AIR FORCE SERGEANTS ASSOCIATION Chapter 1075, Taj Mahal Chapter General Membership Meeting Minutes 13 Jul 2006 1710 hrs PRESIDENT CALLED MEETING TO ORDER: 1710 hrs INVOCATION: Amy Rancier PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Jana Sauter AFSA PREAMBLE: Stan Staples DETERMINE QUORUM: Sergeant-At-Arms Roy Ricks, confirmed we had a quorum. WELCOME TO DIGNITARIES: 12 FTW Command Chief CMSgt Steph Page AFPC Superintendent CMSgt Terrance Reed Division 610 Officers: President Don Knotts, Senior Advisor - CMSgt (Ret) Thomas C. Nesbit, Treasurer CMSgt (Ret) Stan Staples, Auxiliary President Marion Nesbit, Chairman Legislative Committee - CMSgt (Ret) Paul G. Hulgan, Airmen Activity Coordinator Jana Sauter, and Lifetime Trustees Emilio Serrano & Gene Elliott. WELCOME TO GUESTS/NEW MEMBERS: - SrA Wendy Wians 12 CONS, TSgt Smith 12 CONS, Amn Gerboth AFPC, Amn Garrett, TSgt Mack AETC Protocol, CMSgt Larry Cole AETC, Chief Ralph Celento, MSgt (Ret) Ken Johnson, CMSgt Ken Uphoff FAREWELL TO DEPARTING MEMBERS - SMSgt Yvette Leonard - Total attendance = 60 members PRESENTATIONS: - CMSgt Larry Cole delivered a presentation on Pre-paid Legal Inc. The company has been in existence for 34 years providing legal service to all Americans. The company provides a blanket for the entire family. Identity theft is a huge problem in our country; therefore credit reports and credit monitoring are a necessity and helps to restore identity. Every 13.3 seconds someone s identity is stolen. It is extremely important to protect ourselves. You must take care of yourself and your identity. - Chapter 1075 Auxiliary Spouse Scholarship Award presented to Mrs. Phyllis Perez. PRESIDENTS REMARKS: President, MSgt Richard Rhodes - President Rhodes thanked everyone for assisting and volunteering for Retama Park. -- The 2006 International AFSA convention will be held in Sparks, Nevada. AFSA is currently transitioning to a Professional Development Conference. --Division 610 is currently leading in recruiting and retention. Bottom-line is that every chapter needs to grow every month. Members are power on Capitol Hill. RECORDER'S REPORT: Recorder MSgt Amy Rancier
- MSgt A. Rancier read an invitation from Ms. Susan Gandy, 12 FTW Public Affairs, for President Rhodes to attend the Team Randolph Quarterly Awards Ceremony on 27 July 06. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING - A copy of last month s minutes was provided to members in attendance. A motion was made to approve the minutes as written by CMSgt (Ret) Emilio Serrano, seconded by CMSgt Steph Page. A vote was held and the members accepted the minutes. Minutes are posted on our chapter website. www.afsa1075.org TREASURER S REPORT: Treasurer Darren Obermeyer - Account balances as of 30 June 06 are: -- Total Monthly Income - $3716.38, Expenses $2788.73, Overall Total $927.65 -- Checking: $4015.96, Savings: $761.39, Investment: $7323.67, Total: $12,101.02 A motion was made by Bryan Harder to accept the treasurer s report as written, subject to audit. The motion was seconded by SMSgt Yvette Leonard. A vote was taken and the members accepted the treasurer s report. (CLOSED) - There are claim forms posted on our website. Please give completed claim forms to SMSgt Darren Obermeyer. - Scholarship checks have been mailed to the appropriate schools. COMMAND CHIEF COMMENTS: - CMSgt Page, 12 FTW Command Chief, briefed the Enlisted Pilots luncheon was a success. He also briefed that the main gate building is not being torn down. Also, the base is scheduled to build a new Base Exchange in the old housing area. Our MPF is taking care of other services due to the growth of the base. Also, The Randolph Enlisted Club won the Best Enlisted Club in the Air Force Award. He also recognized CMSgt Ken Uphoff and congratulated him on his retirement. Chief Page emphasized that when you retire you never stop serving in the United States Air Force. He also briefed that the new gym will be complete in Feb 07. He also stated we all need to write our Congressman because all the nice amenities are starting to go away. Finally, we need to recruit more members. COMMITTEE REPORTS Membership Committee: Vice President Steve Nichols - Our chapter has 1115 total recruits for calendar year. -- AFSA International challenged each chapter to recruit 400. We want to recruit members that are active in our chapter. Our council has been challenged to recruit at least 5 members. -- We recruit at several venues: -- Dining facility -- Newcomers briefing every Monday at 1000. -- Recruiting incentives include: -- 1 st recruit a letter signed by the chapter President -- 5 recruits an AFSA coin -- 10 recruits a coffee mug -- E-4 and below receive membership discount. The cost is currently $18 for 18 months; possibly going to $16.50. -- There will be continued membership drives held each first and mid-month payday. Members are needed to help from 1100 to 1300 at the dining facility. New members will receive an AFSA Chapter coin when they join. (OPEN) Legislative Committee: Trustee Jammie Space
- Be active; don t sit back. - National Defense Authorization Act. The Senate wants to give 2.7; while the House wants to give 2.2. - Flag Amendment 80% of US citizens do not believe anyone should have the right to burn the Flag. - Register to vote and vote. FVAP.org. Contact your squadron voting officer -- Voter registration forms are available at every Chapter 1075 general membership meeting. - Current major issues include: TRICARE and HR 4949 - HR 602 Curtailing of VA benefits. Keep our promise to military retirees status. - Millitary.com makes it very simple to contact your Congressman. Don t be afraid to write your Senators and Congressman. - AFSA is about legislature. The VA budget is up to $80 billion. Please support the VA. - There is a legislative link for members and further information may be gathered from the Chapter s website. Make a phone call to Capitol Hill. There is a Hot Line number to talk to your congress person(s), 1(888) 762-8760. When you reach the office a clerk will assist you. Share your concerns with them so they may pass information onto to the Congress person(s). - MSgt Space will be deploying in Sep 06 and MSgt Lantagne has agreed to sit in for him as Legislative Trustee during his absence. Publicity/Communications Committee: Trustee Bruce Bebow (ABSENT) - President Rhodes briefed: -- Newsletter went to press on 2 Jul 06. - Located at the bottom of every page on the website is a contact list. Also, automatic email links are now set-up. - If you are in charge of an event, please author an article for upcoming issues. Please send in complete stories. If you need an event added to the web page, just send the information to the Webmaster by email. If you have a message to get out to the chapter mailing list, send to the president [at] afsa1075.org. -- If you are not getting the email from the chapter you have grown accustomed to, your address may have been lost when the site was rebuilt. Sign up at the website under the register menu button if you would like to be included in the group e-mailings that go out to the membership button. - Contact TSgt Bruce Bebow to suggest changes to the website. Military Affairs Committee: Trustee Dee Mathis (ABSENT) - President Rhodes briefed: - Working on a database to add to the website. - After we receive notification to participate in an event, we will request volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering may contact MSgt Dee Mathis. Civic Affairs Committee: Trustee Jana Sauter - Randolph Federal Credit Union is doing a fundraiser for the Fisher House. Randolph Brooks has donated over $500,000 to the Fisher House. - Poker tournament scheduled in Aug 06. All donations will go to the Fisher House. The date is TBD. - Fisher House is building a new facility at BAMC to house veterans returning from overseas. - Bryan Harder, Adopt-A-Highway coordinator, briefed next scheduled dates for Adopt-A- Highway clean-up are 15 Jul 06 and 14 Oct 06. We meet at the Exxon on 1604 on the south
side of the base at 0830. We need volunteers. Please come out and support the community and our chapter. - San Antonio Food Bank needs volunteers to build food boxes on 17 Jun 06. Please email Jana Sautter if interested. (OPEN) - We need a volunteer for the Veterans Affairs Services Volunteer coordinator at the VA hospital (OPEN) Plans and Programs: Trustee Paul Rancier (ABSENT) - President Rhodes briefed: - Chapter picnic 9 Sep 06 - Developmentally challenged picnic 23 Sep 06 at Eberle Park -- Weather will possibly be too warm and date might change. POC will check Eberle Park for availability on 19 or 26 October. Contact Steve Nichols the POC from last year for further information. (OPEN) - Christmas Party scheduled for 16 Dec 06. We need a POC for the Chapter Christmas Party (OPEN) - Chapter Installation scheduled for 3 Mar 07 - VA still needs drivers for shuttle. Airmen Activity Program Committee (AAPC): Chairperson SSgt Regina Green - AFSA, Chapter 1075 is selling lapel pins, car magnets, and dog tags to raise money for the Air Force Enlisted Village at Hurlburt Fld, FL. (OPEN) -- Quantities still available approximately 10 lapel pins, 25 dog tags, and 20 car magnets. - Airmen s Bash scheduled for 15 Jul 06 at Canyon Lake. Currently we have 9 volunteers and we need 2 more. (OPEN) -- We also need a truck to tow the dunk booth. (OPEN) -- Randolph Brooks donated $200 to the Airmen s Bash. The Randolph Chief s Group donated $100.00. GEICO insurance donated 100 goodie bags. The Silver Stars donated basketball tickets. -- Parking is $5.00 per vehicle at Canyon Lake. - Need volunteers at the USO downtown San Antonio to build awareness for AFSA. - Future Airmen s Bash Luau scheduled for 2 Dec 06. Sunshine Committee: Chairperson Chief (ret) Bonnie Cooper - If you know of any members that are sick or have lost a family member please contact her and provide her all the necessary information. Bonnie may be reached at (H) 520-5580, (W) 617-5244 or you can email her at bonniec [at] flash.net or bonnie.cooper [at] med.va.gov. She will send out cards to include electronic cards if she has the home email address of the member -- Please send cards for happy occasions, as well, as sad. GRAVC (Greater Randolph Area Veterans Council): Chairperson Gene Elliot (ABSENT) - Senior Advisor CMSgt (ret) Nesbit briefed: -- GRAVC consists of numerous organizations around Randolph AFB. - Annual Veterans Day parade scheduled for Nov 06. -- A motion was made by CMSgt (Ret) Serrano to donate $100 to the GRAVC for the parade administration. The motion was seconded by Foster. The motion was passed to donate $100.00. (CLOSED) -- Will solicit volunteers in Jul or Aug 06 timeframe.
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: Chairperson Stan Staples - Polo, denim shirts, and coins are still available for sale. - AFSA needs volunteers for Retama Park. -- AFSA distributes the funds and will limit the volunteer pool to Top 3s, Chief s group and a few other participants. Participants must help AFSA earn funds and then will be allowed to earn funds for their own respective organizations. -- In order to receive credit for an organization other than AFSA, the organization must have 8 volunteers or one volunteer 8 times to qualify for a day. -- Volunteers must be TABC qualified before selling alcoholic beverages -- Must wear AFSA hat and T-shirt or something identifying AFSA -- Retama schedule is posted on our website. You can also volunteer via website. AUXILIARY NOTES: - OLD BUSINESS: President Rhodes - Lackland is sponsoring an AFSA Association Flag Day Golf Tournament on 16 Jul 06. -- There will be a flag ceremony with a guest speaker. Approximately $3000 in prizes will be given away. Chapter 1075 has signed up to sponsor a hole. -- Flag Day Golf Tournament was a success. There were 19 teams and a 350 ft flag pole was given away along with numerous prizes. - SNCO Induction Ceremony will be held on 21 Jul 06 at the Enlisted Club. AFSA donated $100 to this event. The donation will also help to cover refreshments during the orientation week. The funds were already budgeted. - Retama Park is a major fundraiser. -- Began 28 Apr runs through 1 st weekend in November (OPEN) - AFSA International Convention Aug 13 17 06 in Reno, Nevada. - Coin Sale Fundraiser at Alamo, Washington, DC, and RAFB coins. POC is Stan Staples -- Coins are also sold at AFSA recruiting booth on the 1 st and 15 th. NEW BUSINESS: Vice President Nichols - Recruiting scheduled for 20 Jul 06 at 0845 at FTAC. We need volunteers to work the recruiting table. (OPEN) - International Convention A motion was made by CMSgt (Ret) Nesbit to vote in delegates for the International Convention. SMSgt Tibbetts seconded the motion and it was passed. - VA Hospital visits visits are important and they remind veterans that we have not forgot about them. COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR: - Division 610 President Knotts briefed membership has improved. He also thanked all the airmen for attending the monthly AFSA meeting, especially the Airmen Activities Coordinator. He also briefed that fundraisers like Retama must continue and organizations must help for them to be successful. We also need to keep an extremely active membership. He also briefed the legislative QRD. They want to eliminate hazardous duty pay, family separation allowance, and no pay raise. We must keep our AFSA membership up. MEETING ADJOURNED CMSgt (Ret) Emilio Serrano motioned to close the meeting and CMSgt (Ret) Paul Hulgan seconded. Meeting adjourned at 1810hrs; Next meeting is scheduled for 1700hrs on 10 Aug 2006.
DOOR PRIZE DRAWING: None. Recommend Approval //SIGNED// AMY RANCIER, MSgt, USAF Executive Recorder, AFSA Chapter 1075 Approved/Disapproved //SIGNED// RICHARD RHODES, MSgt, USAF President, AFSA Chapter 1075