEAMS PAGE 5 SEE AND BE SEEN Uç WxÇÇ á eéáx May/June 2016 40th anniversary luncheon June 2. 2016 a MONTH BY MONTH PHOTO HISTORY OF KOS-MOAA. are YOU IN IT?
SUNBEAMS PAGE 6 July/August 2016 LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS (Excerpts from MOAA s email updates, Copyright Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) or from other sources as cited. See more at http://www.moaa.org/content/take-action/top-issues ). See more at: http://www.moaa.org/content/take-action/top-issues Senate Drops Plan To Boost Military Pay Raise, End Strength Article by Les Shane III, Military Times A Senate plan to boost next year s military pay raise and increase the end strength of each of the armed services failed in June over ongoing funding fights between lawmakers. The defeat sets up a spending showdown later this summer with House lawmakers, who have already agreed to use about $18 billion in increased defense funding to pay for those priorities and a host of new equipment purchases. The Senate s $602 billion authorization bill includes a 1.6 percent pay raise for troops next year, a massive overhaul of the military medical system and defense acquisition process, and billions for new equipment purchases and reset. Republicans in both chambers have argued that total is still billions short of what is needed to ensure force readiness, and have pushed for ways to get around defense spending caps set by Congress last fall. House members added the extra money in their version of the annual authorization bill last month, over objections from Democrats. But they bypass the defense spending cap by shifting $18 billion from overseas contingency funds to the base defense budget, leaving operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East funding only into spring 2017. Pentagon officials have called that approach dangerous, and the White House has threatened to veto the measure if that funding gimmick is used. McCain and other Senate Republican leaders have said they do not support the war funding shift either. The Senate is expected to complete work on the authorization bill in coming days. House and Senate negotiators will spend the rest of the summer trying to find a compromise between the funding mechanisms and totals before sending the final bill to the president. Email: Service@concordprintocala.com 600 S. Magnolia Avenue Ocala, Florida 34471 (352) 629-0736 Fax: (352) 732-0311
SUNBEAMS PAGE 7 July/August 2016 Schedule of Events JULY Ocala Elks Club 702 NE 25th Avenue, Ocala No social activities planned. CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE THE USA IS HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE. No Board of Directors meeting AUGUST Ocala Elks Club 702 NE 25th Avenue, Ocala Help with Stuff the Bus! 9 - Board of Directors 12:30 P.M., Everyone is welcome SEPTEMBER Ocala Elks Club 702 NE 25th Avenue, Ocala 1 - Welcome Back Luncheon Speaker: Ted Warner, veteran blinded in Vietnam who now chairs the governing Board of the FL Center for the Blind Cocktails (cash bar) at noon Lunch at 12:30 P.M. Price: $14 per person Menu: Tossed salad, pot roast, carrots, boiled potato, dessert, coffee, tea, rolls, and butter Reservations by August 29 13 - Board of Directors 12:30 P.M., Everyone is welcome Reservations: Lt Col Carol Walker at (352) 875-1332 or by email to Kapuahi77@aol.com Tables will be available for single members at all KOS events.