"Taking Care of the Troops" A NEWSLETTER FOR THE CENTRAL OHIO CHAPTER, MOAA An Affiliate of the Military Officers Association of America Vol. 60, No. 9, September 2013 President - Peter Wilkinson, Col, USAF (Ret) Editor George Williams, CAPT, USN (Ret) Secretary- Nancy Rey, LCDR, USN (Ret) Get updates and more - visit your chapter on the web at www.moaacentralohio.org NOTE: To change postal or email address - call LCDR Nancy Rey at 740-967-0739 or email to moaacentralohio@gmail.com MONTHLY LUNCHEON MEETING FRIDAY, September 13, 2013 PRESIDENT'S CORNER The Chapter recently received two very noteworthy recognitions. 1. National MOAA awarded the Chapter a Five Star Level of Excellence Award the highest level - for 2013. 2. The Ohio Governor, John Kasich, presented the Chapter with a resolution thanking the Chapter for our steadfast and continuing service on behalf of those who serve our nation. We are continuing to request funding support from Chapter members for the Homeless Veterans Stand down in October and the Adopt a Service Member Project. Please consider supporting these vital initiatives. Finally, this is a crucial time in Washington as the 2014 budget is being developed. Everyone is strongly encouraged to respond to the MOAAprovided opportunities to email our senators and representatives via the MOAA Take Action process. Pete Pete Wilkinson Colonel USAF (Retired) President, MOAA Central Ohio Chapter VETERANS STAND DOWN... COATS ARE NEEDED. September Luncheon Speaker is Col Michael Carrell, Col USAF Ret. Assistant Provost and Director - OSU Office of Military & Veterans Services Social at 11:30 AM, Meeting at NOON. Send check & reservation slip to: COL Tom Farrell, USA (Ret.) 1575 Northcrest Ave Columbus, OH 43220-3125 by Monday, September 9, 2013 The Veterans Stand Down will be held October 22 at Vets Memorial. Please check your closets to see if you have any good, used winter jackets for the homeless vets. Men s LARGE and EXTRA LARGE coats are especially needed because the homeless need to layer clothes. Sweaters are also being collected. Please ask family members, friends, and church members. Bring your coats to the September luncheon, or call me for a pick-up. The Farmer s Almanac has predicted a very cold winter for the Midwest. Please help to keep a homeless Vet warm this winter. Thank you. Questions? Dorothy Williams, 614-423-7016 or zemzem1@aol.com.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE There are currently four legislative alerts featured on the MOAA.org website at http://capwiz.com/moaa/home/ These alerts are titled: -Ask Congress to End Sequestration Now, - The Facts on Military Personnel/Health Care Costs, -Don't Cut the Troops' Pay Raise and -Don't Punish Military People in a Grand Bargain. The item about ending sequestration is a new legislative alert. I would highly encourage everyone to go to the following site and take action by contacting Congress using the drafted message. Here's the website: http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/alert/?alertid =62794996&PROCESS=Take+Action This website will take you to the draft correspondence. Enter your name, address, and POC information and follow the simple directions to send the correspondence. The entire process takes about 2 minutes. There are also over 30 pieces of legislation that MOAA is supporting listed at http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills. The topics cover active/reserve, survivor benefits, retirement, health care benefits, veterans issues, and spouse/family items. If you have any questions, please contact Jen Travers at ericjen2001@msn.com. MANUFACTURER COUPONS Before the next luncheon, I will have another box of manufacturer coupons going to our base in Germany. A special thanks goes to Nancy Kerns who continuously delivers cut coupons to my home. Often I find the bag at my front door, and I never get a chance to thank her. Another box of 4,000 manufacturer coupons will be mailed thanks to the clipping powers of some of you and my neighbors. Thank you. Dorothy Williams ADOPT A SERVICE MEMBER I received an email from LTC David Seitz who has been deployed with the 371 st Sustainment Brigade from Springfield Ohio. He acknowledged that he received our box of flip-flops and towels, and they were all distributed. He has been sent to another area, but I have the name of another person who will distribute our next box. LTC Seitz profusely thanked us for our help. The following is an excerpt from SFC Ashley Britton in Afghanistan who was one of the recipients of our July boxes. I have received your package and will use it well. The items I do not use, I will donate to the MWR so that other members of the US and Coalition Forces may have the option to use them. Care packages are a great way to show military members how much you care. Just to let you know, some of the items you sent that I really enjoyed are mints and gum.please express my appreciation to the Military Officers of Central Ohio. Postage for the package is $14.50 every month. Items in the box cost between $10- $15. If you believe in this mission we have undertaken to support our deployed military personnel, please send in a dollar with your monthly luncheon reservation every once and awhile, or drop a dollar in the box at the luncheon. Or, bring a package of gum to the next luncheon. Thank you to all who have helped to support this project. Dorothy Williams, 614-423-7016 or zemzem1@aol.com. Akron Convention Sept 20,21,22 Those who attend will not regret the experience and for the money they will find it a great value. This is also an opportunity to develop commitment from new members as well as develop those members that the Chapter will need as leaders in the future. MG Dan Hahn, USA ret. Convention Chairman
MOAA OHIO Convention in Akron, Ohio Sep 20,21,22 Your are reminded that the convention will have State Senator Frank LaRose, who is the Chariman of the Committee responsible for Veteran issues in the State Senate, speaking at lunch. He is a dynamic leader and speaker. We also have Jason Dominguez, who is the interim head of the Ohio State Veterans Service Commission, coming to discuss with us Veteran support issues, Col Brian Anderson from National MOAA will talk to us about the new MOAA Chapter recruitment program and Andrea Rand from National MOAA to talk with us about the MOAA scholarship program. Finally we have Dr. Ronald Sega as our banquet speaker, a retired Air Force Major General and former astronaut in the space shuttle program. This is a great lineup. We also have a tour of the Military Aircraft Preservation Society Museum, a top notch museum with men who actually made our history leading the tours. It will truly be enjoyable. We will conduct a raffle and someone will win a 7 day stay at a resort somewhere in the US/World (their choice) and finally we will commemorate the POW/MIA National Day at our banquet. This will be a first class event and most importantly it is an excellent opportunity to meet other MOAA members across the state, socialize and develop some camaraderie our MOAA Chapter. HILTON HOTEL AKRON/FAIRLAWN 3180 MARKET ST. AKRON, OH 44333 Please select option that you desire below and return with check payable to OWRC-MOAA. Mail to: OWRC-MOAA,PO Box 4272,Copley, Ohio 44321 Name ; Phone # Chapter Address I plan to attend entire convention: Spouse/Guest $135 per person I plan to attend Saturday only, includes banquet: Spouse/Guest $120 per person I plan to attend Saturday day only, no banquet: Spouse/Guest $85 per person I plan to attend Saturday banquet only: Spouse/Guest $45 per person Menu Selection for Banquet: (Identify number of meals) Grilled Top Sirloin Chicken Marsala Eggplant Manicotti Separate Cost: Military Aircraft Preservation Society (MAPS) Museum tour Sat. afternoon a first class museum, more than just aircraft. Includes transportation and tour ticket I plan to attend MAPS tour: Spouse/Guest $15 per person Questions: Please contact Dave Riegler (330) 592-2816 or Dick Calta (330) 696-5657.
THE NAVY LEAGUE of the UNITED STATES Greater Columbus Council Invites you to a dinner and Middle East Update with Colonel Peter Mansoor, U.S. Army (ret), Ph.D. Raymond E. Mason Jr. Chair in Military History Mershon Center at The Ohio State University THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 at the The Fawcett Center 2400 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Gathering Time 1800 - Dinner Served 1900 Menu Caesar Salad Choice of Frenched Chicken Breast Seared crisp & served with truffle & parsnip cream & orange gastrique or Fork Tender Beef Brisket With braised cabbage and sauced with roasted tomato pan gravy Chocolate Tiramisu Coffee. Tea & Iced Tea $37 per person Attire Business Casual Questions? Call or e-mail Udo Maroscher, President Greater Columbus Council, Navy League of the US 614-237-1992 or janudo@columbus.rr.com Reservations with prepayment are required, must be received no later than Saturday, September 14 Make checks payable to: NLUS Greater Columbus Council Mail with the Reservation Response coupon below to: Udo W. Maroscher, 3001 Marwick Road, Columbus Ohio 43232 Cancellations will be honored through Saturday, September 14, 2013 Name(s): Guest(s): Will attend the Dinner with Col. Mansoor Please specify number of: Chicken Beef Amount Enclosed: Telephone: ( ) - e-mail
CENTRAL OHIO CHAPTER, MOAA 1. I plan to attend the luncheon meeting scheduled for Friday, September 13, 2013 at the Berwick Party House, 3250 Refugee Rd, Columbus, Ohio. Social at 11:30 AM. Lunch served at NOON. Enclosed is my check, payable to COC/MOAA, in the amount of $ for meals at $12.00 each. NOTE: If you have special dietary needs, please specify those needs in "needs" space * Members and Guests who will attend are: Please Enter Code for Branch of Service (BOS) Army (A) Navy (N) Air Force (AF) Marines (M) Coast Guard (CG) Auxiliary (X) Rank BOS Note special diet needs Name(s) * * This reservation form should reach COL Thomas S. Farrell, 1575 Northcrest Ave Columbus, OH 43220-3125, no later than Monday, September 9, 2013. 2. Please consider a donation of a $1 to help buy "box stuffer" items for our adopted service members. My donation of $ in support of our adopted service members is enclosed. 3. Homeless Veterans Stand down is coming in October. As is our tradition, we are asking for donations to support this annual project. The chapter will match your contributions with a goal of presenting the mayor's representative with a check for $1,000. My donation of $ in support of Homeless Veterans Stand down is enclosed. HAVE COATS TO DONATE? Dorothy Williams is collecting coats (large & extra large) for the Veterans Stand down at Vets Memorial in October. Please call 614 353 7016 if you have coats to donate. We can arrange to pick them up.